Birth of Faith

Today's devotional reading comes from my book, 
52 Days of Grace, 
available on Amazon 
and at 
Village Books in Fairhaven, WA.

Birth of Faith

“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.  Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.   So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?   Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”  (Romans 2:1-4)

My first daughter was ten days late, and my second pregnancy was high-risk due to triplets, so I spent a lot of time in my young married years waiting around for babies to be born.

 

The problem is, I am not good at waiting.  Maybe I’m just too excited about what I am waiting for to come to fruition, or I could have my own schedule that I expect everyone and everything to heed.  Mostly, though, it’s just that I don’t want to wait.  I’d rather things happen right away.

Thankfully, God does not have a problem with waiting for us.  In fact, it is part of His character to wait for us to “get it”.  He is, “not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness” (2 Peter 3:9).  He is more concerned with the growth of our hearts than in our schedules, and He is always willing to wait for us to find His way.

When my youngest daughter was learning to sew, there were quite a few times when she had to rip out a seam and start over again.  Even though she would rather that it worked right the first time, the detours became a valuable learning opportunity instead of just a frustration.

 

Just as my periods of waiting ended with the birth of precious lives, God’s waiting brings about the birth of faith.

“Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.”--John Ortberg

Do you accept waiting as a part of your walk with Jesus?  If you realized that waiting was beneficial to your faith, how would that improve your attitude?

Name something you have been waiting for, whether it be a loved one to come to Christ, an improvement in the health of a relationship, or something else.  How has your heart changed as you’ve waited?

Heavenly Father,

I thank You for Your patience in waiting for me to understand Your ways and submit myself to You.  It is unthinkable that I could be so stubborn and slow!  But You are never slow.  I ask for help in recognizing the benefits of waiting, and accepting the place in which You have placed me at this time in my life.  I ask for Your blessing on me and my family as we grow in faith. 

In Jesus’ Name I pray,

Amen

For information on ordering your own copy of 52 Days of Grace, follow this link or, if you are in the Bellingham area, visit Village Books in Fairhaven.  

If you'd like to order an e-copy, click here.  

May God be glorified in your heart as you use this tool to grow closer in your relationship with Him!  

My Deliverer

"I waited patiently for the LORD to help me,

and he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the pit of despair,

out of the mud and the mire.

He set my feet on solid ground

and steadied me as I walked along.

He has given me a new song to sing,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what he has done and be amazed.

They will put their trust in the LORD."

Psalm 40:1-3 NLT

I hate waiting.  There, I've said it.  I try to be patient but if I'm honest with myself I realize that I want results and I want them now.  I am a product of our fast-food, world-at-our-fingertips smart phone culture.

God, however, is a God of perfect timing.  He transcends time itself and is not influenced by the calendar at all.  To Him, things will occur when He wants them to take place.  What will happen when I enter into His sense of timing, His world of perfect pace, and wait on Him?

Hears Me.  There is nothing that hurts my feelings more, and quite frankly annoys me, than being ignored.  I've been in situations when a story I'm telling is interrupted and no one cares to hear the rest, or when I call out to someone and they keep walking because they probably didn't hear me, or when I ask a question and the answer given does not address the concern I have.  Being ignored makes me feel unimportant and as if I'm not significant enough to be heard.

God, however, never does this to me.  He values me as His child and always hears me when I cry out to Him.  Even if I never sense His presence or His tender listening ear, I always have His attention.  What a comfort to know that He is not deaf to my concerns!

God is a Father who always hears me when I pray.

Acts.  I recently heard a new definition of laziness that knocked me off my high horse.  I was with a group of ladies listening to a lesson by Chip Ingram from his powerful Bible study called "True Spirituality." I heard him say that laziness is when you don't do what you know you need to do right when it needs to be done.  Hmmm.  I realized I'm quite lazy even though I'm pretty industrious and driven.  There are many times when I let things slide, or procrastinate, or turn a blind eye to a need in my midst.

God is never lazy.  He acts according to His perfect plan, never tarrying or dragging His proverbial feet.  When I fall into depression, He pulls me out, reminding me of the hope I have in Jesus and the many reasons I have to carry on.  Other times He rescues me from a state of confusion or deception, when I've fallen into faulty beliefs, let my priorities get all out of whack, or begin to follow the wrong teaching.  He reminds me of the truth and sets me right-side-up again with my feet on solid ground.  God never fails to act when action is necessary.

God is a Father who does what needs to be done to help me in my walk with Him.

Gives.  I used to see things differently.  Before I got to know God more intimately, as a Father who loves and cherishes me, I used to think He was a bit standoffish, as if He was on the outskirts of my life, watching and observing but never really getting involved.  It wasn't until recently that I really embraced the truth:  God is a loving, doting Father who wants nothing more from me than my attention and devotion.  He longs to walk with me every step of the way, never leaving my side or getting distracted by other concerns.  He is wholly devoted to me and desires that I be the same to Him.

This kind of God blows my mind.  How can He love me so intimately and cherish me in such a personal way?  He is just that powerful!  And as I enter into His embrace, I see things differently from His arms.  I am treasured as a well-loved child and there is nothing I can do to make Him love me more or to give Him reason to reject me (Romans 8:39).  My place in His heart is secure and is not based on my performance or faithfulness.

As I grow closer and observe more and more of His character, He gives me a new reason to carry on.  My motives for living well are different.  Instead of trying to prove my worth, I sink deeper into His arms and release a sigh of contentment.  In the place of extolling the virtues of righteous living, I sing a song of praise to a God who has transformed my heart and shown me my worth as His child.  While I used to love what He had done for me, I now adore Him as a God who is rich in character and deeply loving; it is Him I love for who He is.  He has given me a new lifesong!

God is a Father who generously gives me a fresh outlook and a new song to sing.

Even though I despise waiting, when I trust God enough to let Him have His way in my life I find that He always hears me, never fails to act when necessary, and liberally grants me more than I can imagine.  In these ways God is my deliverer in whom I rejoice!

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

When do I act as if God doesn't hear me when I need Him most?

How do I try to help myself instead of letting God do what He does best?

Golden Calf

"When the people saw that Moses was so long

in coming down from the mountain,

they gathered around Aaron and said,

'Come, make us gods who will go before us.

As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt,

we don't know what has happened to him.'"

Exodus 32:1

The din of a wild party reached his ears as he descended the mountain.  After spending forty days listening only to the sound of the Lord our God's voice, the raucous carousing assaulted his holy ears.  As he rounded the corner at the bottom of the mountain he saw it: what used to be jewelry formed into the shape of a calf.  What were they thinking?  What is wrong with these people? (Exodus 32)

As hard as it is for me to believe that the people of Israel would so quickly and easily abandon the God who delivered them from the bondage of slavery, if I am honest with myself, I may find the same adulterous attitude in my own heart.  While I don't go so far as to make an image out of something created and offer sacrifices to it, there are times I turn to other things or people during certain times in my life.  What can set my heart to stray?

Waiting

Sarai and Abram had waited ten long years for a child after God had promised to make Abram into a great nation.  Even though God had confirmed this promise some time later, giving him a vivid vision of the covenant the Lord made with him, Abram still wondered how his descendants could receive this vast land if he didn't even have a son. (Genesis 15) 

"Honey, I've been thinking.  I know how stressful this time of waiting for a child has been.  Since the Lord has closed my womb, there must be another way He expects us to go about bearing a child.  I think I have the solution; why don't you sleep with my Egyptian servant?  This way, you will have a child that God can use to fulfill His great promise."

The plan sounded good to Abram.  Ten years is a long time to wait for God to act.  Surely He didn't mean for it to take this long.  Yes, there must be a part he needed to play and this seemed like just the thing.  What a time to celebrate!  The child of promise would soon be born! (Genesis 16:1-3)

Interestingly, God rejected this child of their own plan and the couple had to wait an additional 15 years before Sarai, then renamed as Sarah, would bear her own child.  Isaac would become the child through whom the blessing would be fulfilled. (Genesis 21:1-7)

It is hard to wait for God to meet a need, bring about a vision, or fulfill a promise made.  When it takes longer than I care to wait, I may do as Sarai did, thinking there is a part I'm expected to play.  While I have grown up hearing that God helps those who help themselves, the principle behind this common saying is not rooted in truth.  Instead, I learn from God's Word that when I wait on the Lord, putting all my hope in Him and letting Him choose the timetable, method and means, I will be renewed in my strength and given power to persevere as I let God take the reigns. (Isaiah 40:31)

While it is not easy to wait, letting God lead is always the better option.  Turning to other solutions means I have given up on the Lord.  Even though I may not consciously mean to abandon my faith, that is exactly what I do when I take matters into my own hands instead of waiting for God to provide in His perfect time.

Placing my trust in other people or solutions during a long period of waiting on the Lord is a way that I worship my own golden calf.

Expectation

The land had been promised long ago.  By all accounts, it was an abundant land filled with giant grapes, luscious pomegranates, delectable figs and many good things.  It was described as a land flowing with milk and honey; it seemed ideal!  The only problem was the people who lived there: They would not easily give up their precious land, creating for them ferocious opponents and an impossible obstacle.  This is not what the people of Israel expected when God said He would give them a land to call their own.  (Numbers 13:25-33)

I can relate to the plight of God's people.  There are many times when God supplies my needs, answers my prayers or solves my problems in ways I don't expect.  When I carry a certain expectation, assuming that God will give me what I want, when I want it and how I want it, I can count on the fact that I will be disappointed.

Instead of expecting God to work in the way I as a mere human operate, I would be wise to trust God to do as He sees fit, watching and waiting expectantly for Him to blow my mind with His creative response.  I limit God when I assume He'll work my way.  

When I need relief from a painful situation, instead of delivering me from it like I expect, He may give me more grace so I can persevere through it.  When my bills are mounting and my pay is shrinking, I may think the answer is more income.  In His infinite wisdom, however, God may have a lesson for me in the middle of the struggle, choosing instead to delay recovery in order to teach me gratitude and give me an opportunity to improve my stewardship.  When I think the answer to my struggles is found in delivery from it, God may choose to leave them as a thorn in my side that will keep me humbly reliant on Him.  (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Expecting God to work in a way I deem as best is one way I turn to my own golden calf.

Doubt

"Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?"

"No, He said we can eat our fill from every tree except the one in the center.  Of that tree, we must not touch or we'll die."

"How absurd!  You won't die! God knows that once you partake of that fruit, your eyes will be opened and you'll know good from evil.  Die?  Preposterous!" (paraphrased from Genesis 3:1-6)

And with that seed of doubt planted firmly in Eve's mind, she began to consider the off-limits tree, something about which she had never before thought.  Doubt is a powerful enemy of my faith.  When I begin to question what I know to be the truth, I am headed down a path that takes me away from God and His perfect plan for my life.

In contrast, faith believes without seeing, never needing to understand something completely in order to trust it but simply knowing that if God said it, there is no need for further scrutiny.  When I am tempted to question what I know to be true, then I would be wise to turn away from doubt and remind myself of the truth as I have learned it.

For instance, when I know God has placed me in a certain position for His purposes, I can stand firm.  If I am tempted to look for a new job, doubting His sovereignty because the atmosphere is difficult and full of strife, I must remind myself that I am salt and light in a lost and darkened world. (Matthew 5:13-16)

Other times I may wonder how God could possibly use my testimony to touch anyone's life for Christ.  Instead of questioning the power of my story of salvation, I can remind myself I am a sinner who has been plucked from the jaws of death and freely given the gift of life for all of eternity.  (Romans 5:6-11)  What is more powerful than that?

Sometimes I even wonder if I'm on the wrong track because things seem to be going in a way that is difficult and causes much suffering.  I start to wonder if I might have heard God wrong, or maybe I misinterpreted His message because surely this can't be His plan for my life.  It is then that I can remind myself that God brings good out of every situation and there's nothing I can do to counteract this goodness.  (Romans 8:28)

Nurturing the seeds of doubt planted by my Enemy is another way I turn to my own golden calf.

I have never seen anyone make for themselves an idol made of gold, silver or wood.  Still, idol worship is a big problem in this day and age.  While I don't intend to stray from my faith in the One True God, I do have a tendency to wander away from Him.  I am guilty of making my own golden calf when I lose my patience while waiting, expect God to work in a way I desire and doubt what I know to be true.  It is my desire that I would stand strong this day as I trust solely and completely in the Lord.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God without giving into the temptation to go my own way.

When do I buy into the lies Satan tries to sell me?

How am I losing faith in God by leaning more on what I think than on the truth?        

Waiting

"But you, dear friends,

by building yourselves up in your most holy faith

and praying in the Holy Spirit,

keep yourselves in God's love

 as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ

to bring you to eternal life."

Jude 20-21

"I'm sorry ma'am, your flight's been cancelled.  I don't have another one going out until tonight at 11 pm."  I looked at my watch.  It was 10 a.m.  I had spent a couple of weeks helping my dad while he was in the hospital recovering from a horrible motorcycle accident which cost him his leg.  Once he was settled into the assisted living facility where he would learn to adapt to his new circumstances, my sister and I went back home to our families;  except my trip would be delayed by a 13-hour layover.

I despise waiting.  It's the unproductive nature of killing time that bothers me and I would rather get right to the activity with no delay.  Unfortunately, life is filled with times of interruptions and hold ups.  In fact, I could look at my whole life as a waiting period, anticipating the time when Jesus will usher me into my eternal home.  Should I just sit around twiddling my thumbs while I wait, or is there something specific I should be doing?

Build Up

The pile of leaves shrunk as the weeks went by.  Stirring it with a rake, I brought the foliage from the bottom of the pile to the top.  Wet, darkened and matted-together clumps appeared almost unrecognizable as the large maple leaves I first placed in a heap at the back of my yard.  I could see the process of decomposition taking place before my eyes.  The once green leaves were being broken down into compost that could later be added to my garden.  

Everything God created moves toward a state of decay.  As a homeowner, I see this principle first-hand in my need to repaint, repair and restore.  Appliances depreciate in their value and breakdown, fences fall apart, and flooring wears out.  

In the same way, my faith naturally fades away if I leave it to it's own devices.  Without any application of effort, attention or exertion, my belief in God falls by the wayside.  It is very easy to get distracted while I wait for my eternal reward and start living for myself instead of to please God.  Just as regular maintenance is important to keeping a home functioning, so I must make a conscious effort to preserve and even grow my faith in God.  (Colossians 2:6-7)

While I am waiting for Jesus to take me home I must focus on developing my faith by striving to follow Him in every facet of my life.

Pray

The call to prayer rang out five times per day drawing the devout to prostate themselves before their god.  Their dedication to this pillar of their faith was clear as men and women loyally devoted time to cleanse themselves, speak the words to glorify their god, recite the Qur'an, bless the Prophet Mohammad and each other while performing specific postures.  Clearly, this ritual is an important part of the Muslim faith.

While followers of Islam use prayer as a kind of custom and routine to help keep their minds on Allah, God expects a different kind of prayer from His people.  Followers of Christ have been given the power of the Holy Spirit to dwell within us.  Instead of simply speaking the right words, the Lord desires my prayers to be personal, driven by an expectation of their effectiveness, and directed by the indwelling Spirit of God.

In the place of a cold, meaningless ritual, then, prayer for a believer is a powerful act that brings about change.  (James 5:16)  It is a weapon to be wielded in the spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:18), and it is a living and active connection to my loving Father in heaven (Zechariah 13:9).

While I am waiting for Jesus to take me home, I must focus on praying in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Keep

While I lived in a foreign country while my husband served in the army there, I was very sensitive to my behavior, making sure I was leaving a good impression of America to those who were watching me.  I thought twice before running a light that was about to turn red, or giving a driver who cut me off a dirty look, or complaining if I didn't like the service in a restaurant:  I didn't want to give my home country a bad name.

As an ambassador for Christ, I have a similar calling as one who is temporarily living in a land that is not my true home.  While I'm here in the world, it is important that I keep in God's love instead of adapting to the worldly ways I'm exposed to or letting my relationship with God become merely a religion. (Titus 2:12-14)  

All of the things I tend to put my time, talent and efforts into will burn in the end; only that which is of kingdom value will remain. (2 Peter 3:11-12)  Why, then, should I invest so much into acquiring material wealth, gaining worldly success, or improving my status?

Instead, it is important that I remember that everything done in the love of God will remain standing in the end; the respectful way I treat all people regardless of position, circumstance or appearance, or my dedication to performing even the most menial tasks to the best of my ability in order to make God look good, or my silent prayers for those who come after me with the intent to bring me down.  

While I am waiting for Jesus to take me home, I must focus on keeping in the love of God.

Twiddling my thumbs while waiting for my doctor's appointment may not be my idea of a good time, but I could look at my whole life as a period of waiting.  While I look forward to the day when I join Jesus in my eternal home, I have a job to do while here.  Part of that calling is to cultivate a strong faith in Christ, pray powerfully in the Spirit of God, and avoid religion and instead remain in God's love.  This is the kind of waiting that is meaningful and purposeful!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can remember my purpose as I wait for my reward.

When do I grin and bear it through this life instead of fully experiencing the love God has for me?

How do my prayers turn ritualistic instead of deep and meaningful?   

Living with Hope

"Delight yourself in the LORD

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,

the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when men succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes. . .

those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land."

Psalm 37:4-9

I think we can all agree that life is hard.  Tragedies hit out of nowhere.  Illness strikes when I least expect it.  Loved ones are ripped out of this life before I get a chance to say, "good-bye."  Pain and suffering is all around me.  Life is hard.

If it wasn't for the hope of eternity with Jesus, it would be impossible to endure.  Thankfully, I can look forward to the time when, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21:4)  Now that's something to which I can look forward!

It reminds me of the time our family planned a trip to Disney World.  For months we saved funds and made plans.  Our daughters saved spending money from what they earned dog walking and babysitting.  We studied the Disney website and literature designed to familiarize ourselves with the parks and decide which attractions we really wanted to see.  Excitement began to build and the mundane difficulties of our day-to-day lives faded in light of the anticipation of our upcoming trip.  

In the same way, I am able to endure the difficulties of life in light of the anticipation of my upcoming residency in a place with no struggles, no pain and no suffering.   Heaven gives me hope.  But I must continue living here where God has placed me.  I cannot live with my head in the clouds, creating my own reality where I ignore what's going on around me.  I'm here for a purpose.

Thankfully, God has given me some guidance in how to live for Him while I wait for the time when I will live with Him!

Delight

When I think of the meaning of the word "delight,"  I think of my dogs.  They exhibit a high degree of exuberance and joy upon my return from an outing.  It doesn't matter if I've only been gone for an hour, they greet me with great pleasure and enthusiasm.  Their tails wag intensely as their tongues loll out of their mouths and their eyes shine with excitement.  They absolutely delight in my presence!

Apart from sprouting a tail and learning to drool like a dog, how can I delight in the LORD?  One way is to enjoy and revel in the study of His Word.   God teaches that the blessed man is one who finds that, "his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." (Psalm 1:4)  

I can either read the Bible daily and check that off my things-to-do list, or I can conduct an intense study of His Word, examining references and looking up the meaning of the terms.  I can apply it to my life, meditating on what I learned throughout the day, asking God to show me the lesson found there.  The Bible is more than just a book of advice, it is, "living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  (Hebrews 4:12)

As I delight in Him, He will change my priorities and list of requirements needed to live.  Oswald Chamber wrote in My Utmost for His Highest that my life itself is the, ". . . essential thing. . . wherever you may go, even if it is into hell, you will come out with your life, nothing can harm it.  So many of us are caught up in the show of things, not in the way of property and possessions, but of blessings.  All these have to go; but there is something grander that never can go--the life that is 'hid with Christ in God.'"  

All I really need is God, and as I delight in Him, He will change the desires of my heart to line up with that truth.  

Commit

My husband and I have been married for 23 years.  We made a pledge before God, obligating ourselves to the marriage.  Because of this commitment, we have stayed together despite disagreements, hurt feelings or times when affection was lacking.  This kind of vow takes a confidence in the integrity of the institution of marriage despite what I see, hear or feel.  My sense of obligation keeps me rooted to the relationship.  

In the same way, I have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus, but entrusting my plans to God takes faith.  Faith involves taking a step into the darkness without knowing whether or not there will be something solid to hold my weight.  Faith, however, know the One in whom I place my trust is faithful to guide and provide.  As Oswald Chambers said, "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading."

Committing my way to the LORD means entrusting every part of my life to Him, letting Him have  His way.  But perhaps 19th Century Evangelist Dwight L. Moody said it best.  "The sweetest lesson I have learned in God's school is to let the Lord choose for me."  Trusting God doesn't mean I can make my plans and then ask Him to bless them, but rather to hand the reigns over to Him.

If I can make the same commitment to God as I did to my husband, unconditionally trusting Him, He has promised to make me able to stand in the sun without guilt or shame.  The blood of Jesus covers my sin when I commit my life to Him and accept Him as my personal Savior.  In so doing, I become innocent in God's eyes, relieving me of the burden of past, present and future sins.  


Making Jesus Lord of my life means letting Him have His way.  In turn, He gives me a spotless and innocent appearance before Him. 

Wait

Deals made behind closed doors.  Payment for service "under the table."  Conflicts of interest. Improper handling of tax payer funds.  Pilfering of finances to feed a gambling addiction.  Wherever I look, wicked schemes are taking place: Plots designed to benefit the planner, conspiracies thought up to further a dark plot, or a ploy intended for evil.  There's no doubt that immorality flourishes in this fallen world.

Even so, no sin goes unpunished.  Either Jesus has already paid the price for the sins of His followers, or the unrepentant sinner will face the consequences of eternal death.  Justice will be served.

In the meantime, I am called to quietly and untiringly wait for God to act.  He reminds me in Deuteronomy 32:35 that, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay.  In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them."   I can trust God to punish evil, both now and in eternity.

Until then, the Apostle Paul gave some advice in Romans 12:17-20.  "Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath. . . On the contrary, 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.'"

While I wait on God to enact justice on those who do me wrong, it is up to me to treat them with the same respect I would show to a friend.

This world is a difficult place in which to live, but as I wait to enter my eternal home, I have been given a plan.  I can take great delight in God,  make a commitment to Him and wait patiently for Him to act.  In this way I will glorify God with my life as I receive a new outlook, a clean countenance and the assurance of true justice for the wickedness going on around me.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can let go of all my expectations for my life and let God choose the way He wants me to go.

When do I try to take matters into my own hands, robbing God of the chance to enact His justice.

How can I love and treasure God above all other things? 

Unaware

" 'I am with you and will watch over you

wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.

I will not leave you until I have done 

what I have promised you.'

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought,

'Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.' "

Genesis 28:15-16

How many times is God with me and I'm not even aware of His presence?  When I'm worried about the future,  angry at my loved one, grieving over a loss, or brokenhearted at the thought of past sins. . . He is there with me.

After Jesus gave what we call "The Great Commission" as recorded in Matthew 28, he ended with the declaration that, ". . . surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  (v 20)

God is with me, even when I don't realize it, but if I don't acknowledge Him in all my ways, I will not recognize His presence.

In His Word

There are many people who read the Bible as a book of wisdom and guidance.  It is chock-full of good advice and helpful hints on how to live a good life.  But the Bible is so much more than a self-help book or a manual of guidance!

The Bible is God's Word.  Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  

God is present in His Word!  Once I accept Jesus as my Savior, His Spirit dwells within me.  As I read God's Word, His indwelling Spirit teaches, rebukes, corrects and trains in righteousness.   

It is important to be steeped in the Truth that is found in God's Word so that I will recognize the lies that our culture constantly puts forth.  As poet Ralph Waldo Emerson penned, "Truth is beautiful, without doubt; but so are lies."  I am so easily deceived and led astray!

If I will take the time to study God's Word, His Spirit will painfully point out the deceptive beliefs I have taken in as gospel and will convict me to purge my thoughts of those deceiving teachings.  

In order to recognize God's presence in His Word, I must take the time to study it as His living Word, giving Him access to my spirit so He can use it to sever ungodly thoughts and attitudes.

Directing My Footsteps  

I remember an old proverb that goes, "He who fails to plan, plans to fail."  While it is good for me to think about my future and plan wisely, I must realize that God is the one in control.  As Proverbs 16:9 reminds me, "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps." (NLT)

I am easily frustrated when things don't go my way because I forget this truth.  Like when my car won't start, causing me to be late for an appointment.  As I fume in aggravation, God is patiently protecting me from an accident I would have encountered if I had left on my schedule. 

Or when my pregnancy is not going as planned, keeping me on bed rest instead of giving me a chance to continue working as I had intended.  While I sit like a giant incubator, God is teaching me lessons about trusting Him that I could not have learned any other way.

Or when I wanted to eat my favorite dish for lunch, but it didn't work out like I had planned.  As I pout in disappointment, God is working to shield me from food poisoning.  

Plans are good, but trusting God is better.  He is the One that knows the directions for my life so if I follow Him, I won't get lost!

Patiently Waiting

God does not force His way into my life.  Instead, He waits to be invited.  Revelation 3:20 quotes Jesus as saying, "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with Him, and He with me." 

The picture is of Jesus standing on the threshold of my everyday life, waiting to be invited in among the ordinary things.  He wants to be part of my meals, my conversations, my work, my home, my vacations, my thoughts.  But He won't enter in unless asked.

God is not just a God of the big stuff; weddings, graduations, deaths, births, crises.  He is also a God of the little things: scraped knees, hurt feelings, lost kitties, loneliness, dead batteries.  God cares about me and He wants to be a part of every piece of my life!

God loves me and is with me in so many ways, but I don't even realize it.  In order to become more conscious of His loving presence, I must make an intentional effort to acknowledge Him.  He is present in the reading of His Word, in the direction of my footsteps, and as He waits patiently to be invited into the everyday parts of my life.

Fifteenth Century Catholic theologian Teresa of Avila recorded her thoughts about the concept of God's presence in our lives.  She wrote, "The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too."  

Yes, He's there . . . even when I'm unaware.  

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will learn to open my life freely to the God who loves me.

How do I unknowingly block God from certain parts of my life?

How do I knowingly block God from certain parts of my life?

Strength in the Wait

"Wait on the LORD: 

be of good courage, 

and he shall strengthen thine heart: 

wait, I say, on the LORD."

Psalm 27:14 KJV

It's hard for me to sit still while I'm waiting.  If I'm waiting for a ride to pick me up, I set up surveillance out the window, pacing around the house, watching the clock.  If I'm in line waiting for my turn at the checkout, I keep my eyes busy, taking in everything around me.  I try to hold a conversation, but it is hard to concentrate as I wait. It seems like the act of waiting brings about a spirit of restlessness within me.  I consider waiting to be a negative thing.

In God's book, however, waiting is a good thing. He tells us in Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) that, ". . . they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  

Waiting produces strength.

I may be waiting for healing, a heart to soften, circumstances to change or my acceptance of those circumstances to develop.  I could be waiting for deliverance, answers or understanding.  Sometimes I'm waiting for help, release from a difficult situation or to see a sliver of light piercing through the darkness.  

Whatever I'm waiting for, God will use it to strengthen me.

Heart

It's easy to feel discouraged, especially when hard things keep happening in my life. I feel like quitting, giving up and letting go.  But God has a plan, and keeping this in mind helps to give me hope.  As long as I'm alive, there's always hope!

It reminds me of a story I read about former Governor of New York Mario Cuomo.  When he was a child, a 40-ft Blue Spruce from his family's yard was uprooted during a storm.  As it lay in the street, his family despaired. All, that is, except Mario's father who rallied them together to lash ropes around the tree and, as a tiny band of five warriors, strained to right the tree.  With the strength of his father's determination, they came together and accomplished the amazing feat of replanting that tree where it still stands to this day!  

It would probably never occur to me that a large tree like that could be stood up and have the chance to grow again.  Maybe this is part of the reason I lose heart; I fail to see the possibilities.  My vision is too short.  My expectations are low. 

When Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel as recorded in Luke 1, she asked how she would become pregnant since she was a virgin.  The messenger explained how God's spirit would come upon her and that, "Nothing is impossible with God." (v 37)

Remembering God's sovereign power works to encourage me and give me hope.

My heart can be strengthened when I remember that with God, the sky's the limit and anything is possible.  

Faith

I can buy creams that claim to firm my skin, conditioning treatments that promise to strengthen the hair, and toothpastes that declare their ability to fortify the tooth and rebuild enamel.  All of these assertions go against science which tells me that growth only occurs from the inside out.  Very little, if anything, can be done to strengthen these tissues with topical applications.

It's the same with my faith.  It takes training to grow my faith, not an application of truths from the outside.  Simply reading about or learning of God's Word will not grow my faith.  Instead, it must be tested through trials and difficulties when I get the opportunity to trust what I've learned about God.  Will He really deliver?  Can I trust Him with my life?  Does He love me?  All of these questions will be answered as I struggle through the hard times at His side. 

 My faith is strengthened through the training found in life's trials.

Resolve

We live in a culture where it's easy to fade into the background and fail to stand for anything.  There are so many voices telling me that all religions are the same, marriage takes on many different forms, or there really is no such thing as truth.  

As a follower of the Truth, I know there is only one Way to God, that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, and that Jesus is the Truth. 

Paul encourages me to, ". . .stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58)  Since I know I have the hope of heaven and the resurrection, there is nothing to fear in this life.  I have everything to look forward to through faith in Christ.  I should live this life with abandon, determining to do my best to stand firm for what is important.

My resolve is strengthened when I remember to what I have to look forward.

Waiting on the Lord is difficult.  Sometimes I'd rather take matters into my own hands and speed things up a bit.  But if I do wait on Him, I will be encouraged with the power of God's sovereignty,  I will learn that God can be trusted as I struggle through the trials, and I will stand firm as I keep in mind the eternal reward that awaits me.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will remember the value that comes with waiting patiently.

How do I show my disdain for waiting by the way I choose to wait?

In what ways can I choose to take a stand for God in a culture that disregards His Truth?