Acceptance

Jan 21, 2025

Beloved,

It has been so lovely since the rain stopped: rain that would usually be snow if it weren’t for the unseasonably warm temperatures.

Lately, I thought, why don’t we skip winter? I love snow—I want snow when I feel like playing in it. But I want it to disappear when I need to go out in my car.

Recently, my roses and irises have behaved as if it were spring. The daytime temperatures were in the 40s—and not even freezing at night—and I began to worry that everything would get killed off because it didn’t freeze in time for their proper growth cycles.

Then the freeze came, and the rose buds that had lingered into the third week of January became darkened and mopey, now ready to become mulch.

The ant scouts are here; one showed up in the shower, and another crawled across the screen of my laptop late the other night. I thought to myself; it’s supposed to be winter. I wonder if they are confused.

This morning, it was chilly in the house. When I let my dogs outside, I saw the frozen water in their bowl. They’ll need to be indoors because it’s cold outside. I immediately thought of my freshly mopped floors and muddy feet; oh, wait, the mud is probably frozen, too!

I could go on...

I want to…

I don’t want to...

I love…

I dislike…

I wish something would or wouldn’t happen.

See a pattern here?

I mean beyond the “I, I, I.”

I want to control my world. Be honest. Don’t you?

Who else thought they wanted to stay in one season, year, or special moment of life? Who else left drag marks in the sand when forced to move out of a comfy space?

But the reality is we have no control over any of that.

If we’re honest, we have enough of a task to control ourselves, yet that is the one thing that, with the power of God, we have the right and responsibility to do.

This morning, I “heard” King Solomon’s words in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

The rest of this portion reads...

(2) A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; (3) A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; (4) A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; (5) A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; (6) A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; (7) A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; (8) A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. (NKJV)

Right after that, I hear the word “acceptance.” Once we understand actual circumstances or events, we can seek wisdom on how to respond. This is the only way to discover whether we can change a situation, accept it, and/or learn to adapt.

I thought of Job, Joseph, and Daniel. These men aren’t the only biblical examples of accepting trials and unwanted circumstances over which they had no control, yet they stand tall as those who did not lose their faith in Elohim.

Wait, isn’t that just a fluke? Aren’t they special, born to be great? We aren’t (most of us) faced with life-threatening, terrifying possibilities simply for being God’s people. Some of us are inundated with the troubles of normal (?) life, the cacophony of voices, and the pull of forces that try to dissuade us in our faith walk; we can’t fathom the strength of purpose and devotion that the fathers of our faith exhibited. What does God expect of us, anyway?

Micah, a prophet, spoke for Elohim on this question:

Micah 6:6-8 With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? (7) Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (8) He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? (NKJV)

It truly takes faith to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. How do we follow the advice of an Old Testament prophet from the musty, dusty pages of antique scrolls?

Here is Yeshua’s answer for us, for all who serve Him, for all time until His Kingdom comes and all the kingdoms of the earth “are become the Kingdom of God:”

Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like it: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' (40) On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (NKJV)

For those concerned, Yeshua told us that not one stroke of the pen would abolish God’s law (the law HE gave to Moses to give to HIS people)—that He came to FULLFIL the Law—but He told us how to love and obey God and show our loyalty to Elohim in the simplest terms.

The rest is up to our Heavenly Abba (Father) because we are His children, adopted and grafted in because of the blood of Yeshua. He watches over His Word and performs it. He loves us with Everlasting Love.

How does this all work? How do we walk it out in shoe leather?

I am convinced that acceptance means this...

Once I realize I have no power in a particular situation, I can confidently place it in my Abba’s hands, kiss it up to Him, and go about my business.

What business?

Doing justly, with mercy, walking humbly, as I love the Lord my Elohim with all my heart, soul, and strength, and my neighbor as myself.

I’ll close with a Psalm of King David. It’s worthy of meditation, and if we allow it to permeate our souls, it will help us better understand the relationship our Heavenly Abba wants with us—He wants it so badly that He paid the highest cost (His Son, Yeshua – and Yeshua agreed to the mission) for us to have it.

Psalms 100:1-5 A Psalm of Thanksgiving. Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! (2) Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. (3) Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. (4) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (5) For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. (NKJV)

He created the seasons of this earth, and nothing escapes His notice. He is with us through the good and the bad. There is a time for every purpose, but He is the Lord of all; we can trust Him to walk us through all circumstances because He causes all things to work together for our good when we love Him (Romans 8:28).

Shalom shalom,

Pastora Cate

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