My Resting Place

When fear comes creeping in, it finds a place to rest.

V1: My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

Chorus: I need no other argument,
 I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

V2: Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He’ll never cast me out.

V3: My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior’s Name,
Salvation through His blood.

V4: My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.

This is another hymn that has recently become dear to me. Tonight it’s verses three and four that are bringing sweet comfort to my otherwise fearful heart.

Not only has my faith found a resting place in Jesus, but so has my fear!

By leaning on His Word, making it my portion, I can find rest. Rest when tomorrow is uncertain and rest when I am overwhelmed.

Especially sweet tonight is the thought that He is the Great Physician. Who better than the Creator to care for the creation? If He gave His life for me will He not give  all else I need?

This post is yet another request for my grandfather as he undergoes another surgery tomorrow morning. He will be having his pacemaker replaced. I was anxious tonight, but I am thankful that with Jesus we have a continual place to rest!

I desire your prayers. I know that He will guide the doctor’s hands and enable us to rest in Him while we wait!

"Rest in the Lord..." 

Psalm 37:7

A Work in Progress

“He’s still working on me to make me what I ought to be…”

Rising early this morning before the sunrise, I read a portion of Psalm 36.

“Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.  How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.  They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.  For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.”

                                                                                                                            Psalm 36:5-9 

“…In thy light shall we see light.” I want to see light, and the only way to do that is to be in His light!

So my morning devotions became a study of the word “light.” O how I need His light in my life! I settle so often for the darkness of sin and self when I have His marvelous light available to me! If He has called me out of darkness, why do I dwell there?

Another part of my resolution for 2010 involves rising early while it is yet dark in order to have the time necessary to dwell in and walk in His light, spiritually. This morning as the alarm sounded at 5:30, I struggled to open my eyes. Rolling over, I realized it was Monday, meaning a full day of teaching and other responsibilities were awaiting me. The flesh said, “You have 45 minutes before you really need to get up.” The Spirit said, “If you desire to be more diligent this is the way you need to start.” He was working on me, and I had a choice to make. Would I choose to follow flesh or Spirit?

The day to follow would be affected by my choice. It could be a day of darkness or a day of His light.

Thankfully when the flesh is strong, His Spirit is stronger, and He gives the grace to choose His way.

A day in His light is truly a day lived as we should be living. It brings the joy in the journey that He intends for us to walk in. He called us out for a purpose, and I desire to live in that purpose. He desires that we would show forth His praises and that’s impossible to do while dwelling in darkness. Would you rather live in the light where you can see where you’re headed and what’s going on around you or in darkness where you’re stumbling around and attempting to blindly discover what’s around the bend?

I think I’ll take the light, but that’s only because He’s loving enough to continue working on me! I am thankful that His work in my life is continual! How blessed am I that He is patient and gracious with me even though I am so often difficult to work with! 

I am today and will continue to be His work in progress!

  “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:10

New

January 1st often brings new year’s resolutions for many of us. If I could only make one resolution on the second day of 2010, it would be to have a renewed love for and devotion to God’s Word.

I want to study familiar passages of Scripture and be taught new lessons and be challenged in ways I haven’t been before.

I want the black words on white paper to be real to me in a new way.

I want the Lord to do a new thing, to know Him in a better and more personal way.

The first passage that I read on January 1st was Ezekiel 36.

It was verses 9 and 11 that struck me in a great way giving me a fresh outlook on the year ahead.

“For behold I am for you…and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do BETTER unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.”

What awesome thoughts…

He is for me! He is on my side and is working ALL things for my good!

He will settle my old estates. He has forgiven past sin and buried it deep in the depths of the sea! He has given sufficient grace for the journey, healed past wounds, and loved me with an everlasting love through it all.

He will do better things in my life as this year unfolds! He is not only Lord of Lords but the Lord of my life right down to the smallest detail!

I am excited about the new things He has planned and praying that this year will bring a new and more fervent desire in my heart to love my Lord and live for Him in a greater way!

“…Quicken thou me according to thy word.”

Psalm 119:25

Looking Both Ways…

Back at 2009.

Forward to 2010.

With just over one hour left in 2009, I’ve found myself thinking back over all that has taken place and forward to all that 2010 will hold.

2009 was a year of big changes in my life, but looking back I see a Faithful and Sufficient God who has been very present through all of it! I am thankful that He gave me the courage to walk this road although I couldn’t see what was waiting as I looked ahead last December 31st. He has made His promises even more precious to me than they’ve ever been before. He has made ways in ways I would have never imagined when there seemed to be no way.

2009 also brought the creation of this blog as a way to share what God was teaching me through His Word and Work in my life. It has been such a blessing to me to have a place to share what He’s doing with you, and I pray that it has blessed you and challenged you in your walk with Him.

Looking ahead to 2010, I am anxious and excited about what He has planned. Knowing that His thoughts are not like mine, I won’t even try to predict what’s in store, but I am certain that it will  be “exceeding abundantly above all that I ask or think.” (Eph. 3:20) Of course I have hopes and desires, but He continues to teach me that waiting for Him and trusting His timing leads to a journey full of joy and a heart that can truly love my Lord. I have much to learn, and I know that what He gives and continues to hold back will be exactly what I need to grow up into Him in 2010. I can’t wait to see what He has in store!

As I stand at this crossroads of 2009 and 2010, I am looking both ways, back on 365 days lived by His grace and prayerfully in a way that has brought Him glory and forward to 365 more days that hold much uncertainty but much excitement. And as I look, I know that the same God that has been faithful through the changes and circumstances of 2009 will continue to be as the clock strikes midnight tonight.

 May your new year be as full of the joy that this journey with Jesus can bring!

  “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:13-14

What am I wearing?

Well right now…a new outfit I just bought with my Christmas money ( and at a great price, too! 50% off at K-Mart! ), but my question isn’t really about my new purchases. My question is actually in regards to my condition spiritually.

Over the last few days, I’ve been meditating on this passage in Colossians chapter 3.

  “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”

Colossians 3:12-14

Did you catch that verb phrase in the beginning of verse 12? We are commanded to “put on” the list of attributes that follows.

When I began reading this passage, I immediately began thinking of the application in terms of clothing. Then when I searched out the Greek meaning of this phrase it literally means to invest with clothing, in the sense of sinking into a garment! I love how God’s Word always has a practical application. It’s not so complicated that it takes a scholar to understand, and I’m thankful for that!  

As Christians, our behavior should be Christ-like, and here in verses 12-14, he is giving us much-needed advice as to how to accomplish that. Paul is admonishing us as believers to dress according to the name that we bear. In three short verses, he lists 8 things that we should “put on” every morning before we face the day ahead of us.

First, its “bowels of mercies and kindness.” Every day, as we kneel before the Lord, we should petition Him for a kind and merciful spirit with which to interact with others. 

Then we are to “put on” “humbleness of mind” realizing that we are dust, no better than our brother, full of sin without a Savior, only brought into this royal family through the blood of our Sinless Sacrifice. Clothed in humility is the only true way to be kind and merciful to others.

Next comes “meekness.” Over the summer, I studied this quality at length learning that it has just as much to do with our relationship with the Lord as it has to do with our dealings with others. Meekness is the ability to do what is needful without the need for recognition. Meekness is the ability to say nothing though self says that there is much that needs to be said. Meekness realizes that we are but mere men and points others to the glory of a Humble Savior that quietly bore the burden of Sin that was crushing any hope we had for a meaningful today or for an Eternity in Heaven. Meekness means that we realize we will never arrive, spiritually speaking, that there will always be more that we can learn about our loving Lord, always be areas in which we can “grow up into Him” (Eph. 4:15)  even more thus making us students of Scripture as we seek to do so.

Following meekness is “longsuffering.” Another quality I studied along with the fruit of the Spirit a few months ago.I learned that the word long-suffering comes from the Greek word ‘mathrothmia,’ meaning longanimity, forbearance, fortitude, patience. After discovering this, I then had to look up “longanimity.” The definition of this word being ‘the patient enduring of hardship, injuries, or offense. Daily, we are to “put on” an attitude of longsuffering. Regardless of what the coming day holds or doesn’t hold (which is probably more apt to frustrate me) we are to be patient as we endure it. It goes back to a heart that is trusting the Hand that is in control of it all. A deep and abiding trust in His timing will enable us to be longsuffering knowing that His way is perfect. So again this attribute deals with our response to the Lord and also with our response to others. If our day brings an offense or injury at the expense of another, it will be easier to do if we’ve already “put on” longsuffering.

Verse 13 brings two qualities that may be difficult for some of us to choose from the closet of Christian character, but if  we are too truly be like Him, we must. We are challenged to “put on” an ability to “forbear” and “forgive” others. Did you know that to forbear literally means to put up with in the Greek! As “holy and beloved” of God, we are to put up with the people in our lives. I don’t believe that we are to put up with sin, but to esteem one another better than ourselves. (Phil. 2:3) Realizing that our way may not necessarily be the way, but to always make sure we evaluate everything in light of Scripture and to only voice concern when His Word is not being followed. As far as forgiveness goes, we should “put on” this attribute in order to respond in a godly way when we have a disagreement with another brother or sister. Living in light of all He has forgiven us for will make wearing forgiveness a blessing instead of a burden.

This brings us to the final yet most important “garment,” putting on “charity.” Verse 14 tell us that this quality is the “bond of perfectness.” In other words, this is the garment that ties it all together. It’s the piece that makes the outfit, so to speak. If we have the first seven without the eighth, we have nothing. The Apostle tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:1 that without love we’re just making a lot of noise, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”

So as we go to the Word of God, seeking the right attire to be pleasing to Him, we must remember to “put on” the things listed here in Colossians chapter 3. Then throughout the day, as we face people and situations that may be challenging, pause frequently to ask the question of ourselves, “What am I wearing?” to ensure we have kept on the things we “put on” during our morning prayer time.

The Same

The gifts have been opened.

The stockings have been emptied.

The cookies have been eaten.

The anticipation and preparation have been replaced with thoughts of a new year and new things to do.

The signs of the season are quickly becoming a distant memory as retailers have whisked the Christmas decorations onto clearance racks and put Valentine’s candy and cards in their places.

I’ve been thinking today of how quickly all that we plan and prepare for passes. How quickly December 1st has turned into December 28th. How 2009 will be 2010 in just over 72  hours.

But tonight with the thoughts of the brevity of it all filling my mind, this verse has also been there bringing sweet comfort to quickly changing circumstances.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8

I love how this verse includes every facet of time.

I love that He is for me today what He was yesterday and what He will continue to be tomorrow.

Yesterday His grace was greater than all my sin, and today, as I have needed it again, it is still greater. Tomorrow when I find myself upon my knees, it will still be greater.

Today, I find Him faithful just as He was yesterday, and for the rest of my days He will be just that.

Today, He is enough, and tomorrow, He will continue to be!

Regardless of what comes and goes, He will be the same through it all.

So as the decorations are packed away and December turns into January, remember that He will always be the same  no matter what 2010 has in store!

Dust.

Psalm 103 tells us of the light in which our loving Lord views His children,

“…He remembereth that we are dust.” (vs. 14)

But often I forget.

I read this quote awhile ago, but stumbled upon it again today when I was in desperate need of it. I needed to be reminded.

“He who grows in grace remembers that he is but dust, and he therefore does not expect his fellow Christians to be anything more. He overlooks ten thousand of their faults, because he knows his God overlooks twenty thousand in his own case. He does not expect perfection in the creature, and therefore, he is not disappointed when he does not find it.”

~Charles Spurgeon

It’s all too easy to view self through rose-colored glasses. To see as Jesus himself said the mote in the eye of another while neglecting to see the beam in our own.

The point Jesus is making in Matthew chapter 7 was sharpened for me when I realized the meanings of beam and mote in the original Greek text.

Why do we behold the mote or twig in the eye of our brother when in our own eye we’d find a beam or stick of timber in our own if we’d only look closely at ourselves?

Because we are dust.

How often we pick out the tiny, miniscule flaw in another when we have our own major issues to be concerned with.

I know this is true in my own life as I take time to examine self closely.  I see a sinner who is selfish and impatient. I see dust who has no right to point out the flaws of others when her own failures are increasingly evident.

I am grateful tonight that time spent in Scripture quickly reminds me that I am merely dust. A reminder that will lead to living in light of that fact and call me closer to the One who can remove the timber and make me usable again.

What a lesson He has been trying to teach me lately. Oftentimes my sinfulness makes me a slow (very slow!) learner when it comes to the spiritual lessons I am in desperate need of being taught. I am so grateful that He (and the many others who must put up with me!) is patient with me, knowing my frame, remembering that I am dust.

*Remind me Lord that I am dust,

full of sin and self apart from You.

May I live conscious of the fact

that when You forgave me,

You forgave MUCH,

that I may be quick to show your grace to others.*

Merry Christmas!

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

 Isaiah 9:6 

Praying you’ve had a wonderful day full of everything He came to be for us!

With JOY because of Jesus,

Sara

Responding in Joyful Obedience

Mary. The mother of Jesus. Known worldwide for centuries as the virgin girl who gave birth to her firstborn son in a stable of all places, not because she was anyone special, nor because a barn is a most unlikely place to deliver a baby. Known because this child that she carried for nine months was the very God that created her.

But tonight, I want to take a look at something that I believe that Mary can also be known for and something that we can learn much from.

I was thinking about Mary’s reaction to the angel’s message that day as she took an incredibly hard to comprehend situation and responded in a way that said much about who she was.

Mary’s initial response was one of confusion.

“And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.”

Luke 1:29 

Scripture tells us that Mary cast in her mind what was spoken by Gabriel that day. This means that she reckoned thoroughly. Can you imagine what was going through her mind at that moment, as she tried to wrap her finite understanding around the Infinite coming to dwell not only on earth, but to dwell within her?

I believe that we can learn the right response to God’s requests in our lives. I believe this teaches that to be confused or puzzled by the Lord’s direction is not a sin as long as we have faith enough in Him to move ahead regardless of what we don’t understand.

Mary’s confusion was then  made apparent by questioning.

“Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”

 Luke 1:34 

All of us, myself especially, are great with this one. How easy it is to question when we can’t see the big picture. When we see only the threads because He’s not yet revealed the tapestry, questions are prevalent. When we see only today with little hope for tomorrow, our human minds try to grasp the situation and they do so with question.

Again, I believe we can learn something from this. It is not a sin to question as long as we are content with His answer or lack thereof. If we question and He responds in silence, we must accept that with grace, knowing full well that all is well that’s left in His hands. If we question and He gives an answer that still doesn’t make much sense, we must still be willing to respond.

This brings us to Mary’s third and final response.

 ”And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word… ”

Luke 1:38 

A response of joyful obedience.

Though I’m sure a million questions still lingered in her mind, 

“What will Joseph think?”

“How will the townspeople react?”

“Why me? Why did God choose me to carry His Son?” 

 she said “Yes, Lord.” 

Though I’m sure she was scared and uncertain, she took the word from her Lord as just that, a word from the Lord.

 “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

Luke 1:46-55 

Her spirit was rejoicing in God her Savior. She was magnifying the One that had called her to such a high and noble calling. She viewed this immaculate conception as a great thing! She took His request and immediately demonstrated a joyful heart before God and others despite her confusion and question.

I think we can learn much from the mother of our Lord. When God makes a request, whether it be something large like surrendering to full-time ministry or calling us to live for Him in a specific way or something smaller, in our eyes, like choosing to treat others as we would like to be treated or making good use of the time given to us, we should respond in joyful obedience.

This account clearly shows us that as humans we will initially respond with confusion and question, and that doing so is not sinful, if we can move past those stages. We have a choice to make.

Will we stay at confusion?

Will we allow question to hinder action?

Or will be respond joyfully in spite of what we may still be confused about or still be questioning?

Will we trust Him enough to joyfully obey regardless of His request?

May we look at Mary, not only at Christmas, as the Joseph’s wife and Jesus’ mother, but as a role model to which we can look to find a great example of joyful obedience.

Do you think she was thankful she responded as she did, when sweet baby Jesus made His entrance into the world on that dark night in Bethlehem? Do you think, she whispered “Thank you, Lord, for giving me grace to follow You? Thank you for giving me this precious privilege?” Though we are not given any dialogue from Mary in Luke chapter two, I think we can safely assume that Mary was grateful she had chosen to respond in joyful obedience!

 ”Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”

Isaiah 6:8 

 

I forgot to mention…

Lately, I’ve been focusing on what I don’t have instead of on the wonderful things He has done for me! Today while spending this snowy Saturday inside, I began reading through some of my old notebooks. I found this verse in my notebook from January of this year.

“I will mention the lovingkindness of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He hath bestowed on them according to His mercies, and according to the multitude of His loving kindnesses.” Isaiah 63:7

I have been forgetting to mention how very good He has been to me!

If I was to (which I should be!) be praising Him according to all that He has bestowed upon me I would be praising Him for all eternity! Words of my own choosing will never be enough to express the greatness of what He’s done if I stop but for a second and think upon it! His own Word sums it up, that when I’ve truly grasped His awesomeness I will “abundantly utter” (Psalm 145:7) His praises for what He has done and “sing of His righteousness” (Psalm 145:7) for what I know He’s doing and is going to do!

I can be filled with His praises even in the waiting because I know that “the Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works!” (Psalm 145:17) When I’m in a season of waiting, I’m waiting because it’s what’s righteous in His perfect plan for me today and what will bring Him the most glory in the end! And isn’t that what I want most, “that God in ALL things may be glorified?” (1 Peter 4:11)

I can trust that where He has me today is not pointless but purposeful, and that I am gaining good in it that He can see at this very moment. Since He is righteous in ALL of His ways, it means He will not allow anything that He doesn’t have a reason for!

To abundantly utter means to gush forth, to emit, pour out, bubble forth.

When I am focused upon ALL that He has done, I can pour out praise unto my Savior! When I remember that I have received “of His fullness” (John 1:16), that I am now and forever “saved to the uttermost” (Heb. 7:25), I can gush forth with gratefulness! When I think upon what great things He has done for me in 2009 , I bubble up with the realization that the amazing blessings I’ve been given have come with love from His Sovereign Hand!

I am thankful that He has a way of reminding me of the things I forget!