Ordinary … and then Not

It was another ordinary day … and then it wasn’t. 

It was the usual chores and responsibilities.

Probably sweeping the floor.

Possibly washing the dishes.

Perhaps cleaning up small piles/messes around her.

And then everything usual stops.

Because an angel shows up with a promise almost too big and too good to believe.

“Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus” (Luke 1:30-31 NIV).

Do not be diatarássō (dee-at-ar-as’-so) – disturbed, agitated, alarmed, troubled [1].

You may be an ordinary girl.

This may be an ordinary day.

But the ordinary is about to become so much more.

You may be thinking about your fiancé Joseph and your upcoming wedding.

You may be planning your future and wondering how many children you will have.

But God is thinking about mankind.

God is planning for salvation of the world.

And it is going to start with this heavenly offer of cháris (khar’-ece) – acceptance, favor, delight, goodwill, lovingkindness, merciful kindness [2].

Because God needs a woman, a willing young woman (or in this case, a willing teenager), to produce Iēsoûs (ee-ay-sooce’) – Jehovah is salvation [3]. 

God needs someone brave who will be willing to stand up to opinion, criticism, and skepticism … to fight the fear and doubt that will want to overwhelm her … to love and protect His salvation with skin.

And Mary is amazed … and shocked … to be chosen by God. 

But she is also humbled that someone like her without a royal pedigree or any political power could be part of God’s purposes. 

She knows she is ordinary, nothing special or unusual.

But He is God, and He add His extra to our ordinary.  To do megaleîos (meg-al-i’-os) – magnificent, great, wonderful, excellent, splendid [4] – things in the world.

“For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name” (Luke 1:49 NIV).

Mary experienced this. 

So did the shepherds.

Again, ordinary men.

Another ordinary night.

Perhaps a thought or two about how they wished to be part of temple worship … but would not be welcome because of the smells and assumptions regarding their profession.

And then, in the darkness of another ordinary night, God’s extra shows up.

“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord’” (Luke 2:10-11 NIV).

Do not be phobéō (fob-eh’-o) – frightened, alarmed, afraid, fearful, terrified [5].

You may be ordinary shepherds.

This may be an ordinary sheep field.

You may be hoping for an ordinary night with …

No predators.

No noises.

Just the peace of a sleeping flock.

But tonight, God has something mégas (meg’-as) – big, exceeding, great, mighty, excellent, splendid, majestic [6] – for you. 

Yes, you.

The simple shepherd.

The overlooked shepherd.

The underappreciated shepherd.

Because God wants you to know …

He sees you.

He cares about you.

So, God is telling you first what the world will soon know. 

There is euangelízō (yoo-ang-ghel-id’-zo) – good news, glad tidings, gospel [7] – that has just been born in a stable not too far away from you. 

In fact, it is probably a place you have been with your flocks.

Could it be true?  Could God really be offering them, simple shepherds always excluded, an opportunity to meet the Messiah?

“And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child” (Luke 2:16-17 NIV).

It was too big and too important to keep to themselves. 

So, they diagnōrízō (dee-ag-no-rid’-zo) – told, made known thoroughly, publicized [8] – what they had seen and heard to everyone.

Mary.

The shepherds.

Ordinary people.

Invited into God’s purposes.

Ordinary people.

Who experienced firsthand how God’s grace and goodness transforms what is ordinary into extraordinary.

Ordinary people.

Who saw the megaleîos (meg-al-i’-os) and mégas (meg’-as) God at work for them.

In your story, God has written megaleîos (meg-al-i’-os) things.  What are they? 

What is …

What in your life is …

Amazing?

Awe-inspiring?

Astonishing?

For Mary, it was the hope of being part of God’s purposes.

For the shepherds, it was the joy of being known and included by God.

Neither was seen or known outside of his and her family and friends.

Except by God.

Who sent an angel to intersect their ordinary with His extra.

Who rewrote their ordinary stories into something amazing.

Who used their ordinary for His purposes.

Will you give God your ordinary?

Will you allow God to add His extra to it?

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[1] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G1298 – diatarassō”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1298/kjv/tr/0-1/

[2] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G5485 – charis”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5485/kjv/tr/0-1/

[3] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G2424 – iēsous”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2424/kjv/tr/0-1/

[4] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G3167 – megaleios”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3167/kjv/tr/0-1/

[5] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G5399 – phobeō”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5399/kjv/tr/0-1/

[6] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G3173 – megas”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3173/kjv/tr/0-1/

[7] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G2097 – euangelizō”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2097/kjv/tr/0-1/

[8] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G1232 – diagnōrizō”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1232/kjv/tr/0-1/

Marie Fremin. 12/26/21, 12/27/21, 3/3/24

Stop the Saprós

Ephesians 4:29a

• Do not let any wholesome talk come out of your mouths (NIV)
• Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth (AMP)
• Don’t let any foul words come out of your mouth (CEB)
• Stop all your dirty talk (CEV)
• Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths (ESV)
• Do not use harmful words (GNT)
• Don’t use bad language (TLB)
• Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth (MSG)
• Let no unwholesome [rotten] word come out of your mouth (NASB)
• Don’t use foul or abusive language … (NLT)
• Let no evil talk come out of your mouths (RSV)

Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter is crediting with the statement “if you don’t have anything nice to say, come sit next to me.”

We live in a time and a society where pretty much everything is public information and open to comment. 

And the more critical and harsher the commentary, the better.

Right?

We want the saprós (sap-ros’) [1].

Rotten.

Worthless.

Bad.

Corrupt.

Unfit.

Putrid.

We look for the saprós (sap-ros’).

We hope for the saprós (sap-ros’).

We laugh at the saprós (sap-ros’).

We rejoice in the saprós (sap-ros’).

Imagine if God focused on our saprós (sap-ros’).

Imagine if God overlooked and ignored and disregarded anything good about us.

Imagine if God did not speak good, gracious, generous logos (log’-os) – sayings, speech, talk, utterances, words, declarations [2] – over us.

Imagine if God changed His tune from “I have loved you with an everlasting love … with unfailing kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).

No one would want faith.

No one would seek faith.

No one would hold onto faith.

Thankfully, God does not stay focused on the saprós (sap-ros’).

And He never will.

Yes, He wants us to deal with the saprós (sap-ros’).

So we are not …

Stuck.

Stressed.

Strained.

Shattered.

But before, during, and after we deal with the saprós (sap-ros’) …

God will always love us.

God will always speak hope and grace and compassion.

To us.

For us.

Over us.

Through us.

God wants us to deal with the saprós (sap-ros’) in our lives, so we are not …

Destroying relationships.

Damaging influence.

Demolishing hope.

Defeating love.

God wants us to deal with the saprós (sap-ros’) because it affects everything we put into the world around us.

Our words.

Our thoughts.

Our feelings.

Our doings.

Our inclusions.

Our exclusions.

Our hope.

Our faith.

Our grace.

What is saprós (sap-ros’) causing you to ekporeúomai (ek-por-yoo’-om-ahee) – project, issue, spread [3] – to the people and places around you?

How is saprós (sap-ros’) causing you to …

Respond?

Reaction?

Retreat?

Are you praying before you act?

Are you pausing before you react?

Are you thinking before you speak?

IT IS HARD!

Because people are had.

And tongues can be uncontrollable. 

Just ask James.

But notice Paul tell us the process of change starts with us. 

We either “let” our tongues (and emotions) lead us … astray.

Or we “let” God lead us … into abounding love, astounding mercy, and abundant grace.

WE choose who will be in control.

Of our mind.

Of our tongue.

Of our body.

Of our expectations.

Of our hope.

Of our motivation.

We find out who or what that is by looking at our attitude.  Is it …

Foul … or forgiving?

Profane … or worshipful?

Vulgar … or victorious?

Harmful … or helpful?

Dirty … or devoted?

Corrupt … or compassionate?

Rotten … or grace-full?

Evil … or excellence?

Abusive … or supportive?

Are we making things …

All about us?

Making ourselves look and feel better?

Are for forgetting to live for God and love like God?

OUCH!

We allow ourselves to feel good at the expense of others. 

We spread saprós (sap-ros’) to help our self-image.

And God is calling us to STOP the saprós (sap-ros’) and start being more like Christ. 

To look for the divine beauty, eternal purpose, and heavenly gifts in our fellow man.

But we cannot do it without God!

I pray that we remember we cannot overcome saprós (sap-ros’) – its power, its pull, its pressure, its pain – without God.

We need God’s grace.

We need God’s goodness.

We need God’s generosity.

In us.

Through us.

Around us.

And we need to submit fully to Him with all that we are and all that we hope to be so He can pulverize saprós (sap-ros’) and help us annihilate its influence over us.

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[1] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G4550 – sapros”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4550/kjv/tr/0-1/

[2] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G3056 – logos”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3056/kjv/tr/0-1/

[3] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G1607 – ekporeuomai”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1607/kjv/tr/0-1/

Marie Fremin.  12/1/21 and 3/3/24

Râphâh (Be Still)

Psalm 46:10a:

• Be still and know that I am God (NIV, ESV, NLT, RSV)
• Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God (AMP)
• Calm down and learn that I am God! (CEV)
• Stop fighting … and know that I am God (GNT)
• Stand silent! Know that I am God! (TLB)
• Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at Me, Your High God (MSG)
• Stop striving [let go, relax] and know that I am God (NASB)

We live in a time where we are told to …

Go with certain crowds.

Do with certain goals.

Be with certain expectations.

Or there is nothing valuable or worthy about us.

With such outcomes pressing us and pressuring us …

With such outlooks twisting and turning us …

With such opinions suggesting “did God really say” (Genesis 3:1 NIV) …

How often are we willing to …

Be our authentic selves?

Trust God with all we are?

Work with God to be the best versions of ourselves?

But more importantly, how often are we willing to …

Give up our will?

Let go of our ways?

Forsake our wants?

How often are we willing to râphâh (raw-faw’) [1]?

Cease.

Forsake.

Idle.

Let alone.

Stay.

Relax.

Let drop.

Let go.

Withdraw.

Be quiet.

How willing are we to …

Stop and turn to God?

Still and trust in God?

Stay and tune into God?

We think if we râphâh (raw-faw’), things will become …

Difficult.

Disastrous.

Undignified.

Will hard things really get harder or difficult things get worse because we take time …

To take care of ourselves?

To refresh our minds?

To restore our bodies?

To rejuvenate our spirit?

To revive our heart?

To recharge our faith?

We forget how easily we burn out when we keep going and going and going and going.

Without stopping. 

Trying to control.

Trying to keep up.

Trying to survive.

All striving and no resting leads to …

Stress.

Anxiety.

Worry.

Tension.

Burden.

Strain.

Hassle.

So, God invites us to râphâh (raw-faw’) with Him.

To rest in who He is.

To relax in His grace.

To refresh in His love.

Because only in God can we yâdaʻ (yaw-dah’) – know, acknowledge, be aware of, comprehend, distinguish, consider, declare, discern, discover, recognize, perceive, show, be sure, understand, confess [2] – what is …

True.

Noble.

Right.

Pure.

Lovely.

Admirable.

Excellent.

Praiseworthy [3].

Am I pausing so I can know who God is?

Am I stopping to consider what God expects?

Am I making space for ʼĕlôhîym (el-o-heem’) – the supreme God [4]?

He is waiting for me to come to Him. 

Waiting for me to râphâh (raw-faw’) everything I am trying to control and let Him be God.

I cannot yâdaʻ (yaw-dah’) Him for He is if …

I will not let go of what I think is right or necessary.

I try to control everything.

I will not even try to be who He created me to be.

I cannot discern His good from my opinions if I will not stop.

I cannot distinguish His grace in my grudges if I will not slow down.

I cannot discover His generosity in my stubbornness if I will not be still.

“Be still” is God’s invitation.

To let go and consider if I am walking in/toward God’s best.

To be sure I am not trying to control what is God’s place to create and maintain.

To recognize I can do nothing successfully in my own strength and by my own opinions.

To allow God to be our safe place of refuge and protection.

“Be still” reminds us that we need to turn to God and allow Him to set the boundaries that are best for us.

“Be still” from works and lean into God’s purposes.

Trust what He is doing in you, for you, and through you.

Flow in His ways and find what is best.

Râphâh (raw-faw’).

Let go.

And see where God leads you.

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[1] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H7503 – rāp̄â”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7503/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[2] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H3045 – yāḏaʿ”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3045/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[3] Philippians 4:8, NIV

[4] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H430 – ‘ĕlōhîm”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h430/kjv/wlc/0-1/

Marie Fremin. 11/27/21, 3/3/24

Sōtḗr

Jesus.

Light of the world absorbing the darkness and destruction of sin.

Bread of life for a world hungry for significance and identity.

Way of truth for the world caught in the lies of lust and shackles of selfishness.

Entrance and guidance to a life full of joy and peace with a loving and compassionate Father.

Epitome of goodness and graciousness to those who lose their way.

Hope of a new life now and a glorious life forever.

Connection to a life of purpose and a heart of faithfulness guided by the Creator of all things.

Sōtḗr (so-tare’) [i].

Deliverer.

Preserver.

Savior.

Please save me.

Please deliver me.

Please preserve me.

From opinions.

From expectations.

From anxieties.

From who I think I am.

From what I think I am not.

From what I think I need to be and do.

From trying to be perfect.

From who others say I am.

From what others think I am not.

From what others expect me to be and do.

From others’ accusations of perfect.

Only You can …

Help me.

Guide me.

Change me.

Only You can love me into the best version of myself. 

So, please …

Help me to feel accepted where I have felt abandoned.

Help me to feel blessed where I have felt betrayed or bitter.

Help me to feel compassionate where I have felt critical.

Help me to feel confident where I have felt confused.

Help me to feel discernment where I have felt disappointed or disrespected.

Help me to feel delight where I have felt despair.

Help me to feel exceptional where I have felt excluded.

Help me to feel excited where I have felt empty.

Help me to feel free where I have felt fearful.

Help me to feel forgiving where I have felt furious and frustrated.

Help me to feel grateful where I have felt guilty.

Help me to feel hopeful where I have felt helpless.

Help me to feel healing where I have felt hurt or humiliated.

Help me to feel harmony where I have felt hostility.

Help me to feel inquisitive where I have felt indifferent.

Help me to feel interesting where I have felt inadequate or inferior.

Help me to feel joyful where I have felt judged or judgmental.

Help me to feel jubilant where I have felt jealous.

Help me to feel kind where I have felt cruel or cruelty.

Help me to feel loving where I have felt let down.

Help me to feel merciful where I have felt mistreated or mad.

Help me to feel nice where I have felt nasty.

Help me to feel open-minded where I have felt overwhelmed.

Help me to feel optimistic where I have felt oppressed.

Help me to feel peaceful where I have felt persecuted, pressured, or provoked.

Help me to feel purposed where I have felt perplexed.

Help me to feel quiet where I have felt quaking.

Help me to feel rested where I have felt rushed.

Help me to feel respectful where I have felt ruthless or resentful.

Help me to feel sure where I have felt scared or stressed.

Help me to feel sensitive where I have felt sneering.

Help me to feel thankful where I have felt tired.

Help me to feel trusting where I have felt threatened.

Help me to feel unmistakable where I have felt unfocused.

Help me to feel valued where I have been violated or victimized.

Help me to feel vulnerable where I have felt vicious.

Help me to feel worthy where I have felt worthless or weak.

Help me to feel worshipful where I have felt worried.

Help me to feel yielded where I have felt yearning.

Help me to feel zealous where I have felt zapped.

Thank You Sōtḗr (so-tare’) that as I walk through the pain and process of change You never leave me to wonder or wander alone. 

Thank You Sōtḗr (so-tare’) for the freedom only You can bring – peace of mind and heart – when I let go and trust You to be in complete control. 

Thank You Sōtḗr (so-tare’) for turning my world and my perspective upside down and inside out so I can be better today than I was yesterday.

Thank You Sōtḗr (so-tare’) for delivering me from myself into Your glorious light. 

Thank You Sōtḗr (so-tare’) for preserving me from the pressure I put on myself to be and do outside of Your perfect will. 

Thank You Sōtḗr (so-tare’) for saving me from the selfishness and self-righteousness that wants to consume me.

Thank You Sōtḗr (so-tare’) for being with me through everything to help me become the person You created me to be. 

Thank You Sōtḗr (so-tare’) for loving this holy mess with unconditional love and unending grace.

AMEN!

sote1b897r-prayerDownload

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[i] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G4990 – sōtēr”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4990/kjv/tr/0-1/

Marie Fremin. 12/27/21, 12/30/21, 3/2/24

Jesus Knew

“Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him …” (John 18:4 NIV).

As we journey through the Easter season and both the sorrow and celebration of the cross, I am always humbly reminded that …

Jesus knew.

Jesus knew the disciples would falter and deny and run away.

Jesus knew the chief priests would falsely accuse.

Jesus knew the soldiers would beat.

Jesus knew the painful steps it would take to get to Golgotha.

Jesus knew the anguish of having nails driven into His beaten flesh.

Jesus knew the humiliation of the entire experience, from the mocking to the nakedness.

Jesus knew the six hours of agony of staying alive before His final breath.

Jesus knew that, except for a few faithful women, He would be alone in His final hours.

Jesus eídō (i’-do) [1].

Was aware.

Had knowledge.

Perceived.

Was sure.

Understood.

Discerned.

Ascertained.

Paid attention to.

He knew the …

Fear in man’s hearts.

Dark in religion’s rules.

Hopelessness in people’s lives.

He knew the …

Greed that drove men to selfishness.

Pride that drove men to self-righteousness.

Hate that drove men to separation.

He eídō (i’-do) humanity.

The good.

The bad.

The ugly.

And yet …

He still chose them.

And yet …

He still chooses us.

He still chooses to love us.

He still chooses to forgive us.

He still chooses to help us.

He still chooses to offer us endless grace.

He still chooses to offer us limitless mercy.

He still chooses to offer us ceaseless hope.

“Yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39 NIV).

Because He looks at us with the humility of heaven and chooses God’s thélō (thel’-o) [2].

Preference.

Desire.

Intention.

Pleasure.

Resolution.

Purpose.

Will.

And that thélō (thel’-o) requires …

Divine sacrifice.

Divine selflessness.

Divine surrender.

It is what Jesus modeled for it.

It is why Jesus …

Washed the feet of the men who would abandon Him.

Offered a final chance at redemption to the man who would betray Him.

Prayed for peace for those who would question the value of following Him.

Extended redemption to the hopeless criminal hanging next to Him.

Forgave the people who would crucify Him.

Died for the continued generations who would deny Him.

He eídō (i’-do) humanity.

Yet He gave all He was so we could be …

More.

Better.

Healed.

Hopeful.

“God so loved the world that He gave …” (John 3:16 NIV).

God agapáō (ag-ap-ah’-o) [3].

Loves (dearly).

Welcomes.

Dotes upon.

God dídōmi (did’-o-mee) [4].

Gives.

Bestows.

Brings forth.

Delivers.

Grants.

Ministers.

Yields.

Supplies.

Extends.

Commissions.

Mercy.

Grace.

Forgiveness.

Peace.

In abundance.

Without restrictions.

Because God knew that we would …

Be propelled by a desire “to be holy and blameless” (Ephesians 1:4 NIV), as He created us to be.

Be driven by our broken and bruised hearts for “the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7 NIV).

Be compelled by “the gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians 1:13 NIV) calling us home to Him.

And these are the things we should consider as we look at, think about, and feel the cross. 

Jesus knew. 

Yet Jesus loved. 

And He did not limit His love and compassion to those with unconditional devotion. 

Jesus looked for the lost.

Jesus reached out to the least.

Jesus embraced the lonely.

Jesus looked for the unhealthy.

Jesus reached out to the hopeless.

Jesus embraced the helpless.

And He is still looking and reaching and embracing these same things today.

Because Jesus knows.

That love changes everything.

So, will you eídō (i’-do) the love of God today?

It is waiting for you.

To accept it.

To receive it.

To share it.

No prerequisites.

No regulations.

No stipulations.

Just open yourself to Him – heart, mind, body, soul, strength – and give all you are.  So you can embrace all that He is and experience all that He has for you.

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[1] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G1492 – eidō”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1492/kjv/tr/0-1/

[2] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G2309 – thelō”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2309/kjv/tr/0-1/

[3] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G25 – agapaō”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g25/kjv/tr/0-1/

[4] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G1325 – didōmi”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1325/kjv/tr/0-1/

Marie Fremin. 3/2/24

STUDY: Be Still

be-stillDownload

Marie Fremin. January and February 2024.

Plastic Platitudes

What Christian phrase makes you cringe because it produces more hurt than help?

What Christian cliché makes you sad because it lacks connection and compassion to the person and the pain?

What Christian platitude makes you roll your eyes when it is shared by someone who has no grace in it, through it, and around it?

What words are more …

Plastic than productive?

Anguishing than atoning?

Forceful / Forced than forgiving?

Heartbreaking than healing?

Traumatic than therapeutic?

Ruining than restorative?

Destructive than devoted?

Bitter than beneficial?

A platitude is “a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful [1].”  It is a relative of a cliché, which is “a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought [2].”

A platitude is not thoughtful.

It lacks the personal relationships we are called to maintain.

A platitude is not helpful.

It lacks the divine wisdom we are called to share.

A platitude is not compassionate.

It lacks the grace that God wants to pour out.

A platitude will …

Agonize our emotions.

Break our hearts.

Crush our spirits.

Demoralize us.

Demean us.

Debase us.

A platitude will foster disgrace.

A platitude will encourage humiliation.

A platitude will yield agony.

A platitude will create shame.

For me, the words that generate all of these negative thoughts and feelings is “you have to forgive.”

How are these words helpful?

There is no action plan with these words.

There are no emotions attached to these words.

There is no love of Christ in these words.

You think they are loving, but how you do honor Jesus’ command that “as I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34 NIV) when …

You have only heard a few words about the overall experience?

You have not addressed the person’s pain throughout the overall experience?

You have not sought the entire story and all the gory details – the before, the during, the after?

You do not know anything about the situation other than what you have been told, in brief snippets and charged stories.

And you make a judgment.

You assume you know everything.

Yet you quickly present the obvious …

Answer.

Advice.

Help.

But how long has the situation been going on?

How long has the person in front of you suffered silently?

How long has the person been expected to grin and bear it, to her own detriment?

YOU DON’T KNOW.

And I think we in the Christian community need to remember how much of the story and the pain we don’t know.

To offer a plastic platitude like we think Jesus would do does more harm than good.

Because Jesus knew the whole story.

Jesus knew the whole person.

Jesus knew the whole pain.

And He spoke specifically and uniquely into each of these, to reach the hurting core of the person and offer hope.

YOU ARE NOT DOING THE SAME.

By saying something trite like “you need to forgive,” you are not offering …

Meaning.  What does this specifically mean to the person and her situation?

Perspective.  What does this specifically look like to the person and her situation?

Hope.  How does this address the lion’s den the person feels she is stuck in?

Have you asked the person how she is?  Really is?  Have you tried to climb the wall she has erected to protect what little goodness she feels to offer a sincere helping hand?

Have you asked the person how she is feeling?  Authentic feelings?  Have you waded through the false happiness to get to the deep, dark pain slowing eating away at her?

Have you asked the person what has happened?  The whole story?  Have you sifted through the few crumbs she has offered to ask about all the details, from start to present?

Have you asked the person what she hopes?  What she really wants?  Have you grabbed her hand, whether physically or emotionally, and asked her what she wants the outcome to be and what she hopes changes as a result of this pain?

It breaks my heart and ticks me off to know this is so far from how people have treated me. 

It feels like people have not wanted to understand.

It feels like people have wanted to judge.

It feels like people have dismissed everything I feel because as a Christian, I shouldn’t feel it.

But we DO feel.

We DO hurt.

And we need people to love us through it. 

We need people to “walk through the darkest valley” (Psalm 23:4 NIV) holding our hand and encouraging us to try one more time, not pushing us down and blaming us for falling down. 

We need people to help us remember to “hope in the Lord” (Isaiah 40:31 NIV) because “God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28 NIV), especially when we feel helpless and hopeless.  Because if it’s not good, God’s not done [3].

We need people to be our cheerleaders, to be part of the “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1 NIV) cheering us on to take one more step, to believe one more day, to think one more possibility, to hope for one more miracle.

We need to stop assuming we know.

We need to stop presuming we are helping.

We need to do better.

We need to stop putting our personal parameters on something Jesus did not.  We need to stop telling people what a Christian grace looks, feels, sounds, and acts like.  Jesus did not put specific guidelines on a lot of things, such as forgiveness, because it is going to look different for each person and each situation.  We must stop trying to put everyone and everything in the same box so we can label it “forgiveness” or “mercy” or “repentance” or “salvation” and move on with our lives.

We have to stop making people fit into the story we want to hear and accept that there are going to be MANY things that are messy and hard and take a possibly long time to heal from. 

So, please, consider your plastic platitudes before you offer them to anyone.  Ask yourself:

• Is this how we help “carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2 NIV) and encourage each other to continue to believe?
• Is this being “kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV) and offering someone the hope of salvation?
• Is this how we “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12 NIV) to help someone persevere?
• Is this the best way for us to “let your gentleness be evident to all” (Philippians 4:5 NIV)?

I think you will find that almost 100% of the time you are forgetting to focus on the PERSON or addressing his or her specific pain, trauma, and stress.

Please, stop offering plastic platitudes.  Offer to pray for the person – and then DO IT right then and there and as often as you can. 

Be the person who proves loves by action rather than meaningless, painful words (John 11:35).

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[1] Bing search result: platitude

[2] Bing search result: cliché

[3] Tauren Wells, “Joy in the Morning,” https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/taurenwells/joyinthemorning.html

Marie Fremin. 7/18/23 and 2/25/24.

Hebrews 10:12

“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until Hhe comes and showers His righteousness on you.” (Hebrews 10:12 NIV)

Do you ever stop to think what you “sow with a view to” (Hebrews 10:12 AMP, NASB)?

Do you ever think about what you zâraʻ (zaw-rah’) [1]?

Sow.

Plant.

Produce.

Yield.

Do you ever evaluate if you “plant the good seeds” (Hebrews 10:12 TLB, NLT) that harvest God’s glory, goodness, and grace to others?

Do you ever think about what you zâraʻ (zaw-rah’)?

In your heart.

In your mind.

With your feelings.

With your actions.

With your reactions.

With your words.

Is it all about you?

What you think?

What you want?

What you deem right?

Or is it God’s tsᵉdâqâh (tsed-aw-kaw’) [2]?

Rightness.

Morality.

Justice.

Truthfulness.

Justification.

Salvation.

Flowing …

To you.

With you.

Through you.

Paul reminds us that “what a person plants, he will harvest” (Galatians 6:7 MSG).

This is the same sentiment of our verse – what a person, both believer and unbeliever alike – zâraʻ (zaw-rah’), he or she will qâtsar (kaw-tsar’) – harvest, reap [3].

Plant anger, harvest anger.

Plant anguish, harvest anguish.

Plant anxiety, harvest anxiety.

But plant God’s tsᵉdâqâh (tsed-aw-kaw’) and produce a heavenly harvest, a divine crop full of blessing and grace that cannot be matched by human efforts.

“Reap in accordance with mercy and lovingkindness” (AMP).

“Harvest faithfulness” (CEB).

“Reap steadfast love” (ESV).

“Reap the blessings” (GNT).

“Harvest a crop of love” (NLT).

“Reap the fruit of steadfast love” (RSV).

“Harvest the fruit of unfailing love” (YOUNG).

We produce for ourselves and for those around us God’s cheçed (kheh’-sed) [4].

Kindness.

Favor.

Mercy.

Goodness.

Faithfulness.

But it is a divine exchange.

Did you notice that God does not just give us everything we want or everything He has for us?  He wants us to be ready for it, to be prepared to handle the responsibility and the influence of what He gives us. 

And He wants us to be accountable to the gift He is giving.

He wants us to be part of the process.  To “seek and search diligently for the Lord” (AMP) regularly, actively, and purposely.  To commit ourselves, our hopes, and our will “by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving” (Philippians 4:6 NIV) consistently.  To believe with unfailing hopeful that “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Philippians 2:10 NIV) and He will journey with us as we work to accomplish His purposes.

God wants us to zâraʻ (zaw-rah’) for what we want – but to be open to receive the result in His way and in His time.

Because “the hard ground of your hearts” (TLB, NLT) will prevent us from …

Seeing the bigger picture.

Submitting to the bigger purpose.

Serving for the bigger plan.

Loving people.

Leaving agendas.

Losing self-righteousness.

So, we must dârash (daw-rash’) [5] God.

Seek.

Ask.

Worship.

Inquire of.

Search for.

Consult with.

First.

Fully.

Finally.

Forever.

God is not our last resort. 

He is our first refuge.

He is our first responder.

He is our first resolver.

He is our first reinforcement.

He knows exactly where we have rough edges – our sandpaper sections – that prevent us from hearing, seeing, knowing, and obeying Him.

He knows exactly where our dark and hurting places – our unhealed heaps – are that prevent us from giving ourselves fully to Him.

God sees all of us.

God knows all of us.

So, God knows exactly where we have …

Unhealed hurts.

Unresolved anger.

Untouched pain.

Unrequited love.

And God wants to help us nîyr (neer) – till, break up, plough [6] – all these things, to uproot them and unplant them so we can be …

Restored.

Renewed.

Redeemed.

Repaired.

Regenerated.

Revitalized.

Reformed.

Revolutionized.

Because we cannot experience the new and the good God has for us if we insist on holding onto

We must let go and let God pour out upon us His …

“His gift of salvation” (AMP).

“My saving power” (CEV).

“Blessings” (GNT).

“Justice” (YOUNG).

“Righteousness” (NASB).

God is inviting into the eternal.  “It is time for you to turn to Me, your Lord” (GNT) so you can experience all the goodness and grace He has waiting for you. 

“It’s time to dig in with God” (MSG) so you can …

Do better.

Feel better.

Think better.

Be better.

How will you respond?

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[1] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H2232 – zāraʿ”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2232/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[2] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H6666 – ṣᵊḏāqâ”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6666/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[3] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H7114 – qāṣar”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7114/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[4] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H2617 – ḥeseḏ”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2617/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[5] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H1875 – dāraš”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1875/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[6] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H5214 – nîr”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5214/kjv/wlc/0-1/

Marie Fremin. 10/10/23 and 2/24/24.

Just Like Everyone Else

“Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. ⁵ ‘Look,’ they told him, ‘you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have’” (1 Samuel 8:4-5 NLT).

The word “like” can be such a dangerous word.

It can foster …

Anguish.

Bitterness.

Comparison.

Depression.

Emptiness.

Fearfulness.

Grief.

Helplessness.

Indignation.

Jealousy.

Loneliness.

Malice.

Numbness.

Offense.

Pain.

Resentment.

Stress.

Tension.

Unforgiveness.

Vitriol.

Worry.

How much regret do you have because you tried to be like someone else?

How much anxiety have you created because you tried to do like someone else?

How much pressure have you added because you wanted someone else’s life?

Trying to be anything but who and what God created you to be will never …

Allow you to fulfill the purposes of God.

Allow you to experience the fullness of God.

Allow you to share the forgiveness and grace of God.

God was so concerned about comparison and jealousy that He warns us against it in the “big 10”: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17 NIV).

God specifically tells us that we are never to châmad (khaw-mad’) – delight in, covet, lust after, desire [1] – what others have.

No matter how good it looks.

No matter how much we want it.

No matter how perfect we think it is.

If God has not given us something we think we need, then He has a …

Righteous reason.

Perfect purpose. 

Divine destiny.

Miraculous more.

And we need to respect that.

Not grumble.

Not complain.

Not beg.

We need to accept that God’s “no” means it is not for us.  We need to trust that God knows best and has something better, something “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV), for us.

Or we need to patiently endure through God’s “not yet” because …

It is not the right time for us to have it.

It is not the best thing for us and He is preparing something better.

We are not ready to enjoy the full blessing and responsibility of it.

These are things the Old Testament teaches us through the example of ancient Israel.

They had what no other nation had – One God.

A personal God.

A compassionate God.

A gracious God.

All the other nations were polytheistic – they had a god for everything.  And those gods were prone to whims.  If they wanted to bless, they did.  If they wanted to punish, they did.  And it did not matter if the people got their offering right or not.  The gods were fickle, and they played by whatever rules they made up in the moment.

But not Israel’s God.  Yes, He gave them rules (aka Moses’ Law). 

But He was very clear about …

What was right and what was wrong.

What was good and what was bad.

What was acceptable and what was punishable.

What was respectable and what was dishonorable.

And He set reasonable punishments in place to offset the crimes and mistakes.  With an allowance for redemption.

So, why, with such grace to them, did Israel start to disapprove of being special?

Why did Israel decide they had to be “just like everybody else” (1 Samuel 8:5 MSG)?

Why did Israel decide that God was not enough to lead them?

Why did Israel decide that God was not enough to take care of them?

Why did Israel decide that God was not enough to shâphaṭ (shaw-fat’) – judge, govern, defend, rule, punish, act as law-giver, vindicate [2] – them in a fair and just manner?

Why did Israel assume the gôwy (go’-ee) – nations, peoples, Gentiles, heathens [3] – had it better than they did?

Israel probably saw a small piece of something that looked good and assumed that God was being cruel to them.  They blinded themselves to the goodness of God, and they refused to see the light of His glory upon them.

And they purposely gave back their specialness through God to be …

Ordinary.

Unspectacular.

Lackluster.

Worldly.

“Just like everybody else”

And that was SO FAR from the “life … in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]” (John 10:10 AMP) God called them to.

And the life God calls us to.

Do you want the perissós (per-is-sos’) [4] things of God?

The superior.

The excellent.

The supreme.

The surpassing.

The uncommon.

The remarkable.

The extraordinary.

Or do you want to give them up, like Israel did, to be …

Something you are not.

Something you were never created to be.

Something that will never fulfill you.

Something that will not share God’s grace.

Something that will not help people find Christ.

Do you want to “just like everybody else”?

Or do you want to be all that God has …

Embedded in you?

Purposed for you?

Entrusted to you?

I pray you start deciding today in the direction of God’s purposes for your life and you embrace the perissós (per-is-sos’) He has for you.

Refuse to be “just like everybody else” and instead boldly and joyfully embrace the “wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14 NIV), glory-filled child of God you are.

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[1] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H2530 – ḥāmaḏ”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2530/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[2] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H8199 – šāp̄aṭ”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8199/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[3] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H1471 – gôy”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1471/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[4] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s G4053 – perissos”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4053/kjv/tr/0-1/

Marie Fremin. 2/24/24.

Easy is not Excellent

I recently had a situation where I was sat down and asked if I was OK after getting momentarily overwhelmed by deadlines.

With my history of bad bosses, this situation has never gone well.  Because judge and jury have convened and executed judgment … without any relevant testimony.

But this situation was different.  This boss started with compassion, so things turned out for everyone’s good.

As always, it got me thinking.

I wanted to knee-jerk panic.

I wanted to automatically defend.

I wanted to impulsively blame.

How about you?

When put in a position where you have to face your …

Mistakes

Pain

Trauma

Anger

Assumptions

Fear

Doubts

How do you respond?

What do you think?

What do you feel?

How do you react?

How do you posture?

What do you say?

It is easy to be …

Ungrateful.

Harsh.

Reactive.

Defensive.

Angry.

Combative.

It is easy to …

Dwell on the bad.

Only hear the accusation.

React out of past (unhealed) pain.

Oh, but how much of God we miss by allowing easy to lead our lives.

Easy.  We miss God’s divine opportunity to …

Think.

Change.

Grow.

Know.

Sow.

Easy.  We miss the divine invitation to “be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NIV).  To believe God is always at work and to (on purpose) look for His hand and His grace in action.

Easy.  We miss the divine inspiration to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5 NIV).  To stop assuming we know best and presuming we know all … and seek to see things God’s way.

Easy.  We miss the divine instruction that “God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10 NIV).  To trust God is trying to redeem and renew us from the inside out so we are transformed for the long-term.

Easy.  We bypass the divine directive to give God all we are – “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV) – so He can change us where it matters most – “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 11:19 NIV).

Easy.  We lose perspective of everything good and godly …

By focusing on ourselves.

By letting emotions control.

By leaning into negative.

By feeding into stress.

By choosing easy.

Easy.  We focus on what we want instead of considering what God is doing and working.

In us.

For us.

Through us.

Easy.  We focus on how we feel and how we are made to feel instead of considering the grace, the goodness, and the generosity of God at work on our behalf.

It is easy to …

Focus on us.

Get lost in how we feel.

Get confused by what we think.

It is easy to …

Choose the uncomplicated.

Want the effortless.

Lean toward the agreeable.

But Jesus tells us in many different ways that FAITH requires us to …

Climb out of the comfort.

Step away from self.

Because faith is not about …

The easy.

The convenient.

The comfortable.

Faith and following are about doing the hard things for the …

Right reasons.

Best results.

Changed life.

Glorious influence.

Holy heart.

Faith and following are about looking through God’s lens to consider …

The unseen.

The unknown.

The divine possibilities.

Faith and following …

Prioritize people.

Look for needs.

Choose generosity.

Easy is about …

The moment.

The seen.

Self.

But we are crated for and called to excellence.

To quality.

To value.

To distinction.

To love.

In my meeting, I could have chosen to love my …

Opinions.

Self-estimations.

Ideologies.

But I chose to turn away from easy and look for the chance to embrace excellence.

I pray when faced with the same crossroads that you will choose the excellent way.

May you never shy away from the best life and best self God has for you because you take the easy way.

May excellence be your …

Strength.

Peace.

Joy.

Contentment.

Marie Fremin. 2/6/24, 2/7/24, 2/18/24.