God's Anger

Hebrews 3:10-11

“…So I was angry with them, and I said,

‘Their hearts always turn away from me.

They refuse to do what I tell them.’
So in my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” (NLT)

“Now we go out to our fellows and repair the damage done in the past. We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accumulated out of our efforts to live on self-will and run the show ourselves. If we haven’t the will to do this, we ask until it comes. Remember it was agreed at the beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over alcohol.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 76)

Can you make amends to God?
I turn my heart to him,
I seek his way – to know and walk.
I understand his wrath.
Like Daddy, tired of my
“I’m sorry”
saying, “Don’t be sorry.
Don’t do it!”
I don’t want to, God,
don’t want to wander back
the way I came,
to self-will, to heart turned inward.
I offer my amends, God,
not “I’m sorry,”
but living in your will.

God, I’m willing to go to any lengths.
Make it true, God.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Living My Sorry

Hebrews 3:10-11

“…So I was angry with them, and I said,

‘Their hearts always turn away from me.

They refuse to do what I tell them.’
So in my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” (NLT)

“Now we go out to our fellows and repair the damage done in the past. We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accumulated out of our efforts to live on self-will and run the show ourselves. If we haven’t the will to do this, we ask until it comes. Remember it was agreed at the beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over alcohol.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 76)

Can you make amends to God?
I turn my heart to him,
I seek his way – to know and walk.
I understand his wrath.
Like Daddy, tired of my
“I’m sorry”
saying, “Don’t be sorry.
Don’t do it!”
I don’t want to, God,
don’t want to wander back
the way I came,
to self-will, to heart turned inward.
I offer my amends, God,
not “I’m sorry,”
but living in your will.

God, I’m willing to go to any lengths.
Make it true, God.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Thanks for Your Helping Hand

Hebrews 3:7-9

Warning Against Unbelief
“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled,
when they tested me in the wilderness.

There your ancestors tested and tried my patience,
even though they saw my miracles for forty years. (NIV)

“Your candidate may give reasons why he need not follow all of the program. He may rebel at the thought of a drastic housecleaning which requires discussion with other people. Do not contradict such views. Tell him you once felt as he does, but you doubt whether you would have made much progress had you not taken action.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 94)

Insight,
that’s what I lacked.
You’ve shown me how it works.
I know from here I’ll be just fine,
my problems fixed, my life aligned.
I admire your dedication,
your fervor,
but I don’t need
the constant prod,
the repetition.
I thank you for your help.
Yeah, that was me. I said all that.
But now I’m back.
I’m listening.

God, if I could fix it I would have.
Let me let go so you can fix it
and hold it together
as long as I release it to you
each day,
each hour,
each now.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Fear Facing

Hebrews 3:5-6

Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. (NLT)

“We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what he would have us be. At once, we commence to outgrow fear.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 68)

What would God have me be?
Fearless.
A person of hope,
one who holds on to courage.
No, that’s not what I mean…
Doctor, lawyer, merchant,
writer, teacher, judge,
mother, wife, woman.
What does God want me to be?
Fearless.
A person of hope,
one who holds on to courage.
Then all these things —
or at least the right ones —
will be given.

God, take my fears —
which you know are legion! —
and show me what you want me
to be.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Worthy Is the Lamb

Hebrews 3:3-4

Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. (NIV)

“God, I offer myself to Thee – to build with me and do with me as Thou wilt.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 63)

He’s building
I’m not even the building,
just the materials – and but a piece.
Who’s he for me to
set the plan,
to dictate who to help
and how?
How dare I tell him
what I need,
order his prompt obeisance?
Worthy is the lamb.
Worthy of respect,
worthy of honor,
worthy of submission.

God,
I offer myself to Thee —
to build with me
and do with me
as Thou wilt.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

As Moses Was Faithful

Hebrews 3:2

He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. (NIV)

“Besides a seeming inability to accept much on faith, we often found ourselves handicapped by obstinacy, sensitiveness, and unreasoning prejudice.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, pp 47-48)

Say Moses died at 120,
less wandering forty years,
lose maybe five more years
after shedding sandals
for the burning bush —
at my age was he scared,
maybe obstinate, touchy,
hating Egyptians?
Did Moses learn faithfulness?
When? In an instant, picking up that rod?
In seven days of plagues?
During forty nights and days on Sinai?
I’ve got only one day,
one night,
right now.
But I’m faithful now.

Lord, Paul talked about
the shield of faith,
helmet of salvation,
and sword of the spirit.
I pray for all of that
and the grace to accept it when offered.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Holy Brethren

Hebrews 3:1

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (KJV)

“From a trembling, despairing, nervous wreck, had emerged a man brimming over with self-reliance and contentment. I talked with him for some time, but was not able to bring myself to feel that I had known him before. To me he was a stranger, and so he left me. A long time has passed with no return to alcohol.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page xxxi)

Holy brethren, us?
brethren, certainly, but holy?
Yes.
Our pasts are not us – we’re not
who we were,
not barrel-bottom scum
any more.
We’re changed,
lifted to the fourth dimension
of existence,
holy, brethren with each other
children of the
power to change.

God, you took me from
a despairing nervous wreck
and made me holy. What can I do
for you?