Bloomsinthegarden: A week in Maui, Hawaii~

Aloha!

I had an unexpected sudden opportunity to take a trip to Maui, Hawaii so I packed up and hopped a flight the next day!

Pull up a cup of tea and let's chat!

We've seen in the last year times where doors of opportunity seem to just slam open which brings to mind a verse in Revelation 3:8 which is often misquoted. The correct quote is more powerful so I will put in the King James translation which goes like this:

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and has kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Most people quote that as saying "If a door closes, God will always open another one". It does not have that promise but it does have two better ones in it.

Contextually, the verse pertains to a time period in the future which looks backward in time and is descriptive about how God is at work in certain situations. Verse 7b states ...he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth."

Putting the whole thing together we get this picture that God knows our ways and a little strength and a little faithfulness to his word, not denying his name will get us results. Even a little faithfulness will get us great gain (See also Matt 17:20: If thou has faith as a grain of mustard seed...).

The second part is that when God opens a door, no man can shut it.

Interesting to note that when Noah built the ark when it had never rained (there was mist from the ground up prior to the rains ever coming from the sky), he got all the genus of animals onto this thing called an ark and when the rains did come then God shut them in (Genesis 7:16).

Do you suppose, that when Moses, hearing his neighbors cry out when the water got up to their nose and they could see that he had spoken the truth, he would wanted to have helped them and opened the door? Not going to happen. God shut them in. No one can open it if God shuts it.

Conversely, when God opens a door, it is going to be wide open.

I am not saying this trip was anything that I personally did or did not do, my focus is on God and how He just wants to bless us and we don't always know the reason for that either. It is that throne of grace thing we have talked about several times. Some times we petition and request certain things for others or for ourselves and other times, the blessings come (shall over take thee!) when we did not ask anything of the sort!

My mother; who has had a long and fruitful life, has said to me "Why me, God, why are you so good to me?"

Oivey, that we should question that God intends and delights in doing good things for us?! We have had things backward in our minds and practice so long, that like riding a bicycle with crooked handlebars which becomes normal, not receiving becomes our expectation and our voice.

Ephesians 3:20 comes to mind also: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think". God wants to give to us great and wonderful things. How much can you think of? Not only think of, but God gives us the privilege to expect to receive it!

Our petitions, when we do pray, should not necessarily be small ones, but great ones. Be a super thinker with God when you pray. Remember that verse in Hebrews 4:16? Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Sometimes, our need is short and direct: Remind me to keep my mouth shut, or, Be with me, or, Bless that man over there.

We don't even have to verbalize a particular thing that is a need to God. Literally, he says he knoweth what thing we have need of before we ask (Matthew chapter 6). Like a parent, we know when our kids are tired, they show signs of it. You know; the whiny thing, rubbing the eyes with the fists, picking fights, being unruly. We know they need a nap, or they need food, or just a hug. Likewise, God is our father. He knows what we have need of.

In the bigger picture, you know that the kids are going to need rest now because there is going to be a big productive period coming up. Or, do you remember when they would go through periods of sleeping, sleeping, sleeping? The next thing you know, they shot up in growth two or three inches in as many months.

We have spent the last 15 months talking about taking baby steps with God, learning how to hear from him, learning that we are worthy, learning that our condemnation and constant awareness of our faults and shortcomings not only holds us back from being more successful people, but it holds us back from receiving things of God, freely.

He simply wants us to have a good journey in life. Let us learn to live here, in the throne room of grace, not in the cellar, flagellating ourselves to attempt to be worthy to accept something. Let us grow up in our walk. He wants us to be spiritual adults so that we can receive more. You can't give a baby a steak. This is so, spiritually also. Let us move on from milk! (1Peter 2:2)

In every situation, in every condition, God wants us to have more than what is needed. He wants us to have abundance, that we have more than we need so we can in turn, give so that others too, can live this more than abundant life. John 10:10 is the reason for Jesus Christ's birth, life and resurrection, in a nutshell.

He came, so that we can have this incredible life. God gave his son so that we can have access and a personal relationship with God that Adam and Eve gave up.

If you are rich, you still need God. If you are not rich but have enough money every week, you still need God. If you are healthy, you still need God. If you are struggling, you still need God.

I am not really clear on why this trip came about, but it did. The door slammed open and I took it.

For the next several entries, I'm going to just post pictures of this trip and show you what it was like. Some of you have been to Maui but even if you have, I hope that you can just enjoy the sights that I was able to capture.

I am still searching for great work; waiting for that door to come open. Why hasn't it? I don't know. Maybe I will know later on down the road, but, until then, I will keep moving forward on that front.

Here I am, send me. I can still write about God and plants wherever I happen to be.

Wherever you are in your walk with God, just stay on the path.

Go boldly and expect help. Not only that, think big, think on this incredible verse in Psalms 80, verse 10:

I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

If you have been in the wilderness without God, wandering around, stop. STOP and go to the throne of grace with great thankfulness that you can go there. Open your mouth wide in expectation of having it filled. It is not a throne of condemnation and punishment. It is a throne of grace and mercy. God wants to fill your mouth with good things, wondrous things and a lot of it. Open yourself wide in expectation!

There are some studies that say this is an orientalism; it has a cultural meaning different from our Western understanding. When a king or ruler was pleased and wanted to reward someone, he or she on the throne, would ask the petitioner before them to open their mouth wide to receive jewels, precious and costly and as much as the person could hold.

Open thy mouth wide and I will (which is an absolute, not a 'maybe') fill it.

Here is my challenge for you: start a diary of God's blessings in this year. Start writing down things that you have received that was not of yourself, could not have been of your own doing. Maybe it will be physical things, or a mental shift. Maybe it will be a solution to something or for someone close to you. Maybe it will be a parking place. Maybe it will be instantaneous, maybe it will be over time. God's prerogative. How exciting will it be to see how and when?

For those of you accustomed to noting when and how God works in your life, it will underscore the things God does for you. I think this will be even greater to those who are unaccustomed to it.

I think you will be totally amazed at what has come your way, simply because, when we are yet in the pasture, when we are yet in the weeds, God wants us to come to Him. He will go get you, or He will send someone to find you and get you out of the weeds and into the throne room.

Just be thankful, that's all.

Until next time, day one of Maui.