Every autumn I begin preparations for the coming year by reading books that have proven to help me fear well.

These books are all placed together in my bookcase in my office. They are at my fingertips and I have been known to refer to them throughout the year. But in this yearly season of change, I pull them out and re-read them to glean new insights and remind me of the old.

Which one is my first go-to-book for this year?

Eugene Peterson's book: 'A Long Obedience in the Same Direction."

You might know or have heard of 'The Message.' It is a paraphrase of the bible written by Eugene Peterson.

Granted, this blogpost isn't about that book,  there is much controversy about paraphrases of the Bible. But this is really not a salvation issue, so for me, I consider Peterson's message a nice, helpful second pair of eyes on the Word. But, like I said, another blog for another day.

But, the first book I ever read from Eugene H. Peterson was this instructive book on 'Discipleship in an Instant Society.' I find books on discipleship important because I want to be a better disciple. I want to be a better Jesus Follower. Do you? The closer I am to Jesus, the more I fear well.

We tend to steer away from the word 'Obedience' in our world today. This is almost laughable because we honestly read books, watch webinars, take classes on how to be more obedient all the time.

When? What else would you call it when we discuss:

• focusing on our goals,
• developing good habits,
• living healthy lives.

All of these are finding obedience for ourselves within our worlds.

The actual word OBEDIENCE is simply not a word to use in our world today ⏤ we think it is too confining.

But is it? I myself want to be able to focus, develop good habits, and live a healthy life. And I find that this particular book based on several Psalms in the Old Testament is a really good book to guide me to doing all of those things. And on top of that, doing it wisely.

In Peterson's book 'A Long Obedience in the Same Direction,' which was first published by Inter-Varsity Press in 1980, Peterson breaks down discipleship practices into 16 chapters. These 16 chapters are based on Psalms 120-134, often known as the Songs of Ascents.

"We know that the spiritual atmosphere in which we live erodes faith, dissipates hope and corrupts love, but it is hard to put our finger on what is wrong." Eugene Peterson Chapter 1, "A Long Obedience..."

Peterson goes on to share some really good practical guidelines to help us walk through this world.

I am not perfectly free from viewing fear as frightening. As I have repeatedly said, I fight with this concept. I'm learning. If you have come here to fight with me and learn how to fear well, I believe that this book could help.

Check it out.
It's an oldie but a goodie.
If you've read it before. Try giving it a re-read.

For the more I,

• focus on my goals,
• develop good habits,
• live a healthy life,

the more I learn how to fear well, placing awe at the throne of God.

Next week I will come again with another of the yearly re-reads from my life mentors.

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Psalm 1:1-3
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners,
nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the LORD and in his law he meditates both day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water.
Which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does he prospers.

Walk, Stand, Sit.

I always found it interesting that David writes these three words in the first Psalm.

When I think about the progression of growth, I think: Sit, Stand, Walk.

But David says Walk, Stand, Sit.

I've read some commentaries that liken this in progression to sin. I've read some that use it as a think, behave, belong progression.

I myself tend to get pretty simple in my thoughts when I am trying to understand the Word.

If He says He wants me not to walk in the counsel of the wicked:

I think, God is telling me not to ask my best friend, nor the most popular book or trend, nor the wealthiest person about decisions I am having difficulty making. Instead, He is telling me to find a person that is known to make good godly decisions and talk to them about it. Get their perspective and consider their thoughts before I move forward.

When He says:
do not stand in the path of sinners, I get the picture He is telling me to stay away from the places where sinners go.
And that doesn't mean I can't go to a bar. But if I go to a bar with the intent to do something that will bring me into sin... Well, yep, I probably should stay away from it.
If I go into any situation that will bring me to a path where people are doing something illegal, or immoral... probably best to stay away from it.

When He says:
nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
I get this mental image of people sitting on the sidelines making negative, rude, and ugly cracks about all the people that are doing something to make a difference.

Or, people that are mean, and degrading toward others. And they are everywhere we go in all work places, all religions, all political parties, all families.

Don't sit with these people. Don't spend time with these people. Don't give these people anything of yourself or of your life. It will not prove profitable.

 So, it seems to me that He isn't referring to the natural progression of growth, but instead
going right into relationship.

Hey Robyn! Don't walk around with bad people. Cuz, if you do you will end up going to places that they are going to go and standing in paths that will lead you down roads you don't want to go down. And once you are in those places you will be tempted to sit down and have fellowship with those people you really don't need to be involving yourself with.
STOP

Instead:

1. get wise counsel
2. invest my days and my time in places and activities that are profitable, healthy, and good.
3. hang out with positive, kind, loving people.
Meditate and delight in God's Word in the morning and in the evening.
Delight in God's words.

How can I do this?
When I kiss and thank my husband for being kind enough to bring a visitor in our home a treat while she is sharing hard spots in her world, I am delighting in God's words.
I delight in God's words when I smile and encourage the people that cross my path during my day.
I delight in God's words when I contact friends and family to touch base and let them know they are important to me.
I delight in God's words when I open my home to people and welcome them.

I not only read God's words, but I think and contemplate and apply them into my life.

I testify to Him and His Words by my life

And.
Live LIfe Well...
See you next week. Here on Mondays.

Robyn Rochelle Cox

RR&BC,LLC
https://www.readthebiblewithrobyncox.com/

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and we will give you a few days free to decide what you think about it.

"We are what we repeatedly do..." - Aristotle.

 
It is September 2017.

Hurricane Harvey fills our news.

I'm a Texas girl. I was born in Beaumont, Texas, bundled into a pink blanket and taken a few miles up the road to Silsbee, Texas. I grew, slept, ran, and played breathing in the humid air of the East Texas Coast.

My first remembrance of hurricanes was Carla. I was a very small child. Lights went out, water beat our roof, and winds threatened our trees. It was a time punctuated by the birth of a litter of pups. I am pretty sure the dog's name was Sandy. I could call my mom and ask, but she's in the midst of the present Harvey clean up and at 89 years old, I'm pretty sure I don't need to remind her of other natural disasters in her life. She is in the Houston area as are most of my family.

I've survived several others. There was the one that hit Connecticut when we lived there in the early eighties. That one my own children lived through. The winds so wild they picked up trees, pushed them over like matchsticks onto cars and homes.

We sought escape too late and found ourselves driving through streets with trees falling down around us. After watching a van picked up and turned sideways on a bridge near Bridgeport, I thought better of traveling farther and returned to our home just a few hundred feet from the coast.

Upon arriving back home, I sat my three-year-old down on the driveway beside me while I grabbed at our cocker spaniel cowering between the seats of the van. As I turned to grasp my young son's hand the wind picked him up and sent him several feet flying into the garage doors of our neighbor's garage.

Each hurricane has a story. Some storms more harrowing than others, but all came with their own brand of 'frightening.'

I have never lost my home. Never been so devastated as to have to leave and not return. I've known friends that have lost roofs, cars, homes, and even pets. But I have only had flooding to deal with. I have tried to put myself in their shoes, but can I really?  I've lived a life of loss. Moves, fire, divorce. Each of these come with feelings of loss.

But a natural disaster must be a very different feeling.

Our natural man wishes to blame someone for pain, disaster, loss.

And when the pain, disaster, loss is at the end of a natural disaster God is the one that most of us fling our blame onto.

And I admit, He is the one that is in charge of everything, so He by all common sense would be the one who would receive the blame.

But I am reminded of my dad's explanation when we lost many acres of timber land, and all of our pictures in a building fire on our 96 acres of land. I remember walking over the blackened fields, feeling the heat rise through my tennis shoes even after days of the fire being extinguished. Daddy was devastated. We were alone. I only saw my dad cry three times in my life. The day his mom died, the day our dog was killed before he could save her from the three big dogs that broke her neck and killed her instantly, and this.

He was bent over picking up another branch to drag and pull toward the pile where we were gathering all the debris. The tears were sliding down his cheeks and leaving their trail from the soot that had been disturbed and re-settled on us and everything around us.

"Baby," he said. "It was time. It was time for these things to be gone and for the new to be born. Always know that where there is loss there is always gain. When we open our hearts to the new we can find it. If we keep our eyes on the ruin we never will. God gives and God takes away. And when we really know how good God is, we can receive the new."

Do you know how good God really is?

If you are reading this and have loss in your life, please invite God to show up in your future. Ask Him to prove Himself.

And then open up your Bible. Go to your local church. Or turn on your local Christian Radio station. Or talk to that person you know that knows God in that way.

God will show up if you are willing to listen and to look with an open heart.

Know that thousands are praying for you this day. Our hearts are breaking open.
We are united in our hope that you will find peace in the midst of your chaos.

And I join you in praying for your families, as I am praying for mine.

May you find shelter in His wings.

My husband and I pray for you too.

Because He IS the I AM, i am
robyn cox


Blessings on your day,
Robyn & Biff Cox
RR&BC, LLC ©2016


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