I do not want to build a home to look down upon others or compete with others. My homebuilding is not a race, nor is it a track record of how well I am doing spiritually. It comes from a heart of love to do the right thing and heart of obedience to serve the Lord.
- June Fuentess, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
This morning my sister called to update me on a situation she and I have been praying for. It's a very sad situation and my heart is breaking for the children involved and the parents. One of the parents was arrested for DUI and she had three of her little ones in the vehicle with her. This is one of those situations that I consider "unthinkable". I would never do such a thing...endangering my children like that. It wasn't that I was sitting around thinking, "I'm better because I don't drink and I definitely wouldn't drive if I did." No, my thoughts were more along the lines of, "How could she do this? What was she thinking? Doesn't she care about her kids?" On and on my thoughts went. Then when I went to get in the shower, I started to pray for this family. The Lord spoke to me, "Do you think you're qualified to pray for her sin, when you yourself sin?" Don't get me wrong...this was not a condemning thought, so much as a realization. He knows my sin. Sin I haven't confessed because I forgot it or didn't recognize it. It was convicting. So my prayer time turned to confession time for myself.
Later, as I headed to shed to look for next years school books, I had more conversations with the Lord. But this time it was a plea to Him for not just forgiveness, but from protection from a judgmental, holier-than-thou spirit.
Now, I've just read a blog from one my favorite blogs, a lovely post titled Grace and Mercy. This is what I need. Judgmenatalness cannot coexist with grace and mercy.
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