Life « Keith Ferrin

Posts Tagged ‘Life’

treasures – by Martha Snell Nicholson

May 1, 2010

Yesterday I ended my blog post on purging with a line from a poem. Here’s the whole thing:

Treasures
One by one He took them from me,
All the things I valued most,
Until I was empty-handed;
Every glittering toy was lost.
And I walked earth’s highways, grieving.
In my rags and poverty.
Till I heard His voice inviting,
"Lift your empty hands to Me!"
So I held my hands toward heaven,
And He filled them with a store
Of His own transcendent riches,
Till they could contain no more.
And at last I comprehended
With my stupid mind and dull,
That God COULD not pour His riches
Into hands already full!

Comments: 1 Comment »
Tags: generosity, Life, poetry, treasure
Categories: poetry

1

time to purge

Apr 30, 2010

On my journey through the Bible I was reading through Deuteronomy this morning. (I know, your heart just skipped a beat at the word Deuteronomy.) Just before crossing the Jordan and entering the Promised Land, Moses stops and preaches the longest sermon in the history of mankind. He starts with a pretty thorough history of deliverance from slavery in Egypt and life in the desert. Then he just jumps into all the little details of the Law.

I could just hear the people, “Yo Mo, are you serious?!? We’re about to enter the Promised Land. And by the way, we’ve already covered all this in Leviticus.” But off he goes. Law 101, 201, and 301 – all in one sermon.

But there’s a phrase that shows up seven times over ten chapters. About the fifth time I actually started paying attention. The phrase? Purge the evil from your community. (Yes, sometimes “the” is changed to “that,” or “community” is changed to “from among you” but cut me some slack.)

As I saw the context of reading it all at once, I realized that God was saying, Hey, my greatest desire is to be in relationship with you. All these things – idols, sexual immorality, and general “uncleanness” – is keeping us apart. I hate that. I don’t want to be apart. I want to be with you…near you…walking alongside you. So quit pursuing that which separates. Purge evil from your community. And pursue me…in community.

That feels a whole lot different than Do all these nitpicky things just because I said so. When am I going to get it through my thick head that God’s boundaries are meant to build relationship and enhance life – not limit it?

And there’s got to be a full-blown purging of the things that cause us to be separated from God. Not just because He doesn’t want you to have or do those things – but because He does want you to have HIM. There’s a poem by Martha Snell Nicholson that ends with these words: God could not pour His blessings into hands already full.

Too often my hands – and life – are full.

What do you need to purge to embrace God more fully?

Comments: 1 Comment »
Tags: bible, Life, relationships, stuff
Categories: bible, Life

2

resting is hard work

Apr 23, 2010

Why is it so hard to rest? I mean, really rest. Not, I’m-going-to-sit-for-an-hour-and-read-a-book-then-get-back-to-my-busyness type of rest. I’m talking about fully unplugged, I’m-not-going-to-log-on-to-Facebook-Twitter-or-email kind of rest. As my friend Doug says, “Sabbath for me is about not producing anything. Helps me realize that the world’s going to go on without me.”

Another question I’ve been asking myself lately: Why don’t I take rest as seriously as God does? Take a look at what I came across in Exodus 31:

“Above all, keep my Sabbaths, the sign between me and you, generation after generation, to keep the knowledge alive that I am the God who makes you holy. Keep the Sabbath; it’s holy to you. Whoever profanes it will most certainly be put to death. Whoever works on it will be excommunicated from the people. There are six days for work but the seventh day is Sabbath, pure rest, holy to God. Anyone who works on the Sabbath will most certainly be put to death. The Israelites will keep the Sabbath, observe Sabbath-keeping down through the generations, as a standing covenant.” (from The Message)

Put to death?!?! Really? Man, God takes this rest stuff seriously. But I – and almost every other Christian I know – sees the Sabbath as…well…as a suggestion. But there it is, plain as day – above all, keep my Sabbaths. Above all? Check me if I’m wrong, but above all seems pretty “not optional.”

Why do I think the world actually needs me to produce something everyday? Do I really think God’s looking at my life and saying, Ok, everyone else needs rest, but I need you to keep plugging away? Am I so important? So talented? Such a gift to humanity? Seriously.

Just typing out loud here, but I’m starting to think my lack of Sabbath-keeping is really about my own pride and reliance on myself instead of trusting that God actually knows what He’s doing.

Then there’s the whole part about passing it “down through the generations.” Hmmm…what sort of restful, trusting God am I modeling to my kids? Okay…that’ll leave a mark.

What does Sabbath mean to you? How do you observe it?

Comments: 2 Comments »
Tags: bible, Life, rest, sabbath
Categories: bible, Life, rest

1

eight words that change everything

Feb 9, 2010

As many of you know, I am currently joining with several other guys from my church and reading through the Bible in four months. It has truly been some of the most enjoyable reading of God’s Word I have ever encountered. While I am reading "straight through" from Genesis to Revelation in the mornings, each evening before hugging my pillow I pause and read one or two Psalms. A few nights ago I read Psalm 56 and one of the lines King David wrote has been with me ever since:

"This I know, that God is for me."

These eight words change everything. Everything. The last half of the sentence is true. God is for us. Period. Whether we believe it or not. Whether we live in the light of its promise or not. Whether we remember it or not. Quite simply – it is true.

And then there is the first half of the sentence. "This I know…" Most likely, the first time I heard this phrase was when I was four and my mom and dad were teaching me "Jesus loves me….this I know…" Believing that Jesus loves me is also foundational. But I’ve got to say that there’s a part of me that – at least for today – thinks that what David wrote in Psalm 56 is even more life-changing. Here’s what I mean.

God IS love. Right? So the fact that God loves me is, in some sense, simply God being God. Is it possible for God to not love? Could He not love His creation? Don’t get me wrong, the truth that He loves me is huge. (After all, my hope and salvation hinges upon it!) And yet, I can’t imagine God being anything other than loving, in spite of the fact that I certainly don’t deserve it.

However, David didn’t say, "This I know, that God loves me. He says, "This I know, that God is for me. Knowing that God is FOR me is a whole different thing. David recognizes that God being for him is not just God loving His creation, but God choosing to celebrate His creation.

How differently – more fully, more abundantly, more joyfully, more purposefully, more passionately – you and I would live if this truth permeated our every thought: that the God who created us, who knows us, who sacrificed Himself for us, is for us.

Sit back and soak in that truth for a moment. God celebrates you. God is on your side. God rejoices over you. God wants you. God chooses you. God cherishes you. God is for you.

And now…take a deep breath and say these eight words out loud:

This I know, that God is for me.

Do you believe it? I hope so. It will change everything.

Comments: 1 Comment »
Tags: bible, BRT, Life
Categories: bible, Bible Read Thru, Inspiring, Life

0

a blessing for you

Jan 15, 2010

I read this at the end Number 6 and thought, “Heck, who doesn’t need a blessing?” So…here is your blessing for today.

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

The LORD bless you andkeep you; the LORDmake his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORDlift up his countenanceupon you and give you peace.

"So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them."

What would happen if you and I – in the midst of our everyday lives – truly believed that God’s desire is to bless us, not to curse us, to cheer for us, not to condemn us, to redeem us, not to punish us? Just so you know…it’s true.

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Tags: bible, blessing, Life
Categories: bible, Life

0

the paradoxical commandments

Jan 15, 2010

This is a repost from Michael Hyatt, one of my favorite bloggers.

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

— Kent M. Keith, Speaker and Writer
Often attributed to Mother Teresa
because she posted them on her wall

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Tags: Life, michael hyatt, mother teresa, Quotes
Categories: Life, Quotes

0

God’s missions or the church’s mission?

Oct 23, 2009

Last Sunday my pastor said, “God’s church doesn’t have a mission. God’s mission has a church.” It got me thinking about whether I’m trying to do things “for God,” or seeking to do the things that are on God’s heart.

The former seems to have a lot to do with my effort, my goals, my mission. The latter requires me to do something that’s much harder – listen.

I posted this quote and asked for feedback and here are a few responses (with names removed):

1. “Can a church (or a Christian) really call themselves God’s people if they don’t share His heart nor obey His commands? Obedience in the missional commandment of God is not an optional extra for special people, but an essential in our identity. God’s mission is the church, the family of people who have made Jesus Lord of their lives and live according to the cross. Let me put it this way: every Christian is a missionary, an ambassador of God to a broken world in need of salvation, or they are not a Christian at all.”

2. “I don’t think that it is either/or. I think that it is perspective. Our mission should be the same as Christ and the Father. Christ same to seek and save the lost. As Christians we are supposed to be like him.”

3. “My comment would be how do we know what God’s mission for our church is supposed to be and not get distracted by all the other to do’s and fun things available out there?

4. “My understanding is that God has a mission and part of that answer is the church as a corporate expression of the faith that is within, being expressed outwardly by us as a body of believers… God’s mission is redemption of all, He uses individuals, and groups to be tools of communication of the message of redemption to all..”

5. “I like to think that church is a tool in working out God’s purpose. A place for encouragement, support, refreshment and (of course) collaboration and the sharing of resources. Even so, I am less worried on any given day about what church I belong to or what the church is doing than I am about being sure I’m living God’s purpose in my life. I thank god for church families, but am likewise thankful that there’s more to being a Christian than your connection to a church.”

So…what do you think?

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Tags: church, faith, Life, mission
Categories: faith, Life

0

life on a balance beam

Sep 26, 2009

This video was sent to me by my friend Robin. Thank you. I love Francis Chan’s zeal for life and passion to see Christians actually live it!

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Tags: faith, Life, passion, risk, works
Categories: faith, Inspiring, Life

0

my little one…is one

Aug 26, 2009

My little baby... It’s 3:23 in the morning. Not now. A year ago. I can’t believe it’s been a whole year. Hannah GraceAnne Ferrin showed up on August 26th, 2008 at 3:23am. All nine-pounds-seven-ounces of her.

And here we are…a year later. The Ferrin Four is now The Ferrin Five. And it may be a cliché, but it’s oh so true – we can’t imagine life without her. I don’t know that I have ever seen a baby who laughs as much as Hannah. Of course, she’s always being entertained by her dancing, singing sister, and her wild and crazy jokester of a brother. They are quite a team.

She’s into everything right now. Crawling. Climbing stairs. Opening drawers. Putting everything (including handfuls of dirt from our houseplants) into her mouth. I am convinced that all it will take for her to walk is the realization that walking will get her places faster. Speed. It’s all about speed. She eats fast, crawls fast, drinks fast, grabs fast.

And sadly for her mom and dad – she grows fast. Happy Birthday Hannah.

I love you…Dad

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Tags: birthday, Family, hannah, Life
Categories: birthday, Family, Life, People

0

the partial observer

Jul 6, 2009

I was truly inspired this morning. Can’t say that happens every day. Maybe it would – if I paid attention a little more. This morning’s inspiration came from a guy I’m blessed to call “friend” though I can’t honestly say we know each other well. Greg Asimokoupoulos is a pastor, father, husband, author, poet and weekly contributor to the Partial Observer. A bit ironic that the site is called The Partial Observer, since I found myself thinking This guy notices what the rest of us miss. He makes me want to pay attention. He shows me that I need to pay attention.

Greg’s primary focus this morning was on the power of writing things down. Journaling. Blogging. Writing letters. (Not typing or emailing, but actually doing something crazy like using paper and a pen.) Writing down our prayers.

I love to write. I also know I don’t do it nearly enough. One of the quotes Greg shared this morning spoke of our “thoughts becoming untangled” as they pass through pencil to paper. Anyone who has taken the time to process, dream, pray, and think onto paper knows the truth that statement holds.

So today, I write. Tomorrow I plan to write again. Some days, I’ll share these writings with you. Some days I won’t. Nonetheless, my wife needs a husband whose thoughts are untangled. As do my children. As do my friends. As do those I serve – in the marketplace and in my neighborhood.

For that which is in me and unhealthy needs to be vetted out and dismissed. And that which God, in His grace, has planted in me that can actually help someone, will only see its helpfulness realized when transformed from internal thought to external word and deed.

A beautiful coincidence that this inspiration has come on Independence Day. For this morning, I am both grateful for the freedom to write, and indeed feel my heart, mind, and spirit are a bit freer than they were yesterday.

Thank you Greg.

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Tags: faith, Life, speakers, Words, Writing
Categories: faith, Inspiring, Life, Writing