Praise God for Iva May and her 5 hours of teaching this past week during our spiritual emphasis week at the Spanish school where I'm studying it. I think my favorite quote of hers was "If you make it, you will take it", referring to schemes we come up with to "help" God with His "Plan A" for our lives. Thing is, God has no Plan B and He has PROMISED to accomplish His Plan A. His promises are not like those that we humans make and try to fulfill, it's His very nature to accomplish what He promises. The great temptation is to hear a promise of God, be in a waiting-for-fulfillment period, and try to "help" God accomplish His goal by scheming up a Plan B. And you know where you'll end up! (If you don't, take a look at the stories in Bible and you'll find some Plan B's...it's not pretty!)As a result of these talks, I've been studying God's promises (well, I'll be honest, they have been finding me--thanks, Holy Spirit) and it's amazing how tied they are to His Great Love for us. It seems that's WHY He promises anything to us, because of His unwavering Love.
Here's another awesome tidbit from the week, with thanks to Dr. Seuss for the original.
Green Eggs And I AM
By Elizabeth Wallace
My seminary course in Trinitarianism included several class lectures on "I AM" in the Bible. I wrote the following piece to fulfill the assignment of a creative project having to do with the Trinity.
I have wondered if Jesus had come at a different time how he would have communicated with His children. The following is a result of two greats in my life coming together: God, the ultimate lover of my soul, and Dr. Seuss, who had a love of the simple things of life. If Dr. Seuss had written theology books, instead of classics such as Green Eggs and Ham, I think it would have gone a little something like this.
Green Eggs And I AM
My name?
I AM.
I am I AM,
I AM I am.
I AM here,
I AM there,
I am I AM everywhere.
Father, Son, and Spirit are we.
We are one, but we are three.
I AM here,
I AM there,
I am I AM everywhere.
One in Three and Three in One,
Jesus is God, Jesus is Son.
Spirit's Power, Father's Plan,
Nail scars in the Son's pierced hands.
"What," you exclaim, "How can that be?"
Shhhh, my child, just rest in me.
I will not be put in a box.
I will not let you worship an ox.
I created it all-the family, the mountain, the tree-
We created it all, so you could grasp the "we."
I will call you here and there,
And I will go with you everywhere.
I AM here,
I AM there.
I am I AM everywhere.
Confused, uncertain, and having doubt?
Give up now, you won't figure it out.
Father, Son, and Spirit are we.
We are one, but we are three.
Adonai, Yahweh, Savior, Friend-
The aspects of me never end.
I will not be defined by just one name,
But I will love you just the same
So what should you do?
How should you react?
Learn enough truth to guard against attack.
Then let go of questions like "Why?"
And raise your voice in praise toward the sky.
Never to leave is my promise to you.
Stay focused, listen to me, and follow through.
Wherever I lead, wherever you go,
I'll be there, too, just continue to grow.
I am I AM,
I AM I am
On a train
In the rain
In a box
With a fox
On a boat
With a goat
Anywhere, everywhere you may go,
I am I AM is all you need to know.
From Prayer Essentials For Living In His Presence, Vol. 1, p. 71-72, ©2000, by Sylvia Gunter.
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