Isaiah 58

Isaiah 58 was our theme at a church retreat in the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains about a month ago. And that passage keeps popping back in my mind. Isaiah was talking about his times, and really, it is applicable to today also.

Redwood Christian Center, Santa Cruz

Isaiah talks about an oppressed people in a sun-scorched thirsty land..yup, that is America. More and more desperate acts of gun violence erupt now. People don’t know what to do about themselves. Hit and run fatalities are commonplace on highways and even in city streets. Then the mental health issues cause people giving up on life. Homelessness, etc., etc....in a word, Oppression.

I would say I have read through Isaiah 58 two or three times so far in my 28-yr walk with Jesus. But this month God revealed something about myself.

The following in Isaiah 58:2-3 describes me, (substituting I for “we” )


2 For day after day I seek God out and seem eager to know God’s ways,
as if I were a nation that does what is right
    and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
I ask God for just decisions
    and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have I fasted,’ I say,
    ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have I humbled myself,
    and you have not noticed?’

Much has been given to me lately. But as I’ve been saying lately, “I’m feeling unsettled.” “I should be enjoying retirement, yet what is going on with me?”

Isaiah 58:9-10 speaks God’s solemn, sobering truth with a loving promise...an “If, Then statement.”

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always...”

“Because of the increase of wickedness, the hearts of many (my heart) will grow cold.” 
I am guilty of “the pointing finger”, the blaming and malicious talk (mostly in my head). I’m in the habit of looking the other way, and think the problems are too much for me to make much of a difference. Yes, don’t deceive yourself Julie. It’s easier to be a bystander, or retreat into safe self protect mode, than to put myself out there in faith, and make an effort to be there for people. 

Isaiah 58:13-14
13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
    and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord...”

I have been contemplating lots of options, none of them seemed clear. Should I work again just to spend more? Then there is temptation to compare myself with other retirees, which does not lead to inner peace but mostly to envy. Travel beckons strongly, though we really don’t have that strong a desire, and to do so would mean living beyond our means. I can nap whenever I want. Yes, the allure of idle aimless selfish pleasure-seeking has been SO STRONG.

I have to say also there a sense of entitlement in me that makes me justify to myself that it’s now time for ME. Another word for self-centeredness with no room for God. How can I arrange MY time? 

Sadly, that is not true for the majority in this world. Much has been given to me, much is expected.

James 1:22-25 says God’s word is a mirror. I’m glad that God is right with me to help point my path. To help me keep in step with Jesus and not run ahead or away from him. It says in Isaiah 58:10 says “The Lord will guide you always.”  I’m so grateful that my Lord starts with my heart, clears up any confusion, and promises to guide and navigate this complicated world. And if I make a wrong turn, He opens my eyes, forgives and reassures His Love for me, and helps me learn and grow. 

    

World View

Romans 11:33   “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

Deuteronomy 29:29      “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

Proverbs 21:1 “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

I try to keep abreast of current events in the world. The verses above keep me from feeling overwhelmed, and keep me humble before God, who alone is good and sovereign over all. I don’t have to know all the details. It’s not necessary for me to worry, fear, or figure out how things will work out. That is for God to know and decide...and for me to trust in Him. However, news is important to me so that I would know how to pray for others, even if they are from another culture and country different from mine. ( I.e. the survivors of the Japan Tsunami, Syrian refugees, etc.)

The American Retired Life

Relaxing afternoon in front patio with Mayumi

We are now experiencing retirement. Wonder-hubby was the full-time Dad and breadwinner. He worked as a engineer and business partner. Like many of us here in the SF Bay Area, working meant long stressful commute hours. Despite unselfish sacrifices, Jerry always insisted on family dinners every evening, just like his parents did. Jerry always made time to encourage and support the kids... from T-Ball to Little League, from awkward preschool ballet recitals to The Oakland Youth Symphony, from Spelling Bees to SAT exams.  We have been blessed to have owned homes, cared for our aging parents, raised five Guide Dogs puppies, and... (despite some unfortunate and poorly made financial U-Turns) got our kids through the end of college (barely, by the skin of our teeth!).

I was the “CEO of Household Management”. Duties included Mom, Car Pool Driver, Short Order Cook, Personal Shopper, Scheduler, Housekeeper, Errand Runner, Dog Groomer and Pooper-Scooper.  Also to supplement the family income, my duties included various and sundry full and part-time jobs.

This is really not anything to brag about. We are a typical middle-class family, as far as this area goes. Though we like to think that we carefully planned this life, “Mercy me!” we really didn’t, and couldn’t have imagined all that we went through together. These were many fruitful years, filled with laughs, adventures...along with life’s painful losses and griefs, and sprinkled in with some financial mistakes and disappointments.

So, Jerry draws from his pension (U.S. Social Security) now going on 2 years and for me it’s been one year. Jerry is a very easy going and content guy. He is fully enjoying this season of life. We gave ourselves new titles. He is “The Chauffer”👨🏻‍✈️.   I don’t know why he is uncomfortable with me driving ?!? 🚗🤷🏻‍♀️. I got promoted to “Jerry’s Personal Chef” 👩🏻‍🍳 (I’ll keel over and faint from waiting if he is cooking! Ha ha).

But me, I am not used to all this extra time! Do I look for a part time job again? Friends are traveling, so we can use the extra spending money. But, since we traveled in our younger years, we just don’t have the travel bug. Besides, we have comfortable living room front row seats to any country, any Warriors game, any SF Giants team, etc, courtesy of our big screen TV.

Let’s see, how about volunteering? Well, I am trying out many of the numerous volunteer opportunities around this community, and that has been really great. Plus I’m meeting some interesting people.

Hobbies? Yes! Still quilting and reading. How about getting fit and healthy for those future grandkids!?!  Yes! We just joined the YMCA.

....Whereas Jerry has been content, and truthfully “de-stressing” from all those years of hard work, I am still wrestling with what do to with time at my disposal. I realize I am very privileged to even be at this point.  It’s very easy be just content, comfortable, and (hate the word)...complacent...

Hmmm...I’m beginning to think it’s more of a heart issue...so I will be exploring this further in the coming posts.

Sabbath Day (cont.)

Trying to navigate Blogger...not easy but will be patient and persevere...

Remember...Part 1

So, this past week I visited a small store in Pleasant Hill, and was served at the counter by a boss guy, and a young guy. In my mind I was still impacted by Isaiah 58. The young guy, who was black...didn’t look happy to be working there.  While I was placing my order, I casually shared that I was going to jury duty the next day.. The boss asked, “Where at?”  I replied, “Martinez”.  (Where I live now is Martinez, a nice small city in Contra Costa County, the county seat, or headquarters.)  The boss retorted and snorted, “Well, at least it’s not in RICHMOND!”  (Reference: Bible, John 1:46, Nathanael saying of Jesus, “Nazareth! Can anything good come out of Nazareth ?”.  Richmond is another city in the County, notoriously known in the press as crime ridden, full of gangs, poor, etc.

I just laughed along, but noticed the young man’s face grow quietly angry. Was this a clue why he didn’t look like he liked working there? I left the store, conscious that I was being a “nice” and “don’t rock the boat”Asian hypocrite, by laughing along with the boss and not being truthful. Yes, my conscience told me that I was a full blown hypocrite, just the type that would more than irk Jesus.  The “little laugh” shared by me and the boss, caused a lot of damage. and Jesus was witness to it all.  The truth is, I lived and worked Richmond for 10 years.Went to Hilltop Community Church for 15 years and have many dear friends in the area. I delivered a careless stab that probably wounded the young guy, regardless of where he truly lived. Yet my heart was exposed by committing the sin of cruel racial profiling. It’s sobering, and forgive me Jesus, I want to change.

Remember,..Part 2, and Refreshed

Ironically, the next day, getting ready to go to jury duty, I realized that it was not in Martinez like I assumed, but in Richmond! Ha! God gets the last laugh on me!

I was late.  Hurrying into the courthouse entrance, I sort of noticed a table with books and leaflets, and some people standing there promoting something...

I check in, and find myself in a large room, some 100 people, all sitting row by row in stiff chairs. Dead silence....Everyone, it seems, including me, not glad to be there, though perhaps proud of doing their “civic duty”.

After brief instructions, the clerk clicks on the big screen TV, and “Undercover Boss” starts to play...a very benign “do-good” reality show that is captivating and not likely to ruffle the diverse audience in this waiting room. People snap into their “private mode”, either watching the TV, reading, or silently working remotely on their laptops. No one wants to be bothered...just left alone so they can endure the tedious wait until they are either selected or excused from jury duty.

I think, “All these people. There must be someone I can strike a conversation with, like Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well!”    I pray, “God, I’m not here by accident, but by your set purpose and design like in Acts 17:26-27.  Because my word for 2018 is “Anticipate”, I will anticipate that you will act, and I will meet someone and share my faith and all this will not be in vain.”

Half the people are called and leave to room to go to court rooms. “I can’t talk to people in here”,  I say to myself....”Everyone doesn’t want to be bothered, and it’s so quiet, the whole room can hear what our conversation will be.”

Restless, I walk outside in the hallway, where there is a row of chairs, backing up to a large picture window. There are about 4 ladies sitting there, looking approachable, not reading, etc.  I pray and think of a way to be friendly and talk to one of them.  I look out the window, and realize that the table I passed by so hurriedly are manned by Christians who are there to help encourage anybody who feels overwhelmed and has a need for prayer before going into court trials, etc.  The table has a blue banner that says “Courtside Ministries”.

Without thinking, I softly say, “That’s a really nice thing going on out there. Offering to pray with anyone who needs it before going to court.”  

A lady right near me immediately bristles up and gets really angry. “I don’t like people like that who get in your face and start talking about Jesus. They don’t belong out there!”....and so on, blah blah blah. So I say to her, “Um, they sure don’t look like they are bothering people, just standing there. And people have a choice to walk up to the table or not.  It’s encouraging and comforting.”  So then, she stands up and stomps away.

“Well, that went well,” I say to myself. “So much for that.”  Soon we are all excused and I leave.  I pass by the Courtside Ministries Table to encourage the Christians there. And a couple of them tell me how wonderful it is to help the sad people that walk by and ask for help. I find out that they also meet a couple of Tues. mornings a month right in Martinez too. We talk, and I realize maybe this is why I am here for jury duty. This may be a way to serve hurting people and do what God is calling me to do as in Isaiah 58.  I’m going to keep praying and look into this.  Time (and God) will reveal and tell....maybe...the person I was supposed to meet and talk to was Jesus.

Sabbath Day

I challenged myself to have a Sabbath Day for the second time this month. Grateful to be blessed to have the time to focus on God, using the suggestion from the retreat...Rest, Reorientation, Remember, Refreshment.

Rest...  It’s good to be still. After complaining (sorry God) for the last few months about being retired and bored, God in His mercy, opened my perspective, and now I am praying to stay in step with Jesus. God has enabled me to see new options so I pray to use the time He has granted me with His wisdom and His discernment. God knows I need to pause to praise and inquire, or else I will just become selfishly ambitious.

Reorientation... Impact Scriptures: 

Deuteronomy 9:4-10 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

4 The Lord your God will drive them out to make room for you. When he does, don’t say to yourself, “The Lord has done it because I am godly. That’s why he brought me here to take over this land.” That isn’t true. The Lord is going to drive out those nations to make room for you because they are very evil. 5 You are not going in to take over their land because you have done what is right or honest. It’s because those nations are so evil. That’s why the Lordyour God will drive them out to make room for you. He will do what he said he would do. He made a promise to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 The Lord your God is giving you this good land to take as your own. But you must understand that it isn’t because you are a godly nation. In fact, you are stubborn.

Isaiah 55:8-12 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

8 “My thoughts are not like your thoughts.
    And your ways are not like my ways,”
    announces the Lord.t
9 “The heavens are higher than the earth.
    And my ways are higher than your ways.
    My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.
10 The rain and the snow
    come down from the sky.
They do not return to it
    without watering the earth.
They make plants come up and grow.
    The plants produce seeds for farmers.
    They also produce food for people to eat.
11 The words I speak are like that.
    They will not return to me without producing results.
They will accomplish what I want them to.
    They will do exactly what I sent them to do.

12 “My people, you will go out of Babylon with joy.
    You will be led out of it in peace.

Week with Friends

Busy and fun last week.  Jury duty, new YMCA membership.

New friend Terri took me to first visit to SF Botanical Gardens...

Sharing with Renee on Thurs....

 Mother’s Day date lunch w Jerry at Fat Maddie’s in Pleasant Hill on Fri.

And Mother’s Day lunch after church Sunday w Jeff at Dosa By Dosa Indian food in Oakland.

DosabyDosa.com

Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day to all you Moms!
Nothing like a beautiful iris bouquet, a blessing from God.
These are currently in full abundance, blooming in the common area of our townhouse complex.

Trying out God’s Sabbath Day of Rest

This is a scene from my last Sabbath Day of rest on Monday, April 30.  My new “secret spot”in Todos Santos Plaza in nearby city of Concord, CA.  My doggie, Mayumi and I enjoyed this tranquil, sunny spot together. Next time I’ll take a picture of Mayumi.

I’m attempting (again🤗) to have a consistent blogging journal, an open diary, for myself, family and friends.

This time I thought I would journal my weekly Sabbath Day of rest, a new endeavor to worship and walk closer with Jesus.

Past Week...
My answered prayers -
Jerry is finally encouraged to exercise and me too! I was exercising, but only yoga at the Martinez Senior Center for $64 a month. Now, both hubby and I go to the YMCA unlimited times for $72/mo. Not only that, my Yoga teacher Linda, who I really like, teaches st the Y too!  Little did I know...God added bonuses to my original prayer request of Jerry starting exercise for health. Beats my prodding and (ahem..sorry to say nagging). Thank you Lord!

Holy Spirit evidence!  My last week’s Scripture for thought was Matthew 9:13. This week’s sermon scripture by Pastor Andrew was Matthew 9:13.  I love ❤️ when this happens!

So...what defines my Sabbath?  So I decided that for me, it means spending from morning to dusk in prolonged study of the Bible, MORE focus and worship to God, disciplined and distraction-free prayer, resting my body, being still and not going here and there for errands and social visits and phone calls. And LESS time spent on self-indulgences, TV and internet surfing, cleaning and chores (which is an ongoing distraction), and making to do lists for “my own agenda”.  NO FRETTING, things can wait. For me, the Sabbath observance works best on either Sunday or a Monday every week.  A day to really pause reflect and thank God for the past week. And offer prayers for the new week.  

Rest, Reorientation, Remember, and Refresh. Thanks to a church-wide retreat topic a couple of weeks ago.

Rest, Reorientation:   I got a sudden 24-hr stomach flu bug yesterday. That always slows down a Type-A like me. But that didn’t stop me from going to a cooking class at Sur la Table, a generous birthday gift from our son Jeff and Grace. I was just getting a little rumble and queasy but managed, but couldn’t eat the food that the chef demo’ed.  Darned if I miss a class that good money paid for. It was too late to cancel.  I made it home, and the full-on symptoms ensued. By next day (today), I was much better, but weak and mobile. I had to pray and ask the Holy Spirit, my ever-present Counselor. I didn’t want to miss Anh’s ordination as new Young Adult Pastor...also, wasn’t it yesterday that I zoomed over to that cooking class without a second thought? I didn’t want to be legalistic, but the Spirit told me to go to church, and I’m glad I did.

Remember:  Today’s Sabbath did pause me to stop. I wanted to take this seriously, just for me. I had been faithfully reading and praying for years now, but I felt I needed to raise the bar because my relationship with God was getting rote and distant. After all, didn’t God himself have a Sabbath day of rest (Genesis). I know, Jesus changed things up to challenge the legalisms in human nature. But Jesus himself prayed ALL NIGHT, and immediately went out among the people after that! I’m sure he was recharged and reoriented!  And he took power naps too!  Ha ha! 

Refreshment: I feel refreshed, head clear, worry free. Ready for this week to come. Already, I am reporting to jury duty tomorrow at 8:30 AM.  Will I feel well enough to go through that kind of day?  Time and prayer will tell.

I was challenged today....sitting and recuperating, it was so hard not to go to my devices and get into “research mode” and fly around the internet today. And also, I was tempted to watch our Warriors in the NBA playoffs. (Didn’t watch—-but they won!)

So, in all, despite being sick, I had a good, good Sabbath. I’m finding out that this really takes discipline that I have to ask from God, to tame my unruly nature. Thank you Father. In your infinite wisdom, beyond human comprehension, you are so loving.  The scope and magnitude of who you are can easily crumble anyone into fear and apprehension. But that is not true, according to the Bible. Your tender love as a perfect Father/Mother parent renews me every day. You are sincere and honest, and patient even when I don’t understand a lot of things.   All is well in Jesus Christ.