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When I was a child and living at home, I remember getting grounded, spanked, chastised, given the “you disappoint me line” when I “talked backed” to my parents.  I course then proceeded to pout and rationalize that they just didn’t know what was best for me. Besides telling a lie, talking back was a definite “no, no” in the Herbold household.  Now that I have kids of my own, and I love them to pieces, but there are very few things that can upset me as quickly as them talking back to me. And afterwards they of course pout just like I did when they don’t get their way. I realize I have a serious lack of patience, and God is using them to work on me, but seriously, sometimes I feel like putting my head, or someones, through a wall. (I said I feel like that, not that I actually do that to anyone. )

While reading in Romans 9 today God reminded me that I sometimes, just as my kids, pout, and talk back to God when i don’t get my way.  Romans 9:20-24.

“But who are you O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “why did you make me like this?”

I am so thankful that He is much more patient with me than I am with my kids.  I’m working on it with His  help and strength and asking for forgiveness from Esther and Judah as I walk this journey with them. Most days I think that I am learning more about life from parenting than my kids are by my parenting.

What is God saying to you?

Here is the same passage taken from the Message. (This helps view the passage in a slightly different light)

Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn’t talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, “Why did you shape me like this?” Isn’t it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans? If God needs one style of pottery especially designed to show his angry displeasure and another style carefully crafted to show his glorious goodness, isn’t that all right?

Something a little more personal today.

I feel bad, ashamed, and sad that I just plain old chose to miss “it” yesterday.

The Story

There is this sweet older lady named Josie. Josie is my grandmas neighbour in her condo building. Josie has a kind, gentle and plain old friendly personality. Over the last years our family has gotten to know her and she has loved on our kids.

Yesterday I was supposed to go visit Josie on my way home. It was a long day, I was tired, I just wanted a shower and supper. I even had this conversation in the car with God as I’m driving home from work. It went like this, “Lord, I just want a hot shower and some rest. You know the busy day I had, I’ll go visit her tomorrow.” I didn’t “hear” anything else, assumed we were good, and grabbed a hot shower at the Y and went home to a nice relaxed evening.

Josie died at 2 am this morning….

When I heard the news I knew I had blown it.
Thankfully I had the opportunity months ago to share Christ with Josie and answer some of her questions. As far as I know she loved and accepted Christ as her savior.

Sadly, I heard God yesterday and did nothing. Even better, in all my wisdom I let Him know when it would suit me better. (Seriously how idiotic can I be planning His calendar for Him) Have you ever seen that Mastercard commercial where the coach comes into the hockey locker room between periods and the text says “knowing what and when to say it” and the screen shows him saying nothing and the screen then fades to “priceless”? That was my feeling today. Face down,ashamed, feeling somewhat like Isaiah did, a small, small man, hearing the stillness of His rebuke. Thankfully, I know His grace is sufficient, and His passion for me is never ending no matter how undeserved it is.

So today I have two questions for you.

1. Has He asked you to do something that you haven’t?
2. If He has rebuked you don’t miss it and confess accordingly. Don’t miss His passion and desire for you by not hearing and acting on His rebuke. Proverbs 1:23 reminds us by saying, “if you had responded to my rebuke I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.”

I missed it yesterday. I accept His rebuke today. I’ve confessed today. I’m forgiven today. . I continue to place my trust in Him and long for His heart and His thoughts and the courage to act. I trust you do as well.

I’ve finally written down a one sentence descriptor of God’s call on my life.

…create space for authentic relationships and transparent community through which people have the opportunity to encounter and decide how to deal with Jesus Christ.

I’m still in a slightly “tweaking” mode so, feedback?

Have you spent time to define who God has called you to be? Intuitively you most likely know what it is. I encourage you to write it out.

I thought this was a great video. Not only is it entertaining, but a couple of observations and applications regarding all our journeys of faith, dreams, etc.

1. Know who God has made you to be. Strength Finder and APEST.org are good starting points.

2. Be bold and live out your calling. Simply do your best and go hard.

3. Ultimately “success” is up to God. We need to just go. (See proverbs 21:34, story of Jonathan and the Philistines, etc)  This is the hardest one for me. It’s so easy to think we have all the ability.

What strikes you as you watch the video?

If you asked Naomi (my wife) she would probably say I live with the “What If?”question at the forefront of my mind most of the time. I’m not sure why but I’m always thinking about What If? in regards to faith, church, work, family, saving money, our lives in general.

I live my life by knocking on doors and trusting God to open the correct ones. (If I’m in the right place spiritually in my relationship with Christ this works out every time).  Usually my “What If” questions stay in the arena of at least somewhat possible. Actually because of the “significance” strengthfinder strength it usually stays in the realm of what I know is doable.

However after a conversation I had with Dan Webster I’m allowing myself some time to ask bigger “What If” questions? I realize that I’m actually timid in regards to knocking on those “bigger” doors. Why you ask? Because I’m nervous about the life change that can happen when doors open. The bigger question for me is not asking a question like, “What if I did, said, went,_________________,etc?  I ask those questions all the time. That’s the dreaming component of life. The hard question for me to answer is, “What If I pursued______________ and, it actually became a reality. What If then? What If my “What If” actually became a reality would I actually do it?

I find that people often dream, talk and even hope for change, but the reality is we don’t knock on doors because we’re nervous about the door of change actually opening because of the change that comes when a door opens.

So what are the big “What If’s” you dream about?

Have you taken tangible steps towards knocking on the doors? If so how has that changed your life?

Side Note: This post is about the direction of your life not if I’m questioning faith in Jesus Christ. For those of you who have not yet made a decision to follow Jesus that is a big “What If” question that, in my opinion, should be pondered as well.