September 25, 2024

                                     Cling to God

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

– Joshua 1:9

As I write this, Tropical Storm Helene is headed our way. It is expected to intensify into a major hurricane. That means, for us, it will likely be a Category 3 or higher.

We are preparing now. This isn’t our first hurricane. Right now landfall is expected east of us but we know, from experience, that the eye of the hurricane can shift quickly and turn toward us.

Life is like that hurricane. Sometimes we are faced with huge storms not of our making but which we cannot escape. I am thankful for advanced weather detection that allows us to know what’s to come but it doesn’t change what is to come. The storm isn’t going away.

God knows how weak and vulnerable we are at times. He knows what lies ahead far better than anything we could ever predict. Sometimes He doesn’t take away the storm but God always promises to be with us. He will strengthen us and help us as we go through it and as we rebuild from it.

I learned this verse from Joshua many years ago. I had volunteered for VBS and it was the scripture that the children memorized. I hope they have kept it in their hearts. I certainly have.

None of us really know what tomorrow will bring. For some, it’s the hurricane that might take their home and all their material possessions. For others, it might be the life of someone they love, the job they needed or the health they took for granted. But God is there standing with us, strengthening us and reminding us to be strong and courageous.

Bury His word deep in your heart. Cling to Him. God is faithful and He will carry us through whatever is to come.

July 13, 2023

Trust God More Than Money

 

For the love of money is a root of evil of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. – 1 Timothy 6:10

 

As I write this, the Powerball jackpot has gone to $875 million dollars. How many of you have purchased or plan to purchase a ticket? How many of you dream about all you could do with money like that?

 

Most of us, if we’re honest, answered yes to both questions. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s when winning, when achieving financial success, becomes our obsession that our lives get out of whack. We’re so focused on the wrong things that we miss the right things.

 

Many people misread and misquote the Scripture above. Money is not evil. Having an abundance of money is not evil. It’s the love of money that’s evil. It’s a lure that draws us away from God and away from doing the right things.

 

We have a tendancy to depend on money, rather than God, to get us through. Certainly, we need money to survive. Money buys food, shelter, gas to drive to work, clothes to wear, school supplies for our children. The list goes on and on. I am not criticizing the desire to be able to provide for ourselves and our families.

 

It’s when we put money on a pedestal and count on it rather than God that our lives turn away from God and toward evil. We trust money more than God and nothing should usurp God.

 

We tend to “trust” God when all of our other options have gone away. We turn to God when we have no other choice, when we have used up all of our resources. What would happen if we turned to God first? Perhaps we would relinquish the sin of worry and be filled with the peace God gives us when we trust Him.

 

It’s okay to want financial security but learn to trust that God will provide all we truly need.

 

 

April 19, 2019

Facing the Unknown

“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” – John 14:27

She is afraid. Anyone would be. Health issues abound and the doctors, so far, haven’t been able to determine the cause. I pray for peace to fill her heart as she waits for answers and healing.

Many of us know that fear that comes with the unknown. We are powerless, alone, afraid. There are some journeys that are solitary, where your only companion is Jesus. He is enough.

Have you cried out in pain? Have you clung to the cross, knowing that it was and is the only certainty in your life? Have you let His Spirit fill those raw places with a peace that knows no bounds?

Life can sometimes be a terrifying journey but Jesus didn’t leave us as orphans to face the hard times alone. Reach out and take His hand. He’s right there beside you.

May 3, 2016

God Controls It All

For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come
and will not delay.

-- Habakkuk 2:3

They are repaving the highway where we live. Traffic is a mess. I know that eventually it will be worth all this aggravation but the time between now and then sure is frustrating.

Life can be like that. The journey is sometimes messy and hard but we know that one day it will be worth it all. One day we will be in heaven with Jesus and we won’t care about all of today’s drama.

This presidential race has really gotten ugly. Oh, politicians always throw out accusations and point fingers. But this year it just seems so much worse.

The news broadcasts show protests and it scares me. Certainly, we have the right to peaceful protests. Our country is founded on freedoms such as that. But when emotions run high, things have a way of getting out of control quickly.

It seems like our country, our world, is falling apart. History tells us this isn’t the first time. Maybe we feel it more deeply because we see it so clearly on the news and on social media. There’s no hiding anymore.

Maybe I have no patience for the drama on the political stage because of the drama in my own life. Maybe the fear line blurs. I have no control over my life just as it we have no control over what will happen on the national stage.

Yes, I vote. I always vote. But ultimately it is anybody’s guess as to who will win and who will lose. And who knows about the political bloodbath that will take place in the coming months. I dread it all.

Then I remember this verse from Habakkuk. God’s promises reign. No matter who wins the election, God is in control. No matter what anyone else does, God has already won the battle.

I will probably always get impatient with this time between where I am and where I know I’m going. My heart longs to be home with Jesus. My mind knows my time is in His hands.

So I will go forth as best I can in this troubled world, seeking to be His light no matter what happens around me. And, for today, that is enough.