Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
How much do you value other people?
Enough to care about them past, “How are you?”
Do you really want to hear something other than the usual “Fine?”
If you do, you show your friend value.
Let’s go deeper.
How much do you value your spouse?
Do you ask them what they need from you to fill their hearts up?
And then when you ask, do you actually try to follow through?
If you do, you show your spouse value.
Maybe instead, you take them for granted.
You take their love and service as nothing.
Normal.
Everyday.
Well, it’s now time to wake up.
Literally.
What if today was your last day?
How would you show your spouse value then?
Guessing it would be more than you do now.
Valuing your spouse is not hard.
It’s asking them how they are and actually listening without distraction.
It’s seeking to know them, wanting to connect.
It’s asking what they need from you to fill their hearts.
And then following through not once, but from now on.
Because you value them.
People recognize love in different ways.
Your love language might not be your spouses.
Ask them.
And then act.
Only in our selfishness can we possibly neglect the beautiful gift set before us.
God blesses us with spouses.
Treat them like the gift they really are to you.
And your gift will be returned to you a thousand times over.
“…and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:26
I assume you want to come to your senses.
To live honorably before all men.
Senseless living showcases foolishness.
Usually on display for all to see.
Sometimes we don’t see our own folly. Why?
Because we have not come to our senses and are living under the influence of the devil.
The verse above states when we are not living wisely, meaning not living in our senses, we are in the snare of the devil, biding his will.
Actually participating in the devil’s evil plans instead of God’s holy design. Ouch.
Paul elaborates speaking to the Lord’s servant about not being quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. (2 Timothy 3:24)
Who are the Lord’s servants? Us.
Those who love God and wish to serve Him with our whole selves.
Especially pastors.
Those in spiritual authority over us.
If you want to categorize servants, pastors must strive more to live as examples of humble servants.
Only when we are kind, gentle, and patient is God able to free us from ourselves.
From living senselessly under the capture and will of the devil.
God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:25)
Only when we live with the fruit of the spirit will God allow our eyes to revel our own selfishness, leading us to God’s truth before our eyes.
Folks, we often miss it.
We think we are following God.
But we are mistaken, because we are trusting in ourselves before Him.
We trust in our reasoning, not allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us of our past.
Instead may we fly from youthful passions, pursuing instead righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with a pure heart.
And may God open our eyes to His will, giving us the courage to obey Him.
I for one cringe when I think about acting in the will of the devil.
(God) who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:4-5
God, I need You.
I need Your strength.
Mine is all gone.
I need Your love for others.
Mine is all used up.
I need Your peace.
Don’t have any on my own that lasts more than a second.
I need Your love for me, too.
Mine is all gone.
I need all of You.
Because all of me is used up.
Fill me anew with You.
Cover my ugly shivering self with Your arms.
I need Your safety.
I need Your protection.
I need Your security.
I need You.
You are always faithful.
Always.
In every single thing as long as I ask You.
You’re so gracious, You also let me live in my own self if I bow to my selfishness.
“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
News flash.
Devil doesn’t care about you if you’re lukewarm.
He doesn’t spend his time on you if you’re not walking with God.
He figures he has you.
Right where he wants you.
But if you have life that happens….
If you have big things occur, you must matter.
Pay attention, because the devil sure is.
He knows God has a special plan for your life.
Wants at all costs to stop it.
To make you feel like God doesn’t care when your family falls apart.
To feel like God has turned His back when things don’t go your way.
The devil’s goal is to get you to stop trusting God.
To stop trusting God has your best in mind.
That God still even cares about you.
Remember that.
He wants to keep you busy, unaware of the evil influencing your children.
He wants to keep you blind to the repairs needed in your marriage.
He wants to keep you apathetic to the holes in the relationships that matter.
He wants you to think there’s nothing you could do to help anything.
That God can’t or won’t help or maybe isn’t even there.
He wants to keep you absolutely pathetic.
Because then you’re weak.
Useless.
Lukewarm.
The next time you are tempted to sink back into old habits, remember that’s where the devil wants you.
Instead, tell him no way.
Don’t give him the pleasure.
Give the satisfaction instead to God, who has promised to never leave you.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2
Let yourself be an example instead of a stumble.
An example of Christ’s love instead of a stumble into sin.
Man, that’s hard.
Not always, but sometimes.
Actually, usually it is, am I right?
Especially when our flesh cries out for justice.
Or judgement.
Or pride.
Every time we succeed as an God’s example, we extend life to others.
And every time we succeed as a stumbling block to sin, we bring death to those same people.
So how do we become an example instead of a stumbling block?
Ask God.
All we can do is ask Him to help us.
When we are weak, He is strong.
God’s greatest examples are people who have no strength of their own to complete the tasks God had for them.
But that’s when God’s power shines forth the brightest.
Knowing we cannot without God is the first step.
Then choosing to let Him work through us is the next.
Let Him choose your words.
Let Him choose your actions.
And let His very nature flow through yours.
And when you do that, God will bless others.
Literally through you.
Quite an honor when you think about it.
Be stamped with God’s nature, and His blessing will come through you all the time. Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest reading May 16
Matthew 7:11 reminds us “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
Are you trusting God to give you those good gifts?
Might not be what you asked for, but it will be a good gift nonetheless.
Socks for Christmas are not a favorite, but your feet will be thankful next winter.
A new kitchen appliance is not as sparkly as jewelry, but making dinner from now on will be easier, so frankly, that gift means time.
Taking something away from a child is hardly met with enthusiasm, but it’s a gift.
As parents, you give the gift of self-control and thinking of others, hoping to kick pride to the curb.
Mostly.
We try.
We try to give these good gifts to our children.
Guessing they don’t think of them as gifts.
When God gives you the gift of unemployment, are you thankful?
Thankful for the fresh start?
When God gives you the gift of a child who operates completely different from you, are you thankful?
Thankful to see things from a whole new perspective?
When God allows challenges in your life, it’s for a reason.
To shape you further into His image.
We’re just fine, Lord, thanks anyway!
Good gifts from God belong in His will.
Rest in the knowledge that He is in control.
Allow all of His gifts to mold you into who He wants you to become.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9
How do you have faith when God allows things you wish He wouldn’t?
What then?
God is sovereign over all.
Yes, our world is broken.
But nothing happens in this life without first filtering through God’s hands.
God’s hands hold our future before it is ever brought to us.
His sovereign knowledge over all things perfectly decides things He allows and does not allow.
There’s comfort in that.
Comfort in knowing all things have first been held in His hands.
Isaiah 55: 8-9 reminds us “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Because God knows the beginning from the end, His ways and thoughts include the big picture.
Way more than little ole us.
He thinks beyond our momentary crisis.
He wants to shape our long term character.
His sight is beyond our day’s irritation or foul mood.
His purposes are to mold us into the person He sees us as.
The way He already sees us.
God has great plans for us.
But will we cooperate?
All comes back to trust.
What if God wants to use your trials to bless others?
To quicken the healing of their wounds?
In order to do that you must walk through, successfully to the other side of the valley.
But I don’t want the valley.
I didn’t ask for the valley.
My friend’s valley’s never look as deep as mine.
It’s not fair.
I know.
More importantly, God knows.
He sees it all.
Remember, He knows the beginning from the end.
And that includes yours.
He saw you years before you were born and He knows when you’ll join Him in heaven.
For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. Psalm 62:1-2
Don’t hesitate.
Don’t stop and think.
Don’t be afraid to trust in God completely.
Even when you wait in silence.
God is still working.
Your peace is still secure.
His protection is still near, surrounding you like a fortress.
Depend upon Him.
Depend upon Him for strength to get through the day.
Depend upon Him for love to give to others.
Depend upon Him for peace to calm the storm.
Depend upon Him.
God says you will NOT be shaken from His protection.
You will NOT be thrown out from His presence when you are His.
When you choose to dwell with Him.
When He is your salvation.
When you choose to stand in God’s salvation, His protection and peace will steady the shaking, no matter how big or small.
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior. 1 Timothy 2:1-3
How often do you pray for our country?
For our leaders?
The ones you like and don’t like?
You know we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph 6:12)
God urges us to pray for our leaders whom He has placed in power over us.
He reminds us how to live a peaceful and dignified life.
Through praying for our leaders and country.
Today is our country’s birthday.
Sweet land of liberty.
She’s not perfect, but nothing is.
Our framework demands respect for the process of change.
Our history is full of God’s grace (Washington’s Valley Forge), His mercy (Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation), and His strength (WW2 landings).
Thousands of more examples.
And yes, there are examples of our stupidity.
Slavery, abortion, discrimination, government corruption.
History needs to remain as it is.
The good, bad, and the ugly.
Learning from our mistakes, remembering God’s grace, and honoring our fallen heroes remains our duty for future generations.
Keeping all of our history doesn’t mean you agree with every decision.
With every event.
With every leader.
Today, our country is 244 years old.
May we remember that all men are created equal.
That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,
That among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Long may our land be bright With freedom’s holy light; Protect us by thy might, great God, our King.
And God, please continue to shed Your grace on Thee.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fulness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11
Do we have to know?
Do we have to know everything about our future?
How this decision will affect that one later on?
No, we do not.
In fact, we can not.
It’s impossible.
We can plan, but ultimately God is in control.
He is the author and finisher of all life.
When we daily place our trust into His capable hands, He guides us through all of life’s murky waters and the crystal clear ones, too.
I liken life to doors when I think about life’s decisions, big or small.
Sometimes God opens doors.
He opens them wide.
Step through with confidence.
Knowing God opens a door for you should remind you how much He thinks of you.
He knows your heart and as long as you are trusting Him with every breath, rest in the confidence of His goodness and mercy.
Even if the door is open just a crack, knowing He wants you to participate, open the door just a little bit more.
Tell fear to take a hike and stand confidently with God.
But sometimes He slams them in our face.
You might be walking down a certain path, but all the doors are closed.
You see an open door, run to it, but it’s slammed shut before you get there.
Ask God why.
Maybe He’s teaching you patience.
Or maybe He’s telling you no.
So, what should you do when you think you know what God wants you to do, but you’re not totally sure as you have let fear or anxiety in for a visit?
Walk confidently towards the door.
Push on it, and see if it opens.
If it does, take the hand of God and walk through.
Whatever is on the other side will be ok, as long as you are walking with God.
Walking with God means you have given yourself over to His purposes, trusting Him for every breath, every decision big or small.
Your heart is His.
Well, when you put it like that, let’s go!
Where do you want to take me, Lord?
You, Lord, are all I have, and You give me all I need; my future is in Your hands. How wonderful are Your gifts to me; how good they are!
I praise the Lord, because He guides me, and in the night my conscience warns me. I am always aware of the Lord’s presence; He is near, and nothing can shake me.
And so I am thankful and glad, and I feel completely secure, because You protect me from the power of death. I have served you faithfully, and You will not abandon me to the world of the dead.
You will show me the path that leads to life; Your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever. Psalm 16:5-11
For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of His saints. Proverbs 2:6-8
Isn’t it amazing the Lord simply gives wisdom to us?
From His mouth comes forth knowledge AND understanding?
God actually stores up sound wisdom for us?
You might argue we’re not exactly upright people.
Yes, but no one is perfect, except God.
The upright are those who seek God for their very lives.
I guess the question remains, do we want God’s wisdom?
I suppose if you say No, then I’d say why the heck not?
Walking with God is not stifling.
Doesn’t cramp my style in the very least.
It’s freedom.
Let’s continue.
Verse 7 shows us how God’s wisdom is an actual barrier to evil.
His wisdom protects us from poor choices, which, one could argue, could easily become evil.
Think about the recent looting.
Poor choices which have become evil.
Destruction is evil and one has the choice to participate.
Making it relevant to more, putting yourself above your spouse is a poor choice.
Do that again and again and the relationship will never be the same unless you return to God’s wisdom, asking forgiveness of the one you love.
How many hundreds of choices do you make on a daily basis?
Too many to count.
So many opportunities to walk under God’s protection using His wisdom.
And so many chances to step out from His umbrella, choosing instead to follow the flesh.
Stand with me under the shelter of Almighty God.
Proverbs 2:8 closes with reminding us how God guards and watches over the ways of His saints.
Doesn’t mean we won’t have trials or pain.
But standing under God’s umbrella, His wisdom will guide us, inviting the very peace of God.
Photos by Marionel Luciano, Wilhelm Gunkel, Joyce McCown, and Timothy Eberly on Unsplash
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. 2 Chronicles 16:9
We all want to be noticed.
Beg for it, really.
Comes down to love.
Feeling loved.
Valued.
Noticed.
How do you notice people?
How do you value them?
Today, I took the time to notice my friend.
She needed extra love.
Attention.
Value.
And you know what?
I came away feeling valued, too.
Why?
Because God had used me.
He had deemed me available to be His hands and feet.
Completely an honor when you think about it.
Are you available to God?
Can He use you?
How do you value your loved ones?
How do you affirm your spouse?
Who do you need to notice?
When you are available, the life of Almighty God will pour through your hands into the ones you notice.
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:14-15
When you think about what Jesus died for…
All that He died for, what do you think about?
Big bad sins?
Like cold blood murder?
Armed robbery?
Abortion?
Drunkenness?
Or smaller sins?
Like selfishness?
Snide remarks?
Envy or jealously?
Or, gulp, pride?
The Bible says a sin is a sin.
Meaning, all sins are equal before God as they are all not from Him.
In fact, sin is the opposite of His holiness.
Sometimes we think we don’t need God as much as that guy over there.
The guy who committed the bigger sin.
Once we think that, our pride sins and once again, we need the forgiveness of God.
When Jesus died for our sins, OUR sins, He died for all of them.
…make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8
Are you?
Attracted to godliness?
Or are you enamored by the things of this world?
Enthralled by power, status, money, and things?
Do you desire goodness or do you selfishly want whatever toots your horn?
Is your first thought the service of others or do you want others to serve you?
Are your needs first or are the needs of others above yours?
When you are all by yourself, would God himself be at home by your side or would you be covered in embarrassment at your actions, thoughts, or attitudes?
Deep down, do you cherish God’s opinion, or do you want to feed the hunger of your flesh?
Are you attracted to godliness?
Or are you living for yourself?
Think a moment.
And repent, knowing it’s impossible to be completely attracted to godliness aside from the grace and strength of God Himself.
“Am I a God at hand,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 23:23-24
What are you hiding?
A secret?
What is your deepest fear?
What are you hiding behind?
Job status?
A relationship?
Sin?
Do you subscribe to the notion that no one would like you if they really knew the whole you?
These all boil down to fear, due to misplaced trust.
Trusting in yourself before God.
When you hide in your fears, you place yourself in charge.
You are telling God you don’t trust Him.
Come out.
Come out from behind the couch and place your hand into God’s.
Tell Him your fears.
Tell Him your anxieties.
Ask Him to replace them with the truth.
His truth.
He’ll do it.
He’ll cover you with His feathers, encapsulating your very self.
Instead of hiding from God, hide within Him.
Use His protection against fear.
Use His protection against anxiety.
Use His truth to replace the lies you’ve believed your whole life.
Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. Psalm 73:23
I’ve come to realize something.
We are all alone.
Yes, we might have a spouse or children if we’re adults.
We have parents, friends, maybe even a best friend.
But ultimately, we are alone.
We stand all by ourselves.
Our spouse might have other loyalties.
Our children grow up and move away.
Our friends choose others with whom to spend their time.
Our parents love us but have their own lives.
Ultimately we are alone.
Someday, we will stand alone before God.
Giving account for our life.
On that day, Jesus will step in for us.
He will show payment for our sins.
He will if we trust in Him.
If we trust in Him for our very salvation.
He will step in for us on judgement day, but He has already stepped into your life.
He has already joined you here in this life.
Here.
So you’re not alone.
Psalm 73:23-26 says Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand.
Jesus is always with us.
He holds us by our right hands.
Psalm 23:4 reminds us Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Walking through dark times, or even daily life, we do not fear.
We do not feel lonely.
Why?
Because God, Jesus, is with us.
With us.
While you feel alone, you are not.
You might feel lonely, but you are not.
Feelings are not accurate.
Facts are.
And the facts are this: God is always with you; you are never alone.
Remind yourself that God, who created ALL things, is with you.
He cares.
He knows.
He loves you.
You.
And that, my friend, is why you are never truly alone.
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:26-27
Thought I’d remind us of God’s provision today.
His provision of earthly needs like TP, food, water.
His provision of spiritual needs like forgiveness and grace.
And His ultimate authority over the devil.
And also His provision of emotional needs like comfort and peace.
God’s storehouses are always filled to overflowing.
His power knows no bounds.
Even for our physical needs?
Yep.
Remember the Isrealites?
He fed them in the desert.
Every day.
He knows your every need. Even your physical ones.
Funny story: yes, I’m still stuck on finding toilet paper.
Where is it all, I still beg to know?
Recently, my son, who lives on his own, was over for lunch.
Said he was down to his last roll of TP.
Discovered my mother was rationing as well.
My daughter calls, says a pallet of TP has literally just been unwrapped on the floor of the store.
Immediately, we jump into the car and run into the store, locating our mystified treasure.
Sure enough, there’s some.
Not a ton, maybe 50 packages.
My son, husband and I each grab one.
Score!
Literally feel as if we have won the lottery.
We deliver one to my folks, not getting too close, of course.
They are truly grateful.
And so is my son.
Have I seen any more TP in the stores since then?
Nope.
Still don’t know where it all has gone.
But when my son and parents needed it, God delivered.
Shouldn’t be surprising.
God sees you.
He sees your every need.
And He’s got it.
He’s more than enough to cover you emotionally.
He’s more than enough to cover you spiritually.
And He’s more than enough to cover you physically.
Keep trusting Him for enough.
Because He is.
He is enough.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18
Reflecting.
We reflect what we honor.
We reflect what we love.
We reflect Whose we are.
Do you reflect God?
Or do you reflect things of the world?
Or yourself?
The Bible talks about us becoming so filled with God, that we reflect His glory.
When we continually seek His will,
When we consistently empty ourselves,
When we continuously purpose to be His alone,
Our mirror will reflect the glory of God more and more.
What does your mirror reflect?
If we’re honest, our mirrors mostly reflect ourselves.
Our wishes.
Our demands.
Our needs.
Keep your open conversation running with God.
Continually seek His wisdom and peace in every situation.
In every moment.
And slowly, your mirror, too, will begin to reflect the glory of God.
When your mirror reflects more of God than yourself, others take note, polishing their own mirrors for Him as well.
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1
How is it?
Your appetite for God?
What’s on the menu?
Heart sugary with a side of forgiveness?
Worship and thankfulness?
Gut wrenching prayers?
Pleas for change?
Or have you been skipping meals?
Ignoring your appetite for God?
Maybe you have a snack once in awhile, whispering a prayer here and there.
Sure way to lose the weight of God’s influence.
His blessings.
His peace.
When one’s appetite for God is healthy, the body is strong, resisting easier Satan’s taunts.
However, the opposite is also true.
When we indulge on worldly gain, ignoring the meat of God, our bodies rarely resist the devil’s temptations.
Even worse, when those worldly gains eat up our time, it always becomes more and more and more, never really satisfying.
And God becomes less and less and less.
Where are you?
Where do you fall on the menu of God?
If you have fallen into the circle of poor diet, stop.
Decide today no more.
Open Psalms and begin again.
Grab that pen and begin to journal all God has done for you.
Pray earnestly, seeking the face of God and His will for you and your loved ones.
And do it again the next day.
And the next.
And the next.
Your strength will grow and before you know it, you’ll be craving God more than the world.
Then, my friends, you’ll know you’re appetite has changed.
Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9
Ugh.
I don’t like that.
Being the bigger person.
Don’t like being the one to apologize first.
To begin the amends.
To swallow my pride.
To open the floodgates of forgiveness.
Rather have the other person go first.
Makes me feel better.
You?
When my honest selfishness invokes horror upon reading what I wrote, I stop.
I think about what God would want me to do.
1 Peter 3:9 reminds us not to “repay evil with evil or insult with insult.”
That’s pretty clear.
Doesn’t mention being first, but fortunately the verse goes on.
Verse 9 continues, ” On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
I for one want a blessing.
You?
The other side of the coin is this: who do I want to please?
God or Satan?
I’m guessing Satan is pretty darn pleased when I stick my feet in the mud, determining to withhold forgiveness unless asked and pleaded with from the other guilty party.
Know God is pleased when I make the first move.
While it’s fun to feed my flesh, it, in turn, pleases Satan.
Yuck.
Double yuck.
I want to please God.
More than anything, I want to give Him my everything.
That includes forgiving others when they wrong me.
First.
Being the bigger person.
And what if they never ever apologize?
I can move on, because I don’t need it.
All I need is God.
I am responsible for me.
Can’t be responsible for others.
Can’t let others’ sins weigh me down anymore.
As 1 Peter says, “I will be blessed when I repay evil with a blessing.”
And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3
Are you aware that others are watching you?
Watching you react in this life?
Watching you respond?
Are you aware?
As Christians, we are a witness for God.
We are a witness either for God or against Him.
When we, as Christians, respond with love for others, serving them and meeting their needs, we are the face of God.
When instead, we, as Christians respond with selfishness, wanting the best for ourselves, we are also a witness of God.
But when we respond with selfishness, we mar His face.
Placing God in a negative light.
Where do you frequent on a weekly basis?
Do waiters look forward to your visit or try to avoid serving your table?
Ever asked them about their day?
God is love.
And as Christians, we are full of His love.
We should be spilling Him out everywhere we go.
When we leave a space, it should be better then when we entered.
Better because we have determined to be an honorable witness for Him.
He has given us this life.
He has also given us a charge to make disciples across the earth.
How many people have you come across on this earth today?
Create a desire in others for God through your witness.
“for I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Joseph and Mary had big plans.
They were simple folk with regular plans.
Get married and build a life, working hard to produce an honorable Jewish family.
Probably were going to stay in town, as folks didn’t regularly move away from their communities.
I can imagine Mary collecting recipes from her mother, gathering the skills needed to run her own household.
Joseph, too, honing his carpentry skills, collecting tools, starting on their forever house.
They had plans.
Plans that were normal, thoughtful, accepted, and logical.
Accepted.
Then God stepped in.
He changed their plans.
Radically.
Disrupted their entire future.
Joseph and Mary went from knowing how their future would proceed to trusting God with everything they had.
Went from predictable reliable plans to an unknown, scary future.
Scary, yes, because now they had no one but themselves.
And God.
Their friends probably thought they were crazy.
And their family hopefully believed them, but the Bible doesn’t record their reactions, so who really knows?
All we know is both Mary and Joseph said yes to God.
They trusted His words and each other.
They chose to walk a difficult journey because they KNEW God had ordained it.
They were confident God would be with them always.
That they were IN His plans.
And what about you?
What has God interrupted in your life?
What plans of yours has He changed?
It’s irritating, I know, when things change.
Guessing Mary and Joseph weren’t always in great moods about the whole thing.
But they kept going.
They remembered they were in God’s plan.
That God Himself was in control.
And you, too.
When God interrupts your plans, you fall back into His.
His great plans for your life.
Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Like Joseph and Mary, allow God to interrupt.
Accept His perfect plan for your life.
And take comfort knowing He wants the very best for you, His child.
Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 12:28
Ever read A Christmas Carol?
My eighth graders read it with me this month.
I know we’ve all seen the movie or the play twice or a dozen times.
We know the story well.
But have you actually ever read it?
It’s so much better.
The text portrays the struggle like no movie can.
The struggle between selfishness and generosity.
Between hate and love.
Good and evil deep in one’s soul.
The wrestle between habit and change.
The text opens depicting Scrooge as a vile human being.
He’d rather kill the poor than shove meager crumbs their way.
He looses the love of his life because his “golden idol” has replaced her.
It takes trips to his past, present and future to finally change Scrooge’s heart for good.
Stave 4 depicts his future.
His soul is overcome with grief at how his sorry life is forgotten, all his worldly gains vanishing into the hands of thieves.
His grief is profound, even gut-wrenching.
At the end, Scrooge is found begging for the chance to change his future.
He is pleading with the Ghost of Christmas Future, desperate to know if there is still time to change what is to come.
To my eighth graders, I posed a question:
What if God showed you a movie of your future, based upon your character of today.
What would you see?
And I ask you.
Are the choices you make today creating the future God wants for you?
Or are you forging ahead on the path to death?
May it not be so.
Let us wake from our sleep, recognizing how much God can accomplish through us.
May we recognize the choices God brings to us and choose wisely.
Amy Linnea 
You must be logged in to post a comment.