Wait on the Lord

I looked up this morning - as I do each morning - to quite a sight.  There, a relatively small, short-haired, light brown body stood, twitching fervently back and forth.  I wish you could see it.  There's not a lot of things more entertaining or more endearing to my heart.   

She - "Sugar" - sits at our back door in the morning.  She patiently and expectantly waits to catch a glimpse of someone - anyone - stirring.  At the first sighting, immediately her long legs pull her frame into the air, and her tail tosses her petite body into an almost convulsion-like behavior.  In Sugar's case, the tail truly does wag the dog. 

But the excitement doesn't end there.  Nope.  To her utter joy, Sugar is rewarded for her "waiting."  After all, how could you pass up saying "Good Morning" to someone or "some-dog" who is so excited to see you?  It's as if she cannot contain her joy at being in our presence, and we, in hers.  

That, my friends, is the same type of "waiting" that David encouraged us to do in Psalm 27.  "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." 

One way Scripture emphasizes something in the Word is by reiterating the same phrase over and over again.  Did you see something in that verse that was repeated?  Yep, "Wait on the Lord."  So, in other words, when you get tired of waiting for the Lord...wait some more!  

Oh, and it's not a drudgery to wait for Him.  It's an exciting, stirring anticipation that builds and builds until we see Him appear on the scene.  Then, the coolest thing happens.  We are rewarded by His presence, and He is THRILLED with ours.  

Beautiful, if I do say so myself.  
  
So, along with Sugar and King David, I encourage you, my sisters and brothers. Wait on the Lord.  Wait expectantly for Him.  Wait with anticipation, anxious to see what God will do. 

Wait for the Lord...again, I say...wait for the Lord.  

Thank You, Father, that You never leave me or forsake me, but rather walk along side me in this journey.  Help me to wait with expectation to see what You are going to do for me, through me, and in me.  

A Servant and Yet, A Child

He doesn't owe us a thing...not one thing.  God doesn't owe any of us...anything.  

Sounds harsh, doesn't it?  But read on...the good stuff is to come.  

The other day, while searching for verses about faith, I came across Luke 17, and what I read there, shocked me.  Verse seven begins, "Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep.  Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down and eat'? Won't he rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink;  after that you may eat and drink'? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?  So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" 

Now I know that servant-hood or slavery is not a part of our society today - at least legally - but for the people in Christ's day, it was commonplace.  People understood what it meant to be a slave, as well as "own" a slave.  

Jesus uses this particular relationship to show His disciples what their relationship to God (and ours) actually looks like.  In reality, He is the Master.  We are His slaves.  

These verses explain that while the Master eats, the slave waits and actually serves Him.  He is not invited to dine with the Master, nor does the Master tell him "thank you" for his service in the field or his efficient service during dinner.  Why?  Is it because of a lack of gratitude on the Master's part.  No.  It's just the servant's job.  He's merely doing what he was expected to do.  As hard as it sounds, THAT is the reality of our relationship with God.  

He owes us nothing.  

He isn't required as our God to make our lives peaceful, nor happy. He's not required to do anything for us at all.  He is God.  Period. We are merely to obey what He commands and do what He expects of us. 

That hit me like a ton of bricks.  You see, I "know" that God isn't required to "bless" me, but I really don't believe it wholeheartedly. Instead, down deep, I tend to think that if I am obedient to His leading, then He MUST reward me with some sort of compensation in my life.  I should be content and happy and cheerful and able to help others and speak well and write well without run-on sentences and be blessed.  

Period.  

Yet as my Master, He isn't required to do any of those things for me...AT ALL. Instead, my relationship with Him is one of obedience without question, not expecting anything in return...not even a "thank you" or a pat on the back.  

God is my Master.  

I am His servant.  

That humbled me greatly, and at the same time, made me incredibly thankful.  Sounds kinda strange, huh?  What I mean is that I realized that everything I have, didn't come to me because I was a good servant.  Fortunately for me AND you, the Master/slave relationship isn't the only reality that exists.  There's another.  

You see, we are His servants and rightly so.  He is God.  However, we are ALSO His kids - the very apples of His eyes.  He delights in us, as Zephaniah 3:17 states, and dances over us with joy.  So the blessings that come from obedience, don't come because "I" did the right thing.  Instead, they originate because He is good, and He's my Dad...my Father.   

Yes, I am a servant...  

...and yet thankfully, because of Christ, so much more.  

I thank You, God.  I thank You for filling my life with abundant blessings, because You are who You are...not because of me or anything I have done or will ever do.  I praise You, Lord.  Praise You.

To Be or Not to Be?

I want you to think about something this week.  It's something that might just change your life, as it has mine...or at least, it's in the process of changing me.  

It's just a few words, but the Words are from the very mouth of God, Himself.  That's what makes it life-changing.  His Word alters us.  It changes us.  At least, it always should.

Proverbs 29:11 states:  "A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back."  Now, let me ask you.  How many times have you been labeled "foolish" according to this verse?  I'm afraid I've been labeled more times than I would like.

Sometimes, it's as if I can't help it.  My mouth opens and the more I rant, the more easily the words seem to flow.  Oh, and they sound SO good to my ears.  Each morsel reaching its intended target with velocity and fervency, growing more and more intense as I go.  Stressful relief happens, as the torrent continues and the feelings flow freely and fully...that is...

...until it's over. Then, my heart is heavy with my foolish behavior and my relationship, damaged with hurtful words.  The weight of my sin and the words that I have uttered in anger take away my joy and my ability to smile.  My relationship with God grows quiet and still...and not in a good way.    

One way to describe this "freely flowing landfall of feelings" is to use honey as an analogy.  Think about it.  When you first attempt to pour the sweet concoction, the thick syrup pours forth slowly.  It feels like it takes FOREVER, especially when you are waiting for it to sweeten your first cup of coffee in the morning.  Once it starts, however, it's incredibly difficult to stop.  Before you know it, your "touch of honey" has become a whole handful, and your morning cup of coffee is ruined - too sweet to even put to your lips.

What happened?  The honey "got away from you."  It became its own entity, pouring forth with its own will and going its own way.  A similar thing happens when we "vent all our feelings."  Our words become an entity of their own, pouring forth with their own will and going their own way - often much further than we ever intended them to go.

So, if you contrast the foolish behavior with that of the wise man, the fool vents all his feelings, but the wise man holds them back.  Now, holding back isn't illustrative of the quiet little mouse in the corner that never says anything.  That in NO way is characteristic of Christ.  Instead, the wise man has the same feelings as the foolish man, even with the same intensity.  Yet, the wise man doesn't let all the honey out of the jar at one time.  Instead, he purchases one of those syrup containers that cuts off the flow of syrup with the click of a finger.  You know the one I'm talking about? Yes, that's it. We just purchased one this week, as a matter of fact, for the very reason that we always get way too much honey in our morning drinks!

I digress!  No, it's not that the wise man doesn't "feel" the same as the foolish man - with the same intensity or passion.  It's just that the wise man is continually aware those feelings don't all need to pour forth from his mouth, especially when he is feeling vulnerable and a little out of control.

"To be or not to be - that is the question."  Better still...to be wise or not to be wise - that is REALLY the question.

Hmmm...how will we respond?

Oh, Jesus, help me with my words today.  Help me become wise by holding back my feelings, instead of venting them all.  Thank You for doing this in my life and changing me into Your image.  

Waiting, Not Worrying

Each morning, I walk into my backyard thinking, "Maybe this will be the day!"  As I approach the tilled ground, I peek underneath and around and over the plants covered in big, beautiful, succulent peppers.  Anyone in their right mind would be elated to see so much glorious green fruit weighing the plants down.  That is, unless they were waiting for those green globules to turn yellow or red...and that's what I'm doing...waiting.

I have been waiting for a really long time.  At least it seems that way.  Sometimes, I get impatient and just go ahead and pick a pepper that I think MIGHT be turning.  I know I need to be patient and that patience will pay off, but it sure is difficult on my mental state and my stomach!

Gardening reminds me of life.  Sometimes things don't always move along as quickly as I desire.  I must wait.  But in that waiting, I can choose to grow anxious and pick the fruit early, or be patient and wait for the sweetness of maturity.

Ps. 37:7-8 says, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him, Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath.  Do not fret - it only causes harm."        

God's perspective on this issue of waiting is to do so, patiently and without worry.  After all, worry only causes harm (v. 8).

So how in the world do we "not fret" while we wait?  The answer is probably something that you and I already know, but doesn't come to us very easily.  We are to rest in the Lord - trusting He knows best.

I feel like I write that phrase a lot, and I probably do.  However, I don't know about you, but I need to be reminded of this phrase...and reminded a lot!  "Do not worry Belinda - Trust Me. Believe ME when I tell you that I have it under My care and My control, even when it looks futile.  Don't get angry at Me for being slow in your eyes or angry at anyone else, either.  Those emotions only hurt, not help.  They cause no good thing to happen.  Trust me, Belinda...I've got this."

I don't know about you, but those verses make me want to have a "hands off" policy regarding my life and my peppers.  I will trust and not worry.  I will wait and be patient, confident that God can not only handle my every day frustrations and cares, but also the color my peppers.

Thanks God.  Thanks for reminding me to trust You in all things...to rest in Your will...to not worry over what You already have in Your hands.  Thank You, Father.  

Leanness

The uncomfortable scenes are meant to grab our attention, forcing us to fumble for our checkbooks and move into action.  And for the most part, these pictures of malnourished children, waiting in long lines for a tiny bowl of rice, do just that.  

Some of these children are dying. Some of them are simply lying in their mother's laps, with tears falling down their cheeks, waiting for relief...relief that may or may not come.  

They're starving - extremely malnourished - not able to function as normal children.  Their bodies won't let them.  Instead, these little people who should be spending their days full of energy and life are resigned to a life of misery - stricken with their physical leanness.  

You can see it, too.  There's no way to hide it. No amount of clothing can hide the sunken eyes, tiny limbs, and protruding, bloated belly.  It's truly heart wrenching.    

There is another type of leanness, too.  Like its counterpart, it can affect large groups of people at one time.  It can't be hidden with clothes, and it is indeed, deadly.  It steals energy and vitality and those affected by it, simply lose their effectiveness.  

However, this type of leanness (starvation) cannot be cured with a checkbook.  Simply throwing food and money at a telephone number on the screen won't make this go away...for this leanness is not physical.  It's spiritual.  

Psalm 106:15 says, "And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul."  This passage speaks about what happened to the Israelites as they griped and complained before God.  They accused Him of NOT giving them what they needed, while traveling through the wilderness.  On the contrary, God gave them everything they "needed."  He gave them a wafer called "manna," which daily supplied all their dietary needs.  

However, they got tired of it.  They didn't want manna.  They wanted meat - something of substance to sustain them.  Basically, they decided what God had for them, wasn't good enough for them.  

So, IN their selfishness, God supplied with them meat.  But BECAUSE of their selfishness, He sent leanness to their souls.  

You know, sometimes, we are pretty pitiful.  We stamp our feet at God like three year old's, demanding He give us what we want.   We tell Him that what He has for us, isn't good enough.  We want more.  

And that's when it begins - the wasting disease - the leanness.   Before we know it, our spiritual bodies begin to look like and exhibit the characteristics of those with the physical malady.  We become powerless.  We become unable to perform the tasks that God created us for.  We become hopeless and unable to help ourselves. In our desperation, we may even want to hide our starvation from those around us, but to no avail.  They see it.  It's obvious.  It's evident.  It's unavoidable, when we choose to turn our eyes away from Him and focus on ourselves.   

I cringe at the thought of my spiritual life emulating the graphic pictures of starving children.  And yet, it does, when what I WANT, becomes more important to me, than what He wants.   

So how do we fix this?  How do we "fatten up" again?  

We choose to truly follow Christ - to be satisfied with Him, and Him alone.  We immerse ourselves daily in His Word, spending time with Him in prayer, so that we can actually find out what He desires, instead of assuming that our wants are His.  We must be content with the outcome of His choices for us...whatever those may be.  

And as we begin to become spiritually healthy again, all of those lean characteristics begin to disappear.  We gain energy and stamina to be who God created us to be.  Our thoughts become more aligned with His thoughts, restoring our relationship.  We begin to see what went wrong and how to avoid the leanness again. 

Praise be to the Lord, Who knows what is best for us and will give it to us, if we but ask.  

God's Love Doesn't Depend on Us

It never fails.  My Ladies II Sunday School Class always inspires me to write. 

This week, we have been reading and talking about the battle between the Israelites and the Philistines in I Samuel 3-6.  These two enemy groups battle many times throughout the book, but in this particular battle, something horrible happened.  The Ark of the Covenant was captured.  Now, that may not sound like much, but when you realize the Ark of the Covenant illustrated God's presence, the horrific reality becomes apparent.  

It all started when Israel lost their first fight with the Philistines. They got the "bright idea" to take the Ark of the Covenant into the next battle with them - using it like a small child would use a rabbit's foot.  They just knew they couldn't lose with God's presence on their side.

The problem is, they had NO business moving the Ark without God's permission.  They were doing something totally on their own, apart from Him.  So, they moved the Ark, and severe consequences erupted...for them and for the Philistines. 

You see, while the Ark of the Covenant remained in Philistine territory, a plague flourished.  Rats, which carried disease (probably the Bubonic Plague) overran the territories, causing the spread of numerous tumors and death.  After seven months, the Philistines had had enough.  They wanted the Ark GONE from their territory...literally.  

It's interesting to note that in all that time, there was no evidence that the Israelites tried even ONCE to win the Ark of the Covenant back.   You would think the people who were saddened by its loss would be desperate to retrieve it anyway they could.  After all, it housed the very presence of God.  So, what happened?  Why didn't they rally all the people they had left to attack the Philistines and take the presence of God back from their enemies?  

Could it be that maybe, just maybe, they realized their sin.  They realized how they had come to mistreat God - how they had come to use Him as a superstitious "Gimme-God," instead of the holy, powerful, jealous God, He is.  Maybe they realized the depth of their sin and decided that they were beyond saving...that God couldn't use them anymore, and so He left them.  

Imagine their surprise then, when the Ark of the Covenant - the very presence of God, Himself - appeared in the midst of the Levite camp.  It came home on the backs of cows sent from the Philistine territory.  I know that sounds strange, but the Philistines didn't want to just get rid of the Ark.  Instead, they wanted to make sure that all this - the plagues, the rats, the tumors - wasn't just a coincidence. They didn't want to just hand over their war trophy without a reason.

So their diviners and prophets hatched a plan to make sure that it was indeed the God of the Israelites who was causing their distress. The trip home for the Ark would have to be an impossible one, apart from the miraculous.  

Suffice it to say, the miraculous happened.  You can read all about it in chapter 6.  The Ark returned home.  That, was enough evidence for the Philistines.  

It was also evidence for the Israelites - evidence that no matter what, God's covenant cannot be broken.  No matter what they did, no matter how they treated Him, God's covenant of love with the Israelite people would not change.  He would always be there.  He would never leave them, nor forsake them.  They would always be His people - period.  

Imagine the joyous celebration - to know that God came back to them, even when they didn't seek Him.  Instead, He sought them.  

That's an incredible thought, isn't it - that God's presence in our lives - isn't dependent upon us.  Even when we don't seek Him, He still seeks us.  He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us...no matter the sin, no matter the fear.  He will remain with us...always.

Thanks, Ladies II.  I cherish the reminder.    

I love You, Father, and am humbled that You would love me, even when I am apathetic towards you. Thank You that You will always seek Your own...me.  I love You, Lord.  

Here I Am

How many times have you called your kids only to hear silence?  For whatever reason, they don't respond.  They might not hear you.  They might be distracted from your request.  They might even be ignoring you.  But then, how many times have you called them and heard the beautiful response, "Here I am."  

Well, over and over again in Scripture, this phrase is repeated by God's kids. God calls, and people reply with these three simple words.  Moses said it, when God called him from the burning bush.  Jacob said it, when God was telling him how to deal with his stubborn father-in-law.  Isaiah said it when God put forth the question, "Whom shall I send and who will go for us?"      

I have often wondered what is so special about this particular phrase.  What does it mean?  

In Biblical times, it was phrase of humility.  It let the person requesting your presence, know that you were ready and willing to participate in their request. It let them know that you were there - available - that you were "all-in."

I wonder what would happen if I used that phrase more often in my relationship with the Lord?  I wonder how much deeper my spiritual life would be...how much more I would know Him...how much more He would speak, if I humbled myself.  I wonder.  

I think I'll try it.  I think I'll try speaking the words, "Here I am," the next time I enter my "prayer closet," with my mouth and my heart.  I'll let you know how it turns out!  

Here I am, Lord.  I am willing and ready to hear from You and follow Your leading wherever that might be.  I love You, Lord.