Without a Limp

“How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him;” 1 Kings 18:21

This was the question that Elijah asked of all the children of Israel who had been worshiping and crying out to the gods of Baal. They knew better just like we know better when we place our trust in things other than trusting God. I love the Hebrew translation for the word 'opinions.' It can literally be translated as crutch, which is used to support a weak leg. ‘The idea here is that the Israelite's found themselves limping between Baal and Yahweh.’ Trustworthy, Lysa TerKeurst, p. 101. I looked up the word for falter and its definition means to lose strength or momentum.

I cannot tell you the number of times in my life when I limped back and forth, between faith and fear. I would lean on God and surround myself with things that bolstered my faith such as worship music, prayer and Bible study. But as soon as I took my focus away from my ‘faith-weapons’ I would be filled with fear again. Any strength I had received from God would begin losing momentum, and my fear would beckon me to revisit it and I would limp over and lean on my fear of the unknown.

The fear of uncertainty offers nothing but a leg to lean on that wobbles. We are offered two opinions…do we really believe that God is God in our troubling circumstances? Or do we believe the things our fear threatens? If we choose to follow God in faith, we will follow Him through our messy chaotic circumstances continuing to have strength and momentum. But if we choose to continue to lean into fear, we will walk through our troubles with a ‘hobble and wobble faith’…a faith that does not produce anything lasting or of value. Even if we don’t confidently feel faith, there is a great reward in claiming God as capable, able and faithful. By affirming this truth, apart from our feelings, we are leaning on the Lord instead of limping towards fear. "We must remind ourselves of previous experiences of God's faithfulness. Then we can borrow from those times of certainty for today's uncertainty." Trustworthy, Lysa TerKeurst, p. 98. Our troubles offer the blessings of God’s comfort or the curses of our fear. Let’s choose life and run in faith instead of limping in fear.

‘Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you…may live!’ Deuteronomy 30:19

Hears to Ear

“And the LORD said: ‘I…have heard their cry…for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them…and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land.’” Exodus 3:7-8.

Have you ever prayed for something so faithfully and for so long only to receive the desire of your heart through adversity? That is exactly what happened to the Israelite's while in Egypt. They had a life there, and while it wasn’t the life they wanted, they had jobs, ate well and were surrounded with friends and family I’m sure. But their hearts longed to be in another land…another place…free from the captivity of their current circumstances. God saw their hearts and heard their cries to relocate them to another place. He answered their prayers, but not the way they wanted. God could have taken them from Egypt straight to the land flowing with milk and honey, but He wanted their hearts more than their comfort. God led them His way to their desired land to make them more dependent on Him, and for them to learn about His faithfulness and provision. It wasn’t long before they lost sight that He had answered their long-awaited prayers, instead focusing on what they still didn’t have.

Can’t we be just as guilty as the Israelite's when we face adversity? We initially are grateful that God has answered a prayer. But in our hearts, we secretly object to the way He gave us what we desired. Just like the Israelite's, we quickly forget the blessing and instead focus our eyes on the unresolved circumstances in our journey. If the Israelite's would have maintained a grateful heart for what God had already done, and trusted Him for what He was going to do, they might have entered the Promised Land much earlier. But instead, it seemed that they were lulled and entranced by the same warning that the first line of John 10:10 cautions us. ‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’ 

 

God will not keep us in our deserts any longer than the amount of time it takes to accomplish His purposes in our hearts.  But we must take caution during the wait.  We have an adversary who watches us in our troubles. He reminds us of what is still unresolved, and he deceives us by triggering our fear. He steals any joy we have found and kills any hope we are hanging onto. He intentionally tries to destroy any gratitude we have for what God is doing by painting the dark colors of uncertainty over the beautiful canvas of our new beginnings that God is painting. ‘Distorting God’s goodness and His good gifts has been a goal of the enemy since he first slithered onto the scene in Genesis 3.’ Trustworthy, Lysa TerKeurst, p. 95. God intended us to live beyond a ‘just-enough’ life. He calls us to live an ‘all-abundant’ life through Him even while we wait on Him. When we guard our minds, hearts and ears against any messages from Satan, we will return to the joy, hope and peace that can only come through the whispers of God.

Avoiding Traps

“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25

I can’t think of a more powerful emotion that can bring on secondary consequences than fear.  Fear has a way of taking what is a challenging situation and blowing it into overwhelming consequences.  I only need to look as far as my response in fear when my daughter was walking in complete darkness for 8 years.  During that time, I fearfully stepped into a trap that entangled me for 3 years.  My adversity was having a prodigal child, but my fear fueled a response (spending) that brought on additional pain and suffering.  I read a quote today from Lysa TerKeurst that really hit home.  She wrote, ‘Whatever captivates our heart fuels our actions.’ Trustworthy, p. 73.  Fear is a trap that we step in when we don’t trust God.  Our fear ‘brings’ a snare into our life if we are not careful, creating additional troubles.  Fear convinces us that man has the last say in our situation when really God does.  Fear lulls us into hopelessness instead of our steadfastness in God’s faithfulness.  Fear reminds us of what can and will go wrong up ahead, while God’s word reminds us of what He accomplished behind us.  What will captivate our heart?  Fear or trust?

God is very clear in communicating what spirit was placed inside our hearts and what spirit was never meant to reside there.  ‘For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.’ 2 Timothy 1:7.  The spirit of fear doesn’t originate from God.  Instead we have been entrusted with God’s Spirit, who searches the mind of God and communicates it to us.  The Spirit in us gives power to us…resurrection power…resolving power…peace-giving power.  If fear captivates our hearts, we will take action and move ahead of God.  If we allow our fear to be speak louder than our faith, we will never hear the next step in God’s plan.  Fear tells us that things are dead, while faith tenderly awakens hope and peace in our circumstances. 

Safety is found in the garment of trust in God…trust in the when…trust in the how…trust in the why.  Let us all present our shoulders to Jesus to have this garment wrapped securely around us.

Taming the Beast

“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace – as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” 1 Co 14:33

Last night I found myself unable to sleep from 1:55 a.m. until 5:00 a.m.  I don’t why I didn’t get out of bed, but I guess I felt like I would eventually go back to sleep.  After an hour or two I was so aggravated because of all nights that I would need sleep it was last night.  Tonight, is our Lancaster girls Christmas gathering and pajama party at my house and I have looked forward to it for a few months.  The only thing missing will be Sheila, one of our ‘sisters’ who lives in Pennsylvania and could not make it down on that date.  The girls are used to me being the first one to turn in so it will come as no shock to them when I disappear upstairs earlier than later.  I remember thinking through the night that all I wanted was a good night sleep, feeling like God certainly could have accommodated that small petition.  I was immediately struck with conviction followed by gratitude that painful circumstances were not the reason I couldn’t sleep.  Several people I know came to mind at that point and I imagined that we were also awake through the night but for overwhelming reasons that would still be there in the morning.

It is so easy to fear the worse-case scenarios when life seems out of control.  I remember those nights well from past burdens that seemed too heavy for my heart to bear.  So many times, our mind is the battleground between us and God…between faith and fear…between disbelief and trust.  The quote from Mark Twain certainly brings truth from my past fears of what ‘could happen.’  He stated, ‘I’ve suffered a great many catastrophes in my life.  Most of them never happened.’  God tells us He will never leave our side, but we convince ourselves that we will forever be alone.  He tells us that He will always provide everything we need, but we fear that we won’t have the provisions to live.  He tells us that He changes seasons and reigns in perfect order, but we believe that our life will always look like it does now.  ‘When we try to take control, we ultimately leave no room for God to be God.  We live in the harshness of the worst-case scenario, even though that probably isn’t our reality at all.  We get triggered by a small fear, and instead of taming the thought, we feed it.  We magnify it.  We let it dictate our reaction.  Everything gets blown out of proportion.’ Trustworthy, Lysa TerKeurst, p. 66.  Wow!  She just called me out!

Why is so easy to trust God with our eternity, but distrust Him with our seasons of uncertainty?  We must tame the beast by starving the thoughts that deteriorate our trust in God.  By staying in God’s word and reminding our minds of His promises we can experience God’s peace in all of our troubled times.

Minister of Reconciliation

“He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.” Daniel 2:21-22.

I am always amazed at the timing and understanding of God’s messages. Last night I went to bed with a heavy heart for the state of our country. I very rarely write about anything regarding politics because this country has lost sight of one’s right to express themselves, support and communicate their own beliefs in a respectful manner. I am speaking about both sides and it wasn’t any clearer than yesterday’s partisan vote on impeachment from both sides of the aisle. There were two lone representatives who went against the battle cry of their party. Don’t get me wrong; my adoration of those two people has nothing to do with how I have feel about either party. It has to do with the courage it took to flow upstream against the volatile rage of both parties. Both parties with righteous indignation voting as a group, when authentic decisions should have produced a mixed bag of votes on each side. But before I judge our country too strictly I must step back, take a breath and remember that division and war has been part of this earth since the beginning of time.

I was encouraged this morning by God as He reminded me with our passage that leadership across the world is assigned by God alone. He determines what the times of political and social needs require. He has been choosing leaders, apart from man’s approval, from Genesis to Revelation. For thousands of years, people have thrown their voices behind good leaders, great leaders, unreasonable leaders, poor leaders and deceitful leaders. And for thousands of years, God has brought good out of all situations. This morning as I turned the page on yesterday’s events, I discovered a beautiful reminder on today’s page of my Bible Study. Lysa TerKeurst who published this study earlier this year writes, ‘It’s in moments like this where we can start to wonder how God could ever bring good from such division.’ Trustworthy, p. 62. She goes on to quote Charles Spurgeon, ‘Notice also, dear friends, that God is in events which are produced by the sin and the stupidity of men. This breaking up of the kingdom of Solomon into two parts was the result of Solomon’s sin and Rehoboam’s folly; yet God was in it: ‘This thing is from me, saith the Lord.’ God had nothing to do with the sin or the folly, but in some way which we can never explain, in a mysterious way in which we are to believe without hesitation, God was in it all.’

So, whether we are happy or sad this morning following the events of yesterday, there were no winners or losers. Rather a watching nation with little control over the circumstances witnessing an all sovereign God moving things along in His perfect plan and His perfect way. God is the ultimate Minister of Reconciliation of all division. We can count on Him to shift things that need shifting and bring about good from every single circumstance. He is sitting on His throne orchestrating the things of this world in His perfect order regardless of how we feel. He knows the darkness that has yet to be uncovered, and He is well aware of the Light that He brings to a dark world.

“God was in it all.’

Life as a Child

“Now, O LORD…I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in…” 1 Kings 3:7 

This was the response right after God gave Solomon the kingdom over which to reign. It was an overwhelming task for Solomon as he had the responsibility to lead the nation. His calling must have felt like a daunting feat that revealed his lack of trust coupled with his fear of failure. I am not sure I have ever read this verse before, but I know that I have spoken these words to God before.

When I had a daughter walking in deep darkness…'I do not know how to save her, Lord.' When I had to say goodbye to one of my sisters when she was only 42…'I do not know how I will make it through my grief, Lord.' When I mounted tons of secret debt and spent money on things to satisfy my idle heart…'I do not know how I will pay the debt off, Lord.' When I told Bruce about the deceit and the state of our finances, 'I do not know how he will ever trust me again, Lord.'

The list goes on and on for me and maybe also for you. God allows us to experience things that will grow us because He sees us for who He knows we were created to be. He wants us to be children dependent on our Father. He wants us to be trusting in Him instead of ourselves. He wants us to trust that He can accomplish what we need instead of trying to accomplish things in our own strength. Some of the hardships that we must endure are out of our control such as grieving a family member’s death. Other hardships we experience are those brought on by our own weaknesses or sins. Either way, God never intended us to try to save ourselves and figure out our own circumstances. He gave us a path to prayer through the death and resurrection of Jesus which gave us both authority and the invitation to approach God. He assures us that He will never leave us or forsake us. He has promised to equip us with every saving grace that we will need to navigate this life.

What task has the Lord entrusted you with at this point of your life? A new job? A new marriage? A new normal? We are all children in the eyes of our Father, and He desires for us to lean on Him…draw near to Him…trust His will and His way. I am so thankful that we never have to face one single task or assignment in this life without God. We do not have to know how 'to go out or come in' from our adversity because we have a God on the throne who will show us the way.

"Now I lay me down to sleep,I pray the Lord my soul will keep."

Reclining with Jesus

“The greatest blessing of all is to be at the banquet in God’s kingdom.” Luke 14:15

It sure is easy to take such a celebratory holiday and mix in a little sadness for those who will not be with us. In thinking back over my sister Beth’s last Christmas, I hosted the gathering with over 25 people. I remember looking from my kitchen down into the dining area. As Beth sat there at the dining room table with little strength but still great beauty, I watched her smile continuously throughout the evening. Occasionally I would see her leaning on Paul’s shoulder as if it took her entire strength to sit upright. Her walk was nothing less than inspirational, and her courage and fight gave us permission to hope and embrace. Eleven years later as I am preparing to host the same wonderful people, my mind turns to Heaven as they are preparing for their celebration of the birth of Jesus. As I set my table this year, I can see Beth setting Heaven’s. There is a long banquet table with all her favorite culinary offerings, and she places her name card right between Daddy and Christ. She glances down to the end of the table and flashes a smile to Grandmother and Granddaddy Miller. She shoots the peace sign to her cousins who are approaching. She watches and listens as the angels perform their beautiful symphonies of praise. But instead of leaning on someone’s shoulder for strength, she is reclining against Jesus in full health and devoted love.

When I think of my precious family who will be sitting around the birthday table in Heaven on December 25th, I remember what my grandmother said when my granddaddy died. I asked her how she was doing so well without him and her answer still warms my heart. She said, ‘Brenda, your granddaddy just got up from one side of the table of Jesus and moved to the other side.’ As we prepare for our Christmas celebrations, I am thankful that I have that image in my mind of our loved ones celebrating the same Christ from the other side of the table.  "Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can't heal." Come as You Are, David Crowder

“...the disciple who Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.” John 13:23

Certainties of God

“Ask! What shall I give you?... Behold I have done according to your words…And I have also given you what you have not asked for.” 1 Kings 3:5, 12-13

This exchange of words was between God and King Solomon near the beginning of his reign. I just love that God invited Solomon to ask for anything he wanted. God loved Solomon and had placed His blessing and favor on his life. King Solomon could have asked for anything since God didn’t set any caveats around the request. Of all the things King Solomon could have asked for he chose wisdom and understanding. God granted not only what he asked for but gave him additional things such as riches and honor. The last sentence of this passage leaped off the page when I read it and landed right in the middle of my heart.

You see, for many months my sister Benay has been praying that God would give her discernment regarding her vocation. She currently is approaching the two-year mark of working in a very challenging but fulfilling position at a men’s prison. She fully understood that God placed her there, embracing what was most likely one of the toughest work assignments she has ever had. But over the past few months she has felt the urging of the Holy Spirit to get ready to depart that position. Through several disappointing job opportunities on which God closed the doors, a few days ago a door was blown off the hinges! Not only did God give her the job that she wanted with a different organization, but He gave her financial blessings in the offer that she was not expecting. And as if that wasn’t enough, she will be able to work from home the majority of the time…‘something she had not asked for.’

Don’t you just love when the ancient writings of thousands of years ago apply to our lives? God still is asking, ‘What shall I give you? What is it that you desire?’ If it aligns with His will and serves the purposes that He has deemed for us, He will do it! And not only does He give us things we pray for, but He gives us much more. While there are a few big prayer items that I haven’t yet received, there are so many things He has given me that I never asked for. That is our God and that is His character motivated by His love for us. When I start feeling impatient for not getting my one or two big prayer requests, I only have to look around and see the thousands of blessings I never asked for but received from Him.

"We don't have to understand the why of God's ways. But we do have to keep choosing to follow them. Let's not stop short of our victory with God. He is still working things out. He is present. His plan is still good, and He can still be trusted. These are true certainties even when life feels so uncertain." Trustworthy - Overcoming Our Greatest Struggles to Trust God, Lysa TerKeurst, p. 41.

Destination Home

"Now I saw a new heaven...'God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.'" Revelation 21:3-4

Growing up, our family could be seen on any given day piling into our blue station wagon. I feel like we lived in that car and boy was it spacious. Looking back, I can picture two of us girls sprawled across the middle seat and two of us laying down in the back area with those seats collapsed. The back window was raised and lowered by our parents and many times all you would see were our legs hanging out of that window. I remember one trip in particular when we traveled down to Florida. That was the longest trip but a fun one! The trip down didn’t seem as far as the trip home. I remember repeatedly asking ‘Are we almost home?’ Regardless of how many times my parents answered I continued to ask, ‘Are we almost home?’ Looking back, I wish I would have thought to tell myself those last hundred miles that the journey behind me was longer than the remaining journey up ahead.

This morning I listened to a song that my daughter Kristen sent me yesterday. It is a powerful song, one that has an accompanying video. The video is somewhat strange, but the ending is remarkable. The song is about the life we live and the impact we have made on people, and the remaining journey we have as we walk towards Heaven. The ending shows a man shedding a bulky astronaut suit on the road as he is crossing into Heaven. It was a powerful visual for me of one day shedding our aging, messy and cumbersome bodies and receiving our perfect spiritual bodies. I realize that the years I have up ahead are fewer than the years I’ve left behind, and I’m encouraged. Life’s roads are made up of gains and losses…planting and sowing…adding and subtracting…joy and heartbreak…celebrations and grieving. But in all this, one thing remains. We as believers are all on the road to eternity. We are on different parts of our journey, but we have the awesome privilege of making an impact on others as we walk it out. We all have Heaven as our destination and every sunset marks one more day closer to Home. Earth is not our final place, but just a string of rest stops. So, today as I consider the beautiful reunions that I am guaranteed, I thank God that one day I will no longer ask if I am almost home.

Whatever your journey looks like at this point you can trust that the road behind you has prepared you for the road in front of you, and God has equipped you for the journey. He will carry you every step along the way and will meet every need you have. Stay strong…keep walking…keep watching for God’s movement in your life.

The Open Towel

“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’…your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:31-34.

A few years ago, while at Folly Beach I had put on my walking clothes and shoes to get my exercise for the day. As I walked out the front door, I noticed how heavy the clouds looked but I had grown accustomed to the clouds moving quickly through the area. I decided to go ahead and walk and chance the weather. I always loved going to the end of the pier and sitting down for prayer time under the covered shelter. As I approached the pier, I noticed the wind had picked up and the clouds had turned very dark. I thought I had a little more time than I did but by the time I was near the end of the pier the sky tore open drenching me. I hurried to the shelter and took refuge while the wind whipped from side to side. I was freezing cold and drenched to the bone when finally, the rain stopped. I knew I needed to take advantage of walking between squalls, so I started walking back. As I looked up, I saw Bruce standing at the beginning of the pier with a few towels in his hands waiting for me. He knew what I needed before I even asked for it. He saw the storm, grabbed some towels and drove to find me. He knew I would be under the shelter on the pier. I recall that although I was freezing my heart was warmed by the faithfulness of His love and care.

I think of that day often when I consider how God is always there waiting on us to provide warmth from the cold circumstances in our lives. I consider how He knows every place we will go and every need that must be met. He is gathering the things we need before we even ask for them.  I am so thankful that even we make poor decisions like 'walking under black skies' He still meets us ‘at the end of the pier’ with His arms wide open.

In a world full of problems…troubles…devastation we must not look ahead in fear but look behind in truth. There has not been one day in my past where God did not meet my needs. He has faithfully provided any lack I was experiencing. Jesus cautioned that we would have many challenges in this life, but God has proven that He is the problem solver. While tomorrow might take care of itself, God will take care of today. Trust Him with today and you will face tomorrow with confidence.

Why Do You Weep?

“‘Hannah, why do you weep? And why is your heart grieved?’ And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish…So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad…So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived…” 1 Samuel 1:8, 10, 18 and 20.

This story will grip your heart for sure. Hannah was a wife who had been barren for years and longed to have a child. Scripture states that year after year she prayed for this outcome and year after year her arms were still empty. One night at a gathering, Hannah with little appetite, and a heart that had been broken a million times before left the house to slip away to pray. The gathering I am confident triggered the emptiness in her heart and the suffering of her soul. Eli, a priest nearby saw her in prayer and mistook her for being drunk because he was watching her lips move but her voice wasn’t heard. She explained her heartbreak and that she was praying for a miracle. He spoke blessings over her and petitioned that the Lord would favor her. Our passage ends with the blessing of the day, one that I have lived over and over…'her face was no longer sad'…God transformed her pain into comfort without the favorable outcome.

‘Why do you weep this morning? Why is your heart grieved?’ Two questions that probably haunt so many of us in this season. I look back over my life and realize how God carried me daily and transformed my heartbroken state when my teenager was walking in darkness. The miracle that I prayed so hard for didn’t come for 8 years. Now that I am distanced from that experience, I can see that each day she was still alive I had received a miracle. Each day that I could get out of bed and care for and nurture my other children while missing her was a miracle. While I am so humble and grateful that God still had plans for her on earth, my understanding of a miracle has shifted. The miracles that are given are the daily comfort, mercy and strength that God gives us while awaiting our miracle. Hannah walked away encouraged, hopeful and re-engaged with life after praying and speaking with godly counsel. Her circumstances had not changed but her heart had. God invites us to bring our fears, broken dreams and grief to Him daily. He never tires of comforting and loving His children. It is through prayer and intimacy with God that every day becomes a miracle when shared with our Heavenly Father.

Running Towards Goliath

“Then he [Goliath] stood and cried out…Then David spoke, ‘For who is this?…The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine...the battle is the LORD’s…‘David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.” 1 Samuel 17:26-48.

I will never get bored with the story of David and Goliath. I love any writing that displays a movie in my imagination and I’m so thankful that God gave us so many details for this battle. On one side of the valley Jesse’s youngest son, David was basically sent as a sandwich boy for his brothers. As he approached his brothers, he heard the taunts of this huge man yelling across the valley proclaiming some of the most outrageous statements of intimidation and threats. Young David looked around unaffected and asked, ‘Who is this…?’ And as if his fearlessness of the taunting circumstances wasn’t impressive enough, he yelled right back that he wasn’t afraid because the LORD had already won this battle! David had victory in his history with God on his side. I can picture his courageous words coming from the mouth of the young teen as he rushed towards the adversary to defeat him. What was this feisty and brave young man’s weapon? -- God’s power…the same weapon both you and I have when facing our Goliath’s!

I’ll just bet there are Goliath’s calling to you with threats and lies of defeat. ‘You will not be healed! Your marriage cannot be saved! You will never be happy again! You cannot live through this grief!’ For the person who has gotten the diagnosis from the doctor…God is fighting your battle. For the marriage that has been shattered from circumstances…God will give you the weapons for strength, wisdom and forgiveness. For the grieving heart who has been left behind…God will fight the battle of loneliness during this season. As believers, we carry within us everything that David possessed that helped him prevail against his enemy. When we recognize that the power within us is greater than the circumstances around us, we too can run into battle with confidence and great hope. When your thoughts begin taunting you with lies of hopelessness, remember your past victories with the Lord and run towards the battle in confidence.

“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory…because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” 1 John 4:4

A Girl and Her Sheep

“And the LORD said, ‘Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!’” 1 Samuel 16:12

The story of David being chosen by God as the future king has always been one of my favorite stories. But this morning I am blessed by this short sentence with a long-reaching reality. Samuel was instructed by God to go to the house of Jesse who had 8 sons. The Lord would reveal to Samuel the one son who He would choose to be the future king. One by one Jesse offered each son as a possibility, but God passed over all the young men. When asked if there were any other sons, Jesse stated that his youngest son was out in the field looking after the sheep. They sent for David and God revealed to Samuel that he was indeed the one to be anointed as the future king. Saul would continue to be king while David awaited his future promise and calling. Saul still wore his crown and ruled from a throne while David went back to the smelly pasture and ruled over sheep. The only thing that really changed that day when God anointed David was that God made a future promise with a timeline designation of ‘to-be-determined.’ David’s anointing and calling didn’t materialize for over 20 years, and God used adversity and many challenges to prepare him for the calling, growing him up spiritually and emotionally.

This story brings fresh encouragement to my heart this morning. It reminds me that when God makes a promise, He doesn’t consider our calendars. In the heavenlies David was a king, but in the world, he was still an overlooked son who hung out in a pasture with little status. I began thinking about the things tucked in my heart that God has promised me. In the heavenlies certain circumstances in my life look much different, they look completed…they look like answered prayers. And yet, things in my world just keep ticking with the same landscape. Maybe you have been promised things by God but like me the horizon never changes…the view stays the same. If God has promised you something, He has already fulfilled it in His timing…it is stamped completed in the recordings of Heaven…it is your history with God documented with His perfect track record.

Like David, after the promise we must return to our lives with patience and confidence that God will do what He says He will do. We must climb that hill to the pastures God has placed around us and tend to our own flock awaiting God’s beautiful timing. We must walk out our days with the full belief of Isaiah 46:10.

“Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass…” Isaiah 46:10

The Weight of our Want

“…but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…” Ge 2:17

When I was a teenager, I was one of the few in our group not allowed to go to the river unsupervised. It was a bone of contention that always left me embarrassed to tell my friends and irritated to be left out. Eventually, they quit asking me to go and it was hard hearing all the stories the following week at school recalling their time at the river. As a teenager I felt my parents were being unreasonable and suspicious. In retrospect, I can fully understand the motivation behind my parents’ decision...love and protection.

Since the beginning of time, God has fiercely worked to protect His children. He sets up restrictions in our lives, commands He gives us to live an abundant and disciplined life. He gave us the Ten Commandments, His word, the exemplified life of Jesus and His spirit within us to help us make good and beneficial decisions. But every now and then God will draw a line in the sand and make it abundantly clear that we are to keep our hands off an area of our life. Sometimes His answer is simply a delay, while some of His decisions have ‘no’ stamped on it. But whatever desire we are denied by God can always be traced back to His loving heart for us. If our desire for something rises above our obedience to God, there will be a price to pay. ‘There is a weight to our every want. Our obedience to God’s will of command is actually an indication of whether or not we trust Him. We have to be careful of viewing God’s restrictions as God being unfair…leading us to question God’s goodness. However, when our perspective changes and we see God’s restrictions as evidence of His protection, we see God’s goodness and care…His restrictions are truly a grace given to us.’ Trustworthy – Overcoming Our Greatest Struggles to Trust God, Lysa TerKeurst, p.19.

If the desire in our heart has not been given to us in our lives, we can trust God for His plans and timing, and thank Him for loving us enough to deny us. He has the perfect plan for all of us from our first breath to our last and every second in between.

"We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps" Proverbs 16:9

Relief from Unbelief

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice…they said, ‘No…we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations…’ So the LORD said… ‘Obey their voice, and make them a king.’” 1 Samuel 8:19-22.

Have you ever thought a decision was so right that you went against the advice and wisdom of others? Have you ever wanted something so badly in your life that you were willing to create your own solution and path to obtain it? Well this was what the children of Israel did continuously that created a cycle of being held captive by their own solutions, followed by their cry to God for deliverance. They were even warned by Samuel, God’s messenger when they cried out for a visible king to reign over them and provide for them. They were desiring a counterfeit of what they already had in God. God revealed the consequences to Samuel asking him to relay the outcome to the people. They still cried out demanding their own solution…a visible king just like all the nations surrounding them. They made the mistake in no longer believing that God had their best interest in mind and in His heart. They allowed the world around them to dictate what their world should look like for them.

Are we really any different than those demanding children who were short-sighted and impatient? I know there were times in the past when I knew what I wanted, and I was guilty of running after it in ‘my own way, my own will and my when.’ I would see those popular groups in my community and run after their approval wanting to belong to ‘this group or that group.’ I would look around and deduce that I would be happier if I looked like that person, acted like this person or had their circumstances. Just like the impatient and stubborn children of Israel we think we know what is best for us when really, we are just blinded by our misconceptions and misplaced desires. God always has a better ‘way, when and will’ as He perfectly provides for each of us. He might sometimes give us over to ourselves by allowing our way to win out…but in the end we lose. When we see the circumstances that others have and strike out on our own to emulate their lives, we are really revealing that we don’t trust God for our lives…we have a problem of unbelief. We need a relief from our unbelief and the first step is gratitude for what we have and patience and acceptance for what we don't have. Once we surrender to the One who knows our life better than we do we make space for His plans and we can rest in His best.

December marks one of the greatest times in history where God has His best for you and for me displayed in a wooden manger on a pile of straw. God’s best for Jesus was paved with times of trouble and adversity but it ended well…it ended with a crowned Christ Jesus sitting next to Him on a throne. May we lay down our design for our life, and watch God give us His best.

Gardens of Gratitude

“The LORD God planted a garden…and there He put the man…And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food…Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it…Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.” Ge 2:8-22.

I can only imagine what a beautiful place the Lord planted for Adam as his home. I am confident that as Adam looked around, he was overwhelmed with the beauty…the moss-covered path to walk down that split the beautiful fruit trees. The babbling brook splitting its path around the rocks. The sapphire colored sky and the birds that had taken to flight. The gentle wind that brushed his hair into his face. As if that weren’t enough, when he awoke from rest the discovery of his beautiful partner Eve who would share this beautiful garden with him. Did they walk hand in hand with their newly discovered love? Did Eve stop along the way, bending down to gather an array of colorful and fragrant flowers? Did a bunny hop across their path as they were walking between the trees? As they experienced all the goodness that God had given them, their hearts must have been so grateful for these blessings. And yet, there was still dissatisfaction in their hearts for the one thing they didn’t have…access to the one tree that stood in the center of their lives. At what point did their hearts of gratitude turn to thoughts of lack? Did they get bored…curious…resentful that God would withhold something good from them?

Before we judge too swiftly, I know that there have been times in my own life when I had every reason to be grateful for the garden that God planted for me. I have played in the fields of a beautiful childhood, strolled the paths of life with a loving husband by my side, and nurtured and cared for the amazing children with whom God entrusted me. And yet, sometimes in the secret place of my heart there have been tinges of ingratitude for a few things I didn’t have.

Today is a beautiful and meaningful day to consider all of the blessings that God has planted in our gardens. I pray that you and I will take the time away from the busy responsibilities of carving turkeys and baking pies today. I want to experience the joy of fellowship with those in my garden. I want to remember those who have walked the garden stones previously with me making my life better. I want to have more conversation today and less eating and fussing with dishes. I don’t want to think about tomorrow but fully breathe in the blessings of today. I want to be completely engaged in my Garden of Gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving! You are all in my garden and I’m so blessed that God planted you there.

Higher Thoughts

“The LORD said, ‘Do you have good reason to be angry?” Jonah 4:4

Many years ago, Bruce and I were at his brother’s house after he and his wife had just had twins. My sister-in-law had experienced a tough pregnancy being in and out of the hospital. Finally, the babies were born and life with 3 little children under the age of 3 began taking its toll on her. She had gotten a babysitter to watch the children so we could sneak out to a neighborhood restaurant. She and Jay had not yet been out since they were born, and she was so excited for the evening. She had bought an outfit, finally had the time to style her hair and apply make-up to a beautiful face that probably hadn’t worn make-up in a while. She came down the stairs and entered the room and looked at her husband and asked, ‘How do I look?’ I thought she looked beautiful in her new outfit that boasted bright earth tones, but Jay’s response was one we still say 30 years later. He replied, ‘Orange…you look orange’ referring to her outfit. Not the thing to say to a postpartum soul and exhausted new mommy. Needless-to-say, anger hung in the room for the next little while. Crystal had already made up her mind in advance how the story was going to end. She would seek Jay’s approval, and he would give both his blessing and validation.

Sometimes, we as believers have in our minds what it is that our life is supposed to look like. We have already written the script in our mind. When God allows something difficult to flow into our path that rewrites our story it is easy to feel anger. Many times, praying for God’s will to be accomplished really means asking Him to sprinkle blessings on our will. We come to Him with preconceived ideas seeking His stamp of approval on choices we have already made. When our expectations bump up against God’s reality contrary to our will, we must make a decision whether to receive it with humility and surrender or store up bitterness in our hearts. God has every single detail of your life and mine in the palm of His hand and sees the complete landscape of our lives. If God never gave us one more blessing wouldn’t it be enough if our life ended today? So, I ask myself today and I challenge you to consider, ‘Do we really have a reason to be angry? With everything God does on our behalf and in our best interest, must anger really be a part of the one or two prayers that haven’t yet been answered?’ Just like Jonah, it is easy to go and ‘find a plant under which to pout' when God doesn’t respond the way we expect Him to. When we realize that everything God allows in every situation is good…loving…prosperous…purposeful we can lay down our plans and reach for the beautiful plans He has for us.

“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9

The Repenting Heart of God

“If that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it.” Jeremiah 18:8

Until this morning I had never read that there are verses in the Bible that says God repented or changed His mind. When I think of repentance, I think of an expression from the heart that is a response to sin committed. But we understand words and translations with limited knowledge when it comes to Scripture. We know that God does not sin, so it behooves us to understand the translation. In the Hebrew, shub is the word consistently used when talking about man’s need for repentance. It translates ‘to turn from sin to God.’ The Hebrew word nacham is the word relating to God’s repentance. It translates as ‘being moved to pity.’ God has a responsibility to convict sin, but thankfully He has the love to draw us back to His heart through circumstances He allows. His repentance is a response to our genuine plea for forgiveness and taking up new behavior. ‘When Scripture speaks of God repenting, it doesn’t imply that He’s done something wrong or made a mistake but just that He’s chosen a compassionate response as a result of another’s decision.’ Jonah – Navigating a Life Interrupted, Priscilla Shirer, p. 123.

We don’t have to look any further than our own parenting to understand this concept. There were times we had to correct our children’s bad choices through discipline. The punishment would continue until we felt they had a true heart of sorry. Many times, the punishment would be lessened or lifted based on their desire to reconcile the situation. As parents, Bruce and I were more than happy to restore them to full fellowship and blessings. Many times, our plan of discipline was altered by their change of heart. I believe this is what this concept means…God longs to restore fellowship with His children, leaving space for grace in His discipline. God is always eager to extend His love, mercy and forgiveness, giving us multiple chances to step back in full fellowship with Him.

“For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12

The Best BOGO Ever!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

This beautiful verse on which all others hinge was the first Bible verse I memorized as a child. I’m sure that at that time I had little awareness of what this verse really meant. I had no idea of the pain that must have shattered the Father’s heart as He momentarily turned away from Jesus on the cross. I had no idea that the Son who died for little old me was perfect in every way to atone for my sins. I certainly had no way to comprehend that because of His choice to die, I now had a choice to live. But I do now, and it never ceases to humble me at the price Jesus paid. It was the most precious purchase ever made on my behalf and on your behalf.

I’m all grown up now with grown up problems and grown up decisions. But I walk out my journey with the simplistic message of the empty cross. God traded His throne in perfection for a cradle in the dirt and took on the flesh of Jesus. Jesus the Son died for you and for me. The Holy Spirit took up residence in our hearts the second we believed and equipped us with everything needed. Because of these events we are cleansed…we are rescued from sin…we are promised eternity.

Because Jesus paid that price, I not only get to live out eternity with Jesus, but I get to run back to both my earthly father and heavenly Father…it was a buy one, get one free (BOGO) purchase that will continue to be the greatest gift ever bought for me. So, if there is an empty place at the Thanksgiving table this year, we can take great comfort that by accepting the gift of Jesus, we get the gift of future reunions with our loved ones. 

Walking Out our Question Marks

“The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” De 31:8

This is one of my favorite verses and it always brings comfort to areas of my life that still hold a question mark. We all have questions marks when facing tomorrow, but we don’t face it empty-handed or empty-hearted. As believers, we all have a spiritual arsenal we carry within us. One of greatest weapons when considering our unknown future up ahead is to cling to God’s mercies and miracles from past experiences. When we feel scared, we can reach into our little spiritual bags and cling tightly to His past faithfulness as a promise for a future victory. When we feel exhausted, we can call upon the Lord and repeat His words back to Him as a petition. ‘Lord, you promise that your grace is sufficient for me… Lord, you tell me to cast my cares upon you…Lord, you encourage me to come to you when I am thirsty.’ When we feel heartbroken, we claim the promise from God that He has and will come to heal our broken hearts and bring freedom from tough circumstances.

We walk this earth on a path of question marks, but our passage this morning reminds us that the path is led by God who has already walked it for us. Our future is His history and never in the history of the world has God failed anyone…not one person. His track record is the only perfect track record ever recorded. Because every single promise He gives to us will be fulfilled, we never have to fear that He will forsake us.

Whatever your question mark ends up being, God has already stamped an exclamation point on the end of the story. It is a beautiful story of God’s faithfulness…mercy…sustaining grace…undying love. It is a story of how you took God at His word! That is what is up ahead for you and for me. We are indwelt by His spirit…we are equipped for our journey… we are postured for triumph…we are promised of His constant presence. What a spiritual arsenal we possess as we face our questions marks of tomorrow!

Going About our Day

"As you are going make disciples…in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19

Growing up with grandparents being Wesleyan ordained ministers the phrase ‘Great Commission’ was understood by the time I was in middle school. They would share that not only was it a privilege, but it is the one command that every believer is given, and every single person is equipped to accomplish. The Great Commission was the cornerstone that resided in the heart of Jesus. He understood that His mission was to seek out those who didn’t know God and explain the love and saving grace of God. Jesus understood what most of us forget…the Great Commission doesn’t live on the other side of the world. It is intended to be shared as we go about our business each day as believers. With the Holy Spirit living inside us, we are given the opportunities to share our stories that point to God. With the Holy Spirit prompting us we have the awareness to see those around us who are lost and in need. With the Holy Spirit comforting us we have the compassion to comfort others and invite them into God’s family of fellowship with believers.

Today I have a list of errands and this is a good reminder for me to keep my spiritual radar out as I go about my day. As I shop for groceries this morning, I pray for eyes to see a person who needs to know Jesus. As I spend time with my daughter today, I will look beyond my own interests and have a listening ear connecting God to the situation. While preparing dinner tonight I can go ahead and say a few prayers for God to reveal His heart to certain people I know who don’t intimately know Him.

Making disciples is not just about sharing the gift of salvation with an unbeliever, although that it one of the highest callings for us all. Making disciples is more about having eyes to see and ears to hear opportunities to share the love of God, expanding another person’s knowledge of the character of God. Some days my awareness of this command disappears as soon as I have to sit in traffic. Some days my desire to check a bunch of boxes of completed tasks takes greater priority over my desire to make disciples. It is all about being spiritually intentional, and focusing on the importance of being the hands and feet of Jesus in a world desperately needing the good news. So, as you go about your day and as I go about my day may we recognize the movement of God and the call to participate in the Great Commission.

An Offering Made by Fire

“Then the priest shall take from the grain offering a memorial portion, and burn it on the altar. It is an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.” Leviticus 2:9

A few years ago, Bruce had a partial knee replacement. I watched first-hand how painful it was for him to move or bend the knee. I knew that part of Bruce’s morning routine was kneeling by the bed in prayer as soon as his feet hit the ground. One evening we were talking about different people who needed prayer. I assumed that since the surgery he just laid in bed in prayer before he got up. He told me that he had not changed anything in his spiritual routine. In fact, he had prayed in advance to be able to continue kneeling after the surgery. Painful as it was, he would get out of the bed, arrange his leg as best he could with the least amount of pain and proceed with his prayers. I remember the word ‘offering’ coming to my mind as I pictured him kneeling and praying for others.

I sincerely believe that when we pray during our most painful times…physically, spiritually or emotionally… our petitions ascend into heaven as a sweet aroma to the Lord. When we place our suffering on the altar of prayer, we invite God into those areas that hurt…areas that are broken…places that need repair. And just like Bruce’s knee, day by day through our prayers our wounds heal a little and our hearts settle into hope. I can’t even imagine what it is like to be the Father looking down on the frailties and brokenness of His children. When He hears our prayers for others in the midst of our suffering, I have no doubt it moves the heart of God. Anything that moves His heart is sweeter than any aroma we have ever experienced. The sweetest offering ever placed at God’s feet will be some of the most difficult times in our lives...those seasons of walking through the fire. So, when you are hurting…pray. When you are lonely…pray. When you are depleted…pray. And watch what the Lord will do for you, in you and through you.