Monday Meditation~Worth the Wait

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:25 (NIV)

Waiting.

It's just not easy.

And not very much fun.

Patience is not our forte. And we know better than to pray for it.

We are a fast food, quick fix, instant gratification generation.

But waiting is a fact of life.

And it has been since the beginning of time...well since just after the beginning of time.

Think back to Noah...waiting for the flood...then for the waters to recede so that he could get off that boat! Yes, he, Mrs. Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives endured the travails. In faith.

Then there was Abraham...waiting for the descendant from whom generations would come and be blessed. Sarah, by his side, laughing part of the way. But pressing on. In faith.

We come from a long line of waiters...faithful ones...not perfect, but persistent...Moses, Joseph, Job (renowned for his patience), David, the list goes on and on. So many who waited. For God's will. For God's way.

We must follow in their footsteps. Trusting the One Who knows us, Who knows our circumstances, and Who knows the outcome. He has proven Himself faithful time and time again.

Because of faith, we can believe that it will be worth the wait.

Lord, thank You for Your Word that gives testimony of Your faithfulness throughout the generations. Thank You for Your sovereignty. Thank You for Your wisdom. Thank You for Your love that knows no bounds.Father help us to trust You as we wait, knowing that You work all things for our good.

Are You Listening?

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow Me." John 10:27 (NIV)

One day this week I read this sentence in Sarah Young's devotional, Jesus Calling, "As you listen to birds calling to one another, hear also My Love-call to you."

Immediately I became aware of the melodic birdsong wafting on the breeze.

Funny, I don't think I had heard them yet that morning.

I wasn't listening.

They were singing their little hearts out, but I was missing out on the concert because I was tuned out.

After reading the devotional entry and spending some time in John 10, my consciousness took flight. It dawned on me that just as I was oblivious to the song of the birds, I'm often deaf to the voice of the Lord. Just not listening. And not even hearing. Totally unaware.

How can I follow Him...or trust Him...or hear Him utter His Love-call if I'm not in active pursuit and listening intentionally?

He is always speaking. Through His Word. Through Christians He's placed in our paths. Via pastors, teachers, writers. And yes, also through nature. In the sounds. In the beauty.

The photo above illustrates this perfectly for me. God and I have this little love sign between us. He shows me things in threes and I "hear" Him say, "I. Love. You." Sometimes it's three birds together. Other times it's other creatures...squirrels, deer...and yes, even groundhogs!

I love how He loves me.

He loves you too! He speaks your "love language"!

Are you listening? How is He speaking to you?

Wednesday Worship~Shine On Us

"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us." Psalm 67:1 (NIV)

Didn't you just love that?? If you're like me, you'll need to watch it at least a couple of times!! Thank you, Josh Wilson and friends for shining your light! Let's make Shine On Us the song of our hearts today!!

Monday Meditation~Loving Some SON Shine!

      Psalm 67 (NIV)

May God be gracious to us and bless us

and make His face shine upon us,

that Your ways may be known on earth,

Your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise You, O God;

may all the peoples praise You.

May the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for You rule the peoples justly

and guide the nations of the earth.

May the peoples praise You, O God;

may all the peoples praise You.

Then the land will yield its harvest,

and God, our God, will bless us.

God will bless us,

and all the ends of the earth will fear Him.

As I enjoy some days at the beach in the sunshine, it is my prayer that the SON shines even brighter!

Be sure to come back on Wednesday for some worship that will bless your flipflops off!!

Treasures in the Dark

"I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness-secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the One who calls you by name." Isaiah 45:3 (NLT)

Darkness.

It envelops those in its path.

No matter the source of the darkness, the depth of the pit, the number of sojourners by your side, there are treasures-secret riches to be found.

They may take the form of comfort, the shape of strength, the constitution of endurance. The essence of hope, the bedrock of peace, the fulfillment of love.

The One Who calls us by name loves us beyond our fathoming. He sees. He knows.

And He holds the future.

His Word wields light in a world that often seems plagued by the dark.

May we seek the One Who is the Light. Let us put our trust in Him and find Him faithful.

Wednesday Worship~Never Once

"The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

What a precious comfort to know that He goes before us, that nothing is a surprise to Him, that He never leaves us nor forsakes us. No matter what. Because of His presence, we need not fear or fall into the grips of discouragement. He is faithful.

Every victory is His power within us. Yes, He is faithful.

Thank You, Jesus!

Monday Meditation~Breathing Praise

Psalm 150

Praise the LORD.

Praise God in His sanctuary;

Praise Him in His mighty heavens.

Praise Him for His acts of power,

Praise Him for His surpassing greatness.

Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet,

Praise Him with the harp and lyre,

Praise Him with tambourine and dancing,

Praise Him with the strings and flute,

Praise Him with the clash of cymbals,

Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD.

As I walked outside first thing this morning, I was met by the song of birds, the chattering of squirrels, the rhythm of cicadas, a chorus of crickets. The verse that proclaims, "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD." immediately came to mind.



Oh Lord, let my very breath be praise to You today. May I remain in an attitude of praise to Your great Name. Thank You for your acts of power that know no end. Thank You for the victory that we have in You and because of You. You are great and greatly to be praised!

Rejected

"Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me." Psalm 66:20 (NIV)

Rejection.

Its barbs pierce the heart, the soul, the mind, and the spirit.

Its scars can last a lifetime.

The ravages of rejection are not bound by age, social status, gender, or outward appearance.

Rejection is not a stranger to anyone. Each of us have fallen victim to its pernicious jabs in one way or another...probably multiple times over the course of our lives.

In our early years, being last to be picked for the kickball team, excluded from a game on the playground, the mailbox devoid of a party invitation, ending up in the redbird reading group rather than the bluebirds (which everyone knew was tops) could be among our remembrances.

Adolescence likely assaulted us all at some point. Not making the cut for a ball team or cheerleading squad. Being shunned from the "in" group. Knowing there was no way you'd end up on the homecoming court. Going unnoticed by the boy of your dreams.

Even in adulthood, we're surely not immune. Getting passed by for a promotion. Receiving a rejection letter. Being betrayed by a friend. A family member that rejects your love. A spouse that doesn't seem to know you exist. A spouse that leaves.

In its simpler forms, like the whole kickball team scenario, we undoubtedly recover.

On the other hand, the rejection of those we love...a parent, a child, a spouse, a friend...can seem insurmountable.

However, we can find consolation in this.

Jesus understands.

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering....and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:3,5b

Not only are we ultimately "healed" from the disease of our sin, but we can find healing in His compassion...His knowing our pain...and the reality of His unfathomable love for us. That we are chosen by the God of the universe. Adopted. Handpicked. Known. Adored.

Lord, when rejection threatens to undo us, help us to turn to You...the one who chooses, accepts, forgives, and loves beyond our imagination. Thank You for making us Your own.


                                                     

Wednesday Worship~Let My Words Be Few

"God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few...stand in awe of God." Ecclesiastes 5:2b, 5:7b NIV

Standing in awe of You today, Lord!

Monday Meditation~Let My Words Be Few

"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, 'My vow was a mistake.' Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?

Much dreaming and many words are meaningless.

Therefore stand in awe of God." Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 (NIV)

There are so many instances in which I need to let my words be few. And listen. And wait.

What about you? What is God saying to you today?

Are you standing in awe of Him?

Are you fulfilling the vows you've made to Him?

Lord, draw us to Your Word. Quiet our hearts and our mouths. Help us to listen. When we've heard from You, help us to obey the words You speak to us. Help us to do the work You've called us to. Lord, we are in awe of You. And humbled that You would choose us. Thank You for loving us...sacrificially. We love You.

Misappropriated Time

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away." Matthew 24:35 (NIV)

I got sucked in. 

Fast.

Facebook and Twitter are fun and well...very social (hence the name social networking), but vicious devourers of my time. I try to keep a handle on it. Sometimes using great restraint, sometimes not so much.

And then I was introduced to Pinterest.

Oh my. Talk about a whole new world (yes, you need to chime in on the tune from Aladdin) opening up! I dove right in to photos of dreamy libraries, home decor, delectable treats of every kind...and yes, even some spiritual inspiration.

But before I knew it, I had ventured far from the shore of "just a few minutes" and into the depths of "Oh no! Where did the last hour go???" 

And today that was before my quiet time.

I managed to gain control and head toward some time in His Word.

Through Sarah Young and the Holy Spirit, I clearly felt God's reprimand for failing to "Seek Him first" (Matt. 6:33).  The devotion for today said, "The world is waiting to squeeze you into its mold and to crowd out time devoted to Me....Listen to Me above the clamor of voices trying to distract you. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, for He and I work in perfect harmony. Be still and attentive in My Presence."

I truly want to give Him the firstfruits of my day. And I need His help.

Am I saying that social media is bad? No. We just need to seek balance and beseech the Holy Spirit to control our minds and be louder than the clamor of voices trying to distract us.

Lord, help us to seek You first. To prepare our hearts and minds for the day ahead. To allow You to set the tone and the pace for the journey before us. May we hear Your whispers above the clamor that threatens our focus. Draw us to Your Holy Place.                                                        

Wednesday Worship~God Bless the USA

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)

Lord, may Your Spirit rest upon our country. May we remember those who gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy in this great land and never take for granted the price that was paid. Please bless their families and loved ones.We ask Your continued blessing on the Land of the Free. Protect us, Lord. And dare we not forget, but be ever mindful of the One who gave His life for the ultimate freedom, Christ Jesus, our Savior. Thank You for Your provision, compassion, and unfailing love for us. We love You.

Monday Meditation~The Desire of Your Heart

"Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

What is the desire of your heart?

Take a minute and think about it.

Then ponder our key verse for today.

What does that mean to you?

I've often heard it said that if we are "delighting" in the Lord...spending time in His presence, worshipping Him, praising Him, honoring Him, seeking to do His will...then our desires would be transformed into His desires for us.

That felt sufficient for me.

And much more noble than breezing by the "delight yourself in the Lord" part and just praying for Him to give you the desires of your heart...the storybook romance, the house of your dreams, a shiny new car, the ideal job, perfect children, a new wardrobe...whatever they may be.

Today I read words that will forever change my perspective on that verse. In Sarah Young's wonderful devotion book, Jesus Calling, she writes (as though Jesus were speaking), "Delight yourself in Me, for I am the deepest Desire of your heart."

Whether we realize it or not, He is our desire.

We were created with a void, a need, a desire that can only be filled by Jesus.  He is our heart's desire.

Oh that we would delight in that truth.

Lord, help us to see the wonders of Your Word and the promises held within. May Your Holy Spirit guide us toward an understanding of the mysteries of Your great love. Be our desire. Help us to delight in You and You alone.