WOYWW: First Things First!

 Here is what I was working on last night.

I was doing something else when I had this urge to paint.

It was quite late, so I just painted for a few minutes,

and I used a brush I never used before

to make those white "fan" strokes!

 For those following my Shibori journey,

here is what I have come up with so far.

These are hankies.

I am planning to make bags and purses too.

All for a livelihood project.

Lots of fun and quite fulfilling,

although since I do this after work in the office,

quite tiring too!

 "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." Luke 11:4

I was just reading the Book of Jonah where Jonah was so mad that God did not punish the people of Nineveh for their sins. Aren't we in a good place that God is not like Jonah? That God is not like us? Isn't it ironic that we can be so condemning of others who are 'not like us'. The politician who is so corrupt he has to run for President so he can escape persecution. God, why don't You punish him?

Or perhaps someone in the office who wronged us, a neighbor who hurt us, a relative who lied about us. We don't want to forgive them because that would be letting them off the hook. That would be freeing them from the consequences of their actions. And Jonah desperately wanted the Ninevites to suffer for the consequence of their actions! But God is as Jonah prays, "...a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger,rich in clemency, loathe to punish." (Jonah 4:2) That is what we can depend on. He will forgive our sins and He asks us to do the same for those who have wronged us. Not only for their sake, but mostly for ours.

Corrie Ten Boom wrote in her book, The Hiding Place, “Even as the angry vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him....Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness....And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives along with the command, the love itself.”

 "One thing is required..." Luke 10:42

What is that one thing that Jesus says is required?

Can you imagine if Jesus visits your home- Your name is Martha, and you welcome Him. Your sister Mary sits at His feet and listens to everything He is saying. You want to listen too. His Words pull You, and you want to learn from Him. But you have to be in the kitchen because you are preparing a big dinner for Jesus and His disciples. You get really frustrated, and you feel it is unfair that Mary is not helping in the kitchen. So you say something. "Lord, are You not concerned that Mary has left me all alone to prepare everything? Tell her to help me!"

I guess this is born out of Martha's frustration that she wants to be at His feet too! I would have thought that Martha would be happy Mary was doing the "entertaining" of their guest! Jesus rebukes her gently, " Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it." Jesus, who knows Martha's heart and mind, knows she is upset about many things. He wants her to sit down at his feet too. Dinner can wait. First things first.

We know that Martha listened. In John 11;40, when Jesus returned to their village because his friend and their brother Lazarus died, he asked that the stone be rolled away. Martha protested, "Lord, Lazarus has been dead for 4 days. There will be an awful stench!" Jesus turned to her, "Martha, Martha,did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"Jesus' conversations with Martha and Mary have not been recorded, but we too can have our own conversations with the Lord. When we are bothered and upset about many things, Jesus knows. He calls us to have a conversation with Him. To sit at his feet. Dinner can wait. Laundry can wait. Worrying can wait. Only one thing is required. That we listen to him. That we believe. That is the only way we will see the glory of God.

Yes Lord, I will listen. I believe! I want to see Your glory!

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Blessings!

Patsy