Flying Birds and Wafers

Can you imagine if God said He was going to supply your nourishment needs by sending flying birds in such abundance every morning that you'd be able to reach out and grab them? And that He'd send wafer like crackers to fall on the ground every morning so that you had enough for food for the day? You might have a hard time believing Him. But that's exactly what He did for the Israelites. He provided for them daily...every single time they needed food or water, He made a way. He used Moses' rod as an instrument to turn bitter waters to sweet and rocks to dessert streams. What an amazing God!

And you'd think after He'd done all that the Israelites would have been in awe...that they'd be overflowing with praise and worship of their God. That they'd be convinced that He was the real deal. Faithful. Loving. Present. Provider. And yet, time after time after time, guess what they did? Yep, they complained.

Complained that Egypt was better. That God has brought them out of enslavement to leave them in the dessert and die. They complained that the food was better, the water was cleaner, pharaoh was a better leader and that the pasture was greener in Egypt. And don't you know Moses and God were tired of hearing it!

I wonder if God ever tires of hearing His children whine and complain. Our houses aren't big enough, our bodies are not pretty enough, our children are not good enough, our bank accounts are not large enough, our cars are not nice enough and the list could go on and on. And yet every single day He provides figurative quail and manna for us...He gives us everything we need.

Complaining goes hand in hand with discontentment. Two ugly sins that influence other areas of our lives. If I'm whiny...I'm giving others around me permission to whine. If I am discontent, nothing will ever truly satisfy...there will not be a house big enough, a car nice enough, a husband smart enough. Because I am looking at others as if they are the problem when really the problem is me. I am not satisfied with God's provision for me. I am not content with the quail and manna He has chosen and provided for me. When I complain, I'm telling God I don't think that He's orchestrated my life correctly...maybe I don't think He knows what He's doing.

But His Word tells me differently. He has provided for my every need. He knows my steps. He desires good things for my life. He has made a way. Every good and perfect gift is from Him. He places value, not in things, but in people. He is sovereign. He knows what He's doing. All I need to do is trust. He's got this. Today, tomorrow and forever.

When Trust Isn't Really Trust

Sooooo.....we've been talking about FEAR in our Sunday School Class the last couple of weeks. In our group of a dozen or so participants we have every fear imaginable ....loss of family, car accidents, death, not being needed, being out of God's will, messing up this whole parenting thing, frogs.

Yep, in the middle of many could be life altering fears...frogs. That's mine.

Seriously? Why are you so afraid of those disgusting, gross, slimy, wart giving, pee-on-the-spot, nasty  animals? Well, because very early in my life a frog was placed in my hands. It was the ugliest, nastiest looking thing and it must have felt how I was feeling about it and it peed all over my hand. Disgusting. So since then it's not just the feel of the frog or the fear of being peed on, it's the whole experience that I am afraid of. Touching, petting, catching, chasing, holding....ain't gonna happen. I'm afraid.

It's a good thing we have a couple of therapists in our group. (Funny...but true)

In the middle of our lesson this past week our teacher asked us, what could we do to counteract the fear. The class chimed in "TRUST, think about your past experiences, believe God's Word." My answer: "avoid frogs." And pretty much I'm good with my answer. Only, I'm pretty sure that while it's comical to deal with my greatest fear of frogs, I don't think God wants us to live our lives paralyzed by fear of anything....especially the serious issues many of us have trouble trusting Him with.

In fact TRUST is one of the things most of us struggle with. Trusting each other, trusting God, trusting the government, trusting our spouse. Trusting is a huge part of our emotional make-up. But somewhere along the line I've misconstrued what trust is really all about. So many times I've made a decision and because I had rationalized it out, worked the dynamics of the whole situation out, budgeted the finances for it, mulled over every jot and tittle and it all worked out...I'd say proudly that I was stepping out by faith, trusting God to provide, depending on Him to lead me....when in reality that wasn't really trust at all..I'd already told God how this and that were going to work together to get me exactly where I wanted to be. And hopefully it would look like I was trusting God. But it didn't.

But in recent days, I'm figuring out, with God's Word as the guide, that TRUST is more an act of obedience and less an act of me knowing what the next step is. Trust means believing that what God is asking you to do is going to glorify (make Him known) the most. Without knowing the next step...without figuring it out...without knowing how it's all going to work out. It's obeying because He says this is the next thing, the next step, the next way you can glorify ME best.

So I'm learning in this process of sanctification that the old hymn is true...

Trust and Obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus, 
But to trust and obey.

When Fear and Faith Collide

Can you imagine...They had just witnessed three days before the brutal crucifixion of their Savior. The bloody mess of a broken body...cleaned, wrapped and placed in the tomb. They had seen it with their eyes...their worst fears realized...confirmed. Death had stung. Mourning and praying and sadness and sorrow. Their beloved...the one who loved them more than even they could imagine dead.

And then....can you imagine....Coming to the tomb and seeing the stone rolled away...the emptiness of the grace exposed...the absence of a body wrapped. The defeat of the grave. The remembrance of a promise...the promise....the return of life...the Life....the beauty of renewed faith. The moment when onlooker's fear and faith collide.

Things haven't changed much have they? In this world it's easy to be captivated by our fears...even ones that are completely rational. But instead of the fears controlling us, our hearts should be focused on the promise. Does this mean our fears magically disappear? Nope. But it does mean that our heart is fixed on Jesus. You know Him...the one who never leaves us or forsakes us, the one who gives peace beyond measurement, the one who is the vine (our lifeline), and the one who abides in us and we in Him. 

Aren't you thankful His promises are bigger than our fears?  

Close to Heaven

It was 3:40pm on Sunday afternoon and our phone rang. A sweet elderly man on the brink of heaven is on the other end of the line. His family is huddled around him. They've released him. They know heaven is just a few breaths away. Yet, this man...just steps from the valley of the shadow of death wants to talk to Bruce. It's been 5 years since they've sat and talked. 5 years since they've shared a coke in his den. 5 years since Bruce was his pastor.

And what I hear from another room...the sweet prayer of a friend for a friend who is on the doorstep of the kingdom of heaven...what may only be moments from being in the presence of our Lord....the sweet prayer of a friend for his friend...although older and in many ways probably wiser...this special unforgettable friendship. What an honor for one to pray the other into eternity. Whether it is moments or hours or days...only the heavenly father knows. What we do know is this man will walk with Jesus soon. His life speaks volumes of the type of man he is. His death will speak that same wonderful story.

To pray for someone that close to heaven seems a privilege. To know that person finds peace knowing that you are interceding on their behalf...Certainly it is nothing of Bruce's doing that will get this gentleman into heaven any differently than every other person on the planet. It's all grace. God's grace. It's a comfort to everyone to know our friend has received that grace. The saving kind.

Have you experienced that kind of grace?

Empty Words

I've got nothing to say. 

And instead of boring you with empty words that mean absolutely nothing I've been staring at the empty computer page wishing that I had something to share. I've got 8 posts that are waiting to be posted...but all seem so ...empty. It's been bothering me. In three years of blogging it's never been like this. Nothing...nada....zero.....zilch....empty.

Funny thing is that I believe this is right where God wants me right now. Empty....totally dependant on HIM to give me the words to say....the direction to go.....the answers to life's daily questions. At first I struggled against this....I like answers...maps....words....but God doesn't always give those.....sometimes He says trust me....my timing....all of Me. And as I was reminded yesterday by an iron woman (that's what I'm calling those iron sharpens iron friends I have now....although I am pretty sure she'd like you to think she can powerlift 500lbs!)....I don't need to know....I don't need to have the answer....I don't need to feel ready or able....I just need to trust God to give me whatever it is I need when the time is right. 

So maybe sharing His Words for me might encourage you....if so then the silence has been worth it....

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt. 6

What Stands in the Storm

I just received my copy of Southern Living in the mail yesterday. Nine pages of the August edition of the magazine are dedicated to a small community in Alabama that was hit by the horrid tornadoes that ripped through the south last spring. I hardly ever read every word of any magazine article but this one is filled with pages of beauty in devastation. This real story of a community reaching out and loving their neighbor is such a refreshing change from the world of politics, crime, bad economy and sin. Sometimes you need a pick me up story, sometimes you need to be reminded that someone has your back, sometimes you need to believe that God has a greater purpose...a better purpose....even when you lose it all (and really, if we have Christ we never lose it all). Thanks Southern Living for embracing a community and for not being scared to talk about faith, fellowship...and of course some good southern food!

Go HERE to read the article.