Year In Summary

Psalm 81:7 In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud, I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

This was a cool verse to read today.  Each year I ask God to give me a word for the year and last year (I used school years as an educator) my word was rescue.  I didn't quite understand it's full meaning until the year had come complete.  Rescue was a word that God used with me to others, others to me, and God to me. This verse is the perfect summarization of my year of rescue.  I have been brought to places that I could not stand on my own, where my knees were the only place I could be. I have walked alongside others who have had difficult paths and shared grief, sorrow and happiness.  I have been blessed to have a cloud of people who have supported and listed me up. I have been rescued this year. I have been given a new word for the next four months, at least, but I'm keeping that one to myself for now. ;-)  God is incredible!

It's Not Motivational, It's Spiritual

Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

I was led to this verse today and was surprised a bit as I read the verses prior.  In the verses prior, Paul is talking about being content in every situation. He knows what it is like to live in need and in plenty, but has this security, I guess you'd call in, in all situation through Christ.  I feel like I sometimes hear this verse in conjunction with people who are fighting a battle of some sort and they use this verse as a mantra, one might say. I guess it's true that you could use this in that way, but I feel like the focus for people is that they can do it as long as Christ is at their side.  I don't think that was Paul's meaning, from everything else that I read from Paul.  I believe if Paul were to speak these words, he would put the emphasis on through, not everything. It wasn't so much a motivational statement as it was a Spiritual statement. Paul is giving God the credit completely.  Paul recognizes he has absolutely nothing to do with his own contentment because his contentment comes through Jesus. It's not about conqueror something. It's about being "more than conquerors" through Jesus Christ. Just a thought.

"I've Got This For You."

Psalm 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Sometimes the journey is tough.  The days get long and the valley can be very deep. It is an interesting place to walk. I am at great peace and yet, there is something in me that is melancholy. This is always disappointing to me for myself. I think I should be able to be past that part in my walk and always feel up, but that is not the way life works. We have ups and downs on purpose. What I have found is that when I am in the valley, I am always drawn back to God. Even when I haven't necessarily been far from Him prior to the valley, I am still drawn in closer as I walk through that down time. God's goal is to be close, which is why the peaks and valleys are necessary. Some times I just need Him to give me His reassurance and that's what the valley is for, for me to get to a place of nearness where Jesus can whisper in my ear and tell me "I've got this for you. Keep moving forward." Only in the valley will I still myself enough to hear the gentle whisper.  On the mountaintop it is all celebratory and loud, no whispers are heard there, only rejoicing. Valleys are necessary because they give us a God perspective we cannot hear on the mountaintop.

Just Do It

Jeremiah 29:5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce."

This is the word to the Israelites in exile.  Sometimes God calls us to make a life in a place where we do not expect to be.  Life doesn't stop just because we are in a place that is unwanted or unappealing. Our goal is always to glorify God. In order to do this we have to step up to the plate and make an effort where we are.  It isn't a matter of wishing we were somewhere else or wishing for different circumstances.  It is a matter of seeking God in all and through all, and then giving Him the glory for the work He is doing (because let's be honest, God is always doing work on our behalf).  There are times when I want to give up and go do what I know I can do, but that would not be glorifying God. It would glorify me and my skills.  I have to take stock of where I am and what I am being called to do, then...I need to do it. There is blessing in walking the path you've been given when you're walking with Jesus (Mom would say, even when that path is cancer). Jesus knows what to do...so just do it. (This is a bit of a pep talk for myself. 😏)

The Reason For Hope

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

This verse ends in 16, hence the comma at the end. It's not a typo. :-)  Anyway, this is a great verse for my heart! Frankly, from 3:8 through 17 is all good, but I'll focus on this verse.  This is something that as the years have progressed and I have grown closer to Christ, I have gotten better at sharing my love for God out loud.  When I get the chance, or when people ask, I always try to give the glory to Him. This has been quite evident with my present situation and the peace that I have.  It is definitely of God, so it's easy to say it's Him.  However, sometimes it isn't an appropriate time or place to share in gentleness or might be disrespectful in a certain setting.  I always pray for discernment at those times because now I readily share God's work in my life.  I do believe the key in sharing is gentleness and respect, which is why it is attached to verse 15.  It is so important. The bigger question for today is, Is Jesus the reason for your hope? I pray that He is or that you will ask Him to be your hope.

The Final "Move"

Some days I enjoy reading multiple passages from the Bible and seeing their common message.  Today it is the message of hope and restoration.  God is in the business of redeeming and restoring.  We fall into the trap of thinking that God is only out to get us when we do bad things, but that is not what the Bible tells us.  We are reminded again and again of the love God has for us as we move through the text.  The final "move", as it were, is the cross.  Jesus died for each one of us because He loves us, there isn't any other reason.  We are loved by God. We are sought by Him. We are redeemed through Jesus.  We are made holy through the Spirit.  We have the omnipotent Lord on our side, rooting for us, restoring our lives and loving us through it all. That kind of love will change you.

Live In Confidence

Isaiah 50:7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.

Even during the times when I don't feel like anything bad is happening around me or to me, I still need these little glimpses of glory. These reminders that because I am the Beloved's I have nothing to fear or worry about.  I can live life completely peacefully in His arms and know that He will take care of my soul.  This does not mean there may not be trials at some point, or that rocky paths may befall me. It simply means, when I am walking with Jesus all of those trials and rocky paths are of no concern. I am assured of the love of Christ and nothing can separate me from it. I can be confident in God, which is really where my confidence can only be found...in Him.

On A Personal Level

Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Paul's words again remind us that all of our knowledge and understanding of God come from Him.  In order to know the Father better, we must seek Him as often as possible asking for His attributes to be made our own. And this can only be accomplished when we have Jesus living in us. There are so many different good character traits that we each long for and try to attain. The truth is that those will only become who we are if we are transformed through the Holy Spirit in us making us the new creation in Christ.  I pray that I may know and understand God better, that I may discern His perfect will for my life and that I may love others with the love of Christ. Only when I know God on a personal level will I ever be able to be the person I was created to be rather than just performing good character qualities.

A Beautiful Command

Luke 9:35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him."

This verse is a beautiful command from God. I'll leave it at that.

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow

Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

I'm not a major goal setter type person, but I like to have ambitions and things I want to accomplish.  I love my to-do list. This verse gives me a better perspective on my plans. It's not that I don't plan or that I only live for today.  It's more that I am careful with my time and what I put energy toward. I realize that God is the only One who knows the number of my days.  He has the design set. My job is to seek Him and His will. I do not know what tomorrow will bring, but I know He holds it. I need not fear or worry. I can rest in the assurance that God is in control and I can trust in His sovereignty.

A Journey To Delight

2 Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul's words here are a bit hard to swallow.  I'm not sure I delight in his list and I know in my head, strength in weakness with God.  I could even say I've experienced God's strength in my weakness in this life, however, to delight in insults, hardship, persecution, and difficulty, boy, that's quite a statement. I have more growing to do. I want to fight back and seek understanding in these things.  I want to find a purpose and a reason behind them. The truth is that the only purpose or reason worth finding is that these things, weakness, insults, hardship, persecution, and difficulty bring us nearer to Jesus.  We walk with Him because he walked with us. He has endured all of these for our sake. It's a journey to delight. The reality is, if we ever experience these things with Jesus at our side, we will delight in Him.  Then it won't be about the pain, it will be about the gain.  That's what Paul experienced.

Things Above

Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Oh, the things above listed later in the chapter.  This is a great statement for Paul to make, and yet there is not a ton of explanation of how to do it.  How do you set your heart on things above? I'm going to list a few of the ways I have found to help me get myself looking upward. It's definitely not an exhaustive list, and some of them don't always work for me and may not work for you, but I'm attempting to help with the application of this.  Here we go...

Reading my Bible: from verses to chapters
Praying: talking to Jesus about what is happening in my life and asking for a Godly perspective
Forgiving: letting go of the wrongs done to me and the wrongs I have done
Surrendering: giving the little things over to the Holy Spirit
Talking: speaking with mentors and leaders about the work God is doing in, around, and through me
Fellowship: sometimes I just need to be with my brothers and sisters in Christ
Worship: for me this involves everything from listening to music to singing and playing music
Praising: telling God how awesome He is
Being thankful: remembering all that God has done, both in my world and in the entire world
Reading: I spend time reading books by my favorite spiritual authors like Dallas Willard, Philip Yancey, or even fictional writers like Francine Rivers

The main idea that Paul finishes with is to do all of these things in love.  Seek peace. Seek Jesus. Love on people. Let God do what God can do in your life. Surrender completely and get ready!

We Are Fortunate

Isaiah 51:1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;"

I love verses like this, that remind me of those who have gone before.  I have been blessed to have had so many of my relatives be followers of Jesus and show me the way of faith. These verses give me a good picture of where I come from and where I am going.  And the beauty of these verses is even more so, that even though we all haven't had amazing people go before us in our immediate families, we have our sisters and brothers in Christ who have paved the way for us.  I am beyond grateful for the support I receive from those around me and can only hope to give back what I've been given.  Spending time in prayer and fellowship is one way I hope to be a support for others.  We have such an incredible cloud of people who walk with us.  We are not alone. We have been supported throughout our lives by so many, both on earth and in heaven.  We are fortunate.

A Remembrancer

1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the Lord helped us."

I don't have much to say about this today, only that it was what I needed to hear.  I need to be reminded about God's work in my life and look back on those moments when He has been faithful.  It is so easy to get caught up in the current events of life, or worry about the future, when really, if we look back at how God has helped us thus far, we will find peace in knowing God is for us. I've been thinking of a way to start tracking those times, like Samuel did here with the stone.  I would love to have something that I use as my thanks to the Lord for his help, but also that is a remembrancer. God has been faithful. God is faithful. God will be faithful. That's what I needed today.

I'm Ready

Matthew 25:13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

This is always a little unsettling for me.  Sometimes I'm in the middle of something awesome going on and think, What if Jesus came back right now?! Then there are moments where I'm not being so awesome and I think, What is Jesus came back right now?  Yes, it's the exact same question, but boy is there different tone and meaning in the two. Being prepared for the Bridegroom takes a lifetime.  We have the gift of salvation and the assurance of Heaven from the moment we accept Jesus into our lives.  There is no fear of losing that once you've got it.  I think for me the reason this verse is unsettling is because I never want to disappoint God.  And even when I type that I immediately think, we don't ever disappoint God.  He loves us and He knows us. Being prepared for me then becomes more about walking with Jesus all the time.  Seeking Him in each and every moment. That's what takes a lifetime to achieve.  It takes practice and screw ups and more practice. No, I do not know the day or hour of Jesus' return, but I do know I will be with Him in Heaven someday and I'm on the journey of a lifetime with Jesus. What if He came back right now? I'm loved, I'm His, and I'm ready.

Light Removes Darkness

Matthew 12:44 Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.

Jesus is teaching here referring to an evil spirit leaving a man.  In the end the evil spirit returns and brings seven others with it, making the condition of the man worse off than he was. Immediately my reaction is, "What am I filling my life with? Am I simply attempting to remove, sweep clean and put in order my own life, without recognizing the need to replace those things with something that will keep my life full?" Here's the thing, when we attempt to rid ourselves of our bad parts, we are not capable of replacing those parts with good parts to keep the bad parts away.  We may look tidy and even feel pretty good about ourselves for a while, but inevitably the bad parts always seem to return.  If we want to remove bad parts permanently, we must turn those bad parts over to God and let the Holy Spirit infiltrate every part of our darkness. We cannot simply remove the darkness from our lives and expect it to be gone.  We have to let Jesus, the Light, remove our darkness and allow the fullness of the God to live in us through the work of the Holy Spirit.  God in, around, and through us; that is the goal.

Words of Truth

Isaiah 43:1-2 But now, this is what the Lord says--he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you , O Israel: "Fear not, for I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

These verses of being called by name by God speak to my soul. God knows each and every one of us at a depth we can't even begin to understand.  And not only does he know who we are, He loves us enough to walk with us through this life. He makes promises like the ones above, not being overcome or engulfed by life's circumstances.  Walking with God takes a lifetime of practice.  It isn't easy to understand what it means to be summoned by Him or to be His beloved. There are times when I feel so completely loved by God that nothing could shake me.  Then there are times when I wonder if God even remembers my name. The truth is right here in Isaiah, "Fear not, for I have summoned you by name; you are mine." My name is written in the Book of Life because of my relationship with Jesus and his sacrifice in my place.  There is nothing that can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus because He is my creator and He has called me according to His purpose. I will not be overcome.  I am more than a conqueror! I am God's beloved, even when I don't "feel" like it. Sometimes we have to think about what truth we know, when our emotions get in the way of being loved. I have been summoned by God, and I am His.

Simply Love

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

This is a good verse to keep in my back pocket when I'm tempted to share an opinion.  Sometimes our beliefs fly in the face of others and we say them to get a particular reaction.  Frankly, that is in direct opposition to Paul's advice here. Even if you believe you are right with your entire heart and soul, not all people are ready for your thoughts or are able to understand them at that moment in their own journey.  We must be so careful to build each other up and help each other grow without force. We are here to support and love one another and leave the transforming of hearts to God.  We are simply called to love one another. Simply love.

The Triune God

Psalm 18:28 You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

This is an encouraging word when things seems to be overwhelming.  The Lord is faithful, even when it seems as if he is being slow.  The Lord is perfect, even when it feels like His will is too hard. The Lord is pure, even when it seems that trouble abounds. We are supported by the most Holy of holies.  We are in union with the Creator of the universe, the one who knows all things because He put them into being.  The One who breathed physical life into man breathes life into our souls. We are made in the image of God to be in relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.  There is nothing on this earth that can make any difference inner life, that can keep our lamp lit and change our imperfection to perfection.  Our life on earth is different when we walk with Jesus and let the Spirit turn our dark places to light. We just have to accept that we are a creation of the Father, atoned through His Son, and carried by the Spirit. Our lives are made complete by a triune God whose perfect love for us transforms our imperfect beings.