interruptions...

The last couple of days...
diligently looking for space to write... prepare... for the stepping out of faith...
seem to be filled with interruptions...

Even now... the timer on the oven...
beep... beep... beep...

I find myself wondering...
When will I find time...?

Reminding myself...
This is His work... not mine...

Still... frustration rises...
(wanting to sit... listen...
bang out of words...
edit... proof...
maybe even prepare a place on the web...)
I don't get to do what I want to do...!

On the end of this second day of interruptions...
with little to no space to write...
I consider what He might be teaching me...

The Jesus Way... comes to mind...
with its teaching of the prophets...

Nothing is hid from the scrutiny of God; nothing is exempt from the rule of God; nothing escapes the purposes of God. The ground is holy; people are holy; words are holy: Holy, holy, holy.

---Eugene Peterson, The Jesus Way

...nothing escapes the purposes of God...
the ground is holy...

Interruption-filled ground...
Holy... holy... holy...

Interruptions... fulfilling His purpose...
Holy... holy... holy...

I'm pressed to consider holy interruptions...
and the lesson I'm to learn...

What does it look like to give a holy response...? to days filled with interruptions...? to see interruptions as holy...?!

So... I still my heart...
receive these frustrating days...
as holy grace...
steeped in His purpose...

 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions

of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy,

you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written,

"You shall be holy for I am holy."

1 Peter 1:14-16 ESV

What in your life...? is hard to receive as holy ground...? filled with His purpose...?

sometimes... His way is just counterintuitive...

Teaching fourth graders Bible today... we talked about temptation...
and Jesus's bout with it in the wilderness... right after His baptism...

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1 NIV

I asked the question... Who led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted...?

Not one... but two said... Satan... The devil...

Then I reminded them... Read the Scripture... that's where you'll find the answer...

Heads turned down to open books...

In a moment one read... Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted...

Some eyes went wide as they realized...

God led Jesus into the wilderness...

He ordained this time of temptation...

It just seems counterintuitive... that God the Father...

would set His Son up... to be tempted...

But in His sovereignty... that's what He does...

For Jesus it was a test... proving Himself as the Lamb of God...

sinless... without blemish... able to resist... remain pure...

For us... when He allows temptation in our lives...

leading us... calling us... into the wilderness at times...

it's an opportunity to build spiritual muscle...

Jesus had a purpose in the desert...
He fasted forty days and forty nights...
practiced a spiritual discipline...

Anytime we enter into a spiritual discipline...
especially fasting... we enter a wilderness...
invite temptation...

Again... it's purposeful... a time to build spiritual muscle...

Every time we resist temptation... we grow in faith...

strengthen our ability to obey...

Even when we fall to temptation... we learn to recognize it a little sooner when it comes... for us it's about being transformed spiritually into Christ's character...

Remember... God's way is not always what we think it should be...

sometimes... it leads us to difficulties... trials... temptations...

No one undergoing a trial should say,

"I am being tempted by God." For God is not tempted

by evil, and He Himself doesn't tempt anyone.

But each person is tempted when he is drawn away

and enticed by his own evil desires.

James 1:13-14 HCSB

So the next time you face temptation...

remember... in His sovereignty... He allowed it...

but at the heart of each temptation...are your own evil desires...

Desires that need to be identified... and eliminated...

Temptation... a time for spiritual purification... when we stand firm and resist...

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.

God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond

your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide

the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

Trust Him with the temptations He allows in your life...

it's counterintuitive... I know... but it has a purpose...

wondering... about my purpose...

Feeling like I'm not doing anything well...
leaves me wondering... about my purpose...

Two verses caught my attention this morning...

On the day I called, you answered me;

you made me bold in my soul with strength.

...

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me...

Psalm 138:3, 8

Trusting Him to answer...

counting on Him to fulfill...