Green Leaves

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water 

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit."

Jeremiah 17:7-8

I remember travelling across this great country of mine and being amazed at the varying variety of landscapes.  Majestic mountains gave way to prairies filled with waving wheat that surrendered to breathtaking canyons and rock formations.  There is no doubt that this land is filled with differing scenery.

One of the most curious sights, however, was found while driving through an arid region seemingly devoid of life.  Miles upon miles of travel revealed nothing more than dry, dusty terrain.  Suddenly, I spotted a crowd of cattle crammed into the shade of a single luscious tree.  Upon closer inspection, I discovered this lone tree was growing on the banks of a small stream.  Where no other plants seemed to have survived, the placement of this tree beside a life-giving source of water had assured it's survival.

I can be like that tree.  Even in the darkest of times, when nothing seems to be going right I can stand tall and serene, confident that my God will supply all my needs.

God is Trustworthy

I know no man who is worthy of my confidence 100% of the time.   I can place my trust in others, but at some point, they will let me down.  I, in turn, can do my best to diligently strive for excellence in the area of dependability and responsibility but I, too, will fail at some point.  We all are hopelessly flawed.

God, however does not have this problem.   David wrote in Psalm 18:30, "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him."  God will never let me down.  It goes against His character to collapse under the weight of my trust. 

Another reason I cannot trust another human to fulfill all my needs is because there is a lack of understanding.  God knows me better than I know my self.  No human can know another as intimately as God knows me.  This concept is beautifully recounted in Psalm 139:2-5.  David said, "You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.  You go before me and follow me." (NLT)

As 20th Century writer Eugenia Price wrote, "With God our trust can be abandoned, utterly free.  In Him are no limitations, no flaws, no weaknesses.  His judgment is perfect, His knowledge of us is perfect, His love is perfect.  God alone is trustworthy."

Trusting God means I will never have to worry about whether He will let me down or misunderstand me.  

God Ordains my Position

I remember when we first moved to Germany under orders of the U.S. Army.  My husband had served several years by that time and was due for an overseas tour.  Our family of 6 arrived exhausted from a ten-hour flight and were immediately loaded onto a bus where we were driven to the local Army Kaserne or Post.

I was dismayed to see the vastness of the city, discouraged by the smell of pollution in the air and turned-off by the mass of humanity swarming everywhere.  How could I, a country girl, live in this large metropolis?

Well, God had placed me there in Frankfurt for a reason, and I soon grew to love the many parks, the amazing transportation system and the friendly people.  This country girl learned to live in the city.

God placed me exactly where He wanted me and it was up to me as to whether I would fight against His choice, or accept it.  

As St Francis de Sales, the 16th Century Bishop of Geneva said, "Truly charity has no limit; for the love of God has been poured into our hearts by His Spirit dwelling in each one of us, calling us to a life of devotion and inviting us to bloom in the garden where He was planted and directing us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of His providence."

Trusting God means I will choose to bloom where I am planted.

God Transcends

One of the things I love about flying in an airplane is looking out the window at the landscape below. It gives me a different perspective as I watch the tiny cars driving along teeny ribbons of highway through miniature neighborhoods filled with thousands of microscopic people.  I enjoy observing others' lives from such an elevated position, wondering where everyone is going, what they are thinking, and what struggles with which they are wrestling.  

In an even greater way, God can see all that is happening and knows how it will all play out.  He knows the struggles with which I am wrestling.  He allowed the difficulties with which I now battle.  He ordained the position in which I now find myself.

God transcends all things; all circumstances, all trouble, all hopeless situations. This is why the angel Gabriel could say to Mary as recorded in Luke 1:37 that, ". . .nothing is impossible with God."

The transcendent nature of God is hard for my ordinary mind to comprehend.  This is because, as God said through the prophet Isaiah, "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts. . .And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."  (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT)

Since God is above all things and therefore not affected by the turmoil that is going on in this world, I can trust Him with it all.  He has a perspective that gives Him the advantage, and his position above all things means He won't be swayed, changed or influenced by circumstances.  He is above it all.

Trusting God is possible because He is above all things and will not change.

I can be like that tree planted beside the live-giving streams of water.  I can enjoy healthy green leaves and luscious fruit no matter the circumstances.  But the only way this will happen is if I trust in God.  I can because He is trustworthy, He is sovereign, and he is above all things.  

God makes it possible for me to trust Him.  All it takes is a little faith.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will learn to trust God no matter the situation.  

How do I fail to bloom where God has planted me?

In what areas can I better trust God as I remember He is above all things?

Loving the Unlovable

"For you are a chosen people.

You are royal priests,

a holy nation,

God's very own possession.

As a result,

you can show others the goodness of God,

for he called you out of darkness

into his wonderful light."

1 Peter 2:9 NLT

A friend of my daughter's recently pointed out how easy it is to fall into a pattern of criticizing the lost around me.  Of  focusing all my attention on what needs to change instead of on the One who can bring about transformation.  Of becoming a Pharisee.


Jesus disapproved of the Pharisees, the outspoken members of Jewish society who considered themselves to be experts of both the written Torah and the oral tradition passed down through Moses.  Their very name means "the separated ones" and they thought of themselves as devoted to God and His ways. 


The problem with the Pharisees was that they became so caught up in their own holiness, that they grew in stature until they began applying God's Word to others instead of to themselves.  They believed they were doing pretty good themselves so it was their duty to help others reach their level of devoutness.  


Unfortunately, as well as the Pharisees knew the Law, they did not know the One who wrote the Law, and therefore missed the Messiah as He walked among them.  They were so focused on eradicating the darkness that they missed the Light.


This brings me back to the words of my daughter's friend, Mary Catherine.  She said, "If people only know what I am against but not what I am for. . . then I have failed in my mission to make known the incredible love and sweetness that only comes from the truth of the gospel.  Jesus loved, me, the unlovable. . . now I have the exciting opportunity to love those around me. . . even though I fail every day.  His grace is enough."


How do I guard against becoming more of a Pharisee and less of a lover of the unlovable?

Chosen People

I didn't choose my family, I was born into it.   It's the same with God's family.  We sometimes like to think we chose God, but Jesus made it clear when He said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you. . ." (John 15:16)  

The Apostle Paul expands on this belief in Ephesians 1:4-5.  "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--"

As one of His chosen people, I am in the company of many flawed individuals who are saved by grace, not by my outstanding character, amazing abilities, or remarkable potential.  I am chosen because it was a part of God's plan.  God, in His unspeakable grace and out of His great love, chose me for no other reason than that He loves me.  I am not lovable.  I have no potential in and of myself.  I am hopeless.  But God loves me anyway!  

In light of these truths, how should I then live?  Compassionately, kindly, with humility and patience, always giving others a break, forgiving at all times, and freely and liberally loving.

But the only way I can live this way is if I constantly keep my brokenness before me.  To forget who I am without Christ is to become a Pharisee.  I will have the devotion to God, I will have the knowledge of His Word, but I will not have love.  And love is the hallmark of His chosen people.

Remembering the truth of the Gospel keeps me humble and able to love the unlovable, of which I am one.

Living Sacrifice     

When I think of worship, I usually think of singing my praises to God in a group of believers.  But true worship takes place in the day to day living of my life.  The Apostle Paul said, "I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will find acceptable.  This is truly the way to worship him." (Romans 12:1 NLT)

Can I say, as Elizabeth Elliot has, "Lord, do anything you want with me.  At any cost, work your will in me."?  That is what I want to be able to say.  To let go of all my fears, desires and wants and let God do as He wills.  

This is my living sacrifice; that God gets His way in my life.  In order for that to happen, I must surrender my will.

If I offer myself up as a living sacrifice, there will be no room for the judgment of others, the disappointment in the behavior of those around me, or the desire to help someone do the right thing.  Instead, my being will be completely taken up with the love of God. . . and that love will spill out to those around me.

Offering myself as a living sacrifice means there will be more of God and less of me.

Dwell in the Light

Jesus proclaimed an astounding truth as he lived among His creation.  He claimed that He was, ". . .the light of the world.  If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." (John 8:12 NLT)

I am no longer without choice.  I don't have to do things the way I used to do when I had no hope.  I see people all around me who are still living in that state; without hope.  They follow their hearts desire, doing what they think to be right, only later finding it brought no fulfillment but only emptiness.  

Without Jesus, I would be the same.  I would be searching, frustrated and angry at how meaningless my life feels.  I would be lost.  I would be hopeless.  Instead, Jesus drew me into His love and I now belong to Him, following Him toward life.

My family used to go camping quite often.  One of the things I remember is the darkness that would envelope our campsite at night.  Without the aid of artificial light, the darkness was oppressing.  Consequently, we would build a campfire and sit around it, drawing close as the darkness crept in around us.  The fire gave a sense of security and comfort in the inky blackness.  

This reminds me of something Oswald Chambers wrote in "My Utmost for His Highest.  He said, "To walk in the light means that everything that is of the darkness drives me closer into the centre of the light."  The evil of this world serves to draw me closer to Jesus.  But some of that darkness is within me.  His light makes my sin painfully clear to me, serving to drive me even closer to Him in a quest for the forgiveness He offers in the cross.  

The closer I get to Christ, the more I see my need for Him.  And the more I see my need for Him, the more I want to shine His Light to all those around me so they can also travel the road that leads to life. 

Loving the unlovable is difficult.  Judging the shortcomings of those around me is easy.   In order to move from the easy to the difficult, I must remember my brokenness as God chose me,  that I am called to offer myself as a living sacrifice so God will be glorified in my life, and to dwell in the Light of life.  Then I may be able to love as God has loved me.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will not forget my own brokenness.

In what ways am I working on my own holiness and forgetting who I really am, without Jesus?

How is my coming closer to the source of Light exposing sin I didn't know existed?

Strength in Weakness

"Their weakness was turned to strength."

Hebrews 11:34

When I think of faith, I think of the people listed in the so-called "Hall of Fame of Faith" found in Hebrews 11.  They obeyed God at great cost to their reputations, well-being and sometimes their very lives.  They believed when it seemed all hope was lost.  They made decisions based on what would please God, not what would bring comfort and ease to themselves and their families.  They are the men and women of mighty faith that cheer us on in our walk.

But sometimes faith is not found in the momentous acts.  Mostly, it is found in the ordinary, day-to-day activities, in the times when I let my guard down and think I have it all covered.  

Faith is more than trusting God during the crisis or during the earth shattering times.  It's easier to trust God then because I don't know what else to do.  But the real test comes during the normal and commonplace, when I think I have it all worked out.  

Faith is found in our weakness.  As 19th Century British Evangelist George Muller said, "Faith begins where man's power ends."

Letting Go

I remember the neighborhood bully when I was growing up.  Actually, it was a family of brothers who were the trouble-makers.  They started fights on the school bus, used their BB guns to kill little birds and creatures, and intimidated younger children as they rode their bikes home from school.  They lived around the corner from me but I only fell victim to their harassment a couple of times. In general, I did my best to stay away from them.  

Thankfully, God is not a bully or I would probably try to stay away from Him as well.  He does not barge into my life, demanding that He be in control of everything.  He is in control.  Either I accept that and make adjustments accordingly, or I continue to live my life as if I were in control.  

I'm sure you've heard the well-known saying, "Let go and let God."  It seems trite and simplistic, but there is truth found within this adage.  Part of trusting God means letting Him work in my life.    This can certainly be thought of as a leap of faith.  Loosening the grip I hold on my life takes a belief that God has my best interest at heart, that He loves me enough to do only what's best for me, and that He will stay with me through whatever comes my way.

Faith means trusting God enough to let Him lead me in every part of my life. Then I can do as I am directed in Hebrews 12:1 and, "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and . . . run with perseverance the race marked out for (me)." 

Sometimes taking a leap of faith means simply letting go of my will in any given moment and letting God have is way.

Following

I remember watching a group of children playing, "Follow the Leader."  Each child wanted to be the leader so there was no one left to do the following.  All the adults chuckled to see the children wandering around the playground, each being their own "leader".  

In order for one to lead, someone else must follow.  Everyone can't be the leader, but we all are wired to want to be our own leader.  

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lead not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."  The New Living Translation puts it this way, "seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."

 I like to think that I'm going on a hike and God is out in front.  He is blazing the trail, approving of every bump and rough spot before he agrees to lead me through.  Sometimes, however, I get distracted by something off the trail, something beautiful and enticing and I take my eyes off my Leader. Other times I am frightened by something scary off to the side and I hide in fear.  Each time, He waits right there for me to get back on the path and submit to His leadership before He continues on the journey.  

Before God can lead, I must agree to follow.

Trusting

Sitting down in a chair is an act of faith.  Before I sit in the chair, I must have confidence in it's strength and integrity, I must believe that it will be able to hold my weight.  If I don't completely trust the chair, I won't sit in it.  

It's the same with faith in God.  If I don't completely trust Him, I won't place my whole weight in His hands.  I'll withhold some things, choosing to worry instead of trusting Him.  How do I know if I'm trusting Him fully?  I will experience a sense of peace that doesn't make sense for the circumstances.  If I don't have peace, I know I'm not trusting fully.

Philippians 4:6-7 describes the process this way.  "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (NLT)

Trusting God with all the little things in my life will bring a calm as I rest in His strength.  

The Hall of Fame of Faith found in Hebrews 11 is filled with the great celebrities of God's family.  They did great things for God, but each was flawed in some serious ways.  What set them apart from everyone else was that they trusted God at His word and they acted accordingly. They let go of their desire to control their own destiny, they followed God as He led them through history, and they trusted that He would deliver on the promises He made to them, taking care of their needs in the process.  

These men and women of great faith are not the only ones who can be made strong in our weakness.  We too can show the kind of faith that will inspire generations to come to run the race that God has set before them.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will rest fully in the promises of God.

What do I choose to worry about instead of surrendering fully to God?

How do I show my lack of faith in the way I insist upon being the leader of my life?

I Don't Belong Here

"All these people were still living by faith when they died.  

They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.  

And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.  People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.

If they had been thinking of the country they had left, 

they would have had opportunity to return.

Instead, they were longing for a better country--

a heavenly one.

Therefore,

God is not ashamed to be called their God,

for he has prepared a city for them."

Hebrews 11:13-16

I recently attended a concert in a coliseum packed with over 15,000 people.  I was moved to tears when Building 429 led us in worship to God as thousands of believers sang out, "All I know is I'm not home yet this is not where I belong.  Take this world and give me Jesus.  This is not where I belong." *   Take a moment to see what I mean by watching this video:

This song got me to thinking about what it means to live like I don't belong.

Ambition

This world values selfish ambition.  Any worker who gives themselves fully to a career will end up being rewarded with advancement within the company as well as an increase in salary and benefits.  Dedication to a profession is highly regarded and duly compensated.

What kind of ambition does God value?  Oswald Chambers teaches that, "It is arduous work to keep the master ambition in front.  It means holding one's self to the high ideal year in and year out, not being ambitious to win souls or to establish churches or to have revivals, but being ambitious only to be 'accepted of Him.' "

It is easy to take the kind of ambition the world values and translate that to my faith.  Drive and determination are not enough, however.  My goal must always be to please God and to do things His way, following His lead.  As Jesus said in John 15:5, "If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."  

If my ambition is to please God, I will only move when He moves.  If my drive is to produce fruit or see results, I will most likely take matters into my own hands and run ahead of God.  Fruit will come as I stay connected to Jesus. . . it can't be my goal.

Paul reminds me in 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 that, "we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."

Anything done of my own volition is done outside of God's calling, even if it seems good to me. God has His own standard of good and bad upon which I will be judged.

I must ask as Oswald Chambers asks, "Is my master ambition to please Him and be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how noble?"

Heavenly Eyes

If I'm going to live like I don't belong here, I'm going to have to focus on where I do belong.  Heaven is my real home, and as such I should, "set (my) heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set (my) mind on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:1-2)

How often I find that my focus is exactly like that of the world.  I concentrate on material things like my home, my hobbies or my job.  I make decisions like the world, making a list of pros and cons and deciding accordingly.  My sources of entertainment, pleasure and comfort are exactly like those used by my unbelieving friends; there is no difference.

Instead, if my concentration was on heavenly things like loving the people around me, or if I made decisions solely out of obedience to God's calling in my life, or if I only surrounded myself with things, activities, movies and music that were pleasing and honoring to God, then God would be glorified in my life.  People would look at me and instead of seeing me, would see Jesus.

Being heavenly focused means every part of my life points to Jesus.

Live Like Aliens

My family and I lived in Germany for almost three years when our daughters were toddlers and preschoolers.  It was a precious time in our lives, but I distinctly remembering that I was living in a country that was not my own.  It was a beautiful country filled with rich history, friendly people and gorgeous landscapes, but it was not my own, just the same.

I should think the same way with my home here on earth.  There are many good things God has blessed me with, but my attitude should always be that this is all temporary, transitory, and momentary.  If I put all my hope in feeling fulfilled here, I will be disappointed.  If I expect complete satisfaction in this fleeting life, I'll be let down.  If I want nothing more than to feel comfortable here, my heart is in the wrong place.  

True fulfillment, satisfaction and comfort will come in my heavenly home where things are as they should be.  Heaven is not tainted with sin; there is no pain, suffering and torment.  Heaven is my real home.  

God spoke to His people through the prophet Jeremiah when they were living as exiles in a strange land.  He said to them, " 'I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' "  

But God's message did not end there.  He went on to give the reason for His plans.  "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

God has a plan for my life here in this foreign place.  It is a good plan that will not hurt me.  It is a plan that will give me hope and it assures me of potential for the days to come.  But it is not just for me, so that I will enjoy myself.  The purpose of the plan is so that I will seek God.  And when I seek God, I will find Him.

As I live like an alien in this world, if I would seek Him in every moment of this temporary existence, my life here would never be the same as I experience His presence.

As a follower of Jesus, I don't belong here.  That means that my ambition should be to please God, I must maintain an heavenly focus, and I can seek God as I live like an alien in a foreign land. 

Then I can truly say with all of my heart to, "take this world and give me Jesus!"*

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can live like I don't belong here.

How do I blend in with those who have no hope?

Is there a place in my life right now where I am driven by any ambition other than pleasing God?

 

*http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/lyricsdetail.php?lyrics_id=68970

The Masterpiece

"Teach me your ways, O LORD,

that I may live according to your truth!

Grant me purity of heart,

so that I may honor you.

With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.

I will give glory to your name forever,

for your love for me is very great.

You have rescued me from the depths of death."

Psalm 86:11-13 NLT

I have never understood gun-control laws.  I am not a gun enthusiast or a hunter.  In fact, I have never fired a gun in my life.  What I don't understand, however, is the concept that guns kill people.  If that were the case, I would be all for banning guns from the face of the earth.

The fact of the matter is that people kill people, and even if guns did not exist, people bent on killing will find a way to kill.  The problem is not the weapon . . . the problem is the heart.

It's the same with God's ways.  If I try to do what I think I should do according to His Word, I will probably fail.  As Joni Eareckson Tada said, "No tool, in and of itself, has great importance.  But placed in the proper hands it can create a masterpiece."  

If I allow God to teach me His ways using the tools he chooses to use in my life (trials, tests, difficulties. . . ), then He will create a masterpiece.  

When I am frustrated by the lack of progress in my spiritual walk, the problem is not the truth I find in the Bible. . . the problem is my heart.

Purity of Heart

During the refining process, gold is subjected to high temperatures and caustic agents in order to remove impurities.  God does the same thing with my heart so that He can remove everything that gets in the way of focusing on Him: Pride, lust, selfish ambition, envy, jealousy, etc.

To discover the location of my heart, I need only figure out what is important to me.  Jesus said, ". . .where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  (Luke 12:34)  Do I value making myself look good?  Am I concerned with defending my position?  Is rising to the top of the corporate ladder my goal in life?  Or do I strive to obtain all the things I ever wanted so that I can live comfortably, thinking that, after all I deserve it.   I've worked hard my whole life!

The New International Version uses the phrase "undivided heart" in Psalm 86:11.  My heart is constantly carved up between different desires.  Sure, I want to please God, but I also want to have what my friend has, or enjoy a comfortable life that satisfies my desires, or be the best in my field.  My heart is divided.

The only heart that honors God is a pure, undivided heart.  And the only way my heart will be purified is if I put it in the Master's hands for purification.  As David said in Psalm 51:10 NLT, "Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within me."

How is God attempting to purify my heart through circumstances in my life?  Am I submitting to His purification process?

Wholeheartedness  

The Pharisees, Sadducees and Teachers of the Law during Jesus time were always trying to trip Him up, testing Him time and again.  One smart little fellow tried to trap him with this question.  "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" (Matthew 22:36)  He was probably snickering to himself as he thought of the impossibility of answering that query.

Then Jesus blew his mind while revealing the crux of the Law.  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (v37)

Wholeheartedness leaves no room for insincerity.  A heart wholly committed to God is open, truthful and not at all hypocritical.  If I truly want to worship God in the way I live my life, I can't hide things from Him.  I can't pretend everything is okay when in reality I am struggling.  I can't hold back my feelings from Him, thinking that it will anger Him or that He'll be disappointed.  He wants my whole heart. . . scars and all!

There's no sense hiding things from a God who knows me better than I know myself. . .and loves me anyway! 

Tender Heart

In order to enjoy a tender and succulent steak, some tenderizing is necessary for most cuts of meat.  The meat fibers can be broken down physically, by using a mallet, or chemically with a marinade.  Either way, tough muscle fibers need to be broken apart so that the finished product will turn out juicy and tender.

This is not much different than my heart.  Even though I cannot take a meat mallet to my heart, I can work to break down some of the muscle fibers; the things that make me think I'm pretty strong in myself.  

Some of these "muscle fibers" include my pride which makes me want to be right all the time, or my sense of independence, or my desire to look good to others.   Holding on to these attitudes and desires can drive me to try to impress God with a holy life instead of laying myself before Him as a broken and contrite offering.

David said it well in Psalm 51:16-17 (MSG).  He was at a place in his life where he had realized the great sin he had committed against God and he was suddenly aware of the hardness of his own heart.  He said, "Going through the motions doesn't please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you.  I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.  Heart-shattered lives ready for love don't for a moment escape God's notice."

Just as a tenderized steak is juicy and succulent to the taste buds, so is a broken and contrite heart a joy to our Father.  Only then will I be able to truly receive the great love God has for me.

A hardened heart cannot receive the gift of love God has bestowed upon me.

I can try to do what I think I should do on my own, or I can place myself in the Masters hands and allow him to purify my heart, give me the courage to be completely open and honest with Him, and tenderize my heart.  Only then will His love saturate my being, changing my life forever.  

God can create a masterpiece out of the most hopeless of lives. . . if only He is given the chance.  

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will trust God enough to give Him my heart.

How do I hold feelings back from God, mistakenly thinking He won't love me anymore if He knows the truth?

What divides my heart and keeps it from being completely devoted to God?

 

The Source

"So do not fear, for I am with you;

do no be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

Fear.  The very word conjures up a different image for each of us.  I have many fears.  The fear of rejection, failure, and loss.  But the fear I am currently struggling with is the apprehension of where God will lead my husband and I in the future.  I feel like a pawn, being moved into position with no regard for my feelings, desires or wishes.  I feel manipulated.

As a result of this fear, I am putting pressure on my husband, friends and family.  I expect that they can comfort me, encourage me, say just the right thing to make it all better, or somehow set my mind at ease.  But this is unfair of me.  After all, they are only human with struggles and issues of their own.  I can't expect them to have all the answers for me!

But I can expect God to say just the right thing at the right time.  As I drifted into sleep last night, I asked God to comfort my heart, then I fell into a peaceful slumber.  When I awoke, I read my devotional as usual and here was the scripture God gave me.  "And as they followed, they were afraid. " (Mark 10:32)

God spoke to my heart at that moment, comforting and encouraging me, setting my mind at ease.  I knew at that moment that He was telling me that He understands my fear and is right there with me.

There are many things that God can give of which others are ill-equipped, incapable and powerless to supply to me.

Strength

I thought I knew a little something about strength.  After all, I powerlifted for a few years, setting records at a national level.  I have always been physically strong.  But that physical strength does not translate into spiritual or emotional strength.  I know quite a few people who are a whole lot stronger than me.

There is the young woman who lost her husband yet continues to lovingly raise her two children with dignity and grace.  Or the man who recently finished chemotherapy and radiation treatment with a smile on his face and a word of encouragement on his lips.  I can think of a woman who survived a horrendous childhood only to be greeted by a young adulthood filled with more pain and suffering, yet she walks into the future with her head held high, trusting God a little more with each passing day.   

This is the kind of strength I want.  This is the kind of strength that comes from trusting God.  When I study scripture in light of the above examples of strength I see in people around me, I notice one thing.  Weakness.  

The Apostle Paul struggled with his own affliction.  As he worked through it with the Lord, God told him that, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  From this declaration Paul concluded that, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."  (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Perhaps Watchman Nee, a Chinese 20th-Century Christian who spent the final 20 years of his life in prison for his faith, explained this phenomenon of strength through weakness best.  He said, "God's means of delivering us from sin is not by making us stronger and stronger, but by making us weaker and weaker.  That is surely rather a peculiar way of victory, you say; but it is the divine way.  God sets us free from the dominion of sin, not by strengthening our old man but by crucifying him; not by helping him to do anything, but by removing him from the scene of action."

If I want to be strong, I must be weak so that God can be strong for me.

Help

This word brings to mind The Beatles song, "Help!"  Those four spunky Brits sang about their realization that we all need help from time to time.  "Help me if you can, I'm feeling down. And I do appreciate you being 'round.  Help me get my feet back on the ground.  Won't you please, please help me?"

Yes, a friend is good in times of need.  But my real help comes from the Lord.  The psalmist encourages me in Psalm 46:1 that, "God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble." (NLT)

How many times is a friend ready to help?  I may call but my friend may be in the middle of her own crisis, or she may be busy.  I could cry out to my husband but he is tired from a long and stressful day.  I wonder who has time to give me the time of day, let alone a little help!  Then I remember that God is an ever-present help in times of trouble.  The Lord does not disappoint me, but He gives me exactly what I need, when I need it.  

Tom Tripp writes in Leadership, "Our Lord does not send us to fight the good fight alone.  The Holy Spirit is our battle partner who covers our blind side and fights for our well-being."*

Only God knows the kind of help I need, and only He is able to provide that help at all times.

Support

I have recently taken up gardening in the backyard of our South Carolina home.  A country girl at heart, this satisfies the farmer in me and brings much joy.  One of the most rewarding vegetables to grow are tomatoes.  They do well in the hot sun and produce more of the juicy, red fruit than one family can possibly enjoy.  

One problem with the tomato plant, however, is that it needs support.  The vines cannot hold the heavy fruit on their own but need stakes or wire cages to lean on for reinforcement.

It is the same with me.  I am not strong enough to hold all the blessings God pours out into my life.  These blessings come in the form of events, people or situations and they don't always feel like good things.  But just like the tomato plant with the overabundance of fruit, I need support to keep from keeling over under the weight of it all.

It reminds me of Elijah.  He had challenged the prophets of Baal to a showdown, daring them to call on their gods to bring fire down upon their altar.  After hours of prayers, prophesying and dancing, Baal failed to produce fire.  Elijah drenched his altar with water, yet God was faithful to  burn up the sacrifice and dry up all the water, sending all those gathered into a panic.  All 450 prophets were killed that afternoon, and the evil Queen Jezebel was angry.  Elijah fled in fear, at the end of his rope.

As Elijah crumpled into a pile of dejection, God sent an angel to feed and encourage him.  Then God himself passed by.  Finally, He sent Elijah on his way. . . back in the direction he came.  God has a way of encouraging me so that I can face whatever it is from which I run.

God is more than capable of holding me up in my times of discouragement. 

When I am in trouble, it is natural for me to turn to the people around me.  But God is the source of strength, help and support that will get me through this life.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will turn to The Source as the giver of all good things.

How do I place undo pressure on those I love by expecting them to do what only God can do?

How can I remember to turn to God as The Source?

* Tom Tripp, Colusa, California. Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 2.