Tuesday, Mar 14

And [Jesus] said, “I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 18:3 (GNT)

My husband and I are blessed with lots of family around. The eldest is my husband's father who is 89 and the youngest is my grandson, who is one. Some days caring for them is very similar as the circle of life plays out before our eyes. One of the differences I have noticed though is tied to this verse in Matthew. When my grandson is in a pickle and I help him or I suddenly appear when he is unsure, he looks at me with a look that says "I knew you'd be here." He expects me to show up and help him whenever he needs me. My father-in-law, however, always looks surprised. Even though he is thankful when it happens, he is never confident we'll be there for him. Even though we've been helping him for three years, he still doesn't trust it.

As I reflected on this, I pondered if this is one of the character traits Jesus was talking about when he said we must become like little children. God wants us to trust him. He wants us to know that he will show up and help us every single time. He doesn't want us to say "I wasn't sure you were going to show up, I'm sure glad you did." He wants us to always say "I knew you'd show up. You always do."

Where are you in your walk with God? Are you surprised when he shows up or are expecting him with a childlike faith that can't be rocked by your circumstance?  Maybe you are somewhere in between. Where ever you are, know that God loves you and will show up for you, every single time.

Monday, Mar 13

What does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NLT)

As I watch my little grandson grow and assert his will into the mix of his life, I realize there are going to be times when he will need to obey what his parents or I (or anyone that is caring for him) says. Even if he doesn't want to. As he gets older, he is going to ask "Why must I obey?" Our answer? "Because we love you so very much, we know what will be best for you." We can't expect a child of one or two or sometimes even 16 to know everything about life. We then impose our will on them so they are safe and are making the best choice for their life and more importantly, for their future.

It is the same with God. He asks us to obey him. Not because of some arbitrary rule he's imposed but because he loves us so very much and wants the best for our life and our future. When we rebel against obeying (knowing the request is made in love), we don't have an obedience problem, we have a love problem. Our relationship with God is not in the right place. God will never, ever, ever offer us second best. He can't. It is not in his nature to do so. Trust him. It's the difference between a good life and the best life.

God is love. 1 John 4:16 (NLT)

Friday, Mar 10

But I do not need bulls from your stalls
    or goats from your pens,
because every animal of the forest is already mine.
    The cattle on a thousand hills are mine.
I know every bird on the mountains,
    and every living thing in the fields is mine.
If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    because the earth and everything in it are mine.
Psalm 50:9-12 (NCV)

In the past, I have gotten caught up in thinking that what I was doing was important. What I gave to people would help them and my contributions were key in their progress. Maybe I've grown up enough to realize that what I contribute really isn't that big a deal. Why? Because it's not about me. It's about God. God doesn't need anything from us. Everything is already his. If you were God and you needed something, would you come to the likes of us to get it? I doubt it.

It's true God doesn't need anything from us but he does want something. He wants our hearts. He wants to be in a relationship with us. He wants to have conversations and share thoughts. He wants to laugh with us, help us and smile with us as we reflect at the end of a really good day. I kind of like that. I'd much rather spend time with him than strive to prove my worth. Much less stressful and way more fun.

Thursday, Mar 9

At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Luke 22:61 (NLT)

Imagine it with me. Peter is standing in the middle of a group of people hostile to Jesus and is being questioned about knowing him. I am sure he was afraid for his life. He was probably imagining the things that could/would happen to him if he aligned himself to Jesus. He denies that he knows him. He does it again and then a final time. And the rooster crowed. Now, he could rationalize a rooster crowing by saying it was just coincidence - we rationalize away God's work in our lives all the time - but he couldn't rationalize away the look in Jesus' eyes. It crushed him.

Jesus is not physically able to turn and look at us when we choose a path separate from him. We may not be able to look into his eyes but we do see him with the eyes of our heart. We know what we are supposed to do and how we are supposed to act. We choose our own comfort, our own pleasure over our relationship with God. We feel the prick of conscience when we deny his call. The problem is, we can close the eyes of our heart and ignore what we see. And we do.

Jesus eventually reconciled Peter to himself. He called him; Peter answered and went on to do great things for God. The good news is that no matter what, God always offers us grace and the chance to try again.

Father God, please help us to see you with eyes that you have opened. Help us to not turn away from the call you have placed before us and Lord, when we disappoint you, help us to run toward you, not away. Amen

Wednesday, Mar 8

God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together. Genesis 22:8 (NLT)

When God called Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, he was pretty clear about what he wanted Abraham to do. And to Abraham's credit, the next morning he began the task put before him. The next morning? Really? I would have been tempted to ponder a while to see if I had heard that right. I would have wanted to pray about it for a season to get clarity. But Abraham had heard that voice before and he loved it. He knew who was speaking to him.

He started the three day journey. I can't imagine what must have been going through his mind as he put one foot in front of the other. What was he thinking as he walked along the path about the God he knew and this latest call? How did they reconcile to each other? When he told Isaac that God would provide, was that something he knew in his heart or was it something he said out loud to comfort his son (and himself).

As we all know, God did provide a Lamb. And Abraham praised him for the gift. I believe that in Abraham's heart he was also praising him because the God he knew, the God he loved showed up and delivered. I believe his praise going forward would never be the same because his God experience had forever changed. God does test our faith. He does ask us to walk some paths that are overwhelmingly hard. But when we come through on the other side, we will praise him all the more.

Tuesday, Mar 7

Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world. John 4:42 (NLT)

In this story, the woman is entrenched in a religious society (and she's not doing so well keeping up with everyone else). She understands the big topics of debate and is really good at deflecting any personal accountability by throwing the hot topics onto the table when things get too uncomfortable - too personal. Then, she encounters Jesus and experiences him for herself. She is moved by his presence and tells all the people she knows. They are invited to come and see for themselves. They do and as they spend time with Jesus, they personally experience him too.

Their faith is no longer because of what they heard. It is because of who they experienced. They are changed. How often do we do this? We may know how to provide all the right answers to the religious questions of our upbringing and we may look great on the outside but until we experience Jesus for ourselves, we will not be changed on the inside. Let's face it. Religion for religions sake is not fulfilling. But it doesn't have to be like that! Once you experience Jesus for yourself, personally, you will experience something unlike anything you've ever known. You will become undone.

I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. Job 42:5 (NLT)

Monday, Mar 6

But even if he doesn't.......Daniel 3:18 (GNT)

We read those words from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and are moved by them. They were told to bow down and worship King Nebuchadnezzar's statue. When they refused, the King threatened to throw them in the fiery furnace. Their response was "Our God is able to save us but even if he doesn't......"

Lately, I've been praying hard for confirmation from God. I'm on a path that I believe he set into motion. I believe it but I want confirmation just in case I'm wrong. I want everything to work out fine....for God's glory, of course. Don't we all do this? We pray for God's leading and we really do want it for his glory but we want it for our security as well. If the words "Lord, I just want to know it's your plan." were translated into our hidden heart words it might look like "Lord, can you please assure me that this is going to work out fine and there will be no pain. This will all be for your glory"

The questions I've been wrestling with lately are these:
"If it doesn't work out and the bottom falls out of my world, will I still praise and worship God?"
"Is Jesus enough if everything else is taken away?"
"Am I worshiping him because of who he is or what he will provide?"

How about you? Answer your own question. But even if he doesn't _______________________
(spare my loved one's life, provide a job, heal my sickness, save my children/marriage/house) will I still worship him?

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego truly understood worship. Their worship wasn't tied to their circumstances. It was tied to the God they knew deep down in their hearts. How about yours?

Friday, Mar 3

But these are only hints of his power,
    only the whispers that we have heard.
Who can know how truly great God is?
Job 26:14 (GNT)

I admit it. I am guilty. I am guilty of looking at my current circumstances and thinking what God is asking me to do can't be done. I lean towards believing with my eyes and not with my heart or my experience. Not too many months ago, I was following God's leading on something he asked me to do. What he asked wasn't logical but I asked for confirmation and I got it so I moved forward. As we were walking this path, things went from bad to worse (or so it seemed to me). In frustration I emphatically exclaimed my dissatisfaction and asked him why he'd take us down this path. Two weeks passed and everything fell into place. Perfectly. It was then I realized that it had to unravel before it could be put back together. Of course, God knew. He always does. I hate it when I trust my sight and in so doing I make God look small. One thing I do trust though, as we walk through this journey and I learn a lesson in trust, he's smiling and saying "You are learning, dear one, you are learning."

Who can know how truly great God is? Don't just listen to the whispers of his power. Trust in him and experience it for yourself.