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Mar 1, 2014

Redeeming Love - Chapters 18-22



"I don't plan on preaching at you, but I don't plan on giving up what I believe, either.  Not to make you comfortable.  Not for anything."

*1  Have you ever been in a situation where someone asks you to compromise your faith to make them more comfortable?  

*2  Have you ever been the one asking?

"Actually,  I fled.  I was fifteen, and she was more of a temptation than I could handle."  

*3  Michael knew being near the slave girl offered to him by his father was too much for him to handle.  He was aware of his weakness.  Take a moment to think about this.  Do any of your own weaknesses come to mind?  Situations you know would be difficult to navigate due to your weaknesses?  What snare might catch you?

Angel touched the smooth pink cheek-and suddenly she saw Duke's enraged face swimming before her eyes.

Then rain started again, and with it came her old ghosts. 

*We have no idea what battles people are fighting behind the scenes.  In their inner lives.  Just a thought.

At every turn, the girl undermined Angel's determination to remain aloof.  

*4  Have you ever had a Miriam in your life?  If so...describe some of the feelings you felt while she/he/ pursued you.

*5 Have you ever been a Miriam to someone who was trying to run and hide?  

Angel was disturbed that hey would go to so much work on her behalf.  The less they did, the less she would owe."

Expecting others to work for you and this ^...both rooted in pride.  Just a thought.


 Right from the first, Duke had bought her a wardrobe full of frilly frocks and white lace pinafores and filled her dresser drawers with satin ribbons and bows.  Most of her clothes had been made in Paris.

*6  Isn't that just like the enemy of our souls...to make beautiful things ugly?  To distort things.  Can you relate?  Has something lovely been soiled for you?  Do you believe the Lord can renew that?  Set it right?

"How could he still look at her with anything but loathing after all she had done?  How could he love her?"

*7  Ever felt this way?  Ever been the Michael in a situation?

"You know, sometimes you can hurt  yourself more by trying to keep yourself from being hurt!"

"She's afraid of being hurt."

"She's hurting herself now."

*8  This is one of the most difficult things to watch.  Have you ever lived it?  

She wondered now if Michael wasn't the answer to all things for her.  

Idols must be torn down.  Even when our idols are relationships.  Just a thought.

"He asked me to forgive him, and I told him he could rot in hell."

"He shot himself three days later."

Unforgiveness eats us alive.  Just a thought. 

Michael stood like a soldier going into battle.  "I can't have children."

Do you think there is ANYTHING Angel could have said that would have swayed Michael away from her?  

Mama had worked to keep Alex Stafford's love alive.  She had tried everything to please him and keep his passion alive.  Angel wondered now if it hadn't been those very efforts that served to drive him away.  Mama had been so hungry for his love.  Her entire life had revolved around Alex Stafford's coming to the small cottage.  Her happiness depended solely on him.  It had been an obsession. 

The way I see it...Angel left because she was afraid she would turn out to be just like her mother ...which would eventually... turn Michael into Alex Stafford. 

Whatever her motives for leaving...the Lord in His wisdom was using her time away from Michael... working behind the scenes......protecting her from idol worship. 





Chapters 23-27  / Friday March 7th











2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, in my sin I've asked my mom to stop giving biblical instruction.

Yes, Knowing my true self beats me.

Yes, I have a friend who has told me her her faults that I have thoughts whether or not she is the right friend figure for me in following after her footsteps because I'm similar to her.

Yes, my Miriam is my mom, she pursues me even when times are tough. It can feel uncomfortable at times. But it really is a great feeling to have someone care so much for you.

I live it. I go from being afraid of getting hurt by to emotionally hurting myself in the end more. I'm afraid of everyone all the time . I'm afraid of being hurt by everyone that so I end up hurting myself even more by fear getting control of me because I let my pride get in the way and always try to impress those who already love me for me.

Satan distorted food in my life and I am using it against boredom and depression. I eat to find comfort and satisfaction even when I'm not hungry.

Galilee

familygregg said...

2. I was listening to a sermon about how we have to be salt in this world. During the sermon the pastor was saying how we have become comfortable Christians and we have compromised our faith for the world and I totally believe that. I think I have just been pursuing a comfortable faith where I learn and believe the gospel but don’t share it.

3. I have a weakness of over working myself. Being a work-a-holic. So I have to make sure that I don’t have work catch me and consume me. I have to rest.

4. My mom and my close friend are both Miriam’s in my life. When they pursue me and challenge me, although its tough, its is so good for me.

6. I believe that the enemy can distort work for me to make it something that has value in it. Work is a lovely thing when you do it for the glory of God and sometimes is gets soiled. But the Lord has renewed it for me.

7. I have a person in my life when she shows me her true self I don’t hate them but love her more. When people are real and authentic it does not make me hate them but love them SO much. I love authentic people.... dislike fake people.

8. I feel like I hurt my self with not being transparent with my emotions. I think that I am like it’s ok I am not going to burden anyone with my burdens but really in the end I am hurting myself because I am not being transparent about my troubles and worries.

xoxo
-Jemima