His Face Shines

"Restore us, O God;

make your face shine on us,

that we may be saved."

Psalm 80:3

My life lies in a precarious balance, so dependent upon the mercy of God am I.  Do I realize how fragile is this day I often take for granted?  How I assume the sun will rise up over the horizon in glorious splendor!  I step out of bed each morning at the beckoning of my alarm, not thinking twice that I've been given such a gift as another day to live.  My routine comforts me as I prepare my tea and tidy the house, but Who is it that hold my life in His hands?

It is my desire that I adopt the attitude of Asaph who realized how desperately he needed the restoring presence of the Lord.  I want to really grasp how much one fraction of a beam of His Light can return my life back to what He meant for me to be.  All I need is Him, and I will be saved.

Leadership.  Jesus was moved to compassion whenever He saw the crowds that desperately reached out to Him for help.  They wanted to hear the truth of the Good News, they longed for connection and craved healing of all sorts.  He saw them as sheep without a shepherd, eager for a leader they could trust to give them guidance and direction (Matthew 9:35-38, Mark 6:31-34).

I, too, am like those people who flocked toward Jesus as He walked the earth.  I need guidance and direction, and like in times of old, I have that leadership in Jesus Christ.  He is my Good Shepherd who came to lead me down paths of righteousness for His namesake (John 10:11-16, Psalm 23).  He shows me the path of life and helps me negotiate it's narrow, rocky way (Matthew 7:13-14).

I desperately need the leadership that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Belonging.  I go to great lengths to try to belong, to fit in somewhere.  It is human nature to desire a family of some kind.  Some find this place in a gang who claims to care but is rooted in blood and power.  Others look for belonging at work, attempting to connect with co-workers who may be only looking out for their own best interest.  A few marry quickly, in need of making a family with the first one who shows interest, only to find there is nothing to bind them together and strife becomes their hallmark.  

All of mankind needs some kind of relationship, a connection with another living being in order to survive.  Even Grizzly Adams, the based-on-real-life television character who lived out in the wilderness alone, had his menagerie of creatures to give him a sense of companionship.  

No matter where I live or the direction in which my life goes, through faith in Christ I have this belonging.  I am His and He is mine, adopted into His family as His well-loved child (1 John 3:1, Psalm 100:3).  As such, I am part of a group of other believers from all walks of life who share my love for our Father.  Despite how things may look as we go through life together, we are a royal family who is well-cared for by the King of kings and Lord of lords.

I desperately need the sense of belonging that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Provision.  I like to think I'm fine on my own, able to take care of myself, thank you very much.  I appreciate Someone caring enough to look out for me, but I often think there are some things I'd rather handle on my own.  I've fooled myself into believing I'm good at providing the things I need for life.

In reality, He gives me all I have (Psalm 8).  I used to think this thought was ludicrous.  When I reviewed my life, it occurred to me that I drove myself to work every day where I earned money to buy the things I needed and came back to the house I rented and kept clean and filled with the necessities of life.  I just didn't see where God fit into the picture.  Over the years, He opened my eyes to the reality of my dependence upon Him, whether I know it or not.  I realized that without Him, I couldn't even take the next breath let alone get out of bed and start my day.  This is my Father's world, and without Him, there is nothing for me to stand upon, no life to live, no heart to beat (Psalm 19).

I desperately need God's favor that comes through faith in Jesus Christ and gives me each moment of life and all that is necessary to continue living.

Like the psalmist, I desire God's face to shine on me because I know He is my only hope for restoration in this broken world.  I need His leadership, the belonging, and the provision of His sovereign hand that all come through faith in Jesus Christ (John 14:6).  My life is in His hands, but there is no other place I'd rather rest!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God with every detail, knowing that He is more than able to take care of me.

When do I hold back, attempting to do things on my own instead of letting God provide in the way He desires to care for me as His child?

How am I bent on self-sufficiency instead of dependence?       

Kingdom Tempo

"Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,

and give thanks to his holy name.

For his anger is but for a moment,

and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may tarry for the night,

but joy comes with the morning."

Psalm 30:4-5 ESV

I have found that I tend to expect life to go at a certain pace and have learned through experience to see things with warped insight.  For example, I hate to suffer and don't like seeing others hurt but life has dealt so many blows that I expect misery to remain like a faithful friend.  Likewise, anger tends to linger in my own heart, coloring my perspective and sucking the life out of me like a deadly leach.  Furthermore, if I look deep within, I find that I expect rejection and ill-treatment as a way of life because of my own depravity: I know it's what I truly deserve.

God, however, does not operate according to my faulty expectations.  He has His own timing that reflects His perfect character.  Because of this, I must look to His Word to learn the superior tempo to which God marches.

His Anger.  It's hard for me to shake it.  When I'm hurt, offended or sense my boundaries being crossed, it rises up within me, overwhelming my entire being like an unwelcome tenant.  If things go differently than the way I hope they will turn out, it revives from it's latent state, always present though lying dormant.

Anger.  I sometimes feel like Dr. Bruce Banner, the alter ego to the Marvel superhero Hulk.  He says his secret of transformation into the wrathful green beast is that he's always angry, that the rage is simmering just below the surface, ready to erupt at any time.  I can relate.  Because of this fleshly trait of mine, I expect God to be the same way, thinking that He's always ticked off but just holding it back for the sake of all of mankind.

In reality, scripture tells me that God's fury passes, He never keeps angry or holds a grudge against me (Psalm 103:9, Isaiah 26:20).  As a result, I can give thanks for such a God as this.  Even though He has every right to be angry due to my inability to adhere to his commands and my tendency to stray away from Him, He doesn't hold onto that righteous wrath in the same way I do.  

I can breathe easy because God's anger is but for a moment.

His Favor.  I am stingy with my praise and kindness.  I tend to only give something good to those I feel deserve it.  In fact, as a parent bringing up four girls, I often focused on what needed to be improved and had to intentionally work at giving positive affirmation for what they were doing well, otherwise I'd have been a harsh taskmaster.

Because of my flawed way of doling out approval and help to others, I tend to think God is the same way, expecting me to earn His favor.  Instead, God freely indulges me with His lovingkindness, giving me so much that I don't deserve.  His character is merciful and gracious and He loves to give me good things that I haven't earned, as a Father who enjoys making his child smile.

As hard as it is for me to fathom, this favor lasts forever.  Since it's based on His character and is not founded on a whim, it is not wishy-washy, sometimes there and other times not.  I can count on God to pour His lovingkindness into my life because of His dependability.

Therefore, there is nothing I can do to lose His favor (Romans 8:38-39).  I won't wake up one day finding myself on the outside looking in because God has lost His patience with me and abandoned me in disgust.  Because of what Jesus Christ has done for me in dying on the cross, I am securely in His good graces, the recipient of His lavish love (1 John 3:1).

I can breathe easy because God's favor lasts a lifetime.

His promise.  As hard as it is to go through something difficult in life, it is even more of a challenge to watch the ones I love endure hardship.  The suffering that ensues makes me want to rescue them from the hurt.  Instead, I can keep God's faithful promise in mind: Joy will come in the morning.

While this life here on earth can be hard to bear, what I have to look forward to in eternity through faith in Jesus Christ is beyond compare.  I cannot fathom the riches of glory that await me there, produced by all that I endure in this wicked world (2 Corinthians 4:17, Romans 8:17-18).  Therefore, I know suffering in this life is temporary and not in vain.

I can breathe easy because God's promise of coming glory can be trusted.

I am forever thankful that God does not live up to my puny and warped expectations.  Instead, He has His own agenda that is much superior to my own outlook on life.  While my anger seems to simmer just below the surface, God's is short-lived.  Even though I don't think I am worth many gifts, God's love compels Him to bestow His permanent favor upon me.  And while suffering seems to be a way of life here on earth, it is temporary: I can expect joy that will blow my socks off in the life to come!  This is God's superior sense of rhythm that rules the ebb and flow of my life of faith.  This is His kingdom tempo.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God's unique tempo, letting Him run my life according to His own pace.

How do I trust in my own sense of warped timing, assuming God will operate according to what I expect? 

When do I think God will give me what I deserve instead of what He desires to lavish on me through Jesus?

Apart from God's Favor

"Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah

son of Jehoiada the priest.

He stood before the people and said,

'This is what God says:

"Why do you disobey the LORD's commands?

You will not prosper.

Because you have forsaken the LORD,

he has forsaken you."'"

2 Chronicles 24:20

I can't earn it, don't deserve it and can't explain it.  But apart from it, I cannot succeed (John 15:5).  Through faith in Jesus I have the unmerited favor of God.  What happens, though, when I go out on my own?

Can't Prosper.  I just don't get it.  I took all the proper steps, did everything I was advised to do, but nothing is clicking.  Do you ever feel like that?  I have many times in my life.  A number of years ago I remember attending a seminar I heard advertised on the radio.  I was a stay-at-home mom at the time who was homeschooling her children but didn't think that was enough.  I had this desire to be more.  I felt this pressure from the world to do something "worthwhile."  So, when I had the opportunity to learn a skill that would allow me to work from home, I jumped on it.

I studied vigilantly, trying hard to balance teaching my children, caring for my family and home with learning new material and taking tests.  Once I earned the certificate, I couldn't find work.  Despite my best efforts, I just couldn't succeed.  Finally I turned to the Lord, seeking His guidance.  He spoke to my heart and gave me peace with my roles as wife, mom, homemaker and teacher.  I then saw the foolishness of my actions.

I can't blaze my own trail in life and then ask God to bless it.  Instead, I must find the path He has marked out for me and follow that with diligence (Hebrews 12:1-2).  Only then I will find true success as defined by Him.  Obedience to His calling on my life brings with it a sense of worth that cannot be found anywhere else.  And if I want to know what it means to prosper in God's kingdom, I must be following behind my Shepherd who clears the path before me.

I can't taste prosperity, kingdom-style, apart from the favor of God.

Sacrifice Peace.  Buddhism is an entire religion based on the quest for peace and happiness.  It is a Buddhist's belief that these highly-sought benefits can be obtained through positive thinking and meditation.  In truth, though, peace can never be found apart from Jesus Christ and only living in relationship with Him will bring true contentment (John 16:33).

When I seek my own way, trying to live life according to my own set of rules, standards and guidelines, I will give up the sense of calm serenity that rules my heart in Christ.  When I instead walk by my Shepherd's side I will encounter heartache, face opposition and meet unfair treatment, but He will assure me of His presence.  With Jesus at my side I have nothing to fear (Isaiah 43:1-3).

I can't taste peace apart from the favor of God.

Live without Assurance.  Life is complex and I am faced with dozens of choices every day.  There are tons of ways to live, many of them quite positive and constructive.  I can allow lots of influences that seem so beneficial into my life.  I will never know for sure if the decisions I make are right, however, without the wisdom that comes from God.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, said if I need to know what to do I can ask the Lord who liberally and generously dispenses wisdom for living (James 1:5-8).  There is a catch, however.  When I ask, I must truly believe He is the sole source of the insight for living I so desperately need.

If I want to know which job to take, I can rely on Him to guide me toward His choice for me.  If I don't know how to handle a sticky situation, I can trust Him to lead me step-by-step through every twist and turn.  If I'm facing a life-altering choice, I can believe that He has blazed a way through the maze of options, making clear the path He has prepared for me to follow.  

I can't taste the assurance of a life well-lived apart from the favor of God.

There is no denying it: I am dependent upon the favor of God.  I receive this gift of grace simply, through faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  Whenever I go off on my own, however, leaving His gentle side, I find true prosperity that lasts an eternity impossible to grasp, peace as a fleeting benefit, and the assurance of choices well-made flying out the window.  Apart from the favor of God, I simply cannot thrive.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can live life in tandem with Jesus.

How am I often going off on my own, forsaking God's wise counsel?

When do I forget to seek His wisdom and instead rely on what sounds good to me? 

God's Omnipotence

"If God is for us,

who can ever be against us?"

Romans 8:31b NLT

It felt like he was being bound.  He had God-given dreams and aspirations which he was excited to bring to fruition, but at every turn she stood against him.  Even though he was doing nothing wrong, she fought him as if he were violating some kind of sacred trust.  Would he ever be able to pursue his passion in life without finding continuous opposition from his employer?

It sometimes feels like those who are supposed to be my friends are really my enemies.  Other times there are adversaries God has allowed into my life who oppose me, making it hard for me to follow the path God has laid out for me.  Sometimes I may even find myself as the target of some unseen conspiracy where my every action is met with resistance.  

When I face such hostility, the good news is found in Psalm 118:6 where the psalmist focused on God's sovereignty.  "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?"  Psalm 118:6  When it feels like I can't catch a break from man, I must remember the benefits of God's preeminence as well as His matchless love for me as His child.

God's Favor.  The high priest and his 70 members of the Jewish ruling council were out to get the apostles of Jesus Christ.  This governing body threw the men in jail, jealous of the attention they were receiving as they performed signs and wonders, healing the sick and driving out demons from those who were living in bondage.  Surely their message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was heresy!

Still, the next morning these same men stood in the temple courts teaching all who would listen about this rebel Jesus Christ.  How did these jail birds escape?  When questioned, all they could say is God sent them and they must obey Him.  Then they had the audacity to accuse this sacred council of killing Jesus.  They could not let such claims go unpunished! (Acts 5:17-33)

Then came the voice of reason from one of their own.  The highly respected Gamaliel said, "Leave these men alone!  Let them go!  For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."  (Acts 5:38-39)

When I am walking in obedience to the Lord's calling on my life, it doesn't matter who opposes me for God's favor surrounds me as a shield.  (Psalm 5:12)

God's Protection.  It seemed risky to follow this path God marked out for me.  If I did what He was calling me to do, how would I survive?  I had no resources, nothing upon which to fall back.  I felt like a fool for putting myself and my family in such peril.

It is easy to think that walking by faith instead of by sight is a foolish endeavor. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Since I can't see the ground before me, I assume I'm teetering on the edge of a cliff, about to plunge down to meet my demise.  As God's precious child, however, I am protected by His constant presence and His righteous right hand.  (Isaiah 41:10)

Instead of assuming the worst, then, I can expect the best.  In the place of envisioning what terrors await me around the next bend, I can wonder what goodness God has planned for me this day.  While it is natural for me to brace myself against the difficulties I imagine are about to descend upon me, I can instead look forward to the blessings He has stored up for me.  (Psalm 31:19)

When I am doing as God called me to do, His mighty power protects me from harm.

God's Plan.  No one else had succeeded in opposing his efforts.  Until then, every sovereign nation he endeavored to conquer had fallen to his mighty army.  Why would the tiny nation of Judah be any different?  (2 Kings 18:13-37)

The Assyrian king Sennacherib was pretty confident in his ability to continue his plan of regional dominance by running over Judah.  Unfortunately for him, he did not know the power and sovereignty of the God of Judah.  While the other nations called on their gods but still fell, this people was different for they called on the One True God.

When God gives His marching orders, there is not one living, breathing human being who can stand against Him.  As Isaiah said, "When His hand is raised, who can stop Him?" (Isaiah 14:27)  Therefore, if I'm going in the direction in which God has pointed me, there is nothing anyone can do to thwart His plan for my life.  What, then, do I have to fear?

When I am walking the path God has marked out for me, His good plan will not be hindered, no matter how things might look.

Living life as a follower of Christ is not easy:  I often run into opposition of various kinds.  As a result, it is important that I keep God's omnipotent power always in mind, remembering that His favor shields me, His protection is over me, and His plan for my life cannot be frustrated.  With such benefits as these, I have nothing to fear.

As I begin this day may I keep God's omnipotent power always in mind.

When do I forget that God is in control?

How do I easily fall into periods of fear and doubt?