Monday, April 26, 2010

Tiny Faith

It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches. Luke 13: 19 (NLT)
I have a couple of devotionals that I like to read by Sarah Young. They are short but always seem to hit the mark about whatever is going on in my life. And I'm surprised. How often do go to God with a request or need, usually as a last resort, but really don't expect an answer? We think we have to "help" God. As I reflect on the process that my kids experienced during this time of transition and moving, trusting God was an act of faith because the outcome was so out of their control. Yet, He ultimately provided a home that is far better than anything we could have imagined. Jesus trudged all over Israel with his disciples. He listened to them complain, watched how they handled problems, noticed their responses to different people. He spent months in their presence and sometimes they got it but sometimes, their didn't. Remember the little boy with five loaves and two fish? They were ready to head off to town and try and buy food—an impossible task. Jesus was so patient with his followers, as He is with us. As the Son of God, He could have spoken to them in lofty treatises but instead He told them stories…stories they could understand and pass on. He even explained some of the hard parts to them. When life appears tough or grim, all we need is a tiny bit of faith…one step at a time. Don't worry about the end result; rather go to Him expecting great things. He won't fail you.

Friday, April 23, 2010

God is Good

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13 (NIV)
Good news—the kids have a place to live. Although at times it felt like God was silent as we prayed for this particular need, He was working in the background so that they would have what was best for their family. Hindsight is always 20/20 and as we look back at what might have been, we are thankful for God's mercy and the circumstances that brought us to this day. It is so much better than any manipulation that we might have done in the midst of our panic. I like to be in control and relinquishing that role to God is a daily task for me. When I push and pull, take the reigns, or engineer the outcome rather than letting God take over, I am basically saying, "God, I don't trust you with this situation. I think I can do it better." If we truly believe that God loves us and wants the very best for us, then the act of waiting is also an act of trust. God never forces us to act. If, however, we continue on our own way, we will suffer the consequences of our stubbornness and doubt: it takes longer, results are second best, and we are robbed of joy and peace. I didn't say it was easy and sometimes, I have to hand those reigns back to Him several times during the course of a day. But, in the end, it is best. Today's verse is one of my Mel's favorites and with confidence we can all say—God is good.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Faith Journey

But if we look forward to something we don’t have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently. Romans 8:25 (NLT)
The last two weeks have been BUSY. We drove to California the day after Easter to help our kids pack up their home and place it all in storage. Life's twists and turns had dealt them some unexpected blows and it became apparent that the only way to solve some of the problems was a move. God was good and the house sold in a week – and that's in the Bay Area market. But, that same market makes rentals golden and my kids are at the mercy of landlords. They don't have a place yet and are staying with friends. So, we are all waiting. Again. Ben Patterson writes in Waiting; Finding Hope When God Seems Silent:
To wait is to journey in faith toward the things God has promised. Like all journeys, it has its past, present, and future, and requires a definite attitude toward each of these time dimensions. The past--God says, "Leave it." The present--God says, "Go." The future--God says, "I will show you." Hope makes patience possible because it gives us the confidence that our wait is not in vain. No matter how things look to us, God is the complete master of the situation.
I ache for them knowing that the unknown is scary. Without faith and confidence in God, it would all seem like such a waste. But I believe in the sovereignty of God and know that He alone has the grand perspective. He loves my little family more than I do and will bring them through it – just at the right time.