Peter

Minority

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

Do not be surprised,

dear ones,

that you are in the minority

 

Do not be discouraged

that the masses

are going in a different direction

 

Do not be overwhelmed

by the ugliness

all around you

 

Remember

that you are a lighthouse above the sea

 

You are a city on a hill

distinct from the rest

 

Sanctified

Set apart

 

Your one small flame

penetrates darkness

 

and the darkness

cannot overcome it

 

You are walking

the narrow road

 

while most are running

down the broad highway

 

Have compassion on them,

dear ones

 

Do not despise those

who are blinded by darkness

 

Make your light shine

in their world

 

And hold firm

to your hope

 

– Susie Stewart

 

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

– Matthew 5:14 (NLT)

 

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

– Matthew 7:13, 14 (NLT)

 

When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

– Matthew 9:36 (NLT)

 

The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.

– John 1:5 (NLT)

 

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.

– 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

 

For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

– Ephesians 5:8 (NLT)

 

Up

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

 

I want don’t want to be grounded.

Hmm..

What do you do with that?  Grounded can take on different meanings.  The grounded I’m talking about may not be what you think.

This world has a way of weighing us down, almost as if it is pulling us deeper into the earth.  Troubles, trials, relationships gone wrong, the depressing things we hear on the news every day… it feels as if it has a downward pull.

God calls us to look UP.  He calls us to “set” our minds on things that are heavenly, peaceful, strong, gentle…… truth.  He is continually pulling us out of the muck and mire and setting our feet on solid ground or in spacious places (2 Samuel 22:20).  He brings us out of darkness into His unimaginable light.

My feet feel very weighted to the earth at times.  I allow the cares of this world to eat away at my thoughts and emotion, at my trust.  I am called to so much more!  “…because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ…”! (Eph. 2:4,5)

Over the years, I have often thought about what it means to “set your mind on things above, not on earthly things…”  I’ve assumed that Paul was referring to heaven.  I’ve never seen heaven, so at times I find it hard to set my mind on it, having never seen it and all.  But, for me, this verse has come to mean even more.

Look down….

earth, dirt, gravity, weightiness, troubles….

Look up….

Sky, heaven, weightlessness, peace, freedom….

I don’t want to be grounded.  I don’t want to be weighed down with the troubles of this world, but to trust in Light and Love and Mercy — Jesus!

He is above!  He is the Name that is “above every name” (Phil. 2:9).

He is up!

He is in me.

And when I soak Him in and I listen to Him and when I trust and believe and I focus on Him, I’m not so grounded anymore.  I feel lighter and more joyful.  I’m not so concerned with how the people around me are not meeting my oh-so-important needs.

May I only be grounded in your truth, Jesus.  Otherwise, let my feet be just above the ground because I trust in You.  You are working in and through me as I look forward to my forever home.

– Susie Stewart

 

Colossians 3:2  “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.”

1 Peter 1:13  “Be holy, therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming.”  

John 10:10   “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 16:33   “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Psalm 32:10  “Many are the woes of the wicked but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trust in Him.”

 

Photo:  Susie Stewart

Do and Be

/ Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

Sometimes when I’m praying, something comes out of my mouth that makes me pause…  It makes me marvel.  Because the Holy Spirit dwells in me there are times when what comes out of my mouth is not at all an original thought from me.  I know it is God teaching me.  He is  using the words that come out of my mouth, as His words to me.  Amazing because HE is the  One I am speaking to.

This morning I sat by our living room window admiring the falling snow of a spring Colorado storm, thinking about God and talking to Him about the beauty outside, about things I’m thankful for, worshiping Him.  Then I said, “Lord, today, help me to DO and to BE.”  Wait, what did I just say?  Help me to Do and to Be.  Yes, that’s right, that’s what I hope for as a Believer in Jesus!

Our days can be so unbalanced sometimes.  Go, go, go.  We hit the ground running and at the end of it all, we drop into bed, only to start it again the next day.  Life is like that.  “Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10)  BUT I have this to finish, I have that to do, I don’t have time….  Time needs to be found to BE.  Time needs to be found to meditate, to contemplate, to listen.

And what am I DOing, too?  Is what I am doing counting for anything?  Or is it just work and entertaining self…  What of the Kingdom?  The heart of God for the souls of people?  What of that?  Ephesians 2:10 is my husband Andy’s favorite verse, “For we are created in Christ Jesus to do good works which He prepared in advance for us to do.”  That’s the DOing that I want to be about.  I want to be about the good works that my Lord has prepared, in advance mind you, for me to do.  There is purpose in that.

There will always be the “regular” stuff of life, like cleaning bathrooms, and feeding the dog, and pulling weeds.  But can’t those things even be done to the glory of God?  Can we not do those things without a complaining heart, but a grateful one?  I say yes.  When the Spirit of the living God is living inside of you, He can even make a prison cell a place of worship and praise.  Ask Paul.  Ask Peter.  Ask the Believers who are currently in prison cells in dark places around the world right now.

As humans, I don’t think we’ll ever get the balance of DOing and BEing just right.  But submitting to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to speak to us, to love us, to minister to us, to teach us before we head out into the go, go, go makes all the difference in the world.  It will help us to listen for His voice that enables us to BE in the middle of busyness.

BEing is deliberate.  DOing is also deliberate.  I think a person can go throughout their entire day and do neither.  I want to BE before God and I want to DO what He has prepared for me.  Awareness, a listening heart, saying no to things that steal my heart away from the Way, the Truth and the Life….

Jesus, show me what I should be doing today as I abide in You.  (John 15)

– Susie Stewart

Photo taken by Susie Stewart