Author: Wick

I recently finished reading Julie Coleman’s “unexpected love – God’s heart revealed in Jesus’ conversations with women“.  I will begin by confessing, I was given this book for free by “BookSneeze” in order to do an honest review.  I chose the book from a list of others, simply because as a man with 4 daughters (one currently still in Africa – help us bring her home!), I’m very interested in how the words Jesus spoke to women can help reveal more about God’s heart.  I counted on them having small sections here and there that were directed at women, and it’s true – each chapter has a “For Today’s Woman” section.

What I hadn’t counted on, was the Biblical scholarship that went into each chapter.  Julie Coleman is obviously not just another “blogger-turned-feminine-book-writer”.  More than just “inspirational”, her book was very educational about the times and situations we read from Jesus’ life.  She retells each story in a descriptive way, and then combines her imaginative story-telling with elements of inductive Bible study to draw out truths many of us may have missed, or simply not heard of yet.

An excerpt from Chapter 8, and the story of Salome from Matthew 20, “The Greek word, ‘prays’, translated ‘meek’ was used in those days to describe three different things: medicine, wind, and a colt that had been broken.  Each possesses power…..But each of these things, when not under control, can cause great damage.”

The insight she offers into these nine different conversational moments Jesus has with women, reminds and reveals to us so much about the Father’s Love.   The Word of God is full of things that offer to transform our lives, and we forget sometimes just how much it changes things – and has been for a long time.  I think the strongest word I would say about this book is that it’s not simply a book about the unexpected love Jesus has for women, or the “womens liberation” movement some of the stories could be co-opted by.  The unexpectedness comes as we realize God’s heart for all people – no matter their perceived value or role in the world today.

If you’re reading this blog, you live in a place of influence and have privileges enough that you should already be aware of your value.  But this book should call us to live lives of “going out” into the world to find people who may not inherently know their worth in God’s eyes and heart.  The poor, the disenfranchised, the imprisoned, the lonely, and the powerless.  I pray that this book doesn’t simply stir the hearts of women everywhere to sit in their Sunday school classes discussing the great questions at the end of each chapter.  I pray it goes well beyond that, into transforming women who will realize – “Wow, Jesus went out of his way to reveal God’s love for people who weren’t aware of it – I want to go and do likewise!”

There is potential this book can help toward that end…

Another day passes, and still we’re without

Time tocking, spilling down anthills counted as mountains

Our hearts racing, waiting franticly in one place

And a steady, small voice speaks through the sabbath – be still.

My frustrated response, “we have no choice!”

Beating my chest, while resting my head on his, knowing this is

Where we belong.  and he is right.  He. Is.  Right.

I try to bargain, telling Him of her need, as if His heart can break harder

As if He has tears that aren’t already falling, as if He can’t hear her calling

As if He might be stalling, but because of my small voice  He suddenly sees the orphan.

And the moments are morphing.

I realize it’s He.

He who’s been beating his chest, pointing out his tears, for so many years

Wanting us to see, wanting us to hear, inviting us to come near, to let go of fear, and see it all clear

The least of these, that should have brought us to our knees, years ago.

But He doesn’t say “I told you so.”

His smile is filled with grace-ladened Love, glad we’ve arrived to the party

I follow His analogy through the door, again with selfish motives,

“Exactly”, I say, “And we want to bring her to the feasting table with us.”

As He brings me near, He whispers in my ear, sealing my bleeding heart with Truth that sears…

“Not as bad as I do…”

Here we go again with another “Five Minute Friday” post!  To learn more about “Five Minute Friday” (FMF), check out the linked image here.  Basically, each week there’s a word given for you to write about.  You start writing, no back-tracking, editing, etc.  At the end of 5 minutes, you stop.  Then you post it, and share in the community of words that were birthed during these 24-ish hours.  It’s cool stuff.
So here’s this week’s response to the word: “home”.

Somewhere in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, my daughter waits.  I pray she’s being cared for.  I pray she’s being held, and told how precious she is.  But I don’t know.  I don’t know what’s happening to her fragile body.  I don’t even know what her face looks like.  I do know our Heavenly Father is with her.

But I can’t wait to bring her home.

Our home is expectant.  With our first 3 daughters, the “pregnancy” was primariliy experienced by my wife.  The kicking in her womb (although certainly our daughters kicked me once in a while too, laying in bed).  But this time, our entire home is waiting expectantly, pregnant with anticipation.   We feel her kicking in our hearts.  We wait to bring her home.

I imagine the heart of God flutters with similar anticipation.  Although I don’t believe God is going to come “whisk us away” in a sort of rapture to a heavenly dwelling with golden streets……I DO believe God desires to bring us home.  To a Heaven and Earth made new, and joined together like never before.  He has already begun that direction, and is working toward it even now.  He invites us to join Him in the process of making all things new – as the veil between Heaven and Earth continues to be broken through in short bursts of the Body of Christ living out His Kingdom.

A while back, as a fundraising Idea I decided to write a song.  It echoed the connection between our hearts right now, and the heart of God.  It may still be something we do….for a couple bucks each download it’d be a great way to raise some funds.  But here’s the chorus:

“And I’m working on a plan, to give you a home.

That you will not need to fear, And so you’ll never be alone.

So wherever you are, have patience little lamb,

This love of mine compels me, to bring you where I am.”

And so we continue to wait.  We’re at the top of the list.  Any minute, my phone could ring….telling me the information,  about this little girl who will become “Phoebe”, the light shining from God’s heart….somewhere in the middle of Africa.  Saying, come, begin the final phase of bringing her home….

Stop.

(If that call came today, we’d be quite a bit short of funds to do so.  If you’d like to help, we have a Facebook Auction currently happening.  Just click the link, and join the group to place a bid!!  Thanks for your prayers!!)