Mountain of Bashan

"The mountains of Bashan are majestic,

with many peaks stretching high into the sky."

Psalm 68:15

They were high and beautifully rugged, splendid in their majesty.  The sight of them caused a sharp intake of breath.  Surely this was the place where God's glory and presence would be placed.  What better location for His temple than these peaks reaching to the heavens?

But God did not select the obvious choice.  Instead, He preferred the lowly Zion.  And in His choosing, He exalted it over all the others despite its less-than-spectacular appearance.  Mount Zion, even though modest in height and humble in form, was God's chosen home, where His presence would be represented by a grand temple.

This is God's economy, so different from man's.  As such, what can I expect from Him?

Humble.  She didn't care if anyone knew of her existence.  It was her heart's desire to share God's love, however He chose to use her.  If that meant traipsing around in the African bush, she was overjoyed to do so.  If He chose to place her on a stage for all to see, she was willing.  It mattered not to her, for her heart was fully inclined toward her first Love.

My young missionary friend has developed a deep and meaningful relationship with her Papa, as she calls God.  Because she has submitted herself to Him in the midst of the struggle, while her heart grieved the losses she has suffered, their bond has grown strong and she is loyal to Him and His desires for her.  The fleshly pride has fallen away as she stands in His overflow of love, grace and mercy.  Instead of expecting Him to align Himself with her plans, she has done so with His.  It is a thing of beauty to behold.

God is not impressed with showy, flashy efforts, but the selfless offerings of a humble heart such as this.

Overlooked.  Everyone is talking about the latest celebrity gossip.  In this culture of celebrity fascination and veneration, the rich, famous and notorious tend to be exalted, while the ordinary is overlooked as worthless and insignificant.  Living in such an atmosphere, I tend to take on this same mindset and feel unimportant in the scheme of things.  God, however, does not hold this same point of view.

While people may give their attentions to what is obviously beautiful, talented and put together, to whoever has the so-called "it factor," God honors the hurting, broken and lowly among us.  He sees the tiny sparrow that flits around in the bushes unnoticed by most but treasured by the One who made it.  If He is watching such seemly insignificant happenings as the demise of a little bird, what do I think He is doing with those the world brushes aside as worthless (Matthew 10:29-31)?  He sees, and in His willingness to turn His eye upon the insignificant, the lowly suddenly gains significance.

God takes note of those the world ignores because each of His masterpieces is precious in His sight(Psalm 139:13-16).

Content.  I want more.  I'm not happy with just sitting back and letting life happen to me.  I'm taught to take the bull by the horns and wrestle it to the ground, making my life what I want it to be, giving myself significance by the important things I do.  I'm ambitious.

While the world exalts drive and determination as necessary for success, God does not.  He wants to be the One who lifts me up, grants me position and give me meaning.  It is only in submitting myself to His direction for my life that I find true significance, and along with it contentment.

Seventeenth Century French philosopher Jean de la Bryere supposed that I'm putting myself in jeopardy when I venerate success or try to go after what I want.  He wisely stated that my strong desire for achievement results in bondage to the god of my aspirations. "The slave has but one master, the ambitious man has as many as there are persons whose aid may contribute to the advancement of his fortunes."  May I instead bow at the feet of my Savior, letting Him do the promoting in His way and in His time.

Contentment only comes from resting in God and His plans for my life, not in going after what I want.

God does not value the same things I do.  If I am to live as His child, I must let Him change the way I think so it lines up with His mindset.  He is drawn to the humble and overlooked, and desires that I find my contentment in Him.  God does not operate according to the world's ways, but has His own superior economy that is so strange to my flesh.  In the end, however, His way is far superior.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust in God's strange ways.

How do I try to apply the world's standard to God's kingdom?

When am I expecting God to fall in behind me, supporting my efforts to go after what I want?   

His Heavy Hand

"Praise our God, all peoples,

let the sound of his praise be heard;

he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.

For you, God, tested us;

you refined us like silver.

You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.

You let people ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water,

but you brought us to a place of abundance."

Psalm 66:8-12

I want the good stuff without the hard, the benefit without the responsibility.  I desire to be called His child, yet despair under His discipline where true growth occurs.  A legitimate daughter falls under the heavy yet loving hand of her Father at times.

Living as His child is hard.  He loves me as I am, but loves me too much to leave me that way.  He sometimes seems relentless in His loving discipline.  But this is what it means to be His; it all brings abundant goodness into my life.

Kept.  I remember learning about the autonomic nervous system in school where the bodily functions necessary for life are carried on without me even thinking about it.  This wondrous feature of the human body seemed amazing; my heart keeps beating without any effort or thought on my part.  Even while I sleep, I continue to take air into my lungs.  I often wondered how it could all keep going by itself.

I am a marvel of God's creation, and He is the One who keeps the body functioning.  It is by His hand that I take each breathe.  It is through His grace that I wake up each morning.  I am at His mercy.  But as His child, this is not a scary thing because I am His.  I am under His constant attention. With such an attentive Father as this caring for each and every need, I can rest easy.

As His child, I am kept in the palm of His hand.

Tested.  Silver is no good until it goes through a purification process where the precious metal is exposed to high heat in order to burn off any contamination.  Once it shines bright, reflecting the refiner's image, the process is over and only pure silver remains.

I am like this silver.  On my own, I am precious in God's eyes; fully loved and treasured as His daughter.  But as His child it is His desire that I mimic His Son.  I can't fake this, bring it about through concentrated effort, or become like Him in the blink of an eye.  Sanctification is a process in which I cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He transforms me into the image of His Son (2 Corinthians 3:18).  

This process can be painful as God exposes me to the fire, showing me what my faith is really made of (1 Peter 1:7).  It's not until I reach the end of myself when going through hard times when I realize how much I need Jesus.  It's not until I am forced to put my faith into action, doing what I so boldly proclaim, that I discover it's not as strong as I once thought.  It's not until I must put my money where my mouth is that I find my faith coming up short. This is when I learn to really lean on the Jesus I claim to love and follow. 

As His child, my faith is tested as I undergo trials and tribulation.

Burdened.  I always thought it would be great to live the rich life without a care in the world.  All my needs would be taken care of, I'd want for nothing.  Then I grew up and found that money brings more troubles than happiness.  True joy comes from following Christ.

As a child of God through faith in Jesus, however, my life is not easy and comfortable.  He lays heavy burdens upon me, loads which are too much for me to carry.  I am weak and unable to bear such pain and heartache.  Why does He do this?  I thought He loved me!

My Father in heaven has a love that is peculiar to the heart of man.  He does not shield me from trouble, but brings me through it so that I can see my own weakness and come to a greater appreciation for His power (2 Corinthians 4:7-9).  It is only by relying on Him that I can keep from being destroyed by the difficulty of life.  It is only through the strength of His love that I am able to avoid despair.  It is only in Christ that I am not ruined by the blows that come my way.

As His child, I am burdened heavily so that I can bring glory to Him as my strength.

What advantage do I have as God's child?  I am not shielded from difficulty, that's for sure.  But as His daughter, His eye is ever on me, keeping all systems working. He tests my faith in order to prove it's worth, and He burdens me heavily so that it is clear to all that God is the One who gets the glory for the great things that He has done in my life.  What is the result of His heavy hand upon my life?  What can I expect as His oft-disciplined child?  Abundance of life!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God through the trials.

When am I prone to despair, forgetting I am kept by the God of the universe?

How do I forget that part of being His child is to expect discipline that brings me closer to Him?

  

The Splendor of His Glory

"Come and see what God has done,

his awesome deeds for mankind!"

Psalm 66:5

Guilt weighs me down, propelling me to move as if my life depended on it.  Sorrow grieves my heart, sinking me down into a miry pit.  Ambition lights a fire in me, inspiring me to do God's job for Him.  It's easy to get off track, to focus on the wrong things in life.  

I face hard things on a daily basis; life is definitely not a walk through the park.  Most of the time it is a challenge with various obstacles breaking my pace, pitfalls wreaking havoc and dangers lurking.  Consequently, it's easy to pay attention only to what is wrong, difficult or broken.  Then He tugs at my heart, gently whispering in my ear.  Look!  Come and see what I have done!  And I turn, retraining my focus to the work of His mighty hand and see it: The splendor of His glory that is hidden all around me.

Miracles.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  He was like a different person, renewed and refreshed.  Where there once was a hard countenance, now I saw a gentle peace.  Instead of angry bitterness that colored his life, I detected an acceptance of his circumstances, a contentment with his lot in life.  While there used to be nothing but disappointment for the course his journey had taken, now he eagerly looked forward to what was coming next.  There was no way to explain it except to say God had worked a miracle in this man's life.

A miracle is an event that blows the mind, sweeping away expectations for how life normally goes and stumping scientific attempts to find answers to explain how it all came about.  It is the work of a mighty God.  There are all kinds of wonders that can't be attributed to man or nature.  The transformation of a heart, healing of a marriage, change of course for the trajectory of the prodigal.  Then there are the rescues from a burning building where death was certain but extraordinarily avoided, the inexplicable recovery from the disease that had all but snuffed out life, the near miss that left everyone in tears.

Come and see what miracles God has done; look for them!

Might.  It may seem like no one is managing this crazy planet that seems to be spinning out of control.  I look around me and see pain, brokenness and suffering.  Who's at the helm of this sinking ship?

Things are not what they seem.  Behind it all, God is on the throne, ruling with mighty power.  His hand upholds kingdoms, faithfully directing the details of our lives and enacting justice with perfect righteousness.  He is in control, of that I can be sure.  Even though this world is broken by sin and infiltrated by the enemy of my soul, the evil is not sovereign over all things;  God is.  Only the Maker of heaven and earth has authority to attend to the affairs of His people, enact vengeance and bring about salvation.

Come and see the might of our great God!

Mindful.  "Why did you turn the water faucet on?"  I asked my daughter as she came through the back door, screen door slamming behind her.  

"How did you know?" she asked, seriously confused that I would be aware of her secret doings.

"I'm a mother.  We have our ways."

While I may have convinced my young daughters that I possessed some kind of superpower while they were growing up, a mother is nothing compared to God.  He is aware of my comings and goings, my quirky ways and every thought that passes through my mind.  He even knows the words that shoot out of my mouth without thought or intention.  In short, He understands me completely, better than I know myself (Psalm 139:1-4).

With such a God as this, why do I think I must direct my own footsteps, make my dreams come true, promote my own self?  God is mindful of me and has the better plan for my life.  If I would get out of the way, He is ready to get to work placing me where He wants me, giving me the good gifts He has in mind for me, using me how He will best make His name known.

Come and see the mindfulness of our attentive God!

It's easy for me to get caught up in all that is wrong in this world.  After all, there is an abundance.  But the good news is that God is always at work and is a good God, meaning the miraculous and mighty works of a mindful God are all around me.  All it takes is for me is to come and see the splendor of His glory!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can be mindful of God, knowing that He is paying attention to me.

When do I miss all the good because I'm focused on what is wrong?

How am I stubbornly insisting on explaining miracles away instead of giving God the glory for the great things He has done and is doing?

God Alone

"I wait quietly before God,

for my victory comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will never be shaken."

Psalm 62:1-2 NLT

Life is hard.  My heart breaks easily.  Tears come quickly at the sound of compassion.  There are many places I could turn, ways to ease the pain, routes to follow in a quest for relief.  Only One, however, is worthy of such confidence.

Wait.  My flesh hungers after productiveness.  I feel a need to do something.  It's hard to sit by and watch as things fall to pieces.  Yet this is exactly what God wants from me.  He desires that I wait quietly before Him, sitting at His feet to find His peace, giving Him a chance to work on my behalf.

The Israelites learned this firsthand when they stood between the Red Sea and the approaching Egyptian army.  As they panicked, crying out for delivery, God told them what to do.  He said, "Don't be afraid.  Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today." (Exodus 14:13a).

God is the only One who is worth waiting for.

Salvation.  "Jesus. Jesus. Jesus."  I heard her grieving, wounded heart utter His name.  Her husband cruelly and brutally snatched from her midst, she sat in the shambles of her broken life and drew comfort from the one name that could save her from this pain (Isaiah 61:1-3, Acts 4:11-12).

He said He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).  When He proclaimed such wonder, He meant more than just that He is the way to heaven where He would sit at the right hand of His Father.  He was also ushering in His kingdom here on earth where He is the key to receiving all good things from the Father.  He is the conduit of grace, the channel through which His redemptive love flows, the means to discover the abundant life in the midst of the mess.

Jesus is the only name by which I can be saved.

Rock.  It all seemed to be sinking sand.  Everywhere I stood, my feet sunk into the soft, warm sea shore and I couldn't find a way to anchor the shelter.  We tried piling the sand up over the feet, sinking the poles deep in the sand.  We tied out the anchors, but the stakes easily pulled out at the first gust of wind.  Soon, the sun shield we had erected was blowing down wind as we chased behind like some erratic kind of parade.  At least we were giving the other beach goers some form of entertainment, but what we needed was something solid in which to secure our tent if we had any hope of it staying put.  

God is this solid ground, this rock upon which I can build my life.  He is secure and unchanging, giving me a strong base, a sure foundation.  With this kind of footing, I will not easily be swayed (Matthew 7:24-27).  I can also draw my strength from His since mine is easily depleted.  Then, I will soar like an eagle through the sky, effortlessly gliding above the clouds (Isaiah 40:31).  When I feel helpless, at the mercy of merciless man, there is the power of His indwelling Spirit that gives me a way to rise out of the ashes (2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 61:3).

God is the rock of my life.

It sometimes seems life is one big struggle after another.  Following Jesus, however, gives purpose to the pain.  While I could seek many ways to cope with the difficulties, there is only One who can be trusted with such jewels.  In Him I can wait with confidence, find salvation and discover the rock that is necessary for stability.  In God alone I place my trust.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that when trouble comes my way, I can let Jesus be the only Name I utter.

How do I turn to other sources for help?

When am I easily knocked off my feet?         

Profile of our God

"From the ends of the earth I call to you,

I call as my heart grows faint;

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For you have been my refuge,

a strong tower against the foe."

Psalm 61:2-3

There are millions of deities, gods and goddesses created by human hands yet worshiped as if they possess power and authority.  Each has its own identity, form and name.  To try to learn about each one would be a full time job.  Many people bow down to them as god even though there is little known about their character.  As Paul said to the Greeks, "you are ignorant of the very thing you worship." (Acts 17:23b)

There are many religions which I could follow as I live this life, but only one God who is inviting me to seek Him out and enter into a relationship with Him so that I can come to know Him as a child knows a Father.  The Creator of heaven and earth is all-powerful yet making Himself available to me. He is not an unidentified god languishing in a long list of other divinities.  He is the One True God whose identity is clear and character never changes.  

Who is this God I claim to trust?  What can I expect from Him, or ask of Him?

Higher Rock.  A few years ago I completed an obstacle course with three of my daughters that was designed by Marines.  This race challenged me in ways I'd never been tested.  As we approached one of the several dozen obstacles, the ten-foot sheer wall, I knew I couldn't climb it without assistance, and my teammates were not going to be able to help me reach the top.  

What the Marines instructed us to do was seek help from competitors who were already at the top of the wall.  So, as my daughters lifted me from the bottom, a strong man reached down from the top and help to hoist me up.  Once there, I could help get the rest of my team over that obstacle, but I needed help from someone in a better position than I to have any hope of overcoming that impossible feat.

It's like this in life.  There is only so much I can do to overcome the problems I face on a day-to-day basis.  As a result, I must constantly seek help from the One who is stronger and more powerful than I.  God is that Rock who is higher than me.  He is in a position to be able help me in ways I could never imagine.  He knows what I need and when I need it.  His solutions are far superior than whatever I could come up with (Isaiah 55:8-9).  

My God is stronger and more powerful than any other source of help I could seek.

Strong Tower.  My husband and I hiked up the 2,300-foot hill, soaking in the beauty of God's creation.  As we climbed higher and higher, our feet started crunching through fluffy snow.  By the time we reached the top, we were ready for some shelter from the cold.  All that was available, however, was a tower built for observation.  Even so, I was surprised by how much protection from the icy wind that stone structure provided.  The moment we stepped foot inside, the temperature seemed to rise by several degrees.

God is like this strong tower.  He is secure and provides a measure of protection against the harsh conditions I encounter every day.  I can enter into His presence, finding safety when I'm being threatened.  

When my heart wavers with doubt as the darts of the enemy tempt me to despair, I can find truth in Him, giving me resolve to press on toward the goal (Hebrews 12:1-2).  When there is indifference all around, tempting me to adopt an apathetic outlook, I can find passion in Him, lighting a fire for fully living (John 10:10, 15:5).  When it seems life is nothing more than a series of tasks meant to be accomplished, I can find purpose in Him, offering a reason to carry on.

My God is a strong tower meant to protect me in times of trouble.

Refuge.  Even though I don't want to go through surgery again, there is something special that I treasure about the time my husband and I spent in the hospital last year during my recuperation.  I felt especially cared for as he tended to my needs, stayed by my side and helped me through my recovery.  Regular day-to-day living does not necessitate such attentions from my husband, but I cherish that time that strengthened our bond with one another.

I don't need to go under the surgeon's knife in order to experience such loving care from my Father.  He is my refuge, my safe place, my retreat where I can expect to receive the kind of nurturing attention I experienced from my husband while in the hospital.  Like a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings, God cherishes me as His child and tends to my needs with compassion and kindness.  He tenderly leads me down the path He's marked out for me, gently prodding me forward while nursing my wounds.  

My God is a refuge who hides me under the shelter of His wings.

My faith is in a God who is able to be known.  For this reason, I can learn more about His character as I live in relationship with Him.  As I grow closer, I find Him to be a Rock who is higher than I, a Strong Tower who provides protection, and a Refuge who lovingly cares for me. This is a profile of my God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God to protect me from that which is dangerous.

When do I feel vulnerable as I live life in this cold, dark world?

How am I trusting in other "gods" who are impotent to save me?   

Sing!

"But I will sing of your strength,

in the morning I will sing of your love;

for you are my fortress,

my refuge in times of trouble.

You are my strength, I sing praise to you;

you, God, are my fortress,

my God on whom I can rely."

Psalm 59:16-17

The words fall easily from my lips, natural to my carnal self.  While I don't mean to be negative, my flesh loves the pessimistic and cynical mindset.  Complaining can be a group practice, a way for me to connect with others, a common ground we share, like at the supermarket checkout.  "Can you believe the traffic around here?"  "Typical Monday; dreary and wet."  "It figures, I usually get in the line where the register runs out of paper or the cashier is slow."  Rolling of eyes, snickering under the breath, connection made.

Is this what I want to be about; all that is wrong in life?  Sure, there is plenty to complain about, don't get me wrong.  If I wanted to, I could maintain an endless list of circumstances, situations and incidents that are bad and worthy of sharing with others.  But why would I choose all that is broken and amiss in this world when I have a God who is so good?  I have much about which to give Him praise.  Why not choose to sing?

Strength.  God never gets fed up with me, growing tired of my failings or giving up on my weaknesses.  He never runs out of steam as He takes attentive care of all His children.  He doesn't need to take a break to refuel and recuperate after a long day.  God doesn't need to sleep so He'll feel better in the morning, ready to face another day of ruling over His creation.  He is the same this moment as He was the last.  His strength never runs out (Isaiah 40:28).

This is the kind of strength I need to sustain me.  I do get fed up with others, grow tired of my own failing as well as the shortcomings of those around me.  It's easy for my flesh to want to give up the fight, wondering if I'm capable of taking another step.  With all I face in life, I tend to run out of steam, needing refreshment and rejuvenation.  I can't go without sleep, but need it so my body can rest.  

In my weakened human state, I need the strength of God to sustain me.  He makes it possible for me to carry on when I'm ready to throw in the towel.  He renews my resolve when I'm done dealing with the world.  He sprouts a seed of hope inside me that gives me supernatural strength to carry on.

Why not choose this day to sing about this strength upon which I can rely? 

Steadfast Love.  It doesn't matter what I do, I can't lose it.  Even if I fall a thousand times, I will never be out of it's abundant flow.  While my behavior may give humans a reason to withdraw it, there is nothing that can make God stop loving me.  His very identity is love and it is His nature to love (1 John 4:8).  Because of His character of love, I am secure in Christ (Romans 8:35-39).  I am always His beloved child.

For this reason I need not despair when trouble comes my way.  No matter what happens I can never lose my place in the family of God under the devotion of a Father's love.  Even if my heart despairs to the point of death over my failings, my Father looks compassionately upon me as if looking upon a wounded bird who needs an extra dose of tender loving care.  When I feel the whole world is against me and I can't find a lick of sympathy or anyone to show concern for my plight, God's love is there to minister to my wounded heart.

Why not choose this day to sing about the steadfast love of God that never runs out?  

Fortress.  Life can be cruel.  The blows come fast and hard.  I wish someone would cut me a break, that the onslaught would slow.  Still, the difficulty comes like a relentless wave threatening to take me under.  Then I see it.  The sturdy lighthouse standing firm in the raging sea.  Once inside, I am safe and secure, able to rest in the midst of the storm.

God is this lighthouse against the powerful tempest.  He is a fortress in times of trouble.  He is my Rock and my Redeemer.  He is my refuge in the midst of the turmoil that swirls around me.  Resting in Him gives me inner peace and tranquility even though I should be panicked and disturbed.

Why not choose this day to sing about the God who is my fortress against the trouble found in this world?

   

It's too easy to complain, it comes so naturally.  This day, it is my prayer that I will choose a different path, that my heart will be moved to sing about all God is to me.  He is my strength, abounding in steadfast love, and providing a mighty fortress in which I am safe and secure.  For these reasons, I choose this day to sing!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can focus on the goodness of God instead of all there is to complain about.

How am I drawn to the negative?  How can I retrain myself to look instead at God and His goodness?

When am I most prone to whine and grumble?

  

Mental Toughness

"They spread a net for my feet--

I was bowed down in distress.

They dug a pit in my path--

but they have fallen into it themselves.

My heart, O God, is steadfast,

my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and make music."

Psalm 57:6-7

She's trying to live for God, walking with Him in all her ways, yet it seems there is resistance at every step.  "No good deed goes unpunished," she mutters to herself as she walks down the hallway at her workplace.  "Why does everyone mock me and my faith?  I'm the only Jesus many of them have ever seen, yet they treat me like dirt. That's the thanks I get for showing them love."  Then she remembers the words of her Lord and Savior.  "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. . ." (John 15:18-19a)  Her heart lifts as she remembers Who she follows.

The world is tough, cruel and harsh.  When it seems to work against me, I can take heart, remembering it is really working against Jesus in me.  It's easy to lash out, grow bitter, and cultivate a cynical heart in the face of such treatment.  Or, I could develop the mental toughness David possessed and choose to remember the nature of my God.

Hope.  The world is a cold place filled with heartache.  To live here means to suffer loss, pain and misery; there's no getting around it.  The world is not as God created it to be, broken and twisted by sin as it is.  In the face of such distress, it seems like there is no reason to carry on, no reason to have confidence in what is to come.  Won't it just be more of the same?

No.  For those in Christ Jesus, there is hope.  Because of what Jesus has done, I have something to look forward to.  Since I belong to Him by faith, I have the promise of His strength to get me through the hard times I face now and will inevitably come up against in the days to come (Isaiah 43:1-3).

As I live in this dark world I can choose hope in God my strength (Psalm 46:1).

Steadfast.  His heart is at peace, his countenance resolute, his determination to continue on steady and strong.  How can he walk forward with such unwavering faith in the face of losing his beloved wife?

He can because his eyes are fixed on Jesus, the originator and finisher of his faith (Hebrews 12:1-2).  I, too, can maintain a steadfast heart while chaos swirls around me.  Knowing God is still on the throne despite the state of the world, acknowledging that He has a plan even though it seems I'm at the mercy of a continuous stream of cruelty, trusting in His redemptive nature while my enemy is out for my destruction takes a committed belief in the One I follow.

As I live in this dark world, my heart can be steadfast no matter what comes.

Believe.  He has overcome the world (John 16:33).  God is with me, no matter what I face (Deuteronomy 31:6).  Time means nothing to God; He is already there in the unknown of my future and every act of my life is written in His book (Psalm 139:16).  He has a plan for my life that will use even the evil and darkness for my good (Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28).

I can choose to doubt God's goodness in the face of opposition.  It's easy to wonder if He really is the Victor who is constantly present, has gone before me and written a good plan for my life.  Really?  This is a part of that plan, God?  I can quickly turn angry and bitter.  If I choose to believe, however, trusting God despite what my senses tell me, my faith will grow and peace will prevail in my heart.

As I live in this dark world, I can choose to believe God will do what He says He will do.

Walking the narrow path in the darkness of this fallen world is difficult, to say the least.  I face many challenges to my faith and I am often tempted to waver.  I have been given a spirit of God's power, however, that can propel me to choose hope, a steadiness of heart, and faith.  In these ways I'll develop a mental toughness that will help me keep moving forward on the path that leads to righteousness no matter what the enemy throws my way.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God's plan for my life, even when it seems everything is falling apart.

How do I doubt there is any good in my current situation?

When am I failing to trust God the most?       

Attentive God

"You keep track of all my sorrows.

You have collected all my tears in your bottle.

You have recorded each one in your book."

Psalm 56:8 NLT

Living in a harsh, cold world is hard.  Following a peculiar Savior is difficult.  There is an enemy of my soul who does his best to trip me up, to plant seeds of doubt and cultivate a heart of fear within me.  Even though I have all hope in Christ, this adversary bombards me with messages of worry and dread, tempting me to fall into hopelessness and despair.  The grief and heartache I feel is palpable.  Does God care?  Does He notice?

Yes, He does.  He is an attentive God!

Wanderings.  All I want to do is hide away somewhere safe where trouble will not find me.  I search high and low for such a place, a refuge from the harshness of this world.  Even though I find some solace in my chosen haven whether it be throwing myself in work, drowning my sorrows in drink, or trying to forget by pursuing sensual pleasures, the hurt is still there.  No matter what I do, I cannot escape the torment that is within.  Am I good enough?  What is my purpose?  What's the point of all this suffering?

I may feel all alone in the midst of the struggle, like no one cares and God is not listening.  The truth is, however, that He keeps track of everything I do to try to comfort myself, all the places I flee to for refuge, all the ways I try to forget.  My loving Father doesn't miss a thing.  

Not only does He notice, but He takes account of all my many wanderings.  This is a God who knows me intimately.  Therefore, I can trust Him with my deepest fears, my greatest struggles, and my darkest secrets.  He is a God who keeps account.

God is attentive to all the ways I try to escape from the heartache found in this world.

Tears.  I cry myself to sleep.  I steel away to the restroom and lock myself in a stall and shed my tears.  In front of others, I put on a  happy face but in private, the weeping commences unchecked.  No one knows how many tears I have shed over the sorrow of my soul. 

No one, that is, except for my Father who loves me.  He not only sees, but He has collected those tears and stored them in a bottle, so precious are they to Him.  My heartache is not trivial or meaningless.  He does not look at me and call me overly sensitive or too emotional.  His heart is moved by my bitter weeping.

There was a man who was king of Judah.  This man loved God and was devoted to Him but one day he became sick to the point of death.  Isaiah the prophet came to him and told him the time had come to set his affairs in order, for his life would soon end.  Hezekiah mourned over the thought of his death.  He pleaded with the Lord to save him, and then "he broke down and wept bitterly." (2 Kings 20:3b)

God didn't just say to Himself, "Sheesh, this guy has to face the facts, suck it up and accept his lot in life."  Instead, He had compassion, saying, "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears.  I will heal you. . ." (v5)

God hears my prayers, and every tear I shed is precious to Him.

Record.  Several years ago I began the practice of keeping what I call a "Stones of Remembrance Journal."  In this book, I record all the feats of God, the big and small evidences of His hand in my life.  When I go back and review what I've recorded, I am often amazed at how much happens all at once.  When I'm in the midst of it, I may take it all in stride, taking for granted much of His handiwork.  But when I read the entries in this journal, the scope of His power at work in my life becomes more evident.

God keeps a similar record of my life.  He takes note of my sufferings, my difficulties, my attempts to cope with everything that comes my way.  He doesn't roll His eyes, wondering when I'll trust Him enough to enter into the rest He has prepared for me (Hebrews 4:9-11).  He doesn't give up and move onto someone else when I forget to pray to Him instead of worrying and fretting (Philippians 4:6-7).  He doesn't sigh in frustration, doubting whether I'll ever get my act together and stop relying on my own strength instead of His (Isaiah 40:28-31).

My heavenly Father keeps a record of all my difficulties, all the ways I fail, all my sufferings, not so He can gloat over them or use them as ammunition to humiliate me as man might do.  My compassionate God does so in order to honor the life I live, to make much of all the ways I have suffered in following Him, to keep from taking lightly my heartache.  It's not trivial to me, and it certainly is not a small thing to God.  He loves me that much.

God keeps a record of all my struggles in life, so dear am I to Him.

Yes, I agree:  Life is hard.  It is even more difficult when I consider that I am following a Savior whose ways are upside down and backwards from this world's.  As a result, I have much opposition in life from the enemy of my soul.  Even so, I can take solace in the fact that my God is attentive to my struggles.  He keeps count of all the ways I attempt to cope, the tears I shed are seen as significant to Him, and He keeps a record of the difficulties I face.  My God is not aloof and uncaring.  No, my Father is an attentive God!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can take solace in the fact that God sees and takes note of every heartache I endure.

When do I feel like I suffer alone, with no one who cares?

How does this aloneness increase my heartache?  Would knowing God is deeply moved by my tears bring some comfort?      

Consequences of Denying God

"Only fools say in their hearts,

'There is no God.'

They are corrupt,

and their actions are evil;

not one of them does good!"

Psalm 53:1 NLT

Our culture is headed down a dark path.  We wonder how things have become so bad, what caused us to come to this place.  Have we considered it might have something to do with our quest for tolerance?  In our effort to not offend, we have affronted the One who gave us life. 

What happens when we as a country deny God and cease to acknowledge Him as Lord?  

Corruption.  She already paid for her visa and had been in the country for a couple of weeks when she received the message from the powers that be.  The young missionary must pay an extra fee which was three times what had already been paid in order to have permission to stay within their borders.  Corruption runs rampant in this dark world.

While we may not see this kind of corruption, at least not yet, there is another kind of perversion going on in America.  What used to be considered wrong and off-limits is now accepted as good and even beneficial.  What is dark is being cloaked as light.  

Abortion is no longer widely understood as the act of killing an unborn child but is simply the disposal of tissue, the ending of an unwanted pregnancy, a healthcare choice due every intelligent woman.  Gay marriage is seen as a civil right instead of an alteration of God's definition of marriage.  Divorce is simply a way out of an unhappy relationship not the breaking of a permanent vow that was never meant to be severed.  Need I go on?

If there is no God, there is no longer a standard and, quite frankly, anything goes.  This will only get worse as time goes on unless we turn back to God and acknowledge Him as a nation as the Giver of life and of all good things, the setter of standards, the one righteous Judge.

Corruption flourishes when God is denied.

Abominable Iniquity.  It's hard to imagine anything worse or more evil than sacrificing children on an altar.  Ceasing to protect the most vulnerable of society but using them as a way to get what those in power want; favor with their god.   At least our civilized society has not stooped to such depths, right?  Wrong!

Human trafficking flourishes in America, right under our self-righteous noses.  Girls are abducted and used for other's pleasure and profit.  Pornography is prevalent, touching the lives of many men who are drawn to it's allure, increasing the need for more victims to be objectified, abused and subjected to horrors unimagined.

On another level, children are left to their own devices, raising themselves as their parents run after a certain lifestyle or level of income.  Other youth are carted around from one activity to another in a quest to enrich their lives and instill a certain brand of value, but of the One thing that is necessary is completely forsaken.  These young ones have all the trappings of an affluent and modern family but they don't have what is of eternal importance.  Values are backwards as the bringing up of their offspring becomes an afterthought and there is little to no thought put into instilling godly beliefs and discipleship.  "Religion" is left to the church or completely denied instead of the teaching of God's ways being taken on as a parent's God-given responsibility (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).   

Children are being sacrificed on many altars in this modern world.  Need I go on?  I think we all get the picture.  When we turn away from God, the unimaginable becomes commonplace.

Abominable iniquities abound when God is denied.

No Good.  Man has a corrupted sense of good and evil.  I cannot judge for myself what is beneficial and what is harmful.  Apart from God, my flesh rules and my sense of judgment is way off.  What is good becomes bad, and what truly is bad is seen as good.  Without God's Spirit to guide me through faith in Jesus Christ, I can do no good (Romans 7:18-25).  

With this premise firmly understood, it's no surprise that, as a nation, we are willingly watching vulgar practices under the pretense of being entertained.  Or that we try to make laws that are fair to everyone but end up having a dark outcome that no one could foresee.  Or that we highlight philanthropy, extolling it's virtues while ignoring the suffering in our midst.  The charity and "giving back" becomes just a show, a pretense of doing something good to make us feel good without actually caring to love as Jesus does.  Only Jesus can do that through us.  Any effort on our behalf to mimic His lovingkindness will be empty and hollow.

There is no good apart from God.

What happens when we as a society fail to identify God as sovereign over all?  Corruption spreads, repulsive wickedness flourishes, and no good can be accomplished despite the best efforts of man.  These are some of the consequences of denying God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep God at the forefront of my thoughts and intentions.

When do I live as if I don't know God?

How am I corrupt in my thinking?