Tag Archives: Christianity

How To Rise Above Your Circumstances… Like Habakkuk

Posted on by
1

Do you ever look at the world around you and think “What is going on right now?” Maybe justice doesn’t seem to prevail. Your circumstances dictate your behavior, and as much as you call out to God, you don’t feel like God is listening to your prayers, because you don’t see them being answered. Let’s look at Habakkuk and see how to rise above our circumstances in times like these.

Habakkuk opens his book with a complaint to God that may sound exactly like how you are feeling. “How long must I call to you, but you not listen?” Destruction was before him… too much of it for his liking, and he cries out to God that justice never prevails.

I can only imagine what Habakkuk’s social media page would have looked like. But would he have shared his discontent about what he was seeing around him with his following? I am not sure.

“Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?” Habakkuk 1:3

And how about us? When we see what goes on in our own world, and the world around us, what do we do? Do we take it to God? And run to His word? Or use our platform to share our thoughts, and cause a stir?

We will look at one of my favorite Bible people next week, because we will get an outside perspective on what she did, which will give us a model to follow. But let’s start with what Habakkuk does.

Habakkuk wrestles with God in his frustration about the sinful nation, and is upset that God allows Him to witness the destruction He was seeing.

He wanted answers in his time of struggle. But God doesn’t answer by changing Habakkuk’s circumstance or explaining it to him. God answers by offering him words of hope. He tells Habakkuk that he was doing something that he wouldn’t believe.

And finally, at the end of this 3 chapter book, after wrestling, and receiving words of hope from God, he lands on faith. “Even though the fig tree doesn’t bud, the fields produce no food” the Sovereign Lord would be his strength and make his feet like the deer. Enabling him to tread on the heights.

Deer are surefooted animals that can climb rocky cliffs, and never stumble or fall. She can scamper on what looks like impossible grounding, and impassible terrain.

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:19

When we run like the deer, and tread on the high places, we can live above our circumstances. God is our strength and enables us to do so. He gives us courage to tread on new heights. We can escape our enemies and gain freedom, because the Sovereign Lord is our strength. It doesn’t matter how impossible things seem if our eyes are locked on Jesus, we can run our race with endurance, and refuse to give up, and then watch with amazement all that God does. We can shake off the things that hinder us and be like the deer, and our God will get the glory. This all comes in the face of what others may do, and what goes on around us. No matter what, we can still boldly live our God’s call.

How to rise above our circumstances.

Habakkuk lived in trying times, but his resolution was to turn his attention to the Lord, despite what he was witnessing. God’s promises were his firm foundation, as they are ours. We can be free to walk in faith, just like the deer who is unshaken by the heights.

God, many times, will not change our circumstance, as much as we would like Him too. That isn’t really how He operates a lot of the time.

So, if we want to make a difference in the world, what can we do on an everyday basis?

Tune in next week, as I share more about this by looking at Ruth.

3 Benefits Of Being Rooted In Christ

Posted on by
Reply

Have you ever felt weak? Maybe like a tree whose roots aren’t that deep, struggling to survive? And if a storm comes, you would be shaken and knocked down? Unable to be thrive through the wind and the rain? As we all know, roots are vital to the health of a tree. They provide nutrients to a tree, and anchor it in place. Trees only thrive when they absorb enough water through its roots. And coupled with that, a tree must absorb enough water to grow.

There are numerous references to roots in scripture, and many of those convey the analogy of strength in the faith. 

Roots and Faith.

One of those verses is Job 14: 7-9.

“At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant…..

Oh, how it can feel like a reflection of reality. This verse focuses a lot on what happens below the surface. Roots. Gnarled. Messy. No hope in sight. BUT, even at the first whiff of water it comes to life and grows. …

But I read something interesting the other day. And it is important because water doesn’t just help a tree grow.

“When we pave over our landscapes, and replace deep rooted native plants with shallow rooted turf grasses, we inevitably make flooding events worse”

I got to really thinking about this and our faith. If we have surface level faith, like the shallow rooted turf, the rains will drown us, because our roots aren’t deep enough to be an anchor for our soul, or to absorb the amount of water that a storm can bring.

In short: What is meant to grow us, would actually harm us.

Roots that are deep sustain a tree. So if our roots in faith are deep, we are more anchored in the soil, and we will absorb more living water. When the storms come, we can withstand them better, because we are more secured, and stronger in Christ. 

The deeper we are in Christ, the more we will be prepared and able to weather a storm. The less we will be swayed by the winds, and the less our branches will break. 

And the deeper we are in Christ and abide in His love, and the more we stand on His promises, the more our hope will grow. 

Hope is a natural response to being in God’s word.

Romans 15: 4 says, For everything that was written in the past, was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures, and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope.

This means that hope is a natural response to being in the Word. Troubling circumstances are going to be harder if we are not rooted in Christ, because other things will take root. Fear, doubt, insecurities… false hopes and promises that disappoint. 

God’s word is an encouragement to us, and reveals who God really is. It teaches us about the hope that doesn’t disappoint, and what it means that God really is working all things for His glory and our good.

Trees with deep roots provide protection.

Last week I took my friend’s daughter to a flower farm by their house. There, we found a large Weeping European Beech Tree, and as the hot sun came out, we found ourselves finding enjoying the coolness of branches that seemed to protect us in the moment. It felt refreshing. I was reminded of another time that I had to seek shelter under trees.

I was on a large, open hill, and a couple friends and I were laying on some wood benches near the top. It was a beautiful day, until the clouds rolled in, and we found out hair quickly getting full of static. It didn’t take long for us to realize that lightning was about to strike, and we better run for shelter. We ran towards the woods where trees sheltered us as the storm passed.

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Psalm 5:11

As we enjoyed the coolness and protection of the trees, and were basically hidden under the branches and leaves, I was thinking of God’s protection over us. How He provides a place of shading and protection from harm, the heat, the storms. Everything that goes on around us really. He is the safe place that we can go, to find all we need in all weather. Heat or storm. 

What are the 3 benefits of being rooted in Christ?

When we abide, or are rooted, in Christ, we are safe in His love. Despite what goes on around us, we are secure in His embrace, and will grow to be stronger and more secured. And as we remain in His word, hope will grow.

So my hope for you is that you have a hunger for His word, and that you grow by His strength, so that you may have the hope that doesn’t disappoint.

What Abraham Teaches Us About Hope

Posted on by
3

What Abraham Teaches Us About Hope is part 2 of a 2 part blog. You can find part 1, What Job Teaches Us About Hope And Times Of Suffering, here. We pick up right where we left off!

Job intimately ties us to the New Testament, because all of his questions and problems are answered perfectly in Jesus Christ. Our faithful Defender. Our living hope.

We can stop believing the lie that God will never let His people suffer, by looking at Jesus, and embracing the truth that there is hope, even when our circumstances try to convince us there isn’t. And this hope doesn’t disappoint or put us to shame. We have a God who doesn’t run out on us, when our blessings wear thin… We have Jesus, His promised Son, who can empathize with our weakness.

What can we have genuine hope for?

Jesus was tempted, just as we are—yet he did not sin. So even though we are unworthy, we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence and without fear, so that we may find grace in our time of need.

But, what exactly should we have hope for? And how do we get from longing for this hope, to deeply knowing and having confidence in what we hope for? 

  • We can have hope, confident assurance, that our help comes from the Lord.
  • That when we call, He will answer.
  • That He goes before you, and will never leave you.
  • That He loves you so much that He sent His only son, so that if you believe in Him, you will not perish but have eternal life.
  • That one day He will wipe away every tear from your eye, and there will be no more pain or sorrow.
  • That He is preparing a place for us, and that one day Jesus will come again, as promised. 

This is the hope that will not disappoint or put us to shame.

Romans 15: 4 says, For everything that was written in the past, was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures, and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope.

This means what scripture says about what Job experienced can help us have hope and encouragement.

This also means that hope is a natural response to being in the Word. Troubling circumstances are going to be harder if we are not rooted in Christ, because other things will take root. Fear, doubt, insecurities… false hopes and promises that disappoint. 

God’s word is an encouragement to us and reveals who God really is. It teaches us about the hope that doesn’t disappoint, and what it means that God really is working all things for His glory and our good… And, sometimes “our good” means a time of testing so that our faith is proven or strengthened…

As I have sought to know Him, His love has been almost tangibly. His love, that is promised and kept. Made and fulfilled. Unshakeable. True. Fixed in heaven. Sacrificial. Loyal. Devoted. Kind. Gentle, yet strong.  

I am often amazed. Because we are unworthy,  and don’t deserve it do we? His goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and love. Yet He has been so willing to pour it out for us. Grace. Undeserved kindness. 

My prayer is that you to walk in faith, because you know the immensity of His love for you. To never wonder if there is hope for you, but be confident in what you hope for, because you have the unshakeable assurance that the One who promised is faithful. And to be ROOTED in Christ, so that hope can arise in your life.

What does Abraham teach us about hope?

I want to end by looking at Abraham who is described as one who “hoped against hope”, as every aspect of his life seemed to go against God’s promise. God had promised him a son. But as time went on, it became less and less possible, from a human perspective, for this promise to come to pass.   

But what does it mean to hope against hope?… For me, sometimes I hope against fear, insecurity, and doubt, and the wonder if hope will disappoint. 

But when you hope against hope, it doesn’t matter what your circumstances are… you keep walking in faith, believing that every word God says is true.

When we hope against hope we will look back and say “I knew You would work it all out… I believed you”.

We have to have an unshakeable assurance that He really does work everything together for His glory, and our good, even if we can’t see it. That is hope. 

Abraham’s obedience wasn’t perfect, and neither will ours be, but Abraham’s life shows a growing assurance of who God is. As his body aged, his faith didn’t weaken, and he didn’t waver in unbelief.  He knew ‌God had power to do what He had promised… and we see this as God tests Abraham, years after Isaac, his promised son, was born. God, asks Abraham to take Isaac, who he loves, and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. 

Abraham heads off with Isaac to the place God would show him, and Isaac asks him where the lamb was for the burnt offering. Abraham assured his son that God himself would provide a lamb. What is promised by God, is going to be fulfilled by God.

God, Himself will provide.

So here is Abraham preparing the altar with the wood that Isaac had carried on his back. He is about to slaughter his bound son when an angel of the Lord comes and stops him. Abraham looks over and sees a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. 

Not a lamb as Abraham had expected. But a ram. A strong adult grown up lamb…known for protecting its herd. Abraham received a bit differently than expected, but more than he expected, and he walked down the hill with Isaac and named the place “the Lord will provide”. 

He is the God who provides. And He is also the God who will see to it that His promises are fulfilled. In more ways than we could ask or imagine. 

Years later another promised Son, would carry a wooden cross on His back. This time, it wasn’t a test. There was no ram in the thicket. And Jesus wouldn’t display His power to take Himself off the cross. The Son wouldn’t be spared, but given up for us so we can be rescued from our sin.That is how much God loves us. He sent Jesus, to be the ultimate sacrificial lamb who would overcome death, and the grave, so we might have this hope that doesn’t disappoint. 

What Job Teaches Us About Hope And Times Of Suffering

Posted on by
3

About 6 months ago, I looked deeper into a verse in Job that had growth to mean a lot to me, Job 14: 7-9, as well as the book of Job in its entirety and how it fits into the bigger picture of scripture. And I learned a lot about what Job teaches us about hope and times of suffering.

I wanted to share it with you all but since there is way too much to share in one post… so in my next 2 posts I am going to share with you what I learned about why Job spoke the words so close to my heart, and why they matter to us today.

Ready? Let’s go!

Job lived in a land called Uz, and many believe he lived about the same time as Abraham. Job chapter 1 describes him as being a righteous man who feared God,.Even God said “he is the finest man in all the earth”, and a man of integrity. God blessed Job with wealth, prosperity, and sons and daughters.  

However, following a conversation between God and Satan, Job’s life changes. 

Satan, along with other angels, present themselves before the Lord. Satan had been roaming the earth, most likely looking for people to deceive, and the outcome of this conversation is that God permits Satan to test Job. 

Strange as it might seem to you at first, this conversation comforts me. Here’s why. Sometimes, when we see what goes on around us, it can seem like Satan has more power than he actually does. But we see here that God and Satan are not equal, and that ultimately, Satan’s attempts to bring suffering upon us do not surprise God. God is in control.

The test was to see if Job would curse God when he lost the blessing and protection God had given . Satan was ultimately suggesting Job was only blameless and righteous because he didn’t yet have a reason to turn against God.

Will Job’s faith waver, when what God has blessed him with is gone? Would ours?

Will you still worship God when tragedy comes?

Tragedy after tragedy comes upon Job’s household. He loses his prosperity, livelihood, and most of his family. And is left tearing his robe (which is an outward expression of grieving) shaving his head, and falling to the ground… in worship.

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb” Job says”, “and naked I will depart. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

On another day, Satan again presents himself before God along with other angels. Satan had been roaming the earth, and God praises Job for maintaining his integrity. We see Satan again allowed to test Job, because surely Job would curse God’s face if not only his possessions and family were struck… but his own flesh and bones.

Job chapter 2: 7-8 paints a disturbing picture of Job’s physical reaction to being afflicted with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. He sits among ashes, and scrapes himself with a broken piece of pottery. 

His wife, who is grieving herself, questions Job, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” 

To complicate things more, there was a belief that if you had troubles, God was punishing you for your sin. And three friends offer Job a “perfect solution”, to his perceived “punishment”. Repent before God.

Is suffering always a punishment for sin?

But suffering isn’t always a punishment for sin. Is it true that there are consequences in this life for our sins? Yes! But we will suffer hardship because of things out of our control, for purposes only known by God.

In everything that led up to Job’s suffering, he is said to have not sinned, and he uses psalm like expression to ‌try to understand why he is going through this heartache. When we come to Job 14:7-9, Job seems to speak the words out of hopelessness. He contrasts his life with a tree that is cut down. “For a tree there is hope, ” Job says, But not seemingly for him. He was uncertain there was any hope beyond his life, and this life. 

But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he? As water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries up, So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep.” Job 14: 10-12

We see the uncertainty of what happens after death, and Job’s desperation for hope. His circumstances probably seemed unfair. Why should a cut down tree have a better hope of resurrection than a suffering man?

Job deeply struggles for hope, and to understand “why”..

Why was I not born stillborn? Job despairs in 3:16. And why was life given to someone burdened with grief. He couldn’t relax, had no rest, and longed for death, probably because it seemed better than his current misery.

Maybe like Job, your life feels cut down, and you see everyone else who has hope, but maybe you don’t believe that hope is for you. Maybe you have been following all the rules, “you have done everything right” but you don’t see God’s faithfulness in your life. I have been there, when circumstances out of my control left me feeling cut down, and thinking “God doesn’t look very powerful or faithful right now.” And I wondered if the hope that promises not to disappoint would put me to shame.

In looking back I realized God just didn’t look how I wanted Him to look in the moment, and neither did my life. I longed for a hope that I could see and understand. And I let my circumstance define my understanding of God.

And like Job, part of me wanted to ask God a lot of questions, and just try to justify myself. It can be easy to want to do that when you want answers. 

But God didn’t answer all of Job’s questions directly… And perhaps that is because Job was asking the wrong questions, as we often do. Maybe he should have started the first question he asked with the word “Who.”  

“Who are you God that the suffering of the innocent is worth it?”. Because Job was suffering, and in terms of why he was suffering, he was innocent. God eventually speaks to Job to proclaim who He is. Here is a snippet of the proclamation in Job 38-41:

  • He is the God who laid the earth’s foundations, and shows the dawn its place
  • Who sends lightning bolts where they should go, and brings forth the constellations in their season, and feeds the raven.
  • The one who gives the horse its strength, and knit you together in your mothers womb. 

Job was confronted with God’s almighty power, and absolute authority. God was sovereign. And Job declared the hope that God can do all things for His glory, even when it doesn’t seem so in the moment. Job answers God in Job 40: 4 “I am unworthy- how can I reply to you?” And later says “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” 

Who are you God that the suffering of the innocent is worth it?

Like Job, we will face circumstances without answers and explanations. We will struggle with the hard questions and won’t always be okay.

But as Job did, we can be honest with God. Job’s story reminds us that when we are hopeless, and in despair, we need to not let our circumstances define who we know God to be. We are unworthy because of our sin, but God loves us. And He loves us so much that when we ask the question “why”, He will remind us who He is.

Job teaches us that there is a need for a Savior.

While reading Job, I’ve been reminded of people I meet today. People who feel hopeless and alone. Disappointed. Or on the flipside, unsatisfied, and unhappy even though they have everything they have ever dreamed. Job says perfectly what many people could never put into words. 

“If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.””

Job couldn’t confidently stand before God in his own righteousness. And He couldn’t justify himself  with all the things he had done right. Job needed someone to stand before God in his defense, and he knew it. Someone to save him from judgment, so he didn’t have to stand before God in fear.

Job intimately ties us to the New Testament, because all of his questions and problems are answered perfectly in Jesus Christ. Our faithful Defender. Our living hope.

To be continue…

What Has Jesus Done?

Posted on by
Reply

What has Jesus done? Well, that is a loaded question, and a question that stopped me in my tracks the other day when I was reading about the last supper.

I have been struggling with a double ear infection for about a month now, and trying to endure my way through it. It is frustrating because it has affected so much, my energy, thought process, and I have felt like I have been operating at limited capacity (that is the most frustrating part). And this question caught me in a moment of “Why is this happening?”

Do you know what I have done for you?

This was a question Jesus asked His disciples the night shortly after He had gotten up from the Last Supper. He takes off His outer clothing, wraps a towel around His waist, and assumes the position of a servant, pours water into a basin and washes His disciples feet.

But when it gets to be Peter’s turn, Peter just couldn’t handle it. He couldn’t handle that, his “master” wash taking on the humiliating task of washing his feet.

No, you shall never wash my feet.

Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.

Then, Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!

Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.

Then after He finished washing their feet He says…

Do you not understand what I have done for you?

And truthfully, they couldn’t grasp it, really. If I am honest, I have a hard time grasping it as hard as I try, and want to.

Jesus then goes on to share some heartfelt words for those around Him in John 13-17. Jesus shares in these beautiful passages what He has done, what is about to be done, and what He will do. He encourages to love others, as He has loved that. That there is one amongst them who will betray Him, and He shares that with them so that when it comes to pass, they will believe that He is who He is.

The message to take heart, because He would overcome the world was strong.

Peter’s denial is predicted, as he insists that he would lay down his life for Jesus. Tough truths are shared, but intertwined with unshakeable hope.

Where Jesus was going, they could not follow yet. But He was preparing a place for them, a place with many rooms. Jesus wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t so. He promises to be with them, and send them the Holy Spirit.

They would weep and mourn, as the world rejoices. But their grief would turn to joy.

Jesus states that a time has come where they would scatter to their homes, and leave Him alone, but that He wouldn’t be alone because His Father is with Him.

Then He prays for Himself, His disciples, and other future believers (us).

This is found in John 17, and I encourage you to read it. You can feel Jesus love in every single word written.

But pause, and reflect on these verses that have stuck with me. I pray that these words meet you where you are, and are treasured in your heart, because the deep love these words carry from Jesus.

While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 

Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you[knownto them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them. John 17: 12-15, 24-25

And soon after these words were spoken, He died on a cross. A humiliating death reserved for the worst of the worst criminals.

The unexpected became the embracers.

Once Jesus had taken His final breath on the cross, something interesting happened.

I have never thought about this much until recently. There were 2 men that took Jesus body off the cross, and placed His body in one of the tombs that was reserved for one of them, as Mary Magdalene and Mary stood there watching. These 2 men weren’t Jesus’ closest friends, they had actually followed Him in secret.

Joseph, assisted by Nicodemus, took Jesus’ body down from the cross, and wrapped it in linen cloths with fragrant spices according to burials customs for the Jews.

Now taking His body down, couldn’t have been an easy task. First, they probably had to lower the cross down. Second, He was nailed to a cross. So they would have had to remove the nails, so they could remove Him from the cross. And imagine this. These 2 men having to carry His weight, His bloodied, lifeless body. The lifeless body that was supposed to save His people.

But in truth, they were embracing the dead weight of the One who had just bore the weight of their sin, and ours.

The grievers become the joyful.

Joseph had rolled a stone in front of the tomb, but Pilate ordered that guards be placed in front of the tomb, and put a seal on it. He did not want the disciples coming to steal the body and “claim” He had risen as He said He would.

On Easter morning, Mary Magdalene and Mary, went to tomb to anoint Jesus body with spices they had prepared. As captured in Mark 16:2, they wondered how the stone would be removed from the entrance. The stone was too heavy to move themselves, and not sure if they were aware of this, but the guards were there. And the stone was sealed.

Even with the impossibilities in front of them, they went to the garden that the tomb was in.

When we trust God, we don’t have to wonder how the impossibilities will be made possible. God always makes the way. And we see it so beautifully here, as these women went anyway.

An angel of the Lord came down, and removed the sealed stone, leaving the guards so afraid they were like dead men. This angel sat on the stone that it had rolled away, and told the women they need not be afraid, because Jesus had risen, just as He said he He would. And instructed the women to quickly go and tell His disciples.

No longer in grief, they joyfully ran to tell the disciples.

The conditions of faith disappear….

The disciples didn’t hear the news from these women though, and when Jesus appeared to them Thomas wasn’t with them. Poor Thomas. He wouldn’t believe that Jesus was indeed alive unless “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side.”

I feel like I have so much of Thomas in me. I wonder if his hesitation to believe all the other disciples stemmed from him wanting to believe that Jesus was alive so badly, that if it wasn’t true, he would be more torn apart than he already was.

He didn’t want to be disappointed. Or put to shame. Jesus was the One who was supposed to rescue His people. There had been hope. And Thomas had believed it enough to follow Him. But Jesus had died.

I have been there. Wondering if His hope will disappoint, and I would be put to shame. Maybe you have too.

But when Thomas sees Jesus, his conditions of belief seem to immediately disappear as Jesus is standing Him in front of him saying Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.

No action, just a declaration. My Lord, My God. Hope didn’t disappoint, Thomas wasn’t put to shame. Jesus was exactly who He said He was, and did exactly as He had promised.

That is how much He loves us.

Do we embrace all that Jesus is, all that He promised, and all that He has done?

Do we embrace His brokenness? The brokenness that paid the ransom our freedom? Or do we just want to bask in the joy of the resurrection?

And do we bring Jesus everything we have? Even when what is in front of us seems impossible? Or only when we can see what is “possible”?

Do we doubt, and stay in disbelief because we are afraid that if Jesus isn’t who He claims to be, we will be disappointed, and left with our faith shattered?

Let us believe, even if we can’t see.. and as we do…

May the unexpected become to embracers. And the lost become the found.
The broken become chosen. And the grievers become the joyful.

May our conditions of faith disappear.
May the doubters become the declarers.
And may the hopeless, become the certain, because it knows our Risen King.

What Naomi’s Blessing Teaches Us About Hesed Love

Posted on by
4

Have you ever heard of hesed love? I wrote a little about it last week. But in case you missed it, you may be wondering what hesed love is. And I am so glad you are wondering, because we are about to take a look in the book of Ruth (more specifically Naomi’s blessing to Orpah and Ruth), and see one thing this beautiful book teaches us about hesed love.

What Naomi’s Blessing Teaches Us About Hesed Love.

As I shared last week, the Bible translates the word hesed in different ways in the Old Testament. love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, mercy, devotion, and favor. But this isn’t a word to be thrown around, but understood. Exodus 34:6 says that God abounds in love. He is exceeding in love. There is no lack in His love, it is complete and overflowing. It is a love that shows devotion, steadfastness, and loyalty. It is a covenant love. A forever love, an unshakeable love, and a love that doesn’t sway when altercation finds. It is faithful, even if we are faithless. Unbreakably devoted and protective. It is sacrificial.
 
what naomi teaches us about hesed lovePsalm 136 uses the word hesed over and over again, in each verse. The God of gods love endures forever. The Lord of lord’s love endures forever. He who made the heaves and did great wonders love endures forever. The God who brought His people out of Egypt love endures forever. The God who led His people through the wilderness, His love endures forever. The One who remembered us in our weakest state, His love endures forever. The God who freed us from our enemies, His love endures forever.
When looking into the word hesed more, I saw something in Ruth that I never have before. When Naomi asked for God’s hesed love on their life, she was sure that the Lord’s hand had turned against her, and there was no hope for her life. She still believed in His faithfulness in their lives, even if she didn’t think that His hesed love was for her.

God’s love isn’t swayed by our circumstance.

But her life shows that we can look past our circumstances, because we have a God who meets us with hesed love. A love we don’t deserve, but a love that is steadfast and sure, and promised to His children.
And that is the love that restored her life. A love from One who sees beyond our circumstance, who is not against us, but is for us. Just as Ruth clung to Naomi, held fast to her, we can hold fast to God, choosing to not let go, because He won’t let go of us. He is unshakeable. He isn’t swayed by the wind and the waves.
Naomi’s prayer for Ruth was answered. It was answered through a man named Boaz. Who would recognize the hesed love that Ruth had for Naomi. When God answered Naomi’s prayer for Ruth, the blessing extended to her. There was hope. God would provide. Because who He is for, will find His abounding love.
He knew Naomi felt helpless, and that she felt like His hand had turned against her. He also knew that as she prayed a blessing over Orpah and Ruth, and as Ruth clung to her and wouldn’t let go, that this was the beginning of Him restoring her life, even if she couldn’t see it yet.

A love that goes anyway…

 As I recently read again about the Resurrection, I noticed something about the women who went to anoint His body with the spices they had prepared. When they arrived at the tomb, they were surprised that the stone had been rolled away. And you get surprised when something happens that you aren’t expecting.
So what were they expecting then? For the tomb to still be sealed by heavy stone, with the guards in front of it so Jesus’ followers couldn’t take Him. Honestly, in thinking about it, that probably seemed like an impossible situation. But they went anyway. And they had to have gone out of the love they had for Christ, and out of devotion to Him.
What is ahead of us can seem impossible sometimes. Like there is a big heavy stone, that we can never move, with 2 Roman guards in front of it, in front of us.
But that isn’t what they found at all. They found the stone rolled away, and the angel that had rolled it away sitting on top of it. His appearance like lightening, and dressed in clothes white as snow. They also probably saw the Roman guards that were supposed to be guarding the tomb, shaken and like dead men. (Matthew 28: 2-4) The thought of that makes me laugh, because well, think about it. Two big “powerful” men in their soldier uniforms shaking in fear like laying on the ground like dead.

They also found that His love overcame the grave. Just as promised.

I experienced this so tangibly last week, when I had to get off the plane and rebook myself on a new flight. Of course, a thought that went through my mind was “how am I going to get on a plane tomorrow?”. This was a moment that I had to “go” anyway, and keep walking, and keep making decisions in trust that God would be there, and meet me where I was at. I saw that His love was there, and tender, and had gone before me yet be with me every step of the way, and strong enough to carry me home.

Just like Naomi went back to Bethlehem when she felt like God’s hand was against her
I bet that Naomi was really thankful she went back anyway, and I bet that these women were thankful that they went to the tomb, anyway.
And we see here that if we don’t go, we may not see His faithfulness, and how deep His love is. We may not see the stone rolled away. So here is my hope. My hope is that we “go” anyway. As He leads, only as He leads, despite the doubts, odds, what ifs and have nots, the reasons that we shouldn’t, and the fears. When we do that, we will see the stone rolled away, tomb empty and abandoned.
May we always believe in His hesed love, even if we can’t see it. Because it is there, and it is strong and sure, promised and eternal, and a love that overcomes the grave.

Am I Praying For God’s Will To Be Done? … Or Mine?

Posted on by
3

Was I being like the disciples who were arguing over who was the greatest? As Jesus reminded them that the first would be last. Do I understand what my purpose is? Am I seeking the right things? Am I praying for God’s will to be done? … Or mine?

Those are the questions that I have been thinking about a lot the past couple of weeks, as we have read story after story of how the disciples struggled with understanding the life Jesus calls His followers to live.

And I have been considering this more after a question was asked to me that completely challenged everything that I have been thinking about. I won’t tell you the question, but it is a question that has grieved and disheartened me since the second it was asked.

And so I have been searching my heart. What am I seeking?

When we wrestle with these questions, I think that something we need to take seriously is how Jesus responds to our desire to be great, and our wills to be done.

This was something else that was said to me. “You can’t see that God will bless and honor your obedience.”

And I want to be honest about my thoughts on this. Will God bless our obedience? Yes. In the way we expect? Probably not. And should we be obedient because we want God’s blessing? No.

Blessing and honor should not be what we are seeking. We should just seek and serve Christ because we love Christ. No expectations of strings attached. His will, way above, our own.

How Can I Know If I Am Praying For God’s Will?

We wrestle with the hard questions. And I say wrestle, because the hard questions are really hard questions. The uncomfortable questions. And we should wrestle with them, because they are important. So here are a few questions to consider:

   What are my intentions when I pray? 
   When praying, am I only asking for the things that I want? Or do my prayers ultimately submit to God’s will?
Do my prayers align with God’s truth and His promises?
Do my prayers benefit me? Or do they glorify God?
   Are my intentions really for God’s will, or are my desires for God’s will in my life only when His will aligns with my own?

Let’s look at Lazarus’s sister Mary, in Luke 11 for a second. Because this is a beautiful picture of this. Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus that their brother Lazarus, the one Jesus loves, was sick. He wasn’t just sick, he was like really sick. Jesus responded saying that his sickness would not end in death, and this was for God’s glory and He would be glorified through it.

Jesus stayed where he was for 2 more days before he went to where Lazarus was. By the time Jesus got there, Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. This is not what Mary had hoped and prayed for. This was not her will. And she fell at the feet of Jesus and in her grief let Him know her disappointment, like He wasn’t in control of the situation, and like the victory He spoke was just a broken promise. Because if Jesus had been there, her will would have been done.

Jesus wept.

And here we have the shortest verse in the Bible that shows the heart of God. Jesus wept. And he wept because her (and the other’s) grief troubled Him. Some of them were surprised by this display of His love, while others said “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Couldn’t He have kept Lazarus from dying? Couldn’t He have healed the sickness as they had hoped for?

He could have, yes. But only if their will had been done.

We know the end of the story. Jesus continues to go back to His promise. “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” He asked for the stone to be removed, He thanks God, and He calls Lazarus out of the tomb. God was glorified through His Son. As promised.

Only when His will is done.

Nevertheless, Your will be done.

I skipped over a little detail in verse 5 and 6. It is actually not a small detail at all. And I think it speaks volumes for God’s will.

It says that Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, and so (translated as therefore, accordingly, or these being so) he stayed where he was for 2 days. He didn’t run to where Lazarus lay dying the second they called so that He could heal Him. He stayed because He loved them. It wasn’t to torture them, and it wasn’t because He wasn’t going to answer their prayers.

Jesus was about to show them that He could conquer death (even days later), just as He promised. However, all they could focus on was that He could have healed their brother and He didn’t. He promised that his sickness would not end in death. But it had. At least that’s what it looked like. He could have, and He didn’t.

And He didn’t do it according to their will because of His love.

Their faith would increase, as well as the faith of those around them. They would have a dinner in His honor, and the woman who had fell at Jesus’ feet in grief was now at His feet again, This time in an act of gratitude and love, she was pouring expensive perfume over His feet, and wiping it with her hair.

May this be our prayer…

God, I admit that at times I can be exactly like the disciples, and your followers, wanting my own will to be done over Yours. I thank you that your ways are higher than mine. I know I can take you at your word, and believe that you work for the good of those who love you. Thank you that your timing is perfect, and that your plans for me are good, even when I may feel like they are not. May Your will, be the will only that I pray for. May your purpose for me be the only purpose I long for. And may I believe and hold fast to what you have spoken, above what I can understand. May You always find me, at your feet, bringing you the very best that I have, out of love and adoration for all You are. In Your Son’s precious name, amen.

Limitless: The Story of the Roses

Posted on by
Reply

A few weeks ago, I had flowers sent to my friend on the anniversary of the passing of a loved one.

You never know what you are going to get when you order flowers from the internet, but the flowers were beautiful. White roses with some greenery sprinkled in. Roses are my favorite, but they usually only last about a week at most. They are usually wilting and losing their strength fairly quickly.

Two weeks later, she gave me those roses back to care for. Honestly, I didn’t know how they were even alive still. And day after day, I expected them to die. And day after day they proved me wrong. They never lost their strength, and some opened so much that they basically outgrew themselves. The petals opened so wide that the stem couldn’t hold them anymore.

Despite the fact I thought the odds were against them. They aren’t dying. They instead are overflowing…unlimited by its condition.

Limitless: My word for 2021

Do you all do a word for the year? I do. Usually I remember it all year, and it is in some ways how I pray through the year. But this year I forgot it. And didn’t remember it until yesterday. The word is “limitless”. At first I thought that the year didn’t hold the meaning of the word. And then I thought harder. And it really did. Because we serve a limitless God. A God who is faithful even if we are struggling in the faith department.

And if that is true, then He isn’t limitedly the things of this world. Or by our lack or faith, or fears. Our insecurities, doubts, and the things that we can’t wrap our human minds around.

Have you ever had a moment that you can’t wrap your head around? Even days or weeks, or years later? Like the magnitude of the moment was so large that you can’t fit it into what your human mind can comprehend?

Maybe the moments seem surreal, or like a dream, far from reality? Moments that make you say “Would you believe me if I told you….”. But reality is what it is.

And that can be like our view of God, and then who He actually is. Maybe we unintentionally limit Him, because of what we think limits us.

Recently the friend I shared the roses with, and I with experienced this firsthand. And I could tell you a lot of stories about our limitless God from this year, but this one is the one that left me in the most awe.

We were preparing for an event. Everything was in place. People were stepping up in a way that I have never seen before to accomplish God’s work. I can best describe it as the body of Christ working together, and I had never witnessed it working as beautifully as I had on this day.

Everything was okay (even great), until it wasn’t. Suddenly some of us were in a room, most of us on our knees crying out to God to intervene, because we knew He could (even if He didn’t). One day I will share the story with you, but for more this is what I will say. It was an hour of a flurry of phone calls, texts, and planning in the event things didn’t change dramatically and quickly. Either God needed to move, or a couple of us were going to the ER.

We knew one thing. He was God. And He would be glorified no matter what. And regardless, that was our deepest desire.

In a way, we were limited. But God…

And as instantly as things “suddenly” began, things “suddenly” changed (it only took an hour and a half).

God is not limited by the things that limit us.

It feels like a dream. Still months later, in a way it almost feels like it didn’t happen. But it did, and we have the pictures to prove it. And God was glorified in greater ways than we could have ever hoped or imagined, as we knew He would be. Our faith grew, and we saw that truly God is not limited by the things that we think limit us. And if it is a part of His will, we aren’t limited by the things that we think limit us either.

I will remember this for the rest of my life.

“Jesus was standing in my room.”

A couple months ago, Olivia told me she had a dream about Jesus.

“Jesus was standing in my room. He didn’t even fit in my room because he was so big! He had a white robe on. It made me happy because I love Jesus. He is really nice”

When Olivia told me about Jesus being in her room, I immediately thought of Isaiah.

I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple (Isaiah 6:1)

She said that He was so big that He could not fit in her room. Just as only the train of His robe filled the temple. Just like He is so big that we can’t fully comprehend His ways, or contain His greatness or majesty. But if we trust in Him, we will see it.

Olivia said something else that night. “Jesus is coming back.”

Yes, He is. Out of the mouth of a babe. And until that day, my hope and prayer for all of us is that (like the roses) our faith and hope isn’t limited by a stem. May we all deeply know the limitless God we get to serve. The God of all hope. The One who fills us with joy and peace so that we overflow with hope… by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s Talk About Heaven (and God’s perfect gift)

Posted on by
Reply

Why should God let me into heaven?

Have you ever wrestled with the question if God should let you into heaven? I have just completed reading Ephesians with my dear friend, and if you want to read the gospel wrapped up in a nice little bow, read the first 3 chapters of Ephesians. In reading this beautiful book, it reminded me of the depth of grace.

So today in my new post on Candidly Christian, I am reflecting on Jesus, and heaven, and the magnitude of His grace.

 

In Case You Missed It!

Candidly Christian just held their first conference, Let’s Celebrate Jesus, and I had the honor of sharing a heartfelt message about what I have learned about friendship by reading about Naomi. I also had the blessing of discussing identity with Dawn Kelley, and we are still both reflecting on that conversation!

To view these sessions, and more, visit letscelebreatejesus.com.

Why Should I Be Thankful?

The Story Of A Prodigal Daughter

 

Why Should I Be Thankful?

Posted on by
1

Have you ever wondered why you should be thankful? You see bible verse after bible verse, telling you to be thankful in all things, but does it really mean all things? Like everything? The good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, and everything in between? What about all the bad things that happen? Do we need to be thankful for those too?

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16

I want to be honest and say that I wrestle with this. Because I am human, and sometimes my mind can’t comprehend why I should be thankful in certain things. Like when my car got stolen. Or when we had a problem with rodents last year (and looking back I can tell you that I can be thankful that we were safe, and that God took care of detail in both situations).

But the rest of this verse says that giving thanks is God’s will for us.

“…for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Part of His will for us is to be thankful.

And I have to tell you that gratitude actually changed my life. I had held on to something for way to long. It was a mixture of fear, and anxiety. And it was underlying for years. Like years!  I often wondered what would make it go away. And after the years of carrying this, the only thing that changed my heart was gratitude.

A number of years ago, I took the month of November to write down 30 things per day that I was thankful for. I want to tell you that it was hard, but I can’t. There were times that once I began, I could have easily listed more than 30 things per day.

But I know that sometimes we can feel stuck, and finding things to be grateful for may seem like trying to find a needle in a haystack. So I want to share with you some things that we can always be thankful for, and hope that this may be a starting ground for a heart that flows with gratitude, because that is His will for us.

His promises are fixed in heaven.

We are on the receiving end of something unshakeable. God’s kingdom. In a world that is constantly changing, this doesn’t. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Because of this Hebrews 12: 28-29 says, “let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe”.

With us is God. One day He will make it all right.

This weekend begins the Christmas season. The season that we celebrate Jesus. Emmanuel. With us is God.

He came to tear the veil that separated us from God for so long. He came to dwell among us, so that we can abide in Him.

As Ephesians 5: 31-32 suggests that like a man leaves his father and mother, to unite with his bride, Jesus left his Father, and the brilliance of heaven, to be united with His bride, the Church.

And His promise is that one day He will wipe every tear from our eye, and there will be no more death. No more mourning, or grieving, or pain.

That He goes before us.

He doesn’t just go before us, He went way before us. Since the beginning of time, when He laid the foundation of the earth in its place.This verse gives me so much comfort, because if He goes before us, than that means He knows the way. And He is already at the finish line. In heaven, on His throne. Jesus sitting at His right hand.

He comforts us like a mother comforts their child. – Isaiah 66:13

If you are a parent, you know how hard it is to watch your child when they are hurting. You know what makes them cry, you know their fears. And you remember their tears.

God remembers our tears too. David asks God to set his tears in his bottle (Hebrew translation is skin, bottle, skin-bottle), and asks if they are not in His book. I have to wonder reading the word “skin” in the Hebrew texts if it means that David wanted to be comforted in God’s arms so much so that his tears would soak His skin. As a child would crawl into the mother’s arms as her child’s tears soaked her skin.

I will never know, but we can take comfort that God knows our struggles, and sees our tears. He remembers our sorrows.

We endure all things in Him who gives us strength.

Life is not easy, no matter how much we would like it to be. And at times we can feel weak, and like we can’t over on. However, His joy is our strength, and strength and joy are found in His dwelling place. When we seek Him, He gives us everything we need to endure every circumstance.

And He encourages us to not be afraid, and take heart because He has overcome the world.

That He can even if He doesn’t.

You may be praying continually for something that God has not been doing. And what we want opposed to what He allows, can be a hard thing to understand. Even in that wrestling, we can be thankful that He can, even if He doesn’t, because then we are thankful for who He is, as opposed to what He can do.

I have to think of the cross here. And how when Jesus was hanging on the cross people and the rulers sneered at Him, saying that if He was truly the “Chosen One”, “Messiah”, He would save Himself.

And He could have. Just like He turned water into wine, walked on water, healed the sick, and raised the dead. He was and is that powerful. But sometimes He doesn’t show His power, because He is displaying the depth of His love. And that love was lavished on us because of the work on the cross..

For whatever leads me to to seek refuge in Him.

This is probably the hardest thing. There are things I know God can take way, even if He doesn’t. These are the things that keep me leaning on His strength, and clinging to Him like my life depends on it.

So my prayer for myself, is my prayer for us all. I want to be found in a heart posture of gratitude for anything that leads us to the foot of the cross. And when He leads me to the point of grace, because that is where the God of all comfort displayed the depth of His love for us.

Your turn!

What are you thankful for?