Now That's Love

"'This is the covenant I will make with

the people of Israel after that time,'

declares the LORD.

'I will put my law in their minds

and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

No longer will they teach their neighbor,

or say to one another,

"Know the Lord,"

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest.'

declares the LORD.

'For I will forgive their wickedness 

and will remember their sins no more.'"

Jeremiah 31:33-34

They did everything wrong, yet God loved them enough to offer a new way, a radical, more personal covenant with His people.  The law was originally written on stone tablets, meant only for the people of Israel to follow, yet destined to remind them of how flawed they were, how thoroughly unable they were to stick to it at all times.  Even though God loved them perfectly, they strayed as any flawed human would, forsaking His original covenant.

Then came the Man who paved a new way, offering intimacy through God by faith, not by birthright, not by futile effort in obedience to the law and forgiveness found only through animal sacrifice.  And this fresh promise made relationship with God possible for all, no matter the background, or nationality, despite the problem of sin.  Everyone is invited.  How does this new covenant change everything?

Internal Compass.  Without Jesus, I need to try to figure out which way to go, how to live to please God, dependent upon my ability to pay attention to the letter of the law, watching my p's and q's.  Apart from my Savior, I need to live with the constant guilt of failure to meet His standard, dreading the end when I must stand before Him and give an account of my life, knowing how far I fall short (Hebrews 9:27).

With Jesus,however, I have the benefit of God's Spirit dwelling within to lead me down paths of righteousness for His namesake.  He convicts my heart when I'm headed in the wrong direction, letting me know I've strayed outside of His will, not so He can punish me but because my waywardness will hurt me.  I am securely bound to Him by grace, not by works, so I can't earn my way into His family nor can I lose my place through my failures and foolish mistakes.  I am thoroughly forgiven and empowered by the Spirit to live in a way that honors Him. Now the only sacrifices I make are the sacrifices of praise to God that come from a grateful heart (Hebrews 13:15).  I am a part of a living temple and my offerings of a life fully committed to Him are accepted by God through faith in Jesus, the always acceptable One (1 Peter 2:5, Romans 12:1).

The second covenant makes it possible for me to live in forgiveness as a well-loved child and to please Him by following the lead of His indwelling Spirit like an internal compass.

Direct Influence.  God has always been the one to initiate a relationship between the people He created and Himself.  For instance, He called Abram, sending him on a journey to an unknown destination and giving Him the designation of the father of many nations (Genesis 12:1, 17:2-4).  Abram's only choice was in believing or not.  And he chose to trust God enough to do what He said to do.    

In this new and improved covenant, God takes it a step further and teaches me directly, giving me understanding and insight as I read His Word or sit in His presence (1 John 2:27,1 Corinthians 2:13).  He even opens my heart to Him, giving me an awareness of the wretchedness of my own sin so that I will turn from it and accept His gift of salvation through faith in Jesus (Romans 2:4, 2 Corinthians 7:10, Acts 5:31).  And even the faith I use to trust in Him as my Savior comes from Him (Ephesians 2:8).  In other words, I am saved by faith from beginning to end, from first to last; it's all a work of His direct influence upon me (Romans 1:17).

The second covenant makes it possible for me to be directly influenced by God through faith in Jesus.

Forgiveness.  Under the original covenant, forgiveness was temporarily granted through the sacrifice of animals according to God's explicit instructions (Exodus 29:10-14,Leviticus 17:11).  As His people approached the temple on a regular basis, required to bring sacrifices in order to atone for their sins, they were always aware of how far they fell short of God's standard.  Their sin was always before them (Isaiah 59:12, Psalm 51:3).

Under the new covenant, Jesus gave His life as the final, permanent, complete sacrifice given once for all (Hebrews 10:10).  Those who fall under grace through faith in Jesus, find themselves with a clean slate for all time, and are presented to God as one who is pure and clean (Colossians 1:22).  Jesus' righteousness becomes mine by faith so that I'm secure in the knowledge that I'll be judged according to His perfection instead of my shortcomings (Philippians 3:9).  Through faith in Christ I am made new and the sin that has plagued me now becomes as far removed from me as the east is from the west (2 Corinthians 5:17, Psalm 103:12).  

The second covenant makes it possible for me to walk in complete and permanent forgiveness, despite my inability to earn such a benefit.

The first covenant gave the people of Israel a taste of God's goodness.  But it wasn't until Jesus that all of His children learned of His great love through the gift of His Son.  Through faith in Jesus I can now find guidance and direct influence through His indwelling Spirit and the freedom of living in permanent and complete forgiveness.  Through Christ, I have all of this and more, despite my unworthiness of such a gift.  Now that's love, that He loves even the likes of me (1 John 4:10, Romans 5:8)!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to believe Him at His word:  I'm forgiven in Christ!

When do I feel branded by my failures, forgetting that God has removed my sin from me by faith in Jesus?  I'm no longer identified by my sin.

How do I walk through life like I'm weighed down by my sin instead of accepting the forgiveness that comes through faith in Jesus?

Draw Near to Listen

"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.

Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools,

who do not know that they do wrong.

Do not be quick with your mouth,

do not be hasty in your heart

to utter anything before God.

God is in heaven

and you are on earth,

so let your words be few."

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2

"What are your prayers as you walk through your neighborhood?"  The question came during a Bible study where the leader wanted to know my petitions to God for the community in which we lived and served.  It struck me at that moment that the talking is not the important part of prayer.  In hindsight, maybe he was asking the wrong question.  Perhaps there's more to communing with God than the words I say.

Be still.  I've been having a conversations lately with other believers about what it means to be still before God (Psalm 37:7).  It's easy to get the idea that it means sitting idly in a quiet spot, almost like the picture of meditation that comes out of eastern religions.  Most I talk to balk at the idea, saying "Whose got time to sit around when there's so much to be done!  I've got too much energy to just be still."

It seems this "resting in the Lord" is more about the state of my heart than the position of my body.  In fact, the Hebrew for "rest" literally means "to be silent, still, grow dumb."  So when I come before the Lord in prayer, it is with a spirit of anticipation, expecting to hear more than to speak.  Most of the time I focus on bringing my petitions before the Lord, letting Him know my needs, pouring out my hurts.  While these are all good things, I must also be prepared to listen, to still my mind and incline my heart toward Him so that I am willing to hear all He may say.  It's also vital that I keep open to God, sensitive to my Shepherd's voice so that I can respond in obedience.  If I spend so much time talking, I'll never give Him a chance to speak to me.

When I draw near to God it is important that I still my mind and heart so that I can listen to what He has to say.

Near.  It's easy to get the idea that I'm not worthy to talk to God. My heart broke to hear this sentiment from an elderly man whom I was encouraging in his relationship with God.  As I urged him to bring his requests before the Lord, he responded by saying, "It might be okay for you to talk to God, but I'm just not the kind of person He will listen to."  Despite my assurances of God's love for him and His eagerness to enter into such intimacy with him, the gentleman could believe such a thing about himself.

In Christ all can boldly come before God's throne of grace without shame or insecurity, as a well-loved child.  Jesus makes it possible for the worst of sinners to be reconciled to God through His blood, making it perfectly permissible to come before God with the confidence of one who belongs (2 Corinthians 5:18).  It is by His righteousness that I come, not by my own (Romans 3:22).  It is through His invitation that I come, not through my own presumptuousness (Hebrews 4:14-16).  It is due to His work on the cross, not due to my own offerings and best efforts that appear as filthy rags before such a holy God (Ephesians 2:8, Isaiah 64:6).

I can draw near to God with the confidence of one who is loved and welcomed into His presence.

Receive.  There is the tendency to want to pay back God for all He has done for me.  Is there anything God needs from me?  Is He touched by my offerings?  Is He lacking in any way, dependent upon me to give Him what He needs (Isaiah 1:10-15)?  

The answer is a resounding "No."  He is self-sufficient, the great "I Am" who has no limitations, never grows weary, cannot fail (Exodus 3:14, Isaiah 40:28).  He owns the earth and all that is in it and there is nothing I can give Him that is not already His (Psalm 24:1).  What He desires from me instead is my heart (1 Samuel 15:22, 16:7).  He wants me to want Him more than all the world has to offer.  He wants me to see Him as my all in all.  He wants me to depend on Him for every good thing, for all my strength, for each need (2 Corinthians 9:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9,Matthew 6:31-32).  Therefore, when I come to Him it must be with a humble anticipation of all that He will give to me.  Without His gracious gifts bestowed upon me, I'd have nothing to give to others (James 1:17).

Instead of expecting to give to God, I must draw near to Him with the spirit of anticipation, ready to receive all He has to give.

I sometimes get the idea that I'm meant to go to God so that I can give.  In reality, it's more about what He gives to me.  Therefore, I must be still, ready to listen to what He has to say, realizing I belong in His presence through faith in Christ, and with open hands to receive all He has to give.  In these ways, I'll be drawing near to listen more than to speak.  This is prayer at its essence.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can be quiet and listen to God's voice.

When do I wrongly think I can pay back God for all He has done for me?

How do you avoid God out of a feeling of inadequacy, forgetting that it is by grace that you have been ushered into His kingdom?    

Why Anger Such a God?

"When the LORD heard them, he was furious;

his fire broke out against Jacob,

and his wrath rose against Israel,

for they did not believe in God

or trust in his deliverance.

Yet he gave a command to the skies above

and opened the doors of the heavens;

he rained down manna for the people to eat,

he gave them the grain of heaven."

Psalm 78:21-23

I am so removed from God's anger by the Gospel of grace that I don't often think of it.  I figure I'm covered by the blood of His Son and so protected from His wrath.  While Jesus does shield me from eternal condemnation, I can still tick my Father off in some ways. With such a merciful God, why do I test His patience so?  

I can learn a lot about God by finding out what His children do that stirs up His anger.  Once I know this, I can save Him the aggravation by avoiding such common anger-provoking behavior.  What is it about me that angers God?

Faithlessness.  He did everything for them, guiding them, saving them, providing for them, even performing wondrous miracles for them.  Yet, they doubted His existence.  In the midst of the latest crisis, they forgot all He had done and returned to their old pattern of fear and anxiety.  What are we going to do out here in the middle of nowhere without any water?  They had seen God provide water out of a rock before, and even turn bitter water into sweet (Exodus 17, 15:22-25) .  These faithless people should have known He had their back, but they acted as if there was no sovereign, powerful God to lead them and protect them (Numbers 20).

It's easy for me to look down on these people of old, thinking they were so dense and hard-headed and lifting my chin in pride as I consider my own strong faith.  Then the sickness hits, the job is lost, or the home is in jeopardy and I waver.  I panic, wondering if I'm going to make it, if all is lost.  I forget that I have a Father who loves me and knows my needs (Matthew 6:32).  I act as if there was no sovereign, powerful God to lead me and protect me.

It angers God when I act like He doesn't even exist.

Unbelief.  They limited God, placing parameters around His powers.  While these people who were called by His name agreed that God was able to bring life-giving water out of a plain, old rock, they didn't think he was able to go so far as to generate bread and meat out of thin air.  That's impossible! they agreed (Psalm 78:17-31).

I'm really no different when it comes down to it.  I may say that nothing is impossible with God, but then I doubt He can deliver me from a mountain of debt that weighs down on me, or I wonder if He could truly heal the sickness that ravages my body, or I figure it all depends on me because the job market in this area is weak at best and even an act of God could not find me a position in my field.  That's impossible!  I say in my heart.

It angers God when I limit His powers and doubt His ability to save.

Grace.  Despite their faithlessness and unbelief, God didn't give up on them as a nation.  He still sent manna from heaven, the perfect food that was unlike anything anyone had ever seen and was able to perfectly sustain them.  Even though this was enough, they wanted meat, so He sent quail.  While He would have been perfectly just in killing every last one of His people, He held back, only taking a portion, always saving a remnant to carry on.  Then, the picture of His grace for them; a king who cared for them and led them expertly.  A man after His own heart to reign over them (Psalm 78:65-72).

He treats me no different than He did these clueless Israelites.  Even though I deserve death because of my defiance, my wayward heart, my doubt and fear, He gives me good things.  And in His most lavish picture of His love for me, He sent a King who cared enough to give His own life on my behalf (Romans 5:8).  He paid the debt I could never pay to a Judge with impossibly high standards who held a sentence of eternal damnation over my sinful head.  Once Jesus paid the price, I was acquitted and all charges were dropped.  I was free to go under the reign of a Man like no other.  A God-man whose throne room is my heart and who gives me access to this righteous Father.  I am freed from getting what I truly deserve.

Despite my ability to tick my Father off, He still gives me what I don't deserve and I am redeemed!

God is angered when I act like He doesn't even exist or doubt in His ability to save.  Even though I don't deserve it, He still loves me enough to save me from the death I have earned.  In this grace I must rest, loving Him enough to live as if He were there directing my footsteps and waiting for my faith to believe He can rescue me from any hopeless situation.  With such a Father as this, why would I want to anger Him?

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust Him enough to believe He is capable of anything, leaving all my worries in His hands.

When do I doubt in God's ability, praying small prayers instead of big ones?

Do I limit God's work in my life by my puny faith?  

God is for my Good

"There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, 

so that we might humble ourselves before our God

and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children,

with all our possessions.  

I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road,

because we had told the king,

'The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.'

So we fasted and petitioned our God about his,

and he answered our prayer."

Ezra 8:21-23

He had taken his stand, expressed his allegiance, made it clear in Whom he trusted.  Now, when push came to shove, it was time to act on his proclamation.

Ezra knew something I often forget:  God is for my good.  He knew that if God was for him, no enemy could prevail (Romans 8:31).  Even though he may have grown faint at the thought of traveling through enemy territory without a band of soldiers, he chose to follow through with his beliefs and trust God wholly as his protector.

What would happen if I did the same?

Confidence.  I always wondered why some people had so much of it and I had so little.  In Junior High, I admired the girls who sang solos, the boys who made the class crack up at their jokes, or the jocks who led their team to victory.  I wanted to feel as self-assured as these kids obviously did.

I have since grown up and realized that everyone is insecure in one way or another.  In Christ, however, I am complete.  When I have embraced my true identity in Him, my character as a unique masterpiece of a Creator who loves me perfectly (Psalm 139:13-14, 1 John 3:1), I don't have to trust in me but in Him.  Instead of living like that timid, unsure adolescent, I can step boldly forward with the living God to back me up (2 Timothy 1:7).  

When I trust God wholly, fear is a thing of the past and doubt but a fleeting memory.  My confidence comes from what I recognize that God will do through me, because I know God enough to trust that He can work through anyone.  My confidence comes from my awareness of God's greatness.  My confidence comes from my security in His kingdom.

When I trust in the God who is for my good, I acquire a confidence in His ability to equip, protect and enable me.

Purpose.  Becoming stranded without money in the middle of nowhere on a cross-country move. A grease fire in the home we left behind.  Relying on tow-trucks three times in one week to rescue two of our vehicles which suddenly developed mechanical problems.  Major car repair on a strict budget.  The sudden death of our young cat and the expected passing of our longtime feline companion, all within two weeks.  Unfair treatment at work that caused a cut in income.  A car accident that totaled a vehicle.  

These are some of the challenges our family has faced in the past three months.  If I didn't know God and understand that He holds a purpose for every circumstance He allows into my life, I would despair at the struggles of life.  Thankfully, I know God has a plan and that He uses every single heartache, problem and difficulty to grow me into the woman He created me to be (Romans 8:28-29, Jeremiah 29:11).  In Christ, something beneficial comes out of every struggle.  My suffering is not in vain.

When I trust in the God who is for my good, I can walk through the hard times of life with the assurance that God has a purpose for every circumstance.

Peace.  It's easy to become anxious in a world filled with things to worry about.  If my life was dependent upon the president's ability to lead our country unscathed through turmoil, or an agency's fitness for thwarting every single terrorist attack, or the medical profession's power to stop an epidemic, my heart would be wracked with worry.  

Thankfully, I am not dependent upon man to protect me from harm.  Instead, I place my trust in God to keep me safe.  As I position myself in His capable and loving hands, anxiety melts away.  When I believe God will fight my battles for me, the constant quest to find the perfect solution is no longer necessary.  Letting God take the helm of my life means all the "what ifs" that used to keep me up at night suddenly hold no power to hold my attention.

When I trust in the God who is for my good, I will discover a peace as I place my life under His protection.

It's easy to make proclamations of faith like Ezra did, claiming that my God will protect me from all harm.  It's quite another thing altogether to follow through with my declaration of faith and place my trust in Him.  Knowing that God is looking out for my best interest, however, can give me the assurance I need to position myself in His capable hands. When I do, I'll discover a new-found confidence in His ability to work through me, a realization that there is purpose for everything that comes into my life, and a peace I can't explain in the midst of it all.  Only a God that is for my good could accomplish such feats!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to let Him protect me.

When do I feel reckless when I consider abandoning traditional methods of protection in exchange for God's?

How big do I believe God to be?  Big enough to cover me through thick and thin?  Or is His power limited to what I can understand?

Dependent Upon Grace

"For if, by the trespass of the one man,

death reigned through that one man,

how much more will those who receive

God's abundant provision of grace

and the gift of righteousness reign in life

through the one man, Jesus Christ!"

Romans 5:17

I remember having a conversation with a godly couple after church one Sunday.  I recounted some experiences from my week where I struggled with obeying God's still small voice because doing so would interrupt my schedule.  I shared how I decided to submit to His calling and once I did, God seemed to slow down time, allowing me to do what He had wanted me to do as well as complete the tasks I had on my own list.  I then asked, "What is that, anyway?"  The man said simply, "Grace."

That one conversation gave me more insight into grace than anything else I had ever experienced.  Before then, I thought grace was what saved me from eternal death but that was where it ended.  As each day passes, I appreciate more and more God's unmerited favor that colors every part of my life.  I am completely dependent upon His grace!

Grace Within.  My heart is hard and cold as stone (Ezekiel 36:26).  It is blackened with sin, unable to do any good (Romans 7:18).  I easily stray, thinking I can handle my life on my own, in my own way (Deuteronomy 8:14).  In short, I seem to be a hopeless case.

I am bankrupt without Jesus and the grace He delivers.  Because of His sacrifice on the cross, my cold heart has been turned to flesh, my sins have been washed away and I have been offered forgiveness for my waywardness time and time again.  All these benefits are as a result of the grace of God.

I desperately need the grace of God within.

Grace Without.  I want to do good but it turns out all wrong.  I try to help others but my efforts end up turning them away from God instead of toward Him (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).  I work hard to do the right thing but I fail every time.  What am I missing?

Grace.  Jesus tells me that I can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5).  In other words, without the grace of God that is delivered through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I can do no good.  If I'm not connected to the Vine, my outreach lacks the love of God.  I can try to choose the right thing to do but my standards greatly differ from God's. 

I desperately need the grace of God without.

Grace Up.  She desired to know more about God, but her efforts to find Him usually took her in the wrong direction.  She sought out advice from many and consequently followed dozens of paths that promised to end at Him.  In her quest, she tried to get to God by impressing Him with her clean living and philanthropic ways.  Finally, my friend learned that the relationship she desired with God was broken by her sin.  With great joy she accepted the redemptive work Jesus did for her on the cross that bridged the gulf that existed between her and God.  The relationship she so desired was now repaired and her thirst for Him was quenched.

I am made for God.  Apart from Him, my life has no meaning, I have no direction and am devoid of virtue.  When God first created man, He walked in the garden with His image bearers in perfect communion.  Sin ruined that rapport but the yearning for connection remains.  Thankfully, God shares that longing for reunion and His love never gives up.  He never stops drawing me back to Himself and He proved His great love for me by sending Jesus to take my place in death while I was deep in sin (Romans 5:8).  He has done everything necessary to restore my bond with Him.

I desperately need the grace of God to repair my vertical relationship.

Sometimes I fool myself into thinking I have everything I need in myself.  Then, I come to the end of me and realize how dependent I am upon God's grace.  I need grace to pour in, flow out, and extend up.  Without His grace, I am lost.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can depend upon His grace instead of on my own bankrupt resources.

When do I forget how lost I am apart from God and His grace?

How do I try to generate the fruit of the Spirit in my own strength?

God Over Man

"The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives,

whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,

'When you are helping the Hebrew women during

childbirth on the delivery stool,

if you see that the baby is a boy,

kill him;

but if it is a girl,

let her live.'

The midwives, however, feared God

and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do;

they let the boys live."

Exodus 1:15-17

She worked at the clinic for ten years.  For as long as she can remember, she has supported a woman's right to choose abortion as an option for the mother to prolong her own life, protect the unborn child from a life of struggle or to end unwed pregnancies.  As far as she is concerned, many of the problems found in society stem from unwanted children.  In her way of thinking, she is contributing to the greater good in working side-by-side with the abortion doctor.

One day, however, as they were performing the procedure, something remarkable happened.  The baby they were working on spontaneously delivered, sliding out onto the table.  As the woman took note of the newborn's healthy glow and robust cry, the doctor gave an order.  "Kill her!"  

Suddenly, all her convictions went out the window as compassion for the little one filled her heart.  In an instant she knew what she must do.  Taking the scalpel, she severed the umbilical cord, tying it off quickly with a measure of cord and scooped the child up in her arms.  "I'm taking her to the hospital."

That was the last day the aforementioned abortion worker reported to the clinic for work.  After that experience, her conscious no longer allowed her to take the lives of the innocent.  When it comes to authority, there are times when I may be faced with a similar dilemma.  Either I can do what I'm asked, or I can follow God thus defying man.  

When I trust the Lord and obey Him, I may be surprised at the outcome.

Wisdom of God

The women didn't know what to do.  The king himself summoned them into his presence.  He must have found out what we are doing!  We're doomed!  What should we do?  They frantically asked each other.  Fearing God more than Pharaoh, however, they decided to bow to his wishes and see what happens.

Unfortunately for the two women, their greatest nightmare came true.  The king was fairly bursting with outrage as he railed against them.   "Why have you done this?  Why have you let the boys live?" the ruler shrieked as the veins in his temple threatened to pop.  (Exodus 1:18)  The women were at a loss.  Perhaps this is the end, they thought.

In a moment of inspiration, the words came out of the blue.  "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women."

"Yes, that's right. In fact, they are so vigorous that they give birth before we even arrive." (paraphrased from v 19)  The king seemed to calm down a bit when hearing their explanation.  "Let them return to their post,"  he said with a flick of his wrist.

When I trust God enough to act in such a way that honors Him despite the earthly consequences I may face, He will give me similar wisdom to explain my defiance.  My high calling is to offer myself as a living sacrifice, preferring to show respect for Him in all I do. (Romans 12:1)

That means when I'm faced with the option to do as my boss says, even though it means I'll have to lie, cheat or steal, I can stand against his wishes, know that God will give me the wisdom to know how to best handle the situation.  

As James warns me in chapter three of his letter to the Christian Jews scattered around the region, however, ". . .when you ask him (for wisdom), be sure that your faith is in God alone.  Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do."  (James 1:6-8 NLT)

Putting my faith in God wholly and completely as I defy those who have the power to destroy me is vital.  Without placing my complete confidence in Him, I can't expect to find the answers I need to explain the reason behind my boldness.

When I trust in the Lord and obey Him instead of man, He will give me the words to explain my defiance.

Kindness of God

Despite the Pharaoh's best effort to suppress the growth of their numbers, the population of the Hebrew civilization exploded.  Even though he did everything within his power to control their expansion, his efforts seemed to have the opposite effect: The Israelites grew in the strength of their numbers anyway. (Exodus 1:20)

When I do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, even though I am going against those who have authority over me, I will find results that will go against my common sense and even the laws of nature.  I will find health and vigor return to my body even though the doctors all told me I'd die without the embryonic stem cell treatment.  Honoring the lives of the unborn resulted in the kindness of God showering his blessings down on me.

If I am faced with the order by the police to leave the homeless man where he lay even though he is severely injured, I will find never-before-experienced strength as I lift him into my car to transport the unconscious man to the emergency room.

If a supervisor informs me of a new government policy making proselytizing illegal in all public buildings, I will find a curious absence of security officers when I share the gospel during my lunch breaks.

When I trust in the Lord and obey Him instead of man, His kindness will result in an outcome that defies everything I've normally come to expect.

Grace of God

The women had given their lives in service to their people.  They loved their work and would never think of quitting, but they did long to have families of their own.  Due to their heavy workload, however, they had resigned themselves to the fact that they themselves would never experience the joy of birthing a child.

Once these two selfless women stood against the Pharaoh's destructive order to kill the male children, however, they suddenly found themselves being courted by eligible men.  Before they knew it, they were married and raising children of their own.  God had blessed them indeed.  (Exodus 1:21)

There are times when I will discover similar unexpected gifts when I choose God's ways over man's.  It may be good health, greater understanding of His Word, or simply a full, meaningful life.  Whatever the blessing, however, I can chalk it all up to the grace of God.

When I trust in the Lord and obey Him instead of man, His grace will shower blessings down on me as I enjoy the unexpected gifts He so freely imparts.

In a world where ethics and morals are commonly based on man's own standards, I will often be faced with the dilemma of whether to obey God or man.  When I choose God, I will find His wisdom, kindness and grace flood my life in ways I can't explain.  Taking God's side may seem risky, but if He is for me then I must remember that no one can stand against me.  (Romans 8:31)

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep an eternal perspective when faced with a moral dilemma.  

How do I cave into human pressure because it seems I have no choice?

When do I place God on the back burner as I make decisions in the workplace?