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Dance With the One Who ‘Brung’ You

It was hours before the new year of 2022 and this is the message God shared with me.

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It was New Year’s Eve 2021, and no, I wasn’t out dancing. No where close. I was home in bed with covid. The midnight hour had struck and fireworks were no longer the cause of my sleeplessness. I was sitting up in bed with the jerks and jitters caused by a decongestant. Yes, the kind that knocks most people out. Thankfully, my covid case was not severe and honestly this night was the worst of it. Most of my misery was due to the medicine that promised a sniffle free, good night of sleep. Hmph.

I don’t know about you, but the new year is one of favorite holidays. It’s the exercise of taking stock of last year and making better plans for the next. It always includes a time of repentance and asking the Lord to reveal what He sees in my heart that doesn’t please Him. Repentance is not a celebration, but it’s the only way I know to start again with that clean slate. It should happen throughout the year, but for me December 31 is the perfect opportunity.

Combine the date with need for healing and I was sitting in the dark talking to the Lord with what felt like all my heart exposed. I began to tell Him the things I wanted to leave behind and not carry into the new year. Just as I was thinking God had heard it all, He would so gently peel back another layer to expose something else not perfect in me. We were digging deep and I was feeling lighter and lighter. If you have never experienced a time like this with the Lord, I can’t even put into words how sweet He is to the broken hearted. There is no comparison to being so honest with the Father who created you and knows your heart better than you. There is no benefit to hiding anything. No relief from excuses or sugar coating. Honesty and forgiveness flow in similar magnitudes. And you will finish with a refreshing, unmatched.

So as I was talking to the Lord about regrets of 2021 and longings for 2022, I was telling him in so many words, “I don’t want (fill-in-the-blank) in my life this year. I’m done with (another fill-in-the-blank)“. As God was shining His light on my heart, I was declaring that I was done with all these and they wouldn’t be following me into the new year.

I Had a Dream

That’s when I fell asleep. Still sitting up in bed, I had a dream.

I was on an ark. Yes, as in the Noah type. It was huge. If you have ever seen the replica built in Kentucky, it was every bit that large or larger. We were in an open water with no land in sight, partly because shore was too far away, but also there was a dark and turbulent storm. The waves were the largest I had ever seen, appearing tsunami worthy. The entire sky was dark and the wind was buffeting. The ark was heaved and pushed by the crashing water. Because of the size of the boat, there was no way to avoid the impact. The long broad sides taking the brunt of them, with drenching sprays over the deck. It was an epic storm.

I remember looking over the rail and thinking about the magnitude of the monsoon. There didn’t seem an end in sight, no bright sun piercing the darkness in the distance. We were in…the…storm. But, I also remember having absolutely no fear. None. It never crossed my mind that this ark would ever go down. No waves would break through. My courage was not a reflection of me or my heart, but a complete confidence in my boat. It was rocking and rolling but there was not a chance that it would sink.

I noticed the ark was beginning to take on water. There were puddles here and there, whether from leaks or overspray, I don’t know. I picked up a bucket to begin helping others dump unwanted water over the side. Scoop, dump, scoop, dump, scoop. Water was continually crashing over the side even as we continually threw it back. That’s when I noticed the age of the bucket. It was an old metal mop bucket, with a rolled edge rim, that had lost its handle long ago. It was dented and worn. I thought to myself this bucket has been dumping water for generations. Maybe my own great-grandmother could have used this very bucket. Passed down and still doing the job. How many people had used it before me? More than I could imagine.

Upon further observation, I saw this old Ark was just that. Ancient. It wasn’t sleek or new. The boards would have looked better with a little varnish. The water had “grayed” the planks. It creaked and popped and the decks were worn from lots of foot traffic and sea spray. It was built to last and the storms seemed to only harden the planks.

Now in my dream the rain was just a sprinkle but the waves were still massive. It was then I noticed something else in the water. A short distance away I saw another ark. In design, it appeared identical, but in size, it was a tugboat in comparison to our “cargo ship”. It was sleeker and “shinier” and just had that new model feel to it.

The new ark was extremely maneuverable. The large waves that were crashing into our large bow were surfed by this little ark. As the wave would come rolling in, the little ark would appear sailing through the tunnel and coming out just before the wave crashed. They could turn on a dime and seemed to out navigate the storm.

There were people on the little boat and they crowded onto the deck and seemed to have a destination in mind. They weren’t scooping water like me. From a distance they all appeared to be younger, hipper, and happy to be on the little ark. It almost had a party boat atmosphere, with laughter and refreshments all around. The boat in strength or size was no match for the waves but it’s movability kept it afloat. I don’t know it’s ultimate destination but it was clearly moving like a bullet toward me. I knew there was a place for me on this lighter and leaner vessel.

In the last seconds of my dream, I didn’t know if I would jump ship or not. But when the boat got close enough, I stretched my foot out toward it and pushed it away. I wasn’t interested. Still sitting up in bed, I woke myself up when I pushed with my toes and was talking outloud.

The dream was so vivid that I laid awake for some time thinking about the details. The next morning, every scene replayed in my mind. So, with my first cup of coffee, I began to ask the Lord what it meant.

Surprised by the Warning

It was a warning to me. The pictures so clear that I believe I need to share with you. Let God speak to you.

The large ark was the church worldwide. It spanned all the generations from the first church until now. When one generation laid down its work, the next would pick up the “bucket” and continue on. The church has leaks and puddles, worn paths, and waining luster. It has taken on wave after wave of persecution and tribulation. Sometimes we feel like all we are accomplishing is dumping the world’s water back overboard. The barrage of waves seems never-ending. But note, my fellow sailor, there was no chance the ship was going down. The waves were putting on an impressive show and the ark would rise and dive with the pressure, but there was never going to be enough power to topple or wreck the boat.

The Lord began to show me that the little ark, that looked just like the large one, represents the false teachers and prophets that are surfing all around the body of Christ. He reminded me of a well known scripture.

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off unto myths.”
2 Timothy 4:3-4

Don’t they Wear Orange and Sell Beads?

All of my life, I have thought of these as strange cult leaders or obvious diversions from the true gospel. But when I read the Bible, they are called wolves in sheep clothing, deceiving even the elect, appearing in godliness, secretly bringing in destructive heresies, coming in Christ’s name, even miracle workers. They won’t necessarily being wearing a strange uniform or sitting cross-legged and chanting in the park.

They look like us. Little ark was in every way a small replica of the big ark. It wasn’t at war with the larger ark. It just came along side to pick up a weary traveler. Anything different was hidden, but my heart knew it wasn’t right. As I looked at it, I imagined myself hopping on for a quicker, easier, more thrilling ride. It wasn’t until decision time that I watched myself push it away with my feet.

When I looked up scriptures dealing with false teachers, I was amazed. Nearly every New Testament book issued a warning against them. And the warnings were to the believers, not some unknowing soul seeking “enlightenment”. The warnings were to those who called themselves Christians. Let me give you three of the many:

“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.”
1 Timothy 6:20-21

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
2 Peter 2:1

For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
Mark 13:22

In nearly every verse, these are described as deceptive teachers who infiltrate. 2 Corinthians 11:13 describes them as deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. Obviously, they are not afraid of the church. We are not exempt from their tricks. They come right in and work and teach. I didn’t see any sinful activity on the little ark, nothing obviously unChristian. Their deceptions are strong because they look like us, so how do we identify them?

Plant Your Feet in the Word

It was interesting to me that I used my feet to push the little ark away. It would have seemed more logical to keep my feet in the boat and use my hands. As I pondered that with the Lord, three scriptures came to mind almost immediately.

“As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
Romans 10:15

“And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
Ephesians 6:15

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105

Do you notice what I noticed? Besides feet, it is His Word, the Gospel, that was mentioned in all three scriptures. The Lord showed me that it is His Word that will push away the false prophets and teachers in these last days. It’s the “good news, gospel of peace, and Your word”. Just as I used my feet to shove away this tempting boat ride, it will be the true gospel that will help us to turn away the counterfeit. You’ve heard the analogy, the best way to recognize a counterfeit dollar is to be throughly acquainted with a bonafide dollar. So digging deeper and deeper into the Bible will be our anecdote to the fake.

This leads me to my words that I was speaking when I woke up. I declared out loud, “I’m going to dance with the one who brung me.” Now, if I have ever said that in my life, I don’t remember. I don’t even know if I have ever heard it outside of books or tv. It is an old saying and has probably gone by the way of the “old school” dance. But it is a saying that I have heard. It refers to the idea of remembering who was there with you from the beginning and returning the favor in devotion. In other words, if a guy asked you to the dance, then he’s the one you dance with. He is the one who got up the nerve to ask you out, washed his car, maybe bought you flowers, and purchased the dance tickets. He chose you. It is just not right at that point to spend the evening dancing with another dude. In the south it is said, you dance with the one who brung you.

Remember the Joy of Your Salvation

What does this have to do with false teachers and prophets? It is a call to sticking with your first love. Remember the wooing of the Holy Spirit when you got saved? It is the wondrous grace and salvation of our Lord and Savior that brought us “to the dance.” He invited us, paid the price for us, pours out HIs grace and favor on us. He chose us. And He is the one who will take us home.

So why would it be tempting to walk the plank to a smaller boat? Well, His good news is simple for everyone and not reserved for only “certain seekers”. It’s been around for millennia. It might even seem a bit old school. Its new has definitely worn off. Matter of fact, it might even be your grandma’s religion, or great grandma’s. The body of Christ is bulky and always heading opposite the waves of this world. These deceptive ones offer you a ride on a sleeker, faster, newer boat reserved for only those who are in the know.

Warning

So, the warning was for me…and I think you. False prophets and teachers are here and they are coming. Jesus, Paul, Peter, Jude and others all warned us about them. Please understand I don’t think any of this is referring to new buildings or programs or new ideas in the church. God is a creator and He will always be creative, so new ideas should never be our enemy. I believe that God was referring to deceptive men or women who teach something so close to the Bible that we might not recognize the myths and perversions unless we have the true Word of God hidden in our heart. They didn’t bring you to the dance and they won’t take you home. John wrote in 1 John 4:1 “BELOVED, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Stay in the ark of Jesus. Build your life on the foundations of salvation and all the teachings of Christ. Be filled with the Spirit. Study the stories of Old Testament heroes and how God worked in their lives. Memorize the words of Paul. Have your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Heed the warnings written. Don’t assume you are above the temptation. Remember they disguise themselves as “servants of righteousness”. (2 Corinthians 11:15). And always build on the relationship you have with the Lord. Know Him. Listen to His voice. Wait before Him. Just you and Him.

Dance with the One who brung you.

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Instructions for a Captive Daughter

He longs to set you free.

Hello Everybody! Maybe I should introduce myself… It’s crazy, but my last blog was July of 2020. Here I am sheepishly sitting down at my dusty desk to type again. Where have I been? “Uhhhhhh……. Well, see………. No, not covid related……” Let me cut to the chase, I’ve been right here, but not “write” here. No excuses, I just put down my keyboard for a short break that turned into a year. I’ve cleaned out closets, and drawers, took a few road trips and even flew to D.C., kept the books at church and actually subscribed to Netflix. Life. That’s what’s been on my plate. But let’s push the plate aside and jump into some sweet scripture that God gave me this week. So sweet, I just had to log back into my old friend, “JustBreadCrumbs.com”. Thank you for joining me.

Wake up, wake up, O Zion!
    Clothe yourself with strength.
Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem,
    for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.
²Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem.
    Sit in a place of honor.
Remove the chains of slavery from your neck,
    O captive daughter of Zion. Isaiah 52:1-2

I know this is a scripture rarely quoted or memorized. I’m guessing you may not even have this one underlined in your Bible. I didn’t either until recently. It was a scripture that the Lord had me read and reread until the words spoke to me.

It is addressed to Jerusalem, the captive daughter of Zion. It is a prophetic admonition to her people. And while I am not Jewish; nor can I boast of Jerusalem citizenship, I am a child of God. “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,” Romans 10:12. This message called to me.

Wake up!

Wake up!! No one really enjoys those words. Here it is two times. Wake up! Wake up! Something needs to change. The Lord is calling us to be aware and come out of the fog. Clear the drowsiness and wipe the eyes. He has something to tell you.

“Clothe yourself with strength.” Well, this spoke to me that weak wills and timid convictions weren’t going to work here. Put your strong arms on. There are days and seasons in life that require strength. Teenage battles, sick parents, unjust bosses, or a husband that prefers football to family or wifi to wife. These take strength. Where do we get said strength? Yes, the joy of the Lord is our strength. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. And sometimes, as the Word here. You put it on. It’s available. You’ll never know how strong God has made you until you put it on. It’s that look at the giant in front of you and picking up the 5 smooth stones you have in front of you and call on the Lord while you swing.

“Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem.” So the Lord knows how to call out to the spirit and the flesh. Sometimes we have to get dressed. As a matter of fact, most of the time you need to get dressed. I’m not trying to start an argument here, but I can’t get serious about my day until I’ve got my clothes on. I’m not even talking about spiritual armor here, either. For me, that includes shoes; but I understand that’s optional. Are you caught in a trap of lazy days? You just can’t seem to get the house clean and supper made? Get dressed. Furthermore, God is saying put your good clothes on. Now, I know there are appropriate clothes for all occasions but sometimes we never find the cause sufficient to dress.

I’m a t-shirt girl and would never be described as fashionable. Honestly, my favorite outfit is elastic waist capris and a very loose top. But I can tell you that there have been times that dressing up just a bit has helped. It’s not just job interviews either. Often putting on your good clothes, brushing your hair, and a touch of makeup gives you just the confidence you need to meet your neighbor, speak to the grocery checker, or talk to your kid’s teacher. Don’t believe me? Wear a dress to the grocery store and see if you don’t get more assistance. Throw on a string a pearls and all of a sudden you have stepped into the polite society of Leave it to Beaver.

I’m not trying to be a “clothesline” preacher here, but sometimes life just requires us to put on our beautiful clothes.

God follows that with the declaration that “unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.” This was spoken to a city that had been ravaged by the enemy. Godless Assyrians had come and taken the holy things and taken many of the holy city into slavery. While we may not have lost homes or treasures to invading armies, some have lost hope and peace to the enemy. God may be saying to you, “Clean out your guest list.” Who are you letting in the gate? Do you have “friends” that are godless? I’m not talking about those you are actively witnessing to. I’m talking about those friends and maybe family that have the key to your door. They are always inviting you over to BBQ early Sunday or late night fun Saturday night. Church is never on the radar for them. When you try to talk about the Lord, they’re politely not interested. Maybe they continue to walk in the same addictions that you struggled to overcome the last 9 months and they bring that habit right up inside your gate. No more. Let me just throw this in here too. Your houseguests may be digital. How many teenagers have I prayed with over the years that sleep with their light on because they watch a constant stream of crime scene shows and a little paranormal here and there. God says don’t let them in to destroy. You are awakening to His call.

“Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem. Sit in a place of honor.” This is a dual action command. The first thing we are called to do is rise from the dust. This speaks of stagnation to me. You have sat in one place so long that not only does the Lord say, “Wake up!” but He also requires you to dust yourself off. Now yours might be a light dusting of nonuse of those talents or could be just straight up grime and dirt of sin. I don’t know and surely all of us have had both. Either way God says rise up out of the dirt and….”sit in a place of honor.” The NIV says, “sit enthroned”.

Followers of Christ have been given seats with Him. Jesus said He gave us His authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, and produce lasting fruit, among other things. Your place of honor or enthroned seat is just that. I am learning in life that authority has to be used. Our authority over satan will be tried and you will grow in strength and power as you operate in the authority given. Take your seat.

As Americans, haven’t we all wondered exactly what authority Queen Elizabeth actually has? I mean, she can’t “lop off their heads” as all the fairy tale queens could do. She seems to keep a “raised eyebrow” over the royal family, though there always seems to be an errant prince or princess. We don’t know her authority over England because she never uses it. She might make a speech or an appearance. I presume she will write a letter. But her authority is really questionable. I have never even seen her sit on her throne, have you?

That’s not how I want the devil to see me. He should be very aware of the authority God has given us. God says to us get up and sit down. Get up out of the doldrums of captivity and sit down in a seat of authority given by Him. This takes action and faith. Think about it. This captive girl has been sitting low so long that she’s gotten dusty. It’s gonna take some faith to stand, much less take your seat.

Then finally, the words that gripped me the most. “Remove the chains of slavery from your neck, O captive daughter”. This is where it got personal. You see, I have been on a quest to identify anything in my life that keeps me from pursuing God to the fullest. In other words, bondages. I am a Christian, through and through. I love Him, trust Him, and have a daily, rich relationship with Him. I am a daughter…yet, captive. As I sit with Him each day and in each circumstance, He is gently (oh so gently) showing me the shackles. I’m guessing you have them too.

Let me name of a few: fear (how many of our illnesses are linked to anxiety?), people pleasing (in a word, this is not possible as your ultimate goal), money (again, you’ll never have enough if you’re a slave to it), addictions (even the world will tell you this is bondage), and pride (no wonder God hates it). This is just a few. God has shown me others. If you ask, he will show you too. You will never take off a chain you can’t recognize. If you think pleasing people is a gold necklace around your neck, you will never yank off that shiny shackle. It takes real honest talks with the Father to see what you’re wearing. And I have never known a captive He didn’t desire to set free.

So allow me to encourage you. Wake up! Put on strength and wrap it in pretty clothes. Things are about to change. Clean your house of bad guests. Dust off the grime of life and take your authority provided by God. Then reach up there and break the chains that have suffocated you for years. You are free to be His daughter, no longer captive.

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BELOVED, We are Gathered Here Today

Beloved. It’s not a word we use everyday…or ever. When I said it in my mind the only thing that sounded familiar was the title of today’s blog. We hear it spoken to all the family and friends gathered just before the bride and groom are invited to repeat vows . Or occasionally it is the beginning to a funeral service. The beloved are those gathered to say goodbye to the one they loved. Both are such solemn occasions. Beloved seems appropriate in such a setting.

But in this verse, it has a whole different emotion and audience.

“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine…”
Song of Solomon 6:3

Song of Solomon is a allegorical story of two lovers, a king and his Shulamite. It’s beautiful, even in my limited scope of understanding. She has little to offer and He is grand in every respect, “outstanding among ten thousand” (S. of S. 5:10). Yet, she sings with such contentment that she is all His and He is hers. Their love anchored with this word of endearment, “beloved”. I had to look it up.

It turns out the word beloved in Hebrew is dodi. Dodi is where the name David comes from. It actually comes from the word yadiyad which means beloved friend. Want to go a little deeper? Yad means hand and yadiyad translates hand and hand. Isn’t that a beautiful picture of friendship?

So the Shulamite describes their mutual love as an intimate friendship, walking hand and hand with her beloved friend. It blows my mind to imagine the Lord desiring that kind of relationship with me. Talk about a Shulamite, I really have so very little to offer HIM. We are truly unmatched in relationship. Yet, I am His and He desires me. Find that hard to believe? Read this.

“I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.”
Song of Solomon 7:10

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.

It’s not pity, tolerance, or good deeds that keep us together. He desires….me. I wonder if He might enjoy my strange thoughts and everyday observations. He may like my corny jokes or my painful attempts at the piano. I don’t know really. But like the Shulamite, I sing with gusto, “His desire is for me!” And of course, you.

Need more proof? Revelation 4 gives us a glimpse at the throne room. As the twenty-four elders lay down their crowns they say something that gives us a glimpse of God’s view of creation. I like the way the King James Version puts it:

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Revelation 4:11

You see? You and I were created by God for His pleasure. He enjoys you and me. He finds pleasure in watching over our lives. He knows our frame and has written our days. Yet, we are not some kind of Barbie doll that God plays with for His entertainment. We are so much more. This is all very real for Him. Remember God is so in love with us that He gave His only Son for our salvation and forgiveness. This is not a game. But we are His pleasure.

Think about your own children. You did not “create” them only to play with or to provide you with hours of entertainment. You gave birth to them and fell in love even before their first cry. I remember thinking, prenatally, I was holding the best looking sonogram ever scanned. He was the cutest fetus ever! My son has been my pleasure all of his days. Has every day been a picture of obedience? No. Every homeschooling lesson a beautiful exchange of questions and knowledge? HA! Not to mention potty training, monitoring social media, and eating your vegetables. There have been hard seasons along the way. But pleasure, yes he has been our pleasure all of his days.

That’s God. You may have shared some rough times and regretful decisions. He will forgive those. He created you for His pleasure. Spend your days and nights pleasing Him. Share a funny thought with Him. Tell Him the things you love about life. He enjoys you. Be honest. He loves to hear your feelings. A friend and I were talking today about the absolute freedom to our soul when we verbalize our feelings and worries to Him. Even in that, God finds pleasure. And you my friend, will find peace.

This love fest between Our Beloved and us is described so well with this verse:

“He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.”
Song of Solomon 2:4

Take a moment and imagine His banquet hall.

Allow me some imagining. God takes me, hand in hand, into the banquet room. Oh the delights to be discovered. The tables are laden with exquisite flower arrangements and crystal glasses and gold platters. My eyes are dazzled by all the colors and elegance. The food is beyond description and I wonder where He is going to seat me. Every table so interesting, where will He lead me?

It’s then I notice the banners. Above the grandeur of each setting, a banner displayed. Each one reads a different description. I read to my left and right, stand on my tiptoes, stretching and straining, looking over his shoulder to find the one where I might belong.

The first one I read is KNOWLEDGEABLE. Not exactly me. I can only wish as we pass by.

Next, WORK IN PROGRESS. Yep, that’s where I belong. I prepare to sit when I feel the Lord tug my hand harder. Well, I thought I was progressing.

Next table, CHRISTIAN Class 2. Probably… on a good day. The Lord continues to lead. No, this isn’t my table. Evidently there is a Class 3…or 12.

I’m getting a little discouraged. We walk past WEAK WITNESS. Thankfully. Although I’m sure the Lord knew that was an apt description of the friend with whom He held hands.

Then I saw it. FORGIVEN. I immediately attempted to pull out a chair. I don’t want to be noticed at the head of this table, but thankful that it’s true. The Lord pushed in the chair. It was not for me. Nonplussed, I had to ask. “Lord, surely I am forgiven. Please let me sit here.”

The Lord smiled and squeezed my hand. “Yes, you are forgiven, my daughter, but it is not for your sins that I know you. Come on.”

We then passed the banner MUCH AFRAID and honestly I know the Lord could feel my trembling hand. But that wasn’t my table either.

We were nearly to the back of the room. It was quieter there and not so distracting with glitter and glam. I knew these tables were more intimate and the arrangements were conducive to quiet times spent together. Tears and laughs would be shared. Such was the peace of this setting that i knew whispered conversations could be understood here. My feelings and questions felt welcome.

I was so thrilled when God pulled out my chair. My heart filled with anticipation as I plopped down and found the arrangement so cozy. My soul was at home. I was in this new place and my soul found rest.

The Lord had seated me at the perfect table. Of course He did. He knew exactly what I needed. I would never be happy under any other banner. I turned to the Lord with tearful gratitude in my eyes. “Lord, this is splendid. You have found my table. You know me, Lord. I didn’t even get the chance to read the banner. What is it, Lord? Who am I to You? What is my banner?”

I will never forget His smile as He turned my chair so I could read the banner. “You belong here, because my banner over you is LOVE.”

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God’s Presence or His Plan?

What is key to successfully navigating this life? God’s plan or His Presence.

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I’m going to ask you a question that I felt the Lord was asking me the other day. I was reading about Gideon. Israel had been warned by an unnamed prophet that idolatry was the cause of their repeated defeat by the hands of the Midianites. It seems that every time there was a harvest, Israel’s enemies would swoop in and steal the fruits of their labor. It is the long told story of bully versus weakling. Israel was the weakling; and according to Gideon he himself was the weakest of the weakest clan in the weakest tribe of this weak nation.

You know how God sees the things we miss with our eyes wide open. He called Gideon “mighty man of valor” and challenged him to defeat those vicious Midianites. Did I mention this conversation happens while Gideon is hiding down in a wine press trying to thresh wheat? It always makes me smile to know God chooses the underdog.

This blog isn’t about Gideon though. It’s about the question. When God first assures Gideon that he can do this and be victorious, this is his promise:

“The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
Judges 6:12

Gideon responded with all his excuses. He was weak. His clan was weak. Blah, blah, blah…

“The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.'”
Judges 6:16

There is something missing here. A plan. The Lord did not roll out a battle map on a large rock showing troops here and there spotted around the Midian encampment. No hidden weapon or secret information about their weak spots. It was just, “Do this. I will be with you.”

So as I sat at my desk and considered this, the question came to mind. “If you were going into battle against an undefeated enemy and you could only chose one or the other, would you want God’s presence or His plan?”

Yes, we often get both. Even Gideon received instruction after God scaled back his army and even told him the odd “weapons” that he was to use. I’m thankful that God has plans for me. But as I sat there talking to the Lord, the question was A. Presence or B. Plan. What do you choose?

I knew what Moses would choose. When God told him to go on into the Promise Land but He wasn’t going with them, Moses said no way. “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Exodus 33:15. Of course that’s wisdom and the right answer.

But, honestly, I leaned toward the plan. How about you? How many times have you called out to the Lord, “What do you want me to do? I need a billboard with step by step direction. A sign in the clouds.” We know His plan will be successful and all that stands between us and victory is the Plan. Right? Right?

Yet, it seems that what the Lord promises over and over, as if it’s all we need (hint…hint), is His presence. Even Jesus when giving us the Great Commission, closed it with this:

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20

So I am challenged and I hope so are you to think on this. Is my faith in the plan or His Presence. Do I think I can pull this situation off with just the right divine guidance? Am I comfortable going in my own strength as long as I know what God would have me do? Furthermore, can I just walk with Him as Abraham did not knowing where the road would take me, resting assured that His Presence makes it home?

I know you have situations. You’re breathing, right? How do I parent this child? How do I find a job when there are 20 million out of work? Wouldn’t you love a 12 Step Program to alleviate all marriage disappointments? A plan to lose weight, a plan to overcome shyness, a guide to build wealth and retire strong… It seems we just need the right plan.

Actually, we need Him. Allow Him today to fill your arena with His Presence. Sit before Him for a WHILE and worship, pray, and listen until you know He is there. He may tell you to wait. Rest may be the word you hear. You might not hear anything at all. It’s okay. Just remember His Presence conquers armies, delivers Promised Lands, shares the gospel with the world, and gives rest in the middle of it all. This is what God spoke to Moses as He sent him on ahead to conquer the land of milk and honey. No strategic plan, just…

“And He said, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'”
Exodus 33:14

Get up and seek Him. It won’t feel like your gaining ground at first. Just do it. But you will get up and know that you have spent time with the King of the Universe. He enjoyed His time with you and will not leave you as you walk out the day. There is a hope that will arise and a road that will open before you. Sometimes you will feel as the fog has lifted and there is real reason to smile. Just look at this promise:

“You will show me the path of life;
In your presence is fullness of joy;
At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:11

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Psalm 91 Becomes So Real

In these days of bad news and worse news we find ourselves afraid to step out of our doors in fear that some invisible enemy named Coronavirus will land on our head and end our days. Interestingly, corona in Spanish (and Italian) translates “crown”. It can’t be missed that it wants to rule the land. If you have forgotten how bad it is, just turn on your computer or tv and at your fingertips will be all the forboding numbers and predictions. I have to daily pray and remind myself that God is my fortress and strong tower. I know His Word is true when He promises to cover me with His wings; His faithfulness being my shield.

As a matter of faith building in this time, I have prayed daily Psalm 91. You may be familiar with it. It is 16 powerful verses reminding us that God is our protector from terrors at night, arrows that fly by day, and plagues that stalk. I have read it in half a dozen translations and love them all. The promises are strong and reliable in every choice of wording. I even put it on my refrigerator. It doesn’t work as a snack deterrent unfortunately; but it does remind without even rereading it that God’s Word is sure and He is with me and remains my protector.

Now, there is a verse in there that has always made me raise my eyebrows a bit. “Does this really apply to me? Perhaps this is figuratively speaking. Right?” Verse 13 declares that:

“You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”
Psalm 91:13

Psalm 91 is a psalm of David. I know David fought a few lions. That’s the confidence he carried into battle with Goliath. When King Saul asked David why he thought he could defeat Goliath, David responded, “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the Living God.” 1 Samuel 17:36. Yep, David could “trample the great lion and the serpent.”

But me? Well, first of all, besides the Houston Zoo and Barnum and Bailey Circus, lions are foreign to me. Behind glass or steel bars is as close to lions as I have ever been. Trample them? I don’t think so.

I can’t say the same for serpents. I live in southeast Texas and snakes abound. I see at least one every summer and sometimes 4 or 5. The most common poisonous serpents here are the copperhead and the water moccasin. We have others and some nonpoisonous as well, but this isn’t a discussion of snakes. Rather, it is how He makes us trample them.

As a Easter gift from a friend, I received a fence post sign that read “He is Risen”. It is beautiful and I love it. It was just the truth that I wanted displayed in front of my home. Thanks Jamie. As my husband and I were contemplating how to make it stay put, I suggested putting a hollowed out, half of a tree stump in front of it. We’ve had that half a tree stump in a flower bed for ages. I picked up the small (approx. 10 inches across) stump and moved it to the front of the sign. I then shoved it with my sandaled foot closer to the sign to hold it tight.

Gary and I decided that wouldn’t work because the stump would cover the “n” in risen. No, I would pick it up and move it again back to the side where it had been.

Gary immediately spoke, “No, let me have it. Let’s put the stump on the other side of the porch. He then picked it up and carried it away. While I am still staring at the sign, I hear him holler and throw the stump down.

I asked him what happened. Hornet’s nest? Giant hairy spider? Fire ants? Nope. On top of that stump that had been moved now three times was a copperhead that was now slithering off after all the excitement. Don’t miss this. I had picked up and carried a copperhead not once, not twice, but three times before handing it off to Gary! He carried it 3 or 4 steps before seeing the danger and doing the only logical thing. I ran for the shovel and now Mr. Copperhead is fertilizer on the vacant lot next to us.

We stood there in utter amazement and without a word. Together we had lived a miracle. Copperheads are not carried around like kittens. They are not known to be aggressive, but are most dangerous when they are disturbed or threatened. I never saw it while I held it close to my chest and leaned over it with my face. Even Gary, didn’t notice it until it was next to his head. I don’t know if God caused it to sleep, closed its mouth, or made it friendly, but it didn’t strike until it was on the ground out of harm’s way. And then it faced us with mouth wide open ready to bite.

With eyes bulging and jaws dangling while we considered what just happened, Gary’s phone rang and my normally strong and solid husband just about jumped out of his work uniform. Funny….after the severe case of “the willies” had subsided.

God had protected our lives and I almost never knew. It makes me wonder how many times He has shielded me from what the devil would have used to destroy me. And you too. Car crashes that were avoided and you don’t even know how. Someone has suggested that in life we have all walked or drove past a murderer or other dangerous person and never knew it. God protects us with little or no fanfare. Only heaven will tell the stories.

The next morning as I was going through Psalm 91 again, reciting every word as a petition and promise, I read verse 13. When I began the verse 14, it was as if the Holy Spirit cleared His throat, “Ahem”. I stopped and looked back. When I reread it I knew what the Lord was saying to me.

The same God that could deliver David from a lion, a bear, a serpent and a 9 foot giant, is the same God that can and does deliver me. It wasn’t David, it was God. David, on his own, would have been a lion’s lunch. Goliath laughed at David because he couldn’t see the invisible God that stood between him and the young boy warrior. The battles are not even. Nothing or no one is a match for God and you. He wins even when we are unaware of the danger.

Psalm 91 still applies. He is our refuge. He loves us enough to send His angels to guard our steps. He promises there is rest in the mere shadow of the Almighty. Awwww, rest. Don’t we need it? I trust the Lord when He says that “no disaster will come near your tent.”

I know. I know. What about the Christians that are suffering with covid-19 right now? I have prayed for several missionaries that I know have suffered with the virus. Really suffered. How does Psalm 91 apply to them? It is just as true. As the chapter draws to the end, the Lord says about the ones who love Him, “He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” Did you notice “in trouble”? Or the fact that He promises to deliver us, meaning we will at times need deliverance?

There are times when this fallen world deals trouble. God’s 91 says to call on Him. He promises in just verse 15 to answer you, be with you in trouble, deliver you and honor you. One of the missionaries that has been hospitalized for four weeks is now slowly coming off the ventilator. He told his wife today with labored talk that the presence of the Lord had been so strong and sweet that he knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be. How wonderful God’s presence must be that a person would accept this battle just to soak in the glory of Him. Another 96 year old women who caught the virus in the nursing home in Washington, early in this pandemic, told this story: During her sickest night when she wasn’t sure that she would survive, she would come to and feel the Lord’s presence and even his hand stroking her arm in comfort. She said it was the most amazing experience in her 96 years of life.

Why didn’t Jesus instantly heal her or protect from getting sick? I don’t know. But His presence was constant and I could tell from her smile and tears that they shared something amazing. It’s just like my miraculous protection from the snake bite. No doubt that God performed that work. On the other hand, Paul survived a shipwreck, washed up on the isle of Malta, only to be bitten by a poisonous snake….all while working for the Lord. Where was Psalm 91? Why didn’t God protect him? Well, He did. Paul called upon the Lord and trusted His God. God rescued him from the 14 day storm, the soldiers threat to kill him and all the prisoners on board, the ship breaking to pieces, floating ashore, and then the snake bite. You see God was clearly His strong tower.

So I totally rest in the promise of his protection. His Word is true. I pray Psalms 91 with every belief that God meant every word. I love the Lord. How can I help it? He is my refuge. I am never alone. I do not fear the coronavirus. God is always with me and no virus will “crown” my life. That belongs to Him.

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Quarantine’s Silver Lining

Are you looking at the cloud or its beautiful lining?

So it’s week three of this coronavirus lockdown. My feelings about this whole thing have swung from quoting victoriously Psalm 91 to dreadful fear to “what do you mean, there is no spicy ketchup in this store?”. Who knows how many more emotions I will share with my tiny world before it’s all over?

But today, I just wanted to share a few lines of silver I have discovered in the gray clouds of lockdown.

1. The sweaty work.

I’ve tore down my old pool, the deck around it, cleaned the garage, painted a cabinet and got hot, dirty, and satisfied. I usually walk in the park to get my sweat on; but sweating AND being productive…WIN, WIN! (Although I still miss my walking buddies.)

2. Evenings at home with the fam

There has been a respite from the oft finish supper quickly, dishes in the sink to wait, and run to (fill-in the blank) . Instead we’ve played games (Cranium with my 92 year old mom was priceless), watched probably too many movies, and dozed in our recliners.

3. Longer Meals Around the Table

This has always been the sweet reward for that cooking task.

4. Family Bible study on Sunday A.M.

Okay, so maybe some of you do this regularly. I hope so. But it took the extraordinary events of no church to force us to do this as a family. Can I just say, this is my favorite silver lining. Are you curious as to how we do it? Nothing too complicated. I read a passage of scripture that has stood out to me from the week before and everyone discusses it’s message. Sometimes I ask them to read, just to keep everyone on their toes. We always have a time of thanksgiving, sharing what we are most thankful for that day. I will miss this most of all.

5. I’ve learned to appreciate more people.

Grocery store workers, postal carriers, delivery people, doctors, nurses, hospital janitors, EMTs, restaurant employees, online ministers, truck drivers, police officers, nursing home workers…..the list continues to grow.

6. Those “feel good” stories that are starting to be told

You’ve probably heard about the doctor who would read the Bible to his 96 year old patient so desperately sick. She survived! Or how about the New Yorkers standing on their balconies at 7:00 pm each night to applaud all together the first responders and medical heroes in their city? I teared up when I watched all the American companies that switched their production to make hand sanitizer or face masks for the hospitals. The Hallmark Channel (and believe me, I have watched some Hallmark these days) has nothing on the REAL loving people sharing what they have with a sick world. Just beautiful.

7. Praying deeply for strangers.

No pats on my back here because I know you have all done this. I have gone to bed at night asking for God’s mercy and healing on the sick in Italy. I have prayed for the sick and imprisoned in Iran. I have watched people I will never know being rolled into hospitals and asked God to please heal them and comfort their families. And I meant everyone of those prayers.

8. YouTube sermons.

When I was a kid my stepdad would buy the cassette of the Sunday morning sermon and then listen to it later in the week. I never could understand that. Now, I have turned into my stepdad (minus the explosive temper and the butt of a wet cigar dangling from my lips). I watch sermons on YouTube like I’ve never been to church. There is some good stuff out there, including my own Pastor sharing God’s word on facebook each week. I love it!

9. A good excuse to call that neighbor or write that relative.

I hope you’ve taken advantage of that. People are very open to a call and/or prayer these days. I called my namesake. I love her to pieces but rarely ever talk. to her. I know very little about her young family or even her adult life. I called last week. Honestly, I could tell in her voice she. feared the worst. It felt good to hear about her new homeschool duties and share a laugh. Later, I sent a scripture covered bookmark that I had received in the mail. Hopefully, I can keep this going long past the virus.

10. Count your blessings – if you can count that high.

You know I have always thought it was strange that we never testify to God’s goodness until something has been taken away. For instance, it’s after you have had cancer and survived that you thank God for a healthy body. We don’t typically drive to work thanking God for our job unless we have had some time without one. For a long time after I came home from Africa, I was thankful for clean water coming from my tap. And this will be no different. Today, I am thankful that the numbers of virus fatalities are way below what they projected. Thank you Jesus! We will be thankful for aisles of toilet paper when it appears again. I will be so thrilled and thankful to worship again with my church family. Some will always be thankful for a deep clear breath. Thank you Jesus.

And you…

I bet you have some silver linings that come to mind now that I have mentioned it. Let’s be thankful and make the best of quarantine 2020. God has not left us or forsaken us. He has given most of us rest. When God was speaking to Moses about the Promised Land, God said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” It is a gift from God. Enjoy it.

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His Love is Fear’s Cure

Knowing God loves me destroys those creeping fears.

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I usually love the blank page, or screen, in this instance. I presume its like a blank canvas to an artist or pile of wood to a builder. The possibilities are just fun to consider. I think anybody could be a writer if they weren’t bothered by the blank page. But sometimes words just escape me. Advice to self: Just write something. Scratch outs and delete buttons are just a part of the process.

It’s under those conditions I write today. The world is in the midst of a global sickness called coronavirus. Those who aren’t sick, fear they are next. This fear sneaks up on me even though I know the truths of Psalm 91. My enemy points to every mild symptom and tells me that it is just the early stages of the inevitable. This is the case even though there is only 1 case of the disease in my county and two in the county next to me. But then again, fear is never rational. It’s that unwelcome guest that creeps in and sets up a bedroom if we don’t pay attention.

So how do we deal with creeping fear?

This is how I fight it: God loves me. That fact restores my faith. His love determines my days. Now from the get go, let me say that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love those who are sick today. No way. Truth be told He loves us all immeasurably. He loves everyone in the world. Let that sink in. Refer to Christianity’s most memorized verse:

“For God SO LOVED THE WORLD that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16

He loves us….me….you. This is not a provision for the perfect. It’s not “saints only” need apply. God’s love comes from Him, who is love. To prove it, He made the first move to show His adoration for you.

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8

How can the unholy be in a relationship with the Holy?

Do you sometime feel like you’re just not the kind God loves. How can you trust Him to take care of you when you’ve not done your part? Because God built the bridge between you. His own perfect son died for your punishment. I’m not sure I can even comprehend that type of love. I remember reading the fictional story of “The Whipping Boy” about a young man whose only job was to take the spankings that the spoiled prince deserved in this make believe kingdom. But in our reality, God’s son took the capital punishment for our sin. We deserved the punishment. He took it. We would have died and spent eternity in the darkness of hell. He died and rose again and sits at the right hand of God making intercession for us. (Romans 8:34) He would say to you today, “I love you.”

What makes me so sure?

That love is not diminished or diminishable. It’s not built on your accomplishments or destroyed by your failures. The Bible tells us in that same chapter (Romans 8) that we literally can’t be separated from His love. Can demons break God’s love for you? Nope. Angels? No. Fears for today or worries about tomorrow? They cannot separate us from His love. Nothing in creation is strong enough to keep us from His love. Look it up. Romans 8:38. He closes the list with this:

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who LOVES US.
Romans 8:39

There is one certainty. God loves you.

So, I walk in sweet peace that God is in charge. As I surrender my life to Him and give Him my heart in return for His enduring love, life is good. I sleep well knowing that God really loves me. I know that nothing will happen that God doesn’t see and as the perfect lover of my soul, my Father walks with me and assures me His arms hold me tight. I’ve never been safer. Those who love me the most couldn’t protect me like He does.

Do trials and hard times come? Sure. We still live on earth. But His presence makes all the difference. Prayer is not a religious exercise that earns the love of God. It is a daughter laying against His knee and telling Him all of her worries and victories. Thankful for most and trusting for the rest. Then like any Father/daughter relationship I sit and listen to what perfect words He will speak to me. It’s not the great thunderous words from heaven, but the still small voice that interrupts my thoughts. When He speaks, it is often a promise from His Word and always a truth given with loving care. Even His correction in my life has been with the deepest love. I will write about that another day.

Be brave. Talk to Him.

I want to close with this. If you don’t have the peace of God in your heart today, ask Him. Don’t think about it. Ask Him. He is real and He wants you to REALLY speak to Him. If He is not your Lord and Savior, He wants to be. Talk to Him. No magic words, just ask Him to forgive you for everything. Remember, that is why He died. Then make a commitment to Him to be God of your life. Now follow Him. Get a Bible (there’s tons online) and find a church. (This coronavirus social distancing thing won’t last forever.) I can’t even tell you how that will change things in your life. His promises to His followers are amazing. His love is like no other.

And to all who love God and yet struggle with creeping fear, I love the words of Paul here as he considers the vastness of Christ’s love for us:

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ..”
Ephesians 3:17-19

What a gift to grasp the magnitude of His love. To know He loves us emboldens our faith in Him. It is like children being held by their father during a thunderstorm. The loud booms only cause us to snuggle closer. It is like watching a hair raising action film for the second time. All the danger and action are there but you already know it ends well. To live this life assured of His constant and amazing love, is to live it to its absolute fullest, flying through the air knowing that God stands ready to catch you. As noted in Ephesians, it is truly “His glorious riches” to GRASP His great love.

P.S.

If you made a commitment to follow the Lord, please, please, please let me know. You can send me message on the Write Me Back menu page. I want to pray for you.

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Get Up to the Mt. of Transfiguration

There is some disagreement about the exact Mount of Transfiguration location. This one isn’t it. I took this picture in Colorado. lol.

Mount of Transfiguration, anybody? Think fast. What happened there? If you don’t know off the top of your head and hate pop quizzes, don’t feel bad. You’re in good company. I asked a few people this weekend and the responses ranged from, “I have no idea.” to “Was Jesus involved?” to “I just read that. Isn’t that where Jesus went up into Heaven?” No one I asked rattled off the story like it was lifelong favorite. Prior to preparing my Sunday school lesson, I’m not sure I could have told you all the participants and/or order of events.

So as a Sunday school teacher, I asked myself how did we fail to teach this story. Surely I have discussed this with at least one class over the years. Or maybe not. It is certainly worth the teaching.

Let’s crack open that often closed page and take a real look.

“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.”
Matthew 17: 1

I have to stop here for two observations:

First, Jesus was a mountain climber. Not Judean hills, but a “high mountain” climber. He also led the group. No wimpiness there.

Second, this inner circle of Peter, James and John has often been seen as the the disciples a cut above the other nine, thus chosen for special occasions. However, I read recently the suggestion they were “chosen” because they were the ones most likely to get in trouble when left unattended. Haha. That makes me giggle. God always “chooses” those who need Him most.

“There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.”
Matthew 17:2

Okay, so this is different. The Jesus they knew walked around in sandaled feet, touched lepers, and asked Samaritan women for drinks from a well. Who was this? The three disciples are all resting from the climb. One of the gospels records they were sleepy, when all of a sudden Jesus appears in all of His radiant glory.

Picture it. You are taking a breather with your friends and this miracle worker/rabbi/Messiah. He is sweating and tired just like you. The Bible says He is praying while they rest and then His whole face and clothes change. His face appeared as bright as the sun and his clothes glowed like lightning. The disciples get a sneak peek at the REAL Jesus. It’s like Jesus was letting His friends in on a secret. “I’m going to show you something, but don’t tell anyone!” kind of secret. This wasn’t the Jesus they had followed for three years. That guy got tired, hungry, and had to wash his clothes just like them. This guy was Messiah and shined like the Son. In a way, the true miracle is that He was able to keep His glory hid as he trod this dusty earth. Showing it had to be easier than concealing it before mankind.

And then to make things even more supernatural…

“Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.”
Matthew 17:3

Not your everyday occurrence. Sudden questions in my mind are: How did the disciples recognize them? There were no history books with pictures of great leaders of Israel. Evidently it was in conversation or by the names Jesus used to address them. Moses remained Moses and Elijah, Elijah.

Luke 9 records that they talked about Jesus’ soon departure from the earth. Another curiosity: What was discussed? Did they come to encourage Him, give Him a more detailed timeline, or celebrate His victory over satan and soon return to Heaven. It’s just one of those unrecorded Bible conversations that my nosey side longs to hear. I just know the Lord would say, “Suellyn, just pay more attention to the words I’ve recorded and let the unwritten be unheard.”

Peter then fills the air with the first things that come to mind.

Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
Mark 9:5

I love this next part. Been there and have watched my awkward words hang in the air like a bad smell.

“He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.”
Mark 9:6

Fear so often is the culprit behind stupidity.

Some commentators criticize Peter because he said it was “wonderful for us”, showing a selfish side. Even more criticize Peter for putting Jesus on the same level with Elijah and Moses. I’m not sure that was Peter’s intention but whatever, God interupts the whole scene.

“But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to Him.’ The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.
Matthew 17:5,6

This is a beautiful glance into the Father/Son relationship. Like I have explained before, I never really enjoyed a close Father/Daughter bond; but I have seen some beautiful examples. Yet, I have never been introduced to a son or daughter like this: “This is my dear son. I love him deeply. He brings to me the greatest joy. You should listen to Him.” That is love divine, my friend. His Father clearly enjoys Jesus’ company, loves His heart, and feels no trepidation about advising people to listen to Him.

Now one last thought, putting yourself on that mountaintop, what is it your ears are trained to hear? God just spoke from a cloud to listen to His dear Son. As my eyes spread like saucers and my mouth gapes, I believe my ears might even extend to not miss the next word from Jesus’ mouth. How about you? Are you thinking about looking it up or jumping down to the next quote section to see? No worries, here it is:

“Then Jesus came over and touched them. ‘Get up.’ he said. ‘Don’t be afraid.'”
Matthew 17:7

Are you surprised? We shouldn’t be. It’s the phrase our Lord most often used. “Fear not” or “Don’t be afraid.” It is said by those who have counted, that there are 365 times in the Bible that God reminds us not to fear. 365, hmmm? That covers them all. Next Tuesday, during your job performance review, covered. Thursday is covered when those biopsy results are supposed to be in. Around here, it’s the next three weeks of the Coronavirus. All covered. The only thing the Bible tells us to fear is God and even in this situation of Him speaking from a cloud, Jesus touches them and chides, “Do not fear.”

Don’t miss the two tiny words just prior either. “Get up.” I realize the disciples had fallen to their faces in fear before this awesome scene, but I believe Jesus would say the same to us. “Get up.” Stop watching the “bad” news, chewing your nails in worry, and discussing the same tales of “what if”. Get up. Don’t be afraid. Do the things Jesus has called you to. Encourage your family. Pray for the lost. Really pray for the lost. Get up. The devil is working, but Christ came to “destroy the works of the enemy.” What He came to do will be done. Now get up and be the fearless saint He has touched.

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Jesus, Our Gardener

My husband loves spring when all our local nurseries start selling fruit trees. For twenty-five or thirty dollars, he can bring home a green stick in a bucket with great potential. Over the years we have purchased the equivalent of an orchard. I’m only kidding a little bit. We currently have orange, grapefruit, plum, lemon, and fig trees….all living. The number of trees that we watched slowly dry up and die is beyond my memory. But let’s not dwell on the failures.

God is a Patient Gardener

Let’s talk fruitfulness. Jesus mentioned it often. They say Jesus was a carpenter, but he surely must have plowed and planted at some point. And like any tree planter, he knew the patience it takes to wait on fruit, the thrill of watching it ripen, and the disgust of having a tree that does everything but produce. Often he used those experiences to explain a spiritual truth. One of his lesser mentioned parables is found in Luke 13.

Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
Luke 13:6-7

In this story, a fig tree is planted. This was the desire of the land owner. It was no accident of nature or wild fig bush that sprung up overnight. It was planted. Work done by the land owner with no effort by the tree. The tree planter anticipates the fruit. He comes “again and again” to see if there is anything. I’ve been there. As mentioned before, I have a fig tree. I walk the path to that tree daily during spring and summer to check on it. Maybe…could it be…possibly…is that a…? I’ve never yet seen a fig. “Always disappointed.”

That was the land owner. Patiently waiting for years. The Bible uses the word, “Finally” to describe the end of his patience. He had given it ample time to prove itself. Yet the tree had three years of only taking and never giving any fruit in return.

It seems to me the parable tells the story of The Father as the landowner, and Jesus as the gardener. The Father has planted that “tree” and He desires the fruit He made that “soul” to produce. And He is patient. He does not nag or threaten. He patiently, and I mean patiently, checks on the tree in great anticipation. He knows what it is capable of growing figs.

You Want Me to Do What?

He didn’t want to dig it up after the first year with no fruit. As a matter of fact, Levitical law taught to leave a tree unharvested for three years after planting it. Man, that’s hard to do. I bought, actually my fruit farming husband bought a peach tree last year. We thought this was a sure thing. Not because we have great history with peach trees, but because it had an abundance of tiny peaches already hanging from its’ thin limbs when we brought it home. We were going to be picking peaches soon! Then my brother came over. He is a tried and true, green thumb, just plant it and it will grow, farmer. I proudly took him to see my cute little peaches. They were about thumb size now and numbered around 15! His response: “You’re gonna need to pick most of those off. Maybe leave one or two. This season needs to be about growing the tree.”

Picture this: I’m rolling on the ground pulling up grass and throwing it over my head and groaning, “No! No! There has to be another way!” Then I get up and say to myself, ‘That’s just not happening. I’m not pulling the fruit that God has given me. Not happening.’

True confession: What the birds didn’t poke holes in and destroy eventually fell off after breaking the weak limbs that were trying to hold them. I didn’t get a single peach and my tree lost most of its limbs. The jury is still out as to if it will have another spring or if the mulch pile will be its grave.

Can you see the comparison to our souls? God plants us in the soil of His Kingdom and allows us to grow. He keeps a close eye and desires growth and allows time for fruit. When we put too many demands on ourselves or others before allowing a growing season, limbs break, arms fold under the heavy burden and burnout and spiritual death is common. God may be calling us to a season of sitting at His feet and listening. He may ask you to study His Word and NOT teach it somewhere else. There may be a season to fill your time with seeking Him and soaking in His presence and being quiet. This will produce fruit later.

Jesus, Our Interceder

In the parable, after three years and still no figs, the land owner tells the gardener to cut it down. It is only taking up space. Oh me. Don’t let it be said that I merely took up space in the Kingdom. I won’t try to explain the useless spiritual tree. Let’s just leave it as the one who just takes and never gives. The Gaither Vocal Band sang a song a few years ago about Givers and Takers. You could divide the world into just those two groups. Uselessness invites disaster. The Land Owner declared that a tree that just takes nutrients from the earth and fills up space was useless and must be cut down.

But here is where our sweet Savior steps in.

The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’
Luke 13: 8

The Gardener of our Soul intercedes for us. Romans 8:34 tells us that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father doing just that. When the Accuser stands before God telling of all your fruitlessness, Jesus leans in and asks for another chance. He asks for one more year and the opportunity to give us extra attention. He is not walking away from the empty tree, but rather blocking out some special time just for it.

Notice the mention of fertilizer? Ever the Carer of our Souls, Jesus knows that fertilizer is needed and just the right kind…like it or not. I’ve had a few years I felt like I was being surrounded by manure…ahem, fertilizer. Little did I know Jesus was trying to produce more fruit in my life.

God of Another Chance

Then Jesus tells the Father that if after another year there are figs, great! And if the opposite is true, then the tree is a goner. Of course, the Father is willing to give another year. Remember, “He is not willing that any should perish.” 2 Peter 3:9. Don’t think that God is the heartless one here. They are a team in perfect agreement and always love you.

One more thought about fruit bearing. Don’t despise the small beginnings. Our orange tree puts out what seems to be thousands of little tiny white flowers that quickly fall off and leave behind the tiniest little oranges you can imagine. The thing is they are dark green just like the leaves. You can stare at that tree for five minutes before seeing a single orange and then all of a sudden your eyes stop playing tricks and the hundreds hanging there become visible. It is covered with pea size dark green oranges.

A Process that Pays off Sweetly

In our own lives and honestly others, we just don’t see the fruit yet. It’s not the right size, wrong color, and not the least bit tasty. At a quick glance it doesn’t exist at all. But it’s there. The Land Owner and Gardener are watching it daily. With special attention from Him and a little extra “fertilizer” applied that fruit is going to be wonderful. The limbs have grown for seasons. The roots are firmly established. Soon the tree will be heavy with fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). It’s not figs the Master wants. He enjoys the fruit of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Let it grow. Don’t get discouraged with your own or inspect too closely others small fruit. They’re growing. Give it time. There’s nothing more sour than unripe fruit. Allow the Gardener free access and you and I will one day savor the sweetest, juiciest, bowl of goodness ever picked.

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A Marriage Made in Heaven

Just when you thought you would watch the wedding from afar, you became the bride!

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Do you ever read the Bible and just get sucked in? I mean the words draw you in so intensely your eyes race across the page in almost competition with your brain to see the next verse. It’s as if God is speaking and if you stop reading you may lose the very words of life. It happens and usually when I need Him the greatest.

My second thought today is how much I love a wedding. To see all the fairytale decorations, little boys and girls dressed like royalty, and all the sweet surprises along the way. Will the bride giggle or the groom cry? I want to see the cake, collect the favors, and sign the book. And then there is the bride and her glorious dress. It’s as close to Cinderella as most young girls will ever be. There are very few things more beautiful than a blushing bride and that handsome man waiting for her when the music starts. And the music…oh me….pass a tissue, please. Seriously, weddings could only be more fun if I could attend in my sweat pants.

So today, I combine them. I read a passage of scripture recently that has rolled over and over in my mind until I’m about to burst. It’s a wedding song written for Solomon. I’m not sure which wife this might have been…but never mind, to me it’s a song that only Jesus deserves and His church, His lovely bride.

(I paraphrased it so that I would be forced to read and glean every word. I hope you don’t mind. For sure, read the real, non-Suellyn, version too. Psalm 45.)

There He stands, so handsome that no man compares.
His words so gracious and kind, they pour easily from His strong lips.
God's blessing evident on Him and will remain constant throughout His life and then eternity.
Oh Mighty Warrior, strap on your sword.
Ride out in absolute conquering victory!
Your cause is not coercion but truth; 
A battle cry not of pride, but for the humble;
Defending those treated unjustly.
Lead great Savior and perform your deeds, while we stand speechless in awe.
The sword is not Your only weapon, you hurl sharp arrows piercing the hearts of your enemy.  
His horde now trembles at your sight. 
Even strong nations fall at your feet.

Your Authority does not fade. Millennia to millennia declare your kingship.
Your righteous subjects do not fear your scepter, for it is always just.
You love right living and you hate evil, to the same degree.
You are drenched in God's anointing;
This oil of joy that separates you from the rest.
You smell good too.  Each robe you wear sporting a manly scent.
And what makes you happy?  I saw you tapping your toe to a nicely plucked tune.
People always gather around you; that "desired" crowd that desires you.
Princesses are in your attendance but your queen stands by your side.

And now in verse 10, the song turns our attention to the Queen. That’s you and me, the Bride of Christ, and the words just melt me.

Listen to me Daughter of God.  Don't miss this:
Forget your family and all your past identifications, good and bad.  
Just be still and let the King enjoy your beauty.
There is no need for a resume or trophy case.  He just thrills looking at you.  
Give him a place of preeminence.  
After all, He is your Master.
As His bride you will wear the vibrant gowns of another land. 
Those called wealthy will want your opinion.
Dazzling in your home, you wear a dress embroidered with pure gold.
In this heavenly robe you will be led to your King.
And you're not alone in the procession. 
You'll bring friends with you to the kingdom.
This is no solemn entrance, no hush tones or timid meeting.  
You come in with laughter and shrills of joy.  
The King throws open His door.  Love and joy abound.

Now go and read the NIV or KJV or whatever version you prefer of Psalm 45 to see for yourself. The love between these two makes the Hallmark Channel look like puppy love. He is the Zenith of grooms and He declares her beauty enthralling. He is perfect in authority and she is bubbling with laughter as she comes to Him. It is truly a marriage made in Heaven.

So I would invite you, as I have, to read these words and imagine the pageantry of the wedding. Imagine yourself the bride, catching the eye of your Groom as you walk down the aisle. You are sure that no one has ever loved you like this and you are right. The dress is gorgeous, the palace is flawless, your friends are there; but it’s Him that makes your heart beat faster.

My favorite part: “Let the king be enthralled by your beauty” (vs. 11). Listen, I’m just a bit past my beauty prime. Haha. Whenever that was! I am comfortable with my reflexion but I’m positive “my beauty” is not enthralling. EXCEPT to Him. He doesn’t lie after all. So, the King finds His bride enthralling. Just “Let the King be enthralled…”. He made you and finds you absolutely beautiful. And to all my fellow doers, notice it wasn’t her achievements, to do list, accomplishments or the committees she chaired. It was her beauty; the very thing for which she can’t take any credit at all. I’m pretty sure it’s not the hair color, salon nails, and pretty pink lipstick that he adores anyways. It’s you.

If you are not certain of your place in this surreal scene the last chapter of the last book of the Bible gives us an invitation to the wedding. After Jesus describes some of the wonders of Heaven, Jesus promises His return with the rewards in hand. This is the response:

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
Revelation 22:17

You see the Holy Spirit awaits His return. The Bride of Christ, the church, longs for His coming. The invitation is to those who hear…may you say to the Lord, Come! And then the scripture plays on the word and says that if you are thirsty for life with Him then you come. You COME and if you wish take the free gift of LIFE! Just when you thought you would watch the wedding from afar, you became the bride! If you accept this invitation, CONGRATULATIONS! I can’t wait to see you at the wedding.

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Speaking to Mountains of Hurt

Wounds from a friend or a spouse are painful. A grudge often feels like the only “control” you have in the situation. But Jesus tells us to speak to that mountain.

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Every Christian’s mind twirls with excitement when we read this red letter promise:

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”
Mark 11:22-24

Oh yes!! Amen and amen! It’s just this kind of gospel that makes me wonder why everyone doesn’t sign-up. Even all of the imaginations of Marvel Comics hasn’t come up with a super hero that speaks AND MOVES mountains. This is serious power. And I believe Him who declared this truth. Jesus was not subject to hyperbole or evangelistic exaggeration. He meant that with enough faith in God mountains will get up and dance their way into the nearest sea. I can’t read it any other way.

He said this in response to the amazement of His disciples when they noticed the full leafed fig tree He had cursed the day before was already dead and withered. It was as if he was saying, “This is no big deal. Why, if you would just have faith in God, you can pray for anything – even to move mountains.”

Though I love the mountains and head to them whenever I get the chance, there are none in my way here in the Texas Gulf Coast area. A freeway overpass is just about as high as any of us get around here. But before we dismiss this scripture as a promise for another land, another time period or another people, let Jesus instruct us a little further.

But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.
Mark 11: 25

Then Jesus Shifts Gears

Whoa. Who stuck that in there? We were moving mountains and praying about anything and receiving it. Now we’re talking about grudges? Forgiveness of sins? That’s no fun.

No, grudges are not fun. As a matter of fact, they often smother a good time. Ever avoided a family get together because so-and-so will be there? Maybe you’ve dropped attending a small group at church because a grudge against someone there ruins the mood. Grudges and unforgiveness sour just about everything in our life.

Honesty check…. Did someone not respond the right way this Christmas to a gift you gave? I mean you thought it through, purchased it, wrapped it, carried it, and nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even a real, ‘thank you’. A tinge of grudge has now colored the holiday. Next year, you might just send a card…or nothing.

Even more likely, there is something much more serious. A broken marriage vow may have caused unforgiveness to set up camp in your soul. Maybe you have been betrayed by a “bestie” or deeply wounded by your own child or parent. Those are painful and a grudge often feels like the only “control” you have over the situation. It says something along the lines of, “They won’t ever do that to me again. This wall is so high and impenetrable; its mortar is the glue of bitterness. No one will ever get that close to me. I’ve got to protect me.”

On the other hand, forgiveness seems like a reward to the offender. It seems as if they just walk away scot free. We think there is no justice just letting go of those ugly offenses. How will we control the situation? How will they ever learn their lesson? Somebody has to pay.

First Things First

Yet…Jesus says, when you are praying (as a mighty Christian does), FIRST forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against. Why? “so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” Notice the total absence of loopholes here. There are no qualifiers like forgive only those who ask sincerely, or forgive those whom you equally offended. You are also not exempt from those most horrible, unspoken offenses or the ones that happen and happen again.

Does the word impossible enter your thinking? Does it seem too much? You can’t just say, “Poof. Everything is forgiven.” Or can you? Could it possibly be that easy? Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea, and it will happen’. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.”

Yes, massive boulders and dirt and immeasurable tons of rock lifting up and rolling into the sea is awesome, but boulders of hurt, the festering dirty wounds of life, and rocks stacked in protection against any further pain coming down so quickly is a miracle. You can speak to that mountain.

Speak to it. Believe what God says. Tell the grudges and unforgiveness to find a new home in the bottom of the ocean. You will no longer carry them or imagine yourself protected by their crowded walls. Jesus said to do it FIRST. No dilly-dallying. Speak to the mountain, trust God, and see what happens. That’s taking control of the situation.

I know that some have had traumatic events that require counseling . By all means, get good counsel. Walk through those events with the scriptures in hand and allow God to minister to your soul. But today, speak to the mountain.

Even if it is nothing more than a molehill, speak to it. It is important that you tell it to go. Those little mounds of unforgiveness have tripped up more people and broke more ankles than many mountains.

Forgiveness is a Gift to You

You are not rewarding the offender. They still must deal with their sin. Their patterns will continue until they are corrected. Not your problem. That is completely the work of the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness is a gift to you. Thus, Jesus ends this teaching with the reminder that forgiveness on our part actually opens the door for our own sins to be forgiven. Honesty check #2. How bad do you need this? Probably as bad as I do.

The old year has left us. What did it leave us? Maybe a few large painful boulders or a pile of rocks, each pebble an ugly word from someone you love. Maybe it was just another layer of rock on top of years of previous mountains. Whatever it may be, I’m sorry. Life stinks sometimes. But God gives hope and it’s found in the promise to “Say to this mountain….”

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When God has Done Everything He Could

Does that title cause a pause? Do you think something strange about the wording? What is left when God has done all that He can? Nothing. We know that there are no limits to God’s “can do”. So what does it mean that He has done all He could?

He tells the oceans where their borders are set.

When a doctor says he has done “all he can do” to treat an illness or a mechanic says he has “done all he can do” to fix your automobile, we know the limits have been reached. We might even follow that statement with, “It’s in God’s hands.”

But this week I read a scripture where God said He had done all He could and I had to ponder the situation. Have I ever drove Him to His limits? Let’s read the verse.

“…when I, the LORD, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness.”
Micah 6:6b

To get a better understanding, it’s important to read the full chapter. To get a full understanding read the full book of Micah. In this chapter, God is speaking. As a matter of fact the chapter begins with “Listen to what the LORD is saying:” He then calls a hearing between the Israelites and Himself. The mountains will be the witnesses.

He then asks what are their complaints. “O my people, what have I done to you? What have I done to make you tired of me? Answer me!” Micah 6:3

I once was at a women’s retreat when the elderly speaker stopped her message of encouragement and edification and walked over to a woman in the crowd of about 300. She appeared hardened and angry. I hadn’t noticed her until this moment when the speaker spoke directly to her, “God wants to know what else He can do for you?” She met the woman’s scowl with equal intensity. You could have heard an eyelid blink if anyone dared move. I thought for sure the news would tell that night of the brawl at the Christian Women’s Conference.

The speaker went on to question her, “God has given you life. He has given you His son as a sacrifice for your sins. He offers you peace and joy and salvation. But none of that has been enough for you. So, God wants to know what else He can do for you?”. The silence that followed spoke to us all.

The woman didn’t budge for a bit. The speaker asked her name. I honestly don’t remember it. But this lioness of God, our speaker, spoke to her again, “Okay, (name), you are angry at God because some things in life haven’t gone your way. You have sat here tonight thinking you are going to show Him how angry you are. Nothing I have said, none of the worship songs we have sung have moved you. Even the people that have brought you here did not cause your heart to soften. So, God wants to know what else He can do for you?”

This time the awkward and intense silence was followed with tears. The woman broke before the Lord and melted before our eyes. I have seen miracles before and this ranks right up there with the greatest. A woman’s heart changed in an instant. What life and hard choices had built as a impenetrable wall came crumbling down as she realized that God had already done all that was needed in her life. He had given everything He could, His only Son, to save her. How could she act as if there was more He could offer?

Back to the scripture in Micah. God begins to remind the Israelites of the journey they had endured through the wilderness. He mentions the wicked King Balak who bribed Balaam to curse them. God turned the curses into blessings.

He reminds the Israelites how he rescued them from Egypt. He gave them Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead them and redeem them from slavery.

“And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal,….” vs. 6.

from Acacia Grove (Shittim on this map) to Gilgal..

Acacia Grove (Shittim) is where the Israelites camped before crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land. It’s there that Joshua sent out two spies to check out Jericho. Gilgal is on the west side of the Jordan. It was the first stop in the land of Israel and there they renewed their covenant with God. These two places represent the wilderness and the land of blessing. God said to remember the journey.

“And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal, when I, the LORD, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness.”
Micah 6:5

That was His purpose. He did everything to teach them about His faithfulness. God is faithful. It does us well to remember the days and moments in our lives where God is teaching us His faithfulness. Remember the journey.

I just got home from a missions trip to Poland. These trips are fuel for my soul and I have never gone on one of these missions journeys without great changes in my life. But that’s a whole other blog post.

This recent trip left me exhausted and stressed the first night. I had not slept and the day stretched on and on as we traveled multiple time zones. We had a 8 hour layover in Holland and decided to store our luggage at the airport and tour a little. All went well until we got back to the airport. Despite having mapped all this out before leaving Texas, I could not find the lockers where all 16 of us had stored our luggage. Time was running out before our connecting flight and my team could tell I had lost the lockers. Panic set in and it seemed everyone had a better idea of where those lockers might be hiding. Loooong story short, we found them. Some of us (yes, the team split up) went through the passport control multiple times before finding our way.

The two hour flight from there to Poland was quiet and reflective for me. It was the first day and I had already failed the team. One pause to consider the route and I had lost control and confidence of the team. How could I think that I could lead a team of 16 “across the pond” to a place I’d never been myself. What in the world was I thinking?

I got to the missionaries’ house, saw everyone to their respective rooms. got orders for the next day, and collapsed in bed. There would not be any sleep for me. Exhaustion does that sometimes. So, I picked up my Bible and read this chapter. As I began to read of their journey, I couldn’t help but to think of mine.

Yes, God had been faithful through the land of fundraisers. He had passed us through the maze of passports. He guided me to the flight of least connections and best prices. He answered when we needed insurance, airport parking for a van and trailer, and wisdom to understand TSA packing. God had brought our team through flooded homes and flooded businesses, sick relatives, and dying friends, medical tests, anxieties, job loss and financial struggles all while He prepared us for the mission.

The trip was a great success. Thankfully, we never got lost again. With God’s great faithfulness, the journey brought us to the place of His blessing and back home again. The journey was wild and wonderful. And all of it was God just doing everything He could to teach us His faithfulness.

A path full of His faithfulness lessons.

And how does God show His faithfulness? Well it’s always in our need. He is faithful when we are lost as to the next steps. Faithful when our bodies are in need of healing. He is faithful when relationships are twisted and tangled. God is faithful as the roads of life get narrow, offer too many side trails, or have obstacles too big to pass. We could never know His faithfulness if we never stood in need.

His faithfulness is displayed best for those leaving the comforts of the familiar to enter the unknown of what He has promised them. As we rise up to seek the Lord and His ways, He never promises to make the walk an easy stroll. His promise was never to pave the path with gold and supply soft cushions to rest on as we pursue Him. His promise is to do EVERYTHING HE CAN to teach us about His faithfulness.

So whether in the journey of life or the next trip to the grocery store, look for the places that God is teaching you. I’m sure there is a lesson happening even now. Many times God extols us to remember the days of our past. Take a look down memory lane and see where lessons were given and learned. Do tomorrow’s troubles seem looming? Look at the miracles of yesterday. He is always in control and never loses a teachable moment. He is doing everything He can to teach you His faithfulness.

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Just a Servant of the King

Those opportunities you have taken to go the extra mile; bringing soft rags when ropes were all that was required, have been recorded by The KING. Don’t believe me? They why do we know Ebed-melech’s name?

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Sometimes the little mentioned and lesser known people in the Bible are my favorite examples. They are just ordinary enough for us to imagine ourselves in their sandals and yet extraordinary enough for us to imagine being that heroic.

I am reading the book of Jeremiah and while the determination and heroism that Jeremiah displays amazes me, there is another guy that has my attention. Ebed-Melech was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in service to the king . As a matter of fact, his name literally translates, “servant of the king”. I’m assuming the king may have had a say in that. The question is, to which king was he servant

He was in the palace of King Zedekiah. Wielding borrowed power, Zedekiah was a “puppet” king of Judah appointed by none other than the King of Babylon, His Royal Highness King Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah wasn’t just a Babylon royal flunky or a street urchin from Jerusalem, he was actually the son of King Josiah of Judah, but not of the same caliber. His biggest failure was of course, disobeying the Lord.

“Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.”
Jeremiah 37:2

But he did like some prayer cover from Jeremiah. He is recorded saying, “Please pray to the LORD our God for us.” Jeremiah 37:3b. He would send for Jeremiah secretly and ask for a word from God. I’ve seen this before. All of my life, U.S. Presidents, would call on Rev. Billy Graham to pray on the eve of an important event. They might not be obedient to the Lord themselves, but hey, Rev. Graham was, so let’s get him to ask God for help. It couldn’t hurt. Personally, I was always glad to see it. The same was true of Zedekiah. He knew that the Lord’s blessing was needed to survive but obeying just never came easy.

Who was Jeremiah?

Jeremiah was a prophet with an unpopular message and to ask him to pray was to ask for the truth of God’s message to the people, no matter how harsh. Jeremiah had already endured great suffering for the messages God gave him. He had been flogged, held in a cell, a dungeon, stocks, and was forced to hide from his own people. God had also put some demands on him. He was told to walk around without clothes for a time, wear a metal collar, buy property in a land going into captivity, and other extreme”object lessons”.

Why so much hatred for Jeremiah? His message: Judah was going to be captured by Babylon and the only way to survive was surrender. Just follow your captors and make the best of it. If you stay here in the Promised Land and try to fight you will surely die. Your great sin has brought God’s judgement. Not exactly patriotism and prosperity.

As a matter of fact that scripture that we all love so much and quote as our own promise:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

Those are instructions for going into captivity. Jeremiah gives them this promise right after telling them their captivity would last seventy years and then God would come do all the good things He had promised. Knowing their condition makes this verse an even more welcome promise.

Setting all that aside, we know Jeremiah made personal enemies throughout his life by calling out false prophets and denying the swelling words of Israel’s leaders. He could have originated the saying, “don’t shoot the messenger.” Jeremiah said in chapter 20:8, “When I speak, the words burst out, ‘Violence and destruction!’ I shout. So these messages from the Lord have made me a household joke.” Yet, Jeremiah was faithful to the true warning and His God who spoke to Him.

Opposition Comes – Brings Opportunity

In chapter 38, a group of court officials decided they had heard enough. Without going into the backgrounds of each, suffice it say they had either had confrontations with Jeremiah themselves or their father and grandpa had and there was a family grudge against him.

So these officials went to the king and said, “Sir, this man must die! That kind of talk will undermine the morale of the few fighting men we have left, as well as that of all the people. This man is a traitor!
King Zedekiah agreed. “All right,” he said. ” Do as you like, I can’t stop you.”
Jeremiah 38: 4,5

Okay Zedekiah. These are court officials. Your court officials. You are the king. I don’t know what kind of royal politics is being played here, but kings usually trump princes. Nevertheless, they won and Zedekiah sat on his weak hands and let the man of God suffer.

A song titled: Alone in a Muddy Pit

The Bible says “they took him from his cell and lowered him by ropes into an empty cistern in the prison yard. There was no water in the cistern but there was a thick layer of mud at the bottom and Jeremiah sank down in it.” (The pictures above were taken from the plot of ground said to be Caiaphas’ yard. He had several cells behind his home and this cistern. These were from Jesus’ time and a church has been built on top.) The fact that there was a thick layer of mud makes me think this would have been in the rainy season, probably cold. Jeremiah is sitting in this deep, dark, wet mudhole waiting until starvation took his life. The mud is making his skin sensitive. He is cold with no relief. All of his clothes are wet and heavy with mud. Soaked to the bone but thirsty beyond words, Jeremiah sits and laments. Literally, he was the author of the book of Lamentations. He wrote this of his experience.

My enemies, whom I have never harmed, hunted me down like a bird. They threw me into a pit and dropped stones on me. The water rose over my head and I cried, “This is the end!”
Lamentations 3:52-54

That’s where our friend, Ebed-melech appears. Jeremiah 38 tells us that when Ebed-melech realized what had happened to Jeremiah, he ran to King Zedekiah who was holding court in the Benjamin Gate. Surrounded by more court officials, Ebed-melech accuses the other officials of wickedness for putting Jeremiah in the muddy cistern. The food had nearly run out in city and Jeremiah would surely die.

A servant telling a king that his decision was wrong, his court officials were wicked, and making this pronouncement while the king is holding court is unthinkable. Ebed-melech was only a servant of the king. He took a great chance. He spoke against the popular opinions of the day. This wouldn’t lead to promotion. It might lead to death. It’s becoming more clear, which King he serves.

“Speak up for those who can not speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.”
Proverbs 31:8

King Zedekiah, always the puppet, agreed with Ebed-melech this time. “Take thirty of my men with you, and pull Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies.” 38:10.

Serving the King is ALWAYS an Adventure

The Bible tells us that Ebed-melech went to a room in the palace beneath the treasury and found some rags to soften the ropes he would use to pull out Jeremiah. Ebed-melech called down to Jeremiah, “Put these rags under your armpits to protect you from the ropes.” vs. 12. When Jeremiah was ready they pulled him out.

Ebed-melech’s care shows extraordinary compassion. It wouldn’t do for Ebed-melech to tie off a cattle rope and throw it down to Jeremiah with the instruction to pull himself up. Ebed-melech didn’t say, “Hey, I talked to the king. You thirty guys heard him. Get him out.” Ebed-melech didn’t even rush Jeremiah. The Bible points out that he didn’t pull a single inch until Jeremiah was ready.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
Colossians 3:12

He was a servant of the KING. He knew a servant should be entrusted with a job from start to finish, and that his work reflected on his king. His king loved Jeremiah and he was worth the effort.

The rescue is completed and the book of Jeremiah continues. Jeremiah is held in prison, not free, but not in a muddy cistern. While he is there and shortly before the captivity of Jerusalem is completed by Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah received this message from the Lord.

Jehovah Remembers

Say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will do to this city everything I have threatened. I will send disaster, not prosperity. You will see its destruction, but I will rescue you from those you fear so much. Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward, I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the Lord, have spoken!’
Jeremiah 39:16-18

“You will see its destruction, but I will rescue you.” Words from the KING.

The Lord sends word that Ebed-melech’s service was not only noticed but would be rewarded. He’s told that his rescue of Jeremiah will result in God’s rescue of him. The city would fall. The disaster, as promised, would come but that which Ebed-melech feared wouldn’t destroy him. He was a believer in the messages of judgement Jeremiah had preached. He feared God’s wrath on Jerusalem. The LORD’s final words must have brought such relief. “I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

God never loses count. He can destroy and spare simultaneously. Ask Rahab. He knows those who belong to Him. He really knows them. It’s the kind of knowing that says, “I know your fears.”, “I saw that selfless act.”, and “I know you are trusting me.”

Even when the “king” we serve at the moment may not seem just or wise; or the times we must swim against the flow of popular demand, He sees. Those opportunities you have taken to go the extra mile; bringing soft rags when ropes were all that was required, have been recorded by The KING. Don’t believe me? Then why do we know Ebed-melech’s name?

And the rewards are certain. The KING that Ebed-melech served has spoken.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the LORD, not human masters, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the LORD, as a reward. It is the LORD Christ you are serving.”
Colossians 3:23-24

What is you’re calling? Just a Servant to the KING.

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He Made Us,…

He made us and we are His. That answers so many of life’s questions.

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“Acknowledge that the LORD is God!
He made us, and we are His.
We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.”
Psalm 100:3

When I was in the fourth grade, I joined the kids choir at First Baptist Church in my little town. We practiced every Wednesday afternoon and eventually our small group signed up for a church choir competition, although I’m sure it wasn’t called that. Christians don’t compete, we “encourage” one another on to excellence. Anyway, the verse above was the opening to our worship song. Actually, we quoted all 5 verses of this well known chapter.

A couple of weeks ago, I came across this chapter again and then wrote down that middle line. “He made us, and we are His.” Let that roll over your mind for a bit. Maybe write it down. I apologize for not getting too deep this week, but often the simplicity of the Word is what astounds us.

As I considered this verse, I began to answer questions with it. Let me give you an example.

Q. Why should I obey God?

A. He made us, and we are His.

Or,

Q. Why does He love me?

A. He made us, and we are His.

You can try it.

Q. Why am I so fill in the blank?

Yes, “He made us, and we are His.“

You catch my drift? Once I got started, the questions kept coming:

Why should I not fear satan?

He made us, and we are His.

Why should I not fear…period?

He made us, and we are His.

Do I have a purpose?

He made us, and we are His.

Does anyone really love me?

He made us, and we are His.

Do I have any skills or talents?

He made us, and we are His.

My husband has left me for another.

He made us, and we are His.

My parents always favored my sister over me.

He made us, and we are His.

Again, another promotion has passed me by.

He made us, and we are His.

Really nothing compares to those 7 sweet words. He made me and I belong to Him. Again, this sounds like a lesson you teach your toddlers, but I couldn’t get away from it. Sometimes our exhaustive studies of Hebrew roots and Greek translations are just that – exhaustive. The Lord invites us back to the simple promises that brought us to Him in the first place.

He made us, and we are His.

Some time back, I had listened to a sermon and it pierced me. I could barely raise my head when it was over. The conviction of its words seemed to pinpoint past the excuses and facade and dealt with things I didn’t even realize were there. I needed some time alone with God. I headed to the park. We have a nice walking path and the Lord had me quote this scripture over and over as I circled the park for nearly an hour.

“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine…”
Song of Solomon 6:3

Full disclosure: Those aren’t my shoes or feet.

Now that might sound a little obsessive, but as I repeated its’ truth, it went in deeper and deeper. I had repented, the fog of sin had lifted, and now He was assuring me of His never failing love. I belonged to Him. I am my beloved’s, no matter what threats or accusations are assailed at me.

“But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.”
John 1:12

Children of God!! We are not those generic children-of-the-world that God created, therefore called “children of God”. No, we believed in Him and accepted Him and have been given such rights as a child of God. God is Our Father. No matter what the devil may tell you this week, this is the truth.

You do believe in Him and have accepted Him, right? If not, there is no better time than this to be adopted. It’s as easy as believing that Jesus came to earth, lived a sinless life, and died to pay for your sins. He came back to life three days later, to show victory over satan and death. He now sits on the right side of God and prays (intercedes) for us. Just ask for adoption into the family of God and start living like a child of GOD would live. All of your mistakes and sins in the past will be forgiven when you ask, too. You start out brand new. Yes, there’s much more to the relationship, but God gives us a lifetime to learn about Him and His many benefits.

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”
Ephesians 1:5

One of Africa’s most precious. Discarded by man, but adopted by God.

All of this happens because of Jesus. Ironic, because He is the one and only begotten son of our Father. From His lofty position in the Family, He brings us into adoption. His authority and love from the Father is not threatened by us because there is no end to either. He can freely share because the Father has freely shared with Him. We just bathe in the benefits.

So, welcome to the family if you are just getting started. Don’t forget His many benefits, if you have been here a long time. Repeat those early promises if you need the reminder. John reminded the Christians of his day.

“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!”
1 John 3:1

…And we are His.

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You’ve Got Mail

You walk in the door leaving the stresses of your job in the garage, where you will pick them up tomorrow. Now it’s time for supper, kitchen clean-up, a little yard work before it’s dark, and then pay a few bills before bed. Ho hum. But first, you rifle through the mail. Bill, catalog, another cruise advertisement, bill, letter, dentist appointment reminder…. Wait! Go back! It’s a letter. I got a letter. It doesn’t look like an invitation. It’s not my birthday. I don’t even think it is a thank you card. It’s a real, this-changes-my-whole-day, letter! Been there?

You brew the coffee, put up your lunch bag, let the dog out and make sure all is right in your little world before you sit down to tear open this rare envelope. You want to savor it. I will typically read it once, quickly jumping from bit to bit as if it will vanish if I don’t read it fast enough. Then I reread it and let the words enter my heart and mind like a good song.

That’s the power of a letter.

It is an art that is vanishing with the click of an email, or even faster, a text. I’m not opposed to those. I use them all the time. But there is an uniqueness to a handwritten letter. Words are chosen carefully and put down in ink for all to see and often kept for posterity. Just after I finished 8th grade my parents decided to move us to another town. It was actually an adjoining town to where I had grown up, but it might as well been another universe. Starting high school with no friends was terrifying. I remember when I received a letter from my old Best Friend Forever back home. Her words soothed an anxious soul. She missed me “lots” and quoted an Amy Grant song that we both loved, “in a little while, we’ll be with the Father”. (I told you it was traumatic.). I still have that letter.

I have a stack of postcards that a close friend sent to me as her and her hubby traveled for weeks at a time after he retired. Her day-to-day adventures and laughs were shared with me to refresh my non-vacationing soul. It was as if I was making memories with them.

Speaking of hubbies, mine is a man of few words; but I have a heart shaped box full of letters he wrote before we married. Priceless. What a gift that will be for my grandkids.

I bet you tried to read the letter above. See how inviting they are?

Then there are the letters that came in the mail from a friend at the very moment it was so desperately needed. “I want you to know how much our friendship means to me.”, “I prayed for you this morning.”, or “I read this scripture today and I thought of you.” Those are the ones you pull out of the folds of your Bible and reread on those days your love tank is sucking fumes……or on just any day a “word hug” is needed.

Letter writing is biblical. David wrote letters as king. Elijah wrote a letter in 2 Chronicles and Jeremiah is recorded as a letter writer as well. The first apostles wrote letters to the early church, Peter wrote several letters and of course there is Paul writing the epistles (letters) to the Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians and so on. Some of the most famous letters were those Jesus instructed John to write to the seven churches in Revelation.

We are still rereading those and will continue until the words are all fulfilled. Their words were of course inspired of God and Holy. (2 Timothy 3:16). Ours can be also. I’m not saying that people will one day memorize your letter to Aunt Myrtle, but the words you prayerfully scribble could be the very encouragement or truth that God would say to her today.

“The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain…”
Proverbs 10:11

“The words of the godly encourage many,…”
Proverbs 10:21

“Some people make cutting remarks; but the words of the wise bring healing.”
Proverbs 12:18

That note that you keep putting off could make all the difference, even bring healing. God can use your stationery and pen to give life. There will be a word or story or a question that shows concern and it makes an impact on the reader’s day and ultimately her life. When she reads your story she’ll know you think enough of her to share. She will pull it out to show family and they too will enjoy your tales.

I know the blank sheet of paper, no matter how beautiful, can be intimidating. Where do you start? What should you say? Well, let me answer with a question. What were the thoughts that made you want to write this person in the first place? Do you have a word to encourage? Do you miss them? Have you a memory that made you smile? I can’t imagine anything sweeter than being reminded of a special laugh shared between friends. Sometimes we have something difficult to say or too awkward tete-a-tete. That is the perfect time to write those words. You can practice the lay of them and get the meaning just right. For those of us who stumble frequently over spoken words, writing them gives the pause I need to make my thoughts meaningful.

Let me also encourage the men who are reading today, this pertains particularly to you. History tells us that President Ronald Reagan was a prolific letter writer, having written at least 10,000 letters in his lifetime. His legacy includes letters of appreciation and encouragement to prime ministers as well as private citizens, his family, and even children. There are volumes of love letters he wrote to his dear Nancy. Thankfully, many of our forefathers were the same. Much of what we know about their beliefs and convictions is from letters they wrote. Can you imagine what an impact you could make on future generations in your family? I think I have kept every letter that my dad ever wrote me. Your written word, Dad, could be the word needed and held to for decades.

Speaking of legacies, they are not made of phone calls. You can’t reread a telephone conversation. Even in the repeating of the story often the truth is lost. Texts are necessary and memes are hilarious, but a written word of truth lasts. Often, I find myself ending a letter with scripture. It’s almost as if to say, “Never mind all the gobbledy gook I just jotted in the last six paragraphs. Here is the truth.”

I found this quote and thought it pretty much nailed me.

A woman seldom writes her Mind, but in her postscript.
Richard Steele, Spectator

Paul would often close his letters with final instructions. Greet these friends, beware of those, hope to see you soon. So-and-so sends his love. Then he would evidently sign it with his own large handwriting. Maybe someone did the letter writing from dictation (often Paul’s hands were chained) and he would sign. It was important to him. It’s the handshake at the end of the message and proved it was from him.

Peter said in 1 Peter 5:12, “My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.” Those words are still assuring to the follower of Christ. I want to write letters that encourage and speak grace to the reader, causing them to stand firm and continue in the battle. Don’t you?

So what do you say? Grab a nice sheet of paper and your favorite pen and “hug” someone with words today.

You want my address???

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His Laws – An Offer You Shouldn’t Refuse

David knew God’s commands were the secret to a wonderful life. He wrote 176 verses celebrating that truth. Let it encourage you.

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A lot of blogs offer a free product. Sign-up and you will receive my “12 Secrets to Cure Turkey Neck” or “How to Become a Millionaire Just by Watching Reruns”. Believe me, I’ve been tempted. But what if I offered a product that delivered truth, joy and great peace. It is thoroughly tested and found to be trustworthy and true in every instance. It is sweeter than honey, worth more than gold, fine gold, and has no limits to its use. Wait! There’s more! If you are one of the next 30 subscribers…..

No, but seriously, there is something so wonderful and it’s FREE. The longest chapter in the Bible is a tribute to the wonder of God’s commands. Psalm 119 has 176 verses that proclaim that God’s law was the best thing that had ever happened to David the Psalmist.

“I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.” vs.14
“I am always overwhelmed with a desire for your regulations.” vs.30
“How I delight in your commands! How I love them!” vs.47
Psalm 119

He clearly loved the law. He has written a literature masterpiece where each stanza begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet and each verse begins with that letter also. This took some thought and required lots of words and passion for God’s Word. Give it a try. I got stuck on the first line:

Always truth in every line,
And brings life to its reader.
uhhh......

David continues for 176 verses and shares what only a lover of God’s commandments would know. Here are a few of the benefits of the law that he listed:

Gives joy: vs. 1, 2, 35 (Who doesn’t want that?)
Guards against sin: vs. 9, 11 (the only guard we have against it)
It’s wonderful truth: vs. 18, 160 (for a world without truths)
Those who wander from it are cursed: v. 21. (read that one again!)
Wise advice: vs. 24
Encouraging: vs. 28
Gives life: vs. 37, 25, 93, 149 (REAL life)
Answers those who taunt: vs. 42
My only hope: 43, 114
Freedom: v. 45 (it’s interesting that His law brings freedom – most laws don’t)
Comfort: v. 55
Direction for life: vs. 59, 133 (needed through all the seasons of life)
Fair: vs. 75, 137
Trustworthy: vs. 86, 138
Remains true: vs. 91 (I love laws that stay the same and apply to everyone)
Has no limit: vs. 96
Constant guide: vs. 98
Wisdom: vs. 95-100. (something I long for more and more)
Sweeter than honey: vs. 103 (sweet, sweet commandments?)
Lamp to my feet: vs. 125 (an old Sunday school favorite)
My treasure: vs. 111
Is right: vs. 128 (wonder what “the right” thing to do is?)
Thoroughly tested: vs. 140 (by millions of believers and unbelievers through the centuries)
Perfectly true: vs. 142 (PERFECTLY)
Lasts forever: vs. 152, 160
Great peace: vs. 165 ( not just regular ol’ peace, but great peace)

Consider this, David was writing this about the Law. At the time David was writing Psalms there were only the books of Moses, creation, and the law. There were prophets in his time, but no prophetic books. There was no encouragement of the New Testament, no forgiveness in Christ, no exhortations by Paul. David was this excited about God’s Old Testament law.

“I rise at midnight to thank you for your regulations.”
Psalm 119:62

When was the last time you got up in the middle of the night to thank God for the Ten Commandments? Maybe we don’t understand their benefits.

“Your laws are my treasure, they are my heart’s delight.” vs. 111
“Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold.” vs. 127
“I pant with expectation, longing for your commands.” vs. 131
Psalm 119

As I read these verses, I am forced to compare my passion for God’s commands to David’s panting and longing for the same. I do love God’s word. I dare not start a day without it. I can say “amen” to every one of the descriptions that David offered. At times in life, the words have literally leapt off the pages and saved me all over again. God’s commands are powerful and true.

So, why does Pinterest and YouTube grab my attention when I want a mental break? Why is it that I can try memorizing a recipe but not a scripture? Sometimes I find myself searching for a good devotional instead of the very words of Christ. It’s a battle. Even when I am reading the Bible, I often look for the promises and scan over the rules.

Looking over the list above, I clearly understand why the devil would have us distracted. It serves him. The last thing the devil wants is for you to believe that God’s commands are the best choice. It’s one thing to know that we should be obedient to God. He is God, after all. But it is a whole different level to totally believe that following His commands would deliver those benefits. How much easier to obey rules when we are convinced they are the route to God’s best.

What do you need for victory? It’s found in His commands. David kept his head in the battle by meditating on God’s law.

“Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.”
Psalm 119:95

God’s word helps us stay focused, with right priorities – another blow to satan’s plans.

“Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your Word.”
Psalm 119:37

The world strives for peace and cannot achieve it. We want peace among nations and around kitchen tables. Even peace in our own hearts is often evasive. But His commands bring peace.

“Those who love your instruction have great peace and do not stumble.”
Psalm 119:165

David knew and believed that God’s commands and law were not only true but his only hope. There wasn’t a viable plan B. I want to live my life this way. May God’s commands be the option I believe in. When sin wags its tempting finger, I will not beckon. I know that God’s laws are better.

David says it best:

“Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them!”
Psalm 119:129

Truth, Joy, and Peace laying in her lap.

That’s it. When we are convinced that obedience is good for us, we obey. When we forget that God’s laws are beneficial, we more readily accept another way. Isn’t that how satan tempted in the garden? He told Eve that to disobey God’s commands would make her like God, wise and all knowing. She agreed and at that moment decided God’s commands weren’t for her benefit and sin entered the world. She was wrong and so are we when we disregard the wonderful commands of God.

We have to read and know His commands to appreciate and obey them. I challenge you to up your game in pursuit of God. Are you reading a chapter in the morning? Then add one at night. Find a reading plan that challenges you. Read the Bible all the way through. That’s the only way to understand the whole beautiful story. Study the commands and the promises. Let’s study until our midnight wake up is just to say thanks for His Word.

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Sufficient Grace is Amazing

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’
2 Corinthians 12:8,9

I thought I knew. It’a word I throw around like it’s common; a catchall of words to describe God’s goodness. I walk in this, rest in this, and I’m literally saved by this. Truth is, I was going to name my daughter this. Instead I had a hulky boy, now man, that would have had a hard time explaining his name as GRACE.

GRACE. Isn’t it just one of those Christianese words that seems to flow out of our mouths often and yet, I’m guessing we hardly give it a deeper thought. We throw it in with mercy and lump it into salvation and there we go with another pretty way to say we are forgiven.

As I began to search just a small bit deeper, the meanings and examples are amazing. Besides the verse above, there are many others that made me think and ponder. Here are a few:

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8

“The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; …” Esther 2:17

“… The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11

“Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ ” Zechariah 4:7

“And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” Luke 2:40

Just these five verses show the diversity and depth of grace. For Noah, it was how God saw him amidst the chaos and sin of the world. Esther was King Xerxes’s favorite and obtained grace. God gives grace along with all the other good things he gives to the upright. Notice, the upright receive grace. We typically think of the sinner getting grace. Zerubabbel shouted “Grace, Grace” as he set the cornerstone for the temple. He might be doing the work, but it was God’s grace that would see it accomplished. And finally, Jesus is described as a child with the grace of God upon Him. That is certainly not forgiveness or mercy.

We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8,9). We are invited to approach the Throne of Grace to receive mercy (Hebrews 4:16). Romans 6:14 tells us that we are no longer under the law, but under grace. Grace is a small word with a HUGE gift. I was so pleasantly surprised to read the definitions.

Strong’s defines grace as kindness, favor, beauty, pleasant, precious, well-favored. In the Outline of Biblical Usage it is favor, grace, charm, elegance, and acceptance. How wonderful to be seen in the eyes of the Lord like this. We can’t earn those entitlements; they are given by God. God gives His grace to us and we walk with the elegance and acceptance of His favored children. How pleasant!

Horses are the most graceful of animals. They are regal with a sense of knowing they are animals of the kings.

You may have heard the definition of grace as “unmerited favor” and that is true, but for me that doesn’t paint the complete picture. Maybe I get hung up on the unmerited part. It’s not only the idea of mercy for the woeful sinner I am, but the amazing truth that I’m favored – a favorite. That’s grace.

So, when Paul is plagued with some thorn in the flesh from satan and asks the Lord to take it away three times, the Lord responds that “His grace is sufficient for Him.” God doesn’t offer forgiveness nor healing, not mercy or wisdom. He promises grace sufficient. His grace. It is that gift of walking in this life with the precious and pleasant favor of God. Charles Spurgeon wrote about this verse, “He who knows, like the bee, how to suck honey from flowers, may well linger over each one of these words and drink in unutterable content.”

MY – GRACE- IS – Sufficient – for – YOu

Growing up I always loved the movies Cinderella and Snow White. No matter the wickedness that threatened and plotted against them, they walked in the pleasantness and charm of grace. The inner beauty of grace caused birds to sing and princes to swoon. They knew they were loved and that made all the difference. Even though they are fictional, the movies portray the confidence and humility that comes from knowing our KING loves us and His grace is our gift. Grace says, “I know that I appear to be not up to the challenges, but HIS power is made perfect in weakness.” (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). “His grace is sufficient for me.”

Reading Paul’s letters, I concentrate on the closings. I’m a letter writer and find that a letter in the mail is one of this life’s greatest joys. Paul would take care of business when he closed and usually ended with a blessing that reads like your favorite Psalm. The last verse of 2 Corinthians closes with:

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God, and
the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.”
2 Corinthians 13:14

His amazing grace! This “kiss of God’s favor” is all I need. I can’t think of anything I would rather have. When the world is so unkind, grace tells me I am His masterpiece. When my soul is troubled and I can’t find any good, grace shows me His goodness. Grace leaves me “handfuls on purpose” left by my Savior. And though half my life over and all down hill, I will age grace-fully. Grace is a gift of God. Like the old hymn taught us, His grace is quite amazing.

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Come Here, Courage

The Old Testament is chock full of stories of courage. There were men who sat with lions, danced in the fire, and defeated armies that surrounded them. There were women who killed enemy commanders, defied kings, and hid their children from death.

In college, I had to read Profiles in Courage, a biography of courageous men in history. Sam Houston was my favorite. This week I picked up a children’s story book that was printed in 1923. That has been eye-opening on many fronts; one is the extraordinary courage of the characters in the stories. There are little boys and girls walking through dark and deep woods to survive, working for cruel masters and making harrowing escapes. It makes me wonder if perhaps our literature is too safe these days. Where are the heroes?

This week I read the story of Jehoida, a priest of Judah. He served during the reign of Queen Athaliah, whose wickedness makes Cruella Deville seem neighborly. When her horrible son/king was killed, she finished off the rest of the royal family – some were her own children and grandchildren! No one was safe under her rule, especially followers of God.

One of her infant grandsons was hidden in the Temple of God by the sister of the dead king. This sister, Jehosheba, was also Jehoida the priest’s wife. The infant was safe in the Temple presumably because Queen Athaliah would never visit. The child stayed hidden for seven years. Jehoida and his wife, Jehosheba, knew their lives were in danger. This child, Joash, knew nothing of the outside world. He grew up in the presence of the Lord.

Jehoida knew that things were bound to change. He could have waited a little longer, at least until Joash was a teen. He could have just grabbed wife and child and escaped to Egypt or fled to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. But…

“In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada the priest decided to act. He summoned his courage and made a pact with five army commanders:”
2 Chronicles 23:1

I love that wording. “He summoned his courage”. There sat Jehoida, another month hidden in the temple, baby-sitting the real king, and watching wicked Queen Athaliah stroll around Jerusalem. He knew God had given him the assignment. If life was going to change, he would have to say, “Come here, Courage.”

The story is so much better than I can paraphrase here. It’s all there in 2 Chronicles. 1 and 2 Chronicles are both good reading. There is so much wisdom to be gained from their successes and failures. In this account, Jehoida summons (along with his courage) five commanders, who travel throughout Judah calling priests and people to gather in Jerusalem for the express purpose of crowning Joash, the seven year old, as king.

The act was treasonous, as Athaliah would scream while her kingdom crumbled around her head. As Jehoida was crowning Joash and handing him a written copy of God’s laws, the people began to shout, sing, and praise God for their new king.

This was the music Athaliah heard as she was led to the Horse Gate and killed. Her story was over.

Jehoida went on to be the young king’s advisor and a great reformer in Judah. He rebuilt the temple, tore down idols and brought worship of the true God across the land. Jehoida lived to be 130 years old, in a time when long lives were rare.

All of this happened when Jehoida summoned his courage. It takes “guts” to make changes, to reorder our lives. It is so much easier to just “go along to get along”. He could have lived a quiet life inside the cloisters of the temple with his wife and rescued child. After all, what more could God ask? He had rescued and cared for the true king. But Jehoida knew there was more, as there is so many times in our life. He knew it was time to act and told his courage to “come here.”

Life takes courage. An Overcomers life takes great courage. Try to rid yourself of an addiction. Or a habit. Change your lifestyle. It all takes courage. You must summon your courage and take a step away from the comfortable. You must believe that God will meet you there in the unknown.

It takes courage to step out in ministry or to allow God to use you. The most courageous decision you’ll make is to follow Christ as a believer and then to be obedient to Him after the decision. Of course, that is the right decision. So many agree to the conditions of repentance, forgiveness, and eternal life; but find that obedience is so scary. It’s hard to trust His commands are best.

When the Lord begins asking you to forgive others that are clearly wrong, that’s another level of courage. What if they do “it” to me again? No cowards love their enemies. That takes the courage of God. Courage is necessary to trust God with your finances and time.

It requires courage to be a witness to others. We can trust God with salvation, but find it hard to make a stand when surrounded in the lunchroom at work. OH, the courage it takes to speak up for God!

Great men risk it all for the cause in which they believe. We “risk” nothing in obedience to God. He holds us all safely. Even if we should lose our life, He rewards us with life everlasting. Jesus promised that anything we should surrender to follow Him would be given back, not only in this life, but the life to come. (see Mark 10:29,30) We don’t follow a cause, we stand with a King.

One last verse to consider, written by the Psalmist, describes the unbelief of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. Because they didn’t trust God to fight for them, they died in the desert.

“The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe His promises to care for them. Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord.”
Psalms 106:24,25

Remember this act of trust? “Look, Mom, no hands!”

It’s really an either/or situation. Will I summon my courage and walk toward the Promised Land, trusting the One Who Walks with Me; or sit in my “tent”, refuse the One Who Stands Outside, and grumble about my unfair life?

What is God calling you to do? I’m guessing it isn’t easy. Most likely a comfort zone is not included. But you…you are believing His promises, thankful for the calling and boldly entering the Pleasant Land. And when the path looks formidable, you call out, “Come here, courage!”

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God Loves a Sacrifice

Giving is part of our relationship with God. It’s a beautiful part of worship that attracts the heart of God.

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I’m not taking an offering or asking for a donation to keep this “ministry” alive for another month, so I can write this with freedom and a smile. There is nothing for me to gain except the satisfaction of sharing what God pointed out to me recently…and then again. He loves a sacrificial gift from His people. He enjoys a present. He needs nothing, but loves an offering. If the God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament (and I know He is), He gets plain excited when presented gifts from sincere hearts.

When Solomon had been handed the keys to the Kingdom of Israel, he stood before God, overwhelmed by the immensity of the job. 1 Kings 3 tells us that Solomon offered 1000 burnt offerings. 1000! That night the Lord appeared to him and offered to give him whatever he requested. Solomon chose wisely to choose wisdom.

Many years later, we read in 2 Chronicles the events surrounding the dedication of the Temple. Solomon was the first King to build God a temple. It was magnificent. Before they moved the Ark of the Covenant into the Holy of Holies, “There, before the Ark, King Solomon and the entire community of Israel sacrificed so many sheep, goats, and cattle that no one could keep count!” 2 Chronicles 5:6.

Ummm, read the book of Numbers and tell me these people can’t count! They counted everything…twice. But this day, there are so many sacrifices it was impossible to keep count. That’s some sacrifice!

What happens next? They move the Ark into the Most Holy Place. The priests begin to worship and play instruments. The praise to our God rings out across the mountain.

“At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the LORD. The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple of God.”
2 Chronicles 5:13,14

That had to be an unforgettable moment. Grandpas would be telling grandkids generations later. “The glory of God was so thick, I couldn’t see your grandma standing right there next to me. But over the din of instruments I could hear her weep tears of joy knowing Jehovah was in our midst. Awwww, it was something to see.”

His grandson will ask, “What did you bring Grandpa? How many sheep did you give Jehovah?”

He will answer his grandson, “How much offering did we bring to the celebration, you ask? Could have been three sheep or three hundred, He is worth it. I never regretted the offering.”

That’s what a good sacrifice feels like.

The story is not over though. Solomon stood before the Temple and the people and offered praises to God, who had brought this great building to completion. He thanked Him for his faithfulness in keeping every promise and then offered a very specific prayer of dedication. (2 Chronicles 6)

“When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple. The priest could not enter the Temple of the LORD because the glorious presence of the LORD filled it.”
2 Chronicles 7:1,2

Again, God showed up in power, after sacrifices and worship. Now, I’m not making light of God’s work here, but how cool is our God? He sees man’s effort to please Him with “burnt” offerings, and to show His appreciation, He burns them up with a flash of fire from Heaven!

It’s like giving Him a homemade, lopsided, box mix cake with little, hard sugar letters that spell out Happy Birtday, because the “h” broke peeling it off the package. Then you sing the birthday song to Him, completely out of tune, like you’ve heard it so many times. He smiles, blows out the candles, and BOOM, it’s a cake the Cake Boss couldn’t dream up. That’s our God.

“Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to the LORD. King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God.”
2 Chronicles 7:4,5

Alright now, consider those numbers again. Twenty two thousand cows and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats! That is some sacrifice…even for Solomon. Think about the blood shed, the mess, the effort it took for priests to slaughter and properly sacrifice that many animals. Some may have thought it a waste, although it is not mentioned. Maybe some of us would have thought, like Judas, the meat could have “fed the poor”.

Not to mention the timing of this gift. This sacrifice was made after God had made His presence known two times already, in the Temple and on the way to the Temple. This was after so many sacrifices had been made that no one could keep count. We might say, “Enough already!”

They clearly understood that worship included a sacrifice and were happy to give and give some more. This challenges me. When my worship seems dry and I am longing for His presence I am challenged to give.

This is not tithe. That ten percent is our obedience to Him. This can’t be giving so that I can receive. That is manipulation. I must give what I know will bless God.

The challenge is to worship with our sacrificial offering. We will give before we feel His presence, while we feel His presence, and after we know God has visited us. O God, may we also sing while we give. The Israelites did.

I emphasize this because it’s true and God loved it. The Israelites continued to celebrate for seven more days the Festival of Tabernacles. “Then at the end of the celebration, Solomon sent the people home. They were all joyful and glad because the Lord had been so good…” 2 Chronicles 7:10

This week give a gift to the Lord. Don’t just wait until a dire need is presented. Don’t just give to get that special CD offer from your favorite preacher. Don’t give because I said so or because guilt has set in. Let’s give because we are just so in love with our Savior. He loves a sacrifice and we love Him. The best gifts are the unexpected ones. Let your worship come with a sacrifice and all to His delight. Who knows? Maybe He will send fire!

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Getting to Know…Me

There has been a thought rolling around in my heart for a while. I say heart, because that is where God deals. The question I ponder is not how well do I know God, but rather how well does He know me. I know on the surface that may sound a little, well, me-ish; but hang with me for a bit and see what I mean.

The idea first came to me after reading a very familiar passage.

“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!’ “
Matthew 7:22, 23

This a scene of judgement. What strikes me is that even in judgement God wants to discuss relationship. Evidently many people will try making a case to enter Heaven that sounds “spiritually” compelling. Speaking personally, I’m not sure that my Christian resume reads anything like these. Prophesying, casting out demons, and performing lots of miracles would be enough to convince most of us they belong inside the pearly gates.

Jesus says otherwise and he says it plainly. “I don’t know you and as a matter of fact, get away from me.” Aye, yie, yie. I can’t imagine worse words to hear. It makes me cringe, just putting it in 2019 English. But my thoughts today aren’t on the fires of hell or even eternal judgement. It’s in that “I never knew you” part.

As believers, we strive to know the Lord. There are countless scriptures encouraging people to know God. Study the scriptures because they testify of Him. Seek His presence and His will. Seek Him with all your heart. These are all truths and the only way to be a disciple; but Jesus didn’t say plainly, ‘Get away from me evildoers. You don’t know me.’ It was clearly, ‘I don’t know you.’

If you are like me, your thought process goes something like this. But God knows everything. He certainly knows me. The Bibles tells me so.

“O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 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.”
Psalm 139:1-4

There is nothing hidden before God. Your heart is not camouflaged before Him. So, what gives? How can He not know those condemned in judgement? I asked the Lord.

He set my mind to thinking about the few people that I would say “know” me. My husband will ask me what’s wrong as soon as I walk in the house. He knows that face. My son answers my questions before I finish asking. It goes like this. “Did you…?” “Yea, I saw it.”

Some friends may even be able to finish my sentences. It may be a sibling, a spouse, or a bestie in your life. They’re fun to talk to because they understand your history. They know your circumstances and your people. It’s easy conversation. They also know your weaknesses and can be painfully honest with you. They know you and absolutely love you.

Now, ask yourself. Does God KNOW you like that? When I asked myself, I felt unsure but determined to change things. If God wanted to know me, then I was going to make that happen. Morning coffee would be shared between the King of Kings and morning, smash face, me. I started telling the Lord about myself. Not everything at once, but just interesting tidbits, like when making a new friend. Before long, I was sharing more. Somedays, I tell Him all that I have to do. Somedays, I ask lots of questions. Of course, my conversation with God seemingly always includes my pressing needs. He is God after all.

I encourage you to try it. Don’t let satan talk you out of it. I know his argument. “This is a waste of time because God already knows.” Of course He does, but He still wants to hear your heart. Remember when your children were small? When they came to tell you a big story that happened in their life, nothing, absolutely nothing was more important, even if you just watched it all happen in your backyard. You cared about every syllable. You wanted their take on the situation. You enjoyed their excitement, you understood their frustration, you offered your wisdom. God is the same.

A strange thing has happened in this quest to let Him know me: I have discovered some things about myself. God is so much more than a psychotherapist, but when I started telling the Lord how I felt, I heard myself say things I didn’t know were there. Not only was He listening, but by His Spirit, He was drawing out my feelings like a good friend.

In these heaven meets earth “convos”, My Father has reprimanded me with soft challenges. He helps me see the situations in my life spiritually, which is ALWAYS a different view than the one I bring Him. We even share a few laughs. I don’t mean God is up there telling me St. Peter-at-the-pearly-gate jokes. The laughs are more like those you share with friends who know you. The words don’t even have to be said. It was a shared experience and great joy comes in knowing you are both reminiscing about the same time. Such sweetness in a shared life.

David wrote, later in that same Psalm that declared God knew everything about him:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Psalm 139: 23

David, who had earlier proclaimed with certainty that God knew EVERYTHING about him, was now asking the Lord to search and know him. That’s the picture. Have you ever had an acquaintance for years and then the relationship turned a corner? You are close now, even best friends. You know how it happened? One of you opened up and shared a need, a hurt, a more personal story. The other felt trusted and began sharing too. Boom. A relationship blooms.

How sweet that is when it’s you and your Creator. It’s the path of everlasting life. Do you want the promise of Heaven? Let Him get to know you. He will begin to lead you on His path. Relationships are not built on judgement day. They are made today. Have a cup of coffee with the Savior and get started.

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God Creates These Beauties Even When We Aren’t Looking

Pictures and words to express the magnitude of God’s creation and love of creation.

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All things were made through him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:3

A friend of mine told me the other day that she enjoyed the pictures on my blog. Funny thing is that is the part for which I can take the least credit. Besides picking them out and pushing a few buttons, I have very little to do with them. I’m not the photographer of the family. Nevertheless, today, I would like to share more than my usual. This is not because I have run out of things to say. It’s more, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

These are mountains in Alaska. That is a “river” of snow and ice, frozen in time . How God creates serenity, harshness, and beauty in one quiet range is amazing. We went for miles and miles without seeing a person, a house, a light. There was just this. We stood on the boat pretty much speechless.

I love Arkansas. I am a Texan, but I sure wish I had kin folks somewhere around Hot Springs. While I’m wishing, can I have kin folks with an unoccupied furnished apartment that begs us to come and stay often….and please use their hot tub?

Pictured above is a wooded area there. When I walk through woods, God reminds me that these trees, birds, leaves, ground cover, wildflowers, and bugs are here every day. This is not an amusement park that opens for the public at 8:00 AM. The trees are not rolled away and repainted every season. God creates and manages this wonderland 24/7. Most of the wonders are never seen by human eyes, but God loves creation so much that He will enjoy it by Himself. That’s why when we walk into the woods, stand on a mountaintop, or stop and gaze at a bird, it seems like we walk in His presence.

No filters, just raw beauty. We had driven higher and higher into the Rocky Mountains and saw signs for a fish camp. I imagined a little pond or stream that somehow puddled among the peaks. We pulled in to the large parking lot and was completely surprised when we walked to the edge and this was our view. It was really that blue, even up close. It was like God had poured out blue ink in the middle of rocky cliffs. Evidently, the fishing was good too.

Another point about creation: Every angle is a different inspiration. Same lake, but it warranted another “ahhhhh”. There were several more before the day was over.

It looks like the best crayon box ever. The colors are vibrant. The textures, the shapes, the smells all unique. Have you ever seen an ugly flower? I haven’t. God designed them all. They grow in places seen and unseen. They grow on the sides of trees, in fertile soil, and in rocky paths. Some of the most beautiful bloom on the end of cactus stems. Google it. You won’t be sorry. They grow where God decides color is needed or the air needs freshening. You probably have at least one in your yard right now. Stop and enjoy the masterpiece.

Ask my family and they will lie and tell you that I must stop the car and we all have to get out so that I can take a picture of every stream that we pass. They will also shake their head and claim that we will have to take our shoes off and wade in, if at all possible. Oh, how they exaggerate. It’s not true. Actually, I only take pictures and wade into streams that are running over rocks. If there are no rocks, I’m totally satisfied with just a picture.

Here’s a few more.

I love the sound that running water makes. God put the perfect sound effects to nature as well. Whether the rushing roar or the happy trickle, it’s all music to our ears.

Then there is the entertaining parts of creation. God has truly shown his creativity with animals, insects, and fish. We are still discovering new species under the sea. Last week I saw the first cat/fox species. It was a domestic looking cat with a large fox tail. Gorgeous. Yay God! Look at the faces of the camel and the alpaca and tell me you aren’t smiling? If these pics don’t do it for you, then type “alpaca images” into your favorite browser and have a laugh.

This little guy among the rocks made his home near the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem. Life still reigns!

(sorry about the poop – that’s life.)

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.”
Psalm 19:1

We really can’t appreciate all of God’s handiwork without looking up.

My mother is a very talented artist. I have seen her paint striking sunsets and sunrises for years. But seriously, these colors don’t come in tubes. This picture was taken from a moving car, flying down a Louisiana highway. Can you imagine the magnificence if I could have pulled over and waded in? Ahem, family.

God did all this. He does all this. Everyday. You will not wake up tomorrow and fear that God has forgotten to rotate the earth on its axis. The sun will rise in the east and set in the west and He will do it without ever repeating a design. Tadpoles and lion cubs will continue to be born, even if He is the only One to see them. Alpine flowers will poke through the snow to the glory of Him who gave them strength. He created it all and all will continue until He says “enough”. Take time to enjoy it today and thank Him.

Ah, Lord God! It is You who have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm!
Nothing is too hard for You.
Jeremiah 32:17

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When God Reads Your Mail

When the enemy is threatening you, God takes it as a personal insult.

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As a kid, I watched Batman and Robin every day after school. I had to because the day before the dynamic duo were strapped to a ticking bomb or rolling down a conveyor belt into a buzzing table saw, seconds from their death. I knew they would make it, but I had to tune in and find out how. That’s sort of how I left you last week. The devil (aka King Sennacherib) was making threats that seemed all too common today.

It could have been titled 7 Lies That Keep You From Trying. We’ve experienced them all and like all convincing lies, there is just enough truth to make us believe them. Then when we believe them, they in turn, become reality. My hope was by identifying them, we might recognize the lie before we start agreeing with it.

While, it’s great to uncover the enemies’ tactics, it’s greater to see how another hero of faith deals with the threats. One of the most interesting things, is what he doesn’t say.

“But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, “Do not answer him.”
2 Kings 18:36

There are times we talk too much. The devil enjoys knowing what has boggled our minds and has effectively sidelined our faith for the moment. Like a chicken, he will peck at the sore spot. Don’t give him the satisfaction. I know there are times we just need a shoulder to cry on and a friend to help bear the burden. No doubt, that’s necessary and a gift from the Father. But our incessant complaining is praise to satan and drives our faith and other’s into the grave. Hezekiah commanded his people to not let their fears be heard. Don’t let the enemy see you sweat.

Humility is Necessary

“When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into the Temple of the Lord.”
2 Kings 18:1

King Hezekiah humbled himself before the King of the Universe and went to church to seek His help. Yep, that was me last week. There are times in life when memorized prayers and polite little requests are not enough. You have to cry ugly, get in a posture of need, and find that place where you can get alone with God. Preferably, in reverse order. (grin). There is nothing pretty or religious about it. The devil says you look weak. Don’t believe him. I work in a church and the strongest people I know will come there when life gets difficult. They walk away strengthened.

Ask for Prayer

He also sent his advisers to visit the prophet of God, Isaiah. He told them to tell Isaiah just how bad it was.

“This is the what King Hezekiah says: ‘Today is a day of trouble, insults, and disgrace. It is like when a child is ready to be born, but the mother has no strength to deliver the baby. But perhaps the Lord your God has heard the Assyrian chief of staff, sent by the king to defy the living God, and will punish him for his word. Oh, pray for those of us who are left!’.”
2 Kings 18:3,4

Hezekiah tells the man of God, that they are facing trouble, they have been insulted, and they are humiliated. I would venture to say most trials fall under at least one of those headings. You have suffered some kind of physical loss. Or your friend, or family, or boss has used words to insult you. Don’t words hurt? Or maybe you have had a failure that is humiliating. Deserved or undeserved. Seek the Lord and be honest.

Then he compares this trial to a baby coming to full term and the mother is too weak to deliver. He’s done. He has held his ground, watched and waited as Assyria got closer and closer, and now the moment has arrived to battle. Hezekiah finds himself too worn-out to labor. That is humiliating and dangerous.

Even when your faith is lacking

Did you notice the choice of words in his request? I don’t want to make more out it than there is, but I don’t believe there are any accidental words in the Word. Hezekiah says “perhaps” the Lord “your” God has heard. Perhaps? Oh, Hezekiah, the Lord’s ear is not dull. He heard the blasphemy. And why, “your God” and not “our God”? It seems to me his faith has taken some blows. His ears are still ringing with the threats. Perhaps Isaiah can persuade God to help. Look at that last line. Pray, Isaiah, for the few survivors that are still hanging on. Not exactly a fireball of faith, but still trusting in the Only One Who Can Help.

Easy Peasy

God gives a quick reply through Isaiah.

“This is what the Lord says: Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against me from the Assyrian king’s messengers. Listen! I, myself, will move against him, and the king will receive a message that he is needed at home. So he will return to this land, where I will have him killed with a sword.”
2 Kings 19:4

Okay, then. That’s that. God has spoken. Bye Felicia. That’s exactly what happens. He gets word that the king of Ethiopia has attacked and he must get home right away.

You would think the enemy would quietly sulk away and leave well enough alone. No, that’s not how the devil works either. Instead, Sennacherib sends another threatening letter to Hezekiah that begins with “Don’t let your God whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured…” and ends with a long list of defeated armies that trusted in their gods too.

The devil rails even in retreat

That is just like the devil. Even as he daily marches closer to his doom, he rails against us with threats. God clearly has the upperhand, as we will see in a minute; but that doesn’t stop satan from terrorizing the saints, even as he retreats to another losing battle.

Hezekiah doesn’t take this lightly. Despite having the promise of God’s rescue, he brings this new threat straight to God himself. He literally brings the message to the temple of the Lord and spreads it out before God and prays. This is so important to our victory.

Take your problems to God and lay them out. Written prayers are so effective. So many times what I think I need, or believe, is completely different when I put it in ink. Something about writing it gets prayers down to business. No fluff. No vain repetition. My selfishness or covetousness shines though when I think about my grandchildren finding these prayers after I’m dead and gone. Often, while writing, petitions become praise and complaints are deemed a waste of paper. Try it. Even a hand written list that you lay hands on and pray has an impact on your faith.

One day I was so troubled by someone that had proven to be my enemy, rather than friend. I had prayed for her. I had asked the Lord to help me forgive her. Though I thought I had forgiven, I still avoided her like the plague. The feelings just weren’t getting better. Like Hezekiah, I took it to church. Sinking down beside the altar, I felt like I had said everything already. So, I wrote her name with my finger on that altar and I left her and all the hurts there. I can’t explain it, but I got up free. I’m still free after many years.

The fight builds faith

Hezekiah’s prayer is wonderful. The fight had made him stronger. He starts with words of adoration. “You alone” is the theme of his praise. Then he says, “It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations…” But this is different.

“But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all – only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power…”
2 Kings 19:17-19

Hezekiah’s faith is growing, even in the middle of the attack. “Now, O Lord our God”, shows that he knew he could call on God too. God knew him and would hear his cry for Israel. Hezekiah stood honestly before God with enough faith to ask for “the impossible”. He knew the history of this attacker. He knew so many other gods had fallen before him. But HIS God was different.

God’s answer found in 2 Kings 19:17-34 should be on our lips often, when the devil fires his darts of fear into our souls. It’s priceless. He begins by mocking Sennacherib’s own boasts. “I have ascended. I have cut down. I have reached. With the soles of my feet. Blah. Blah. Blah.” The king is exposed as God repeats the brags of a boastful warrior. But the boaster is deflated when the Lord says:

“But have you not heard? I decided this long ago. Long ago I planned it, and now I am making it happen. I planned for you to crush fortified cities into heaps of rubble.”
2 Kings 19:25

In other words, the ONLY reason that you have beat anyone, Sennacherib, is because I planned it a LONG time ago. You have no power to destroy where I have protected. You are merely a tool at my disposal.

Furthermore,

“And because of your raging against me and your arrogance, which I have heard for myself, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth. I will make you return by the same road on which you came.”
2 Kings 19:28

I love this picture.

If you put a hook in someone’s nose and a bit in their mouth, they will go exactly where you tell them, with little or no resistance. I dare say you could drag a dragon with that combination. So, where did God send this enemy of Israel? Back the same way he came. That spells retreat. He isn’t marching through the land as a conqueror. He is tucking his tail and setting the GPS for home. He’ll not be staying for tacos or having a king to king meeting. He switches from offense to defense as he heads home to save his own kingdom.

God then shares some promises with Hezekiah for the future. He even gives hope and a promise for those left in Judah. The “passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (vs. 31). I just love that “passionate commitment”. I couldn’t feel safer.

He gave the king of Assyria a promise too. “His armies will not enter Jerusalem. They will not even shoot an arrow at it.” (vs.32)

What are we worried about?

That night, the Angel of the Lord, killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. Repeat: One angel. The next morning the Assyrian survivors broke camp and went home the way they came. Smart move. And King Sennacherib? Later, he was killed by his own two sons while he worshipped in the temple of his god, Nisroch.

Feel like singing, anyone? Yes, I do. Maybe dance too. God is victorious over and over in our lives. We have heard the devil breathing down our neck and consuming our thoughts. We have endured the labor pains but didn’t have enough strength to deliver. Then God reads our mail. We hand him what we can’t handle and he answers the enemy. It’s not what he bargained for. Not only will you be rescued, but he will be defeated. Go ahead. Get up and take a victory lap with the Lord!

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Screening the Devil’s Calls

There is nothing new under the sun and that includes the devil’s tactics.

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You just received a scam call. At least you think it was a scam call. The thing is, they knew things. Maybe this one was legit. Could you possibly have a warrant out for your arrest? You did get behind in a few bills last year. What if someone has opened a bunch of accounts in your name and they’re all delinquent? Your head swims as you stand there with phone still in hand.

Most of us go to the computer and begin a search. Some may call the police. Others phone a friend. Wherever you search, there is no relief until you hear, “That’s a scam. I’ve heard about that one before. Did they say…..?”. It’s then you realize, you have been terrorized and almost intimidated into giving them what never belonged to them.

I’ve discovered the devil works and says the same threats over and over. The Bible tells us that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9) and that goes for the tactics of the devil too. His lies are common to mankind and if we learn to recognize them, we are far less likely to be terrorized by his tactics. So follows the story of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah was a ~~good~~ great king of Judah. He tore down idols, smashed the sacred pillars and even restored the temple. The Bible says that Hezekiah trusted the Lord and the Lord made him successful in everything he did. (2 Kings 18: 5-7). That’s a common theme in Kings: Obey God = Succeed, build, crush enemies, long life then burial in the garden of the kings. Disobey God = short reigns, murdered by staff or family, die and be buried in some remote cave.

Life is not all butterflies and lollipops.

Yep, I would love to say that was the end of the story. Hezekiah was good. God made him great. And we all live happily ever after. Amen. Unfortunately, life is not like that. We dwell with evil and it has no desire to be a good neighbor. The devil, our adversary, walks about looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Let’s see if the words of Hezekiah’s enemy sound like something you’ve heard before. First a little more back story. The nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. Ten tribes made up the Kingdom of Israel. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin made up the Kingdom of Judah. Hezekiah was the King of Judah. Both kingdoms had a common enemy in Assyria.

In King Hezekiah’s fourth year, Assyria laid siege on the Kingdom of Israel, his kingdom’s sister nation. Three years later Assyria conquered Israel and Hezekiah witnessed the northern tribes being taken captive and exiled to Assyrian territory. Once Israel was emptied, the Assyrians moved in foreign occupiers.

Eight years later, Assyria was knocking on Hezekiah’s door. Assyria’s king was demanding tribute. That’s not kind words. He was demanding gold. Hezekiah had witnessed Israel walking into captivity. He had watched occupiers live in “the Land” for eight years. The threats were serious.

Hezekiah gives in when Judah’s northern towns began to fall. “I will pay whatever you want”. And then he gives him enough to impress Bill Gates. But gold and silver never buys off a bully and Assyria continues to march through the land. They send a letter to Hezekiah just in case he should get the crazy idea that Judah could fight these ruthless conquerors.

And here is where the words sounded so familiar to me.

“What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?”

This is his introduction and then he begins to tear down any arguments for their confidence. All the words can be found in 2 Kings 18. I encourage you to read it for yourself.

“Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength?”

This is the devil saying, let’s deal with reality not your scriptures and promises. You can’t win by standing on ancient writings. Just look at this canon barrel aimed at your soul. What is a few words going to do for you? I’ve got weapons of total destruction. You are carrying what? A word from God? Ha.

“Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me? On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, is completely unreliable!”

Have you ever heard this in your ear? You can’t turn to your friends on this one. Don’t ask for prayer this time. They won’t pray for you. They’re going to think you are weak and vulnerable. I know you want to talk to someone or seek some counsel; but you can’t trust anyone. Keep this to yourself. You don’t want anyone to know that you have issues. Besides, what can they do for you? They weren’t there for you last time.

“But perhaps you will say to me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God!’ ….Didn’t Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem?”

Interpretation: You have picked a battle with the devil and you are in over your head. This is spiritual warfare like you have never seen. You made a stand for God and woke up the haters. Worse yet, you have upset some of the religious. My advice is you better backdown and backout slow and quiet before you get beat like the sons of Sceva. You are asking for it!

“I’ll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them! With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master’s troops…”

Just give up and we’ll even give you some help. Of course, it won’t be enough to defeat us, but at least you can die with dignity. Finances upside down? Take a loan and start making payments instead of tithing. Sick? We can allow treatments, but healing is out of the question. You are riding our horses, remember? This deal will get you out of Assyria’s crosshairs but satan is buying you off with weapons he controls.

“What’s more, do you think we have invaded your land without the Lord’s direction? The LORD himself told us, “Attack this land and destroy it.”

I believe this is one of satan’s favorites. Don’t expect deliverance or help from God because this is His will for your life. Every time we pray for God to perform a miracle in our life, satan reminds us of some saint that lived under similar circumstances and never received the same miracle. While praying for our eyes, he will remind us of Fanny Crosby, who was blind and wrote some of the greatest hymns of all time. Don’t pray for a better job. Poverty is God’s way of keeping you humble. When we pray for our kids’ relationships, the devil will whisper that God wants him to have some world exposure so that he will be stronger spiritually. Praying for your marriage and the devil declares the trouble is God’s will as a punishment for past sins. This attack was sent by God and it’s His will for your life. Lies. Lies. Lies. Watch out for this one.

Hezekiah’s men asked the Assyrian spokesperson to speak in Aramaic and not Hebrew so that the people of the Kingdom of Judah wouldn’t hear the threats. The enemy responds:

“Do you think my master sent this message only to you and your master? He wants all the people to hear it, for when we put his city under siege they will suffer along with you.”

This one appeals to our compassion. Don’t take this stand against the enemy. Your whole family will suffer. Nobody wants to suffer. Fewer people are willing to watch their family or friends suffer because of them. Likewise, the peer pressure becomes intense. If you want to fight and die, whatever. But don’t drag us into your martyrdom. Nobody is behind you. Give in or you will lose your family.

“Don’t listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering; Make peace with me – open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well. Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one – a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive groves and honey.”

Let’s make a deal. Just come out, open the gates, and let’s have peace. I promise you will have your own grapevine and fig tree, just like now. You will have your own well. Come out and let me take you to this new land. You’re going to love it. That’s losing a battle without firing a shot. The devil is so conniving. Just join up with me and life continues, even better. Yes, you will be my captive and your land becomes mine, but hey, you get your own fig tree. Captivity sounds so captivating, doesn’t it?

And finally,

“Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he tries to mislead you by saying, “The LORD will rescue us!’ Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria? What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power? What god of any nation has even been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the Lord can rescue Jerusalem from me?”

As a last shock, Sennacherib, Assyria’s spokesperson, insults God. Satan will do the same. The lie is simple. God can’t do this. No other little “g” god has done anything. The god of money hasn’t saved your marriage. The god of medicine didn’t cure your disease. You were so faithful to the god of education and yet your children languish. You even tried the god of religion, but you were left dry and empty. So what makes you think the LORD will rescue you? He is not different than the others. I will defeat him too.

Any of this ring a bell? You may have heard one of these lies even today. It’s a scam. It’s scary and threatening. There is just enough truth to make you question our big “G” God. Have no fear, He is in control. He still rescues the perishing. Hang on to these “mere words”. They are stronger than any army of our enemy.

The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Psalm 91:14-16

That’s it. “I will. I will. I will”, God says. His unfailing love, well, it’s unfailing. He says in that same chapter (Psalm 91:8), “Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.” While we cry for the Lord to see our circumstance, He is saying “open your eyes” and see what I am doing. Don’t succumb to the threats. Recognize the lies. God will rescue you!

Stay tuned next week, when Hezekiah “sees” God handle business with the enemy! In the meantime, don’t answer the robocalls of the devil.

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Sheep in a Storm

When the Israelites were escaping Egypt and heading through the Red Sea, it may not have looked like deliverance. Your deliverance may not look like it either.

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I remember watching “The Ten Commandments” as a child and being mesmerized as I saw the Red Sea part and the children of Israel making their escape from Egypt. I was even more amazed when I read that they created that scene with some sort of gelatin and some creative filmwork. The sights and sounds are still with me.

The Exodus account doesn’t give us a lot of details. There was a strong east wind that blew all night. God told Moses to raise his hand over the sea and when he did, the water parted and the land was dry. The Israelites walked through. The Egyptians followed. God brought chaos and chariot troubles on them before the walls of water fell and drowned the entire Egyptian army.

I know that it was a miraculous event that I have shortened to a length not suitable for its greatness. Read it, in all its glory, in Exodus 14. It is truly an event made for movies. God is just….well, God. But for now, I want to get to another account.

Psalm 77 recounts the story with the weather conditions included. Let’s pick up with verse 16:

When the Red Sea saw you, O God,
its waters looked and trembled!
The sea quaked to its very depths.
The clouds poured down rain;
the thunder rumbled in the sky.
Your arrows of lightning flashed.
Your thunder roared from the whirlwind;
the lightning lit up the world!
The earth trembled and shook.
Psalm 77:16-18

Do you see that? The sea quaked. We call that a tsunami today. Rain came pouring down. There was thunder coming from a whirlwind and lightning that lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook! Tsunamis and tornadoes and earthquakes! Oh my!

Does this look like deliverance to you? It’s hard enough to face the suicide situation of the Red Sea in front of you and the fierce Egyptian army behind you. Nevermind that this army has endured 10 plagues including the tragic death of every firstborn. Their desire to take revenge on the Hebrews burned within every soldier. It was certain death for the Hebrews. Their only way of escape is through a deep sea.

In the middle of this seemingly hopeless situation, the earth seems to have convulsions. This probably didn’t feel like deliverance either. An enemy army coming after their slaves is one thing. We expect men to be violent in battle. But the wind and the storms and the rain are all in the hands of God. Why was this happening?

Isn’t that a picture of life sometimes? You’re in deep with a situation that doesn’t appear to have a good option. We call it between a rock and a hard place. You know God is the only One who can unscramble this trial and carry you through it unscathed. And as you begin to seek His deliverance, it only gets worse. Or it seems that way.

This brings to mind those who battle addictions. Slavery is behind you, with all your slavemasters chasing you with chains in hand. You are running for your life. It would be so much easier to just stop and let them capture you again. Instead you run as far and as hard as you can. You have given it all your flesh can muster. Now you stand on the shore and look into the waters of impossible. There is no way that you can stop this madness.

The Red Sea represents freedom and it’s terrifying. Without your addiction you fear that you will drown. As you are contemplating the difficulties, the “weather” turns upside down. Maybe your “weather” is a storm of sickness or a bill tsunami or any other stresses that make you want to give up. Where is God in all of this? Why is this happening all at once?

Keep reading this chapter. There is a path.

Your road led through the sea,
your pathway through the mighty waters –
a pathway no one knew was there!
You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep,
with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.
Psalm 78: 19, 20

IT’S THERE! His road is there! It goes right through the impossible. You may not see it yet. No one even knew it was there. He saved it for such a time as this. That wind you feel and the shaky waves you are watching are making a way for you on dry land. The thunder and lightning serve to scare your enemies. Don’t you turn back to your captors! God is going to hurl them into the sea.

It may not “feel” right. Why would it? It’s sheep walking on the bottom of the sea. It’s not going to feel safe right away. Maybe nobody in your family has been this way before. Notice He doesn’t change you into a fish so that you may “go with the flow” surrounding you. He leaves you a sheep. You are going to have to block out the roar of the waters and the threats of your old masters.

Instead, He has given us shepherds. There are people who will pray for you and have their own story of escape and freedom. Get in church and follow the voice of the Lord. He is the Good Shepherd. After He has rescued you from other masters, He will lead you Himself. The Holy Spirit will comfort you. This will become your song in the Promise Land.

“The LORD is my Shepherd.
I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside still waters,
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalm 23: 1-4

The Israelites made it and so will you. Your story will be told for generations. Or it should be! Dare to step foot toward the impossible. Watch God dry up the sea and then swallow your captors in waves. Follow your Shepherd all the way. He’s bringing you to the land of milk and honey!

See you on the other side!

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The Battle Rages

The Valley of Megiddo, where the final battle will take place.

My pastor preached a sermon about the war in which we are entangled daily. His bottom line was we would either appease or fight. There is no middle ground in war. Those who “go along” with the world to “get along” with the world will eventually lose their souls. It’s really so cut and dry. I wish it wasn’t. How my flesh wants a foot on both sides of the fence, but you never get anywhere straddling the rails and honestly the comfort level is unendurable. We have to choose sides and then we have to suit up for battle.

The intensity of the war does ebb and flow. Some days and seasons the attacks are relentless. It seems the devil will never lose your address. Then there are short times when the Lord lifts us up above the battle and gives His soldiers rest.

As I read through 2 Samuel this week, I was reminded what a warrior David was. His battles included real blood shed, daggers, and arrows. Therefore, his Psalms intertwined worship with war. All of his songs weren’t tunes to help the sheep relax. Some were war cries.

Have you ever worshipped in the middle of the battle? Nothing shakes the hordes of hell more than some genuine worship in the heat of the attack. I find that often, I just need to stop and declare that God is Sovereign. He is not shaken by my trial. I have to stop fretting the battle lines and just praise Him.

Sometimes, it rhymes…

View from the Mount of Olives, the site of many battles.

The Battle Rages

The battle rages deftly.
Blows sting from either side.
At times I'm knocked to my knees,
From there, my battle cry.

"God, help me stand in battle.
God, help me never fall.
Hold my shield up for me,
Because I'm giving it my all."

The strikes are not quick glances.
The sharp pains leave lasting wounds.
I need courage to go back to battle;
While my mind rehearses the ruins.

Some battles last for decades.
It's hard to even keep score.
Just when you think it's over;
The enemy comes back for more.

But, I know You are my Commander.
You'll not leave a man on the field.
The battle buffets your army;
But to our enemy, You will not yield.

Why should you?  You're the Victor!
The war has been soundly won!
The losers:  satan and his leagues
The Victors:  God, Holy Spirit, and Son.

The weapons you have given us,
While Jesus declared our victory,
Are mighty for pulling down strongholds
Of fear, discouragement and disease.

The promise is for the overcomer;
Who I am, through Jesus' power.
I fight the devil daily.
His defeat promised in one hour.
All the hordes and their defeated leader,
The lake of fire will devour.

Triumphantly, I fight a defeated foe.
His anthem hate, my King is love.
And though the battle rages,
My Victor reigns from His throne above.

So carry on, my fellow soldier.
Endure hardship for our King.
When the arrows are denting your shield of faith,
Just lift up your hands and sing!

       ~Suellyn

“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
2 Timothy 2:3

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

I know there are some worshipping soldiers out there. I believe God so enjoys our honest praise. Feel free to add a line or two to the psalm in the comment section. Hey, write 8 or 10 lines, if the words begin to flow. A warrior’s cry is always inspiring!

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He Held Me So Tightly

A dream about my father revealed the insecurities I had and the great love of God.

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Two nights ago, I had a dream. I know you just read the title of this blog and now the first line, and maybe you’re afraid to keep reading. But, have no fear, the dream is rated G.

Before I delve into the dream, allow me to give you a very short explanation of me and my dad. He left my mom when I was three. Prior to that he was not home much, pursuing college, career, and evidently a few women. I say that without any malice in my heart. He wasn’t a Christian and as a friend of mine says, “Sinners sin.”

I saw my dad three more times before I saw him lying peacefully in his casket. I will not make you relive those brief memories. Just suffice it to say, I did not know my daddy. As a young girl, I remember thinking of him in some sort of fairy tale way, hoping one day he would come riding home on a white horse and would be better than any of the dads I had ever known. As I grew older, the fairy tale gave way to reality. I thought less and less of him, meaning he just didn’t cross my mind much. To explain, you don’t miss what you never had. Though he was never part of my life, I still loved him. That’s possible. You can love deeply those you never knew.

So, when I dreamed about him this week, I was so surprised. I have never dreamed of him in my life, ever. I’m over 50 years old and he passed away over 30 years ago. The dream felt different than most and I knew when I woke up that God was showing me something.

This isn’t my dad or me. It just “felt” like my dream – minus the random arm.

Here’s the dream:

I was standing in a park that bordered a large lake. There were a few piers going out into the lake. On one of them, I saw my dad with about 4 or 5 children surrounding him. He was smiling and showing them things in nature, I presumed. He was pointing to the woods, the sky, and water. The children were interested and he was enjoying himself.

I stood on the shore, a good distance away, and longed for him. The excitement and trepidation in my heart were palpable. The feelings were a mixed bag, but overwhelmingly giddy. Every cell in my body, except the ones without courage, wanted to run to him and be loved. The scared cells unfortunately controlled my legs and I stood there, paralyzed.

My thrill woke me from this dream. As I laid there I thought how wonderful it was to dream of him. I fell back to sleep hoping to continue this great reunion and amazingly, I did.

This time as I stood staring at my dad, I was aware that this was a dream. And because I was dreaming, my mind was perplexed because it didn’t know how to “produce” dad in a way that was true, because my mind had no point of reference. As I stood on the shore, I couldn’t make my dream progress, because I didn’t know if my dad would recognize me or remember me. I mean, the age of three was many moons ago. I’ve changed a lot.

Furthermore, I didn’t know what dad would say, when he did see and recognize me. I didn’t know his personality, so his response to me was a mystery. I didn’t even know the sound of his voice, so I couldn’t produce that either, even if I knew what he might say. It was so frustrating and my cowardice was growing. I knew he would welcome me, but I just didn’t know how.

So, like dreams can do and mornings can’t explain, I skipped all the introductions and the next scene was me being held with my face buried into his chest and feeling all the weight of my world melting away. All I remember was thinking that this is what I had needed all my life. The feeling that I was safer than I had ever been. I was being wrapped in an unearned love that would never find me wanting again. It was heavenly.

I woke up the next morning and could only long for more and wonder what all that was about. I drank my morning java and asked the Lord.

The Dream’s Meaning

Here is what I believe the Lord was showing me in a nutshell. There are always hidden gems when God is showing us things, so I pray you find some too.

I believe my dad represented God, the Father, to me. As I stood watching him interact with others, more innocent and fun than me, my longing was so intensified. I saw his true love and joy. He was immersed in the moment. I wanted to be in the center of all that.

My fears revealed

My fear was that He wouldn’t know me. Now, I am a Christian and have been a child of His for a long time. But, honestly, I have to say that I stood on the shore and thought, how humiliating it would be to have to introduce myself. I never feared that He would reject me or deny that I was his child. But I couldn’t bear the feeling of needing someone to tell my own Father, who I was.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
Isaiah 49:15

Fear comes from satan. Even in this dream, he spoke that “God” probably wouldn’t know me. “Don’t approach Him. He will humiliate you. You aren’t worthy.”

Now, the lies never spoke that I wasn’t his child. I knew I was. The lies said He wouldn’t have time for me. The whole interaction would be awkward because I wouldn’t even be on His radar; just an interruption to a delightful day.

Again, I did not think that my Father would send me away, but I was so scared that He would have to hear a bunch of evidence to convince him that his youngest daughter stood in front of him. This speaks of my fear that I might not be considered special to God. In all the multitudes that have and do serve Him, why would Suellyn mean anything to Him? Have you ever been introduced to someone noteworthy, and they don’t seem to make any connection to you until a friend mentions a relative or friend of yours? “This is Johnny Nelson’s daughter.” Then the smiles and handshakes begin. You’re in. This was what I felt I needed. Somebody needed to speak up for me.

Of course, I didn’t know exactly what He would say, because God can not be predicted. We know He loves, but what great words would he speak to me? I couldn’t even imagine.

His voice? Well, that is a mystery as well. Ezekiel described it as “many waters” (Ezekial 43:2). John said it was “thunder” (Revelation 19:6). Elijah heard the whole gamut and declared it was a “still, small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). In my dream, I didn’t try the options. He just never spoke.

I also never saw his face. Even from the shore, I could only see the side of his face. I knew there was a smile, but I never looked into his eyes. This is another reason I believe he represented God. I completely adored this being that was unseen, unheard, and never spoke.

The last picture is me, with my whole being clinging to Him. He held me so tightly that I never felt the rush to let go or get myself together and be presentable. I belonged to Him and He was as happy as I was to be there in that moment. There was no else on that lake. There was no where else He needed to be. There was no line behind me waiting for their turn in His arms. I relaxed in a way impossible in this world. There were no words, because none were needed. I was held. Held until all was well.

I share this pretty personal dream because it has blessed me. Maybe you are like me. You might not even realize it. I didn’t. Stop for a moment and imagine this meeting. What is God saying to you? When we enter heaven, we all imagine that we will grovel at the throne and offer all our crowns back to Him. No doubt about that. But think about this: Imagine meeting God at the park. Is your heart beating wildly? Honestly, all my imaginations never went like my dream.

My encouragement to you

If you are a child of God, a follower of Christ, let this wash over you. He knows your name. He recognizes your face. No one will have to remind him of who you are or convince Him that you are “worth” time spent. His words will not chastise you or speak words of regret over your life. He knows you. And He delights in you stronger than you delight in Him.

“…Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; You are mine.”
Isaiah 43:1

What are you carrying? What makes you feel lacking? Is there something that makes you feel unworthy or unknown? Do you look at others and inferiority lies keep you from stretching out your soul to a loving Father? I had no idea, that these feelings would keep me on the shore instead of running into the arms of my Daddy. If you had asked me, I would have never confessed these unknown insecurities, but He knew.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God.”
1 John 3:1

He loves you. He loves me. Drop the baggage. Pull down the mask. You don’t need the perfect words or anyone to make your case. He knows you. Take off running for the embrace. He will hold you so tight, you’ll feel like you’re dreaming.

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Why Just Calm the Storm When I Could Walk on Water?

You just got to love Peter. You gotta love him. I’m not really the Peter type disciple. I’m not the boisterous, brash, cut off your ear if I need to, kind. But I do love and laugh at his realness and enthusiasm, and often wish I was a lot more Peter-ish. Case in point…

The beautiful Sea of Galilee on a calm evening.

Jesus and Peter Walk on the Water

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:22-32

Storms at Night

I LOVE THIS! Here’s the scene: A bunch of fisherman and other guys familiar with the Sea of Galilee, out a far distance in somebody’s boat, in the middle of the night. Can you imagine the darkness? When I was kid, my stepdad had a trotline on one of the inlets of Lake Houston. More than once, we went out at night to check the lines. (Those without fishing license prefer the darkness. Ahem.) When he would turn off the trolling motor and all we had for light was a flashlight, which he used sparingly, it was dark and oh so eerily quiet.

On the Sea of Galilee, the scene was the same until a storm suddenly blew. While I was in Israel, we took a boat ride, at night, into the Sea of Galilee. I don’t know where we went, because it was dark, but I know we ended up where we started. We had a wonderful time of worship and teaching, but I really just wanted to turn off the lights and music and imagine.

We were told that the Sea of Galilee is notorious for sudden storms. It has something to do with the mountains, blah, blah, blah. Sorry, I was probably imagining at the moment. He told us, on the tour he led prior to ours, they were hit by one of those storms. They normally tie 2 or 3 boats together to keep the groups in close proximity. During this storm, all the ropes had to be cut to keep the boats from crashing into each other. Life jackets were issued. I’m not sure about seating. We all had those plastic lawn chairs that I’m sure slid from one end to another, with tourists holding on for dear life. I know it was scary for them and I wondered if anyone had the boldness to stand and say, “Peace, be still!”

The Jesus Boat, found deep in the mud of the Sea of Galilee in 1986. The wood was dated to the 1st century AD, meaning it was a boat used during the time of Jesus. This boat was repaired using many different materials, making some believe it was a boat of significance. It is hard to tell in the picture, but it is actually 27 feet long and over 4 feet wide.

Then Comes a Ghost

For the disciples, it was crazy. A storm blows in. They’re far from shore. Jesus is somewhere on a mountain praying. It’s dark. And when things couldn’t be any more tremulous, they see a ghost.

Yep, life’s like that sometime. Have you ever looked at your “storm” and thought things couldn’t get any worse, and then a ghost appears. I guess it would take your mind off the storm for the moment. In today’s modern life, you are running late to yet another Teacher/Parent conference concerning son Johnny, when your 5 year old throws up in your new Skechers, and the family dog hasn’t come home since you let her out last night. The SUV is on empty and your husband has the gas card. Then the phone rings.

Your mammogram showed some suspicious spots. Can you come in for further testing? There’s a ghost.

The Bible says this terrified the disciples. They screamed in fear. I’ve never heard my husband scream in fear. (Unless it was on Space Mountain at Disney World.) These guys were afraid. Masculine pride left with the howling wind, and they screamed in terror at this ghost.

Jesus Gives Words of Comfort

“Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Jesus

Man, I need this on a bracelet, t-shirt, or something. “Be courageous. I am here. DON’T BE AFRAID.” Repeat.

Check out Peter, though. He says, “If it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”

Why Not Just Ask for the Moon too, Peter?

Peter and the disciples are no doubt at risk of drowning. The waves are crashing, there is lightning, rain, wind, the works. MOST people would ask the Lord to rescue them.

“Still this storm, Lord!”

“Get us to shore!”

“Keep our boat strong!”

“Make 12 lifejackets splash into our boat!”

“Rescue ME!!!”

This is how I pray. “Get me out of this situation. I will lay out a 12 point plan that if You will follow, we will all safely arrive on shore…just a little waterlogged. Now, God, here’s what you need to do in order for us to survive. That is Your will……….Right?”

Peter, on the other hand, says “Lord, if that’s you, let me come play too!!” He’s not worried about surviving, or the boat, or the lesson learned, or the storm. He just wants to walk on water! His friend, Jesus, had done some really cool things, but this was epic. Fisherman Peter, had never seen a man walk on water. He was not about surviving a stormy night. He wanted to ride the waves with Jesus. And that was his prayer. “Call me out there too, Lord.” Call me right out in the middle of the storm, as long as I am with You!

Jesus’ one word answer is direct. “Come.” Isn’t that perfect? Just come.

Peter climbs out of the boat and walks on water. So cool. It dawns on me. This miracle really wasn’t necessary. This was just a little fun in the midst of the storm. If Peter hadn’t asked, it may have never happened, but Jesus was happy to oblige. The audacity to ask for a thrill during a trial.

We all know the rest of the story. Peter takes his eyes off Jesus and sees the wind. His faith wavers and he begins to sink. He cries out to the Lord and the Lord rescues him. The Lord has a question.

Why Did You Doubt?

Catch the Lord’s words. “You of little faith. Why did you doubt?” FOR REAL. Why, Peter? I’m dying to know what would have happened if Peter had not looked at the wind and lost faith. Would Jesus and Peter have danced and ran and slid on the seas? After a while, surely another disciple or two or twelve would have climbed out of the boat too. Can you see it? All these grown men running and playing on the water, just because Peter had the crazy faith to ask. What a fun story that would have been for Sunday school 2000 years later.

Instead, they climbed in the boat and the storm ceased. All were safe and sound. They then worshipped the Lord, their Rescuer. “Truly, you are the Son of God.” That’s beautiful too. He certainly deserved it. He saved their lives. But I have to wonder if the Lord would have enjoyed, even more, some miraculous fun with friends on the Sea. You can almost hear his disappointment, “Why did you doubt?”. It could have been so amazing.

George Bailey, in It’s a Wonderful Life, promises Mary he will lasso the moon and bring it right down to her. “You want the moon, Mary? Is that what you want?”

How many times have I needed some light in a dark place? I’ve begged for a candle or borrowed a flashlight when the Lord would have handed me the moon? I have worried and strained to fix my world. I have worn out pillows and sheets “sleeping” with my mind going full speed ahead. All the while there stood Jesus standing in a cloud of peace that passes understanding. I’ve been so exhausted that jokes weren’t funny and kids were annoying. I needed rest and a long, deep, belly laugh. There stands Jesus beckoning me to become like a child so I, too, can enter the Kingdom.

“Why did you doubt? We could have had so much fun.”

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I Had a Dream

Surprised by the Warning

Don’t they Wear Orange and Sell Beads?

Plant Your Feet in the Word

Remember the Joy of Your Salvation

Warning

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He longs to set you free.

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1. The sweaty work.

2. Evenings at home with the fam

3. Longer Meals Around the Table

4. Family Bible study on Sunday A.M.

5. I’ve learned to appreciate more people.

6. Those “feel good” stories that are starting to be told

7. Praying deeply for strangers.

8. YouTube sermons.

9. A good excuse to call that neighbor or write that relative.

10. Count your blessings – if you can count that high.

And you…

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So how do we deal with creeping fear?

How can the unholy be in a relationship with the Holy?

What makes me so sure?

Be brave. Talk to Him.

P.S.

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God is a Patient Gardener

You Want Me to Do What?

Jesus, Our Interceder

God of Another Chance

A Process that Pays off Sweetly

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Then Jesus Shifts Gears

First Things First

Forgiveness is a Gift to You

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Does that title cause a pause? Do you think something strange about the wording? What is left when God has done all that He can? Nothing. We know that there are no limits to God’s “can do”. So what does it mean that He has done all He could?

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Who was Jeremiah?

Opposition Comes – Brings Opportunity

A song titled: Alone in a Muddy Pit

Serving the King is ALWAYS an Adventure

Jehovah Remembers

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He made us, and we are His.

He made us, and we are His.

He made us, and we are His.

He made us, and we are His.

He made us, and we are His.

He made us, and we are His.

He made us, and we are His.

He made us, and we are His.

…And we are His.

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MY – GRACE- IS – Sufficient – for – YOu

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