Choose Life

"'Today I have given you the choice between life and death,

between blessings and curses.

Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the 

choice you make.

Oh, that you would choose life,

so that you and your descendants might live!

You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God,

obeying him,

and committing yourself firmly to him.

This is the key to your life.

And if you love and obey the LORD,

you will live long in the land the LORD swore

to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.'"

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NLT

Paper or plastic.

With or without nuts.

30- or 15-year fixed.

Sell or rent.

Caffeine or no caffeine.

Now or later.

Life is full of choices.  I make dozens each day, some without even thinking.  Others take much prayer and consideration.  

When God drew me to Jesus, enlightening me of my need for a Savior, I invited Him in as Lord of my life(John 6:44). As a result, I received the free gift of eternal life (John 3:16). Once I became a part of God's family through faith, I may have thought my choice had been made.  While my salvation is secure, I still have a decision to make that will result in blessing or trouble. Will I choose life or death?  

Words

I'll never be able to do that!

"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

Why even try?  I'm a failure at everything I do.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

I can't touch them or see them but they have the power to bring life or death into a situation.  As a follower of Christ, I have the option of either using my words to tear myself and others down, or I can apply them to edify, encourage and inspire greatness.  

Before I prefer life through my speech, however, I will need to get control of my thought life.  I find it easy to think negative thoughts, worry about what may or may not happen, and analyze my circumstances in an effort to find a suitable solution.  

Instead, to begin choosing life, I must strain my thought life through the filter of Christ.  If a thought doesn't honor Him and line up with His principles, it doesn't belong in my mind (2 Corinthians 10:5).  If my way of thinking is negative and self-defeating, it must be replaced with lovely, pure and praise-worthy ideas (Philippians 4:8). If I tend to think more like the world than like God, then I must intentionally cooperate with the Lord as He transforms my mind (Romans 12:2).

Once I'm on the path to pure thinking, my words will tend to take more of a godly slant.  Soon, I will find myself pointing others to the life-giving words of Christ, encouraging them to carry on despite the difficulties of their circumstances.  I may even notice a change in the way I speak to myself, choosing to preach the truth of the Gospel to myself in an effort to spur on my faith.

I have the power to choose either life or death in the way I speak to myself and others.

Actions

"Actions speak louder than words."

"Talk doesn't cook rice."  Chinese proverb

"Talk is cheap."

"A barking dog is often more useful than a sleeping lion." Washington Irving

"Don't just talk the talk but walk the walk."

"Well done is better than well said." Benjamin Franklin

The world is filled with wisdom regarding the power of action.  God also has much to say about the influence of my actions on the world around me.  He says mere knowledge of Him and His ways is not enough.  When it comes to His Word, He wants me to be more of a doer than just a listener (James 1:22).

Therefore, when He says that love is of the utmost importance, I better pay attention to not just doing what God calls me to do, but to saturate my obedience with love (1 Corinthians 13).  It also means I must do more than just memorize the scripture that teaches me to value others above myself, but to show Him that I believe what He said by respecting all humans as His image bearers (Philippians 2:3).  In addition, I can't just study about forgiveness and letting go of hurt, but I am called to make it a practice to extend the mercy and grace I am so freely given (Matthew 6:14-15).

When I take the option to do as God says, He will use me to bind wounds, soften hearts and promote healing.  In these ways my actions have resulted in life, with God getting all the glory for the great things He has done. 

   

I have the power to choose either life or death through my actions.

Heart

"I left my heart in San Francisco." Douglass Cross/Tony Bennett

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched--they must be felt with the heart."  Helen Keller

"Keep love in your heart.  A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead." Oscar Wilde

"Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye." H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Everyone knows the heart is important; it determines my actions and sets the path for my feet.  If my heart is not in it, the work I do will not be my best.  

Samuel, the prophet and judge, learned how important the heart is to God when he was searching for the king who would replace the defiant Saul as the leader of Israel.  As he followed God's lead, travelling to Bethlehem in order to meet Jesse, he examined all of this man's fine-looking sons.  Judging by appearances, he determined the oldest as the one who must be God's chosen king.  Much to his dismay, however, God rejected each of the men until he got to the youngest, a lad named David who God saw as a man after His own heart  (Acts 13:22).

It is the heart that is important to God.  While I tend to size someone up based on their skills, abilities and stature, God pays attention to something of more value(1 Samuel 16:7).  Therefore, if I am to choose the way of life, I must also take note of the condition of my heart.  What do I treasure?  Who do I value?  How do I spend my time?  In what do I invest my money?  These are all questions that can help me determine where my heart is located (Matthew 6:19-21).  

If I'm more concerned with my bank account, making my own retirement of utmost importance, then my heart is rooted in the temporal.  If, however, I'm intent on using my financial resources to build God's kingdom, I'm treasuring the eternal.

If I hold my own rights as vital, then I'll jeopardize relationships and opportunities to give a testimony in order to defend my selfish interests.  If I replace that desire to uphold my own liberties with a regard for furthering the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I'll unveil my heavenly value system. 

If my focus is on pleasing myself and indulging in my own sensual desires, then I'll live a shallow life.  If, instead, I am centered on pleasing God and following His lead, my life will be rich and full.

I have the power to choose either life or death in the attitude of my heart.

God created His masterpieces with the ability to choose.  As a result, I must decide whether I'll pick life or death in the words I speak, the actions I take and the incline of my heart.  In these areas, it is my desire that I make the effort to choose life.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can remember the power of my words.

When do I speak carelessly, tearing myself or others down without a second thought?

How can I better honor God in the direction of my focus?

Originally posted on February 13, 2014

Heart of Flesh

Originally published on April 30, 2012

"I will give you a new heart 

and put a new spirit in you;

I will remove from you

your heart of stone

and give you a heart of flesh."

Ezekiel 36:26

September has always been a special month for me.  Not only is it the month of my birth, but as a child and even as a homeschool mother, I always enjoyed the beginning of the new school year.  The preparation for the upcoming year brought a sense of hope and excitement to my days as I purchased new clothing and supplies, preparing myself for the challenges that lay ahead.

As the first day of school approached during my junior high and high school years, I would organize my notebook, making new dividers and filling it with fresh paper and pencils.  I then would turn my attention to my attire, deciding which outfit I would wear for the first day.  Often, I would get a pair of new shoes and somehow, this made me feel like a brand new person tackling a brand new school year.  

In the same way that my fresh, never-before-worn clothes and virgin pencils groomed me for the new classes I was about to face, the new heart of flesh that God has given me through faith in Jesus Christ prepares me for living my life as a member of the family of God.

Empowered Obedience

A friend of mine recently gave a great visual of the battle that occurs between my spirit and God's Spirit as described in Galatians 5:17.  "The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." 

My friend likened this contrariness, this conflict to a tug-of-war between me and God. As God's Spirit moves me in His direction, my flesh pulls back against Him, pulling me in the opposite direction. The only way for me to go in God's direction is for me to stop pulling and let Him lead me.  If I drop the rope altogether, giving up the fight and surrendering my will to Him, I can freely walk along with Him.  

As one who has been provided through Christ with a tender and responsive heart (Ezekiel 36:26), I am given the ability to withstand the temptation to do things my way.  The grace of God which constantly flows through me from His indwelling Spirit empowers me to, "offer the parts of (my) body to him as instruments of righteousness.  For sin shall not be (my) master, because (I) am not under law, but under grace." (Romans 6:13-14)  Either I choose to give myself over to the pull of God, or the influence of sin.  

Each time I sense the tug of God leading me in His direction, there will be the temptation for my flesh to fight against Him.  But thanks to God's grace abundantly found in my life and manifested through His Son's death on the cross, I have the option and ability to drop the rope, giving in to God's will.  When I submit, the fruit of the Spirit are produced and there is no law against these things! 

I don't have to try harder to be good and please God, rather I have to nail, "the passions and desires of (the) sinful nature to his cross and (crucify) them there."  (Galatians 5:24 NLT) Or, as 17th Century Puritan preacher Peter Bulkeley said, "If God be God over us, we must yield him universal obedience in all things.  He must not be over us in one thing, and under us in another, but he must be over us in everything."  

I am empowered to obey by the grace of God when I submit to Him and allow Him to lead me.

Godly Devotion

Our neighbors own a huge German Shepherd who looks quite intimidating but who is actually a big baby.  He's gentle, calm and pretty laid back. . . until his owner brings out the beloved tennis ball.  Then he turns into the fetching machine, never taking his eyes of the yellow orb.  Nothing can distract him from the job at hand; squirrels, food, other dogs, they all fade into the background as the ball takes center stage, monopolizing his attention.  He's all about his ball.

In the same way, I am called to be wholly devoted to God.  He may allow a variety of attractive belief systems or alluring distractions to come my way in order to test me "to find out whether (I) love him with all (my) heart and with all (my) soul.  It is the LORD (my) God (I) must follow, and him (I) must revere.  Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him."  (Deuteronomy 13:3-4)

This kind of devotion comes with maturity as we progressively work toward, "attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming."  (Ephesians 4:13-14)  Growing in my walk with God means I will gradually become more Christ-like, little-by-little gaining an immunity to distractions.  The goal is to become like my neighbor's dog; all about my God!

As I cultivate my personal relationship with God through faith in Christ, I will increasingly develop my devotion for Him and Him alone.

Spontaneous Love

Have you ever tried really hard to love someone, especially someone who is particularly prickly?  I have. . . and it doesn't work.  I just don't have it in me to love like God loves me!  

I like the way Oswald Chambers put it in his entry for April 30th in My Utmost for His Highest:  "Love is not premeditated, it is spontaneous, i.e., it bursts up in extraordinary ways.  There is nothing of mathematical certainty in Paul's category of love.  We cannot say--'Now I am going to think no evil; I am going to believe all things.'  The characteristic of love is spontaneity.  We do not set the statements of Jesus in front of us as a standard; but when His Spirit is having His way with us, we live according to His standard without knowing it, and on looking aback we are amazed at the disinterestedness of a particular emotion, which is the evidence that the spontaneity of real love was there.  In everything to do with the life of God in us, its nature is only discerned when it is past."

It is not my effort that produces a loving attitude or loving acts, rather it is in extension of God's Spirit working through me.  "God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."  (Romans 5:5)

As I let God's Spirit have it's way in me, I will find that the irritation I used to experience when dealing with a certain difficult personality has vanished and in it's place is patience and gentleness.

When I let go and let God, it will become apparent that my previous penchant for perfection and high expectations for others' actions has been replaced by a desire to let go of past failures and to always hope, believing with faith that things will get better.

If I follow God where He leads, I will soon see that circumstances and situations that used to anger me and send me into a tailspin now have no affect on me.  My blood does not boil and I'm no longer compelled to chew someone out, defending my position.  

Love comes as a natural extension of God Spirit as He becomes greater and I become less and will show up unprompted in ways I can't explain.  

God is the craftsman of my new heart.  Only He can, "Create in me a clean heart. . . and renew a right spirit within me."  (Psalm 51:10)  And with this heart of flesh I am empowered to obey God, to be wholly devoted to Him and to love spontaneously.  In this way, I am growing "in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church."  (Ephesians 4:15 NLT)

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will let go and let God have His way in my life this moment.

When do I insist on having my way, thus preventing God to love others through me?

How do I hang onto my own desires, refusing to nail them to the cross?

Easily Deceived

"Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon,

bow as they are lowered to the ground.

They are being hauled away on ox carts.

The poor beasts stagger under the weight.

Bot the idols and their owners are bowed down.

The gods cannot protect the people,

and the people cannot protect the gods.

They go off into captivity together.

Listen to me, descendants of Jacob,

all you who remain in Israel.

I have cared for you since you were born.

Yes, I carried you before you were born.

I will be your God throughout your lifetime--

until your hair is white with age.

I made you, and I will care for you.

I will carry you along and save you.

To whom will you compare me?

Who is my equal?"

Isaiah 46:1-5 NLT

I get caught up in worldly mindsets without consciously realizing what has happened, bowing to the gods of science and education, tolerance and "love".  I slightly adjust my views, my thinking, until it lines up with popular philosophy.  I'm still a Christian, I mean I still believe in God so everything's okay, right?  Or should I be concerned?  

Impotent.  Whatever I trust in, extol, fight to the death to defend; if it is outside of Jesus Christ it cannot save me.  As good as it may seem, if it's not from God it will do nothing to stop God's discipline, the shaking He allows in order to draw mankind back to Him, the wake-up call necessary to get the attention of those who have fallen asleep, drugged by the world's anesthesia.  I'm a fool to trust in such nonsense.

Yet it makes sense to my mind, easily slipping into my consciousness without detection.  And before I know it I'm believing ignorance is the enemy and education will save us from what ails society without ever considering the impact Jesus Christ can make in the hearts of man.  Or I'm buying into the mindset that love comes in many shapes and sizes and I must be tolerant of the latest deviancy, failing to ever reach out with the Gospel of grace, empowered by True Love.  Or I am caught up in the belief that scientific advances can cure cancer, wipe out world-wide hunger and end global warming instead of getting on my knees and enlisting the help of the One who holds all power in His hands.

Whatever I trust in apart from God is impotent to make any lasting change or bring about salvation.

Faithful.   While I'm off "saving the world," getting caught up in following empty theories or chasing rabbits down meandering trails, God is busy holding all things together, reaching out to the lost and caring for His image-bearers.  Whether or not anyone ever acknowledges it, He is faithful to give life and breath to millions of people.  We depend upon His grace, never being able to think a thought or take a step without Him.  

Yet countless many fail to realize their dependency upon Him.  How many times has He saved, shielded, protected?  How often does He give good, bless, provide?  Still, many think it is by their own hand, due to their own smarts, because of their wise planning that such bounty has entered their lives.  Meanwhile, God continues to care for His children, even those who haven't yet given their lives to Him through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Even if few ever acknowledge so, God is faithful to take care of His creation.

Deception.  In ancient days, people bowed down to Bel, Nebo, Ashtoreth, Molech and Baal.  Many sacrificed to them, giving of their children, their purity, their livelihood, believing such "gifts" would appease the wrath of these gods and deliver them into the good graces of these deities.  Yet they were deceived into believing these impotent gods would somehow make their lives better, bringing meaning and favor into the emptiness of their souls.  Many died waiting for such foolishness.  Today man is more evolved and is all but immune from such idol worship.  Or so goes the common belief.

Yet how many bow down to the god of women's reproductive Rights, the Right to choose, or the Right to her own body and have killed millions of defenseless children as a result?  What about the god of Lust?  Countless bow before it's altar of pornography, both soft and hard, mainstream and sordid, contributing to the explosion of human trafficking and the sex trade.  Then there's the god of Love that we all desire to bow before, leading to a low view of the pure form and the wide acceptance of Gay marriage.  And so we see, nothing has really changed all that much from the days of ancient society.

Mankind has been deceived into idol worship even though no one calls it as such.

It's easy to conform to the thinking of this world, slowly drifting away from God's best for me and His ongoing transformation process.  As I do, I risk worshiping other gods, even if I wouldn't label it as such.  I place my trust in the impotent, even though God is the only One with the power to save me and the rest of mankind.  Even if He is never acknowledged as the One who truly cares, He is faithful to hold all things together.  Still, I am easily deceived by the same gods who lured the Israelites away from God.  Yes, I am firmly in God's grip through faith in Jesus Christ, yet I have to admit how easily deceived I am.  I must never forget how much I depend upon His grace, and keep my eyes on Jesus who is always at work perfecting my faith.  It is only in Him that I can stand firm!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stand firm on the Truth.

How do I get sucked into popular mindsets, unintentionally worshiping at an altar I never wanted to bow before?

When am I ignorant of God's faithfulness in my life?  How can I intentionally acknowledge His constancy?  

Rock of Refuge

"But the LORD has become my fortress,

and my God the rock in whom I take refuge."

Psalm 94:22

They run but there is nowhere they can go where the insidious evil will not find them.  Even the innocent children are not exempt from the brutal acts of terror.  How do our brothers and sisters cope in such darkness, under such pressure, in the face of such evil?  They have a safe Place, a Refuge where they can take shelter; and He is the Lord whom they worship.

I may not face trouble on this level, but living in an evil, dark world can lead me to discouragement and heartbreak as I witness all the suffering and experience some myself.  Even though it may seem wickedness is winning and I have nowhere to take shelter, I am offered a refuge by faith in Jesus.  I may be on the verge of destruction, but I can take heart that through Christ, I will not be crushed, driven to despair or abandoned by God (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).  

Here is the kind of protection I need and can expect when I take refuge in Him.

Help.  When I was in the hospital recovering from surgery, I appreciated the tender, loving care of my husband.  Normal daily tasks like getting out of bed, taking a shower and putting on my clothes became a huge undertaking.  The pain and swelling in my abdomen and the slight confusion and wooziness caused by the drugs and anesthesia still lingering in my body teamed up to make it hard for me to function normally.  I needed assistance to accomplish most everything.  

I remember attempting to eat my first meal.  The nurses' aid delivered the tray to my table and helped me get in position to eat.  As I tried to raise my hand with the arm tethered to the IV, I found it awkward and difficult.  I spent several minutes attempting to adjust the tray table, to pull it closer and lower it down, but I just couldn't get it.  Finally my husband returned with his meal and was able to help me so I could eat.  Without help, most simple functions were difficult and overwhelming.

This is a picture of God as I'm going through hard times, facing evil attack, or in the midst of strife.  He offers gentle assistance, empowering me to keep on living and carrying on in the face of such hardship.  In the same way I couldn't function normally on my own after surgery, I need the help of my ever-present God who is my 24-7 support system (Psalm 46:1).

When I take refuge in God during times of trouble, I will find the help I need to get through.

Love.  I felt my foot slipping but before I even knew what was happening, a strong arm upheld me until I could regain my footing.  If my husband hadn't been right there beside me, paying attention to my plight, I may have fallen.  Similarly, God is right there with me, paying attention to every step I take.  His love-nature drives Him toward the suffering, the hurting, the needy.  Therefore, I can count on Him to be there for me when I need Him.

Not only that, but there's more about the love of God that keeps Him by my side, holding me up.  God's love never gives out, runs out of steam, or stops working (1 Corinthians 13:8).  His love just is, and it's the same now as it always has been, ever strong and faithful.  Therefore, I can cry out to Him in my greatest hour of need or in the smallest of irritations and His love will sustain me.

When I take refuge in God during times of trouble, I will find the love that holds me up.

Consolations.  Nothing I said made a difference.  Her heartache was so deep that she could not be consoled.  Only God was able to bring relief to my friend's hurting soul.

When the cares of life get me down and I feel discouraged by all that is coming my way, I can trust God to cheer me in just the way I need.  He knows how to comfort me in all my troubles, to ease my pain, and to encourage my heart.  He is "the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. . ." (2 Corinthians 1:3b).

When I take refuge in God during times of trouble, I will find the consolation that cheers my soul.

There is no doubt this world is filled with darkness and evil.  As I pray for my brothers and sisters in harms way, I know they are finding haven in our Father who is their Rock of refuge.  I can follow suit, and when I do, I will find the help I need, the love that holds me up, and the consolation that brings cheer to my soul.  In these ways, I will join with the family of God and take shelter in my Rock of refuge.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God to help me.

How do I try to muddle through on my own, attempting to negotiate the potholes of life without my Helper?

When do I wallow in sorrow, robbing God of the joy He finds in consoling me in my pain? 

   

Open Up!

"Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!

O Israel, if you would but listen to me!

There shall be no strange god among you;

you shall not bow down to a foreign god.

I am the LORD your God,

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide,

and I will fill it."

Psalm 81:8-10 ESV

We as a people can be frustrating.  We, like the Israelites, claim to follow God, but then we wander off, pinning our hopes on something other than the One who brings true fulfillment and meaning.

When I go off like this, God misses me, longing for a close bond with me.  He chastises me, disciplining me as a way to draw me back to Him, saying, "I have so much I want to give you, why will you not receive?  Why do you stubbornly resist my advances?"  He never stops pursuing me, reminding me of all I could have from Him, all the acts of His mighty hand that I have experienced.  He does not give up on me; He passionately desires my whole heart!

If I would open my mouth, He would fill it with such goodness; blessing beyond compare!

Love.  When I hear the word, "love," I get a picture of human love in my mind.  I think of a parent's love for a child which sometimes pushes her beyond her own capabilities in an effort to help her succeed.  Or the love of a man for a woman which smothers her, not allowing her to become the woman she was created to be.  Or the love of a woman for a man which is dependent upon him for her feelings of worth and well-being.  Or the love between two humans which is strong at one moment then fades in another.  This inferior love is far below what God has in mind when He speaks of love.

The kind of love I can expect from God is powerful.  It is grand; its scope being beyond my ability to fathom (Ephesians 3:18-19). This love is part of His character, not just an action He shows or a deed He does.  Love is who He is (1 John 4:8).  Therefore, this love does not change, waxing and waning according to my performance or attitude at the time:  God's love is constant.  It also is not dependent upon me at all, but absolute and unrestricted.  Therefore, this love cannot be lost (Romans 8:38-39).  This is the kind of love that cannot be constrained or limited.  In it's character, it is meant to flow freely to me and then out to others.  It is a sign that I belong to Him (1 John 4:7). 

This is the kind of love my heart desires, and this is the kind of love God is waiting with which to fill me.

Grace.  I want good things in life, but deep down, I feel like I don't deserve them.  I mess up despite how hard I try to do right.  I fail time and time again regardless of how much effort I put into following God's ways.  It seems like for every step forward I take, I end up going backwards three.  Life can be like running in loose sand; lots of effort with little progress made.

What I need to grasp is God's gracious character.  His grace gives me what I don't deserve.  His grace is all about lavish goodness flowing into my life apart from my ability to earn it.  It's God's favor upon me despite my failure to earn it.  Grace offers forgiveness where there is no virtue, kindness when I deserve wrath, abundance even though my actions earned lack (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 3:24).

God is waiting to pour out His grace in my life until it is overflowing in abundance.

Hope.  Without Him, I have nothing to look forward to.  Apart from Him, there is no expectation that things will be okay.  On my own, I can't honestly say that life will get better, that it will turn out for the good in the end, that there is anything beyond what I experience in the here and now.  If I don't have Jesus, I have no hope (1 Peter 1:3-4).

Through Christ, I can have an expectation for something better to come.  This is not all there is, and I was made for more than just survival.  I was created to thrive in the abundance of His love, and this is why Jesus came; to offer such fullness of life (John 10:10).  If things are bad right now, hope spurs me on with the thought that He came to give me a rich and satisfying life, not a measly existence filled with struggle and lack of purpose. 

Since He is always at work I can maintain a positive attitude based on the expectation that He is at work on my behalf, even if I don't detect it.   Furthermore, I need not fear the end, because in reality it is only the beginning.  The best is yet to come (John 14:1-3).  I have a future (Jeremiah 29:11)!

In Christ I have the hope that spurs me on to greater things, if I would only open myself up to receiving it.

I admit that I am stubbornly resisting God's work in my life.  Even though He desires to lavish His love, grace and hope upon me, I often fail to receive.  It is my desire that I let go of everything that holds me back, and simply open my mouth to accept His goodness.  When I do, I will find that He will fill me until it overflows in abundance.  Let me open up to Him!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will stop resisting God's work in my life and simply let Him give what He wants to give me.

How am I clamming up in the face of such a generous God?

When do I stick to my measly existence, refusing to even consider the abundance God is offering?

          

Hopeful Expectation

"Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the LORD forever."

Psalm 23:6 NLT

I have seen the benefits of living life with the Good Shepherd.  I have learned of His many blessings as I live in relationship with Him.  I am overjoyed with such abundance.  The beauty that blooms in my transforming heart goes above and beyond my expectations.  As deep and meaningful as my life has become through Jesus Christ, however, it is not all there is.  Perhaps the greatest benefit is yet to come.

Goodness and Mercy.  Anything that is good in this world comes from God (James 1:17).  He Himself is good.  There is nothing evil or dark about Him.  Unlike me, He can be counted on to be virtuous and to do what is best.  Not only is He a good God, but He is love, known for giving me what I don't deserve.

This goodness and steadfast love is beautifully demonstrated in God's generous gift of a promised land to His unfaithful people.  Despite their continual distrust of His ability to provide, protect and deliver them, He still gave the younger generation of Israelites houses beautifully furnished and filled, wells flowing with sweet water and gardens bursting with produce; a ready-made community marked by the abundance of a kind and merciful God (Nehemiah 9:25, Deuteronomy 6:10-12).

This is the kind of goodness and mercy that flows into my life through faith in Jesus Christ.  It's not due to anything I have done, wise choices I have made, or right paths I have chosen.  Instead, God gives good things as a result of His astounding love;  love that flows uninhibited into my life because of His character.

I can expect God to pursue me with His goodness and mercy.

All My Life.  I tend to give up easily.  If I'm treated poorly, my first response is to write the offender off.  My patience quickly runs dry.  God is not at all like me.  He is a God who pursues the broken, who runs after the lost, loves the unlovable (Isaiah 40:28, Luke 15:4).  

Because of this faithfulness, I can expect to never go a day without experiencing the lavishness of God.  If I look for it, I will see it, this abundance overflowing throughout my days.  It could be in the simple gift of a smile when I most need a bit of sunshine, or the hug of a friend when I'm feeling down, or the sight of a sparrow flitting through the bushes outside my window that brings an unexpected smile to my face.

If I am to notice all the good things God is pouring into my life, I'll have to look with kingdom eyes.  My Father does not value the same things this world holds dear.  As a result, His good gifts come wrapped in different kinds of packages, those the world won't even categorize as precious.  But to Him, they are the best kind.  May I always treasure that which will last, that which comes from Him (Matthew 6:19-21).

I can look forward to an continuous flow of His goodness and mercy each and every day of my life.

Eternal Dwelling.  I often feel like I don't belong, like this world is foreign to me or that I'm a fish out of water.  As one who has been bought by the blood of Jesus, ushered into the family of God through faith in His Son, I really don't belong here.  There is a place where I am meant to live, a heavenly dwelling place that is my real home (Philippians 3:20). 

Since this is not where I will always live, I must remember the temporary nature of this life.  When I return to my home in heaven, everything will be as God meant it to be.  It is unrealistic, then, for me to expect heaven here on earth.  Therefore, I must place my hope in what is to come, trusting that all will be made right when I arrive to the place Jesus has prepared for me.  Until then, I keep my eyes focused on this prize, running with all my might toward the hope of what is to come.  

The hope I have of returning to my real home in heaven can spur me on as I live here on earth.

God has blessed me with so many good things as His child through faith in Jesus.  Even though I don't deserve it, I can expect this flow of blessings to continue throughout my life.  As if this weren't enough, this life pales in comparison to the home that awaits me in eternity.  With such a God as this, I can live my life in hopeful expectation.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God to give me better than what I deserve.

When do I desire that which is not truly valuable?

How do I doubt God's goodness and mercy, believing He won't give me good things because of all the ways I've failed?

His Love Never Fails

"Because of the LORD's great love

we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail."

Lamentation 3:22 ESV

What are you facing right now?  His love is strong enough to get you through it.

What keeps you up at night?  His love will not grow dim through the night watches.

How do you feel discouraged, like giving up?  His love will never fail, even when your will does.

When do you feel unlovable?  His love does not depend on you but on God, and He is faithful.

Listen to today's song of praise about the great love of our amazing God, and worship Him for His limitless love.

  

He Holds Me Together

"On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help,

I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you;

your right hand upholds me."

Psalm 63:6-8

It seemed as if there was no purpose, no reason for the suffering.  Everything looked like it was falling apart; my life suddenly appeared as if it were a series of tragic mistakes with every door that appeared before me slamming in my face.  What was I to do?  Where was I to go to find help?  Did anybody care?  Where was this God who had claimed to love me?

My family recently sold every stick of furniture in order to move across the country so we could help my dad in his time of need.  When we arrived at our destination, we felt like Abram, going to the land where God had called us without knowing our exact destination. (Genesis 12:1)  I expected God to make our paths straight, however, setting everything up to prepare us for a smooth transition.  

As is to be expected with a God whose ways are far superior to mine, He had something else in mind.  As we lived the lives of the homeless for nearly two weeks, I wondered if we were fools to give up everything; our home, our security, our friends, and recklessly set out on this venture without a plan, without having everything set in stone before we left.  We believed God had the plan and was faithful to provide, but my eyes were telling me a different story.  What kind of a plan was this?

Thankfully, God is God no matter what I go through.  Consequently, when it seems like everything is falling apart, He is still there holding me together. It just takes eyes of faith to be able to remember the truth when my difficult circumstances obscure it from my perception.

Plan.  God's plan is not diminished by my crummy situation or difficult state of affairs.  When I focus on the problems that overwhelm, my life seems like nothing more than a big cosmic joke.  As I flounder through each day, each blow solidifies my belief that life is simply a series of random acts with no purpose.

When I turn my attention back toward the Maker of heaven and earth, reminding myself of His great and good plan for my life, I remember He takes every heartache, every struggle and every tragedy and works it together for my good. (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 8:28) He take the ashes and turns them into beauty.  In His mighty and gracious hands the grief is transformed into joy.  Where I perceive nothing but ruins He brings about restoration.  (Isaiah 61:3-4)

When it seems like everything is falling apart, His plan is not diminished one bit by my lack of faith.

Love.  No matter how difficult my life becomes, His love still sustains me.  Trouble is, I tend to hold a low view of love, thinking His compassion for me will lead me through nothing but green pastures and beside quiet streams.  I focus more on my comfort, desiring to live a pampered life free from difficulty.  When the inevitable trials come, it gives me the idea that God doesn't love me anymore, that He doesn't care enough to shield me from heartache and pain.

The truth is that there is nothing that can separate me from His love: the potholes of life, the sorrow of death, the fear that grips my heart or the anxiety about what is to come.  None of these things or any other power on earth or below it can take me away from His great love for me.  (Romans 8:28-29)

When it seems like everything is falling apart, God's love for me is not lost by my lack of faith. (Psalm 100:5)

Hope.  The one thing I always have through Christ Jesus is hope.  If this life was all there was, it would truly be hard to carry on.  Thankfully, through faith in Christ, I have eternity with Him to look forward to. (1 Corinthians 15:19)

Therefore, when it seems like there is no rhyme or reason to my life, I can remember the place being prepared just for me where I will experience true fulfillment and belonging. (John 14:1-3)  When my life is marked with much suffering and pain, I can keep my eyes on the prize of heaven which will make the struggle worth it.  (Philippians 3:14)  When I am surrounded by trouble, I can keep my eyes fixed on Jesus who endured far worse for my sake.  (Hebrews 12:1-4)

When it seems like everything is falling apart, the hope I have in Christ Jesus is never gone even when my faith falters.

One thing I can count on in this life is trouble.  Despite the difficult seasons I must endure, God's plan is never diminished, His love is not lost, and the hope I have in Christ is never gone.  Even when I feel otherwise, the truth tells me a different story.  He always holds me together and this time is no different.  Will I trust Him with today's trouble?

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will give God a chance to work through my circumstances.

When do I despair based on what I see instead of rejoicing in what I cannot see but is no less real?

How do I fail to walk by faith?