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The Blessings of Wait Time

Posted in Blessings, Faith, Hope, Intimacy with God, Maturity, Patience, Perseverance, Uncategorized, Waiting on God, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 10, 2013| 6 Comments »

“It is good to wait quietly,” Jeremiah said (Lamentations 3:26a).

At the risk of sounding impudent, “What’s good about it?”

Waiting can make us feel anxious and stressed.  If we’re waiting for a prayer to be answered or a scriptural promise to be fulfilled, we can become doubtful, discouraged, and despondent.  Not good.

Yet the act of waiting seems important to God.  Numerous times in the Bible we see people of faith who had to endure Wait Time:

  • Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for the birth of Isaac.
  • Jacob waited 14 years to take Rachel as his bride.
  • Joseph waited 13 years, first as a slave, then as a prisoner, before being rescued and elevated by God to second-in-command over Egypt.
  • The Israelites waited through 400 years of slavery in Egypt before God’s miraculous intervention.

  • Caleb waited 45 years to inherit his portion of the Promised Land.
  • David waited at least 15 years to become king of Israel, after his anointing by Samuel.
  • Simeon, Anna, and many other Jews waited for their Messiah.

God’s delays must serve a purpose.  And a diligent search through scripture gives us answers to:  What good can come from waiting?

  • Times of waiting strengthen our trust in God and our resolve (Psalm 27:14).  If every day was problem-free and blissful, surely our faith would remain shallow.
  • We grow in our relationship with God while resting in his sovereignty and reliability (Psalm 62:5-8).  The Almighty of the universe becomes our closest confidant.  Intimacy with him deepens as we turn to him for comfort, encouragement, strength, and more.

  • Spiritual maturity develops (James 1:2-4).  Waiting is a challenge all by itself, but can also be accompanied by worry, pain, and sacrifice.  The test of waiting, however, develops our patience and perseverance and gives us opportunity to grow in character.  None of these benefits would blossom within us if God provided for every whim, and rescued from every trial.
  • We learn to take joy in the blessings we already have.  Paul wrote, “Be joyful always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16) to a church experiencing persecution.  They were undoubtedly praying and waiting for relief.  But Paul knew that focusing on what Christ had already done for the believers, and the benefits they already enjoyed, would help offset their anxiety and frustration.  The same is true for us.
  • Others see our patience and trust while we wait (Psalm 40:1-4).  Then, when God answers our cries, others take note of his provision, and their faith is encouraged.

It seems we’re always waiting for something; it’s only the intensity of emotion attached to the waiting that tends to vary.  When that intensity begins to grow, perhaps it would help to say, “I’m waiting with great anticipation!”

There can be sweet delight in anticipation.  For example, as the Christmas holidays approach, I anticipate the glorious homecoming of family members.  I relish the imaginings of long conversations at the candle-lit dinner table, the hugs and laughter, and the gathering around the Christmas tree for family worship and gift-giving.

I need to apply that joy of anticipation to waiting on God.  I can relish the fact that his plan – including the Wait Time — always includes positive aspects.  I can reaffirm that God is always on time – never late, never early.  I can generate excitement in my spirit by musing on God’s promises and looking forward to the creative, miraculous ways he will fulfill those promises.  With an attitude of anticipation, waiting shouldn’t be nearly so uncomfortable.

(You have my permission to remind me of that, should impatience or frustration start to manifest themselves!)

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Heavenly Father, I don’t think I’ve ever thanked you for the Wait Times in my life.  Thank you for holding me back, so trust, intimacy, gratitude, patience, and spiritual maturity have a chance to grow.  Help me to embrace the Wait Times as opportunities to discover more of who you are, more of the priceless treasures hidden in your Word, and more of who I can be when I am rooted and built up in you (Colossians 2:7)—especially through times of waiting.

(Art & photo credits:  www.bible-stories-library.com , http://www.moseseditor.blogspot.com . http://www.photosbyravi.com , http://www.pinterest.com.

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Wresting with God

Posted in Bible Study, Blessings, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Protection, God's Provision, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 3, 2013| 3 Comments »

(No, the title is not a typo!  Please read on!)

One time only the verb wrestle is used in scripture.  You probably remember the story of Jacob wrestling with a man through the dark hours of one night. Chances are, Jacob would have been sleepless anyway.  The next day he was to reunite with his estranged brother, Esau (Genesis 32:22-32).  Echoing in Jacob’s mind was his brother’s vow to kill him (27:41).

At the end of the wrestling match, when the man left Jacob, he realized his opponent had been God (32:30)!  (Some say God took the form of an angel.  Some say this was an appearance of Jesus, a pre-incarnate visitation, before he was born as a baby in Bethlehem.)  

Jacob’s heart must have been pounding madly at that moment, but not just from the exertion.  Imagine his shock to realize he had engaged with the all-powerful King of the universe in hand-to-hand combat!

The chronicler to record this event (and all the other events in Genesis) is generally accepted to be Moses.  As he wrote this particular story, Moses must have smiled to himself at the word play that flowed from his pen (Did they use pens of some sort in those days?)

First of all,  Jacob’s name in ancient Hebrew is ya’ aqob.  The word, wrestled, is ye’ abeq.  Even the location of the event is included in the word play.  Verse 22 indicates Jacob was camped along the stream called Jabbok, or yabbok in Hebrew.  Perhaps it was named later, as a memoriam to Jacob’s once-in-history experience.  By Moses’ time, the name would have been well-established.

But that’s just an interesting aside.   Showcasing his sense of humor was not God’s main objective for including this story in scripture.  What might he want us to learn from Jacob’s experience?

Perhaps it is a lesson in humility, as it certainly was for Jacob.  At the end of that wrestling match, God wrenched Jacob’s hip.  He limped for the rest of his life–a constant reminder that God was his Shepherd-caretaker, responsible for Jacob’s successes.  God was also his Angel-deliverer.  Jacob could not guarantee his own escape from Esau’s harm. or any other danger (Genesis 48:15-16).

God proved himself as Jacob’s Mighty One (49:24) the next day.  Shortly after the man left Jacob, Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him–with four hundred men.  Quickly Jacob took precautions to protect his family.  But it was unnecessary.  Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him.  The two brothers, who had been alienated from one another for years, now wept in each others’ arms (33:1-4).

At the end of his life, Jacob reaffirmed that it was God Almighty who had provided all the blessings he’d enjoyed (Genesis 49:25).  The patriarch was as powerless to bless himself as he was to overpower God in a wrestling match.  And he prayed that the Strong God would give his blessings–tumbling out of the skies, bursting up from the Earth–to rest on the head of Joseph (vs. 25-26, The Message).

Jacob did not pray that Joseph, too, might  wrestle with God, but that God’s blessing would rest upon him.

Yes, wrestling with God has its place.  At times we may spar with God using words, much as David openly and honestly expressed his disappointments, depression, and even anger to God.  (See Psalms 22, 55, and 77 for examples.)  God is big enough to handle it.

But then comes the morning when we can affirm that his compassions, his blessings, never fail.  Great is the faithfulness of our God (Lamentations 3:22-23)!

So an additional bit of word play brings the two concepts together, thanks to my preacher-son, Jeremy:  wrestling + resting = wresting.

Wrestling allows load-shifting; resting results in peace.  Together they make us strong, steadfast, and firm in our faith.

(art credit:  http://www.bishopmarcelopires.org )

 

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Patient Pursuit

Posted in Faith, God's Will, Maturity, Patience, Perseverance, Prayer, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on September 19, 2013| 6 Comments »

Women's Bible Study

“I know we have to persevere and not give up on what we sense God wants us to do,”  S. shared at Bible study.  “And from the lives of Joseph, Moses, Daniel, and others in the Bible, I know God rarely smooths the path perfectly and makes every door open without me even turning the knob.  But what I want to know is how to proceed.  I’d like steps to follow!”

Heads nodded around the table, mine included.  Wouldn’t it be nice if God laid out step one, step two, and so on toward his perfect plan?

That idea has been circulating in my brain for nearly a week now.  Here are some observations.

1. God values our growth in faith more than our comfort in a predetermined plan.   

If it was best for us to know his plan in advance, then that’s what God would provide.  Instead, he allows our faith to be tested, in order to build our character.  That is important to him:

“The Lord detests men of perverse heart but he delights in those whose ways are blameless” (Proverbs 11:20).

2.  God values the process of spiritual growth, not just the final outcome of a purpose fulfilled.

Times of challenge give us opportunity to develop maturity  more readily than times of ease.  What might that development include?

  • Self-discipline–when we tackle difficult tasks.  Granted, the Holy Spirit empowers us (Galatians 5:22-23), but we must give ourselves over to him.  How?  Through frequent prayer, offered throughout the day, consistently asking for his guidance and help.
  • Self-denial–by doing without.  However, the attentive person will soon discover much to celebrate that may have been missed otherwise:  the stunning display of God’s creation, the joy of love and laughter with family and friends, the peace and strength from frequent communion with God.  Suddenly, gratitude flourishes in the heart, and what has been given up doesn’t seem so important anymore.
  • The full meaning of love–when given opportunity to respond in kind ways to difficult people.

None of these valuable traits of discipline, selflessness, and love would fully develop without lessons of experience.

3.  God values the development of our prayer lives–not for his benefit, but for ours.

Jean Nicolas Grou, a Jesuit priest of the 1700s, described healthy prayer as humble, reverent, loving, confident, and persevering.  As we practice those traits in our prayer lives, surely they will overflow into our character, in our actions and reactions.

Patient pursuit, then, is best applied to God’s ways, and then to God’s plan.

(photo credit:  http://www.st-tims-church.org )

 

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Blaise Pascal

Posted in Faith, Heroes of the Faith, Uncategorized, Wisdom, tagged , , , , , , on August 29, 2013| 14 Comments »

Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much. ~ Blaise Pascal

“Kind words do not cost much.  Yet they accomplish much.”

*     *     *     *     *     *

“Do you wish people to think well of you?  Don’t speak well of yourself.”

*     *     *     *     *     *

The power of a man’s virtue should not be measured by his special efforts,

but by his ordinary doing.”

*     *     *     *     *     *

Do the above quotes remind you of Proverbs in the Bible?  They do have a similar tone, and certainly impart wisdom.  But they were not penned by King Solomon.  Credit goes to Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).

Portrait of Pascal

His name probably sounds familiar.  Chances are, you studied him in school, either in math class or science, maybe both.

Pascal’s first noteworthy accomplishment?  He formulated  a basic theorem of projective geometry, called Pascal’s theorem– at age sixteen!

He invented a calculating device, to help his father, who was a tax collector–when he was only nineteen.

A Pascaline, an early calculator.

(A Pascaline, Pascal’s early calculator)

Another set of experiments produced his famous law of hydraulics.  He contributed important study on the vacuum, on the weight and density of air, and the arithmetic triangle.

Pascal also developed the theory of probability, which is still used today.

And he invented the syringe, the hydraulic lift, as well as the first mechanical computer.  A computer language is named after him.

Such broad giftedness wrapped up in one young man!  But Pascal was actually embarrassed by all his talents.

Even as he was studying mathematics and conducting scientific experiments, Pascal was also exploring spiritual matters.  He and his sister joined a group of Catholics in France, called Jansenists, who believed that salvation was a gift of God’s grace, and could not be earned through good works.

Pascal said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.”

In 1654, Pascal was thrown from a carriage when the horses bolted.  The horses died, but Pascal was unhurt.  He felt convinced God had saved him, and he began thinking seriously about what God might want him to do.

That night Pascal had a vision of the crucifixion and experienced a profound renewal in his spirit.  From that point forward, scientific work was of secondary importance in his life.

At that time, Pascal wrote:  “Certainty!  Joy!  Peace!  I forget the world and everything but God!…I submit myself absolutely to Jesus Christ my Redeemer.”

Pascal recorded  this and other statements about his mystical experience on a piece of parchment, then sewed the document into his coat.  There it remained hidden until it was discovered after he died.  Pascal was only thirty-nine years old.

(Pascal’s “Night of Fire” parchment)

Also discovered after his death:  twenty-seven bundles of notes for a major work defending the Christian faith.  These notes were published posthumously and titled Pensees, or Thoughts.  It became a classic of Christian thinking.

 Pascal’s truth-gems include:

“The supreme function of reason is to show man that some things are beyond reason.”

“Happiness is neither without us nor within us.  It is in God, both without us and within us.”

“If our condition were truly happy, we would not seek diversion from it in order to make ourselves happy.”

“People almost invariably arrive at their beliefs not on the basis of proof but on the basis of what they find attractive.”

Perhaps his most famous statement in the Pensees is a short essay titled “The Wager.”  Here are a few excerpts:

“Either God exists, or He does not.  Which will you gamble on?  If God exists, you win everything.  If He does not exist, you lose nothing.  Do not hesitate, then:  gamble on His existence!”

In other words:

Thank You, Father, for wise men and women such as Blaise Pascal, who express themselves in such rare and beautiful ways.  Their words stretch our intellects and stir our hearts. 

Yet Your greatest joy would be for their words to touch our lives so that tomorrow we are nearer Your best for us–words such as that quote about virtue not being measured by special efforts but by ordinary doing.  Help me to remember that it is in the ordinary that I can reflect You most brilliantly.

 (References:  Eerdman’s Christian Classics;  www.christianitytoday.com ; www.ccel.org; www.answersingenesis.org. ; http://www.brainyquote.com ; http://www.goodreads.com ) 

Photo and graphics credits: http://www.smallactsofkindness.wordpress.com ; http://www.wikipedia.com ; http://www.famousquotesabout.com; http://www.conflicted collegechristians.wordpress.com.

   

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Imagine

Posted in Book Reviews, Encouragement, Faith, God's Grace, God's Promises, Hope, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on August 12, 2013| 6 Comments »

Not by Sight: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Walking by Faith - By: Jon Bloom, John Piper

Imagine…

…the woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-11), walking home after her encounter with Jesus.  What must she have been thinking?

…Zacchaeus, the despised tax collector, coming to your door to return the money he owed you—plus four times more (Luke 19:1-10).  What would have been your reaction?

…how it felt to be Joseph Barsabbas, the candidate not chosen to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:26). How might he have responded?

These are just three out of thirty-five scenarios Jon Bloom explores in his book, Not by Sight: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Walking by Faith (Crossway Books, 2013).    Indeed, they are fresh, creative takes on familiar Bible stories.

And although quite short, just three pages or so in length, each vignette still gives plenty of food for thought. I found them to be compelling, insightful, and instructive—encouraging my walk of faith.

One of my favorites is “Staying Faithful When Things Get Worse.”  Jon imagines what Joseph must have been thinking as a falsely accused prisoner in Egypt.  For at least twelve years he endured the hellish conditions and tormenting hopelessness.  Those should have been the best years of Joseph’s life—his youth.  Many would have said, “What a waste.”

 

Imagine year nine, Jon suggests.  Surely Joseph fought against depression and discouragement, even as he recited to himself the promises of God.  No doubt he reviewed in his mind the stories of his ancestors—Abraham, Isaac, and even those of his own father, Jacob.

Jon Bloom imagines Joseph affirming repeatedly that, just as God had been faithful to them, he would be faithful to Joseph.  Each patriarch had faced situations that seemed impossible.

Abraham and Sarah were much too old to have a child.

The older brother, Esau, would never serve his younger brother, Jacob–even if the age difference between twins was slight. That promise of God went against all tradition and logic.

Jacob was a poor runaway.  He couldn’t possibly become a wealthy herdsman.

But each man and his family had been blessed, just as God had promised.  Why?  They remained faithful.  Yes, they made mistakes and failed to obey God on occasion.  But they never turned their backs on him, even when circumstances turned bleak.

Jon Bloom also imagines Joseph reaffirming his faith in God and his willingness to wait for him to act.  Meanwhile, he would continue to honor God, even within prison walls.

As Jon brings the vignette to a close, he shares fresh application:

Even in the care of Almighty God, circumstances may get worse, not better.  “Faith in God’s future grace for us is what sustains us in those desperate moments,” Jon says.  Our hope is best placed in God, in his promises, and especially the assurance of eternal bliss in heaven yet to come.

Jon Bloom perfectly fulfills the role of a writer, as defined by Anais Nin, American author of the twentieth century:  “The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.”

Page after page, this is what Jon Bloom did for me.  No doubt he will do the same for you.

(Art Credits:  www.angieblattner.theworldrace.org ; www.illustrationartgallery.com )

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DARE

Posted in Courage, Faith, tagged , , , , , on August 8, 2013| 12 Comments »

The ledge was very narrow—no more than a foot—and perhaps five feet long.  The drop-off was straight down—perhaps several hundred feet.

The four of us hiking at Red River Gorge that day had two options, as the trail narrowed to this dilemma:  1) Navigate across the ledge and very quickly get back to where our vehicle was parked, or 2) Turn around and spend a couple of hours hiking the way we had come, circling back and upward to get to the car.

Guess who was more than willing to hike all the way back, rather than risk that ledge?  Just me.  I was out-voted.

Since I’m here to tell the story, you already know the outcome.  We made it across just fine, although with great care.  But it took awhile for my heart to calm down and the adrenaline to stop flowing.  Even falling asleep that night was difficult.  (Did you catch the pun there?!)

And now you know:  I am not a risk-taker.

But there are some hazards worthy of embrace:

I want to live out my faith with courage.

Not just try.  No, DARE.

With my shoulders back and my head up, I want to jump into the day, into the conversation, into the situation where God puts me.

I want to live in confidence.

Put into practice what I know:  God is engineering the circumstances.  He’ll guide me to do or say what’s needed.

But I have to be proactive and step out, speak up, and take the risk–get in there, and just do it!

I also want to live in joy.

 This life with Jesus is full of blessing and delight!  But who will know that if I’m stone-faced and focused on the negative?

My desire is to sail out into the world as a breath of fresh air, providing a glimpse of the good life that I enjoy with my God (Philippians 2:15, The Message).

My Jesus is SO worth the risk.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Heavenly Father, I may need a push from behind to move me out of my comfort zone.  But I know that even as you push, you will be supporting and leading.  You will advise and encourage.  So, with my face raised in anticipation, and my arms spread wide in expectation, I affirm:  Here I am, Lord!  Send me (Isaiah 6:8)!

 

(Photo credits:  www.hikeky.com ; http://careergirlnetwork.com )

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Float by Faith

Posted in Encouragement, Faith, God's Goodness, God's Love, God's Power, God's Promises, God's Protection, God's Provision, Uncategorized, Worry, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2013| 35 Comments »

Years ago in my hometown, when the community pool was built, Dad often took my brother and me swimming.  I marveled at the way my father could slice the water with a smooth dive, roll over on his back, and float.  Without even moving his arms and legs, he could remain on top of the water.  Amazing!

When I tried it, I sank–immediately.

“Daddy!  Show me how to float!” I cried.

First, he helped me to lie flat-out on top of the water.  His hand gently supported the middle of my back.  And then Dad said the strangest thing.

“Now, relax.”

What?!  Every fiber of my being was tense.  I just knew that if I relaxed, my nose would instantly fill up with heavily chlorinated water.

But I trusted Dad.  He wouldn’t trick me into a catastrophe.  So I tried to relax.

Easier said than done.  Try as I might, my body would not relax.  My focus was more on the possibility of sinking than it was on the one thing that would keep me afloat.

“That’s OK,” Dad probably said.  “This is just your first try.  Keep practicing, and all of a sudden you’ll get the feel of it.  That’s how it happened for me.”

This experience came to mind as I read Charles Spurgeon’s comment on an excerpt from Isaiah 30:15.

First, the scripture-excerpt:  “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”

And now, the Spurgeon quote:  “We are sinking by our struggles when we might float by faith.”

But learning to relax in the spiritual realm is just as difficult as it was to relax on my back in that swimming pool.  It is so much easier said than done–at least for me.

Why is fretting and worrying my default mode?  It’s so pointless.  Resting in God is the only way to hope and peace (Psalm 62:5).

The big question is how.  How can I relax into quiet confidence that will be my strength, and keep me afloat?

Perhaps the answer is in that word practice.  As I reaffirm over and over God’s glorious attributes, as I review His wonderful promises, my focus will change and my spirit will learn how to rest.

What attributes might be wise to focus on?  King David included a number of them in his glorious psalm of thanksgiving, found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36:

  • Power (vs. 9, 12, 14) – He is able to work wonders.
  • Integrity (v. 15) – He is totally trustworthy.
  • Holiness (v. 29) – He is absolutely pure and righteous, totally set apart from anyone else in the universe.
  • Goodness (v. 34) – His blessings to us are bountiful and frequently displayed.
  • Love (v. 34) – Not based on our paltry deeds, but on his kind and gracious nature.

And what promises would build my confidence?  Here are three for a good start:

  • “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30).
  • “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
  • “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.  These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:16).

Notice:  He promises protection, provision, and guidance.  Everything we might face is covered.

Thinking back to those summer days at the community pool, I’m reminded of two things that happen when we float:  1) Our eyes are focused upward.  2) Our ears cannot hear very well, situated as they are beneath the surface.  Noise is silenced.

Those two things need to happen in the spiritual realm if we’re to float by faith.  Our eyes need to be focused upward on our powerful, loving, promise-keeping God, and our ears need to be stopped to the voices of worry.

The former will undoubtedly take care of the latter.

(Photo credits:  www.sciforums.com ; www.dailyencouragement.net ; www.flickr.com ; www.confessionsofasmowflake.com )

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Palms, Cedars, and Helen Hayes

Posted in Blessings, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Love, God's Promises, Godly Character, Maturity, Praise, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 18, 2013| 10 Comments »

Back in the 1970s I saw Helen Hayes in a made-for-TV movie.  Some of you may recognize her.  She was known as the “First Lady of the American Theater,” beginning her career on Broadway in 1905, when she was only five years old.  In the 1930s, Helen expanded her stardom to films, and finally to television.

The reason she comes to mind now and then is the impression she made upon me, as an energetic, sparkly eyed senior citizen.  I remember thinking, “When I get old, I want to be like that!”

Poof.  Four decades have passed, and I am indeed getting old!  I don’t feel like it, but that doesn’t stop the incessant turning of the calendar pages.

So I was delighted to come across these verses from Psalm 92 that cast aging in a positive light:

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.  They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him” (vs. 12-15).

Palm trees do indeed flourish, living up to 100 years.  Withstanding heat, drought, and high winds, these trees stand tall and strong; their leaves fresh and green all year long.

 

What a perfect picture of an energetic, sparkly eyed senior citizen! 

How do we achieve such age-defying qualities? 

First, notice that the righteous will flourish.  When our faith is grounded in God, when we follow his principles for a prosperous life, we flourish.

Like the palm tree that grows straight up toward heaven, the righteous reach for the God of heaven.  That’s how they’re able to stand strong through the winds of change and difficult circumstances.

The psalmist then continues:  “The righteous will…grow like a cedar of Lebanon.”

Majestic cedar trees grow to 120 feet in height and up to 30 feet in circumference.  They provide the perfect picture of a firm, stable person.  Just as the cedar’s roots go deep into the soil, so the righteous person is rooted and grounded in God’s love (Ephesians 3:17).  From those roots comes the nourishment needed to remain strong and spiritually healthy.

Second, notice where these trees are planted:  in the house of the Lord.  They flourish in the courts of our God.

Charles Spurgeon, that eloquent preacher and writer of the 1800s, had this to say about those who dwell in habitual fellowship with God:  “They shall become men [and women] of full growth, rich in grace, happy in experience, mighty in influence, honored and honorable.”  Now that sounds like a very satisfying way to live—so much better than the opposite!

Think of a complaining oldster whose mouth turns down from constant disgruntlement.  His bottom lip protrudes from perpetual pouting, and his brow is permanently lowered into a frown because anger often rules his emotions.  All this negativity has stunted the growth of his maturity.  He’s unhappy much of the time, and is not held in high regard by others.  Do you suppose he ever considers that his way of life is terribly unsatisfying?   

However!  When our lives are centered upon worship of God, as we express gratitude for his blessings, praise for his attributes, contentment for where he’s placed us, and joy in the midst of trials, we become those admirable men and women Dr. Spurgeon described above:  mature, gracious, and happy.

Dr. Spurgeon also added “mighty in influence and honored.”  God rewards the righteous aged with “fruit.”  In other words, we may still bring glory to God by our words and actions—well into old age.

We can be:

  • Energetic—with the power of the Holy Spirit
  • sparkly-eyed—with the indwelling of God’s peace
  • grace-filled—with continual demonstrations of God’s love to others
  • joyful—with hearts focused on God’s blessings

These kinds of saints provide a powerful example of God’s faithfulness—through pleasant times and challenges, through plenty and want, year after year.

May we continue to grow deep and stand tall—all the days of our lives.

(photo credits:  www.pachd.com, www.captainkimo.com, www.forestertreeservice.com, www.centrifueleadership.com, www.seniors.ovetoknow.com)

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Seeking God

Posted in Faith, God's Presence, Intimacy with God, Seeking God, tagged , , , , , on July 8, 2013| 39 Comments »

 

Seeking after God.  It’s a concept we come across frequently in scripture.  But God is Spirit; he’s invisible to us.  How do we seek after someone we can’t see?

Perhaps we can answer that question by considering the ways we seek a person, who can be seen.

Example #1:

When my husband, Steve, and I are separated in a crowd, it’s quite amazing how quickly I can spot him.  Beyond height, hair, and eye color, I know the breadth of his shoulders, the way the hair grows on the back of his head, the shape of his ears.  In fact, it’s such nuances as these that draw my attention, even more than the descriptors listed on his driver’s license.

Perhaps our first step in seeking God is to get to know what he looks like, although not his physical Being, since he’s chosen not to reveal himself that way.  But as we read his Word, the Bible, we become familiar with who he is.  Through frequent, thoughtful study—not occasional reading—we learn about his character and his ways.  One guiding question can train us to seek God as we study:  What does this passage teach me about God?

Example #2:

Sometimes I find Steve in a crowd when I hear his voice or the timbre of his laugh.

Step two in seeking God:  We can listen carefully for his voice, although he rarely chooses to speak audibly.  More often he communicates his wisdom and encouragement to us through the Bible, and the voices of wise and mature Christians—spoken and written.

God also speaks directly into our spirits, so we must cultivate the habit of listening carefully for strong but silent impressions.  We can ask God to make clear if those thoughts are indeed from him.  He will affirm.

Example #3:

I know Steve’s signature.  Give me a sheaf of papers with Steve’s name written by different people, and his distinctive style will stand out from the others.

Step three in seeking God:  Look for his distinctive signature of wisdom and power in his people and in God-incidents.

Even in creation, “God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made” (Romans 1:19).

 

 

Take note of the slow loops of a circling hawk, the graceful curve of a flower stem, the straight, tall sentries of a pine forest.  Pay attention to the perfect oval of a ladybug, the teardrop shape of  a milkweed seed, or the mounds of clouds in a summer sky.  You’ll soon find that God loves variety, pattern, organization, beauty, intricacy, and color.  Your heart will begin to respond with wonder and praise for your magnificent, powerful God.

Example #4:

Steve doesn’t even have to be with me, and my thoughts will turn to him.  A song, a phrase, a person who reminds me of someone from our past, and I think, “Oh, Steve would like this,” or, “I’ll bet Steve would agree he looks just like So-and-So.”

Just looking down at my new Mother’s Day watch, and I’m reminded of my thoughtful, generous husband.

Step four in seeking God:  As we get to know God through the Bible, as we learn to hear his voice, as we see his signature everywhere, we find our thoughts turning to him throughout the day.  A song may urge a response of praise.  A phrase might prompt a prayer, a person’s gracious kindness causes us to reflect upon his character shining through that individual.

And every blessing should result in gratitude.

Seeking God is an ongoing, progressional process.  Awareness of his presence grows slowly yet continually.  Perhaps God planned it that way so we always have more delights to discover about our Heavenly Father until we do see him face to face.

 

 

Seeking after God can begin with a simple prayer:  God, I want to know you more intimately,  to sense your presence  even though I can’t physically see you.  And I want you to be an integral part of my life and thoughts.  Nothing could be more satisfying than a close relationship with you.  This is what I seek.

That’s my prayer.  Will you seek God with me?  What steps have helped you to seek after God?

(Art & photo credits:  www.experienceproject.com; http://www.luddite1811.blogspot.com; http://www.revelife.com; http://www.finartamerica.com;  www.hullquist.com.)

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When Disaster Strikes

Posted in Faith, God, Perseverance, Suffering, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged , , , , , , , on June 17, 2013| 6 Comments »

Conventional wisdom teaches that we are in control of our own destinies, that hard work and perseverance will assure achievement of goals.  To a point that’s true.  Laziness and a lack of follow-through do not lead to success.

But.  Those truisms fail when disaster strikes.

Ask Job; he’ll tell you.  He was an extremely wealthy man.  In fact, he was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

Job also enjoyed a large, loving family.  His children liked each other so much they partied together.

Job was also a blameless and upright man—totally undeserving of what happened to him (Job 1:1-4).

He was stripped of everything.  All of his wealth.  All of his wonderful children.

Recent tornado victims know the magnitude of such horror. Home and all its contents, gone.  Family members, gone.  I can only imagine their emotional pain and heartache.

And what was Job’s reaction?

If you had asked me that question a couple of years ago, I would have answered that Job was incredibly accepting, that he did not blame God.  And those statements are true.

But there’s more:

“Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head” (1:20a).  OK, that makes sense.  Those were customs of the day for expressing grief.

And then do you know what Job did?

“He fell to the ground in worship” (v. 20b).

What?!  How can a person possibly worship at a time like that, when your whole world comes collapsing down around you?

All Job had left was his foundation—a foundation of faith in God.

Worship was his expression of that faith, declaring God’s worth to him—in spite of horrific calamity.  For Job, God was enough.

From Job we learn that true worship is not reliant upon circumstances.  We don’t have to be on top of the world to worship.  In fact, a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15) is surely very precious in God’s view.

Second, true worship is not reliant upon emotions.  We don’t have to be filled with joy in order to worship.  We can worship God with our tears, expressing our trust in spite of the pain.

Job couldn’t rely on answers that would give meaning for his suffering.  God gave him none.  What Job did rely upon was God’s character:

  • “His wisdom is profound, his power is vast” (9:4a).
  • “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted” (9:10).
  • “If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!  And if it is a matter of justice who will summon him?”  (9:19).
  • “You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit” (10:12).
  • “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his (12:13).
  • “Can anyone teaching knowledge to God, since he judges even the highest?” (21:22).

In the end, knowing God is more important than knowing answers.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Heavenly Father, I shake my head in wonder as people of faith such as Job neither blame you nor give up on you in the face of calamity.  Instead, they rely upon you all the more tenaciously.  They worship, affirming that you are still their sovereign, loving God.  They testify of your strength and peace.  Thank you for being a God who comes alongside us with your wisdom and grace, especially when we’re hurting.  Thank you for powerful examples to follow, such as Job.

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