June 7, 2018

God Helps Every Time

I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2

Casting Crowns had a song out several years ago titled “Praise You in This Storm.” It includes the words from this Psalm. I love that they put music to this and that they used it to remind us that no matter what comes, God will help us.

Sometimes horrible things happen and we desperately need help. More often, though, it’s the small things that knock us around and cause us to cry out for help. It’s the four-wheeler with one wheel in a deep hole that won’t be budged. It’s the sick cow that needs a diagnosis. It’s the ride home from the hospital.

I am blessed to have wonderful, caring people in my life. I know that they are only a phone call away. They are people who will come, who actually put legs to their faith. I try to be like them. I fail regularly but I do try.

One important lesson I’ve learned is knowing when to ask for help. I joke about the things that are “above my pay grade.” Honestly, most things I can do on my own. I’ve learned that I can do quite a bit when I don’t have someone standing beside me telling me I can’t.

And then there are those things that require someone with experience. Some tasks need two sets of hands or equipment I don’t own. And some things just need to be explained so that I can do it on my own, like driving the tractor.

But there are some people who mean well that insist on doing things for me. It’s for my own good, they say. Another lesson: When people start telling you what they need to do for you for your own good, run in the opposite direction. It’s not about you. It’s about them. They will almost always lead you down the wrong path.

It’s not that they don’t mean well. They do. It’s just that no one person can do everything, be everything, for someone else. It quickly becomes a lopsided friendship with one person thinking they can run the other person’s life. That’s not healthy for anyone.

God is my helper. He’s the One I go to first when I have a need. He’s the One I always seek advice from. His opinion is the one that matters most to me.

Does He use people to help me? Absolutely. But He also teaches me that I’m a lot more competent than I ever thought. And He teaches me that He will always be there, always provide, always guide me.

That unsettles some people. They want to hold that position in my life. They want to tell me what’s best for me. It seems like I’ve heard it all. Funny thing is that what’s best for me in their eyes always ends with them getting me to do what they want.

Do you have someone who wants to control you in your life? Do you have someone who wants to take God’s place in your life? They probably don’t even realize it. But you should.

I’ve learned a lot on this life journey and it’s mostly that God is loving and dependable. I can always count on Him. I can’t say that about anyone else. People let each other down again and again. We just do. We can’t always be there and be there in the way someone else wants or needs.

We don’t always give the best advice. Our thoughts and opinions, our experiences and challenges, color our words. No matter how objective we think we’re being, we aren’t.

When I need help, I look to God first. I know He will help me. It might be showing me the way or it might be sending someone to me. But God will help me. Every time. Count on it.

May 4, 2018

Why Won’t God Answer?

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

– Isaiah 59:1-2

“Why won’t God answer my prayers?” Her voice was quiet, the weight of sadness heavy on her shoulders. Unshed tears watered her eyes.

It does seem like God is ignoring us sometimes, doesn’t it? We pray and pray and pray and still it seems that God won’t respond. Nothing. No word. No sign. No indication that He’s even heard us.

We wait and wait and wait. The time of decision is at hand and still we wait. Where is God? You desperately want to do His will but how can you know what His will is if God won’t tell you?

There are many reasons why He doesn’t respond to our prayers. Maybe it’s because we have unconfessed sin in our hearts. God may be waiting for us to acknowledge our own inequities and change our behavior, our words, our hearts, before He acknowledges our prayers.

David asked God in Psalm 139 to search his heart and point out anything that might be wrong. We can do the same. Sometimes we harbor sin without really being aware of it. God will show us if we ask. The rest of it – confession and repentance – rests with us.

Other times God simply wants us to wait. His timing and ours rarely seem to be following the same clock. We get anxious, ready to move ahead. God wants us to feel His peace where we are. There is a lesson in the waiting. Look for it.

And sometimes God wants us to take a step forward in faith before He’ll clearly show us the way to go. This is a hard one. We want to know the path before we cut ties with the past. Where’s the trust in that? Is God nudging your heart in a certain direction? Pay attention to His still, quiet voice.

In the study Breathe, Priscilla Shirer talks about a season with small children and an overwhelming travel schedule for ministry. She and her husband prayed and prayed and they felt God calling them to step back and take a Sabbath. It took a while. They had commitments booked out for about two years. But they set a goal.

Here’s the thing: They didn’t know what that Sabbath would look like. They didn’t have a plan. But they trusted that God would take care of them and lead them where He wanted them to go.

They followed God first. Then the call came from Lifeway asking Priscilla to join their team as a speaker at large events. God wanted her to stay in ministry, just in a different way that was better suited to her young children and that particular season of her life.

When God seems distant ask yourself if you have really listened for His voice? Or have you been waiting for Him to answer the way you think He should? Sometimes we keep praying about something because we don’t like what God has told us. That’s not a comfortable thought, is it?

God always hears our prayers. God always answers our prayers. But we hear from Him in His timing, not ours. And we hear from Him what He thinks is best and not what we have asked Him to bless.

When you feel God’s silence, hit your knees and look inside. What are you missing that God wants you to see? Clean your heart and open it wide. Wait. God is right there.

March 22, 2018

Everyone Needs A Wise Friend

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools. – Proverbs 15:7

Who do you seek out when you need advice? Where do you turn when the path seems unclear and you don’t know which step to take?

The first place to turn is to God. Prayers for wisdom and discernment, strength and perseverance, make all the difference. We should always turn to God first when we need guidance.

But God also blesses us with the people He places before us. Some people just have the gift for giving good advice. I hope you have someone like that in your life.

A sweet friend who left this earth way too early for those of us who loved her always gave the best advice. It wasn’t just to me. Ask anyone who knew her. She was just so wise when it came to offering insights into the struggles someone else was facing.

Why? I pondered that after she was gone. I think the answer lies in her ability to see others in their light rather than in her own. She didn’t give advice based on what might be good for her in those circumstances. She based her advice on the person seeking guidance and that made all the difference.

So often we don’t really hear the people right before us. We listen to respond, as the experts say, rather than listening to understand. We’re quick to tell others what to do based on our wishes and desires rather than what is truly best for them.

Not too long ago a friend began pushing me to change internet providers. My speed was way too slow, she informed me. She was just so determined. I resisted. I had a bad feeling about it. Sure enough, the “new” company with the special offers has had outages time and time again. People are furious with its service. My service is dependable. I’m so thankful I listened to the Spirit inside of me rather than the friend telling me what to do.

Sometimes we also have a hidden agenda. We don’t always recognize it. We truly believe what we want for others is best for them. Maybe it is. Or maybe we want the benefits we can get if they do things our way.

In the area of women’s ministry, I’ve always got someone who wants a certain Bible study or a certain day or time for an event. They don’t want to do anything. Nor do they generally want to accommodate anyone else’s schedule or interests. They’re just quick to know what is best and expect others to come along to their way of thinking.

I’ve learned to consider all points of view and to spend a lot of time in prayer. A sweet friend tells me I always seem to choose just the right study, just when she needs it. I’m flattered by the compliment but I’m also quick to give credit where it belongs. God leads me. God knows the way and what is best. My job is just to get out of the way and follow where He’s leading. When the study matches her needs, it’s because God was directing the path and not me.

It’s the same with giving advice to others. We shouldn’t be so quick to tell others what is best for them. It’s important to really listen to what they’re saying. It’s good to ask questions and cause them to think about their choices and to take an honest assessment of the good and bad. Rose-colored glasses are great until they’re not. It’s always better to consider everything before you take the leap.

I miss my sweet friend so much. I cherish the times I had with her, laughing and commiserating and just doing life together. I’d like to think I’m wiser than I was before I knew her but I sure do miss her wisdom. I miss the truth she spoke into my life. I pray I can be that kind of friend to others.

January 4, 2018

Seek Answers From God

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. – James 1:5

It weighs heavy on my mind. The calf is sick. She’s been sick for weeks. Most people would have given up long ago. Maybe I should but there’s something in me that just can’t give up.

I’ve had the veterinarian out. I did that the first day she was sick. She’s had a total of four shots. Three were for her snotty nose and drooling. The last was for a sore foot that she developed much later. The foot has also had medicine directly applied. She wasn’t too happy about that.

She appears healthy but she has no energy. She is spoiled rotten. That’s my fault. I tote her feed and water and hay. I even bought her some special sweet feed. She loves it by the way.

But she’s not getting better and I don’t know what to do. I really need my Daddy to tell me what to do. Except he’s gone to heaven. I remind myself that even if he was still here, his mind was gone. He wouldn’t know anymore. That just breaks my heart all over again.

I am so grateful to my heavenly Father. I am grateful that He never leaves me alone. I am grateful that He is generous with His wisdom. I am grateful that He has all the answers.

So I pray and wait and hope. At one point, I asked God to take the baby calf if He didn’t plan to heal her. She’s still here, waiting for me every morning for the feed she now expects. And refusing to do anything she doesn’t want to do. She’s stubborn. And she has me wrapped around her hoof.

James goes on to say this: But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (v. 6)

Believe. Do not doubt. So I get up every morning and we do it all again, this little calf and I.

When it all first happened and my Daddy was gone forever, there would be days when I would cry out to God for help. I wouldn’t know what to do and there was no one to help me. No one. Except for God. I would demand that He show up, that He show His face, that He tell me what to do and, in some cases, how to do it. God was all I had and, not surprisingly, He was all I needed.

That hasn’t changed except that I am even more dependent on God these days. The list of what I don’t know grows longer each day. I have learned so much but I have so much to learn. I am blessed with wonderful people in my life. I am beyond blessed with a God who never leaves me alone.

Each day I ask for wisdom and then wait expectantly for His knowledge and direction. I don’t know what God’s plan is for that little calf. I will continue to feed her and care for her until God tells me not to do it anymore. It’s that way with most things. I get up, work, and do what is in front of me, trusting God to light the path I travel. I trust His wisdom and I trust that He will always be there to give me what I need as the journey unfolds. One step at a time.

February 28, 2016

What Are You Doing?

21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. -- Romans 21:25

The other night fierce storms ripped through our area. We were so blessed that the storms only resulted in damage and no loss of life. Other areas weren’t so fortunate.

Those blessings certainly didn’t remove the stupid (I’m sorry, but there is no other way to describe it.) from some people. The storms downed power lines, washed out roads, and basically made travel in some areas hazardous. City crews put up barricades to block some roads and keep people safe. Naturally, someone had to go around a barricade and drive his car right into one of those washed out areas on a road. The photos showed the car nose down in the mud, with its rear end sticking up in the air. Seriously?! Those barricades are there for a reason!

While the storm was still raging, one weather forecaster noted the messages coming in from people in other parts of the state. It seems that some folks thought the predictions of dire weather were overreaction on the part of the weather forecasters. As he noted, please tell that to the poor folks in Pensacola that had just been hit by a tornado. And tell that to the folks in Southeast Alabama who were at that moment experiencing a tornado on the ground. Because they were blessed not to suffer through tornadoes, I guess they didn’t see the need to worry and couldn’t understand that it could easily have shifted to their area.

We tend to be a little short sighted, don’t we? We see what we want right now and don’t stop to work through the ramifications of it. That’s the way of sin. It entices us to believe we want something without telling us the cost. Like that man who drove around a barricade without realizing it would cost him a vehicle and a great deal of grief.

We know how we are supposed to live our lives. We do. We’ve got a manual called The Bible to teach us. We’ve got the Holy Spirit living inside of us to guide us, and we still take wrong turns. It is so comforting to know that the Apostle Paul suffered in the same way.

What to do? Spend time each day in the Word and in prayer. Stop and pray before you plunge into something. And give thanks for all your blessings. God is ever present with us. When we ask for wisdom, He is gracious and kind and will give it to us. We don’t have to navigate this life alone. So don’t.

February 12, 2016

Trust in God

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.

-- Isaiah 30:15

Quietness is one of the hardest things to do. Resting in our salvation isn’t that easy either. Admitting our sins can be so hard. And trust, well, we could probably find thousands of reasons not to trust.

And yet that is what God calls us to do. Why do we refuse it?

We’d rather do it ourselves -- whatever it is -- than wait for God to save us. Then when we get in over our heads we cry out to Him because, really, He’s the only One who can save us.

Our lives are filled with busyness. We don’t know what it’s like anymore to be left quietly alone with our thoughts and our prayers. How can we hear God’s voice above the drone of all the noise? Is it any wonder that we are so lost even when we try to find His will?

Trusting God sounds so easy. We know He is Sovereign Lord. We know He can do anything. We just don’t always trust that He will do what we want. Okay. There’s the truth. What we want. Not what God wants.

Yeah, I know. We want God to want what we want. And we want to want what He wants. But, and you know this, God knows best. Always. So if He doesn’t want that for you or me, why in the world would we want it for ourselves?

There’s also that issue of timing. Sometimes God calls us to wait. We don’t want to wait. We live in an instant world and we really don’t know how to wait. But when God says to wait, we need to wait. No matter what we want. And no matter what anyone else says. God has a reason and rushing ahead could bring disaster.

Trust God to fight for you. Trust God to lead you on the right path. Trust God. Then rest in His peace.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Trust God To Guide Your Path

“Whether we like it or not, we will obey the LORD our God to whom we send you with our plea. For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us.” -- Jeremiah 42:6

We want to do God’s will. We want to hear His voice and follow Him wherever He might lead us. We do. Really. Until He tells us to do something we’d rather not do.

Fear has a way of bringing out the biggest doubts in us. We can’t believe that God would call us to do something that doesn’t make sense to us. We can’t understand how what God says could possibly be right.

Maybe we heard Him wrong. Maybe we were so busy talking that we didn’t hear Him at all. Or maybe we just didn’t like the answer.

The army officers who asked Jeremiah to inquire of God didn’t like the answer. God told them not to go to Egypt. God told them He would protect them and not to fear the Babylonians. They didn’t believe Jeremiah.

“You lie! The LORD our God hasn’t forbidden us to go to Egypt!” -- Jeremiah 43:2b

Yeah. They really didn’t like it when Jeremiah told them what God said. We’re that way with God sometimes. We pretend we misunderstood. We know He couldn’t possibly be calling us to do something so out of our comfort zone, so far from our level of expertise, so downright scary.

But He does. On a regular basis. Because it is in those moments when we are afraid and uncertain and don’t know which way to turn, that we turn to God. And He is there, helping and guiding us. God never calls us to do something without providing a way for us to do it.

The army officers couldn’t see beyond their fear and the size and might of the Babylonian army. They were certain they would die unless they went to Egypt. They trusted what they thought they knew rather than what God told them was the truth.

Their punishment for disobeying?

“So you can be sure that you will die from war, famine, and disease in Egypt, where you insist on going.” -- Jeremiah 42:22

How many times do we fail because we were too afraid to try? How many times do we turn away rather than trust God? How many times do we fail to reach our full potential, to reap all the blessings God prepared for us, because we never believed what He said?

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Step Out In Faith

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. -- Ephesians 2:10

What has God called you to do? Are you doing it or are you spending all your time making excuses, perhaps doubting that you heard Him correctly after all?

When God calls us to do something, He really expects us to do it. Sometimes we even want to do it. But then Satan plants these doubts, these insecurities. We wonder if maybe we got it all wrong. Maybe it isn’t God calling us to do this thing. Maybe it’s really Satan leading us astray.

So we hesitate. Time passes. And still we remain in limbo waiting for … something. What we really want is God standing right before us telling us loudly and bluntly exactly what He wants us to do. Unfortunately, it rarely happens that way.

A dear friend and her husband found themselves at a crossroads. They knew that God was calling them to leave the area but they didn’t know where they were headed. So they got everything settled -- packing up their home, turning over a Sunday school class to another teacher -- and headed to a rustic cabin where they could think and pray and wait for God’s answer.

It came and -- surprise -- it wasn’t what they were expecting. Still, they went obediently. She is filled with awe and inspiration. God has charted a journey they never would have chosen on their own and yet they already feel that this is exactly the right fit for them.

I asked her to explain the process. For her, she told me, God has always either opened doors or closed them. She simple goes forward and tries to pay attention to where God is leading.

I’m sure others have different experiences. But I like her explanation. I also wanted to stress that she and her husband made time to LISTEN to God. Sometimes we’re so busy telling God what we think we want and what He should do, that we don’t pay any attention to what He’s saying. Maybe that’s why we’re confused.

Another dear friend feels God is calling her to step out and into a role unlike anything she’s ever done. We all see her talents and know she’d be great. She questions her calling. Doubts, I tell her. Insecurity can derail God’s plans for us unless we have faith in our convictions. My advice? Go back to God and really listen. Then trust what you hear and act on it.

So what is God calling you to do? God will never, ever call us to do something without knowing we can do it with His help. Trust Him. Stop making excuses and take that leap of faith.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

God Offers Help, Hope

He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you will not sleep. -- Psalm 121:3

Sometimes I am so afraid. Am I heading in the right direction? Am I doing what God has called me to do? Am I missing any of the details I’m supposed to see? And how will I ever balance everything I must do?

God has it. He really does. In His own time, in His own way, God has a plan for all of us. Sometimes I can almost hear Him telling me to be patient, to give it time, to give Him time.

A dear friend was in despair a few months ago. She was desperate for a job. She finally received a job offer, which she accepted. It wasn’t what she wanted but, well, it was at least a job in her field.

While she was grateful for the job, all her concerns proved to be true. Long, unpredictable hours and weekend paperwork really cut into her family time. She and her husband have two young children who don‘t understand why their mom has work so much. She was stressed and upset, unsure of what to do.

So she turned to God. Asking for guidance. Begging for help. And she got it. Last week she received two wonderful job offers from places that hadn’t even responded to her resume before. Now she’s trying to determine which job God wants her to take and praising Him for answering her heartfelt prayers.

God doesn’t always do things the way we’d planned. But it’s funny how that works. Working in a horrible situation just makes us appreciate the blessings from God that much more. How can we ever really appreciate the good without knowing how bad things can really get?

That’s what scares me so much sometimes. I know how bad things can get. I know how easily I can head down the wrong road without even trying. Indeed, it’s easy to take a wrong turn even while I’m trying so hard to follow God’s will for my life.

So I keep praying and listening and trying to do what He wants. At times I ask for a sign, as childish as that seems. I just want to know, need to know, that I’m headed in the right direction and that He’s still right there beside me.

Because I know I’ll be alright if He’s there with me. The skies might not always be sunny. The day might turn into dark storms. But with God as my rock and my anchor, I’ll survive the tumult, with a stronger, deeper faith than before.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

God Leads The Way

“Should I go out and fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The LORD replied, “Yes, go ahead. I will give you the victory.”

-- 1 Chronicles 14:10

God was the driving force behind King David’s success. As a ruler, David was quick to ask God what to do. And he followed what God told him. David was smart enough to realize that whatever God blessed would succeed and whatever God didn’t bless would fail.

That’s the kind of relationship I want with God. I want to follow Him in all things. I want to know His will and I want to do what He says. In all things. I don’t care how small those things might seem to other people. I just want to know -- need to know -- that God is with me.

Yesterday I did a craft show. I’ve had some disappointments where God has clearly told me not to do something. The result is many items that needed someplace to go and a bank account that needed a cushion. But what to do? I didn’t want to waste my time and money on something that wouldn’t work.

So I asked God. I found out about a local craft show. I wasn’t sure there were any spots available. I asked God to let me do it -- if He would bless it. Otherwise, I didn’t want them to have a space available. It sounded pretty simple to me.

A space was available and off I went. Some people did well. Some people barely sold anything. Those of us outside fought the wind. And I sold and sold. God blessed me in so many, many ways. His hand was on me and I was successful because of it.

God blesses what He blesses. And He blessed me. I asked Him what to do and He made a way for me. Thanks be to God.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Cling To Him

Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.

-- Psalm 43:3

Where is God? Seriously. Where is He? Because some days I just don’t feel His Presence. I just don’t see Him. I don’t hear Him. I feel lost and alone. Have you ever been there? Probably you have because I think most of us go through this from time to time.

Some folks believe that unconfessed sin separates us from God. That’s why He goes silent, they say. Sometimes that might be true. Other times, well, I just don’t buy into it. I think God puts us some place so that we can learn and grow toward the person He wants us to be.

Still, knowing what you’re supposed to be learning isn’t easy. Maybe it’s because we instinctively resist change. Maybe it’s because the change is in a direction we never expected to go. Maybe we just don’t want to walk out on that ledge. Moving toward an unknown destination is scary, especially when you aren’t sure about the lighting.

When I know where God wants me to go, I pretty much go there. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way. More than once, I might add. I don’t always agree with Him -- I can be shortsighted that way -- but I do trust that He knows best and that He has a plan. I just wish sometimes that He would share that plan with me.

That’s when I get most frustrated. I don’t see His plan. I don’t see His light. It’s like He’s parked me in this place and said, “See you later.” Well, I’m still here and life seems to be spinning more and more out of control. I could use some guidance. I need help and strength and, well, I need Him to light the way. I cry out and the only response I get is more darkness.

When I was a small child, a small lamp lit my bedroom each night. That light was my security so that I could sleep. It wasn’t particularly bright and really wasn’t large at all. But it was just enough to show the way. That’s what I need from God. Don’t get me wrong. I would love a spotlight every now and then. But just a little glow would reassure me that He’s still there and He hasn’t forgotten that I’m waiting for Him to show me the way.

The Bible tells us that King David waited 15 years between the time Samuel anointed him as king and the time he actually became king of Judah. That’s enough to send me into fits of despair. We live in a world of instant gratification. While I know that sometimes we all must wait for God to reveal Himself, 15 years seems like such a very long time.

David probably felt that way too. When we’re in a valley, for whatever reason, time seems to pass so slowly. It doesn’t even have to be something major, like a death, divorce or illness. Sometimes it is simply the uncertainty of a place in time when everything seems to stand still and you wonder if where you’re at is all there is.

Believing in God isn’t just about feeling His glory on the mountaintop. It’s about clinging to His Presence even when we can’t see or hear Him. It’s about trusting Him when we really don’t have a clue where we’re going or how we’ll get there. It’s about knowing He’s there no matter what happens or what we’re going through. I’ve about clinging to Him in the darkness, knowing that His light is just a heartbeat

Thursday, September 29, 2011

God Lights The Way

And the LORD replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses. I will give you rest -- everything will be fine for you.” -- Exodus 33:14

Do you ever feel a little like Moses? Worried about what lies ahead, uncertain of the direction God has called you to go? I know I have. It’s scary to go off on a journey and have no idea where you’ll end up or what your life will be like.

In the preceding verse, Moses asked God to show him His intentions so that Moses can more fully understand what God wants Him to do. That way, Moses tells God, he can do exactly what God wants. I want to echo that request. It’s so frustrating sometimes. I want to do God’s will. I do. Really. But I can’t quiet all the voices around me -- my own, those close to me -- to hear what God has to say.

That’s where the uncertainty begins. I step out tentatively, resisting the urge to snatch my foot back onto safe territory. I’m just not sure. If God is with me, if I’m doing what He’s called me to do, then everything will be fine. But if I’ve misunderstood, or taken my voice for His, then whatever I do is doomed.

Oh, He’ll help me pick up the pieces. He’s my Abba after all. But going out where I’m not supposed to be can be a really painful experience. Know what I mean? I file that under the cliché: “Been there. Done that. Don’t want to go back there again.”

It’s easy to forget that all we really need to know is that God is with us. He’s leading the way. No matter what life throws at us, God can handle it. Yeah. That’s right. God can handle it. We might fall apart, cry out, feel overwhelmed. But all we really need to remember is to hold on tightly to Him. God will do the rest.

God reassured Moses that He would give Moses rest. Do you ever ask God for His peace to fill you? I do. Sometimes the stress and strains of daily life just seem overwhelming. I feel guilty. Everything is basically fine. Yet, little things pile up and the stress just seems to grow. Letting it all slide off seems to hit a sticky spot and I need a break. God provides that break. That refuge. That sanctuary of peace and calm in the midst of chaos.

God told Moses that everything would be fine. And it was. Oh, there was a lot of drama on that journey to the Promised Land but God never abandoned His people. And He won’t abandon you or I. He won’t leave us alone to face an uncertain world. Instead, He’ll light the way so we can follow Him all our days until we finally make it home.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

God Guides The Weary

You call me by name and tell me I have found favor with you. Please, if this is really so, show me your intentions so I will understand you more fully and do exactly what you want me to do. -- Exodus 33:12b-13a (NLT)

I want a map with complete directions. You know. Like one of those programs that tell you which road to take, each turn to make, how long between turns, and exactly what time you will arrive.

I know I’m not Moses. Not by a long shot. Still, God is my Father, my Abba, my Everything. And He loves me. Sometimes I think He’s the only one who does, but that’s another issue for another day. I want to follow Him. He knows which way to go. But sometimes I get so confused and turned around. I can’t see the way. I don’t know where He is.

It’s scary. I look around me and feel the weight of others’ needs and expectations closing in. I panic. My hand reaches toward God again and again but I can’t find Him anywhere in this darkness that is closing in. I know I’ll never make it on my own.

I’ve heard all the excuses. Satan is toying with me. I’ve lost my focus. It’s just a rough patch. Yeah, I’ve heard it all. But none of it makes the darkness any less scary. I know I can’t keep this up. Sooner or later I’ll hit a brick wall and, finally, I’ll be done.

I cry out, begging Him to come get me. Right where I am. Show me the map. Give me directions. Take my hand and lead me to where I’m supposed to go. I’m lost and alone.

I don’t know why I’m on this path. I don’t understand at all. But I believe I’m on this particular road for a reason. God, show me your intentions. Make me understand why I am here and where I belong.