Time for another GROW Tuesday! This week's verse was 2 John 1:9. I am going to be open and upfront: I struggled more this week than last. I read the verse several times made my little verse graphic, but I just wasn't connecting with it. Then I finally got the bright idea to read the verse in another translation :) The NLT version opened up my eyes a bit more; I felt like I could finally focus.
NLT: "Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son."
Zech translation :)) Anyone who wanders away, distracted by earthly things from the God-breathed Word, has no relationship with God, and is in a hell. BUT! But if we abide and obey the God-breathed Word, we are loved and known by Father and Son.
Two words or phrases stuck out to me this week. The first is 'wanders'. To me, wanders means gradual distraction. When I wander about the house, I feel aimless, unattached, easily distracted by shiny things. Webster defines wander as "to move about without a fixed course, aim, or goal". Other synonyms it gives are ramble, meander, stray, err.
I understand this completely.
I've laid out my pens, my journal, my Bible, my Bible Study. I got my HelloMornings spotify playlist going in the background. Baby is asleep. Ah. Time to connect with God. Before I get started though, I should check my email one last time so it won't distract me later. Wow, someone mentioned me on Twitter, better find out who otherwise it will bug me. Oh that was sweet of her, I better Tweet back. Yay! She is on! AND I was supposed to Facebook my other coach back......which reminds me I better message the captains about bows....I have to find my etsy link for that list.....wow, look at this bow, or THIS bow! It'd be PERFECT! I better message all of them right now...
Ok, ok. I am sure you get the point. This happens to me just about every time I sit down to study God's Word. I have to forcibly remove myself from these things and make time for them AFTER. But perhaps wander isn't just about the small things, perhaps it is about the big things as well. Perhaps we tell ourselves, this time our walk with God will be different, purposeful. But then again, just like all the other times, LIFE gets in the way. Jobs, kids, husbands, cleaning, planning. Next thing we know, we look around and we are so. far. from. God.
John said we aren't just far from God, but that we have no relationship with God! This would be horrific. Relationship is the second word that stuck out to me as I read through this verse. I don't think I have to explain or define this word. It is something we all innately crave, relationships with others. We want to be known, we want to be loved, we want to be truly known and loved anyways. Why do you think so many women sign up for HelloMornings, Good Morning Girls, book clubs, MOPS, and mom's groups? But the relationship we truly crave and can only ever fill that hole in us, is God. I preach to me first here.
And John tells us that if we wander, meander, ramble aimlessly from the Word...we will not have relationship!! Are you scared yet?? I can't imagine not having a relationship with my husband, or daughter, but then I think about the Creator of the Universe and how badly I do need Him. I never want to be away from Him! But the great news?? We don't have to lose this relationship at all! We can make a choice!!
And here is where it finally gets practical: We need to be reading the WORD! 2 John 1:9 tells us that if we remain in this teaching we have a relationship with Father and Son. All we have to do is read the Bible. Sometimes that seems overwhelming, that is why something like GROW or SOAP is so great. Just pick one verse, one tiny verse and read it, try to apply it to your life, and then pray. It doesn't have to be fancy just "God be here, show me You in this verse. Amen." If you pray and read the Word, God will respond!!
So, if you made it through this essay. I love you. If you read the highlights, we are BFFs. If I rambled (wandered? :) ) on too much, I am sorry. I write to figure things out myself; I can only hope I am coherent.
NLT: "Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son."
Zech translation :)) Anyone who wanders away, distracted by earthly things from the God-breathed Word, has no relationship with God, and is in a hell. BUT! But if we abide and obey the God-breathed Word, we are loved and known by Father and Son.
Two words or phrases stuck out to me this week. The first is 'wanders'. To me, wanders means gradual distraction. When I wander about the house, I feel aimless, unattached, easily distracted by shiny things. Webster defines wander as "to move about without a fixed course, aim, or goal". Other synonyms it gives are ramble, meander, stray, err.
I understand this completely.
I've laid out my pens, my journal, my Bible, my Bible Study. I got my HelloMornings spotify playlist going in the background. Baby is asleep. Ah. Time to connect with God. Before I get started though, I should check my email one last time so it won't distract me later. Wow, someone mentioned me on Twitter, better find out who otherwise it will bug me. Oh that was sweet of her, I better Tweet back. Yay! She is on! AND I was supposed to Facebook my other coach back......which reminds me I better message the captains about bows....I have to find my etsy link for that list.....wow, look at this bow, or THIS bow! It'd be PERFECT! I better message all of them right now...
Ok, ok. I am sure you get the point. This happens to me just about every time I sit down to study God's Word. I have to forcibly remove myself from these things and make time for them AFTER. But perhaps wander isn't just about the small things, perhaps it is about the big things as well. Perhaps we tell ourselves, this time our walk with God will be different, purposeful. But then again, just like all the other times, LIFE gets in the way. Jobs, kids, husbands, cleaning, planning. Next thing we know, we look around and we are so. far. from. God.
John said we aren't just far from God, but that we have no relationship with God! This would be horrific. Relationship is the second word that stuck out to me as I read through this verse. I don't think I have to explain or define this word. It is something we all innately crave, relationships with others. We want to be known, we want to be loved, we want to be truly known and loved anyways. Why do you think so many women sign up for HelloMornings, Good Morning Girls, book clubs, MOPS, and mom's groups? But the relationship we truly crave and can only ever fill that hole in us, is God. I preach to me first here.
And John tells us that if we wander, meander, ramble aimlessly from the Word...we will not have relationship!! Are you scared yet?? I can't imagine not having a relationship with my husband, or daughter, but then I think about the Creator of the Universe and how badly I do need Him. I never want to be away from Him! But the great news?? We don't have to lose this relationship at all! We can make a choice!!
And here is where it finally gets practical: We need to be reading the WORD! 2 John 1:9 tells us that if we remain in this teaching we have a relationship with Father and Son. All we have to do is read the Bible. Sometimes that seems overwhelming, that is why something like GROW or SOAP is so great. Just pick one verse, one tiny verse and read it, try to apply it to your life, and then pray. It doesn't have to be fancy just "God be here, show me You in this verse. Amen." If you pray and read the Word, God will respond!!
So, if you made it through this essay. I love you. If you read the highlights, we are BFFs. If I rambled (wandered? :) ) on too much, I am sorry. I write to figure things out myself; I can only hope I am coherent.
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