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Archive for the ‘God’s Faithfulness’ Category

Victory in Defeat

Posted in Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Grace, God's Will, Joy, Perseverance, Suffering, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on April 21, 2014| 10 Comments »

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Defeat may serve as well as victory

To shake the soul and let the glory out.

When the great oak is straining in the wind

The boughs drink in new beauty and the trunk

Sends down a deeper root on the windward side.

Only the soul that knows the mighty grief

Can know the mighty rapture.  Sorrows come

To stretch out spaces in the heart of joy.

–Edwin Markham (1852-1940)

Mr. Markham–educator, author, and poet– gives us much to contemplate in just eight lines, beginning with the first seven words:

“Defeat may serve as well as victory.”

No, thank you, my spirit says.  Defeat is humiliating, uncomfortable, and depressing.

Mr. Markham inspires a different perspective and a note-to-self:  God may very well bring defeats into my life “to shake my soul and let the glory out.”

Reminds me of Jonah, the reluctant prophet who tried to run from God.  The Lord told him to go east to Nineveh, an important city of Assyria.  Instead he headed west, boarding a ship for Tarshish.

But a fierce storm churned the seas into a boil.  In desperation to appease the gods, the sailors hurled Jonah overboard.  Surely in those tense moments of near-drowning and then being swallowed by a great fish, Jonah felt crushing defeat.  His life was over; it was just a matter of seconds.

Yet he didn’t die.  Hour after hour in the utter blackness of the fish’s belly, he remained alive.

No doubt he felt shaken in his soul, and in his distress, he called to the Lord (2:1ff).

God heard his prayer and commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land.

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 Then the Lord repeated Jonah’s marching orders: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you” (3:1).

This time Jonah obeyed, and the glory came forth.   Jonah preached and the people repented. God had compassion upon the citizens of Nineveh, and did not bring destruction upon them.

What appeared to be a mortal defeat for Jonah turned into a glorious revival for a wicked city.

Read Mr. Markham’s poem again and you’ll discover more benefits of defeat, as outcomes of:

  • Straining in the wind.  Pressing on during adversity results in perseverance and strength of character.
  • Drinking in new beauty.  During times of distress we’re more aware of God’s glorious attributes at work in our spirits–attributes such as empowerment, faithfulness, peace, and grace.
  • Sending down deep roots.  Defeat often brings us to new depths of surrender and submission.  It also brings us to new depths of God’s love (Ephesians 3:17).
  • Experiencing grief.  Only those that know a mighty grief can know the mighty rapture.  Like diamonds against dark velvet, joy needs a backdrop of sadness in order to be appreciated fully.
  • Experiencing sorrow.  Sorrows create space for joy.  Joy is never so sweet and overwhelming as after sorrow.

God knows what he’s doing, and he doesn’t waste time or effort.  False starts and fruitless endeavors just don’t happen with our perfect Heavenly Father.

Therefore, when defeat comes into my life or yours, we can rest assured he is accomplishing his good purpose for us.

There will be victory in defeat.

Guaranteed.

 

(photo and art credits:  www.zazzle.co.nz.com; http://www.searchforbibletruths.blogspot.com.)

 

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It Just So Happened

Posted in God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Provision, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on April 3, 2014| 16 Comments »

“I just got a call from Mary, “ Frieda began.  “And you are not going to believe this.”

Frieda was the chairperson for the parsonage committee of our church.  The congregation had just purchased a newer home for their clergy family (Us!), one that was closer to the church.

Some new furniture would also be required.   (Back then, parsonages were supposed to be furnished, too.)  Frieda  had called to tell me about an interesting development.

She had just happened to mention to Mary, our choir director, that the committee was shopping for parsonage furniture. Mary had said, “Well, I’ve got a whole storage unit full of furniture, and I need to sell it!”

“ What do you have?” Frieda asked.

 

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The more items Mary listed, the more excited Frieda became:  A dining room table and four chairs, a matching buffet, a bedroom set, a curio cabinet —just happened to match a number of items on our list.

Within a day or two, Frieda and I visited the storage unit with Mary.  The furniture was in good condition and lovely—much of it off-white, which suited our Florida climate.  Dear Mary was more than fair on the price of it all.  That left more in the budget for other expenditures.

My one concern was the number of chairs for the dining room table.   If only there were six, it would be perfect, I thought.  Frieda and I decided to check some thrift stores.  Perhaps we’d find two chairs that would at least coordinate with Mary’s set.

 

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Can you imagine our surprise when we just happened to find two chairs almost identical to Mary’s?  The seat covers were different, but when all six chairs were reupholstered, you’d have to look very carefully to notice any difference.

Each of you  surely have some “just-so-happened” stories of your own.  Isn’t it delightful to be at just the right place at the right time to enjoy such coincidences?

Actually, in a universe under the control of God Almighty, such events are much more than coincidence; they’re God-incidents.  He’s the one doing the orchestrating.  How do I know?  Scripture tells us:

“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

Jesus taught the same truth:  “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8).

In addition, the Bible is full of examples:

  • The Egyptian princess just happened to find Moses in the bulrushes.
  • The Israelite spies just happened to meet Rahab, a woman willing to help them escape Jericho’s authorities.
  • Ruth just happened to choose Boaz’ field for gleaning.
  • David just happened to be a marksman with a slingshot, when Goliath and the Philistines threatened Israel.
  • Esther just happened to be chosen queen of Persia, as Haman was plotting to annihilate the Jews.

 

 

 

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Our all-knowing God foresees each need.  And before we’re even aware of what’s around the corner, he is already there.  He has already supplied.

What a gracious, faithful God he is!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Thank you, oh Lord, for the countless times you have engineered events for my benefit.  In actuality, those occasions when I recognize your handiwork are probably just a small sampling of the hundreds (thousands?) of times you’ve supernaturally provided, protected, and guided.

And you’re not finished yet!  Your faithfulness will continue until I am safely home in heaven, because you will not “be false to your faithfulness” (Psalm 89:33b).  Not ever.

Oh, how I want to be faithful to you in return!

 

(Art and photo credits:  www.overstock.com; http://www.sammyvintage.com; http://www.catholicradiodramas.com.)

 

 

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It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

Posted in Bible Study, Blessings, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Provision, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on March 20, 2014| 16 Comments »

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As you undoubtedly know, Florida summers are long, hot, and humid.  Winter can vary from warm and humid to cold and damp.   In between we enjoy those glorious, balmy days the Sunshine State is famous for.

We also have a dry season through the winter months, and a wet season during the summer.   Our “wet” usually comes in a daily downpour, accompanied by much thunder and lightning.  In the southernmost parts of the state you can practically set your watch by the arrival of the afternoon storm.  The good news is, it’s almost always short-lived.

Then there are days like Monday, with dense cloud cover and a steady rain for hours.  Highly unusual, especially during the dry season.

For those planning a trip to the beach or a round of golf, it was a wash out.  (Sorry. Couldn’t resist the pun.)

For the bookish who didn’t have to go to work, it was a godsend.  Nothing cozier than curling up with a good book, to the patter of soft rain.

And for Tuesday, we could all look forward to crisp, clean air and vistas of sparkling greenery and flowers.

And we could remember:  “He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:2).

Yes.  God comes…

…with his love and grace to wash away the cloying dust of sin (Psalm 51:7).

…with his Word that refreshes our spirits (Deuteronomy 32:2).  Drop by drop, day by day, providing life-giving nutrients to our spirits.  Nutrients like strength, wisdom, and encouragement.

…with cleansing (2 Samuel 23:4).  He removes false-guilt, negativity, and fear.  In their place he provides freedom, contentment, and peace.

…with showers of joy and blessing (Ezekiel 34:26), to cast a fresh glow on our surroundings.  All day, every day he is bestowing love-gifts through creation, family, friends, circumstances, and pleasures great and small.

…to shower righteousness on all who claim Jesus as Savior (Hosea 10:12), not just a select few. Anyone can exchange his/ her smudges and stains of imperfections for his sparkling righteousness.

Oh, yes…

It’s raining, it’s pouring;

Our God we’re adoring!

His mercies fall fresh;

They are new every morning!

Hallelujah!

(Photo credit:  hdwallpapersuk.com.)

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Goodness and Mercy Will Follow

Posted in Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Grace, God's Provision, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on March 13, 2014| 8 Comments »

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“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Sound familiar? That’s the last verse of Psalm 23.

It turned up somewhere in my reading this week.  Can’t remember exactly where.

But I do remember thinking, Wait a minute.  Follow?  Why didn’t David say, “Surely goodness and mercy are with me?”  It doesn’t seem very helpful to have God’s goodness and mercy behind me.

After all these years of familiarity with this beloved psalm, I was suddenly quite puzzled.  What could David’s statement mean?

I started with the dictionary.  Did you know there are twelve different meanings for the verb,  follow?  Several of the definitions opened up new understanding for me.  See what you think:

1.  Follow means to be the result of, as in, “A discussion followed the presentation.”

God’s goodness and mercy are the result of availing ourselves of his shepherding, his watchful care and wise guidance (vs. 1-3).  We don’t have to beg for his loving kindness; it is automatically bestowed as we trust in God.  Isn’t that glorious?

“Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things.  Who, O God, is like you” (Psalm 71:19)?

But.   If we take a pass on his leadership, we have no right to expect his blessing.

2.  Follow means to keep to or stick to, as in “Follow these guidelines.”

The Bible scholars of GOD’S WORD Translation must have embraced this definition. “God’s goodness and mercy will stay close to me,” they wrote.  One commentator said these attributes of God cling to us.  I like that, too.

3.  Follow means to pursue, to move behind with the intention of overtaking as in “The detectives followed the suspect.”

Isn’t that wonderful imagery, of God pursuing us with his goodness and mercy and never giving up?

Those translators who have chosen stay close to me, or pursue, do enlighten our understanding.  But one truth of David’s statement is best served with the more familiar verb, follow:  We often don’t see God’s goodness and mercy until the experience has passed.  It’s in looking back we see that he did pursue us and cling to us, lavishly imparting all his attributes.

For example, ever have one of those weeks when the to-do list is long, and there seems no way to accomplish it all?  I’ve seen God engineer circumstances so that an item or two could be postponed, another one or two are cancelled, and a few don’t take as long as expected.  One way or another, the list of tasks is checked off. And with a sigh of relief I look back and realize God had been following me, taking care of things as the week progressed.

“He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth” (Daniel 6:27).  Even for one woman with too much to do.

Every time God demonstrates his close attention, I try to record the incident in my blessings journal.  Watching that list grow has increased my faith; all the experiences have taught me I can continue to trust.   The goodness and mercy of God will follow me all the days of my life.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Oh, Father, I marvel to think your continual presence is close to me.  I can turn to you at any moment and you are there, ready and waiting to minister to my needs. Out of your goodness you give me countless blessings that I don’t deserve; out of your mercy you have withheld consequences for my sin that I do deserve.  Thank you for pursuing me with patience, gentleness, and compassion. 

Now may I be passionate to follow you, all the remaining days of my life.  “And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  How glorious to know that, even while living on earth, I can dwell in your presence within my spirit.  I rejoice in your name all day long and exult in your righteousness, for you are my glory and strength (Psalm 89:16-17)!

(Photo credit:  http://ourdailyblossom.com.)

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Perfect Love Drives Out Fear

Posted in Courage, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Love, God's Presence, God's Promises, God's Provision, Uncategorized, Worry, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2014| 20 Comments »

 

“There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear.”

1 John 4:18a

M-m-m.  Interesting.  John doesn’t say perfect courage drives out fear.  Not even perfect faith.  Why does he say perfect love will drive out fear?

First of all, this verse is not talking about fears of financial ruin or life-threatening events.  Verse eighteen gives us the context.  John is talking about Judgment Day.  He’s reminding us that, if we know Jesus, there is nothing to fear when we leave this earth for eternity.  Jesus gave his life to save us from the consequences of our sin.  Our place in heaven is secure, if our faith is in him.

And once that matter has been settled, other fear-producing questions can be put in proper perspective. We have to remind ourselves that earthly life fades quickly like the leaves (Isaiah 64:6).  These questions will cease to matter–questions like:

  • Will my job survive the cutbacks?
  • Will I be able to keep my health insurance?
  • Will my kids make it through their personal crisis?

But such questions can cause torment to the point of ulcers and high blood pressure.  If we allow fear to control us, we’re saying that the troubles we face are more powerful than our God.

So here are a few ways to fight against fear:

  • Rename your difficulties as possibilities—possibilities for God to do something glorious.  Without a problem, there’s no opportunity for a miracle.
  • Picture God Almighty accompanying you all day long.  He’s standing right behind you at the sink.  He’s sitting beside you in the car.  His ever-watchful eye is upon you,  his infinite strength is available to you, and his perfect wisdom will guide you.
  • Don’t feed your fear with worry; feed your faith with the truth of God’s Word.  Psalm 23 is a perfect place to begin.  Remember verse four?  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
  •  Listen to what he says:  “I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you (Isaiah 41:13).  Visualize God holding you by the hand as you walk through each day.

Years ago, when a I was a young teenager, my family visited Lookout Mountain in Tennessee.  Dad and I were hiking over the mountain paths when we came to a deep, narrow ravine.  He easily jumped across, turned, and held out his hand for me.

“I can do it myself,” I announced confidently.  Then I looked down into that deep ravine.  What if I fall? I thought.  Grinning sheepishly at Dad, I said, “’Guess you’d better help me after all!”  I had great confidence in my father.  I knew he loved me and would never let me fall.

God is ready to walk hand-in-hand with me along the mountain paths of life.  Problems arise, though, when I repeat that moment on Lookout Mountain and focus on the ravine, the what-ifs.  The  result?  I’m frozen with fear.

How downright foolish of me, when my loving, trustworthy Heavenly Father has assured me:

“Don’t panic.  I’m with you.  There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.  I’ll give you strength.  I’ll help you.  I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you” (Isaiah 41:10, The Message).

 You see, perfect love drives out fear because we can trust the perfect love of our perfect God.

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Post-Holiday Hope

Posted in Blessings, Encouragement, God's Faithfulness, God's Promises, God's Provision, God's Salvation, Hope, Salvation, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on January 2, 2014| 8 Comments »

The holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day fills our senses with:

  • Sights of Christmas trees, candles, Santas, and angels.
  • Sounds of carols, from the light-hearted “Frosty the Snowman” to the heart-stirring “O Holy Night.”
  • Textures from prickly pine to plush velvet.
  • Aromas of cinnamon, spice, and gingerbread.
  • Tastes of iced sugar cookies and egg nog.

But the seasonal pleasures are over for another year.  And the uncertainties of our times—political, economical, as well as personal—that we set aside for a few weeks, are coming to the forefront again.  If we’re not careful, troublesome thoughts can raise our blood pressure and take away restful sleep!

What to do?  Take comfort in God’s Word.  “Great peace have they who love your law,” said the psalmist,” and nothing can make them stumble” (Psalm 119:165).  I suppose that would include uncertainties, don’t you?

Two verses have ministered to me lately, Romans 8:30-31:

“Those he [God] predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified, those he justified, he also glorified.  What then, shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Of course, those key words in the first sentence beg to be examined more closely.

Predestination has been the subject of entire books and sometimes causes controversy.  I like the way the Living Application Bible explains the concept, in a footnote to Ephesians 1:5.  “Predestined” means marked out beforehand.

God knew each of us and loved us before we were even born.  He provided the way of salvation so we could be in relationship with him.  That does not negate our responsibility to believe in Jesus, in order to bring to pass God’s predetermined plan.

Called means we have been divinely summoned or invited.   Some Christians are divinely summoned for specific tasks.  Peter (John 21:15-17) and Paul (Acts 9:15) are perfect examples.

Most of us are called to love, obey, and serve God right where he’s placed us—in our homes, churches, business, schools, and neighborhoods.

Whatever our task, he cheers us on to work heartily because we’re doing it for him—to please him and bring him honor (Colossians 3:23-24).

And with his call comes hope, peace, joy, and blessing!

Justification is God’s way of making us right with him.  Out of his gracious love for us, he declares us “not guilty” for our sins. We deserve harsh punishment, but he treats us as righteous if we put our trust in Jesus.  Then the perfect sinlessness of God’s Son is credited to us  (Romans 3:22-25).

Imagine standing before a mighty king who’s dressed in elegant robes.  And there you are, wearing ragged, smelly clothes, staring at the floor, and wishing to be anywhere else but in this imposing throne room.

Suddenly the king’s words break through your embarrassment.  He’s calling for one of his son’s perfect robes to be brought for you.  He doesn’t just want to trade your rags for a  beautiful, pristine robe—he’s eager to do it!  And then, even more amazing, he welcomes you to his banquet table.

That’s justification—being treated as if we weren’t soiled by sin.  Being treated like  a royal son or daughter of the king, though it’s the last thing we deserve.

Full glorification  will occur when we arrive in heaven.  It refers to that moment when you and I will become like Christ (1 John 3:2.)  It is so certain, Paul uses past tense.  Our glorification is taken care of; it’s just a matter of when.

But the process has already begun.  Our glory—that is, anything that brings honor and praise to God—is developing day by day as we allow the Holy Spirit to have influence of our thoughts and choices.

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Now consider the magnitude of these four processes which God lovingly, even anxiously, works within us.  I like the way Ken Taylor expresses verse twenty-nine in The Living Bible:

 “Having chosen us, he called us to come to him; and when we came he declared us ‘not guilty,’ filled us with Christ’s goodness, gave us right standing with himself, and promised us his glory.”

 And last, in light of whatever you may be facing in 2014, please take comfort in these joyous words:

“What can we ever say to such wonderful things as these?  If God is on our side, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:30, The Living Bible).

 

 

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Light, Rainbows, and Dance

Posted in God, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Grace, God's Promises, Praise, Prayer, Worship, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2013| 16 Comments »

 

As I set the dish washing soap down on the counter, a small cluster of bubbles burst from the open top.  Playfully they danced upward in front of the window.  And I didn’t just smile; I giggled.

Memories associated with bubbles floated through my mind as I watched those drifting bubbles—memories of our children, and now our granddaughter–gleefully capturing bubbles that family members provided for their popping pleasure.  As they grew older, the children took on the challenge of slow and steady blowing, to make the biggest bubbles possible.

 

 

But it’s just a pocket of air surrounded by a film of soap.  Why is it that a bubble grabs our attention?

First, no one can refute their beauty:

  • Bubbles reflect light and sparkle with iridescence.
  • Bubbles refract light into brilliant pastel hues.  Ever-changing ribbons of color pirouette over the surface in rainbow swirls.
  • Bubbles gracefully glide across space, undulating on the air currents.

Each of these aspects can also draw attention to another form of beauty: the beauty of the Lord.

 

 

(“One thing I ask of the Lord,

this is what I seek: …

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.”

–Psalm 27:4)

 

But what does the beauty of bubbles (of all things) have to do with God?

Bubbles remind me that:

1)  God is light (1 John 1:5).  Ezekiel saw him “as if full of fire…Brilliant light surrounds him” (Ezekiel 1:27).  “The Lord is my light” is also a symbolic statement, referring to his truth and goodness.

2)  The refraction of light into glorious colors is reminiscent of the first rainbow (Genesis 9:15-17).  God told Noah that never again would he send a flood to destroy all life on earth.  The rainbow was a sign of this promise.  To this day, a rainbow—even a rainbow on a bubble—is a reminder that God keeps his promises.

 

 

3) The grace with which bubbles move brings to mind the grace of God.  He, too, moves in gentle ways within our spirits, like a loving shepherd tenderly gathering the lambs to his heart (Isaiah 40:11).

Perhaps God’s whole intention for creating bubbles (and many other phenomenon in nature) was to grab our attention and turn our thoughts to him.

So the next time bubbles escape from the bottle of the dish soap, you may wish to send up a prayer of praise, as they merrily bob through the air:

 

You are resplendent with light, O God (Psalm 76:4)!

You are faithful to all your promises (Psalm 145:13c)!

You are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger,

abounding in love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6)!

 

But why wait for serendipity bubbles?  Take some of that dish soap and create your own!

 

 

Revel in the sparkling light, the whirling rainbows, the graceful dance…

 

…and worship!

 

(photo credits:  www.flickr.com; http://www.pixabay.com;  www.dailyverses.net; wikimedia.com; http://www.pixabay.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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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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Undeserved Goodness–Part 1

Posted in Blessings, God, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Grace, God's Love, God's Provision, Uncategorized, tagged , on June 24, 2013| 8 Comments »

 

G.R.A.C.E. = God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.

Many of us are familiar with that definition of God’s grace, based on Ephesians 1:7-8.

I like Matthew Henry’s definition, too:

Grace is the free, undeserved goodness and favor of God to mankind.

But I’m left wondering:  What are those riches?  What does God’s goodness  look like?

The first undeserved favors we might think of include forgiveness, salvation, his peace and presence, guidance and joy.  But surely there are more.  How many more?  I began to keep a list.  It currently includes forty-seven aspects of grace.

Perhaps you’ll be awed and inspired as I was, contemplating the overwhelming riches that God supplies.  All because of the price Jesus paid for us at the cross.  Each one deserves careful thought, because each is a precious treasure.   I’ll share twenty-three of them today, and the rest on Thursday.  You’ll notice they’re organized in alphabetical order.  A hierarchy would have been impossible.

GOD’S GRACE INCLUDES:

1.  Unconditional ACCEPTANCE no matter what we’ve done (Luke 15:11-24).

2.  Confident ACCESS to God, to talk to him any time, day or night (Hebrews 4:16).

3.  Loving ADOPTION into his forever family (Ephesians 1:5).

4.  Faithful ATTENTION to our prayers (Psalm 6:9).

5.  Rich BLESSINGS to all who call upon him (Romans 10:12).

6. Attentive CARE through life’s ups and downs (1 Peter 5:7).

7.  Compassionate COMFORT when we’re afflicted (Isaiah 49:13).

8.  Trustworthy COUNSEL, offering guidance for the best way to live (Psalm 73:24).

9.  Promised DELIVERANCE on which to set our hope (2 Corinthians 1:10).

10. Strong EMPOWERMENT to do what he asks , which is always in our best interest (Acts 1:8).

11. Continual FAVOR as a child of the King (Proverbs 8:35).

12.  Augmented FELLOWSHIP with other Christians (1 John 1:7).

13. Complete FORGIVENESS for our sins (Hebrews 8:12).

14. Liberating FREEDOM from sin, death, worry, and fear (Romans 8:1-2).

15.  Satisfying FRUITFULNESS for a productive life (Philippians 1:10-11).

16. Special GIFTS of the Spirit, not for just a few stellar believers, but for everyone (1 Corinthians 12:1-11).

17. Glorious HEAVEN to look forward to, with a place for each of us (John 14:2-3).

18. Competent HELP that is always near (Psalm 115:11).

19. The powerful HOLY SPIRIT, who is constantly working for us and in us (John 16:13, Romans 8:26-27).

20. Enduring HOPE which renews our strength (Psalm 62:5; Isaiah 40:31).

21. Reliable INSIGHT into God’s Word and how we can apply it to everyday living (2 Timothy 1:7).

22.Overflowing JOY, independent of circumstances (Psalm 16:11).

23. Unfailing JUSTIFICATION, because the God of the universe has declared us “not guilty” (Romans 3:23-24).

THINK OF IT:

THINK OF IT:

At the moment each person invites Jesus into his or her life, all of these riches become instantly available.  Yet there are more.  I hope you’ll be looking forward to Thursday’s list.

(Art and Photo credits:  biblicallyshapedblogspot.com , wonders.wallpaperdave.com, gracefreak.dan.wordpress.com, barnabasonline.net, mintools.com/gifts-list.)

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