New Mercies

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)

Do you remember this chorus? Long before we had "praise" music, we had choruses. I learned more at camp than any other place and loved singing them around the campfire. Today, this verse brings me back to five years ago. I woke that morning with expectation and joy. My wedding was just in nine days. But a phone call from my fiancé in Tennessee shattered all the dreams and plans we had for the wedding. He called from the emergency room and told me he was having a heart attack. Shock hit first and then action. I called and cancelled all the wedding plans, packed a few clothes, and got on a plane. When I walked into that hospital room, my heart sank. He was gray and wired, tubes everywhere. But, I smiled and eventually, he did, too. Three days later, we walked out of that hospital and were married on the day we planned – only in Tennessee. It was a rush, things were not as we planned but God was faithful and we made it. These last years have not been easy but God is true to his promise. He gives new mercies every morning. Some days I use all mine up by noon but He is always there to hold me, encourage me, and show me His love…and I get a new batch the next day. Thank you, Lord, for your great faithfulness.

Our Path

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8 (NLT)

I am on a need-to-know basis with God these days. I would prefer to have my life laid out neatly on a piece of paper so that I can plan my day but He doesn’t work that way. His timetable and mine often differ but I know that I can trust Him. I remember when Kate was little, she feared getting lost and would ask me if I had a map in my head when she got in the car. Only when I assured her that I did, would she settle back and enjoy the ride. That same confidence is mine when I trust Him with my life. Repeatedly in Scripture, He talks about our "path" with specific instructions about how to negotiate the daily twists and turns of life. Not only can I count on the clues from His Word, but also He directs people to influence me and circumstances to confirm what He wants me to do. Yet, there are moments when I question and plead with Him for answers, or change, or direction TODAY. His patient answer comes back, "I will advise you and watch over you." Yes, Lord.

Extreme Tabernacle

Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. Numbers 9:22 (NLT)

Have you ever watched Extreme Makeover: Home Edition? Recently, Tucson experienced the razing and rebuilding of a 3600 square foot home—all done in one week. I used to build houses and can't imagine coordinating the crews to meet that deadline. Even under normal circumstance, I remember how important it was for me to put away the plans, after pouring over them all day, if I wanted a restful night's sleep. I needed time to wind down from the countless details and drawings. As I read the story of the building of the Tabernacle, it struck me that God is a God of detail. He knew exactly what He wanted and gave a list of instructions to Moses about its construction, contents, arrangement, and even the best craftsmen to do the work. (While reading, I tried to visualize the construction plans and realized we use many of the same details when framing a house today.) But, this was not a one-man or one-week project. Moses was the project manager but all the children of Israel participated. Everyone donated to the project—from precious metals and stones to wood and colored thread—all used for the completion of the intricate patterns and designs. Imagine the excitement of the people as Moses assembled all the pieces and the Tabernacle took shape before their eyes. And think of their wonder as they watched the glory of the LORD fill it with His presence—a cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. The LORD now had a visible place to dwell in the camp. However, did you notice how God chose to direct His people? If the cloud moved, the people knew it was time to break up camp and follow it. How many times have you asked God about His plans for your life? Wouldn't it be easier if we could look out the window and see the status of the cloud—kinda like looking up the weather on the Internet? No, it is not that simple, but God did not leave us clueless. We have a guide and guidebook in the Holy Spirit and the Bible. He will speak to our heart and mind if we seek Him and listen. We may not see a cloud but we can count on His presence in the stillness of the night, the loneliness of a hospital bed, or the joy of a newborn baby. He promises never to leave us. So get your plans out and study them…for the next step.

Turf War

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. Proverbs 25:21-22 (NIV)

The other night my daughter called and wanted some advice about a situation going on at the girl's school. As women, we seem to be very good at creating large problems out of small incidents, the proverbial mountains out of molehills, and she was mixed up in one with another mother. In thinking about the various aspects of the problem, I conceded that mothers become very protective about their children and intimidated if there is a feeling of being taken advantage. It is also easy to make assumptions about another person's life, particularly if things are not going well in our own home. Before you know it, we misconstrue seemingly, simple, innocent gestures or actions resulting in hard feelings and unkind responses. So how do you handle the elephant in the room? I immediately thought of the phrase "heaping coals of fire" on an enemy's head from today's verse. Not sure about the exact meaning, I decided to do a google search and found some interesting definitions:

• In the biblical era, fire was a valuable commodity. Often a person would go to a neighbor and ask for a coal with which to start his fire. This expression means don’t just give him the basic essential. Instead, give him so many coals they are so heavy he has to carry them on his head as was the custom with heavy loads. Thus, we are taught a lesson in helpful generosity.
• To heap coals of fire on the head of a foe: To melt down his animosity by deeds of kindness.
• It means to treat someone who wrongs you with extra kindness, above and beyond the norm and in spite of whatever they have done to you. It usually shocks the person and points out to them that they have done something wrong.

I found the translation from The Message offered some helpful clues:

If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch; if he's thirsty, bring him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness, and God will look after you. Proverbs 25:21-22 (The Message)

So I gave her a few suggestions: Call this mom up and arrange to meet at Starbucks for coffee. Listen rather than talk. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Offer sympathy and help. She may turn down your offer and probably will never be your BFF, but you will have done your part. An act of kindness, a simple cup of coffee, may completely turn around the situation. It won't be easy but remember, it's during the hard times that we grow. Whatever the outcome, the verse ends with the promise that He will look after you. This is a win-win situation. Got her number?

God is God

I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. Job 42:2 (NLT)

Job's story blows me away. Each of us can spin the tale of our lives to include romance, pathos, sorrow, and victory but Job wins the Oscar. I have many questions to ask God some day and we read that Job, also, had a few. He could not figure out why God was treating him with so many trials and indignities. It was so bad that he wished he had never been born and wanted to die. The incessant hammer of the "so-called" advice from his friends was useless…it just made him mad. He scolded these friends for humiliating him and doubting God. Although I am impressed that Job never renounced his faith, I do think pride may have been his Achilles heel. Why? Because when God finally took center stage to respond to him, the majesty and grandeur of our Creator was overwhelming to Job. He realized that all he ever had or was came directly as a gift from the Father. He could control nothing and in the end, he takes back everything he said and repents. We can rail against God because of our circumstances or we can accept that the God who created thunder, lightning, ice storms, and ocean monsters has also created me with my particular story. I must remember that God is God.

Sit

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words. Job 2:13 (NLT)

Did you know that the book of Job is one of the oldest books of the Old Testament? In my Read-through-the-Bible-Chronologically commitment, Job has been my assignment for the past few days. After reading Genesis, which records the stories of the Patriarchs ending with Joseph's story of reconciliation and promise, Job's trials jolted me back to reality. The story begins with a jealous Satan taunting God that the only reason that Job feared Him was because of his prosperous life. God decided to allow Satan to test him because He knew Job's character and believed he was a man of integrity. Tragedy ensued and Job lost everything that was dear to him except a bitter wife. He suffered from horrible health issues so that those who knew this well respected man began to slink back in the shadows in embarrassment…except for three "friends." I use that term loosely because their actions and counsel left a lot to be desired. Yet, they started out great. These three guys heard about Job's mess and traveled to his home to comfort him. They quickly assessed his pain and grief and just sat with him for seven days. Words were unnecessary. I know that in the midst of great pain, there is nothing like someone taking hold of your hands and looking you in the eyes. This simple act of touch conveys volumes of sympathy and empathy without one single word, allowing pent-up emotions to spill out and healing to begin. We are such a fix-it-now society that sitting makes us uncomfortable. We want to do something. But, Job's story illustrates the value of being willing to let go of our ideas and let God do it His way and in His time. Be a friend that reveals God-with-skin-on. Sit.

A Thriller

The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed. Genesis 39:23b (NLT)

I love to read and one of my favorite fiction genres is action/thrillers. The story of Joseph in Genesis captures my imagination in a similar way. The twists and turns of the plot keep me glued to the story wondering what is going to happen next between the good guys and the bad guys. Typically, the bad guys are unknown to the hero but in this story, they are his brothers. Jealousy, vindictiveness, deceit, and cover up define their actions and as we watch them sell Joseph into slavery, ship him off to a foreign country, and lie to their father. Joseph ends up in Egypt, his problems continue and he lands in jail. What could be a worse fate? And to top it off, his family and fellow prisoners think he is weird because he can interpret dreams. I am sure this chain of events was not on Joseph's "to-do" list. A rational person might question what God had in mind for this young man. However, the story does not end with doubt but with promise. Joseph trusted God and even when his future looked bleak, his good work habits, industriousness, and loyalty brought him positive attention. Eventually even Pharaoh was impressed with the young man and his abilities and appointed him as ruler over the land. Without that authority, when a severe famine hit, he would not have been able to rescue his family. God does not make mistakes. At times, we may question what is going on around us. Life is not fair. It is too hard. Where is God? We question but we cannot even see around a corner let alone months into the future. God alone is the master of our destiny and all He calls us to do it to trust Him. Joseph did not expect fame, nor did he seek it. But God placed him in a position of power for His honor and glory. I encourage you to read Joseph's story as encouragement for your walk. If you feel all alone, remember, God is in control.

Look Up

And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward;" Genesis 13:14 (New King James Version)

After the New Year, I chafed to get back to my various activities, especially Bible Study. I was ready to get going on the new study of The Patriarchs with Beth Moore. I have some new ladies in my discussion group and after the first session, while they were still catching their breath, I told them that watching her is like drinking from a fire hose. You just have to hold on…but it is worth it. While reviewing Abrams story, it occurred to me that life takes time. I get frustrated at the lack of progress on my intended plan for my life. Unforeseen events force me to step back and wait. Illness, death, moving, surgery, distance from family and friends stop me cold. Abram and Lot also had problems and encountered a seemingly insurmountable problem of enough grazing land for their flocks. I am not so sure I would have been as gracious as Abram was but he allowed Lot to choose the best land and he took the other. I wonder if he was worried about finding water in the hilly country that was his portion. But even as Lot took off, God stopped Abram and asked him to look up. He had something better in mind for Abram than the watered plains in the east. Everything as far as the eye could see would belong to Abram but it was necessary for him to separate from Lot before God would implement His plan. As I sat pondering, I realized that God knows what is going on in my life. Time has no meaning for him…it is my hang-up. He has separated me for His reasons and my part is to stay close to Him so He can show me my inheritance. After He got Abram's attention, He commanded Abram to walk in every direction and claim the land. He does the same to me—keep walking, don't give up, I haven't forgotten you. Look up!

God Will Provide

So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." Genesis 22: 14 (NIV)

Imagine the movie scene of Abraham, his arm raised, knife in hand, ready to plunge it into the heart of his only son, Isaac. What could be more dramatic than the sacrifice of your only son? As I read the story in Genesis this morning, I wondered what Abraham was thinking on the three-day journey to the mountain. He certainly did not question God's command, in fact, he got right to it…no dawdling, excuses, or whining. But what was in his mind? Did he question God and want to know why? How many times have I pleaded with God during a difficult time and questioned what was happening to me or those I love? Yet, as they walked together, Abraham knew that this boy was a miracle and that God promised his destiny would be great. If sacrificing Isaac pleased the eternal God, then he would do his part. His birth had already been a miracle, so Abraham did not waver. He did not know how God would do it, he only knew He would. Because his actions revealed his pure, trusting, and devoted heart, God stopped him just before the point of no return. What a perfect name for this place on the mountain, "The LORD Will Provide," because when God called to him, Abraham looked up; he saw the ram, caught for him, ready to offer up to the God that loved him. How like God to give us an encouraging story like this so that we will have confidence during those impossible situations of our lives. All we need to do is look up. He will provide.

A Challenge

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 (NIV)

I am back to first principles. Although I accepted Christ as a young girl, I read through the Bible for the first time in 2007, enjoying the process and learning much about the context of God's word. After patting myself on the back, I decided not to do it again the next year, instead picking up a good devotional and a haphazard reading of the Scriptures. Now I have nothing against devotionals but there is something about going to the source in a consistent way to hear what God has to say to me, prompted after studying Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer last fall. So for 2009, I am committed to reading through again, only this time I am using the New Living Translation Chronological Bible. I love a good story and look forward to reading this magnificent account from its opening drama to its closing triumph. I plan to sit and let it sink in, ask questions, see how it applies to me, and journaling my prayers and any insights that God whispers to me. I like to journal because it allows me to thumb through it for encouragement on those days when the darkness threatens to hide the light on my path. I have proof in black and white of God's presence in my life. It's not too late to start and there are many ways to do it. Check out the various options. It takes about 15 minutes a day, so why don't you join me? We will spur each other on to make it to the finish line, finding God's plan for us along the way.