Valentine's Day has just ended. For many people, it was a day of celebrating the love they share with a significant other. For others, it was a day of disappointment or loneliness.
So while it's fresh on your mind I want to ask you this. Why was your day the way it was? What is it that left you so happy or so sad? Think about those things that helped you feel either loved or unloved. If you felt loved, why? If you felt unloved, what were you wishing for?
For most of us, we desire a person who will spend time with us. We want their attention. We want to be number one to them. We want them to say wonderful things to us and give us gifts that show they care. Be honest. Those things matter to you. Without them, you feel disappointed.
We were created in God's image. He has those same desires. He loves you. He tries to spend time with you and give you attention. He knows every detail about you right down to how many hairs are on your head. He gives you good gifts and tells you wonderful things that He loves about you. Perhaps you aren't noticing or listening, but it's true. He really loves you. Your very breath is a gift from Him. The air you breathe, the sunset at the end of a hard day, the flowers peeking through in the spring, even the motorcycle that drives by and distracts a toddler at just the right moment. These are all gifts from Him. And He desires the same from you.
Your Heavenly Father wants to be loved. He wants to hear from you and have you spend time with Him. Not just begging Him for things, but just being together. Maybe in a comfortable silence once in a while. He wants gifts from you and He wants you to say wonderful things to Him.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Sunday, February 8, 2009
A Heavenly City
This morning I woke up and had the chance to spend some time with God alone. That doesn't happen for me very often and I've been really missing Him. I started out by praying and asking Him to just help this moment be special so that maybe I'll be encouraged to do better in finding this time with Him. Also I had no idea where to begin reading. I have bookmarks in my Bible where I am reading with the kids, but nothing where I am reading alone because it's just been that long. So I asked Him where to start today. I expected a book, maybe a chapter. I got Hebrews 11:8. I started there.
I've been bothered by a couple of things lately. One is that my house is still not finished. There's a long way to go really. And yet over and over I feel the Lord telling us to finish our fields first. That's even Biblical. Can't recall chapter and verse right now, but I know it's there and try to remind myself all the time that it really doesn't matter how the house looks. This passage in Hebrews showed me that Abraham lived in the promised land in tents! Wow. I never really thought about that before. I'm grumbling about this house being solid, but unfinished. It is WAY better than a tent. We put tents up for Sukkot and I didn't even want to sleep in one. I much preferred my house and bed. So I felt good that the Lord had spoken to me and thought I was done. But I felt this prompting to keep reading so I did.
The other thing that has bothered me is that when we moved here we left a lot of friends and family behind. I miss them. I miss them a lot. I miss my siblings and the fact that my kids don't get to know their cousins very well. I miss all my friends. I miss that my kids had so many friends. I miss my homeschool group and all the fun activities we were able to do together. I miss the quantity of wonderful people I knew and hung out with on a regular basis. There are good people here, but not as many and it's had me longing for the city, for where we came from. Yet I KNOW this is where God wants us now. I don't doubt that. I just have had a hard time with this longing for fellowship with LOTS of people that love the Lord.
So I keep reading in Hebrews 11. I get to verses 15 and 16 and read this:
"And truly if they had called to mind that city from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly city. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."
Wow, that word city really popped out at me. And it was in there 3 times! It so clearly showed me that what I was longing for was not the city from which I'd come but the city to which I was going. The one Abraham had waited for while living in tents back in verse 10, "for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
I just sat there praising God for a few minutes for showing me that what I really want isn't in my past but in my future. It isn't something I gave up, but something yet to come. That was so encouraging and uplifting! I just have to keep on keepin' on and I'll get there someday.
So as if that wasn't enough, I get done praising Him for a moment and look back at what I'd just read. Italicized words jumped off the page. In the passage I quoted above from verses 15 and 16, the first two times the word "city" was there, it actually says "country." Now I'm not a poor reader. I read things word for word and can't even skip over "the" like a lot of people might do. I read slowly because of that, but I can't seem to quit it. And the word "city" all 3 times was a big deal the first time I read it and I looked at it over and over. Then I closed my eyes and prayed, opened them, and it said, "country." I'm not crazy. It's God's living Word and he changed it for the moment to make His point.
So then I had to sit and praise Him again because He loves me enough to change what I see on the page to tell me what He wants me to know. He is just so very awesome.
I had to get this written down so I'll remember it. Chances are, I'll long for that fellowship again and I might forget what He told me. Writing it helps me remember, but it's also here for me to read it again.
I've been bothered by a couple of things lately. One is that my house is still not finished. There's a long way to go really. And yet over and over I feel the Lord telling us to finish our fields first. That's even Biblical. Can't recall chapter and verse right now, but I know it's there and try to remind myself all the time that it really doesn't matter how the house looks. This passage in Hebrews showed me that Abraham lived in the promised land in tents! Wow. I never really thought about that before. I'm grumbling about this house being solid, but unfinished. It is WAY better than a tent. We put tents up for Sukkot and I didn't even want to sleep in one. I much preferred my house and bed. So I felt good that the Lord had spoken to me and thought I was done. But I felt this prompting to keep reading so I did.
The other thing that has bothered me is that when we moved here we left a lot of friends and family behind. I miss them. I miss them a lot. I miss my siblings and the fact that my kids don't get to know their cousins very well. I miss all my friends. I miss that my kids had so many friends. I miss my homeschool group and all the fun activities we were able to do together. I miss the quantity of wonderful people I knew and hung out with on a regular basis. There are good people here, but not as many and it's had me longing for the city, for where we came from. Yet I KNOW this is where God wants us now. I don't doubt that. I just have had a hard time with this longing for fellowship with LOTS of people that love the Lord.
So I keep reading in Hebrews 11. I get to verses 15 and 16 and read this:
"And truly if they had called to mind that city from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly city. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."
Wow, that word city really popped out at me. And it was in there 3 times! It so clearly showed me that what I was longing for was not the city from which I'd come but the city to which I was going. The one Abraham had waited for while living in tents back in verse 10, "for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
I just sat there praising God for a few minutes for showing me that what I really want isn't in my past but in my future. It isn't something I gave up, but something yet to come. That was so encouraging and uplifting! I just have to keep on keepin' on and I'll get there someday.
So as if that wasn't enough, I get done praising Him for a moment and look back at what I'd just read. Italicized words jumped off the page. In the passage I quoted above from verses 15 and 16, the first two times the word "city" was there, it actually says "country." Now I'm not a poor reader. I read things word for word and can't even skip over "the" like a lot of people might do. I read slowly because of that, but I can't seem to quit it. And the word "city" all 3 times was a big deal the first time I read it and I looked at it over and over. Then I closed my eyes and prayed, opened them, and it said, "country." I'm not crazy. It's God's living Word and he changed it for the moment to make His point.
So then I had to sit and praise Him again because He loves me enough to change what I see on the page to tell me what He wants me to know. He is just so very awesome.
I had to get this written down so I'll remember it. Chances are, I'll long for that fellowship again and I might forget what He told me. Writing it helps me remember, but it's also here for me to read it again.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Armor of God--sword of the Spirit
This probably doesn't need a lot of explanation. We pretty much all know what a sword is. This is the one offensive piece in a suit of armor.
When you use a sword, you swing it in different ways to attack or defend. It is sharp and piercing. It can cut or hold back an enemy. In the same way, the Holy Spirit will speak the Word of God to our hearts--different words at different times as the need arises. It can be a sharp pierce when you need it, or dull thud to stop you from doing something stupid.
Your sword will be much sharper if you read your Bible and have the words in your head so the Spirit can bring them to your heart and mind at the precise moment needed.
When you use a sword, you swing it in different ways to attack or defend. It is sharp and piercing. It can cut or hold back an enemy. In the same way, the Holy Spirit will speak the Word of God to our hearts--different words at different times as the need arises. It can be a sharp pierce when you need it, or dull thud to stop you from doing something stupid.
Your sword will be much sharper if you read your Bible and have the words in your head so the Spirit can bring them to your heart and mind at the precise moment needed.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Armor of God--Shod your feet
Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
The Roman soldier's feet were shod with hard, studded shoes. Even today we consider shoes to be a protection for our feet. How many times did you hear your mother tell you to put on shoes before you go outside? So as a soldier for Christ, we certainly need protection of our feet. How can you stand if your feet are hurt or attacked? This would be vital. Your feet and their protection would be like your foundation--your cornerstone of who you are and how you remain upright. And what does Paul tell us that should be? The preparation of the gospel of peace.
So what does that mean? That could mean that we need to have the gospel as our very foundation. It could also mean that we should be prepared to go out and defend and spread the gospel. I think it could be both. It's not enough to just say you believe in Christ. The gospel can't be much of a foundation if you don't really understand it. Have you ever shared it? You have to know something pretty well to share and defend it. If you haven't ever done that, I would challenge you to do so as soon as possible. Even if you're only sharing it with your dog or cat or goldfish. Share it. You'll be amazed how much more real it becomes to you when you explain it. And once you've got your goldfish saved, you may want to try someone else, someone more human.
The Roman soldier's feet were shod with hard, studded shoes. Even today we consider shoes to be a protection for our feet. How many times did you hear your mother tell you to put on shoes before you go outside? So as a soldier for Christ, we certainly need protection of our feet. How can you stand if your feet are hurt or attacked? This would be vital. Your feet and their protection would be like your foundation--your cornerstone of who you are and how you remain upright. And what does Paul tell us that should be? The preparation of the gospel of peace.
So what does that mean? That could mean that we need to have the gospel as our very foundation. It could also mean that we should be prepared to go out and defend and spread the gospel. I think it could be both. It's not enough to just say you believe in Christ. The gospel can't be much of a foundation if you don't really understand it. Have you ever shared it? You have to know something pretty well to share and defend it. If you haven't ever done that, I would challenge you to do so as soon as possible. Even if you're only sharing it with your dog or cat or goldfish. Share it. You'll be amazed how much more real it becomes to you when you explain it. And once you've got your goldfish saved, you may want to try someone else, someone more human.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Armor of God--The Breastplate
The breastplate of righteousness. Righteousness: morally upright; without guilt or sin.
I wondered if this is the righteousness of all believers in Christ where His blood covers our sin. My Bible's footnote says no. This is the practical, righteous character and deeds of believers. But another commentary says yes. So which is it? I'm inclined to think that when Paul uses the term "righteousness." he's NOT referring to the blood of Christ because he is writing to people who already have that. Why would he tell them to put it on? In John 14:15 Jesus says, "If you love me, you will obey my commandments." We can argue about what commandments He meant, but the fact is, He expects us to obey something. I believe it is this obedience that protects us.
We are saved by faith through grace, not by works. Yet faith without works is dead. How does this make sense? Well, our righteousness may not save us, but it protects us. The Law is so detailed, so full of wisdom and good living habits. Science has proven time and again that the law is good for us. The breastplate was a piece that went all the way around covering the core of your body. So being righteous, or following the law, protects the very core of your body. Walk out from under this protection and sickness and disease and every other evil have an opening to get to you.
The Psalms are full of praises for the Law. None of the psalms are talking about words of Christ, but about the Old Testament scriptures that the psalmists had available to them. Psalm 19: 7-11 seems to confirm that a protective righteousness comes from keeping the law:
Psalm 1: 1-5 tells us the way of the righteous and the end of the ungodly:
We most definitely need Jesus first and foremost to cleanse our sins. We have nothing without His Righteousness. This is absolutely without a doubt the most important form of righteousness we can receive. If the Breastplate of Righteousness refers to the Righteousness we receive by being followers of Christ, cool. That is covered the minute we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Then why do we still suffer spiritual attack? How do we stand against it? Isn't that what Paul was trying to tell us?
There are so many things that Christians suffer in this world that I wonder if we couldn't avoid if we kept the law. The laws about food have been proven to be wise. There's probably a lot about that that we'll never really understand, but God does, He made it all! If we still kept the laws about how to clean our house and when we are clean and unclean, I wonder if we wouldn't avoid a lot of sickness and disease. I don't think we'll ever completely wipe out sickness from our lives, just like we'll never completely wipe out sin from our lives.
Anyway, it's something to think about. I know that living our lives doing whatever we want and ignoring the whole Old Testament is not doing much for anyone I know. So either God is a liar, or that is NOT the protection He was referring to.
I wondered if this is the righteousness of all believers in Christ where His blood covers our sin. My Bible's footnote says no. This is the practical, righteous character and deeds of believers. But another commentary says yes. So which is it? I'm inclined to think that when Paul uses the term "righteousness." he's NOT referring to the blood of Christ because he is writing to people who already have that. Why would he tell them to put it on? In John 14:15 Jesus says, "If you love me, you will obey my commandments." We can argue about what commandments He meant, but the fact is, He expects us to obey something. I believe it is this obedience that protects us.
We are saved by faith through grace, not by works. Yet faith without works is dead. How does this make sense? Well, our righteousness may not save us, but it protects us. The Law is so detailed, so full of wisdom and good living habits. Science has proven time and again that the law is good for us. The breastplate was a piece that went all the way around covering the core of your body. So being righteous, or following the law, protects the very core of your body. Walk out from under this protection and sickness and disease and every other evil have an opening to get to you.
The Psalms are full of praises for the Law. None of the psalms are talking about words of Christ, but about the Old Testament scriptures that the psalmists had available to them. Psalm 19: 7-11 seems to confirm that a protective righteousness comes from keeping the law:
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
Psalm 1: 1-5 tells us the way of the righteous and the end of the ungodly:
1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
We most definitely need Jesus first and foremost to cleanse our sins. We have nothing without His Righteousness. This is absolutely without a doubt the most important form of righteousness we can receive. If the Breastplate of Righteousness refers to the Righteousness we receive by being followers of Christ, cool. That is covered the minute we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Then why do we still suffer spiritual attack? How do we stand against it? Isn't that what Paul was trying to tell us?
There are so many things that Christians suffer in this world that I wonder if we couldn't avoid if we kept the law. The laws about food have been proven to be wise. There's probably a lot about that that we'll never really understand, but God does, He made it all! If we still kept the laws about how to clean our house and when we are clean and unclean, I wonder if we wouldn't avoid a lot of sickness and disease. I don't think we'll ever completely wipe out sickness from our lives, just like we'll never completely wipe out sin from our lives.
Anyway, it's something to think about. I know that living our lives doing whatever we want and ignoring the whole Old Testament is not doing much for anyone I know. So either God is a liar, or that is NOT the protection He was referring to.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Armor of God--the Belt
Ephesians 6:11-18 says,"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
My daughter just recently decided to give her life to Jesus. Then we all began working with her on what that means. One of her older sisters started teaching her how to "be safe from Satan" and was using the scripture quoted above.
You know, so many things are used over and over to teach kids about the Bible and I just become sort of numb to them. I think of them as "kids' stories" rather than the Word for me that they are. And when I actually read (or overhear someone reading) these scriptures it will amaze me how much truth there is in them.
So I'm listening to this being read to my 6 yr old and thinking about how to explain it to her. Boy does that make scripture come alive! (One of my goals is to someday re-write the Bible in my own words--just for me. I haven't gotten very far yet, but someday . . .)
Armor is something we use to protect and defend ourselves, right? So I began to really look at each piece. I was going to write about it all at once, but it was getting way too long. So I'm breaking it down piece by piece.
The belt of truth. The Ten Commandments clearly teach us not to lie. This isn't just to give us a rule to follow. Truth protects us. And when I looked at what the Roman belt is, I found that it isn't just something to hold your pants up. It was a piece of armor that went all the way around with leather strips that hung down and protected the groin area.
This, to a man, would be a very important thing. Ever know a man who didn't instinctively want to protect his groin? That's how important Truth should be to us.
The belt also holds the dagger guard. I found this interesting since the sword is the Word of God. We have nothing to hold our sword if we aren't first guarded by the Truth.
My daughter just recently decided to give her life to Jesus. Then we all began working with her on what that means. One of her older sisters started teaching her how to "be safe from Satan" and was using the scripture quoted above.
You know, so many things are used over and over to teach kids about the Bible and I just become sort of numb to them. I think of them as "kids' stories" rather than the Word for me that they are. And when I actually read (or overhear someone reading) these scriptures it will amaze me how much truth there is in them.
So I'm listening to this being read to my 6 yr old and thinking about how to explain it to her. Boy does that make scripture come alive! (One of my goals is to someday re-write the Bible in my own words--just for me. I haven't gotten very far yet, but someday . . .)
Armor is something we use to protect and defend ourselves, right? So I began to really look at each piece. I was going to write about it all at once, but it was getting way too long. So I'm breaking it down piece by piece.
The belt of truth. The Ten Commandments clearly teach us not to lie. This isn't just to give us a rule to follow. Truth protects us. And when I looked at what the Roman belt is, I found that it isn't just something to hold your pants up. It was a piece of armor that went all the way around with leather strips that hung down and protected the groin area.
This, to a man, would be a very important thing. Ever know a man who didn't instinctively want to protect his groin? That's how important Truth should be to us.
The belt also holds the dagger guard. I found this interesting since the sword is the Word of God. We have nothing to hold our sword if we aren't first guarded by the Truth.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Why don't things always work out well?
I just answered a question on an email and I feel the Lord was giving me the answer. I want to remember it because I know there are lots of times I ask this same question. So I'm posting it here for my own remembrance:
Answer:
The big question here is WHO decides if it turned out well or not?
I think even if you look at Biblical examples you'll see that they may not have thought things turned out well.
The first one that pops into my mind is Mary, the mother of Jesus. She had an angel visit her and so there probably wasn't a lot of doubt about if it was God or her own thoughts. That was probably really good because I can imagine, if it were me at least, how hard it would have been to see things were going well. For starters she had to be looked down on for getting pregnant outside of marriage. We're more forgiving for that these days than back then, and I can tell you from experience it isn't very easy. I deserved some trouble I guess, but she sure didn't. Then she raised this precious little boy. He grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man, right? So that part wasn't so bad. And then He entered His ministry. Some people loved Him and others hated Him. She must have been proud though. Then she watched as they crucified Him. I'm projecting my own thoughts on her here, but don't you think it's very possible that as she watched she thought something must have gone horribly wrong? This couldn't have been God's plan.
How about Moses? He saw a burning bush and heard the voice of the Lord audibly. And yet, he didn't think God had the right guy. But he goes to pharaoh and shows His signs and wonders and pharaoh makes the people work harder. Whoops. Could that really be what God had in mind? Even when they were able to leave Egypt, the people whined and complained. Moses had to have had moments of wondering if God really knew what He was doing.
Let's talk about Noah. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. God told him to build an ark. Noah obeyed. God gave him very detailed instructions and Noah obeyed. You think that was easy? Most likely everyone laughed at him. I would guess there were times Noah himself doubted if he was doing the right thing. How about when it started to rain and God shut the doors of the ark. I am just guessing here because the Bible doesn't say, but I imagine that there were people banging on the outside of the ark shouting that they are sorry and they believe now, begging to be let in. But it was too late and they received no mercy. That would be hard to listen to. There's probably a good reason GOD shut that door instead of leaving it to Noah. And quite possibly Noah didn't think things were working out very well in spite of the fact that he obeyed God.
How about Ezekiel. He went through all kinds of grief just obeying God. God had a difficult message to get to the people and Ezekiel was willing to be the one to give the message. It wasn't easy for him I bet. But he loved the Lord and obeyed anyway. Someone had to do it. Our reward isn't always given on this earth.
And Elijah. Wow. Just read about him -- even if you've read it before. 1 Kings 17. Seriously, get out your Bible and read this. It will be so worth your time. Amazing. You know, I always read about Elijah and thought about how faithful he was and that's all I saw. But recently I saw how incredibly hard this must have all been for him. Like when God sent him off to the wilderness and had ravens feed him and he drank from the brook. Cool, huh? God provided for him. I used to imagine him just takin' a vacation and being completely cared for by animals that God sent. But now I see it differently. He was fed meat and bread from the beaks of ravens. Ravens were unclean to him. And how gross would that be to eat the food a filthy bird left on the ground for you? I'd have to get pretty hungry before I'd eat it the first time. And drinking from the brook? How clean was that? Notice that later when he went to the widow he asked for a drink of water IN A CUP. But aside from the grossness of it all, he's dealing with all this and obeying God and then the brook dries up! That had to cause some questions in his mind as to whether or not he was really following God. But it wasn't over. God had another word for him. He sent him to the widow. So he obeys and goes and asks her for food (in her hand--notice he didn't want to eat from birds anymore. ;-) ) and drink. She tells him that she doesn't have any bread. What she does have she was about to prepare as a last meal for her son and herself and then they would all die because of lack of food. Don't you think that would have given him pause to wonder if he was doing the right thing? But he tells her to do that, but feed him first. And don't worry about it because God will make sure you don't run out of food.
How could Elijah have such faith? How could he be so sure in the midst of such troubles? I think it all comes from LISTENING TO GOD. He was in constant communion with Him.
And the lesson I've learned from this story, and from too much experience in my own life, is that when it seems like things aren't going well after we've obeyed God, we just aren't seeing the big picture. We see our current situation as everything there is. But God sees that sometimes you have to suffer today to get to where you need to be tomorrow. And sometimes what seems like the worst suffering EVER is really helping you to avoid even worse suffering.
It's all about having a relationship with Him and following Him step by step. It's so easy to take that Word from God and do what He says, but stop listening. But God is always talking to us and we just need to keep our eyes on Him and our ears tuned to Him. We need to know what the NEXT step is.
Kind of like when Peter got out of the boat. Jesus TOLD him to come to Him out on that stormy sea. Peter was just obeying. Why did he then begin to sink? Was it because he hadn't really heard the voice of the Lord? Of course not. He just started looking at the world around him instead of focusing on his Lord. But Jesus didn't let Peter sink. Peter cried out for help and he received it.
And then there are martyrs, like Stephen. He was obeying God and was killed for it. Jesus warned us that it wouldn't be easy to follow Him. He said to take up our cross and follow Him. This didn't just mean wear a crucifix around your neck and claim that you are a Christian and go to church every Sunday!! Jesus hadn't yet been crucified when He said that, but He knew from the culture at that time how hard it would be to "take up your cross." He knew He was asking us to do something really hard. But we do it if we love Him.
God is always there watching over us. Sometimes we forget to listen and sometimes we think we're done before we really are. Sometimes things are just hard because they have to be because we live in a fallen world. But God speaks to us and wants us to follow Him and in the very end our reward will be great.
Question:
For those of you who have felt God's prompting you or telling you to do something, did it always turn out well? How did you know it was God? Have you ever stepped out in faith after spending weeks/months in prayer over something, on your face, crying, in scripture seeking direction and clarity? Have you ever moved/acted on in the direction you were sure is God's, and have it all crumble or fail?
What do you do then? How do you discern the voice of God from your own?For those of you who have felt God's prompting you or telling you to do something, did it always turn out well? How did you know it was God? Have you ever stepped out in faith after spending weeks/months in prayer over something, on your face, crying, in scripture seeking direction and clarity? Have you ever moved/acted on in the direction you were sure is God's, and have it all crumble or fail?
Answer:
The big question here is WHO decides if it turned out well or not?
I think even if you look at Biblical examples you'll see that they may not have thought things turned out well.
The first one that pops into my mind is Mary, the mother of Jesus. She had an angel visit her and so there probably wasn't a lot of doubt about if it was God or her own thoughts. That was probably really good because I can imagine, if it were me at least, how hard it would have been to see things were going well. For starters she had to be looked down on for getting pregnant outside of marriage. We're more forgiving for that these days than back then, and I can tell you from experience it isn't very easy. I deserved some trouble I guess, but she sure didn't. Then she raised this precious little boy. He grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man, right? So that part wasn't so bad. And then He entered His ministry. Some people loved Him and others hated Him. She must have been proud though. Then she watched as they crucified Him. I'm projecting my own thoughts on her here, but don't you think it's very possible that as she watched she thought something must have gone horribly wrong? This couldn't have been God's plan.
How about Moses? He saw a burning bush and heard the voice of the Lord audibly. And yet, he didn't think God had the right guy. But he goes to pharaoh and shows His signs and wonders and pharaoh makes the people work harder. Whoops. Could that really be what God had in mind? Even when they were able to leave Egypt, the people whined and complained. Moses had to have had moments of wondering if God really knew what He was doing.
Let's talk about Noah. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. God told him to build an ark. Noah obeyed. God gave him very detailed instructions and Noah obeyed. You think that was easy? Most likely everyone laughed at him. I would guess there were times Noah himself doubted if he was doing the right thing. How about when it started to rain and God shut the doors of the ark. I am just guessing here because the Bible doesn't say, but I imagine that there were people banging on the outside of the ark shouting that they are sorry and they believe now, begging to be let in. But it was too late and they received no mercy. That would be hard to listen to. There's probably a good reason GOD shut that door instead of leaving it to Noah. And quite possibly Noah didn't think things were working out very well in spite of the fact that he obeyed God.
How about Ezekiel. He went through all kinds of grief just obeying God. God had a difficult message to get to the people and Ezekiel was willing to be the one to give the message. It wasn't easy for him I bet. But he loved the Lord and obeyed anyway. Someone had to do it. Our reward isn't always given on this earth.
And Elijah. Wow. Just read about him -- even if you've read it before. 1 Kings 17. Seriously, get out your Bible and read this. It will be so worth your time. Amazing. You know, I always read about Elijah and thought about how faithful he was and that's all I saw. But recently I saw how incredibly hard this must have all been for him. Like when God sent him off to the wilderness and had ravens feed him and he drank from the brook. Cool, huh? God provided for him. I used to imagine him just takin' a vacation and being completely cared for by animals that God sent. But now I see it differently. He was fed meat and bread from the beaks of ravens. Ravens were unclean to him. And how gross would that be to eat the food a filthy bird left on the ground for you? I'd have to get pretty hungry before I'd eat it the first time. And drinking from the brook? How clean was that? Notice that later when he went to the widow he asked for a drink of water IN A CUP. But aside from the grossness of it all, he's dealing with all this and obeying God and then the brook dries up! That had to cause some questions in his mind as to whether or not he was really following God. But it wasn't over. God had another word for him. He sent him to the widow. So he obeys and goes and asks her for food (in her hand--notice he didn't want to eat from birds anymore. ;-) ) and drink. She tells him that she doesn't have any bread. What she does have she was about to prepare as a last meal for her son and herself and then they would all die because of lack of food. Don't you think that would have given him pause to wonder if he was doing the right thing? But he tells her to do that, but feed him first. And don't worry about it because God will make sure you don't run out of food.
How could Elijah have such faith? How could he be so sure in the midst of such troubles? I think it all comes from LISTENING TO GOD. He was in constant communion with Him.
And the lesson I've learned from this story, and from too much experience in my own life, is that when it seems like things aren't going well after we've obeyed God, we just aren't seeing the big picture. We see our current situation as everything there is. But God sees that sometimes you have to suffer today to get to where you need to be tomorrow. And sometimes what seems like the worst suffering EVER is really helping you to avoid even worse suffering.
It's all about having a relationship with Him and following Him step by step. It's so easy to take that Word from God and do what He says, but stop listening. But God is always talking to us and we just need to keep our eyes on Him and our ears tuned to Him. We need to know what the NEXT step is.
Kind of like when Peter got out of the boat. Jesus TOLD him to come to Him out on that stormy sea. Peter was just obeying. Why did he then begin to sink? Was it because he hadn't really heard the voice of the Lord? Of course not. He just started looking at the world around him instead of focusing on his Lord. But Jesus didn't let Peter sink. Peter cried out for help and he received it.
And then there are martyrs, like Stephen. He was obeying God and was killed for it. Jesus warned us that it wouldn't be easy to follow Him. He said to take up our cross and follow Him. This didn't just mean wear a crucifix around your neck and claim that you are a Christian and go to church every Sunday!! Jesus hadn't yet been crucified when He said that, but He knew from the culture at that time how hard it would be to "take up your cross." He knew He was asking us to do something really hard. But we do it if we love Him.
God is always there watching over us. Sometimes we forget to listen and sometimes we think we're done before we really are. Sometimes things are just hard because they have to be because we live in a fallen world. But God speaks to us and wants us to follow Him and in the very end our reward will be great.
| "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. | |
| "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. |
| "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. |
| Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets. |
| And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, | |
| But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. |
| Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. | |
| For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: | |
| "For yet a little while, | |
| But if anyone draws back, | |
| But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. |
| "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. | |
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