I did it! I blew it! I blew it big time.
I was in Texas celebrating a year's worth of Scripture Memory...you know...hiding God's word in my heart, meeting up with my friends who live in my computer (grin)...
I met up with Kristi at the airport, my sweet new friend from East Tennessee...and we were on our way to Houston First Baptist Church to meet up with other ladies who joined Beth Moore in memorizing at least 24 verses in 2011.
Some of the girls have blogged about the trip and you can read about the event here or here…
Judy had already texted me to say that she and Nesha and Carolyn had saved a seat for us. Kristi and I were getting quite anxious to be there...if only the GPS would work with us...the directions "Sally May" (my affectionate name for the GPS voice) wanted to take us was through a huge pile of rubble dug up by the highway department of the great city of Houston. Uggh!!!...so we "forced" her to give us another direction...around the rubble so we could get to our destination.
Telling this might be easier if I had not been studying the book of James.
I mean, I could tell you what happened and why I feel I did the right thing at the moment and I could totally make myself sound believable and in a way that you would be able to sympathize with me and understand that, seriously, I did the right thing!....Right????
Right there at the red light a homeless man…dirty, old nasty looking clothes, unkempt hair, begging from car to car. Begging. At the windows. Of the Drivers SIDE !...with a limp.
I think I even heard myself say out loud, “He could get arrested for doing this, I think.”
He’s at my window. I wave Him away. Light turns green. Relief. I must move on.
I hear (again) myself say,
But you have insulted the poor...For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."
James 2: 6, 10 NIV
AND in front of my new friend.
I was in Texas celebrating a year's worth of Scripture Memory...you know...hiding God's word in my heart, meeting up with my friends who live in my computer (grin)...
I met up with Kristi at the airport, my sweet new friend from East Tennessee...and we were on our way to Houston First Baptist Church to meet up with other ladies who joined Beth Moore in memorizing at least 24 verses in 2011.
Some of the girls have blogged about the trip and you can read about the event here or here…
Judy had already texted me to say that she and Nesha and Carolyn had saved a seat for us. Kristi and I were getting quite anxious to be there...if only the GPS would work with us...the directions "Sally May" (my affectionate name for the GPS voice) wanted to take us was through a huge pile of rubble dug up by the highway department of the great city of Houston. Uggh!!!...so we "forced" her to give us another direction...around the rubble so we could get to our destination.
Waiting at a red light, it happened;
the moment that I blew it.
And it didn't occur to me that I had blown it until the light turned green
and I had totally missed an opportunity.
Telling this might be easier if I had not been studying the book of James.
I mean, I could tell you what happened and why I feel I did the right thing at the moment and I could totally make myself sound believable and in a way that you would be able to sympathize with me and understand that, seriously, I did the right thing!....Right????
If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action,
is dead.
James 2:15-17 NIV
Right there at the red light a homeless man…dirty, old nasty looking clothes, unkempt hair, begging from car to car. Begging. At the windows. Of the Drivers SIDE !...with a limp.
I think I even heard myself say out loud, “He could get arrested for doing this, I think.”
He’s at my window. I wave Him away. Light turns green. Relief. I must move on.
James 2:5 NIV
I literally “felt” the Holy Spirit sigh…I had missed HIM. I had missed being the FAITH I propose to have. I missed putting into action the Word that I had hidden in my heart through Bible Study and Good-Girl-Jesus Stuff.
“But Lord, I am on my way to meet up with my friends to Celebrate Scripture Memory, and my purse is in the back seat, and …”
Frown.
James 2:1
That night, after a wonderful time with friends I had met online via Bible Study blogs and FaceBook pages…friends who lived in my computer… now real, live...FACE to FACE...in love with King Jesus..
I lay down, tired…
filled with the love of God in my heart…knowing Him more than I did this time last year…blessed and content to be a daughter of the One who has loved me with
an everlasting love…
And I see Him in my mind…
dirty, old nasty looking clothes, unkempt hair,
begging from car to car.
Begging. At the windows.
Of the Drivers SIDE!...
with a limp.
“He could get arrested for doing this, I think.”
He’s at my window.
I wave Him away.
Light turns green.
Relief. I must move on.
“Oh, Lord. What did I do? I neglected your Word. I neglected the poor.”
but rather healed.
Hebrews 12:13 NIV
But you have insulted the poor...For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."
James 2: 6, 10 NIV
“Lord. I am sorry. Forgive me. Please send someone to Him that will not turn their head, who will not neglect the poor. I am so sorry.”
The weekend I had planned to spend celebrating went by in a whirl-wind of love, laughter, shared hearts and heartaches…bound together by the One whose Words are Eternal…Jesus Christ.
I was overwhelmed by love…God’s love. He was so gracious to me to allow me to enjoy this tremendous opportunity to sing and celebrate and embrace the teaching of His Words through the hearts and insights of The Chosen Ladies at the event. I could cry me some happy tears just thinking about it…
And then it happened.
(part 2 will follow )
(part 2 will follow )
The Word. Worship. Prayer.
These are my Roots...
My heart is moved by your 'heart' and your transparency, DeAnna ! I started to write that we are ALL guilty of that from time to time, but have to change that to "I have been guilty of the very same thing" !! Not that I never reach out to someone in need, because I have, but must admit that more often than not, I am suspicious that the person is really in need and not just scamming us. The Lord has been laying on my heart the fact that it is not for me to decide, and 'if' I feel the nudging of the Holy Spirit, I must obey! I think this study on James will have a huge impact on all of us with a call to action! Thank you so much for sharing your heart with us! Love you, girl ! Diane
ReplyDeleteI felt the very same way as I slipped out of Houston to San Antonio. Everywhere I seemed to turn...male, female, young, old had their hands out and I honestly did not know what to do and we were told at our Inn to be careful and watchful. I felt like I had let God down.......
ReplyDeleteLoved reading this....cause I was one of those FACE to FACE FB friends you got to meet!! :) But I also know what you're saying about missing out. I hadn't seen so many homeless before. Our city is much smaller and colder so we don't have as many. But I'm so incredibly proud of my hubby who went and spoke with a group of them a half a block away from our hotel....he was with them for over an hour while we were at the celebration. I have to admit that I felt a wee bit jealous because that's something I would do...not him! :) But I'm so thankful he got that opportunity and God showed him wonderful things through that! We truly had a wonderful time in Houston! ♥ Big hugs to you sister!! So glad to have met you!! ♥
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