I read this e-mail from some friends of ours in Haiti and just had to share it with you. I hope it blesses you, as much as it has blessed me.
Hello Friends,
Well here we are back in Haiti. Only the Lord knew we were coming back and He did not tell us until recently. We are here relieving a wonderful Missionary couple, Wanda and Bobby Temple so that they can get some home time. We plan to return for May and August.
So much has changed and so so much remains the same. We are not doing construction anymore so our teams are just small medical teams. In fact we do not have a team this week. Janet and I did something on Sunday afternoon that we had never done in the two years that we have been coming to Haiti. We took a nap. ( that's sleeping in the day time for you young people). At first the light work load felt good, but after a few days we began to miss the volunteers. Mostly we miss seeing their joy grow each day in the service of the Lord. The weather is cool for Haiti mid to high 80's some days. Very different from the Haiti that I know where you melt away several pounds each day then some more each night. Much of the earthquake rubble has been cleaned up, but there is still trash everywhere and more tent housing along the road from the airport. The poverty, sickness, hunger, lack of education, and neglected children are still as common as the smoke and constant dust of Haiti.
"My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him." 1 John 3: 18-19
While in the US we are sometimes blessed to be invited to speak at Churches about the work of Baptist men. Sometimes the Churches would give us a cash gift. At first this was embarrassing. We did not need the money and were accustomed to giving to the Church... not receiving from it. Then from time to time friends and family would do the same thing. So we realized that God had a plan for these funds. We started taking any gifts we were given along with us on mission and sure enough the Lord always revealed the intended purpose . As we arrived this time in Haiti, we talked with the doctors about any special need that they may know about. We then got busy in the day to day operation and forgot about money that had been given us.
On Friday noon, out of the blue our trusted driver and friend Jude Belzey turned and said to me " When are you going to Emmanuel's (orphanage)?" Now you must understand that I had not planned to go to Emmanuel's Orphanage but the question went so deep to my heart and I felt as if God had just spoken to me. So, I said "When do you think would be a good time?" Jude immediately responded.
" Why not today?" I told Janet what had happened and we went right then to the local street market to buy a lot of rice, beans, oil, pasta,tomato paste, soap, and, of course, cookies. As we moved from stall to stall we made several vendors very happy at their good fortune to make such large sales.
We proceeded unannounced to Emmanuel's Orphanage. Evon (the director) was not there, so about fifty very happy children gathered around us as we unloaded the food. We passed out the cookies making sure each child got a whole package. The children then stood and sang an amazingly beautiful French version of " How Great Thou Art". We stood with tears in our eyes as each one of the kids from two to ten stood and prayed for the people that had provided the food ( in many cases that was you). By then it was late afternoon (supper time) and Jude noticed that there were on cook fires, no cooking pots boiling. So we looked into their store room and sure enough there was no food supplies. Soon Evon returned and we found out that the kids had eaten their last meal that morning and that he had been out looking for a way to get some food. "Why not today", kept repeating in my mind.
Some of you may believe that this incident was just good timing, but I hope not. I do trust that most will see that this was God's hand and nothing short of His good plan. As I finish this story, I feel led to ask each of you " WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO EMMANUEL'S?" When are you going to take that church job, join a disaster relief or recovery effort, or go on that mission trip, etc.. I am convinced Jude has the same answer God would give. "WHY NOT TODAY?"
In Christ's love and service,
Scott and Janet Daughtry
Titanyen, Haiti
2.16.2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
God Doesn't Need Coffee
Before I got married to my wonderful husband, I used to sing with a small Christian contemporary group of 4 guys and two girls. The group's alto had recently left the road to get married, so the "new girl" joined us. I will never forget our first morning at a host home. I rolled over in bed, and sang out, "Good morning, Sunshine." Without even opening her eyes, she turned to look at me through her eyelids and said in a not-so-nice voice, "Don't talk to me, until I've had my coffee." Needless to say, I never did again.
We became great friends over the course of our tour together, and our relationship stayed strong...as long as I let her have her coffee first!
Now that I'm older, I, too, have developed quite an affinity for coffee and its eye-opening benefits. But one particular morning, there was no coffee to be found. We were staying in a hotel, while our home was being remodeled - compliments of a hot water leak. In order to get some coffee, I would have had to pull on some jeans, comb my disheveled, graying hair, dart out the door, ride the elevator down to the first floor, and hope no one would see me. Obviously, I was in no mood to do that, so I sat down to read, trying to shake off the sleep and concentrate.
Finally after fumbling around for the right page, I found my daily Bible reading: "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary." Is. 40:28. All the sudden, it was as if someone shouted "Whoo-Hoo!" down deep in my soul. My eyes perked up and a huge smile covered my sheet-creased face.
God doesn't need coffee!!!
He never gets draggy at 3 o'clock in the afternoon - not even at 3 o'clock in the morning! My God - my everlasting God, my Lord, my Creator - is awake and alert and ready for our conversation no matter what the time and no matter what the details. Nothing tires Him...not my wanderings, not my burdens, not my mistakes, not my endless complaints, not my continual askings....nothing wearies my God to the point that He needs a rest from our relationship. Nothing.
"Whoo-Hoo!!!"
Dear God, thank You that You never tire, nor become weary as I do. Thank You that at any minute of the day...any second...You are alert and attentive to my needs. You are always available...always accessible...and always there for me...no matter what. Thank You that You don’t need coffee! I love You, Lord.
We became great friends over the course of our tour together, and our relationship stayed strong...as long as I let her have her coffee first!
Now that I'm older, I, too, have developed quite an affinity for coffee and its eye-opening benefits. But one particular morning, there was no coffee to be found. We were staying in a hotel, while our home was being remodeled - compliments of a hot water leak. In order to get some coffee, I would have had to pull on some jeans, comb my disheveled, graying hair, dart out the door, ride the elevator down to the first floor, and hope no one would see me. Obviously, I was in no mood to do that, so I sat down to read, trying to shake off the sleep and concentrate.
Finally after fumbling around for the right page, I found my daily Bible reading: "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary." Is. 40:28. All the sudden, it was as if someone shouted "Whoo-Hoo!" down deep in my soul. My eyes perked up and a huge smile covered my sheet-creased face.
God doesn't need coffee!!!
He never gets draggy at 3 o'clock in the afternoon - not even at 3 o'clock in the morning! My God - my everlasting God, my Lord, my Creator - is awake and alert and ready for our conversation no matter what the time and no matter what the details. Nothing tires Him...not my wanderings, not my burdens, not my mistakes, not my endless complaints, not my continual askings....nothing wearies my God to the point that He needs a rest from our relationship. Nothing.
"Whoo-Hoo!!!"
Dear God, thank You that You never tire, nor become weary as I do. Thank You that at any minute of the day...any second...You are alert and attentive to my needs. You are always available...always accessible...and always there for me...no matter what. Thank You that You don’t need coffee! I love You, Lord.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
The Relationship Remedy
Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matt. 7:7-8
God is a relational God. He desires a close, intimate relationship with the ones He calls His own...a relationship free from fear, anger, stress, arguments...free from everything but vulnerability and love. So, is it any wonder that the same "oneness" He desires between Himself and us, is the same "oneness" He desires for us to have in our relationships with one another? After all, this "oneness" is the very essence of Jesus' ministry here on this earth as seen in John 17:21 - that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Yet, sometimes this "oneness" seems impossible. Let's face it, this is the real world. This is the place where life gives us a swift upper-cut, without an apology. Friends disappoint us. Family members refuse to speak to us. Husbands no longer "love" their wives and vice versa. Bosses become infuriated with employees, and employees turn on each other with a vengence.
Yep, relationships here are difficult and sometimes, down-right distressing.
That's why I find it quite interesting that Christ would sandwich verses about asking, seeking and knocking (at the beginning of this blog) smack dab in the middle of one of His discourses about relationships. Hmmm...
In the first part of the chapter, Christ deals with judging others and how you can't see clearly to help another person out of their sin, while knee deep in your own. He addresses more relationships, squeezing in these verses about seeking Him, and then finishes off with the Golden Rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. By the way, I have to keep reminding my children that it doesn't say, Do unto others as they have done unto you!
I guess I've always thought about Matthew 7:7-8 as a complete section of their own...standing by themselves to meet my every request. Yet, if you put them in the context they're written in, Christ seems to be implying that even in the best relationships, rocky times occur. He implies that relationships can be difficult. Yes, some relationships can really try your patience. Yes, some of them hurt like nobody's business. BUT Christ doesn't leave us hanging on the edge of the cliff of despair. There IS an answer, and it's through asking Him to heal those wounds and show you your own shortcomings. It's in praying for the other person or people involved to allow God to heal and change them, just as He is healing and changing you. It's in seeking to find God's will for your life regarding them - whether that means continuing to build a close friendship or to remain an acquaintance. It's in knocking at heaven's door over and over and over again, until you finally get His answer.
Now, you might say, "But God doesn't know my family. He doesn't know how hard it is to live with her/him. He doesn't realize how hard I've tried to get along with them, and they keep pushing me farther and farther away. He doesn't realize how hurt I am and how I feel as if I'll never recover from their wounding." On the contrary, He knows all of those feelings and even more, AND He knows your family. As a matter of fact, He knows ALL the relationships you are involved in right now and how they will turn out - how they will grow you...and make you more like Him, if you let them.
Ask Him for help in your relationships. Seek Him to find His will and knock until your knuckles are sore, glorifying God in your waiting and proving to the world that God, truly, sent Jesus to be its Savior.
We need You, Jesus, to be Lord of our relationships. Help us focus more on You, than we do on the problem people in our lives. Help us to ask, seek, and knock until we get an answer...and then respond to what we have heard. Thank You, Lord, for Your remedy for our relationships. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You.
God is a relational God. He desires a close, intimate relationship with the ones He calls His own...a relationship free from fear, anger, stress, arguments...free from everything but vulnerability and love. So, is it any wonder that the same "oneness" He desires between Himself and us, is the same "oneness" He desires for us to have in our relationships with one another? After all, this "oneness" is the very essence of Jesus' ministry here on this earth as seen in John 17:21 - that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Yet, sometimes this "oneness" seems impossible. Let's face it, this is the real world. This is the place where life gives us a swift upper-cut, without an apology. Friends disappoint us. Family members refuse to speak to us. Husbands no longer "love" their wives and vice versa. Bosses become infuriated with employees, and employees turn on each other with a vengence.
Yep, relationships here are difficult and sometimes, down-right distressing.
That's why I find it quite interesting that Christ would sandwich verses about asking, seeking and knocking (at the beginning of this blog) smack dab in the middle of one of His discourses about relationships. Hmmm...
In the first part of the chapter, Christ deals with judging others and how you can't see clearly to help another person out of their sin, while knee deep in your own. He addresses more relationships, squeezing in these verses about seeking Him, and then finishes off with the Golden Rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. By the way, I have to keep reminding my children that it doesn't say, Do unto others as they have done unto you!
I guess I've always thought about Matthew 7:7-8 as a complete section of their own...standing by themselves to meet my every request. Yet, if you put them in the context they're written in, Christ seems to be implying that even in the best relationships, rocky times occur. He implies that relationships can be difficult. Yes, some relationships can really try your patience. Yes, some of them hurt like nobody's business. BUT Christ doesn't leave us hanging on the edge of the cliff of despair. There IS an answer, and it's through asking Him to heal those wounds and show you your own shortcomings. It's in praying for the other person or people involved to allow God to heal and change them, just as He is healing and changing you. It's in seeking to find God's will for your life regarding them - whether that means continuing to build a close friendship or to remain an acquaintance. It's in knocking at heaven's door over and over and over again, until you finally get His answer.
Now, you might say, "But God doesn't know my family. He doesn't know how hard it is to live with her/him. He doesn't realize how hard I've tried to get along with them, and they keep pushing me farther and farther away. He doesn't realize how hurt I am and how I feel as if I'll never recover from their wounding." On the contrary, He knows all of those feelings and even more, AND He knows your family. As a matter of fact, He knows ALL the relationships you are involved in right now and how they will turn out - how they will grow you...and make you more like Him, if you let them.
Ask Him for help in your relationships. Seek Him to find His will and knock until your knuckles are sore, glorifying God in your waiting and proving to the world that God, truly, sent Jesus to be its Savior.
We need You, Jesus, to be Lord of our relationships. Help us focus more on You, than we do on the problem people in our lives. Help us to ask, seek, and knock until we get an answer...and then respond to what we have heard. Thank You, Lord, for Your remedy for our relationships. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Different Than We'd Expect, But Far Better Than We Could Ever Imagine
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.
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.
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!
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