God's been in the providing business since the beginning of time, however, sometimes His providing looks a little different than what we'd expect it should.
Take Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Now, that's what I call provision. Yet when they sinned, God cast them out of that perfect place to work and scrounge for food for the rest of their lives. That doesn't seem like provision to us, but if you notice, even in the painful act of eviction, God brought provision.
For you see, Adam and Eve had already eaten of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They had already tasted it's fruit and found it delightful to the palate. It was at that point the Tree of Life became a forbidden tree. If Adam and Eve had stayed in the Garden in their condemned state and then eaten of the Tree of Life, they would eternally be bound in sin. They would live forever in their darkened state, and so would we. God's provision was their eviction. It was different than what they expected, but better than what they could have imagined.
How 'bout Jonah? You know, I thought for most of my life that Jonah was being punished by God when that giant of a fish swallowed him whole. Imagine the stench of rotting fish AND of your own body as it sat decaying in the stomach acid. Death by acid...not a way to go!
Yet, once again, my idea of God's provision is much different than reality. For if Jonah hadn't been swallowed by a giant fish, he would have drowned in the sea, never to be heard from again. Ninevah would probably have been wiped off the face of the earth and all the people of the city condemned...if it hadn't been for Jonah's nights with the fish! God's provision was different than what Jonah expected, but better than what he could have ever imagined.
I'll give you one more example, and this is the Mac Daddy of all! Jesus Christ, the King of kings, entered our world as an infant wrapped in pieces of cloth and laid to sleep in a stinky cattle manger, all for our salvation. He lived a poor man's life and died a convicted man's death. God's provision - different than we'd expect, but better than we could ever have imagined.
How 'bout you? Do you have a "different" provision testimony, as well? Can you remember a time in your life when you prayed and prayed for something to happen, and it didn't...only to be grateful later on down the road that it didn't? Or are you in one of those moments right now when you are struggling to see God's provision in your circumstances? Let me encourage you...sometimes God doesn't provide in the way we want Him to or think He should, but that doesn't mean that He's not providing. He is in the midst of your circumstances, giving you the best He has to offer. He knows what you need and when you need it. He's aware of your painful struggle and wants to help heal you through it. My friend, He is good. He is trustworthy. He is able.
Oh, and yes, sometimes His ways of providing for us are a little different than what we'd expect, but I can promise you, they are far better than we could ever imagine.
Lord, I pray for the person reading this that you would reveal Yourself to them in a very personal way today...that You would shock them with Your reality and that You would provide more than they could ever imagine. Give them strength to wait. Give them patience as they trust You. We thank You, God, that You are our Provider. We praise You Father...praise You.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Turning Away of Wrath
My Grandpa Vardaman must have been an amazing man. He passed away when I was small, so I don't remember much about this tall, hard-working man, but I have heard stories. Evidently, Grandpa had "a way" with people, animals, and yes, even insects. As a matter of fact, he kept many beehives at his home, and gathered honey from them on a continuous basis. It is said that my Grandpa could rob a hive of honey bees without any protective gear at all, and NEVER be stung.
Just from that tid-bit of information, I gather that Grandpa must have been, at least in some ways, a gentle man. Otherwise, he would have never been able to steal honey from his hives without being the victum of a few bee stings. If he was hasty or impatient with his little winged-workers, I'm sure they would have let him know of their unhappiness with his harsh behavior. It probably took a few tries before he mastered the process, but evidently, he found that gentleness, instead of harshness, pays huge dividends in honey - and in life, too!
Unlike Grandpa though, I'm afraid sometimes, we're not such quick studies when it comes to learning lessons. I know I'm not. I usually end up learning them the hard way. And learning to be gentle with my tongue, is no exception.
Proverbs 15:1 says "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." This Truth has been played out in life more times that you and I can count, and probably more times in our own lives more than we can count. But which part of the verse exemplifies you? Are you the one who always speaks with gentleness, or are your words characteristic of the latter part of this verse? I find that more times that not, that sharp tongue of mine seems to rise to the occasion, and incite wrath when it could have otherwise been avoided.
How crazy would it have been for my Grandpa to rush up to the beehive, jerk the lid off, and start treating the bees with anything other than gentleness. He'd come away from that experience sore, poisoned, and rather guarded from any future contact with the hive. He'd also come away empty-handed.
Sounds a little crazy doesn't it?
And yet, we do that kind of thing all the time, and that result becomes my reality. Lack of sleep and stress get to our weary bodies, and rather than being gentle with those around us and showing them the respect they deserve, we run "ramshod" over their feelings. Those we love walk away emotionally sore, poisoned, and guarded from any future contact with us. And as for us, well, we come away emotionally empty-handed.
But what about when we are the offended ones? Does this Truth still ring true? Of course, it does. For instance, if someone chooses to "bite" at me, and I fight my instantaneous reaction to fight back, wrath can be avoided. The gentleness in my words and actions can diffuse not just my anger, but that of the other person, and it will keep the situation from escalating further.
Can I just ask, how much better would our lives and our relationships be if we put this simple little verse into practice? There's no reason not to, so, let's do it. Let's remember to act in gentleness, when we feel like being harsh. Let's remember to check our retaliations at the door when we feel unjustly accused. Let's choose to be gentle and respect the other individual as precious in the sight of God...our King.
Dearest God, I need help with this today. Help me give the gentle answer...to be the one who diffuses an intense situation...to be Christ-like when I don't feel very Christ-like. Thank You that You will do this for me. Thank You that Your Word is so true and that You are wisdom for me. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You.
Just from that tid-bit of information, I gather that Grandpa must have been, at least in some ways, a gentle man. Otherwise, he would have never been able to steal honey from his hives without being the victum of a few bee stings. If he was hasty or impatient with his little winged-workers, I'm sure they would have let him know of their unhappiness with his harsh behavior. It probably took a few tries before he mastered the process, but evidently, he found that gentleness, instead of harshness, pays huge dividends in honey - and in life, too!
Unlike Grandpa though, I'm afraid sometimes, we're not such quick studies when it comes to learning lessons. I know I'm not. I usually end up learning them the hard way. And learning to be gentle with my tongue, is no exception.
Proverbs 15:1 says "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." This Truth has been played out in life more times that you and I can count, and probably more times in our own lives more than we can count. But which part of the verse exemplifies you? Are you the one who always speaks with gentleness, or are your words characteristic of the latter part of this verse? I find that more times that not, that sharp tongue of mine seems to rise to the occasion, and incite wrath when it could have otherwise been avoided.
How crazy would it have been for my Grandpa to rush up to the beehive, jerk the lid off, and start treating the bees with anything other than gentleness. He'd come away from that experience sore, poisoned, and rather guarded from any future contact with the hive. He'd also come away empty-handed.
Sounds a little crazy doesn't it?
And yet, we do that kind of thing all the time, and that result becomes my reality. Lack of sleep and stress get to our weary bodies, and rather than being gentle with those around us and showing them the respect they deserve, we run "ramshod" over their feelings. Those we love walk away emotionally sore, poisoned, and guarded from any future contact with us. And as for us, well, we come away emotionally empty-handed.
But what about when we are the offended ones? Does this Truth still ring true? Of course, it does. For instance, if someone chooses to "bite" at me, and I fight my instantaneous reaction to fight back, wrath can be avoided. The gentleness in my words and actions can diffuse not just my anger, but that of the other person, and it will keep the situation from escalating further.
Can I just ask, how much better would our lives and our relationships be if we put this simple little verse into practice? There's no reason not to, so, let's do it. Let's remember to act in gentleness, when we feel like being harsh. Let's remember to check our retaliations at the door when we feel unjustly accused. Let's choose to be gentle and respect the other individual as precious in the sight of God...our King.
Dearest God, I need help with this today. Help me give the gentle answer...to be the one who diffuses an intense situation...to be Christ-like when I don't feel very Christ-like. Thank You that You will do this for me. Thank You that Your Word is so true and that You are wisdom for me. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You.
Monday, January 9, 2012
God is Big, Really, Really Big
Sometimes I get so wrapped up in life that I have a tendency to forget the "bigness" of God. I forget that He ...wraps himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of His upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds His chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants. (Ps. 104:2-4). It just doesn't get much bigger than that.
That is, unless you read Job 38...
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels[a] shouted for joy? "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’? “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment. The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken. “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this. “What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside? Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings? Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years! “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail, which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle? What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth? Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm, to water a land where no one lives, an uninhabited desert, to satisfy a desolate wasteland and make it sprout with grass? Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew? From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen? “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Can you loosen Orion’s belt? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth? “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’? Who gives the ibis wisdom or gives the rooster understanding? Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens when the dust becomes hard and the clods of earth stick together? “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket? Who provides food for the raven
when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?
I don't know about you, but just reading those few verses causes a deep sense of awe in my spirit. That's why I cut and pasted the whole chapter. If you skipped any of it, because it's too long, I challenge you to go back and read it. Amazing doesn't even begin to describe the words, much less the God they represent.
God IS big...really, really big. Seriously, He's more powerful, more knowledgeable, more able, more capable, more everything than we could ever completely understand this side of Heaven. His awesomeness is humbling, exciting and downright scary when you think about it.
Yet, this same BIG God - Who appointed the moon for seasons and the rising and setting of the sun (which by the way, keeps us alive!) - this same God Who carved the mountains and valleys with His fingertips - this same amazing, awe-inspiring, unbelieveably HUGE God, isn't TOO BIG for us.
In all honesty, we should be too small for Him. We should be mere ants on the HUGE scheme of His existence. Who am I kidding...we shouldn't even be on the scheme of His existence! Yet, He calls us His cherished and prized possession...His children...His friends. The God of "Bigness" dances over us with joy and quiets us with His love (Zeph. 3:17). He enjoys our company. He desires communion and fellowship with us. He wants us to be His own...His very own.
Talk about BIG...
Dear God, I praise You that You are BIG...bigger than anything I can comprehend, and yet, You are my God, my Companion, my Love, my Friend. When life happens, remind me of Who You are and how You love me, even in Your "bigness." I praise You, Jesus. I praise You.
That is, unless you read Job 38...
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels[a] shouted for joy? "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’? “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment. The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken. “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this. “What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside? Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings? Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years! “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail, which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle? What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth? Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm, to water a land where no one lives, an uninhabited desert, to satisfy a desolate wasteland and make it sprout with grass? Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew? From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen? “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Can you loosen Orion’s belt? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth? “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’? Who gives the ibis wisdom or gives the rooster understanding? Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens when the dust becomes hard and the clods of earth stick together? “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket? Who provides food for the raven
when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?
I don't know about you, but just reading those few verses causes a deep sense of awe in my spirit. That's why I cut and pasted the whole chapter. If you skipped any of it, because it's too long, I challenge you to go back and read it. Amazing doesn't even begin to describe the words, much less the God they represent.
God IS big...really, really big. Seriously, He's more powerful, more knowledgeable, more able, more capable, more everything than we could ever completely understand this side of Heaven. His awesomeness is humbling, exciting and downright scary when you think about it.
Yet, this same BIG God - Who appointed the moon for seasons and the rising and setting of the sun (which by the way, keeps us alive!) - this same God Who carved the mountains and valleys with His fingertips - this same amazing, awe-inspiring, unbelieveably HUGE God, isn't TOO BIG for us.
In all honesty, we should be too small for Him. We should be mere ants on the HUGE scheme of His existence. Who am I kidding...we shouldn't even be on the scheme of His existence! Yet, He calls us His cherished and prized possession...His children...His friends. The God of "Bigness" dances over us with joy and quiets us with His love (Zeph. 3:17). He enjoys our company. He desires communion and fellowship with us. He wants us to be His own...His very own.
Talk about BIG...
Dear God, I praise You that You are BIG...bigger than anything I can comprehend, and yet, You are my God, my Companion, my Love, my Friend. When life happens, remind me of Who You are and how You love me, even in Your "bigness." I praise You, Jesus. I praise You.
Monday, December 26, 2011
A Christmastime Prayer
Our family sat down to dinner the other day, and our five year old stated he wanted to bless the food. We bowed our heads, turning our attention toward Heaven, and he started: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...." It took me a second to realize what he was doing. He continued: "That whosoever believed in Him would not perish, but have eternal life. AMEN."
"Seffie" had recently learned John 3:16 in his Awana's Spark's class, and I guess no one ever told him NOT to pray it. He'd said many prayers before - beautiful prayers that were intense with the emotions of his little heart, but this one struck me as one of the most precious.
My initial thought was to explain to him that we needed to pray for the food and ask God to make it healthy for us. After all, we were about to eat. Yet, in an instant, I was reminded by the Spirit to keep quiet. Why should I tell him any differently? Why should their be a "right" way to speak to God and "wrong" way. On the contrary, it was a WONDERFUL thing that he prayed the Word of God, back to God. And more importantly, I'm sure it put a smile on the Lord's face.
Oh, and what better prayer could there be this time of year, when all the world struggles with being focused on getting, instead of giving...even in Christian circles. So, I think I'll end this little blog with my own John 3:16 "Christmastime prayer." Won't you join me?
Thank You, my God, for SOOOO loving me that You decided to give me a present that I never deserved, nor could ever earn. Thank You that at just the right time, you placed Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary...that You taught her how to teach Him...that You provided His life for mine...that You chose to allow Him to come and save me. Thank You that you didn't just do that for me, but You did it for my family, my friends, even those that care nothing about me. You chose to bless them with Your precious Gift...if they would only choose to believe. Thank You for the eternal life You have provided for me...for the fact that this eternal life, doesn't just start when I die. My abundant life started the moment I believed and is my comfort here on this earth, until my eternal life continues with You in Heaven. Thank You for Your Gift, God. Thank You for Jesus.
Oh, and thanks for my food, too!
"Seffie" had recently learned John 3:16 in his Awana's Spark's class, and I guess no one ever told him NOT to pray it. He'd said many prayers before - beautiful prayers that were intense with the emotions of his little heart, but this one struck me as one of the most precious.
My initial thought was to explain to him that we needed to pray for the food and ask God to make it healthy for us. After all, we were about to eat. Yet, in an instant, I was reminded by the Spirit to keep quiet. Why should I tell him any differently? Why should their be a "right" way to speak to God and "wrong" way. On the contrary, it was a WONDERFUL thing that he prayed the Word of God, back to God. And more importantly, I'm sure it put a smile on the Lord's face.
Oh, and what better prayer could there be this time of year, when all the world struggles with being focused on getting, instead of giving...even in Christian circles. So, I think I'll end this little blog with my own John 3:16 "Christmastime prayer." Won't you join me?
Thank You, my God, for SOOOO loving me that You decided to give me a present that I never deserved, nor could ever earn. Thank You that at just the right time, you placed Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary...that You taught her how to teach Him...that You provided His life for mine...that You chose to allow Him to come and save me. Thank You that you didn't just do that for me, but You did it for my family, my friends, even those that care nothing about me. You chose to bless them with Your precious Gift...if they would only choose to believe. Thank You for the eternal life You have provided for me...for the fact that this eternal life, doesn't just start when I die. My abundant life started the moment I believed and is my comfort here on this earth, until my eternal life continues with You in Heaven. Thank You for Your Gift, God. Thank You for Jesus.
Oh, and thanks for my food, too!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Christmas - The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?
I've talked to alot of people over the last few weeks, and it seems that more often than not, Christmas-time is difficult. It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, and in reality IT IS. But for some, the most wonderful time of the year is actually the most difficult. Memories flood their minds with loss, and pain takes the place of joy.
And it's not just those who've had loved ones die over the past year. The Christmas-time Blues can hit anyone at anytime. Sometimes I get them - the Christmas-time Blues. I don't necessarily have a reason. I do, however, have a remedy for my "blues" that I think can help transform Christmas for those of you who really DO have a reason to be sad this year.
First and foremost,spend time with Jesus. That must be the priority of your day. You might have been hoping I'd write something else - something magical to take away the pain completely, because spending time with Jesus just seems way too simple. Yet, I've found NOTHING can lighten my heart like time spent with Him. There's no replacement for sweet fellowship with my Savior.
You have to be intentional. Everything seems to rev-up during this time of year, so your desire to hear from Him has to rev-up, too. Start now by carving out time in your day to spend in the Word and in prayer. Better yet, spend your whole day with Him, carving out time for everything else! Speak to Him before you ever put your feet on the floor. Then, grab the Word and "sit a spell," really focusing on what your reading. I think that's a lot of our problem. We don't train our minds to focus on His Word. We focus on the TV just fine, but when it comes to reading the Bible, we think we've heard it all before. Instead of coming to Him with that attitude, how 'bout we come to His Word EXPECTING Him to speak.
Talk with Him about your day - about your grief - your depression - your loneliness - and then tell Him AND yourself that: 1) You know He has a plan for this hurtful thing in your life (Rom. 8:28); 2) He knows what is best (Is. 55:8,9); and 3) You trust Him implicitly (Pr.3:5-6). Then, when your time at home with Him is spent, don't leave Him there. Take Him with you the rest of the day, talking with Him about everything. When you feel the sadness kicking in, tell Him and ask Him to replace your sadness with His joy...your mindset with His. Speak His Words to yourself. Press deeper into Him. Share your deepest thoughts and concerns with Him, as if He were in front of you, staring intensely into your soul. I promise you. You'll begin to hear Him speak to your spirit...calling to mind verses of Scripture that you didn't even know you knew. You'll feel lighter, more joyful, more at peace.
To further emphasize how important this aspect of your life is and how desperately we all need Him, I want to share a few lines from a Christmas card I received this week. My dear friend's husband went to be with the Lord this past July. This Christmas will be her first without him. These are her words:
The family and I are learning to live in our new reality. We have wonderful memories and we still hear his voice, sense his presence, and feel his love. We are grateful to the Lord for the legacy of unconditional love and commitment that Bob instilled in our lives. I find each "first" to be a challenge but I know I have to go through them, and with the Lord's comfort and strength I am doing well. I find that when I take my eyes off of Jesus I can get drawn into a deep pit of sadness and grief. When I look to the Lord who promised me that He would never leave me nor forsake me (Deut. 31:8) I am able to hear His voice and move on. I know that there is a purpose for me to fulfill in this season of my life.
Take it from someone who knows the pain of "firsts." My friend knows what it's like to be without her husband of 50 years for the "first" time. Christmas will never be the same - BUT it will be wonderful - just the same. For you see, my friend knows these things that affect us here on this earth, don't affect the reality of Christmas. The reality of Christmas stands, regardless. For without the birth of Christ, there would be no joy, no peace, no wonderful times. Talk about depressing. Without Christmas, we'd all be downright hopeless. So, whether we know it or not - whether we recognize it or not - whether we FEEL it or not, Christmas truly IS the most wonderful time of the year.
We thank You, God, especially this time of year for Your GIFT of salvation through the Baby Jesus. And we thank You, Jesus, for being willing to clothe Yourself in the rags of humanity, so that You could clothe us in royalty. We praise You, Jesus. Praise You.
P.S. Oh, and one more thing: DO something for someone else. Make a meal for an elderly person that you know. Rake leaves for the widow down the street. Pay for the meal of the person in the car behind you in the drive-thru. Visit a nursing home - a children's hospital. In your sadness, learn to brighten someone else's day...and Scripture promises that "The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself" (Prov. 11:25).
Have a wonderful Christmas!!!
And it's not just those who've had loved ones die over the past year. The Christmas-time Blues can hit anyone at anytime. Sometimes I get them - the Christmas-time Blues. I don't necessarily have a reason. I do, however, have a remedy for my "blues" that I think can help transform Christmas for those of you who really DO have a reason to be sad this year.
First and foremost,spend time with Jesus. That must be the priority of your day. You might have been hoping I'd write something else - something magical to take away the pain completely, because spending time with Jesus just seems way too simple. Yet, I've found NOTHING can lighten my heart like time spent with Him. There's no replacement for sweet fellowship with my Savior.
You have to be intentional. Everything seems to rev-up during this time of year, so your desire to hear from Him has to rev-up, too. Start now by carving out time in your day to spend in the Word and in prayer. Better yet, spend your whole day with Him, carving out time for everything else! Speak to Him before you ever put your feet on the floor. Then, grab the Word and "sit a spell," really focusing on what your reading. I think that's a lot of our problem. We don't train our minds to focus on His Word. We focus on the TV just fine, but when it comes to reading the Bible, we think we've heard it all before. Instead of coming to Him with that attitude, how 'bout we come to His Word EXPECTING Him to speak.
Talk with Him about your day - about your grief - your depression - your loneliness - and then tell Him AND yourself that: 1) You know He has a plan for this hurtful thing in your life (Rom. 8:28); 2) He knows what is best (Is. 55:8,9); and 3) You trust Him implicitly (Pr.3:5-6). Then, when your time at home with Him is spent, don't leave Him there. Take Him with you the rest of the day, talking with Him about everything. When you feel the sadness kicking in, tell Him and ask Him to replace your sadness with His joy...your mindset with His. Speak His Words to yourself. Press deeper into Him. Share your deepest thoughts and concerns with Him, as if He were in front of you, staring intensely into your soul. I promise you. You'll begin to hear Him speak to your spirit...calling to mind verses of Scripture that you didn't even know you knew. You'll feel lighter, more joyful, more at peace.
To further emphasize how important this aspect of your life is and how desperately we all need Him, I want to share a few lines from a Christmas card I received this week. My dear friend's husband went to be with the Lord this past July. This Christmas will be her first without him. These are her words:
The family and I are learning to live in our new reality. We have wonderful memories and we still hear his voice, sense his presence, and feel his love. We are grateful to the Lord for the legacy of unconditional love and commitment that Bob instilled in our lives. I find each "first" to be a challenge but I know I have to go through them, and with the Lord's comfort and strength I am doing well. I find that when I take my eyes off of Jesus I can get drawn into a deep pit of sadness and grief. When I look to the Lord who promised me that He would never leave me nor forsake me (Deut. 31:8) I am able to hear His voice and move on. I know that there is a purpose for me to fulfill in this season of my life.
Take it from someone who knows the pain of "firsts." My friend knows what it's like to be without her husband of 50 years for the "first" time. Christmas will never be the same - BUT it will be wonderful - just the same. For you see, my friend knows these things that affect us here on this earth, don't affect the reality of Christmas. The reality of Christmas stands, regardless. For without the birth of Christ, there would be no joy, no peace, no wonderful times. Talk about depressing. Without Christmas, we'd all be downright hopeless. So, whether we know it or not - whether we recognize it or not - whether we FEEL it or not, Christmas truly IS the most wonderful time of the year.
We thank You, God, especially this time of year for Your GIFT of salvation through the Baby Jesus. And we thank You, Jesus, for being willing to clothe Yourself in the rags of humanity, so that You could clothe us in royalty. We praise You, Jesus. Praise You.
P.S. Oh, and one more thing: DO something for someone else. Make a meal for an elderly person that you know. Rake leaves for the widow down the street. Pay for the meal of the person in the car behind you in the drive-thru. Visit a nursing home - a children's hospital. In your sadness, learn to brighten someone else's day...and Scripture promises that "The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself" (Prov. 11:25).
Have a wonderful Christmas!!!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sing, Sing, Sing!!!
You know, as moms, we don't TRY to embarrass our children - especially our teenagers - however, on occasion, embarrassment happens. Inadvertently, we as parents do something that mortifies our children, so much so that they walk away from us in horror.
I have a teenage daughter now, and I really do try NOT to embarrass her. There's a list of things that I know she hates for me to do when we are in public, so I try not to do those things. HOWEVER, sometimes I fail miserably - not intentionally - just miserably!
One of her least favorite things in the world for me to do is to sing in a public arena. She doesn't mind me singing, if I'm supposed to be singing. It's the singing as I walk down the grocery store isle or in the parking lot - anywhere someone might hear me and realize that SHE'S WITH ME!
The problem is, it's a hard thing for me not to sing. Stores make us do it on purpose, I think. They know that music makes the heart lighter, which will make us more apt to buy things, so they play music. Oh, and I'm afraid Christmas-time is the worst temptation for me. My heart opens up and spills out of my mouth right in the middle of the store! When that happens, my daughter's eyes get larger than life, and her hand moves faster than the speed of light toward her face to cover it. Next, comes the emotionally charged, yet whispered word every parent hears during such an embarrassing moment, "Moooom."
Did you know Jesus sang? I guess I've thought about it before, but not really to the extent that I thought about it this morning. I was reading the Word this morning and came across the Truth of the Last Supper. I say, "Truth," because I hate to use the word "story." It's NOT one!
Anyway, the song Jesus sang at the end of the Last Supper was an intensely deep, joyful hymn. That's cool don't you think? I like to picture Him in my mind - singing to the top of His lungs. He probably had the best voice there. I'm sure, however, Peter sang the loudest!
WHERE He was and WHAT He sang wasn't what got my attention, though. It was WHEN He sang.
Do you remember what happened immediately following the Last Supper? You got it - Christ's betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. Christ sang a song of joy and victory, not long before He suffered as the Victor. In my mind, that had to be hard - to sing a song of joy right before the most sorrowful and painful time of His entire life. Then again, maybe it wasn't as difficult as I think. He knew the end. He knew He would be victorious over death. He knew that this was the only way for the ones He loved to be able to be with Him. He knew it had to be done, despite the agony of the cross. So, He sang.
Shouldn't we, too? Despite "life" - the sorrow, the aching, the bitterness, the betrayals - shouldn't we sing,? After all, just like Christ, we know the how everything ultimately ends. We know that God causes all things to work together for our good and according to His purpose, so the battles that we are enduring even now, are only for our betterment and His glory. We know that things remind us on a daily, sometimes minute by minute, basis that we need Him and that His deep, passionate love for us will not fail to do what needs to be done in order for us to become more like Him. We also know that momentary light affliction here on this earth is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.
So, let's sing. No, I'm not giving you permission to intentionally horrify your teenagers in public! You don't always have to do it loudly or in a public arena. You can sing a song that simply spills over in your heart, without ever opening your mouth. So, sing I say, and make music to the Lord, O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things! Ps. 85:1
We praise You, Lord, even in the midst of our circumstances and even in the midst of the uncertainty of our future here on this earth. We will sing and make melody to You in our hearts, for You have done wonderful things...too numerous to count. We are blessed, Jesus...all because of You! Praise You, Jesus. Praise You.
I have a teenage daughter now, and I really do try NOT to embarrass her. There's a list of things that I know she hates for me to do when we are in public, so I try not to do those things. HOWEVER, sometimes I fail miserably - not intentionally - just miserably!
One of her least favorite things in the world for me to do is to sing in a public arena. She doesn't mind me singing, if I'm supposed to be singing. It's the singing as I walk down the grocery store isle or in the parking lot - anywhere someone might hear me and realize that SHE'S WITH ME!
The problem is, it's a hard thing for me not to sing. Stores make us do it on purpose, I think. They know that music makes the heart lighter, which will make us more apt to buy things, so they play music. Oh, and I'm afraid Christmas-time is the worst temptation for me. My heart opens up and spills out of my mouth right in the middle of the store! When that happens, my daughter's eyes get larger than life, and her hand moves faster than the speed of light toward her face to cover it. Next, comes the emotionally charged, yet whispered word every parent hears during such an embarrassing moment, "Moooom."
Did you know Jesus sang? I guess I've thought about it before, but not really to the extent that I thought about it this morning. I was reading the Word this morning and came across the Truth of the Last Supper. I say, "Truth," because I hate to use the word "story." It's NOT one!
Anyway, the song Jesus sang at the end of the Last Supper was an intensely deep, joyful hymn. That's cool don't you think? I like to picture Him in my mind - singing to the top of His lungs. He probably had the best voice there. I'm sure, however, Peter sang the loudest!
WHERE He was and WHAT He sang wasn't what got my attention, though. It was WHEN He sang.
Do you remember what happened immediately following the Last Supper? You got it - Christ's betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. Christ sang a song of joy and victory, not long before He suffered as the Victor. In my mind, that had to be hard - to sing a song of joy right before the most sorrowful and painful time of His entire life. Then again, maybe it wasn't as difficult as I think. He knew the end. He knew He would be victorious over death. He knew that this was the only way for the ones He loved to be able to be with Him. He knew it had to be done, despite the agony of the cross. So, He sang.
Shouldn't we, too? Despite "life" - the sorrow, the aching, the bitterness, the betrayals - shouldn't we sing,? After all, just like Christ, we know the how everything ultimately ends. We know that God causes all things to work together for our good and according to His purpose, so the battles that we are enduring even now, are only for our betterment and His glory. We know that things remind us on a daily, sometimes minute by minute, basis that we need Him and that His deep, passionate love for us will not fail to do what needs to be done in order for us to become more like Him. We also know that momentary light affliction here on this earth is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.
So, let's sing. No, I'm not giving you permission to intentionally horrify your teenagers in public! You don't always have to do it loudly or in a public arena. You can sing a song that simply spills over in your heart, without ever opening your mouth. So, sing I say, and make music to the Lord, O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things! Ps. 85:1
We praise You, Lord, even in the midst of our circumstances and even in the midst of the uncertainty of our future here on this earth. We will sing and make melody to You in our hearts, for You have done wonderful things...too numerous to count. We are blessed, Jesus...all because of You! Praise You, Jesus. Praise You.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Sometimes, life is hard, and no matter how desperately you try to change things for the better, they only seem to get worse. Where is God in the midst of those times? Beloved, He's right there. He hasn't left you or forsaken you. He can't. It's not in His nature. No matter how alone you feel on the inside, you're not, and He's begging you to test Him and see that He is enough.
I guess I'm thinking along these lines today, because I've had a song stuck in my head for the last couple of weeks. Every time I turn around, "Blessings" by Laura Story is playing in my mind as if it were prerecorded. I want to share the lyrics with you (even better...go on YouTube and search it out so you can hear the song, itself), but I want you to see where they came from (that's also an incredible story you can find on YouTube).
A few months into their marriage, Laura Story noticed her new husband was forgetting things...unusually, forgetting things. His memory over time only got worse, not better. Long story short, he had a brain tumor. This man she'd hoped to spend the rest of her life with...this man she'd just began to really know...was desperately ill. The operation for the removal of the tumor was successful (YEAH), but to this day, he still deals with forgetfulness. Laura Story speaks of her struggle in knowing that God is good on one hand and completely capable and able to heal on the other. She said that in her mind, the two things should go together, and her husband should be healed. BUT he's not, completely. She wrote this song in response.
"Blessings" by Laura Story
We pray for blessings. We pray for peace.
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep.
We pray for healing, for prosperity.
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.
All the while, You hear each spoken need,
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things.
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear.
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near.
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love,
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough.
All the while, You hear each desperate plea,
And long that we'd have faith to believe.
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
When friends betray us,
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home.
It's not our home.
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life,
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy.
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?
Amazing, isn't it...that such an incredibly deep, theologically sound song was not birthed by blue skies or sunny days. This song - that has touched millions and comforted millions (including myself) - was birthed from pain, from sorrow, from seeking the Lord in the darkest of nights. Yes, God is able. Yes, God is good, but we have to trust that what He KNOWS is better than what we KNOW. He sees our suffering, but He also sees what our suffering will bring about and is too good and too kind to give us "lesser things." He sees it for what it will ultimately be...a blessing.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. II Cor. 1:3-4
Blessings be to you, and may you be truly thankful in all things...even the tough stuff...during this Thanksgiving season.
Thank You Jesus, for the things in my life right now that aren't any fun at all...REALLY. Thank You that You are using those things to shape something in me that will be useful to comfort others in my path for days, even months or years to come. You truly are the God of all comfort, and I praise You today. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You.
I guess I'm thinking along these lines today, because I've had a song stuck in my head for the last couple of weeks. Every time I turn around, "Blessings" by Laura Story is playing in my mind as if it were prerecorded. I want to share the lyrics with you (even better...go on YouTube and search it out so you can hear the song, itself), but I want you to see where they came from (that's also an incredible story you can find on YouTube).
A few months into their marriage, Laura Story noticed her new husband was forgetting things...unusually, forgetting things. His memory over time only got worse, not better. Long story short, he had a brain tumor. This man she'd hoped to spend the rest of her life with...this man she'd just began to really know...was desperately ill. The operation for the removal of the tumor was successful (YEAH), but to this day, he still deals with forgetfulness. Laura Story speaks of her struggle in knowing that God is good on one hand and completely capable and able to heal on the other. She said that in her mind, the two things should go together, and her husband should be healed. BUT he's not, completely. She wrote this song in response.
"Blessings" by Laura Story
We pray for blessings. We pray for peace.
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep.
We pray for healing, for prosperity.
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.
All the while, You hear each spoken need,
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things.
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear.
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near.
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love,
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough.
All the while, You hear each desperate plea,
And long that we'd have faith to believe.
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
When friends betray us,
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home.
It's not our home.
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life,
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy.
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?
Amazing, isn't it...that such an incredibly deep, theologically sound song was not birthed by blue skies or sunny days. This song - that has touched millions and comforted millions (including myself) - was birthed from pain, from sorrow, from seeking the Lord in the darkest of nights. Yes, God is able. Yes, God is good, but we have to trust that what He KNOWS is better than what we KNOW. He sees our suffering, but He also sees what our suffering will bring about and is too good and too kind to give us "lesser things." He sees it for what it will ultimately be...a blessing.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. II Cor. 1:3-4
Blessings be to you, and may you be truly thankful in all things...even the tough stuff...during this Thanksgiving season.
Thank You Jesus, for the things in my life right now that aren't any fun at all...REALLY. Thank You that You are using those things to shape something in me that will be useful to comfort others in my path for days, even months or years to come. You truly are the God of all comfort, and I praise You today. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You.
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