All soaped up.

Ok, I have been thinking about, and stewing over this one for a very long time. I’m not sure I will be able to get through typing this without going ballistic on something. It irritates me that much. Maybe irritate isn’t that strong of a word… I despise this. I gripe and complain every time I see this, and every time I have to use it I want to drop kick it into oblivion. 

Of course, I can only be taking about Automatic dispensers. 

It doesn’t matter what the Automatic thing is dispensing, I hate it. Whether its water, soap, or paper towel— which I always use.. do you know how many germs those hand blowdryers spread around, but I digress. 

Sometimes my hands are really dirty and I need a lot of soap, but it only squirts out a tiny amount. Or as I am in mid lather, the water cuts off. I want to dry my hands with a bunch of paper towels, not just one small square. I go ballistic every time one, two, or all three of these things happen. 

Where am I going with this rant? 

I think it speaks to our differences. We are all created differently (good thing, I don’t think the world can handle another me… just ask my wife)

We all have different likes, different tastes and different things that irritate us… that’s what makes us, us!

While there are different personalities, there is but one God. Hear what Paul has to say about this in Ephesians 4: “For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.” (NLT2)

Each one of us is/are different, but there is only one God, and He is alive and well and speaking to us and He tells me not to get so irritated about Automatic Dispensers.

in His Time.

Read an interesting text not too long ago. I’ve read it several times before, and will, no doubt, read it several more times again. Its one of those verses that should say something else, but it doesn’t. It says what it says for a reason. 

the verse is found in John 11. You remember the story….

Jesus’ got word that his friend, Lazarus was “sick”. 

normally when we hear news that our friends are sick we scuttle around and make arrangements to go to where they are and try to help them out. The bible says: 

“But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” 5 So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he (we expect it to read, He went immediately to where they were.. but it doesn’t. it says that…) he stayed where he was for the next two days.” (NIV)

Jesus was only about 3 kilometres away from where Lazarus and Mary and Martha was, but He did not go right away. 

In fact, Jesus stayed where he was for two more days. We don’t expect this… we expect Jesus to drop everything and make his way to where His friends are/were. But He stayed where He was for two more days. 

Why did/does Jesus delay? Why doesn't Jesus come right when we need Him? Why doesn't He take care of the problem right away? Does it mean He doesn't love us? 

All good questions, and I don’t know if I have an answer, but I do think that His delays are not his denials. He is waiting to act right then and there, because He has something better in mind. (If only we would learn how to wait…)

If Jesus had gone to see Lazarus immediately, He would not have taught an important lesson (Him being the Resurrection and the Life) and He would not have preformed a miracle, that people no doubt talked about for a long time, but more important, the people would not have had a chance to see God at work. Even when He's 4 days late, He’s right on time. 

So if you are asking God to show up, keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking, He will show up, right on time…..His time that is.

A God sized pick me up.

So, a little Monday (or whatever day you’re reading this) encouragement. 

A few years ago, the lead singer of my All-time Favourite Band, Third Day, released a project called “Glory Revealed” and one of the cuts off this CD was called “he will rejoice” 

This song led me to do a little bit of digging and it turns out that this song actually came from the Old Testament Book of Zephaniah. 

Zephaniah was a minor prophet who lived around the dates of 640-609. His main message was to let the people know of their coming demise because of their refusal to obey God.

Almost toward the end of the doom and gloom message that he brought, we read these words of encouragement: Zep 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”

Oh. My. Word. Just the exact words that we need to be reminded of. When everyone in the world seems to be angry at everyone else, the prophet reminds us of this wonderful truth: God is pro us. God loves us. God even rejoices over us with singing. (even when we think we are having a bad day. Especially when we are having a bad day)

This is a being statement. Not a doing statement. This verse is true just because. Just because God is love. He is not out to get you. He is not out to ruin your fun. He is madly in love with you and has an exact plan for your life. (Jeremiah 29:11)

So a little bit of encouragement today. God loves you. God is with you. He is mighty and strong to save you. He can fight your battles. He will even sing over you. That’s the kind of thoughts we should be thinking about, our Heavenly Father rejoicing over us. Because He is love.