JESUS CHRIST our LODGE of LOVE

"He satifies the longing soul and the hungry soul HE fills with good things." " I am the BREAD of LIFE, whoever comes to ME shall not hunger and whoever believes in ME shall not thirst." Psalm 107:9, John 6:35

Dear Friends,

Earlier this week, I decided to decorate for CHRISTmas...it was a picture perfect night like you read about in a storybook. My husband was at work, Hannah Beth was busy talking on the phone, emailing her friends, folding clothes and feeling sick...she went to bed at 8:00 p.m. My son was studying for finals in his bedroom, working on a project for school, and me, well, I was in the mood to decorate for CHRISTmas after supper. I went out to the garage and started bringing in the large plastic bins that store our decorations. We used to store them in the attic, but I kept getting really mad when we decorated. I caught on that the insulation on the decorations was making me really irritable and was really "dampening" our CHRISTmas spirit when I yelled at folks. So we store them in the garage now in plastic bins and that seems to work much better...no more yelling while decorating for CHRISTmas:). I put on some music, not CHRISTmas music, but Kim Greene Hopper's new CD I got last week, "I Just Want YOU to Know" on HB's CD player...and started putting out CHRISTmas decorations. I got our little tree out of the box that lights up, it's one of those fiber optic trees that we've been using for years now, about 2 1/2 feet tall. I'm allergic to the real ones and newer ones (one CHRISTmas we had to put our decorated tree was out on the back porch where we looked at it through the window. Another year, we had a live one on the front porch in a big five gallon bucket with big colored lights wrapped around it-the family loved that one:). I cleared off the round glass coffee table, trying to figure out what to do with all the stuff that usually stays on it, put a pretty off white table cloth over it, and set up the "Snow Babies" ice rink my Mother-in-law gave us several years ago. It still works, though it was a little slow getting going. The little Eskimo kayaking figurine (my favorite piece) started "paddling" on the "frozen pond-bet that's some tough paddling through the ice:). The pond is actually plastic with a magnet underneath going round and round, and alongside the kayaker were some other little skaters going around the "pond." I set up the collection of snow babies around the ice rink, and put out a large white ceramic church on the wooden antique table against the wall. After that, I decided to go back and look in our cedar closet in our bedroom for the CHRISTmas ornaments. We don't store them in the garage because they might melt. Ughh what a mess that closet was with gifts and gift wrapping paper, bows, boxes, and other stuff all over the place. I had to pull all that out before I could get to the box of ornaments in the back of the closet...and that mess took a while to clean up. While I was in the closet, I saw two of my favorite CHRISTmas pictures that we put up every year...one was a picture of a church out in the country, all lit up, with snow all around, and the folks walking up to it and coming in sleds. I always think of "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," when I see that picture...such a "perfect "CHRISTmas scene. We've had that picture every since Johnny's seminary days, and we lived in Ft. Worth... It was given to us at a CHRISTmas party one night at the little church Johnny was serving in at the time, and brings back really good memories. This was before I got sick and life suddenly became less than perfect...in fact, it became downright very difficult at times,for long periods of times. The other picture is a picture of the manger scene, with Mary, Joseph, Baby JESUS, the cows, hay, donkey, and the wise men (not completely accurate since JESUS was older by the time the wise men brought gifts to HIM) bringing gifts to the baby JESUS. I got that picture out from the back of the closet, climbed over the mess on the floor and put it up on the wall. That was about it for my decorating that evening. By the time I got through cleaning the closet out...it was bedtime. Like I said a "picture perfect" night of CHRISTmas decorating:).

Last week, I told you about my friend Bebe Williams', "Lodge of Love." It was an extremely nice and big house, on a mountain, filled with the love of CHRIST that flowed through Bebe and her husband Larry. I wrote about how that big home filled with love reminded me of HEAVEN and how heaven is a "Lodge of Love." Those who have accepted CHRIST as their LORD and SAVIOR will spend eternity in the loving presence of our LORD JESUS and with our loved ones and folks we don't love now but will who have gone on before us. I also wrote about how CHRIST wants our hearts to be a "Lodge of Love," that He can flow through to reach others for HIM and love one another deeply. The next day after I wrote that, it's like a light bulb went off inside me as I was having my morning devotions and JESUS whispered to me, "I am YOUR LODGE OF LOVE." I thought, ooh, that is so true, and I felt like I had gotten the cart before the horse writing about the other "Lodge's of Love," last week. But GOD's timing is perfect, and HE takes our imperfections, and mess ups and works them for good. As I looked at that picture of the manger scene this morning during my prayer time, I thought about JESUS CHRIST being our LODGE of LOVE, and how very imperfect the LODGE was that HE came to be born in...some type of shelter for the animals and it may have even been a cave...not the "picture perfect," CHRISTmas we try to create each year.

I have written about this before at CHRISTmas, how thankful I am that the perfect JESUS did not come in perfect circumstances, to a perfect "Lodge," but in fact HE left HIS glorious "LODGE" in heaven, and was born to two very poor parents, in a really poor "lodge," a place where the animals were kept. I've been around a lot of stables and barns and they are usually pretty darn stinky. When Mary and Joseph went to sacrifice at the temple they offered the sacrifice of the poor... pigeons or turtledoves. Isn't it amazing that JESUS CHRIST, the KING of KINGS, and LORD of LORDs, who could have been born anywhere, to anyone, in the design of GOD's plan chose to "LODGE" in that stinky place, in their poor home? HIS Love brings me, exceeding joy as I think, of how JESUS HIMSELF, the LODGE OF LOVE, chooses to come and "Lodge" in my stinky heart, filthy with sin, cleanse me with HIS precious blood, and make it HIS dwelling place...that is amazing love. It is amazing love, that HE left HIS "LODGE OF LOVE" to come and be born in a simple "Lodge of Love," a stable, to common, poverty parents, live a common life and die a most humiliating death,falsely accused, beaten to a pulp, hung naked on a wooden cross, and drove stakes through HIS hands and feet for you and me. HE did all this because, "GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

You know, my life, like yours is not perfect, and there are some very difficult trials along the way. The older I get, the more I realize and understand what a dear gift is ours in our "LODGE of LOVE" our LORD JESUS CHRIST. HE has brought me through so many difficult health issues through the years, and how I thank HIM and praise HIM, my GREAT PHYSICIAN for teaching me to learn to trust HIM through my health problems...and teaching me to love HIM. It has been a gradual process, learning to realize how much CHRIST my "LODGE of LOVE," loves me. I can look back and see it has been through the very difficult times, that HE has revealed HIMSELF so tenderly to me. and been that "LODGE of LOVE" to me in every circumstance. In HIS "LODGE," HE has sheltered me in HIS arms through every storm, HE has enriched me with knowledge, blessed me with friendship, provided all my needs and most especially, blessed me with HIMself, as my 'LODGE of Love " in the dark nights of my soul.
Even in the death of our dear loved ones, CHRIST our 'LODGE of LOVE," binds our soul with theirs, ours as we dwell in HIM here, and them as they dwell with HIM there...we continued to be bound together by HIS sweet love. The longer HE walks with me and I with HIM, the more I realize that this KING who has "stolen my heart," and come to "LODGE" in me, truly is my "LODGE of LOVE," both now and forever.

"E'en for the dead I will not bind my soul to grief;
Death cannot long divide,
For is it not as thought the rose that climbed my garden wall
Has blossomed on the other side?
Death doth hide, but not divide
Thou art but on CHRIST's other side!
Thou art with CHRIST, and CHRIST with me;
In CHRIST united still are we.
-Streams in the Desert, Dec. 3

Earlier this year, I shared about a broken heart that I incurred through a relationship that I very much desired, but GOD shut the door. In the course of my broken heartedness, I have never known the love of CHRIST in the intensity that I did right after that happened. HE ran to me in the Scripture that I read, the hymns I sang, the friends and family that showered me with HIS love and encouraged me. HE truly showed me what a comfort HE is and how my heart was gradually healed in HIS "LODGE of LOVE." Although the pain was very real and hurt very deeply, it makes me not afraid to suffer the next time, because of the preciousness of HIS presence HE poured out on me during that time...and how thankful I am to say, that HE is giving me my heart's desire and growing that relationship that my heart so very much longed for...HE is our Promise Keeper..."Delight yourself in the LORD, and HE will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

HE is teaching me that HE is my 'LODGE of LOVE," each and every day, not just when the trials come, but in all times. Every day HE is my HUSBAND, the Lover of my Soul, my "Bread of Life," and HE feeds me with HIS Word, leads and guides and teaches me with HIS HOLY SPIRIT, and provides all my needs in CHRIST JESUS. HE is my Bright and Morning Star and brightens my path, HE is my Counselor, and a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother. HE is my Deliverer, Rock, Refuge and Strong Tower, and what a comfort that is when the enemy assails us, and falsely accuses us. Our LODGE of LOVE runs to us, to rescue us and deliver us. HE is Emmanuel, GOD with us, and how I thank HIM for choosing to "Lodge" in our hearts, the Eternal Lodge of Love. He is a Friend of Sinners, and how thankful I am of that...that HE loves me in my imperfections and sin, and puts up with "my silly heart and bad manners," as Charles Spurgeon puts it. HE is my GOOD SHEPHERD, and HE leads and guides me, ever providing HIS "LODGE of LOVE" to surround me with HIS grace. HE is the great, "I Am," everything that we need HIM to be in every situation...HE is our LAMB, LIGHT of the WORLD, LIVING BREAD and MESSIAH, our GREAT PHYSICIAN, PRINCE of PEACE, ROCK, TEACHER, TRUTH, WAY, WONDERFUL and WORD, and in HIS LODGE "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." JESUS CHRIST, our "LODGE of LOVE," who chooses to "Lodge" in the hearts of all those who accept HIM as LORD and SAVIOR is all this and more...what a "LODGE OF LOVE," is ours in CHRIST JESUS our LORD!

There is that matter of making room in our hearts and accepting CHRIST as our LORD and SAVIOR before JESUS can become our LODGE of LOVE. JESUS cannot come and dwell in a heart that is full of itself. We must be empty of our pride and our independence and our "good works," and confess our sins before HIM, before HE can give us a new heart and a new spirit and come and "Lodge" inside us. Oswald Chambers shared in his Nov. 28th writing "The Bounty of the Destitute:"






THE BOUNTY OF THE DESTITUTE



"Being justified freely by His grace. . ." Romans 3:24

The Gospel of the grace of God awakens an intense longing in human souls and an equally intense resentment, because the revelation which it brings is not palatable. There is a certain pride in man that will give and give, but to come and accept is another thing. I will give my life to martyrdom, I will give myself in consecration, I will do anything, but do not humiliate me to the level of the most hell-deserving sinner and tell me that all I have to do is to accept the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

We have to realize that we cannot earn or win anything from God; we must either receive it as a gift or do without it. The greatest blessing spiritually is the knowledge that we are destitute; until we get there Our Lord is powerless. He can do nothing for us if we think we are sufficient of ourselves, we have to enter into His Kingdom through the door of destitution. As long as we are rich, possessed of anything in the way of pride or independence, God cannot do anything for us. It is only when we get hungry spiritually that we receive the Holy Spirit. The gift of the essential nature of God is made effectual in us by the Holy Spirit, He imparts to us the quickening life of Jesus, which puts "the beyond" within, and immediately "the beyond" has come within, it rises up to "the above," and we are lifted into the domain where Jesus lives. (John 3:5.)



Truly, our LODGE of LOVE, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, offers a "bountiful supply" for those who are destitute and empty of themselves...and through HIS LODGE of LOVE, "... has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in CHRIST. For HE chose us in HIM before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in HIS sight. In love, HE predestined us to be adopted as HIS sons through JESUS CHRIST, in accordance with HIS pleasure and will-to the praise of HIS glorious grace, which HE has freely given us in the One he loves. In HIM we have redemption through HIS blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of GOD's grace that HE lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And HE made known to us the mystery of HIS will according to HIS good pleasure, which HE purposed in CHRIST."Ephesians 1:3-9

On that new not CHRISTmas CD I mentioned up above, Kim Greene Hopper (sister to Tim and Tony Greene) sings a beautiful song of praise to our "LODGE of LOVE" telling HIM how much she loves HIM. HE yearns for us to return HIS love, and come and abide in HIS "LODGE OF LOVE," enjoying the warmth and comfort and peace of all HIS abounding gifts. which HE lavishes upon HIS children. HE teaches us to love HIM, in HIS LODGE, and tells us to diligently teach our children to love HIM, and new believers to love HIM, "with all of our hearts, all our soul, all of our mind and all of our strength."

Well, Hannah Beth and I put the ornaments on the tree last night, and put the wreath above the mantle with the little white lights on it, between texting and phone calls, and face book (it's a lot different decorating with teenagers than when they were little, and I did my share of emailing too while we were decorating:)... with Amy Grant singing Christmas music. We still haven't finished decorating, the plastics bins are outside the door on the porch, but as I put the old Advent ornaments on the little CHRISTmas tree in our "Joy" room, I was reminded again of JESUS being my "LODGE of LOVE." We made those ornaments when the kids were little out of red felt, gold glue, and different pictures on them for the names of JESUS. As I put those ornaments on that little tree going round and round, there was a little picture of a gift, for JESUS being the Greatest Gift, and a picture of Mary, for the Virgin Birth, a Shepherd's Crook, for HE is our Shepherd, a picture of the stars and universe- HE is our Creator, and the Creator of the Universe, a picture of a Candle, for HE is the LIGHT of the WORLD, and I picture of a Lamb, the Lamb of GOD, who takes away the sin of the world, and my sin. Truly, HE is our LODGE of LOVE, and in HIS LODGE are many rooms, filled with the fullness of HIS love. In each room, in HIS LODGE, we find CHRIST for whatever our needs may be. I am learning things rarely go "picture perfect" in our lives...just at those little simple ornaments aren't perfect, and neither are our decorating skills. But I am so thankful that our CHRISTmas decorations and gifts are not what CHRISTmas is all about...but it is about JESUS CHRIST, our "LODGE of LOVE," being the greatest and perfect GIFT of all. "Thanks be to GOD for HIS indescribable GIFT 2 Cor. 9:15...our LORD JESUS CHRIST. Kim Hopper shares it best when she sings, "My love for You is overflowing JESUS...and I just wanted You to know."

With all HIS love,

mitzi



"I Just Wanted YOU to Know" by Kyla Rowland

Where there is fear, LORD You will hide me
When winds of danger around me blow
I feel Your arms of grace surround me
And I just wanted You to know

There's strength in knowing You are near me
And peace that You alone bestow
I love you more today than ever
And I just wanted You to know.

You make dry ground where once were oceans
Where once were mountains You make them low
Where there were stones now there is water
You satisfy my thirsty soul.

There's strength in knowing You are near me
And peace that You alone bestow
I love you more today than ever
And I just wanted You to know.

For all the time, I've seen Your glory
And watched You conquer my every foe,
My love for You is overflowing,
And I just wanted,
Oh LORD I needed
My heart is longing for You to know.