Bring Him to Me

Christmas trees strung with brilliant lights...gifts given and received...children's eyes shining brightly with the anticipation of Christmas morning... 

It should be a time of joy and gladness for all involved...at least it SHOULD be that way.  As we gather with family and friends, our love for one another SHOULD abound, and any hard feelings SHOULD disappear.  But that's not always how it happens, is it?

Christmas for some is a drudgery, because they know they'll have to see "him" or "her" again.   Now, I am by no means trying to lessen the emotions that come along with a damaged heart, but I am saying that it's sad that we often find ourselves concentrating so much on those broken relationships at Christmas, that we often forget the most important relationship - Christ coming as a Babe to be Emmanuel - God with us!

So, for those who will struggle this year in their "going home," I've got a plan for you.  This year, decide ahead of time not to dwell on and dread the reuniting of your family and friends, but take joy in what the Lord can do when we bring those relationships to Him.

Not too long ago, I was reading my Bible, and the Lord showed me something I'd never seen before.   He actually was speaking directly to a relationship issue, haunting me at the time, but I would never have guessed He would have chosen this particular passage to do it.  After all, this passage seemingly had nothing to do with my situation.  Isn't it amazing how God takes something from His Word and applies it to our lives in many different ways?

To bring the context into focus, I'll tell you that Jesus had just taken Peter, James, and John with Him to a mountaintop, where they experienced the amazing transfiguration of Christ.  The rest of the disciples were at the bottom, waiting for them to return.  During this time, evidently, a father brought his son to the disciples, hoping they would be able to heal him of his epileptic fits.  They were not.  When Jesus and the three others returned from the mountain, the father fell on his knees before Christ and said:  "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him” (Matt. 17:14-16).  Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me^" (v. 17).

This father desperately wanted healing for his child.  He wanted more than anything to not have to worry over his son's health every minute of every day.  The situation, I am sure, seemed impossible to him, UNTIL he heard about Jesus.  Christ was his last ray of hope.  So, he grabbed his son and off they went to find this Man who others had said had the power of healing.  Imagine the disappointment he must have felt when he found the disciples, but not Jesus.  They, of course, tried to heal the boy, but could not.  I wonder if the demon began to torment the child, right before their eyes, so that the disciples became fearful and lost faith in the power of Christ.  Whatever the case, they could not heal him.

So, when Jesus returned, the father was desperate.  His situation looked hopeless.  All he could see was more torment for him and his child and the rest of the family.    It seemed impossible to fix this mess...and it SHOULD have been.  But then, Jesus said, "Bring him to Me."

"Bring him to Me." 

At the time I read this, I didn't need Jesus to heal my son.  I didn't need Jesus to drive out a demon in my life.  But what I did need was for Jesus to do something I thought might be impossible - that I thought was hopeless.  I needed Him to heal a relationship.  I needed light and hope in the midst of a seemingly dark situation...and He said, "Bring him to Me."

It struck me as so simple, and yet so powerful, that I did.  I gave that relationship over to the One who could fix it.  And ever since that day, when I feel fearful and stressed out about other relationships in my life - whether it be with my friends, my family, my children - I once again, hear the Spirit speak, "Bring him to Me."

For you, it might not be a "him."  Sometimes, it's a "her."  It might not be your relationship with your child.  Then again, it might.  Whatever the gender or whatever the case, Jesus wants to speak healing into that relationship.  He wants to do the impossible, just when it seems all hope is lost.

So this Christmas, if you find yourself in "dread mode," or simply bearing with "him" or with "her," remember to take the active role and bring that person to Christ in prayer.  Bring that relationship to Him and ask Him to heal it and transform it into something that will glorify Him.  Ask Him to change your heart FIRST and purify your motives.  Ask Him to heal the brokenness.  And then watch, as the Author of love and power, Himself, does amazing things - impossible things - in you...and in "him" or "her."

That's just the way it SHOULD be.  : )

Dearest Jesus...change us this Christmas.  Change us today.  Help us lift our difficult relationships to You in trust and belief that You alone can change them.  We've tried, Lord, and it doesn't work for us.  But You, oh You, can do miraculous and marvelous things for us, if we but give ourselves and our relationships to You.  We can't wait to see what You do this Christmas!  Happy Birthday, Jesus!  

 

The "Expecting" Life

Every year about this time, I start thinking about Christmas.  Imagine that!  Well, actually, it's not just "Christmas" I think about - the presents, the lights, the reindeer antlers that attach to your car windows!  No, believe it or not, it's the meaning behind Christmas I try to focus on.  I really try hard not to "miss" the real reason for the color green or the use of trees or decorative ornaments.  Of course, it's always helpful that my husband preaches about Advent and the happenings before the birth of Christ during the month of December.  It does keep my mind on track...thanks Steve!

This past Sunday, Steve was talking about the four hundred year period between the Old Testament and the New Testament.  During this "Intertestamental Period," God had not spoken to the people of Israel.  He had been silent...at least as far as they could tell.  Four hundred years passed. Stop for a minute and try to grasp the magnitude of that...400 years...passed and the people had heard nothing from their God.  I wonder if some fell away from the faith.  I wonder if some decided that God had given up on them.  I wonder if some of them never expected to see God work again.   

Then, surprise - surprise, God spoke through the Angel Gabriel to Zechariah, telling him that his child would be the forerunner of the Messiah.  That story, in and of itself, is an amazing one to study.  It's full of unexpected drama and intrigue.  You need to check it out - Luke 1:5-25.  But for now, I want to focus on another announcement, maybe not quite so unexpected.

Go a little further in the book of Luke.  Verse 26 begins the narration of another announcement:  Gabriel's appearance to Mary - a young girl of humble means - telling her she would become the Mother of the Messiah.

Can you imagine the scene?  I'm sure it would have been fascinating to be a fly on the wall.  Scripture does give us insight into how it happened, as well as Mary's response.  If it had been me in Mary's shoes, I would have freaked out, but she didn't.  How is that possible?  I thought long and hard about this on Sunday night during the middle of church, while Steve was preaching on this section of Luke.  Yes, I'm afraid I have to confess - my mind was wandering!

I just couldn't help thinking about the fact that when Gabriel appeared to Mary, Scripture doesn't say she went running and screaming through the house, trying to get away from the glowing figure.  If I had been Mary, I would have found a hole in the wall to run through or made one myself!  Instead, Scripture says that Mary, "was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was" (Luke 1:29).  The New Living Translations says that Mary was "Confused and disturbed," trying to "think what the angel could mean."  Scripture doesn't speak of her astonishment at the angel's appearance at all...only of her confusion over the the angel's message.   

What would make a 12-13 year old girl NOT petrified to the point of death over seeing and angel, sent from God with a message for her?  Could it be that she wasn't surprised to hear from the Lord?  Could it be that she had heard through the grapevine that God had spoken to Zechariah, her relative's husband, after these 400 years?  Could it be that she was so well-versed in the Words of God - in the Prophets of old - that when she heard God had appeared, she expected Him to do it again? Could it be that hearing from Him again was on the forefront of her mind, causing an anxious anticipation, instead of a wasting away of the soul? 

Could it be? 

Regardless, a lesson jumped out at me. I started thinking to myself...how would my life change if I EXPECTED God to do something...if I EXPECTED Him to show up in my every-day, run-of-the-mill life.  Would my life change?  Would things be different in my relationship with Him...with my family...with my friends, enemies, acquaintances?
You bet'cha.

If I really expected God to work...to speak...to do something in my life, I would drag myself out of bed early in the morning to pour out my heart to Him and search His Word for answers.  I would beg for His advice, ask for His wisdom for my daily decisions.  I would petition Him on behalf of my family...call out in passionate intercession for those who are lost.  I would spend my day "looking" behind every corner...anxiously awaiting to see Him.  I would be consumed with thoughts of Him...and not of myself.  I would EXPECT Him to show up and come through for me and then not be surprised, but joyful, when He did...

...If I EXPECTED Him to do something. 

How much we must miss, because we think we're too busy, too tired, too this or that to spend time with Him throughout our day, when how exciting and surprising our lives would be if we would only anxiously await His "workings."  Fear would no longer rule our relationship with Him, and our lives and the lives of those around us would be focused and fueled by His sweet surprises lavished on us throughout the day. 

Dearest Jesus,  help me to EXPECT You to work in me and through me and for me.  Remind me today, that You want to speak with me...You want to be a part of my everyday, run-of-the-mill life, so that there will be nothing run-of-the-mill about it!  I love You, Father.  Thank You for wanting to speak to me and work within me and for me.  I EXPECT to hear from You and see Your precious promises this very day.  Praise You, Jesus.  I praise You.  


















, and all of the sudden, I've got a glowing white

Finding Joy in the Midst of the Wadings and Waitings

Recently, as parents, we had to do something I hope we never have to do again - call 911.  Our little boy woke up screaming from stomach pain a few nights ago, and it only got worse.  He couldn't walk.  He couldn't stand.  He couldn't do anything, but lie in my lap and writhe in pain.

He cried out to his dad to pray for the pain to go away: "Pray Dad!"  Of course, his father had already been praying, but Seth wanted to hear Steve say it.  So, he did...but the pain didn't go away.  My precious little boy cried and cried, asking me why God didn't stop his pain.

He didn't understand.  He had prayed.  His dad had prayed.  His mom had prayed.  Why didn't God make it go away?  He fully expected God to make him better...right then.  Grasping for words that a little one could understand, I gave him the best Mommy answer I could, "I don't know why God's not making the pain go away.  He could do it.  We'll just keep praying, but sometimes God uses other people to make the pain go away.  The doctors will be here in a minute to help you."

His response was one that struck me, "But Jesus could do it NOW."

Thankfully, the stomach pain subsided by the time we got to the hospital.  Thankfully, the staff at Johnston Memorial were wonderful.  Thankfully, our little boy came out of the ordeal with a new-found interest in doctors and nurses.  "Mom, I think I want to be a doctor when I grow up...no, maybe an ambulance driver," he said with a smile on his face, before drifting off to a peaceful sleep in that big hospital bed.  Thankfully, our ordeal for the night was over...

But Seth's comment remained in my thoughts...

"But Jesus could do it NOW!"

I had caught myself saying the same thing only a couple of days earlier.  Why did He wait?  Why did Jesus choose to do something "the hard way," instead of fixing it for me immediately?  

Isn't it interesting that for the most part, we really do think that God should be at our beck and call.  We think He should give us an easy life, filled with pain-free days and glorious mountain-top experiences.  That is what we truly think, when we get pushed to our limits in situations that are completely out of our control.

And yet, time and time again, Scripture reminds us that God is not at our beck and call...that our life is not about us.  It's about the glory He can receive through what He does in us.    

I'm sure Joseph didn't think it was very fun to be sold into slavery, put in prison for something he didn't do, accused of wrong-doing, forgotten about, and then finally released after years of captivity (Gen. 37-45).  But he came to understand God's plan, when he realized that if those things had not happened, thousands and thousands of people would have died from starvation...including his family.

Daniel probably didn't relish the thought of being thrown into the lion's den (Dan. 6:1-28).  And yet, had he not been taken captive from his home, stolen away, and forced to work for someone who served other gods, we wouldn't have the account of Daniel in the lion's den.  We wouldn't know the power of God's ability to shut the mouths of lions, nor would Daniel's king probably ever come to a head knowledge - at least - of the ONE TRUE GOD. 

I'm sure the people in the early church would have rather not been murdered, beheaded, tortured, etc....  And yet, if the persecution had not come, Believers would not have been scattered in all directions, sending them and the Gospel out to parts of the world they had never considered visiting.  The persecution of the saints was the main reason for the spreading of the Gospel in Biblical times.

If Jesus had not "endured the cross, despising the shame" (Heb. 12;2), then all of humanity would be in a heap of trouble!

Is. 43:1-3a says, "But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you.  I have called you by your name;  You are Mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you:  and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel Your Savior....'"

Read that passage again...Isaiah doesn't say "IF we pass through the waters" or "IF we pass through the fire."  Isaiah says, "WHEN" we do. 

Yes, there are times that God allows "stuff" to happen....stuff that we never dreamed would happen.  And the option is always there - He could change it immediately.  Jesus could wipe it all away with one thought...and sometimes He does.  But then there are other times when He is patient with us in our suffering.  He doesn't immediately snatch away the thing that breaks us.  It's at that point when we have to put our faith into action and trust that He knows best....that He wants what's best for us...that He is still in control, even when our emotions are not.  It's then when we have to remember that He is WITH us and is causing something greater to be born IN us.


Oh, if we could just see what's on the other side of our suffering.  If we could just see how God takes the stench and turns it into the sweet smelling aroma of Christ for those around us, then our faith would never falter.  It would never waiver again.  But then, it wouldn't be faith.

We don't often get a chance to see those things ahead of time, but there is something we can do in the midst of them.  We can choose to see past what we think we know and see into what God is doing.  Read that again:  We can choose to see past what we think we know and see into what God is doing.  We can choose to believe that He really is with us as we pass through the water and walk through the fire and that He will be glorified and uplifted though it all.  We can choose to know that He is creating in us, more of Himself.

Knowing that - really knowing that - makes the WADING and WAITING have purpose and meaning, giving us joy in the midst of  the "stuff."      

Thank You, Lord, that we "have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body" (2 Cor. 4:7-11).  Praise You, Jesus.  Praise You.

The Covering

My mind has been on Genesis lately.  If you read my last blog post, you'll know why.  The picture of God's love in the midst of the Garden, after the Fall, has really done a number on my spiritual life. And today, I find myself here again...in Genesis...just as bumfuzzled and bewildered about the love of my Lord and His amazing care for His wayward creation. 

After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, God showed many mercies to them.  One in particular was by clothing them for their life OUTSIDE the Garden.  This wasn't a joyous occasion.  He didn't take them out to the nearest Macy's and say, "Here, find anything you want, and I'll get it for you.  Just make sure it fits well, and I get a good deal for my money."

Instead, God had to do something very sad.  He had to take one of the animals He created...one of the animals Adam and Eve had probably petted and played with...one of the animals which was precious to them all...and He had to kill it.

Death had entered the world.

Adam and Eve, in their shame, had clothed themselves with fresh leaves, but their newly woven garments weren't going to last very long.  Can you imagine how long it would have taken for that type of clothing to be destroyed?  If you're having a hard time picturing it, just think with me about my six year old son playing football in the front yard with his older brother...dressed in a covering of leaves.  No matter how many stitches I had used to perfect the garment, it wouldn't last more than the first tackle! 

God knew this.  He knew their attempt at covering themselves wouldn't work very long outside the Garden.  They would need something else...something a little more suited for the weather...something a little more permanent.  So, in order to remedy this temporary "fix,"  God had to do something drastic. 

He had to kill.

He took one of His creations - we aren't told which animal it was - and He killed it, in order to provide a better covering for His wayward children.  This, in itself, is an act of love.  If He were the angry, vengeful, hateful God that some claim Him to be, He would have kicked the couple out of the Garden right then and there, clothed in their pitiful green leaves.   Yet, instead,  He sadly sacrificed something precious to Him to temporarily cover their sin, until a later time!

Did you get that - UNTIL A LATER TIME!  Fast forward with me a few thousand years.  God's children were still figuratively clothed in their temporary garments of animal skin - skins that wore out - skins that reeked of death - skins that were temporary.  There wasn't a permanent covering for their shame...UNTIL JESUS.

Is. 64:6 says, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind have taken us away.  Yep, sounds like a covering of rotting leaves to me.  And yet, read on in the New Testament in Romans 4:6,7.  This is where the joyful covering takes place - no more sorrow, no more death:  Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputes Righteousness without works saying, Blessed are they whose iniquites are forgiven and whose sins are covered.

Do you see the exchange?  God, in His sorrow, sacrificed an animal to provide a temporary shame covering for His children in the Garden.  And through the sacrifice of Christ, God joyfully provided a permanent and lasting shame covering - His righteousness.

Oh, how our lives would change if we would grasp onto this idea that we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ.  Oh, how our lives would change, if we would simply stop trying to cover our shame and allow God to do the work only He can do.

I challenge you.  Every morning as you dress, remember as you put on piece-by-piece - that you, as a Believer, are no longer clothed in shame.  You are no longer clothed in death.  You are, instead, clothed in the righteousness of Christ.  Your pitiful, wilting leaves have been exchanged by Him who knew no sin (made sin for us) that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  Whew!  Can you hear the Spirit within you agreeing, as I can? 

If we do this, no longer will we get up in the morning, take one look in the mirror and think of what an awful person we are.  Instead, when we remind ourselves continually that we are clothed with the robes of righteousness that God prepared for us through Christ, we will be different.  We will continually be thankful to God, the Father, Who clothed us.  We'll be a humble, grateful people...and the fragrance that we give off to those around us, will be one of Jesus, instead of dead, wilting leaves.

More Genesis to come.  I'm sure of it!!!

Thank You, Father for taking away my stinky garments and providing beautiful, holy, sweet-smelling, precious robes to put on.  Thank You for giving and sacrificing in order for that exchange to take place.  Thank You, Jesus for making that exchange - Your righteousness for my filthy rags.  You are amazing.  Praise You, Jesus.  Praise You! 

Oh, What a Marriage Retreat Can Do For You!

We spent this past weekend at a marriage conference in beautiful, western North Carolina.  We've been about 9 times out of our 19 years of marriage, and it just gets better.  We go there to enrich our marriage, but more importantly, to hear from the Lord...and oh how He speaks when we listen!

One of the most precious times of "hearing from the Lord" this year, came during one of the break-out sessions at the conference.  There were about 60 of us gathered in a room together, waiting anxiously to hear what Dale and Jena Forehand had to say about marriage.  Steve and I had heard this husband/wife team speak before, so we knew we were in for a treat.

Dale Forehand started speaking first, talking about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  He painted the picture of what it must have been like, and then asked this question:  "Why do you think God asked them where they were?"

His question stemmed from Genesis 3:8,9:  "Then they heard the Lord God walking in the garden during the cool part of the day, and the man and his wife hid from the Lord God among the trees in the garden.  But the Lord God called to the man and said, 'Where are you?''  Now, God knew where Adam and Eve were.  It wasn't like He lost them.  So the question Dale Forehand asked was a good question to get some discussion started. 

One of the people in the class said God asked Adam and Eve that question to give them a chance to repent.  Another said something else I can't remember!  And then, the beautiful, blonde-headed lady in front of me said, "Because of His love."

I couldn't figure out why she said that.  I hadn't heard that answer before.  So, I kept turning it over and over again in my mind trying to figure out why God would have asked them where they were because of His love for them.  All of the sudden, I felt the Spirit speak into my heart...He missed them.  What?  I didn't quite catch that...could you repeat that again?  He missed them.

The more I thought about it, the more I think she was right.  Until sin came into the world, God had enjoyed beautiful, unbroken fellowship with His creation.  God spoke unhindered with Adam.  His "feet" walked the same paths in the garden that Adam enjoyed.  Their relationship was special...precious...unlike any every before and unlike any since, humanly speaking.  So, is it any wonder that God, out of a grieving heart, called out, "Where are you?" even though He knew where they were.

Anyone who has a child can somewhat picture a similar scenario.  Let's say that you have enjoyed a beautiful relationship with your son or daughter.  His/her life has been a joy from day one.  You have cared for that child, watched him/her grow, given your loved one everything he/she needed for life...and in return, your child has been so very grateful.  However, all of the sudden, that same child that used to run to you when life got hard, now walks away from you and shuts you out completely.  Instead of the long talks after school, you get a head nod, before your dear one runs and "hides" from your presence in his/her room - shutting the door physically and mentally.  Now, is your child gone?  Do you NOT know he/she is?  No.  Your little one is still in your home.  You know where that child is, but for some reason, he/she seems a million miles away.   I know, as a parent, my heart would be aching over the chasm of  broken fellowship, and I too, would wonder, "Where are you?"

Now, imagine how much deeper the Holy Father must have felt the dis-association with His children...with the entirety of His creation. 

So, as I sat there, my mind turning these thoughts over and over in my head, my eyes filled with tears.  How hurtful that must have been for Him....for them to "hide from His presence" (3:8), because of their sin.  Then it hit me like a ton bricks...He misses me, too..."Where are you, Belinda?"

I about burst into tears right then and there.  The sweetness of His quiet rebuke and the care with which He drew me back to Himself were so very precious to me.  I had allowed the worries, even of that day, to whisk away my mind from Him...to cause me to focus on the things of this world, instead of enjoying my relationship with Him and walking with Him.

So forgive me, but I have to ask you the same question today.  "Where are you?"  Have you allowed some sin to cause you to hide from the presence of the Lord?  Have you just "not had time" for Him lately?  Have you exchanged the trustworthiness of God for trusting in what this world will give you?  Whatever the case, if you've drifted away from the Father, He misses you.  He misses walking and talking with you in the cool of the day.  He misses listening to your struggles about your day and how you're afraid of what tomorrow might hold.  He misses listening to you tell Him of how much fun you had with your friends and how much you appreciate Him giving them to you.  He misses talking with you.  He missed talking to you.

He misses you. 


Don't believe me?  Luke 13:34 gives us a glimpse into the New Testament heart of the Father through Jesus who said:  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!"

You see, God wanted a relationship with them.  He wanted their fellowship.  He wanted to gather them together and protect them as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings...but they would not have Him.  They were more content to remain in their sin, than to come out from hiding and enjoy His presence.  May it never be said of us.  For you see, He still wants that same sweet fellowship today....with you and me!

So I'll ask you the question once again, and this time, let its truth settle deep into your heart, so that you respond appropriately.  "Where are you?"

Dearest Jesus, I pray for those today, who are hiding...who need to know that You know where they are and are calling them out and back into fellowship with You.  Lead them out of hiding, dear Jesus.  Let them know that even a "little sin" causes them broken fellowship with You.  Thank You, Lord that You speak...that You seek us out...that You, above all, miss us, when we are not walking with You in the garden of life.  Thank You.   You are amazing.  I praise You, Lord.  I praise You.  

What's All the Whoopla About Manna?

After all these years of being a Believer - and I still got it wrong.  I've read Numbers 11 more than once during my walk with the Lord, but evidently, I didn't pay very close attention to the description of manna.  I thought it was actual bread.  I thought the Lord miraculously sent down a white, wafer-like substance that the people collected and ate.  That's why, when I read Numbers 11:7-9, I was surprised:

Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium.  The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil.  And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.    

"Why all the whoopla about manna?" you might ask.  Well, my curiousity wasn't sparked by the actual manna, itself.  Instead, it was the work that went into using the manna that caught my attention.  The Israelites had to go out and gather the substance.  Can you imagine trying to pick up enough seed-sized pieces of manna for a day's meal?  That was a lot of work, I'm sure.  And then after that, they had to bring home their "super food," grind it in a hand mill or beat it in the mortar, and then bake it.   Whew...it makes you realize that they did a little more than just sit around and watch camel wrestling while they were in the desert.  The Isralites worked.  They provided for their families.  Yes, God gave them the substance to use - the perfect Super Food - but He didn't spoon-feed it to them.

Can you imagine what would have happened to the Israelites' work ethic - not to mention their waistlines - if all they had to do was roll off their mat in the morning, shove a few pieces of manna in their mouths and roll back over?  They would have become lazy and unable to take care of themselves.  They wouldn't have known what to do when they reached the Promised Land and their pre-packaged food from heaven disappeared.  They would have had to re-learn how to work...how to cook...how to live off the land.

God was so wise in NOT spoon-feeding them, don't you think?

And yet, how many times do we want God to spiritually spoon-feed us!?!  Okay, I'll head this one my direction.  How many times do I want God to spiritually spoon-feed me?

I want to be close to Him - without working at it.  I want to be holy - without spending time DOING what the Bible tells me to do.  I want to hear from Him - but I'm not willing to sit down long enough to wait to hear from Him.  I want self control to be evident in my life - but won't put down that extra piece of pizza.  It's there...it needs to be eaten right???

No, it doesn't.


II Peter 1:3 (NLT) says that God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence.  

Guess what that verse tells me.  It tells me that we want it all, and we CAN have it all!  It's all available to us.  We CAN be in close fellowship with Him.  We CAN be holy in our thoughts and behaviors.  We CAN hear from Him, because He wants to speak to us.  We CAN put down that extra piece of pizza and have a little self control!  Why?  Just like manna in the wilderness, through Christ, God's provided us with exactly what we NEED to grow.  He's given us His Word to guide our daily lives.  He's given us the ability to communicate with Him through prayer.  He's given us the Spirit, so that He can communicate with us.  He's given us everything we need for life...for living a godly life.

We just have to roll off our mats, grab a basket, put some muscle into our faith and get to work.

That's a great thought, but what does putting faith to work actually look like?  It looks like making intentional moves towards loving God with all our hearts, our souls, our minds, and our spirits.  It looks like choosing to love others as ourselves and putting their needs above our own selfishness.  It looks like spending time with Him - not just once a day, but all day - thinking about Him, talking to Him, listening for Him.   It looks like honoring His Word by responding to His commands with a resounding, "Yes Sir!"  It might even look like exhibiting some self control by putting down that extra piece of pizza - even though it might go to waste!

That's what it looks like.  Now, the question is...will you join me in living it?



God in Heaven...In Your wisdom, You've given us everything we need to live the godly life we desire, without spoon-feeding us.  You knew we'd be lazy if you did!  Thank You for Your provision for us through the death and resurrection of Christ.  Thank You for wanting us to draw near to You through prayer, through worship and through Bible study.  May we honor You by doing those things today - all day.  Praise You, Lord Jesus.  Praise You. 

My Letter to the Editor of the Selma News

I've always wanted to write a Letter to the Editor  You know...just to let him know what I think about some of the things that he writes in his newspaper, but I never have.  So, today, I'm breaking a long-standing tradition of NOT doing something that I've always wanted to do.  So, Mr. Rick, get ready!


Dear Mr. Editor,

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.  Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (NLV Phil. 1:3-6).     

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ for this will bring much glory and praise to God (v. 9-11).

Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere,  I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your heart(s) will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called—His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms (Eph. 1:15-20). 


Sincerely, 
Belinda Kirk 

There,  I did it.  I wrote my letter to the editor.   

Isn't it about time you wrote a letter to someone, too - a letter of encouragement, telling them how they have affected your life and how much they mean to your family and the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  You never know what might happen, because you choose to uplift a brother or sister in Christ.  Your letter might be the thing that keeps them going for another day...that makes them really want more of Christ...that makes them press on, when they want to give up.  

So, just do it.  Put down the paper, grab a pen, and write that note.  Whether it's scribbled on a napkin or the most elegant stationary, I can guarantee, it will become a precious piece of art to the one who receives it.  

Dear Jesus,   
Teach us how to encourage one another and challenge us to do it more often.  Help us not allow ourselves to get so busy that we put off doing the things that Your Word is full of - encouraging one another.  Thank You, Lord, for the people you have placed in our lives that have meant so much to our walk of faith.  Thank You for their lives and their obedience to You.  We praise You, today, Jesus...and always.   

(Just so you know...Mr. Rick is the Newspaper Editor of the Selma News which allows my husband and me to write a Christian column each week.  He's a Godly man who's not afraid to share the Good News with his readers.)  

The God Who Sees

She was different.  She wasn't like the others.  This young girl had a place of prominence in the home of Abraham.  Hagar was Sarah's maidservant, and even though she had been "purchased," the position she held was one of honor and trustworthiness.

But all this changed, when Sarah - her "master" - became impatient with God.

God had promised a son to Abraham and Sarah years earlier, but the promise had not been yet fulfilled.  So, she decided to take matters into her own hands, and give Hagar to Abraham as a concubine.  Sarah's impatience and ultimate lack of trust in God, led to Hagar being thrust into a relationship that ultimately, they both probably regretted. 

It wasn't Hagar's fault.  She didn't deserve to be treated like a pawn in the lives of others, but it happened.

She became pregnant, and it was obvious that when she did, her feelings for Sarah changed.  Maybe she was angry that Sarah would claim her child as her own.  Maybe her pregnancy intensified her feelings of being "used."  Whatever the reason, Hagar began to "despise" Sarah.

Of course, Sarah didn't like this one bit.  She "dealt harshly with her," so Hagar "fled from her presence" (Gen. 16:6).   

And this is where I think the story really gets interesting.  You see, Hagar fled into the wilderness and ended up by a spring of water.  I'm sure by this time, a lot of the anger she had been experiencing was now melting away in her tears.  What would she do?  Where would she go?  She had no one - she thought - except the child who grew within her womb.  Then, she heard a voice:  "Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?" (Gen. 16:8).

It was the Lord's voice, and get this, He didn't just speak to her...He called her by name!  She wasn't an Israelite.  She wasn't part of the Chosen Ones.  She was a foreigner...and yet, God spoke to her and called her by name.

She told Him she was fleeing her master, and the words He spoke in response, have tugged at me all week. You would think that God would put His arm around her and tell her everything would be alright.  You would think He'd commend her for remaining with Sarah so long, despite her treatment.  You would think God would snap His fingers and make everything okay.  Sure, Hagar had been angry with Sarah and probably a little nasty, but this situation wasn't her fault.  She had been thrust into servanthood, and now motherhood, without ever wanting either...at least not in this way.

Yet, God didn't remove her from the situation.  He didn't let her stay in the wilderness.  Instead, He told her to do something hard...to go back and "submit herself" under the hand of Sarah.

Why would He do that?  Why would He tell her to go back into the uncomfortable situation from which she had just fled?  

Not taking into account God's ultimate plan, the main reason she had to go back was that it was simply the right thing to do.  She "belonged" to Sarah.  Period.   God told her to do the right thing...the hard thing...and then He told her He would protect her and her son.  He told her that Ishmael would indeed, grow up and that her descendants would be as a multitude too difficult to count.

At this, "Hagar called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees" (Gen 16:13).
 

Hagar came to recognize that the God of Israel saw her in the midst of her hard situation - that He saw she had not asked for what life had given her - that His eyes were upon her... 

...and for Hagar, THAT was enough...

...enough to go back to Sarah...enough to endure the hostility and resentment...enough to live in a home of strife....enough to do the right thing and go home.   

Beloved of God, you probably won't find yourself in a situation exactly like Hagar's today, but you might find yourself running from one where you're being treated unfairly - a hard life that wasn't your fault.  Let me encourage you.  First off, God sees.  He sees you in the midst of your hard place, and He hasn't left you alone.   He sees your struggles.  He sees your heartaches.  He sees...and even though He may not take you out of that hard place, He has a plan.  Your job is to trust that and in response, to do the right thing... to be obedient to Him and not run away from the path He's chosen you to walk, no matter how difficult...to desperately search out His voice in the midst of all the others and obey it without reservation.

Sometimes, just the fact that He sees, has to be enough.     

I AM IN NO WAY advocating for you to remain in an abusive relationship.  I am advocating, however, for you not to run away from the hard place you find yourself in, just because it's hard...just because You haven't seen God show up yet.  He is there, my friend, and He sees you.

Jesus, today, I pray for those who find themselves THERE...who find themselves in places, not of their own making.  I pray that You would show Yourself to them - that You would come along side and comfort and encourage them that You do, in fact, see them - that their struggles have not gone unnoticed by You.  I pray they will be encouraged today to do the right thing in the face of those things that attempt to steal their joy and their lives.  You want to and can do this, Father.  Show Yourself to them, today.  I praise You, Lord...for You, alone are worthy.   

The Grammar Nut

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be pleasing in your sight, O God, my Strength and my Redeemer.  Ps. 19:14

I'm an English grammar nut.  Yes, I know, sometimes I DO start my sentences with "And" and "But," but believe me, I know I'm not really supposed to begin sentences with conjunctions in formal writing.  It's taken a lot of practice for me to be able to utilize those words in that capacity.  I still cringe, but I'm also a grammar rebel at heart!

Because of my grammar fixation, my eyes pay attention to every little comma, every set of quotation marks, every semicolon,  etc...  This morning was no exception.  As I read the Gideon-placed, hotel Bible, the abundant use of a possessive pronoun held me captive.  In the above verse, the word "my" appears 4 times - my mouth, my heart, my Strength, my Redeemer.

My Mouth:
The psalmist prayed "let the words of my mouth...be pleasing in Your sight."  Personally, I'd almost rather see "let the words of someone else's mouth."  That way, it wouldn't be so personal...so convicting.  Yet, the psalmist wanted this to be personal.  He wanted HIS words coming out of HIS mouth to please Jesus.

My Heart: 
Again, wouldn't it be so much easier and less convicting if the things spoken of - the feelings we allow to consume us, the fears we let overwhelm us, the thoughts we let override our righteous behavior - if all these things, belonged to someone else!  However, the psalmist knew it would not do any of us any good to pray for others in this regard, unless we, ourselves, were right before the Lord.

My Strength:
The last two possessives in the verse are really sweet...the first being, "my Strength."  You know, God never uses words in His Word without a purpose.  That's why I find the psalmist calling God - my Strength - very sweet.  He was asking his personal God to let the words and the things he would think throughout his life, be pleasing.  He also knew this wasn't just going to happen.  He knew his own sinfulness and weaknesses.  So, in order for his words and the motives of his heart to be pure, the psalmist would need supernatural help.  He would need HIS God to be his Strength. 

My Redeemer:
And then (there's that grammar rebel again!), he uses the possessive pronoun one more time - "my Redeemer."  Now, this is beautiful to me.  For you see, the psalmist probably knew that eventually in his human form, he would not choose to use God as his Strength.  He would stumble, and the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart would be less than pleasing to his God.  Yet, he knew God to be not just his Strength, but his Redeemer.  He knew that even if he did fail, God could and would "buy back" or "redeem" his failures for his ultimate good and for God's glory.  How beautiful is that!?!

So, in light of all this, there's only one thing to do at this point - make this verse our very own - make it personal.  Let's pray...

Lord Jesus, today, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You today, O God, my Strength and my Redeemer.  

His Banner Over Me is Love

When I was little, I loved watching the Miss America Pageant.  There was just something about all the beautiful girls with the gorgeous dresses and the bigger-than-life hair that captivated me.  I especially loved the talent part of the competition and would often imagine myself singing and dancing right along side all the lovely ladies.  Oh, and the Top Ten was always sooo exciting back then.  If you were anything like me, I would always pick who I thought it should be and rant and rave when the judges weren't "right."  

I know you are wondering where in the world this is going, but trust me, I have a method in my madness.  My "madness" is not necessarily to get you thinking about beauty contests and all the pageantry that accompanies them.  Instead, my "madness" is to get you thinking about someone being identified by something.   

Every young girl in that pageant wore something around her torso that identified her with her state.  This "banner" was a very important part of her reign, because it told everyone around her who she was and what she represented.  Even when she wasn't wearing it, the essence of the banner still lingered with her.  She was who that banner said she was - at all times - regardless.  She was "Miss So-and-So."  

The banner was her identity.     

Now, let's move that concept into the spiritual realm.  Song of Solomon 2:4 says, "His banner over me is love."  To me, that's one of the coolest things I've come to understand lately.  When I was a little girl, I had no idea what the phrase meant.  I sang songs about "His banner over me being love," but never could understand it...until now. 

A banner identifies us.  It tell us who a person is.  It tells us who we are.  It explains something about someone or something that everyone needs to know in order for things to make sense.  

When I think about God's banner over me being love, I picture it this way.  Every day, I walk around with a "flag" or banner over my head that identifies me...that tells people who I am.  The banner displays four words...four powerful, life-changing words:  "I love her...God."  God's banner over me identifies me as His beloved.  It tells others (and me) that no matter who people say that I am, He loves me.  It doesn't matter if my hair is standing on end or my eyes are sagging from exhaustion.  It doesn't matter if I am at church in the middle of a prayer meeting, or somewhere else in the middle of doing something I'm not supposed to be doing, my God still looks on me and loves me.  I am, and always will continue to be, the object of His genuine, deep affection...of His love. 

You see, UNLIKE the "Miss America" banner, the banner that God places over me can never be taken away.  Period.  It will always remain.  Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Praise God that His banner over me will always be love!  I can't think of a more beautiful way to be identified!  : )

Jesus, thank You.  Thank You that You love me, You really do.  And thank You that You always will.  Remind me of that love today - of Your banner today - that can never change or be changed.  I love you, Lord.  I truly do. 

The Eyes of the Lord

I couldn't help it.  I just couldn't help it.

I'd been sitting in my bright red, Georgia stadium chair, wincing and flinching at every move - every drill - every exercise.  My poor little (almost-as-big-as-me) boy was going through torture, and I was going through it with him...just not on the field.  He was completely drenched from sweat, and yet, the coach wanted them to line up and run the drill again.  I could tell he was exhausted.  My "Momma's heart" wanted to step out on the field, pull the coach off to the side and politely say, "Don't you think they've had enough for tonight?"

If it hadn't been for the horrid pictures of "Momma's boy" popping into my mind, I might have done it.  Instead, I thought better of myself and decided to stay quiet.  I knew Alex didn't want to quit running...not just yet.  I knew he "had it in him," but I wondered if he knew.

Back and forth, his body's form crossed my line of vision, running so fast and hard his body heaved with every step.  I didn't know if he could take much more...and yet, he kept on pushing...driving to be better and stronger.

I wasn't the only one who noticed my son's effort.  The coach's billowing voice rose above all the moans and groans on the field, "I see you, Kirk!  I see you!"  And wouldn't you know it...the boy who looked as if he was on his last leg, somehow, after hearing his coach's words of encouragement, found new strength to fight harder to finish the race....to push through the exhaustion and pain that was pounding in his thighs and calves with every step.  Somehow, those words spurred my son on to greater strength...strength I don't think he knew he had.

So I couldn't help it.  I just couldn't help it.  I teared up.  Pools of salty water welled up in the corners of my eyes, and I almost lost it,  for quietly off in the distant places inside my spirit, I heard those words repeated.  Except this time, the recipient was different.  This time, the Author was different:  "I see you, Kirk.  I see you." 

II Chron. 16:9 says that the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him, (NIV).  Isn't that cool?  God's eyes roam the earth not to judge those He loves, but to strengthen those who love Him - who are devoted to Him.  That should mean something to us.  It should bring us great comfort that we're not hidden from God's sight.  He sees us.  He sees our struggles...our difficulties...our weakness...our victories.  He sees us when we think we're too tired to go on and just can't take another step.  And it's at those points where He does what only He can do.  He comes along side of us and strengthens us with His kindness.  He encourages us with the knowledge of His presence.  He spurs us on and responds to us and our situations according to His great love for us.    

Dearest Jesus, 
Thank You for your comfort.  Thank You for searching me out and fulfilling my need for encouragement today.  Thank You for strengthening my tired body and mind...for exchanging my energy for Yours.  Thanks for being such a good and gentle Father.  
I praise You, Jesus.  I praise You.   

I Shouldn't Be Alive

Once in a blue moon, the kids will watch a TV show called I Shouldn’t Be Alive.  Occasionally, I get sucked into the plot, as people endure some horrific accidents, only to emerge from the impossible situations, alive and well. 

The program lasts an hour - minus commercials.  So, in actuality, it’s probably only about 45 minutes.  But, because of its length, you can imagine the detail with which the writers go to keep the audience attentive.   They quickly draw you in by causing you to “know” the person or people involved.  You “become acquainted” with someone you’ve never met...and then something tragic occurs.  Well, of course, you’ve got to watch the rest of the show to see what happens to your new-found friend! 

There’s just something so captivating about someone being in a near-death experience and then being able to beat the odds and remain alive.  It always makes me think of how thankful these people need to be to the Lord for sparing them - for giving them one more chance to find Him.  For the most part, though, you don’t hear a lot of them talking about how God led their rescuers to find them, or how God gave them the strength to pull themselves along the desert floor, until they could reach the safety of their plane wreckage.  Most of the time, you just hear them speak of their strong desire to never give up, and their decision to fight for their lives, until the end.

Well, can I just say, as I thought about my own life the other morning, I realized their were many times that I, too, was in a life-threatening situation and lived to tell about it.  At those times, Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” was so very evident!  Whether it was the time our family car rolled off an embankment and tumbled into the water or the time a pack of wild dogs came to visit my brother and me in the field, there have definitely been times in my life that were very questionable as to whether or not I would survive.  Yet “Somehow,” I did - without a scratch! 

Thinking about those instances in particular, made me think of a few more times the hand of God had been evident in my early life.  I thought about God’s protection and how I could see His plan for my life at those moments - how I could picture Him saying, “Enough” or “Leave her alone,” and instantly, my circumstances obeyed His every command.

I thought long and hard about those things...and I was thankful and humbled at the thought of His preciousness towards me. 

And then, I began to think about other times - times when I didn’t emerge from my “accidents” unscathed - times when Jeremiah 29:11 didn’t look so obvious - when it seemed that everything that could have gone wrong, did.  But you know, something about remembering God’s plan in days’ past - remembering just how “in control” I had seen Him be - made me think more confidently about His plans in days’ present.  It assured me that in those hard times, His control didn’t lessen.  His protective nature wasn’t dulled towards me.  Instead, His provision remained constant and the times when He didn’t command my circumstances to “Stop,” His plan - His perfect plan - just looked a little bit different than what I expected.

Thank You, Lord, for Your plan for me - for Your saving graces on the days I knew I was in a fight for my life, and even on the days I didn’t.  Thank You for Your control over my circumstances and their obedience to Your will.  Thank You that I can trust You to see what needs to happen in my life - and in me - in order to make me more like You.  Help me, Lord, to remember Your plan...Your design for my life...when the days get hard and situations seem insurmountable.  I praise You, Lord.  Praise You, Jesus.

“For God causes all things to work together for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose,”  (Romans 8:28).

It's Just Not Fair

“It’s just not fair!”  If you are a parent, I’m sure you have heard this phrase coming from the beloved mouth of your little ones at one point or another.  But before you agree wholeheartedly with a resounding “AMEN!” consider for yourself that you have probably uttered those words once or twice yourself...as have I.

In Psalm 73, Asaph was feeling a similar frustration.  He says that his “feet had almost stumbled.  My steps had nearly slipped for I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked,” (2,3).  He said they “are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men,” (v. 5). 

And that’s just the beginning.  He went on to talk about how the unrighteous were “always at ease” and “increase in riches...Their eyes bulge with abundance. They have more than heart could wish, (v.7).”  “Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence.  For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning,” (v. 13). 

Looks like Asaph, like many of us, was indeed having difficulty with the idea that life isn’t always fair...that good doesn’t always conquer evil...at least in this realm of eternity.

Thankfully, the Psalm doesn’t end there.  If it did, we might get the idea that being righteous in an unrighteous world just doesn’t pay.   Instead, rather than complaining and getting stuck in his discouragement, Asaph takes this issue to God.  “When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me - UNTIL I went in to the sanctuary of God, Then I understood their end,” (17).

In the verses before Asaph’s “quiet time,” he had been envious and almost bitter about the prosperity of the wicked.  However, after coming to understand their ultimate fate,  Asaph’s heart was humbled and broken for them - and thankful for his relationship with the Lord - “ I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.  Nevertheless I am continually with you; You hold me by my right hand.  You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but You?  And there Is none upon earth that I desire besides You.  My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” 

God reminded Asaph that not only would good eventually prevail, and evil receive its just reward, but that in the midst of it all, He was there...holding his hand...giving him strength to endure...guiding him in every step he took. 

Maybe you find yourself in a similar boat today.  Maybe your tired of living the righteous life at work.  Maybe your tired of living the righteous life at home.  Whatever the case, I’m sure it feels like it would be so much easier just to yell at someone - just once - or choose to lie about something - just once.  After all, the results would make life seem a little fairer, and you’d feel a lot better about someone else getting what they deserved.  I can promise you, that wouldn’t be the case at all.  Giving in to the flesh will only serve to cause you to lose the ground you’ve gained in your witness, as well as break your sweet fellowship with the Lord.  Besides, it might even lead the unrighteous, further into unrighteousness after seeing you fall.

So, I encourage you.  Don’t lose heart in the midst of the battle.  God IS just and fair.  Good will ultimately prevail...and who knows.  Maybe He might just choose to use your righteousness in the midst of an unrighteous situation, to turn the wicked from their ultimate fate.

Open our eyes, Lord, to see further down the road than just where we are today.  Help us see You working in our lives...drawing us closer...using pressure to create beautiful examples of Yourself in us for others to follow.  Thank You for being good and just.  I praise You, Jesus.  Praise You. 

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place

They were stuck. The Israelites knew it. Moses knew it. The Egyptians knew it. 

“And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness’” (Ex. 14:10-12).

The Israelites were stuck between a rock and a hard place, but there was nothing proverbial about their danger. The Egyptians were chasing after them to annihilate them, and the Red Sea in front of them was in effect, pinning them down until the enemy got there.

They were stuck…and in the midst of their fear, they complained against Moses and God. “How could he lead us out here in the desert just to die? Why did we follow Moses after all? We had it better back in Egypt! What have you done to us, Moses? Where is our God?!” (paraphrased).

You know, I don’t think Moses knew what God was going to do either. I think he probably fought the same questions and fear threatening to take over his mind, as well. AND I think it was just as big a surprise to him as it was to everyone else, when the sea opened up and granted a way of deliverance for God’s people and a way of destruction for the Egyptians

The difference was in the way Moses chose to respond to their situation. He didn’t allow the fear and questions to overshadow his faith. Instead, he made a choice to respond in faith: “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today” Ex. 14:13a.

Moses was in just as much danger, if not more so, than the other Israelites. If he were captured by the Egyptians, he would probably be cruelly tortured before his death. After all, in the minds of the Pharaoh, things were going pretty well until Moses showed up on the scene. Moses had turned his world upside down and in his mind, killed his son in the process. So, if any Israelite had something to fear, it was Moses. And yet his response was anything other than fearful. Instead, his response was one of faith. Moses had spoken with God. He knew God would deliver them. He just didn’t know how. He trusted that God would not allow them to be taken back to Egypt or slaughtered in the desert, for God had proved to him over and over again that He was worthy of trust. God would lead the people to the Promised Land, and this was just one more obstacle to be overcome before they could get there.

I would love to say that my visits between the rocks and the hard places have always proven me to be faithful and trustworthy to God. I would like to say that I would never have responded the way the Israelites did…doubting their path…their leader…their plan…I would like to say that, but I can’t. All too often, I respond the same way they did. I find myself overcome with fear at what is threatening to consume me and in panic over what is ahead of me, blocking my path.

So, today, I’m thinking that before I get in the midst of that situation again – between a rock and a hard place – I will go ahead and make the decision to trust God when those hard times do come. I’ll choose to believe that He alone can deliver, and desires to do so. I’ll choose to remember than He is able and that He will never leave me nor forsake me. And then I will watch and with pancake-sized eyeballs and my mouth dropped open to see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for me. Won’t you join me?!

Dear Jesus, I don’t want to wait to choose faith. I choose to believe today in Your awesome plan for my life. I choose to believe that whatever rocks and hard places come my way, they are not for my destruction, but for Your glory. Help me remain faithful, Lord, as You are faithful to me. I praise You, Jesus. Praise You.

The Treasure of Marriage

This time of year always reminds me of the wonderful day I met my husband.  It was at a 4th of July picnic in Rome, GA - a looooonnnggg time ago - almost 20 years now.  That time frame doesn’t seem possible, but as most of you will attest, time flies when you’re having fun. 

Steve jokingly always says that I “saw him and had to have him.”  Of course, there was quite a bit more to it than that, and one day I’ll have to write it all down for you.  It’s an amazing story, full of God’s intricate timing and unexpected surprises. 

God gave us each other that day...and has blessed us abundantly through this gift of marriage. Sometimes though, I lose sight of that.  I lose sight of what a GIFT I have in my husband, and I take God’s gift for granted. 

For example, the other day I just plain woke up on the wrong side of the bed.  (I know none of you ever do that!)  Things continued to get on my nerves until by the end of the day, I was simply “not nice” to my husband.  Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t yelling at him or throwing things.  I just wasn’t being very nice.  Period.  

The next morning, I got up early and went to spend some time with the Lord.  Still a little grumpy from the night before, I plopped down in my chair and pulled out my Bible.  I just opened it.  I didn’t try to find a verse.  I didn’t get out my devotional book.  I just opened my Bible and began to read. 

Oh how thankful I am for God’s gentle rebukes.  He doesn’t cram judgement down my throat - unless I really need it!  Instead, He gently shows me things in His Word and lets the Spirit do His work.  

I began reading that morning in Malachi 2.  The first part of the passage immediately got my attention.  “And now, O priests, this commandment is for you.  If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings.  Yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart.” 

Pretty powerful stuff, huh?  So, I read on, fully expecting to read more of the dreadful things Judah had done against God, and His judgement upon them.  Then, I reached verse 11: “Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, for Judah has profaned the Lord’s holy institution which He loves: He has married the daughter of a foreign god.” 

My eyeballs stopped dead in their tracks.  I read part of the verse again...the Lord’s holy institution which He loves...the Lord’s holy institution which He loves...the Lord’s holy institution which He loves.  I, in no way, had committed the sin that Judah had.  After all, Steve was a Believer.  I HAD however, taken the gift which is holy...which God loves...for granted.  I had, in essence, turned my nose up at my marriage and at my God who had given that gift it to me.  

It would sort of be like you giving someone you love, something very valuable and precious.  They received your gift, gladly, but then put it down to be trampled on the ground, instead of holding it close to their body and protecting it. 

Think I’m taking this analogy too far?  After all, it wasn’t like I screamed at him or took His favorite coffee cup and smashed it against the wall.  I just let him know that I wasn’t happy with him...in a smart-elec, kinda way. 

No, I don’t think that analogy is a stretch by any means.  God said marriage is His HOLY INSTITUTION WHICH HE LOVES.  Anytime I neglect a gift that God has given me - whatever it is - I have wronged Him,  no matter how small the neglect may seem. 

So, what’s the point?  The point is...you and I need to take our marriages seriously.  We need to protect them from little grumblings and bad attitudes.  We must give our husband/wife precedence over how we feel at the moment, and if he/she has done something to aggravate us, we must make it right with God and then with them.  We should never just go to bed grumpy and by doing so take the beautiful gift that God has given us in marriage, for granted.  We must cherish it as God does and treat it as His holy institution which He loves. 

Jesus, we really do want to honor You with our lives...with our marriages.  We want to bring You glory, by showing others the reality of Your love, through the gift You have called marriage.  We are a picture of Your covenant love towards those who believe.  May that picture be an accurate representation of You.  Forgive us when we falter in that and teach us to how to hold Your gift as a precious and prized possession.  We love You, Jesus.  Teach us we pray. 

School's Not Really Out...It's Always In

²⁸ “ Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matt. 11:28-30

I love these verses.  Those of you who read my writing on a consistent basis, know that I do!  When I found them years ago, it was the first section caught my attention the most:  "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest."  But it hasn't been until the last couple of years, that the next verse in that passage has truly become a treasure to me in learning, not just about rest, but truly how to find it. 


Recently, one simple phrase from those verses has visited my mind over and over again.  I hear it in my spirit when I'm frustrated.  I hear it when my temper flares.  I hear it when my day is oh soooo long.  Learn from Me.  Christ says, Learn from Me.  

Sounds like I'm back in school, doesn't it?  Well, maybe that's because I am!  By using this phrase, Christ is trying to get me to understand that in order to receive the peace I so greatly desire, I have to do some homework.  It's not good enough to simply get up and spend time with Him in the morning before life starts.  This relationship - my surrendering to His lessons - has to be an all day long thing.  I have to put pencil to paper - for peace.  I have to learn from Him.  

I've found the main help in learning from Christ consists of recognizing when my relationship with Him is in jeopardy.  I'm not talking about eternal security.  I'm talking about recognizing when sin is crouching at my door and about to pounce on me, thus hindering my ability to hear my Father's Words and let Him teach me.  

For example, when I feel myself getting frustrated, and I hear those sweet Words of His - learn from Me - I CHOOSE to submit my anger to Him.  I literally tell Him that I am angry, and I am sorry for my anger.  I tell Him in my mind - and sometimes out loud - that my heart is not right before Him, and I need help.  I submit myself.  I  bow my head and relinquish my right to myself.  And when my anger subsides, I know I have learned from Him.  That's when peace abounds and anger is replaced.  It's strange indeed, but oh so amazingly true.  

So I ask you today...are you learning from Him?  Are you filled with the peace God promises or with frustration and anger?  Then let me encourage you, to ask God for ears to hear Him.  Ask Him to show you the sin that so easily entangles you.  Ask Him to help you learn from Him, and then join me in study hall, and we'll do our homework together!  


Thank You, Jesus.  Thank You that You love to teach us Your will through Your Word.  Thank You that You have provided ever instruction for godly living that we will ever need.  Thank You that as we follow these instructions and learn from You, Your peace abounds in us.  We love You, Jesus.  We love You. 

God's On the Move

Yesterday while tending my garden, I spotted something in the middle of one of my rows that surprised me.  It was a pea plant.  Actually, there were three of them, all scattered in different places.  I didn’t plant them there.  I planted them on the top of the row, not the middle.  I thought back and figured out what happened.  A storm front came through a couple of days after I planted them.  I remember being afraid that all the seeds would be washed away, but fortunately, I only lost a few...and then, evidently, found them! 

I had to do something.  I couldn’t just leave those little pea plants there in the middle of the row to be trampled on or tilled deep into the earth.  So, I dug my hoe deep beside each one and carefully transplanted them on top of the row where they belonged.  As I dug the last little plant, it seemed to scream at me: “But I’m happy here!  I don’t want to go!” 

Of course, it really didn’t scream at me, but it just looked so happy...so comfortable...so healthy, living there in the middle of the row.  Hmmm....
 
I have to admit, many times when God wants to move me - whether it be a physical move (staying in a hotel and another home for the past 3 ½ months) or an emotional move (choosing to be joyful, when I really don’t feel like it), I don’t often respond well.  I look at Him and whine, “But I’m comfortable here.  I like it here.  Please don’t move me.  I don’t want to go!”  And yet, what I say and what I need are two totally different things.  Because you see, God sees what’s GOING to happen to me if I don’t move.  He knows that the figurative feet of children and adults are headed my way, as I sit comfortably in the middle of the row.  He also knows the tiller is coming, and that would be the ruin of my existence.   He knows these things, and I don’t.  He sees them and I don’t.  He understands the perils of my remaining where I am, and I don’t. 

So, what’s my alternative?   

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.   Is. 43:18-19. 

I know that God was speaking to the Israelites in this passage, but I think we can apply it to us, as well.  God wants to do something “new” with us, too.  He wants to make “ways” for us in our deserts and “streams” for us in our wastelands....even when we don’t want Him, too.  He wants to take us to new places in our walks with Him...places we’ve never been before...amazing places full of life and abundance.

So, if God is moving you today...physically or emotionally...let Him do it.  Instead of whining at Him and telling Him how much you don’t want to be moved, praise Him.  Praise Him that He is in control and knows what’s headed down your path.  Praise Him for His gentle hand and His loving touch.  Praise Him that your “new place” will cause growth and produce fruit for you and for others around you.  Choose to praise Him, my friend, in the “new things” and then watch as He opens up the “ways” in your deserts and gushes forth the “streams” in your wastelands.   

Lord, we love you.  Help us, Lord, to trust Your moving hand.  Help us to fully comprehend the way You move us and realize that if we stay where we are, we will be of no use to anyone, including You.  Strengthen our hands as we continue to work and our feet as we continue to walk in Your ways.  We praise You, Father, for being sooooo very good.   I praise You, Lord.  Praise You.

Saltwater, Sin and a Shark

I'm always on the look-out for good, educational books for my kids, and the other day, I found a "whopper."  The title, The Old Farmer's Almanac Kids, doesn't really make the book sound like a fascinating kids' book, but once you open it, the stories just seem to jump off the page...for example, this true tale about a helpful shark.  It seems that in 1799, a ship captain by the name of Thomas Briggs was arrested for smuggling goods between Aruba and the U.S..  He declared his innocence at his trial, knowing the defense didn't have much evidence to go on.  However, the trial took an unexpected turn when a a British captain entered the courtroom with evidence to convict Briggs.  Evidently, the captain had caught a shark at sea, finding papers in its stomach, detailing Briggs' smuggling operations written in his own handwriting!  Briggs, realizing he was doomed, confessed to the crime and was convicted.

After reading the next few paragraphs, I hope you'll understand why I took you on this little historical detour. Reading this morning in Micah 7, I found this verse:  You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea (19), which led me to another verse:  As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Ps. 103:12). 
Unlike Thomas Briggs, as Believers our sins - when forgiven - will never be brought against us again.  Briggs was tried and convicted, because his sins were thrown into the depths of the sea, but resurfaced to prove his condemnation.  Praise be to our God, who not only casts our sins into the sea when we ask for forgiveness, but separates them from us as far as the east is from the west.  Our sins will never resurface to bring judgement upon us, because there are no longer any papers of accusation to be found.  

On occasion, though, our sins DO resurface to haunt us.  We go fishing on our own, reel in the shark, cut it open and pull out the papers one by one, convicting ourselves before Christ, nullifying in our own minds the forgiveness He's already granted.  Ridiculous, don't cha' think?  

On the other hand, sometimes the papers resurface for another reason.  Un-confessed sin will not remain underwater.  As followers of Christ, when we refuse to repent from a sin or choose to hide from it, the Spirit will go fishing on His own.  He wants to bring you back into a right relationship with the Father, and He won't let that shark stay at the bottom of the ocean.  He'll drag it up, inch by inch until you realize your waywardness from Christ, repent from your sin, and draw near once again to the Father.    

So today, if you're struggling with the heaviness of your sin, do one of two things.  First of all, if this thing that haunts you is un-confessed, confess it, repent (turn) from it, and follow after Christ.  Yet, if this sin that haunts you has already been covered by the blood of Jesus,  toss the thing back into the depths of the ocean where it belongs!  Don't let Satan or your own mind use guilt to convict you and hold you captive over something that you've already been forgiven for.  Guilt ties your hands and feet - to bind you - so that you will never know that you are not a convicted criminal, but FREE...and if the Son sets you free, you are free, indeed...no matter what.

Jesus, I praise You today for being my Redeemer...for taking my guilt upon the cross and removing it through Your sacrifice of life.  Thank You that I no longer have to be bound by my past, nor held tight from my future because of my sin.  Thank You that You took care of that for me.  I praise You, Jesus.  Praise You! 

 

Our Vital Necessity

Steve (my wonderful, handsome, loving, caring, dishes-doing-to-let-me-know-he-still-loves-me husband) and I set aside some Scripture verses as our own, when we decided to get married.  Jeremiah 29:11-13 became our life verses and almost 19 years later, they still bring many beautiful memories to mind for me:  

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.

I'm sure many people hold the same verses near and dear to their hearts, but yesterday, as I read the Amplified Bible, I found some additional "meat" to satisfy my Spirit:  Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me (as a vital necessity) and find me when you search for Me with all your heart (vs. 13). 

As a vital necessity - I read over those words again and again and questioned myself.  Was I really searching for God as my vital necessity or was I just merely searching for all the benefits that come from being His child - His joy, His peace, His will?  I decided, it's not the benefits I want to know.  It's Him.  I really, really, REALLY want to know Him. 

To do so, however, requires something  - a searching.  God doesn't just pop out of a bottle like a genie or follow us around like a puppy, waiting to be addressed.  Nope. Instead, He says we have to search for Him - determinedly, thoughtfully, desperately -  to find Him.  After all, God is our VITAL NECESSITY...and our search for Him should exemplify that. 

Let's imagine for a moment.  If you were stranded on a desert island with no food or water, what would be the first thing you would look for?  Silly question, right?  I can almost - I said ALMOST - guarantee that you wouldn't look for a new pair of palm leaf shoes or the latest coconut hair handbag to take up space in your new closet - handwoven from vines!  No, you'd look for the vital necessities for life - the things you need to live on a minute by minute basis.  Nothing else would matter...not your checkbook, not your car, not cable TV...not even the fact that you had to climb up jagged peaks and cut your hands and feet to pieces to get to the only clean water source on the island.  Nothing would matter to you, EXCEPT finding that vital necessity.  

That's the way we are to search for God...as THE (word change, my own) Vital Necessity of life.  Oh, and guess what?  When we search for Him in this manner, He promises to be found.  How cool is that!?! 

Now, I'm not suggesting we all go out and seclude ourselves on an island, so we can focus completely and totally on finding God.  That would be totally out of God's will, unless He specifically told you to do so...and I don't know of many people He's instructed to do that!  

I am suggesting though, that we change our way of thinking about finding God.  I'm saying we need to search for Him, not just at church on Sunday or Wednesday, but all the time - being constantly aware that He is our Vital Necessity, and we must find Him to find life.  That means we must be in a spirit of prayer at all times.  It means we must read His Word, as much as possible during the day and memorize as much of It as possible.  Searching for God as our Vital Necessity means we must be in an attitude of anticipation throughout the day, so as not to miss what He does next.  It means searching for Him around every corner of your life, as you would for clean water on a deserted island. 

Scripture says, THEN we will find Him.  We will find our Vital Necessity for life.   

Now, let me ask you again,  "How cool is that?!?"  

Dear Jesus, we want to know You.  We want to learn how to search for You as our Vital Necessity for life.  Teach us, Lord to do so.  Correct our eyes when we look away and our feet when we turn from Your direction.  Thank You, Lord, that you promise that when we seek for You in this manner, You WILL be found.  What a Treasure You are to us, Lord.  Thank You, Jesus.  Thank You.  

Will You Have a Husky in the Morning?
This morning during breakfast, my little one reminded me of a quote that I read on Facebook a couple of days ago. He, of course, never saw the quote, but I did...and it stuck. I can’t remember who posted it or what time of day I saw it, but the words and their meanings will forever be etched in my memory. Now this is probably not word-for-word, but I think you’ll get the point:  

What if you awoke tomorrow with just the things you thanked God for today?

For me, that quote hit home. If the tables were turned and the statement said, “What if you awoke tomorrow with just the things you asked God for today,” then my life might be pretty rich. But I’m afraid I would be a little - no, a lot lacking in the vital necessities of life, if the statement remained the same.

This morning, as Seth prayed, I was reminded of the statement once again. He, (as usual) began his prayer thanking God for all the people that He had made. He thanked God for the trees and the dogs...for all the animals in the world...for Huskies...for birds...for making the moon...and his family. Prayers like this one from him, go on and on and most of the time, they are prayers of thanksgiving. If that quote came true, my little boy would have everything he loved and needed - and SOOO much more, right down to the Husky!

To my shame, I’ve already “fessed up” and said that I would be pretty desperate. What about you? What would your life look like if you had only those things around you today that you thanked God for yesterday? Would your life be filled to the brim and overflowing? Would you, too, have a Husky? Or would you be wandering the streets, desperately searching for the bare essentials like me? I tell you what...let’s not be lacking in the area of thankfulness.

God tells us that we are to be thankful in everything...for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thess. 5:18. (NAS). He tells us that for many reasons. It’s not just because He wants to hear our thanksgiving, but it’s also because He knows what it does for us. It reminds us of how blessed we truly are. It reminds us WHERE those blessings come from. It focuses our attention away from ourselves and to the One who is the Giver of all good gifts. Being thankful lifts our spirits, our countenances, and our moods. He knows that, so in His wisdom, He commands us to do it. It is, after all, God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.

So, right now, think of...and thank God for at least 10 things in your life that He has graciously provided for you. Go ahead, and do it. I’m not writing any more until you do!

Okay, now, throughout the day, make a conscious effort to tell Him “Thank you.” When you wash your hands, tell Him “Thank You” for the hot water. When you eat your dinner, tell Him, “Thank You” for His provision. When you lay your head down at night, tell Him, “Thank You” for a place to sleep and for the sleep that will come...and if it doesn’t come, just think...you have the rest of the night to ponder things to thank God for!  

Dearest Jesus, we do thank You for everything. You have given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. You have given us, most importantly, eternal life. You have given us breath in our lungs and air to breathe. I could go on and on Lord, for You know my heart. Help me to be ever thankful today...more than yesterday, and not as much as tomorrow. I love you, Lord. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You.

The Way He Heals

Sometimes God heals us "out of" our circumstances, and then again, sometimes, He heals us "through" them. I'll never forget learning that eye-opening truth in the Beth Moore Bible study, Daniel. For some reason, that statement made perfect sense to me. Something as difficult as the healing or "non-healing" of God, was finally made accessible and totally understandable to my finite brain.

Both of these situations - healing "out of" adversity and healing "through" adversity - can be found in the Biblical narrative of Naaman.

Naaman was a man who had everything going for him. In II Kings 5, we learn that he was a powerful man in the Syrian army - 2nd in command. He was well-respected by his master, the king. He was a valiant warrior (vs.1). Even his name in Hebrew, means "delightful, pleasant, beautiful"(Bible.org). Despite his stellar reputation and brilliance, Naaman was a physically desperate man. In the last part of verse one, the description of Naaman takes a tailspin: "but he was a leper." Boom. That was it. Unless something miraculous happened, the Great Naaman - the leader of the Syrian army - the pride of Syria - was doomed.

Fast forward: Naaman was healed "out of" his adversity. He journeyed to see Elisha, who sent word for him to wash in the Jordan river seven times. Naaman, unappreciative of the lack of pomp and circumstance presented to him at his arrival at Elisha's house, was angered. He had no desire to take a dip in a dirty river. After all, there were cleaner rivers back in Syria. However, after much pleading by his servant, the prideful Naaman, humbled himself and did as the prophet had said. He went into the dirty Jordan a leper and came out of the dirty Jordan, cleaner than ever! And get this...after experiencing his healing, Naaman became a believer in YAWEH and ultimately took that belief of the One true God, back to his pagan land of Syria.

Yeah! All's well that ends well.

But wait, there's more. There's another player in this saga...a much smaller player...who's healing didn't come in a "Yeah!" moment. Nope. God didn't heal her "out of" her adversity. Instead, God healed her "through" it.

We don't know a lot about this little girl, other than she was a slave to Naaman's wife after being stolen from her home by the raiding Syrians. I can't even begin to imagine living the life of this little one. It must have been traumatic.

On the upside, she was probably treated very well and had the finest things life could offer a servant girl. But she was still a slave and all alone...separated from her Mom and Dad, brothers, sisters, and friends forever. She knew she would probably never see them - nor her homeland again. Everything she had known was gone...never to be revisited again.

If I was in her shoes, it would probably please me to no end that my captor/master had contracted the disease so feared by my people. I would secretly glory in the revenge taken upon this man who ripped me from my home to live in bondage for the rest of my life.

We're not told if she ever felt this way, but somehow, somewhere, in the midst of her adversity, this little girl found healing "through" these emotional scars. For you see, it was she that told Naaman's wife where he could find healing. Obviously, God did an amazing work in her little life, so that she didn't hold a grudge against her master, but instead, decided that God knew all things and that He still had all things under control, whether it looked like it or not. She allowed God to heal her deep hurts THROUGH her circumstances, as she trusted Him to be in control OF her circumstances.

I find it interesting that we never hear of her again. We don't know if she received her freedom for her advice, but more likely than not, she didn't. I believe she probably stayed with Naaman's wife the rest of her life - taking care of the one who's husband stole her away from her family. But somehow, I don't think it mattered to her, because she saw God not only heal her THROUGH her adversity, but also change everyone else in her life BY her adversity.

Whatever place you find yourself in today, whether you need healing physically or emotionally, or both, know that God can heal - that He does heal - that He wants to heal. But also recognize that that healing may not come in the way you'd expect. Also, know that what He's doing in the adversity that you wish He'd take away may not just be for your good, but for the good of those around you. And finally, just know that He knows what He's doing. So whether He chooses to heal you out of it or through it, trust Him to know which is best.