Scripture
“Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again. Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive.” -Isaiah 52:1-2 (NIV)
Thoughts
“What most people need to learn in life is how to love people and use things instead of using people and loving things.” –Zelda Fitzgerald
During the holiday season, we stuff bags with candy on Halloween. We stuff our bellies on Thanksgiving. We stuff our homes with more stuff on Christmas. Now what? If we become so stuffed with things, how can there beroom for anything else? Also, if we spend so much time and money stuffing ourselves, why do a lot of us remain empty inside?
Before God led the Israelites into the desert, they were stuffed full of beliefs and practices that did not reflect God and His Will. God needed them to go through a sort of “detox” so He could fill them with who He is and what He values.It’s kind of like the stuff you need to drink before having a colonoscopy. It may not be pleasant at the time, but it helps you get rid of stuff that can hurt you from the inside out. God wanted to “unstuff” the Israelites so He could fill them with His Presence and wonder.
“When we give freely, we become more free ourselves. We become less attached to the things of this world and more attached to the world to come. We make the transition from having an inward focus to having an outward one, and in the process we reflect the radiance of our Creator.” –Margaret Feinberg, The Organic God.
The whole “stuffed” thing even applies to God. The more we fill ourselves with the things of the world, the less room we have in our minds and hearts for the things of God.Even in the church, there are things that can distract us from loving God and loving others the way we should. Many believers endlessly debate things like theology and doctrine. Where does this lead? Maybe you feel like you’re “more” right while I’m “more” wrong. At the end of the debate, did either of us become more filled with the Spirit, love and grace of God? We need less clutter in our lives. We all know this.But how? We become less “stuffed” and more filled with God through freely giving.
“There are tears of things, and the stuff of our mortality cuts us to the heart.” -Virgils Great Lines
There are things we fill ourselves with that can cut us deep. The only things that can cut you on the inside are the things you let in to begin with. This is why we constantly need to be detoxing from the things that harm us and filling ourselves with what breathes life into us.
“Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” – Psalm 119:37
“Worship worthless things. Create a worthless world.” – Enter the Worship Circle
The world is full of whatever we put into it. If there are things that hurt or harm, it’s because WE put them there – not God.If you live in a messy house, you are more likely to get sick. Keep a clean house, and you’re more likely to remain healthy. We need to clean up our messes. However, if we try to clean them up using the same mindset that created the mess in the first place – we will not succeed. This is where God comes in. Talk to Him about your plan. See what kind of plan both of you can come up with together.God doesn’t like messes, however, He LOVES you and I – who can be big messes. He wants to help you become unstuffed so He can fill you with LIFE!
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
–Isaiah 41:10
Imagery
Caption: There are times when we need to walk away from things.
Caption: For the answers, we need to look up, not around.
Caption: God created the world to be beautiful. We’re the ones who filled it with … other stuff.
“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; mearanarchy is loosed upon this world, the blood dimmed tide is loosed, and every were. The ceremony of innocence is drowned.” -WB Yeats, The Second Coming
Caption: Without God, everything falls apart.
“Think for a moment about what is most important to you. How many of them were things rather than people or ideals?” –Anthony J. DeAngelo
Caption: With what you just read, what will your response be?
Caption: After the holiday “stuffing,” we need to get our noses back to the grindstone.
Jacob, whether other people believe in your same God or not, I think your perspective is right on for the masses. You have glorious and humble voice that teaches gratitude in a gentle, truthful way. Your faith shines through your words to inspire people who see through smaller lenses.