Category Archives: Control

Dissatisfied Church Folk-The 33rd day of Christmas

Posted on by
4

On the 33rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me a ruler as a savior and king (Judges 4:4).

Some church folk are never satisfied. The pastor didn’t call their name. He didn’t put them on the committee. He didn’t let them preach. He didn’t take their advice. He didn’t support a casino trip. He preached too long. He preached too hard. He used the wrong bible. He didn’t wear the right suit. You know these people so you know I’m not exaggerating. In the eyes of some, the pastor just can’t seem to get it quite right for them.

This was the classic case with the children of Israel. They didn’t listen to their prophets; they snubbed their kings and gave their priests plenty to intercede for. In Judges we see “[i]n those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (17:6). This thought repeats throughout the book, showing the depth of sin when there is no ruler present. They had judges who each served as a spiritual and political leader, but “[i]n those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (21:25). This pointed to the need for a savior and a king, not just an earthly one but one with supernatural power to help his people do what is right in the eyes of God. This savior-king is Jesus Christ.

Though Judges foreshadows Jesus as Savior-King, Jesus, like the judges of old, can’t be effective if we don’t have Him as king of our hearts. When we don’t have Jesus as King of our hearts we will do what is right in our own eyes, letting that strong black woman rule us. If we aren’t already, we will be those dissatisfied church folk who criticize everything about their pastor because the ultimate ruler doesn’t have the throne of our hearts. Please know that I am not saying we should blindly follow our spiritual leaders (Though if you are trying to plan a church trip to the casino and can’t see how your pastor’s disapproval is right, just follow him.). I am saying let Jesus reign supreme in our hearts. This way when we are dissatisfied with our leaders, more times than not our complaint will be legitimate and Jesus can guide us with how to handle our dissatisfaction. Let it be said that in our days there was King Jesus in our hearts and we did what was right in the eyes of God.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith

Your Lead-The 35th Day of Christmas

Posted on by
Reply

On the 35th day of Christmas my true love gave to me a prophet sent to guide me (Deuteronomy 18:15).

“If it was a snake it would have bitten you,” the saying goes for people who overlook something that is right in their midst. I’m sure most of us who have children have said this or something like it when a child can’t find his shoes in the middle of a clean room or homework left on the table without any other papers. This is the great refrain of my Joshua’s life. After I find the elusive item I say, with my fingers spread on outstretched arms shaking in syllabic rhythm, “It’s right here!” These phrases aren’t just child refrains but a part of the adult song of life that could be titled “Seeking But You Already Have.”

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him (Deuteronomy 18:15).

This is what Moses told the children of Israel regarding their coming Messiah. And God the Father did just that. He sent Jesus, who, like Moses, was 1) in peril as a baby; 2) whose life was preserved among Egyptians; 3) was an Israelite (Jew); 4) a leader of his people; and 5) a prophet among other similarities, but these are the ones that the Israelites in Jesus’ day witnessed. Also, like Moses, his own people rejected him.

We know that God spake unto Moses: [as for] this [fellow], we know not from whence he is.—John 9:29

At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”—John 6:41-42

The Jews saw Jesus speak like no other prophet and they witnessed him healing, but when he told them that he was the one Moses spoke of, that he was that bread of life that would give them eternal life if they believed in him, they didn’t believe. We, Christians, do believe that God the Father sent Jesus as the bread of life, but when we don’t believe that our leader, our lord, is right in our midst, when we overlook him surrounding us, we are like disbelieving Jews. We are told that greater is God in us than the devil in the world, but we (strong black women) try to use our own strength. We are told that Jesus will never leave us or forget about us, but we leave and forget about him and seek to do things our own way. Like the Jews looked to Moses, we look to old methods that once helped and overlook our present help, our Jesus.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want God shouting “I’m right here!” when he sees me looking for a self-conceived fail-proof way. I’m aiming to quickly remember my leader, my lord, in my midst and follow him. Won’t you join me? And send me a comment about how if Jesus was a snake, he would have bitten you.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith

Do It For You

Posted on by
4

My mom used to hire a babysitter so she could take a nap. I was too young to remember this, but my mom relayed this to me in my adult years. I used to think what she did was extravagant but only said to her “Really?” Why spend good money on a sitter and you are still at home? Of course, now having little ones of my own, I completely understand. While I haven’t yet hired a sitter to take a nap, after coming home from running errands a sitter has offered to stay so I could take a nap. I have taken advantage of some of these offers, but other times in my twisted strong black woman way I refused because I thought if I am physically present I SHOULD be able to take care of my own kids. Continue reading →

Plans of Mice & Men

Posted on by
Reply

Today I was set to tell you the plans I have to keep my children occupied. I was going to share my daily agenda and the “astray” agenda for when those plans of mice and men go that way. But I decided to keep my list of songs and dance and ways to combat those frenzied days after having an awry astray day today.

The kids woke up before the break of dawn, me still yawning, sleep still calling me hard. They are still awake as I write, with worried whines of itchy arms, runny noses and batting eyes trying hard to stay awake. Today there were no songs or dances, just prayers and plates of food filling our souls and bodies with what we need. They are playing now and I’m still praying that I recognize that God’s grace is always sufficient, that God’s intents trump my God-blessed plans when He has a higher order for the day for me. Then is when I can breathe and be okay when my kids’ agenda-filled day goes by the wayside, tumbling away from me.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith

God Knows

Posted on by
2


How about them apples? These are two that I found, faced-down, in a bowl of drying fruit, swiped by my 2-year-old Nate and then replaced because he knew he wasn’t supposed to have more fruit. This week, the child training challenge has been on. We talked with our 7 year old about standing up to bullies, even recognizing when they’re putting him down. We encouraged our fruitaholic to save us some apples; and we directed our 11 month old not to throw a tantrum and fists and get beastly with his baby talk when he can’t play with the phone or remote control. Frankly, Flynn and I don’t know what we’re doing. I’d like to tell Josh to give the bad boys a beat down, hide the fruit from Nate and block the baby in the corner, but none of this is godly behavior. We don’t know, but the omniscient one knows and I’m glad He does.

He knows that I feel helpless when Josh hurts from the words and I want to yell stop when Nate’s grabbing fruit and Justus is babbling beastly. God knows and sees all, and, like Hagar and how he has done for me before, he will show me what I need for my children—how to get it and how to give it. I am His child and He will take of me. He will take care of us. When I remember that God is omniscient, I live like I will know what to do even though I might not yet know what to do. This is the life I plan to lead, continually, along with embracing His daily grace and mercies. How do you live or plan to live in light of God’s omniscience? I look forward to your comments.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. smith