Radiant "Right" Choices

Ravishing. Luminescent. Radiant. All words that attempt to convey not only what our eyes detect, but also what our heart may give witness to in another person. For some people this emanating beauty is fleeting, but for others it seems only to grow in intensity and duration. Some of the people I’ve known this to be the most true of have had far from the “perfect” life; in fact, the opposite would be a much more accurate portrayal of all they’ve endured. So if life isn’t perfect, if many things are even going wrong, how in the world can anyone shine with a light that puts the stars themselves to shame?

For every encounter in our life, we have a wide selection of responses from which to choose. Some days it is easier than others to make the “right” choice. And it would seem in my life that there is a mathematical correlation between the number of things that go wrong and the increasing challenge to then make (and continue to make) right choices. In fact, I would say that the formula graphed would resemble that of exponential growth. It is not a line with a gentle, consistent slope up and to the right. Nope. It kind of starts off that way, but then BLAST OFF! It explodes off the top of the graph like a rocket headed for the heavens! Unfortunately, if my choices are poor (and continue to be such), that dramatic line takes a horrific turn in the other direction at an identical rate. Only the destination changes. Rather than being headed off the top of the chart and headed for the heavens, well, we instead are headed for a personal hell, quite literally, of our own making. It was our personal choices that led us to this exact point.

But here is the further reality. We each have it within us, whatever our choices have been to date, to make the next right choice. Have you already screwed up 10 times? Today? This morning? Worse? Good news! To correct the direction and final destination of this line is as simple as making the next right choice, whatever it may be. The voices in your head may try and convince you this is far too simplistic, but I’m here to tell you it is not! I’ve seen this true in my life more times than I care to count. And I won’t even try to count it because, frankly, it would be horribly embarrassing.

So how then do we proceed? How do we even know how to make the next “right” choice? I think we first have to be able to identify what a right choice is. And what it is for today’s situation. You see, what was “right” in yesterday’s context may no longer be relevant today. I’m not talking about eternal Truth, that never changes, I’m talking about how to handle nitty gritty daily life. Is it a time for birth or a time for death? Is it a time to plant or a time to uproot? To kill or to heal? To tear down or to build? To weep or to laugh? To mourn or to dance? To scatter stones or to gather them together? To embrace or to refrain from embracing? To search or to give up? To keep or to throw away? To tear or to mend? To be silent or to speak? To love or to hate? A time for war or for peace? (As listed in Ecclesiastes 3) All are viable options, so how then do we know?!?

We begin by knowing the word of God.  Psalm 19:7-8 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.”

God’s word absolutely provides refreshment for our soul, quenching spiritual thirsts from deep waters that flow directly from God’s throne. In receiving this refreshment, it even extinguishes how we might falsely seek to fulfill these thirsts in the physical realm that can really only truly be satiated spiritually. Thank God that He allows us to be made wise! We see things with such simple, physically oriented eyes, but as God instills His wisdom, we see the same situations through new, spiritual eyes. If we now respond in light of the spiritual insights given, our heart is then filled with joy. Saying “yes” to how God would have us to respond then makes us absolutely radiant. He not only gives light to our eyes, allowing us to see into the spirit realm of things, seeing past the physical world, but He also fills us with His light that actually shines from within us, often through our eyes. We become ravishing.

There was a time in my life when I thought this was all it would take, perfect knowledge of the Bible, to get these things right. But I’ve been challenged as I’ve moved through more of life to recognize that God’s word alone doesn’t tell me how to respond daily. Ecclesiastes 3 paints the two end points for each of several continuums, but there are an infinite number of places to land along each of those continuums. My heart sincerely wants to bring glory to God by successfully navigating today’s challenge, but how in the world can I with these infinite numbers of choices?

“Those who look to Him are radiant, their face is never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:5

God’s word and our response of obedience makes us radiant, but so does time spent in His presence. You see, rhema, Hebrew for word, isn’t just the written word, it is also the spoken word; the word we can receive through the Holy Spirit actively guiding our lives.

Exodus 34:29-35

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.

Moses spoke with the Lord and was radiant, just as knowing God’s laws and precepts also makes us to be radiant.  In fact, he was so radiant, others couldn’t look at him and were even afraid of him! Moses was so radiant he had to wear a veil so he didn’t freak everyone out! Kind of sounds like a sci-fi episode of an alien encounter! God is “other”, so perhaps this is a legitimate comparison.

But seriously, I am convinced that the only way we can know what the “right” response will be in today’s situation is for us to have spent time in God’s presence, listening to how He is guiding. The solution to yesterday’s struggle, even if it is identical in appearance to my physical eyes, may not be the response that would be deemed “right” today. We must stay tightly tethered to God, able to detect the nuances of His Spirit moving within me. Is it time to speak or time to be silent? He alone knows the hearts of the other people around us and what will be most advantageous for the furthering of His kingdom in this exchange.

To remain tethered to God in the ascent of life is of upmost importance. As He belays us from above, He is our anchor and all of our security resides in Him alone. It is fairly obvious that “free” climbing without any anchor is a high risk activity that can result in an injury and even death. What is less obvious is that there is an equal amount of danger if we have anchored, but have then become negligent and allowed any amount of slack in the rope, any disconnect from Him as we continue up the rock face of life. If slack in the rope is tolerated and we even briefly lose our footing, we also risk injury or death as the slack allows us to be slammed against the throes of that rock face. Maintaining steady contact via the rope offers protection from such an event. As we maintain consistent contact, a slip is only a minor setback as opposed to a catastrophic event. And so it is with our connection to God Himself, as we diligently seek to remain connected to Him.

So as we learn to remain connected to Him and from that place to then interact with others around us, we begin the eternal work of preparing this land to radiantly reflect His glory. Ezekiel 43:2 says, “And I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.” My right choices are capable not only of making me radiant, but also the places I am inhabiting. It all is capable of pulsating with a golden, spiritual, luminescent glow as His Spirit takes up residence and drives the darkness increasingly away.

So how do I make the next right choice? I not only know the word of God, I also have a relationship with Christ himself. Then, I learn to walk in right relationship, listening and communicating, not just following a list of rules. As I listen, live, move and have my being in Him, His words to me will never contradict that list of rules, but He will give me precise and intricate responses that most effectively further His kingdom’s glory. He will reveal to which end of the continuum I need to move and even how far.

Ephesians 5:25b-26 says, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” As I learn to walk in perfected response to His promptings, I more fully become His bride; His church that is without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish. Because of Him I am capable of being both holy and blameless. Radiant. Luminescent. Ravishing.

Philippians 2:12-17

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

Beloved's

Song of Solomon 6:3 says, “I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine.” While you may become ever more enraptured with Him as you come to know Him more, He already perfectly knows you and is already fully enthralled by you. Psalm 45 even tells us, “The King is enthralled by your beauty.” We are being romanced by God Himself. He is and always has been present and passionately pursuing a relationship with each of us individually.

God is passionately for us and has come for our rescue. Take a look at Psalm 18.

Verses 1 through 6 are as follows:

I love you, Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

You’ve heard of the amplified version of the Bible? Well, the Rachael’s simplified version says, “Then God when he heard my cries turned in my direction and said, ‘Oh no they di’int!” Because look what happens next. Just look at how God’s heart responds to the cry of his child.

Verses 7 through 19 say:

The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Verse 19 fascinates me. “He brought me out into a spacious place. He rescued me because________.” Well, here is how I’ve filled in that blank from time to time in my life:

• I prioritize tasks and execute them with the greatest precision
• My house is immaculate & Martha Stewart is filming here next week
• I tithe every week & will be highlighted in Dave Ramsey’s next video
• I can perfectly resolve the most complicated of business ledgers
• I never yell at my kids & Super Nanny came in just yesterday to interview me on my discipline strategies
• I am a proficient and sometimes even distinguished TESS teacher
• I embody the Proverbs 31 woman and not only attend to the needs of my household during the day, but I have plenty of energy left over to care for the needs of my husband each night

But that is a far cry from how God himself finished that sentence. No, God says that “He rescued me because He delights in me.”

That’s it. No conditions or pre-qualifiers. So, if you need to make something really complicated, come see me. But if you need something super simple and even soothing, go see Jesus.

And when a woman is well loved, she absolutely comes to life! She doesn’t stop doing all those things above, but she begins doing them from an overflowing heart of abundant life. She is poured into and can’t help but now pour into others. She is driven to acts of passion from a heart that must respond. Can you think of some examples of this? Do you know women who are full of life and can’t help but pour into the lives of others?

When I think of women from the Bible who knew they were deeply loved and couldn’t help but be moved to passion I am reminded of Mary Magdalene and the perfume she used to anoint the feet of Jesus the night before his trial and crucifixion. The jar of perfume, or the “nard oil” from the flowering plant, Valerian, is estimated to have been somewhere between 10-16 ounces. Today’s value of Mary’s gift was $3,000 per ounce. So, in today’s dollar amounts the total value is somewhere between $30,000 and $48,000.  

Now, in my mind, to picture 10 – 16 ounces, I see an entire 12 ounce soda can of that oil being poured onto Jesus. Primarily his feet are mentioned, but his head is also mentioned in one passage (this scene is portrayed in all four gospels). Imagine the aroma of so much perfume! We choke and say, “Did you bathe in it?” to anyone who violates our nasal space with an overabundance of aroma, but I dare say even they hadn’t actually used an entire jar of oil as Mary did on Jesus that evening! Why yes, he did bathe in it. Or rather, he allowed her to bathe him in it, and it was even mixed with her very own tears. She ministered to him in reckless abandon. We observe through her actions that the only place we are safe to live in reckless abandon is in His presence. And when we are passionately loved, we have the potential to live our entire lives in this excitement. Notice that Jesus didn’t shame her, “Not here. Not now. Why are you doing this?” No, just the opposite is actually true. He defended her, “Leave her alone.” You see, reckless abandon itself is protected when it is fully expressed through alignment with His Spirit and in His presence. Her act of passion is described in all four of the gospels as she gave an extravagant gift and Jesus modeled how to receive an extravagant gift. Isn’t it just like God to demonstrate for us how to receive an extravagant gift just 24 hours before He Himself would give the most extravagant of gifts?

What about the woman who has no flow of abundant life pooling in her heart? She, too, is driven. But often these become not acts of passion, but CRIMES of passion. Can you think of some examples of this? Do you know women who are absolutely empty and act upon that? 

I’ve seen this outcome in my own life and the lives of some of my dear friends. Some of these crimes of passion take the form of crimes against others; biting sarcasm, bitterness, snarly surly attitudes, and divisiveness. But even those crimes flow from a deeper, unfilled place made up of crimes against ourselves; self-loathing, self-punishment, or perhaps even self-injury.

Time with Jesus isn’t just the remedy for these diseases, time with Jesus is a vaccination from them all together! Salvation isn’t just to heal, it is to restore and even inoculate. A relationship with Christ offers us depths we have yet begun to explore!

God has gently challenged me in my “singleness” that I am not alone. During this past holiday season I was struggling as I saw couples and even families together because I wasn’t “with” anyone. One morning during my quiet time God gave me a vision of walking down the aisle at my church, it was almost like a wedding day, I was walking closely beside God, my hand securely tucked into the crook of His arm. I could feel that He was proud of me, and, to be honest, I was quite overwhelmed to have Him as my escort. I felt very unworthy, but he radiated acceptance and filled my spirit with it. I even found myself getting a little cheeky as I turned to someone nearby and said, “I’m with Him.” I even felt Him smile over my cheekiness. As we turned to sit I felt Him telling me that this was where I needed to be right now; with Him, walking closely, feeling accepted and valued. He even conveyed to me that if I was ever going to be “with” someone else, it would only be healthy and I would only be ready if I had stayed right here by God Himself and until God Himself “gave me away” as a bride. He alone knows the true heart of another person; even who is safe, who can value me and my, um… uniqueness, who is also on a journey of spiritual health and wholeness. Only He knows. Now, I don’t believe He was assuring me of a future earthly marriage, but He was asserting that this is the safest place to wait for His perfect plans for me to unfold.

About 2 weeks later, I had been desperately clinging to His arm and counting on Him to be my provider as in addition to the costs of Christmas I had the battery… and then the alternator die in my car. And I only have one car, so this is a big issue. I was rejoicing at how God had provided for me, but was also scrambling to finish getting gifts wrapped and under the tree, trying to prep food for Christmas day, and just in the thick of the flurry of getting things done while listening to a playlist that I had found on YouTube. Through my flurry of activity I began to hear a few lyrics from the song that was playing. It was like he was tapping on the glass, trying to get my attention because I was so focused on the task at hand. *tink, tink, tink* Pssst! Rachael! Psst-pssst! And then the lyrics began to come through to me. You see it’s not just that “I’m with Him.” But also, as the lyrics finally made it into my conscious and I thought, “Did it really just say that?” only to have them echo again, “I’m with you.”

I think one of the seeds that I’m pulling up is the lie that I am a “single woman” or even a “single mom.” Is there anything that feels more empty than those words? My heart can’t even bear it. But God has highlighted for me that these are lies from the enemy of my soul! I am NOT single! I’m with Him! And wonder upon wonder, He is pleased to say to me, “I’m with you.”

God delights in us simply because we are His and created in His image. While His love for us doesn’t change, He does offer us rewards as we choose to act righteously. Look next at Psalm 18 verses 20-27.

The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.
All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

We can’t be loved more. His passion is pouring in your direction! But you have choices to make. Will you receive this suitor and begin to live a life of excitement and adventure as He simply overflows from you in personal acts of passion? Or will you keep your heart from Him and participate in crimes of passion instead? Perhaps you’ve never considered these choices available. You know, something I teach my kids at school is, “An error doesn’t become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.” Is He affirming you? Is He gently pointing out some errors to you? Open your heart to Him and respond, “Yes, Jesus.” Choose to put yourself in total agreement with how He sees things so your passion can safely flow with absolutely reckless abandon.