Memory Verses #1

Therefore, As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  Colossians 3:12-13

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.  1 John 3:18

These are the two memory verses I am tackling for 2011.  Pretty good ones, I'd say.  A dear friend of mine, J, and I are learning them together.  J always challenges me to grown, learn and dig deeper.  What's amazing about her is she is not judgemental in any way.  If I show up next week and do not have them memorized, J won't judge me.  She may razz me, actually I know she will.  But she will never judge.  She will question me about why I didn't memorize them… digging to help uncover what lies beneath the excuses I use.  Her questions would only be to help me grow and to problem solve why I could not or did not get them committed to memory.  How could you not love a friend like that?

We both have a running list of verses we would like to memorize.  I cam e with my list and J had hers.  My list was focused on ones that help me live my daily life; kind of reminders for living a Godly life.  Her list was more biblical truths or the basics of the bible.  God's truth.  I thought the differences in our list was very interesting.  She suggested learning some of the verses that are basic biblical truth, such as "For God so loved the work, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).  She said you want to know those so if all the entire bibles in the world were taken away, I would still have the basics of my faith.  I never thought of memorizing verses that way.  I like the idea that the truths will be "deep-rooted" in me.  That is a faith challenge few could ignore.  Yes… my friend rocks!

And I think some of the ladies from our GNO group might join us in memorizing verses this year as well.  We read though the bible last year, so why not memorize verses together too.  J thought is could be the "ticket" to allow us to attend the monthly GNO… no verse memorized = no entrance!  How is that for accountability?  Everyone would be able to attend of course, we are not that hard core, but the pressure just might keep me accountable.

So I will posting my memory verses as I tackle them as a record of what ones I have done.  This will a place for me ponder that I have memorized, why the verse was important to me or J and what I have learned.

Maybe my slogan for 2011 should be "Will Memorize for Wine!"  LOL

God's Big Screen

A friend posted something on Facebook the other day about how we should live our lives as if we were movie stars with God as the paparazzi.  Now there is a thought.  One could argue that movie stars are not always the model citizens or ones that we should look to pattern our lives after.  But if I lived my life like someone was always watching my actions, how would I behave differently?

Then someone commented on my friend's Facebook post, "The sad and scary truth is that we will all be shown the DVDs of our sins.  I guarantee as fun as they "seemed" to be the first time around, [they] sure won't look as pretty on God's giant screen."  Wow.  I immediately thought of that scene in Monsters Inc. when Sully saw a video of himself scaring a child.  He was shocked at how he appeared and what he was showing the world…. something completely opposite of his true self.

I feel that way.  If my life where played for me on a big screen would I be shocked?  I think I would be.  What would I look like when I discipline my kids?  What would I look like when I think I am so busy, I can't remember to send a note to a friend who has been on my mind?  What would I look like when I make a choice out of convenience instead of out of pure service to another?

That comment about God's big screen hit me between the eyes.  Someone is always watching me - God.  He knows my motives, the thoughts running through my head.  I have to say, I would not be proud to sit next to God and watch some of the things that play on my DVD.

Awhile back, I ran across a YouTube video by Francis Chan, that speaks to the idea.  What will God say when I am standing before him?

I know God is trying to hammer an idea home to me.  I have learned that when the same idea, verse, book suggestion or thoughts come up again and again, He is telling me something.  I am listening.