You chart the path ahead of me, and tell me where to stop and rest. You both precede and follow me, and place your hand of blessing on my head(Psalm 139:3, 5, The Book).
I’ve never been big on resting . . . I’m a doer and a goer.
I’m a mobile, get-it-done kind of woman. I’m a Martha (Luke 10:38-41). So, when the Lord makes me stop and rest, it is a bit chafing. I feel as though I’m not accomplishing anything. And like Martha, I feel intensely the need to accomplish something.
After all, things can’t get done unless I make them happen—right? But God isn’t impressed with my ability to do and go. He will get His work done without me. Ouch!
Oh, He uses His people, but He has a plan that He will fulfill without me (or you) making it happen. That should keep us humble. Most important to God is each individual relationship, not what that individual does for Him. God isn’t impressed with how much we can do for Him. He is impressed with how much we understand and know Him.
“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight, declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:23-24, emphasis added).
Shepherd as used in this verse is Jehovah-Raah and it means to rule, with a focus on care and concern. Just like a mother will set bedtimes for her children because she understands the need for rest, God sets times for rest in our lives as well. The more we wiggle and squirm and chafe in our resting times the longer they will be. We need rest, and we must learn to take our rest times as God provides them, without squirming and chafing.
When He makes us rest, it is with the loving concern of a Father. We must understand Him, know Him, and love Him, so that we accept His decision by faith.Like David, we are to understand that our Shepherd provides everything we need. He leads us to His resting place in the meadow and quiet streams.
He will supply strength so that we may honor Him. But we must trust Him. And to trust Him we must know Him and understand Him. The only way for us to gain understanding (correct insight) and have faith knowledge is by spending time in His Word.
If we’re fidgeting and chafing, we’re not resting, and like a good parent, God won’t let us get up until we rest. If we’re fidgeting and chafing, we’re not trusting.
To trust is to rest in God’s provision for the moment. God has promised to provide all that we need for today. He has not promised to provide today what we will need tomorrow. He will provide tomorrow what we need for tomorrow.
Jesus said: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34).
When we seek first His kingdom we will not worry. Our focus will be on Him. When we focus on Jesus, everything else becomes insignificant. It is amazing how little this world means to us when we focus our sights on Jesus and the next life.
The Author of Hebrews exhorted us: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3, emphasis added).
Let me ask you, my friend. Are you fidgeting and chafing where God has you right now? Have you grown weary and are you losing heart? Are you a Martha, a get-it-done kind of person?
You can rest. But it is a choice. God knows what He’s doing. He knows where you are, and He knows what you need right now. Even if you’re not in a place of rest, God still has you right where you are, and He expects you to rest there.
“You chart the path ahead of me, and tell me where to stop and rest. You both precede and follow me, and place your hand of blessing on my head” (Psalm 139:3, 5).
Think about it.
The Sovereign Creator of all things has mapped out your life ahead of you. Fidgeting and chafing does nothing, except hurt you and the heart of God. The same God Who knitted you together in your mother’s womb has placed His hand of blessing on your head. How great is that?
God has charted your path. So rest dear friend, rest. . . .
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Recommended Reading
Psalm 5:3
Psalm 27:14
Psalm 33:20
Psalm 37:7, 34
Psalm 38:15
Psalm 106:13
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Complaining Heart
Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused (Numbers 11:1).
I heard a story about a monk who joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. After the first ten years, his superior called him in and asked, “Do you have anything to say?” The monk replied “Food bad.” After another ten years the monk again had opportunity to voice his thoughts. He said, “Bed hard.” Yet another ten years went by, and again he was called in before his superior. When asked if he had anything to say, he responded, “I quit.” “It doesn’t surprise me a bit,” said his superior. “You’ve done nothing but complain ever since you got here.”
A humorous story, but seriously, it is easy to spiral into the complaining mode. It’s raining. It’s too hot. It’s too cold. I’m so tired of winter; I’m tired of this heat. My husband don’t . . . my wife won’t. On and on we fuss, grumbling about things we can’t change and things God doesn’t change.
It has been well said, “If He Who can does not, it is better so.” Meaning, if God doesn’t change our circumstances—we must trust that they don’t need to be changed—at least for the moment. They may change in God’s time—but not ours.
Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). Salt adds flavor. Salt also retards corruption. Perhaps in our world when we hear complaining we should make it our goal to retard the complaining spirit that is so prevalent. We could add “flavor” to the conversation and uplift the person who is bothered by the weather, an ingrown toenail, a tailgater—you get the picture.
One rainy day as I was shopping with one of my sisters, I began to notice how many people were complaining. The Lord had been speaking to my heart about negative words, so I was on guard and watchful in my spirit.
I was perplexed when a woman approached me in a major department store and began complaining about the weather. Her monologue soon spiraled into complaining about her son.
Apparently he did not live up to her expectations, and she gave me an earful. I couldn’t have gotten a word in if I had tried (no small feat I assure you). Eventually she cut off the conversation, leaving me completely baffled as to why she had confided in me—a total stranger—with such negative words about her son.
Grumbling often reminds me of the story of the Israelites. Through mighty miracles God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. Yet they had barely left Egypt when they began to complain (Exodus 14). They complained all the way through the desert—for forty years (Deuteronomy 1-2). We read the story and wonder why they didn’t just trust God. But then—do we?
The Israelites complained about the very essence of life: they were trapped at the edge of the Red Sea with the Egyptians rolling down upon them on horse drawn chariots; they had no water for three days; there was no meat to eat, and they grew tired of the taste of manna; the giants inhabiting the countryside were too big for their god!
On and on it went. Surely God would understand their dilemma. He didn’t understand—nor was He happy with their complaining and lack trust. In fact, He grew very weary of it (Numbers 11). He isn’t happy with our complaining either!
There are some powerful lessons God has taught me about complaining. I’ll share three of them with you:
Leave it with the Lord:
Many times when I pray for something, God is testing me (Exodus 15:25; 16:2-4). When I allow my heart to cry out against my circumstances, I run the risk of falling into discontentment and unbelief. God considers this complaining.
Therefore, when I pray, I am to leave my requests with God and depart His throne room with a quiet heart. He wants me to trust that He will answer in His time and in His way, doing His very best for me (Romans 8:28), and gaining glory for Himself (Exodus 15:1-21). How could I ask for more than that?
Be prepared for the desert:
God hears and answers my prayers, but rarely does He answer the way I anticipate. Many times when He answers, it sends me into the desert, where I must trust that He has a plan…
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast (I Peter 5:10).
The deserts of our lives are difficult and oftentimes painful. They require perseverance which grows us and gives us strength for our journey.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
Trust God for His answer:
It is our choice to trust God—or not. We are not to trust based on our feelings. Rather, our trust must be based upon the Word of God. We are not to take something to the Lord in prayer, then complain to friends as though the circumstance is arduous and cumbersome, and by doing so, try to manipulate God into answering our prayer—our way.
God gives us desires, wants, and hopes, then uses them to draw us to Himself in prayer. He wants to grant us wonderful things, but God’s wonderful things have His eternal plan in mind, not our temporal one.
As we look ahead, let’s do so with a heart purposed not to complain. Let’s look for ways to be salt and light to others; perhaps in doing so we can help check the spirit of complaining and negativity that seems to pervade our society. By doing so we will do that for which we were created—give God glory (Isaiah 43:7).
What about you, dear friend? How is your heart today? Are you trying to manipulate God by praying, then complaining to others in hopes that God will hear your complaint and answer your prayer in your time—instead of His? He has your eternal interests at heart.
Did you know that God had the very first tattoo, and it has your name on it?
“I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15-16).
Peace or turmoil—it’s a choice!
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you (Isaiah 26:3).
Further Study
Numbers 11
Numbers 12
Numbers 14
Numbers 16
Numbers 17
I heard a story about a monk who joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. After the first ten years, his superior called him in and asked, “Do you have anything to say?” The monk replied “Food bad.” After another ten years the monk again had opportunity to voice his thoughts. He said, “Bed hard.” Yet another ten years went by, and again he was called in before his superior. When asked if he had anything to say, he responded, “I quit.” “It doesn’t surprise me a bit,” said his superior. “You’ve done nothing but complain ever since you got here.”
A humorous story, but seriously, it is easy to spiral into the complaining mode. It’s raining. It’s too hot. It’s too cold. I’m so tired of winter; I’m tired of this heat. My husband don’t . . . my wife won’t. On and on we fuss, grumbling about things we can’t change and things God doesn’t change.
It has been well said, “If He Who can does not, it is better so.” Meaning, if God doesn’t change our circumstances—we must trust that they don’t need to be changed—at least for the moment. They may change in God’s time—but not ours.
Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). Salt adds flavor. Salt also retards corruption. Perhaps in our world when we hear complaining we should make it our goal to retard the complaining spirit that is so prevalent. We could add “flavor” to the conversation and uplift the person who is bothered by the weather, an ingrown toenail, a tailgater—you get the picture.
One rainy day as I was shopping with one of my sisters, I began to notice how many people were complaining. The Lord had been speaking to my heart about negative words, so I was on guard and watchful in my spirit.
I was perplexed when a woman approached me in a major department store and began complaining about the weather. Her monologue soon spiraled into complaining about her son.
Apparently he did not live up to her expectations, and she gave me an earful. I couldn’t have gotten a word in if I had tried (no small feat I assure you). Eventually she cut off the conversation, leaving me completely baffled as to why she had confided in me—a total stranger—with such negative words about her son.
Grumbling often reminds me of the story of the Israelites. Through mighty miracles God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. Yet they had barely left Egypt when they began to complain (Exodus 14). They complained all the way through the desert—for forty years (Deuteronomy 1-2). We read the story and wonder why they didn’t just trust God. But then—do we?
The Israelites complained about the very essence of life: they were trapped at the edge of the Red Sea with the Egyptians rolling down upon them on horse drawn chariots; they had no water for three days; there was no meat to eat, and they grew tired of the taste of manna; the giants inhabiting the countryside were too big for their god!
On and on it went. Surely God would understand their dilemma. He didn’t understand—nor was He happy with their complaining and lack trust. In fact, He grew very weary of it (Numbers 11). He isn’t happy with our complaining either!
There are some powerful lessons God has taught me about complaining. I’ll share three of them with you:
Leave it with the Lord:
Many times when I pray for something, God is testing me (Exodus 15:25; 16:2-4). When I allow my heart to cry out against my circumstances, I run the risk of falling into discontentment and unbelief. God considers this complaining.
Therefore, when I pray, I am to leave my requests with God and depart His throne room with a quiet heart. He wants me to trust that He will answer in His time and in His way, doing His very best for me (Romans 8:28), and gaining glory for Himself (Exodus 15:1-21). How could I ask for more than that?
Be prepared for the desert:
God hears and answers my prayers, but rarely does He answer the way I anticipate. Many times when He answers, it sends me into the desert, where I must trust that He has a plan…
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast (I Peter 5:10).
The deserts of our lives are difficult and oftentimes painful. They require perseverance which grows us and gives us strength for our journey.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
Trust God for His answer:
It is our choice to trust God—or not. We are not to trust based on our feelings. Rather, our trust must be based upon the Word of God. We are not to take something to the Lord in prayer, then complain to friends as though the circumstance is arduous and cumbersome, and by doing so, try to manipulate God into answering our prayer—our way.
God gives us desires, wants, and hopes, then uses them to draw us to Himself in prayer. He wants to grant us wonderful things, but God’s wonderful things have His eternal plan in mind, not our temporal one.
As we look ahead, let’s do so with a heart purposed not to complain. Let’s look for ways to be salt and light to others; perhaps in doing so we can help check the spirit of complaining and negativity that seems to pervade our society. By doing so we will do that for which we were created—give God glory (Isaiah 43:7).
What about you, dear friend? How is your heart today? Are you trying to manipulate God by praying, then complaining to others in hopes that God will hear your complaint and answer your prayer in your time—instead of His? He has your eternal interests at heart.
Did you know that God had the very first tattoo, and it has your name on it?
“I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15-16).
Peace or turmoil—it’s a choice!
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you (Isaiah 26:3).
Further Study
Numbers 11
Numbers 12
Numbers 14
Numbers 16
Numbers 17
Friday, October 2, 2009
Perseverance
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD (Psalm 27:4).
I hate to wait—don’t you? I want what I want when I want it—sort of like everyone else in America. I have never been good at waiting, and just when I think I’m improving, I get thrown back into one of life’s many challenges.
The apostle Paul, said, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . .” (— Philippians 4:12).
Paul was speaking from experience.
In that culture there were secret, exclusive clubs. When a man was invited to join, he had to complete a series of secret initiations. He would be given something to do—but it was a secret—he could tell no one. When he had completed enough initiations to satisfy the demands of the club, he was allowed to join. Paul was saying that he had been secretly initiated into God’s “Contentment Club.”
What were Paul’s secret initiations? He had worked harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged with thirty-nine lashes five different times, beaten with a rod three times, stoned once (left for dead), shipwrecked, spent a night and day in the open sea, gone without sleep, food, and water, and exposed to death again and again (II Corinthians 11:21-20).
And if this wasn’t enough, Paul was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan—that tormented him. Paul pleaded with God three times to remove the thorn, but God said to him,
“My grace is sufficient for you, My power is made perfect in weakness” (— II Corinthians 12:7-10).
We want patience, but we don’t want to wait for it. We want all of the good things that God has to offer but we don’t want to suffer or pay the price for them. Fortunately for all of us, that isn’t the way God leads.
Sometimes He leads through fiery trials; “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (— I Pet. 4:12-13).
I wonder if it’s significant that in context, both of these passages are dealing with pride. Since God hates pride, and we seem to gravitate towards it, perhaps it is possible to avoid some of our trials if we work at keeping our hearts humble? God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (I Pet. 5:5).
Whether our trials are caused by something in our lives, or God has a specific lesson for us, we should not want to miss the lesson. According to chapters one and two of Job, Satan reports to God on a regular basis and he must ask permission before he can afflict our family, our finances or us.
God sets boundaries and Satan must operate within those boundaries. God allows our adversity for His glory and our good. At the end of Job’s trial, God prospered him twice as much as he had prospered before (Job 42:10).
God has rich blessings in store for us—if we endure patiently. We don’t want to be like the Israelites, who rebelled and complained against the Lord’s direction and spent the rest of their lives in the desert. They never entered the rest God had for them. Rebelling and complaining against the Lord’s leading is unbelief and will keep us from rest.
The Scripture tells us, Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they were not able to enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief (Hebrews 3:16-19).
There was a time when I found myself in a very trying circumstance that seemed to go on and on—and on! I had been asking God to deliver me for quite some time, but I became tired of waiting.
One morning I journaled a prayer for deliverance. I dumped it all on God—again. As I began to get ready for work that morning I heard the Lord speak very clearly to my heart, “You’re praying the wrong prayer.” I should have been praying for strength to endure, for growth, to give honor during my trial, and most importantly, to offer God a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15).
I immediately repented, but unfortunately, I didn’t heed the Lord. I didn’t wait too much longer, and then I got myself out of the situation. Alas, instead of persevering and reaping the blessings from being obedient, I have endured the consequences of my actions. Like Jonah, I ran from God’s instructions! But also like Jonah, I paid for my rebellion.
Yes—going against God’s commands is rebellion!
When Jonah rebelled against the Lord’s instructions he was swallowed by a great fish. In trying to digest Jonah, the gastric juices in the belly of the great fish would have turned his skin a yucky yellowish-brown color, and caused the hair all over his body to fall out.
And if that were not enough, imagine the sheer terror of being thrown into the sea, swallowed by a great fish, and being inside its belly—for three days! Jonah must have looked a sight when he entered Nineveh. With no body hair and weird skin color—he must have looked a mess! No wonder several hundred thousand people repented.
So, dear friend, are you in a trial that is testing your faith in the Lord? If you’re not in one, hang in there—one is coming. Trials come to all of us who name the Name of Jesus, Lord. When it comes, snuggle into God’s arms through His Word and prayer, and enjoy the intimacy that only comes through trials. There are wonderful blessings in persevering through a trial that simply cannot be learned any other way.
Blessings or consequences—perseverance is a choice!
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy (James 5:11).
Further Study
Psalm 62:1
Psalm 25:4-5
Psalm 27:14
Psalm 33:18-22
Psalm 37:34
Psalm 40:1
Psalm 104:27-35
Psalm 130:5-6
Psalm 145:14-15
I hate to wait—don’t you? I want what I want when I want it—sort of like everyone else in America. I have never been good at waiting, and just when I think I’m improving, I get thrown back into one of life’s many challenges.
The apostle Paul, said, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . .” (— Philippians 4:12).
Paul was speaking from experience.
In that culture there were secret, exclusive clubs. When a man was invited to join, he had to complete a series of secret initiations. He would be given something to do—but it was a secret—he could tell no one. When he had completed enough initiations to satisfy the demands of the club, he was allowed to join. Paul was saying that he had been secretly initiated into God’s “Contentment Club.”
What were Paul’s secret initiations? He had worked harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged with thirty-nine lashes five different times, beaten with a rod three times, stoned once (left for dead), shipwrecked, spent a night and day in the open sea, gone without sleep, food, and water, and exposed to death again and again (II Corinthians 11:21-20).
And if this wasn’t enough, Paul was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan—that tormented him. Paul pleaded with God three times to remove the thorn, but God said to him,
“My grace is sufficient for you, My power is made perfect in weakness” (— II Corinthians 12:7-10).
We want patience, but we don’t want to wait for it. We want all of the good things that God has to offer but we don’t want to suffer or pay the price for them. Fortunately for all of us, that isn’t the way God leads.
Sometimes He leads through fiery trials; “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (— I Pet. 4:12-13).
I wonder if it’s significant that in context, both of these passages are dealing with pride. Since God hates pride, and we seem to gravitate towards it, perhaps it is possible to avoid some of our trials if we work at keeping our hearts humble? God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (I Pet. 5:5).
Whether our trials are caused by something in our lives, or God has a specific lesson for us, we should not want to miss the lesson. According to chapters one and two of Job, Satan reports to God on a regular basis and he must ask permission before he can afflict our family, our finances or us.
God sets boundaries and Satan must operate within those boundaries. God allows our adversity for His glory and our good. At the end of Job’s trial, God prospered him twice as much as he had prospered before (Job 42:10).
God has rich blessings in store for us—if we endure patiently. We don’t want to be like the Israelites, who rebelled and complained against the Lord’s direction and spent the rest of their lives in the desert. They never entered the rest God had for them. Rebelling and complaining against the Lord’s leading is unbelief and will keep us from rest.
The Scripture tells us, Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they were not able to enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief (Hebrews 3:16-19).
There was a time when I found myself in a very trying circumstance that seemed to go on and on—and on! I had been asking God to deliver me for quite some time, but I became tired of waiting.
One morning I journaled a prayer for deliverance. I dumped it all on God—again. As I began to get ready for work that morning I heard the Lord speak very clearly to my heart, “You’re praying the wrong prayer.” I should have been praying for strength to endure, for growth, to give honor during my trial, and most importantly, to offer God a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15).
I immediately repented, but unfortunately, I didn’t heed the Lord. I didn’t wait too much longer, and then I got myself out of the situation. Alas, instead of persevering and reaping the blessings from being obedient, I have endured the consequences of my actions. Like Jonah, I ran from God’s instructions! But also like Jonah, I paid for my rebellion.
Yes—going against God’s commands is rebellion!
When Jonah rebelled against the Lord’s instructions he was swallowed by a great fish. In trying to digest Jonah, the gastric juices in the belly of the great fish would have turned his skin a yucky yellowish-brown color, and caused the hair all over his body to fall out.
And if that were not enough, imagine the sheer terror of being thrown into the sea, swallowed by a great fish, and being inside its belly—for three days! Jonah must have looked a sight when he entered Nineveh. With no body hair and weird skin color—he must have looked a mess! No wonder several hundred thousand people repented.
So, dear friend, are you in a trial that is testing your faith in the Lord? If you’re not in one, hang in there—one is coming. Trials come to all of us who name the Name of Jesus, Lord. When it comes, snuggle into God’s arms through His Word and prayer, and enjoy the intimacy that only comes through trials. There are wonderful blessings in persevering through a trial that simply cannot be learned any other way.
Blessings or consequences—perseverance is a choice!
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy (James 5:11).
Further Study
Psalm 62:1
Psalm 25:4-5
Psalm 27:14
Psalm 33:18-22
Psalm 37:34
Psalm 40:1
Psalm 104:27-35
Psalm 130:5-6
Psalm 145:14-15
Friday, September 11, 2009
The Art of Making Pearls
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. — I John 3:14
When a foreign irritant gets inside the shell of an oyster, a pearl is formed. The irritant is covered with layers of a substance called nacre. When the foreign irritant (sort of like us getting a splinter under our fingernail) invades the oyster’s soft inner parts, the natural reaction is to cover the irritant to protect itself from the constant pain. To alleviate the pain, the oyster wraps the foreign object with secretions, eventually creating a pearl. Not all pearls turn out well. Some are oddly shaped and are not as valuable as those of perfect shape.
In the parable of the pearl (Matthew 13:45-46), the fine pearls represent those who have accepted the call to salvation provided by Jesus Christ. The merchant (Jesus) went away (died on the cross) and bought the pearl (believers Hebrews 12:2).
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed (purchased) from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. — I Peter 1:18-19
What would happen if every time an irritant gets under our skin, rather than trying to get rid of it we secreted this strange substance around it—called love. The irritant enters our sphere; we begin to immediately wrap love around the irritant until it becomes a pearl. Some beautiful, some not so beautiful; but love would at worst relieve the irritant—at best make a beautiful pearl that we could enjoy the rest of our lives.
I have a feeling that the degree of true and sincere love of Christ we would wrap around an irritating person would determine the luminosity of that person. The more love—the more beauty.
There are Christians who have not turned out well, and shall we say—are oddly shaped, and thus not as valuable as they could be. Perhaps that’s because they were not wrapped in love in their formative years. Wrapping an irritant in love doesn’t negate the lost art of lovingly rebuking those who are clearly wrong.
Paul told Timothy, “Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning” (I Tim. 5:20); and… “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge; preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.” — II Timothy 4:1-2
Some well-meaning people say they just want to lead with love like Jesus did, clearly forgetting that Jesus rebuked Peter quite harshly at one time (Mark 8:33); on numerous occasions Jesus accused His disciples of having little or no faith; he told them they were dull (Matthew 15:16); he called the Pharisees hypocrites (Matthew 22:18); and twice He cleared the temple—with whips! (John 2:13-16; Matthew 21:12-13).
Jesus wasn’t a weak-minded, willy-nilly man who allowed sin to run rampant in the lives of those around Him. Clearly, He led with strength—in love.
Everyone needs boundaries and parameters. Without Godly boundaries we descend into an unhappy and disorderly behavior pattern. This is vividly portrayed in the indulgent lives of the offspring of Eli, Samuel and King David. Due to the lack of correction and Godly training, their children grew up quite dysfunctional. Each parent reaped untold grief due to their lack of Godly directional leadership with their children.
Like some pearls that don’t turn out well—odd shaped and less valuable than they should be to the Body of Christ—some churches are oddly shaped and less valuable than they should be, as well. Instead of thriving, they sometimes fail due to the lack of loving Godly leadership.
When this happens there will be those who are hurt or disillusioned. As you come into contact with these people and listen to their stories, wrap each one with the loving instruction of the Word of God. While we can’t allow ourselves to become dumping grounds for their bitterness, we must hear their heart and give them loving instruction, as set forth in the Scriptures.
Don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. — Ephesians 4:29
Bottom line—wrap all situations with love. We love with encouragement. We love with instruction. We love with exhortation. We love with discipline—but we love!
Not everyone will respond positively and become beautiful pearls—some will leave, and some will be “odd shaped” and less valuable to the fellowship. Nevertheless, what we cover with love, God will keep from irritating us. It is up to Him what kind of pearl He makes.
As God’s people, we must grow up to maturity in Christ. We must encourage everyone who comes within our sphere to grow up, as well. We simply cannot continue to have baby Christians—remain babies.
Let’s wrap every irritant with the pure love of Jesus, and each of us do our part to make the bride of Christ a beautiful pearl, worthy of His high calling. Of course, this will require “older Christians” to spend time in the Word of God so they know how to train younger Christians.
Are you doing your part?
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. — I Peter 2:2
Further Study
Matthew 5
Matthew 6
Matthew 7
I Corinthians 3
I Corinthians 4
I Corinthians 6
When a foreign irritant gets inside the shell of an oyster, a pearl is formed. The irritant is covered with layers of a substance called nacre. When the foreign irritant (sort of like us getting a splinter under our fingernail) invades the oyster’s soft inner parts, the natural reaction is to cover the irritant to protect itself from the constant pain. To alleviate the pain, the oyster wraps the foreign object with secretions, eventually creating a pearl. Not all pearls turn out well. Some are oddly shaped and are not as valuable as those of perfect shape.
In the parable of the pearl (Matthew 13:45-46), the fine pearls represent those who have accepted the call to salvation provided by Jesus Christ. The merchant (Jesus) went away (died on the cross) and bought the pearl (believers Hebrews 12:2).
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed (purchased) from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. — I Peter 1:18-19
What would happen if every time an irritant gets under our skin, rather than trying to get rid of it we secreted this strange substance around it—called love. The irritant enters our sphere; we begin to immediately wrap love around the irritant until it becomes a pearl. Some beautiful, some not so beautiful; but love would at worst relieve the irritant—at best make a beautiful pearl that we could enjoy the rest of our lives.
I have a feeling that the degree of true and sincere love of Christ we would wrap around an irritating person would determine the luminosity of that person. The more love—the more beauty.
There are Christians who have not turned out well, and shall we say—are oddly shaped, and thus not as valuable as they could be. Perhaps that’s because they were not wrapped in love in their formative years. Wrapping an irritant in love doesn’t negate the lost art of lovingly rebuking those who are clearly wrong.
Paul told Timothy, “Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning” (I Tim. 5:20); and… “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge; preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.” — II Timothy 4:1-2
Some well-meaning people say they just want to lead with love like Jesus did, clearly forgetting that Jesus rebuked Peter quite harshly at one time (Mark 8:33); on numerous occasions Jesus accused His disciples of having little or no faith; he told them they were dull (Matthew 15:16); he called the Pharisees hypocrites (Matthew 22:18); and twice He cleared the temple—with whips! (John 2:13-16; Matthew 21:12-13).
Jesus wasn’t a weak-minded, willy-nilly man who allowed sin to run rampant in the lives of those around Him. Clearly, He led with strength—in love.
Everyone needs boundaries and parameters. Without Godly boundaries we descend into an unhappy and disorderly behavior pattern. This is vividly portrayed in the indulgent lives of the offspring of Eli, Samuel and King David. Due to the lack of correction and Godly training, their children grew up quite dysfunctional. Each parent reaped untold grief due to their lack of Godly directional leadership with their children.
Like some pearls that don’t turn out well—odd shaped and less valuable than they should be to the Body of Christ—some churches are oddly shaped and less valuable than they should be, as well. Instead of thriving, they sometimes fail due to the lack of loving Godly leadership.
When this happens there will be those who are hurt or disillusioned. As you come into contact with these people and listen to their stories, wrap each one with the loving instruction of the Word of God. While we can’t allow ourselves to become dumping grounds for their bitterness, we must hear their heart and give them loving instruction, as set forth in the Scriptures.
Don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. — Ephesians 4:29
Bottom line—wrap all situations with love. We love with encouragement. We love with instruction. We love with exhortation. We love with discipline—but we love!
Not everyone will respond positively and become beautiful pearls—some will leave, and some will be “odd shaped” and less valuable to the fellowship. Nevertheless, what we cover with love, God will keep from irritating us. It is up to Him what kind of pearl He makes.
As God’s people, we must grow up to maturity in Christ. We must encourage everyone who comes within our sphere to grow up, as well. We simply cannot continue to have baby Christians—remain babies.
Let’s wrap every irritant with the pure love of Jesus, and each of us do our part to make the bride of Christ a beautiful pearl, worthy of His high calling. Of course, this will require “older Christians” to spend time in the Word of God so they know how to train younger Christians.
Are you doing your part?
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. — I Peter 2:2
Further Study
Matthew 5
Matthew 6
Matthew 7
I Corinthians 3
I Corinthians 4
I Corinthians 6
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
God is the God of the Darkness
He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire. — Psalm 18:11-12 NKJV
I’ve always been afraid of the dark. As a child and even into adulthood, the moment the light went out, darkness seemed to pervade my very soul. Evil that wasn’t present in the light seemed to lurk just beyond my reach in the darkness—I could feel it!
Trials and difficulties are sometimes like the darkness. When they come and we can’t see our way, there seems to be evil lurking all around us.
The presence of the tempter is real and frightening. We know we should combat the evil one as the Lord did by using the Word of God (Matthew 4:1-11).
But sometimes . . . sometimes, we are just too beaten by the pain of the moment, and it’s all we can do just to keep our head above water and function with some modicum of normalcy.
But God is the God of the darkness.
The Bible says, The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. — Exodus 20:21
God is the God who dwells in the darkness!
The Hebrew word for darkness is araphel—and it means to drip; to drop. It means literally that the heavens are lowering or drooping—hence to drip or drop down.
How do we understand this? How does a God who lives in unapproachable light (I Timothy 6:16) also live in darkness? Could it mean that darkness is only dark to us, and there is really no such thing as darkness to God?
King David said, “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” — Psalm 139:11-12
Is that why Jesus waited until the darkest hour of the night and then came walking on the water during the fourth watch (3:00-6:00 a.m.), while the storm and water were raging? Did He want to show Peter and the others that He was the God of the raging storm in the darkness? Peter was doing fine walking on the water—until he saw the wind (Matthew 14:30).
Perhaps that’s the lesson. To walk through our darkness, our raging storms, knowing that Jesus is already there, walking before us, protecting us from behind (Isaiah 52:12), and holding tightly to us with His Right Hand (Psalm 139:10).
The Right Hand of God is none other than Jesus Christ (Psalm 80:15). With this truth, we should not fear the darkness; Jesus is holding tightly to us. Our darkness may also be for others.
The LORD said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense (dark) cloud so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.”
— Exodus 19:9, emphasis mine
Since the literal definition of the word for darkness means to drip down heaven, God was saying, “I am going to drip down heaven to you so that the people see Me and know that I am with you, and they will trust you.”
There was thunder, lightening, and darkness on Mount Sinai when God called Moses to come up.
The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. — Exodus 19:20
The children of Israel were afraid of the thunder, lightening, and darkness. They did not want God to speak to them directly (Exodus 20:18-19), yet Moses braved the darkness to approach God. There on the mountain, in the darkness, Moses experienced fellowship and the blessing of God’s Presence. There God spoke to him face to face (Exodus 33:11).
Could the darkness that comes into our lives literally be God dripping heaven (Himself) down to us? Could the thunder, lightening, and darkness in our storms be God’s way of getting our attention, welcoming us to know Him more deeply? Perhaps even honoring us in the sight of others as He did Moses, Joshua, Joseph, David, Paul, and others?
If it is, He is waiting in the darkness, and He invites us to dwell with Him—in the darkness! Just as He was there to welcome Moses to the top of Mount Sinai and bid Peter to “Come” and walk to Him on the water, He sometimes bids us into the darkness to be with Him as well.
The darkness will never be too dark; the storm will never rage too severely. The Master mixes the cup of suffering (the darkness) specifically for us.
According to Philippians 1:29 God grants us the suffering (darkness) as a wonderful gift, wrapped especially for us. God considers suffering a very special and gratuitous gift (favor) to us.
But oftentimes, we shun the darkness and despise God’s gift of “favoring” a gift He gives to accomplish His perfect purpose in our lives.
Like Moses, Paul welcomed the darkness. He had learned the lesson well (Philippians 4:12), and he considered everything dung (rubbish) that in any way hindered him from knowing Christ more intimately (Philippians 3:1-14). He considered suffering the very thing that kept him close to Christ (II Corinthians 12:7-10; Philippians 3:10).
Which of us would not go if we received a personal invitation to meet with God at a specific place and time? If I received such an invitation, I would be giddy with anticipation. Being a normal female, my first thought would be, “what shall I wear?” Second, “what do I want to ask God?”
But in the process of preparing my heart to meet Jehovah El Roi, The God Who Sees (deep into my soul), what I wore or said would become inconsequential; I would want simply to bask in His Presence. Everything else would become trivial and unimportant. His Presence would be all that mattered. Yet when the invitation comes in the form of darkness, I must admit that my initial reaction is fear and dread.
It is easy to see God in what we consider to be good and wonderful things in life. Get a great job or promotion—praise God! The Lord blesses us with healing, a wonderful mate, a prime parking place, or some other wonderful gift—praise the Lord!
But darkness—a wonderful gift? Few of us welcome the darkness of pain by praising the Lord. But darkness is to be welcomed. Darkness is God’s invitation to come away with Him—just Him and me. No one else can dwell in my darkness or yours.
Friends and family can encourage us; they can listen; but they can’t experience our darkness. The cup of suffering is mixed for each of us individually, and God means it to be our alone time with Him—just the two of us enjoying intimate time together that excludes everyone else and everything else.
So, dear friend, are you so afraid of the darkness that you choose to live life less than abundantly? Are you satisfied with just enough of God to save you and give you all the good things of life, but not enough to throw off everything that hinders you from an incredible intimacy with the Lord?
If God gave you a choice, would you welcome the darkness where He is over the comfort of your own choices? That is the choice.
Remember—God is the God of the darkness!
The darkness is only dark on the outside. Within the darkness we discover, as Moses did, that God exists in a brightness that is only visible after we have entered His darkness (Psalm 104:2).
In His Presence we shed our fears, and delight in the awesome intimacy of dwelling with our Creator (Exodus 34:29-35).
“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.” — Isaiah 45:3, 7
Further Study
Psalm 74
Psalm 88
Psalm 89
Psalm 104
I’ve always been afraid of the dark. As a child and even into adulthood, the moment the light went out, darkness seemed to pervade my very soul. Evil that wasn’t present in the light seemed to lurk just beyond my reach in the darkness—I could feel it!
Trials and difficulties are sometimes like the darkness. When they come and we can’t see our way, there seems to be evil lurking all around us.
The presence of the tempter is real and frightening. We know we should combat the evil one as the Lord did by using the Word of God (Matthew 4:1-11).
But sometimes . . . sometimes, we are just too beaten by the pain of the moment, and it’s all we can do just to keep our head above water and function with some modicum of normalcy.
But God is the God of the darkness.
The Bible says, The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. — Exodus 20:21
God is the God who dwells in the darkness!
The Hebrew word for darkness is araphel—and it means to drip; to drop. It means literally that the heavens are lowering or drooping—hence to drip or drop down.
How do we understand this? How does a God who lives in unapproachable light (I Timothy 6:16) also live in darkness? Could it mean that darkness is only dark to us, and there is really no such thing as darkness to God?
King David said, “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” — Psalm 139:11-12
Is that why Jesus waited until the darkest hour of the night and then came walking on the water during the fourth watch (3:00-6:00 a.m.), while the storm and water were raging? Did He want to show Peter and the others that He was the God of the raging storm in the darkness? Peter was doing fine walking on the water—until he saw the wind (Matthew 14:30).
Perhaps that’s the lesson. To walk through our darkness, our raging storms, knowing that Jesus is already there, walking before us, protecting us from behind (Isaiah 52:12), and holding tightly to us with His Right Hand (Psalm 139:10).
The Right Hand of God is none other than Jesus Christ (Psalm 80:15). With this truth, we should not fear the darkness; Jesus is holding tightly to us. Our darkness may also be for others.
The LORD said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense (dark) cloud so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.”
— Exodus 19:9, emphasis mine
Since the literal definition of the word for darkness means to drip down heaven, God was saying, “I am going to drip down heaven to you so that the people see Me and know that I am with you, and they will trust you.”
There was thunder, lightening, and darkness on Mount Sinai when God called Moses to come up.
The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. — Exodus 19:20
The children of Israel were afraid of the thunder, lightening, and darkness. They did not want God to speak to them directly (Exodus 20:18-19), yet Moses braved the darkness to approach God. There on the mountain, in the darkness, Moses experienced fellowship and the blessing of God’s Presence. There God spoke to him face to face (Exodus 33:11).
Could the darkness that comes into our lives literally be God dripping heaven (Himself) down to us? Could the thunder, lightening, and darkness in our storms be God’s way of getting our attention, welcoming us to know Him more deeply? Perhaps even honoring us in the sight of others as He did Moses, Joshua, Joseph, David, Paul, and others?
If it is, He is waiting in the darkness, and He invites us to dwell with Him—in the darkness! Just as He was there to welcome Moses to the top of Mount Sinai and bid Peter to “Come” and walk to Him on the water, He sometimes bids us into the darkness to be with Him as well.
The darkness will never be too dark; the storm will never rage too severely. The Master mixes the cup of suffering (the darkness) specifically for us.
According to Philippians 1:29 God grants us the suffering (darkness) as a wonderful gift, wrapped especially for us. God considers suffering a very special and gratuitous gift (favor) to us.
But oftentimes, we shun the darkness and despise God’s gift of “favoring” a gift He gives to accomplish His perfect purpose in our lives.
Like Moses, Paul welcomed the darkness. He had learned the lesson well (Philippians 4:12), and he considered everything dung (rubbish) that in any way hindered him from knowing Christ more intimately (Philippians 3:1-14). He considered suffering the very thing that kept him close to Christ (II Corinthians 12:7-10; Philippians 3:10).
Which of us would not go if we received a personal invitation to meet with God at a specific place and time? If I received such an invitation, I would be giddy with anticipation. Being a normal female, my first thought would be, “what shall I wear?” Second, “what do I want to ask God?”
But in the process of preparing my heart to meet Jehovah El Roi, The God Who Sees (deep into my soul), what I wore or said would become inconsequential; I would want simply to bask in His Presence. Everything else would become trivial and unimportant. His Presence would be all that mattered. Yet when the invitation comes in the form of darkness, I must admit that my initial reaction is fear and dread.
It is easy to see God in what we consider to be good and wonderful things in life. Get a great job or promotion—praise God! The Lord blesses us with healing, a wonderful mate, a prime parking place, or some other wonderful gift—praise the Lord!
But darkness—a wonderful gift? Few of us welcome the darkness of pain by praising the Lord. But darkness is to be welcomed. Darkness is God’s invitation to come away with Him—just Him and me. No one else can dwell in my darkness or yours.
Friends and family can encourage us; they can listen; but they can’t experience our darkness. The cup of suffering is mixed for each of us individually, and God means it to be our alone time with Him—just the two of us enjoying intimate time together that excludes everyone else and everything else.
So, dear friend, are you so afraid of the darkness that you choose to live life less than abundantly? Are you satisfied with just enough of God to save you and give you all the good things of life, but not enough to throw off everything that hinders you from an incredible intimacy with the Lord?
If God gave you a choice, would you welcome the darkness where He is over the comfort of your own choices? That is the choice.
Remember—God is the God of the darkness!
The darkness is only dark on the outside. Within the darkness we discover, as Moses did, that God exists in a brightness that is only visible after we have entered His darkness (Psalm 104:2).
In His Presence we shed our fears, and delight in the awesome intimacy of dwelling with our Creator (Exodus 34:29-35).
“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.” — Isaiah 45:3, 7
Further Study
Psalm 74
Psalm 88
Psalm 89
Psalm 104
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Created for God's Glory
“I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” — Psalm 146:2
There is a small island in the Gulf of Mexico that calls me back from time to time to enjoy the splendor of God’s creation. There on this tiny strip of land, I find respite for my soul.
There’s something magical about rising early, just before daylight, and heading for the beach, barefoot, with the high anticipation of watching God paint one of His special sunrises.
It takes about an hour for Him to unveil the full picture. The sky is His canvas; and the paint is the lavish morning colors in another glorious sunrise. They are different every day. I’m not sure how He does that—seems a sunrise is a sunrise—but not on this island. There, God paints a different one every single day!
As I walk along the beach, I marvel at the skill of a small bird (called a Skimmer) that flies just above the rolling waves skimming the water for its daily food. I always catch my breath fearful a wave will take one of the small creatures under, but it never does. It’s as though they have sensors in their wings. You see, God created them to catch their food just before daylight, skimming along just above the water line, beak in the water, snatching tiny aquatic delights for their breakfast.
I can hardly wait for evening to enjoy dinner at a quaint little restaurant that floats on the water on the opposite side of the island. I order my food, find a table next to the water, and watch as a different specie of bird dives deep in the channel for its food. Again, I find myself holding my breath, watching in anticipation for it to surface.
Another kind of bird flies near the restaurant deck, hoping someone will toss it food. This group of beggars hangs out just beyond a boundary of fishing line stretched to keep them from annoying the paying customers while the birds vie for “people food.” We’ve all been annoyed by these birds from time to time.
Still another large bird stands in the shallow water across the channel waiting for its next meal to swim by. The herons stab fish with their pointy beaks, holding it until it stops wiggling; then they toss it in the air, catching it so that it enters their open mouth head first—they swallow it whole. Each fish takes several minutes to swallow. They will eat three fish each time they feed and no more (some of us need a dose of their self control).
Enjoying these sights, I ponder the different ways God has designed these birds to feed; the way the undulating ocean waves continue to roll in, and even the sand fleas that sometimes swarm and bite the back of my legs.
I am smitten by the fact that all of these things do what God has created them to do—without question. Day after day the birds feed in their own way, the sand fleas bite, and the waves just keep rolling in. There is no question and no choice.
The heron does not decide to dive in the channel for its food, nor does the skimmer decide to stand in shallow water and stab a fish or dive in the channel for shrimp. Each of them knows the way they are designed to live—and they do it.
The sun doesn’t make the decision to shine at night, nor does the moon decide to shine during the day or not shine at all. All of God’s creation does the thing for which they were created—with one exception.
God has given humans a choice—to do what we were created to do—or not!
The LORD has said, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:7).
We humans have the awesome privilege of choosing to glorify our Creator when we do what we are created to do. It is a daily choice to live for Christ—or live for self. Do what the Bible tells me to do—or do what I want to do. Serve others—serve self.
But we belong to Elohim, the Almighty God. We have been purchased by the precious blood of His Son, and our life is to be lived in worship of Him.
The great Bible Teacher, Kay Arthur said, “His Name is Elohim, the Almighty God, our Creator. We have been created for His glory, for His pleasure. Our life is to be lived in such a way as to reflect Him. To show the world the character of God, His love, His peace, His mercy, His gentleness. We are to live for Him, to accomplish His will. To miss this is to miss fulfillment. It is to have existed rather than to have lived.”2
The question is—do you want to live?
“I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Everyday I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.” — Psalm 145:1, 2; 150:6
Further Study
Philippians 2
Philippians 4:1-9
Job 38-42
Isaiah 42:5-9
Isaiah 43:1-5
Isaiah 45:2-7
Daniel 2:20-23
There is a small island in the Gulf of Mexico that calls me back from time to time to enjoy the splendor of God’s creation. There on this tiny strip of land, I find respite for my soul.
There’s something magical about rising early, just before daylight, and heading for the beach, barefoot, with the high anticipation of watching God paint one of His special sunrises.
It takes about an hour for Him to unveil the full picture. The sky is His canvas; and the paint is the lavish morning colors in another glorious sunrise. They are different every day. I’m not sure how He does that—seems a sunrise is a sunrise—but not on this island. There, God paints a different one every single day!
As I walk along the beach, I marvel at the skill of a small bird (called a Skimmer) that flies just above the rolling waves skimming the water for its daily food. I always catch my breath fearful a wave will take one of the small creatures under, but it never does. It’s as though they have sensors in their wings. You see, God created them to catch their food just before daylight, skimming along just above the water line, beak in the water, snatching tiny aquatic delights for their breakfast.
I can hardly wait for evening to enjoy dinner at a quaint little restaurant that floats on the water on the opposite side of the island. I order my food, find a table next to the water, and watch as a different specie of bird dives deep in the channel for its food. Again, I find myself holding my breath, watching in anticipation for it to surface.
Another kind of bird flies near the restaurant deck, hoping someone will toss it food. This group of beggars hangs out just beyond a boundary of fishing line stretched to keep them from annoying the paying customers while the birds vie for “people food.” We’ve all been annoyed by these birds from time to time.
Still another large bird stands in the shallow water across the channel waiting for its next meal to swim by. The herons stab fish with their pointy beaks, holding it until it stops wiggling; then they toss it in the air, catching it so that it enters their open mouth head first—they swallow it whole. Each fish takes several minutes to swallow. They will eat three fish each time they feed and no more (some of us need a dose of their self control).
Enjoying these sights, I ponder the different ways God has designed these birds to feed; the way the undulating ocean waves continue to roll in, and even the sand fleas that sometimes swarm and bite the back of my legs.
I am smitten by the fact that all of these things do what God has created them to do—without question. Day after day the birds feed in their own way, the sand fleas bite, and the waves just keep rolling in. There is no question and no choice.
The heron does not decide to dive in the channel for its food, nor does the skimmer decide to stand in shallow water and stab a fish or dive in the channel for shrimp. Each of them knows the way they are designed to live—and they do it.
The sun doesn’t make the decision to shine at night, nor does the moon decide to shine during the day or not shine at all. All of God’s creation does the thing for which they were created—with one exception.
God has given humans a choice—to do what we were created to do—or not!
The LORD has said, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:7).
We humans have the awesome privilege of choosing to glorify our Creator when we do what we are created to do. It is a daily choice to live for Christ—or live for self. Do what the Bible tells me to do—or do what I want to do. Serve others—serve self.
But we belong to Elohim, the Almighty God. We have been purchased by the precious blood of His Son, and our life is to be lived in worship of Him.
The great Bible Teacher, Kay Arthur said, “His Name is Elohim, the Almighty God, our Creator. We have been created for His glory, for His pleasure. Our life is to be lived in such a way as to reflect Him. To show the world the character of God, His love, His peace, His mercy, His gentleness. We are to live for Him, to accomplish His will. To miss this is to miss fulfillment. It is to have existed rather than to have lived.”2
The question is—do you want to live?
“I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Everyday I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.” — Psalm 145:1, 2; 150:6
Further Study
Philippians 2
Philippians 4:1-9
Job 38-42
Isaiah 42:5-9
Isaiah 43:1-5
Isaiah 45:2-7
Daniel 2:20-23
Monday, August 10, 2009
God Prepares a Lavish Table
You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest; blessings overflow! (Psalm 23:5 The Book).
I love entertaining. My husband, Glenn, and I used to have get-togethers, with upwards of thirty people in our yard and on our deck, sitting at tables under trees overlooking the river. It was wonderful. It was such fun preparing everything so that every guest would enjoy themselves.
Glenn would make sure the yard was lovely and the deck clean. He would also help me strategically organize the tables so that guests who wanted to have private conversations could do so. Other tables we arranged close enough together so that there was great fellowship among the guests.
It was fun making sure there were a variety of things to drink, salty snacks and sweet snacks. Sour dough French bread prepared in a variety of ways, and an assortment of cheeses and crackers were always delightful.
Dinner came later after everyone had plenty of time for catching up. We always prepared a varied assortment of foods to satisfy even the guest who might be a bit picky. . . .
Of course, we always made a couple of flavors of homemade ice cream. And just in case someone didn’t care for ice cream, we had a couple of other luscious desserts.
I must confess, I never gave one thought to whether a guest needed all of what I was preparing. My objective was always that there was an array of foods and that every guest had a wonderful time. When departure time came they left replete—lavished with good and sumptuous things.
Ah, those times were so enjoyable. . . . But you know, just as I enjoyed those times of entertaining, God enjoys entertaining us.
He provides delicious food for us and welcomes us as His guest! (Psalm 23:5)
Think about it . . . the Sovereign Ruler—Creator and Sustainer of all things, Elohim—entertains us lavishly. We are His special guest. And He welcomes us with open arms!
My mind cannot wrap itself around that. I wish I had a better grasp of the English language in order to expound on the wonder of it. . . .
The KJV of Psalm 23:5 is wonderful because it tells us that God not only provides this lavish feast—He prepares it—Himself!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
The word anoint literally means to fatten, hence to satisfy abundantly.
Not only does the Lord prepare a lavish feast for us, He anoints our head with oil. Remember when the sinful woman anointed Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee? (Luke 7:36-50). It was a lavish thing she did.
It was the custom to anoint the head of special guests. Everyday guests were not necessarily anointed, but they were greeted with a kiss and their feet were washed.
If you wanted to be lavish with a special guest, you would anoint them with oil. That’s what the sinful woman did. Her heart was so full of love for Jesus that she lavished Him with very expensive oil.
That’s the thought in Psalm 23:5. King David is saying that God prepares the finest table for us, a very lavish table.
How cool is that?
For God to send His Son to die for my sins is amazing indeed and far exceeds anything my simple mind can grasp. But for Him to personally prepare a table for me—to lavishly prepare a feast just for me—wow! That both humbles me and fills my spirit with an awe that simple words cannot express.
Keep in mind, this is not just the absence of need, or even want. No, God makes sure our cup overflows. This is not just a cup that is full, but a cup overflowing with His goodness so that it will hold nothing else. And He does it just for us. Each of us is His special guest.
This brings to mind Numbers 6:24-26:
“The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
and give you peace.”
King David sang, “You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.” (Samuel 22:36-37)
And so I ask, dear friend, are you at peace?
Is your soul at rest?
Are you basking in God’s love and provision?
Are you enjoying the table God has lavishly prepared just for you?
Life is a one-time trip through this world that will soon be over. At best your life will last seventy, or perhaps eighty years. Wouldn’t it be great to view life as God does, a lavish dinner party, with Him as your Host? He is exactly that.
And face it, since He created all of this and heaven too, and He knitted you together just as He wants you, don’t you think that He knows exactly what you love and need to prepare you to live with Him in the place He is building just for you?
Are you willing to settle for a hot dog or leftovers when God has a lavish feast prepared especially for you? I want all that He has to offer, all that He has prepared specifically for me. He knows what I love and He provides lavishly for me.
I have seen some of His most remarkable creations. Spring flowers in the Ozarks. Beautiful colors as the fall chill prepares the trees for winter. Winter blizzards with snow-flakes, not one of which is identical. That in itself is amazing.
I’ve watched as God painted a lavish sunrise so beautiful it took my breath away. I walked along in awe of His majesty, and since often I’m the only one walking on the beach, the wonder of it is that He is painting it just for me.
I’ve seen ocean water so clear and beautiful that a friend remarked, “I thought water like this was just painted in brochures, I didn’t know it actually existed.”
I’ve seen fish so strange and beautiful they had to be uniquely designed by a God Who is lavish with His creation, and Whose imagination far surpasses what any mere human could think up.
I’ve gazed on the Grand Teton Mountains, and caught my breath as I peered over the railing at the Colorado River rushing through the Grand Canyon.
And I’ve been a bit claustrophobic, but enraptured, several stories beneath the ground exploring various caverns across America, that God carved out just for our enjoyment.
The wonder and majesty of Niagara Falls is unparalleled. Only God could design something so powerful and awesome.
Or how about the Great Gorge a few miles down stream, where all that water flowing from the falls has been channeled into a much narrower river? The river makes a sudden double bend and the sound made by the force of the water is deafening.
Only God could do that.
I could go on and talk about the Indian Paint Pots and the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, or the incredible wildlife in Denali National Park in Alaska.
What about the majestic White Cliffs of Dover in England, or the beautiful green countryside of Ireland?
Yes, the same God Who created all of the wonders of our world just for our enjoyment prepares a lavish table for us and anoints our head with oil. Wow!
Shouldn’t we trust in the God Who has designed and created these things? Since He created such magnificence just for our enjoyment, shouldn’t we trust in what He personally prepares for our life while we’re here on this earth?
Just imagine what He is designing for our eternal life? My mind goes blank and I’m at a loss for words—that alone is a wonder!
But I do know that while I’m here, I want to dine at the table of the life He has prepared because I know He lavishes His creation with what He knows we need.
One day we will get to behold this God Who is so wonderful our finite mind cannot fathom Him. We will get to thank Him for the life He prepared uniquely for us. And then we will see our cup as He sees it—overflowing with His wonderful things.
Let’s not miss it, my friend. We get one shot at this life of abundance God has prepared for us.
And if all of this were not enough, we have a standing invitation to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb . . . and-it-will-be-incredible (Revelation 19:7-9).
Imagine dinner with all of the saints of the ages. . . . The fellowship will be thrilling.
What questions will we ask. . . ? But the One Who will dominate our focus will be Jesus. We will get to see Him face to face, kiss the nail-scarred hands, and bow on our knees and cry,
“HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. . . .”
I can hardly wait. The thought takes my breath away.
Are you enjoying the bounty God has prepared specifically for you?
God has prepared a lavish table—are you hungry?
Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:4-5)
Recommended Reading
Psalm 23
Psalm 52:8-9
Psalm 89:1-26
Psalm 91:14-16
Psalm 92:10
Isaiah 43:1-4
Isaiah 58:8, 11, 14
Isaiah 61:10
I love entertaining. My husband, Glenn, and I used to have get-togethers, with upwards of thirty people in our yard and on our deck, sitting at tables under trees overlooking the river. It was wonderful. It was such fun preparing everything so that every guest would enjoy themselves.
Glenn would make sure the yard was lovely and the deck clean. He would also help me strategically organize the tables so that guests who wanted to have private conversations could do so. Other tables we arranged close enough together so that there was great fellowship among the guests.
It was fun making sure there were a variety of things to drink, salty snacks and sweet snacks. Sour dough French bread prepared in a variety of ways, and an assortment of cheeses and crackers were always delightful.
Dinner came later after everyone had plenty of time for catching up. We always prepared a varied assortment of foods to satisfy even the guest who might be a bit picky. . . .
Of course, we always made a couple of flavors of homemade ice cream. And just in case someone didn’t care for ice cream, we had a couple of other luscious desserts.
I must confess, I never gave one thought to whether a guest needed all of what I was preparing. My objective was always that there was an array of foods and that every guest had a wonderful time. When departure time came they left replete—lavished with good and sumptuous things.
Ah, those times were so enjoyable. . . . But you know, just as I enjoyed those times of entertaining, God enjoys entertaining us.
He provides delicious food for us and welcomes us as His guest! (Psalm 23:5)
Think about it . . . the Sovereign Ruler—Creator and Sustainer of all things, Elohim—entertains us lavishly. We are His special guest. And He welcomes us with open arms!
My mind cannot wrap itself around that. I wish I had a better grasp of the English language in order to expound on the wonder of it. . . .
The KJV of Psalm 23:5 is wonderful because it tells us that God not only provides this lavish feast—He prepares it—Himself!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
The word anoint literally means to fatten, hence to satisfy abundantly.
Not only does the Lord prepare a lavish feast for us, He anoints our head with oil. Remember when the sinful woman anointed Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee? (Luke 7:36-50). It was a lavish thing she did.
It was the custom to anoint the head of special guests. Everyday guests were not necessarily anointed, but they were greeted with a kiss and their feet were washed.
If you wanted to be lavish with a special guest, you would anoint them with oil. That’s what the sinful woman did. Her heart was so full of love for Jesus that she lavished Him with very expensive oil.
That’s the thought in Psalm 23:5. King David is saying that God prepares the finest table for us, a very lavish table.
How cool is that?
For God to send His Son to die for my sins is amazing indeed and far exceeds anything my simple mind can grasp. But for Him to personally prepare a table for me—to lavishly prepare a feast just for me—wow! That both humbles me and fills my spirit with an awe that simple words cannot express.
Keep in mind, this is not just the absence of need, or even want. No, God makes sure our cup overflows. This is not just a cup that is full, but a cup overflowing with His goodness so that it will hold nothing else. And He does it just for us. Each of us is His special guest.
This brings to mind Numbers 6:24-26:
“The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
and give you peace.”
King David sang, “You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.” (Samuel 22:36-37)
And so I ask, dear friend, are you at peace?
Is your soul at rest?
Are you basking in God’s love and provision?
Are you enjoying the table God has lavishly prepared just for you?
Life is a one-time trip through this world that will soon be over. At best your life will last seventy, or perhaps eighty years. Wouldn’t it be great to view life as God does, a lavish dinner party, with Him as your Host? He is exactly that.
And face it, since He created all of this and heaven too, and He knitted you together just as He wants you, don’t you think that He knows exactly what you love and need to prepare you to live with Him in the place He is building just for you?
Are you willing to settle for a hot dog or leftovers when God has a lavish feast prepared especially for you? I want all that He has to offer, all that He has prepared specifically for me. He knows what I love and He provides lavishly for me.
I have seen some of His most remarkable creations. Spring flowers in the Ozarks. Beautiful colors as the fall chill prepares the trees for winter. Winter blizzards with snow-flakes, not one of which is identical. That in itself is amazing.
I’ve watched as God painted a lavish sunrise so beautiful it took my breath away. I walked along in awe of His majesty, and since often I’m the only one walking on the beach, the wonder of it is that He is painting it just for me.
I’ve seen ocean water so clear and beautiful that a friend remarked, “I thought water like this was just painted in brochures, I didn’t know it actually existed.”
I’ve seen fish so strange and beautiful they had to be uniquely designed by a God Who is lavish with His creation, and Whose imagination far surpasses what any mere human could think up.
I’ve gazed on the Grand Teton Mountains, and caught my breath as I peered over the railing at the Colorado River rushing through the Grand Canyon.
And I’ve been a bit claustrophobic, but enraptured, several stories beneath the ground exploring various caverns across America, that God carved out just for our enjoyment.
The wonder and majesty of Niagara Falls is unparalleled. Only God could design something so powerful and awesome.
Or how about the Great Gorge a few miles down stream, where all that water flowing from the falls has been channeled into a much narrower river? The river makes a sudden double bend and the sound made by the force of the water is deafening.
Only God could do that.
I could go on and talk about the Indian Paint Pots and the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, or the incredible wildlife in Denali National Park in Alaska.
What about the majestic White Cliffs of Dover in England, or the beautiful green countryside of Ireland?
Yes, the same God Who created all of the wonders of our world just for our enjoyment prepares a lavish table for us and anoints our head with oil. Wow!
Shouldn’t we trust in the God Who has designed and created these things? Since He created such magnificence just for our enjoyment, shouldn’t we trust in what He personally prepares for our life while we’re here on this earth?
Just imagine what He is designing for our eternal life? My mind goes blank and I’m at a loss for words—that alone is a wonder!
But I do know that while I’m here, I want to dine at the table of the life He has prepared because I know He lavishes His creation with what He knows we need.
One day we will get to behold this God Who is so wonderful our finite mind cannot fathom Him. We will get to thank Him for the life He prepared uniquely for us. And then we will see our cup as He sees it—overflowing with His wonderful things.
Let’s not miss it, my friend. We get one shot at this life of abundance God has prepared for us.
And if all of this were not enough, we have a standing invitation to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb . . . and-it-will-be-incredible (Revelation 19:7-9).
Imagine dinner with all of the saints of the ages. . . . The fellowship will be thrilling.
What questions will we ask. . . ? But the One Who will dominate our focus will be Jesus. We will get to see Him face to face, kiss the nail-scarred hands, and bow on our knees and cry,
“HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. . . .”
I can hardly wait. The thought takes my breath away.
Are you enjoying the bounty God has prepared specifically for you?
God has prepared a lavish table—are you hungry?
Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:4-5)
Recommended Reading
Psalm 23
Psalm 52:8-9
Psalm 89:1-26
Psalm 91:14-16
Psalm 92:10
Isaiah 43:1-4
Isaiah 58:8, 11, 14
Isaiah 61:10
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