God's Demonstration

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves….so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body….so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 2 Corinthians 4:7,10,11 (New American Standard Bible)

As I look back over this past year, my desire is that God’s power was evident in my life and that the life of Christ was seen in me. Eternity will ultimately reveal if that was the case. But for now, I rest in the fact that anything of eternal value that was accomplished and anything of lasting change that came about was truly the display of God’s power and not my own. I know that in my flesh, my power, my strength, and my resolve this is not possible. I have experienced too many failures, distractions, and diversions for me to muster up any self-glory. The final test is not what people thought of me for they were limited in their view. It is not even what I think of myself for my heart is deceitful. In the end, it is what God sees and knows. For He alone sees my heart, motives, and thoughts. He reads me like an open book.

He also knows what He is working in me to bring about His masterpiece of redemption. He has chosen to indwell this earthen vessel with all of its weaknesses, sinful habits, and prodigal ways. Like a jeweler who places diamonds on a backdrop of dark velvet for a greater contrast, He chooses to contrast His perfection and holiness against my depravity, His forgiveness against my sin, His love against my rebellion, and His strength against my weakness. The contrast is not only evident, it is stunning and evokes praise to Him!

I praise Him for any steps forward He helped me to take and any steps backward He forgave. I praise Him for any knowledge of Himself that was gained. I praise Him for the tears He allowed and then lovingly dried. I praise Him for painful goodbyes and extraordinary introductions. I praise Him for any and all things He used to draw me closer to Himself. I praise Him for that which caused me to open my eyes, ears, heart, and arms to Him. I praise Him for the things He noticed that escaped even my attention. I praise Him for not allowing others to take His place. I praise Him for loving discipline that not only got my attention but opened the door for change. I praise Him for individuals He supplied to walk along side me. I praise Him for all the ways He chose to teach me of His ways and His heart. I praise Him for ministering to the wounds, brokenness, and heartaches. I praise Him for all the music that has reached my ears as well as my spirit. I praise Him for this journey. And I praise Him that by His grace I will enter another year to see Him continue to do all of this and so much more!

Father, show Yourself plainly in my life. May each day I see and acknowledge Your work in me. My Potter, My Father, My Friend, I love You! Amen.

Imitations of Himself

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27 (New American Standard Bible)

I have seen pictures of the Rocky Mountains and I have been to the Rocky Mountains. While pictures can be breath taking, they do not begin to compare to the beauty and majesty of the actual place. They are simply an image or likeness of it. They give us an idea of the genuine but they are not the same thing. The Rocky Mountains are so much more! Any who would settle for a picture over the real place is settling for less.

God created man in His image as someone who would display His character, personality, and likeness. Think of the special qualities you see in others be it patience, love, joy, warmth, charm, or strength, and you are seeing a limited aspect of God Himself. They are merely the image of the One who created them. Too often, we settle for the image over the authentic One. In our flesh we would be content to look to the images, but our spirit knows the difference. Our spirit yearns for the God who created the very person with whom we have become enamored.

This morning I am thinking of numerous people God has brought into my life and I am appreciating the way they reflect God. That which attracts me to them is Christ in them. The qualities of His heart are showing through and are meant to give me a glimpse and taste of what He is like. Just as a picture of an exotic place would awaken a desire in me to go to that place, the picture of Christ in another individual should awaken in me a desire to go to Christ Himself.

God longs for each of us to move out of the “art gallery” that displays His image and turn our attention toward Him. To stop settling for the imitations. To stop making them our focal point, security, plum line, and compass. He is their Source and wants to be ours as well. He longs for us to be obsessed with Him and captivated by Him. What we see in others will help us to know about God but only He can help us to know Him. One is intellectual while the other is life changing.

While I thank God for those who have imitated Him so well, I am no longer satisfied with a limited view. My desire is to see Him for myself, hear Him for myself, talk to Him myself, and connect with Him myself. No amount of rubbing shoulders with others will bring that about. It must be a one on one meeting with the One who created me in His own image. This morning, I choose to slip my name into Genesis 1:27 and live with a fresh realization of that truth.

Father, may I no longer settle for the images of You. I hear Your call to know You and I follow the sound of Your voice. Amen.

A Call to Stand Still

So the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and crossed over. Joshua 4:10 (New King James Version)

I find it interesting that for a while the priests were called to stand still! The duration of their “stand” was until everything God commanded was finished. It wasn’t finished when the entire nation of Israel crossed over the Jordan River on dry land. It was finished when twelve individuals had removed twelve stones for memorials from the river bed and Joshua had set up twelve stones as a memorial in the river bed. Once all of that was accomplished, the priests were allowed to move forward.

To me, standing still is always more difficult than moving forward. It doesn’t seem natural or necessary from my perspective. But I am quickly learning (and relearning) that MY perspective is not the issue….God’s perspective is! I often feel like the student at the back of room who is wildly waving her hand in hopes of being “chosen” for something! And yet over my restlessness and enthusiasm God seems to be saying, “Stand here until I have finished some things in you and some things in others.” He can tell by my slumped shoulders and confused look that I do not understand His command.

While He has not shown me all the reasons or the full picture for this stand still moment, He has let me know what it does NOT mean and what I am to be doing during this time. It does not mean He doesn’t care or is uninvolved in my life. It does not mean I am insignificant or unusable. Nor does it mean there aren’t future plans and purposes for my life. Those are the interpretations the enemy delights in whispering to me. Those are the lies I must counter with biblical truth. I must poise myself to hear God say, “I care about you and you are My precious child. I know the plans I have for you…they are good plans. In My time and in My way I will unfold those plans to you. Rest in Me. You are right where I want you…for now.”

With that said, I see things God wants to accomplish in me at this time. Drawing closer to Him and developing a dependency upon Him is primary! He is still fixing the false concepts and perceptions I have of Him. He is also walking me through the huge issue of emotional dependency. Two powerful tools He is giving me are books and crossing my path with individuals who have walked this road before me. Seeing just those two areas is enough to convince me that standing still is an excellent idea after all!

Father, there is no such thing as wasted time when it is of You. I choose to stand in this place until You have finished all that You desire to do at this time. I leave the timing and the commanding to You. Amen.

Believing and Abiding in His Love

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. I John 4:16 (New King James Version)

To know and believe God really loves us is to think it to be true, to be persuaded it is true, and to place confidence in its truth. Nearly four years ago, I came to understand that God’s love is not dependent on what I am doing. In other words, my actions and behavior are not the basis for His love. That had a profound effect upon me. It shook up my belief system and caused me to take a hard look at the many misperceptions I had about God and the Christian life. It birthed changes in me and broke through self imposed limits and walls. My “box” mentality gave way to spacious places in which I was free to move about and explore. It opened up honest dialogue between myself and God. Knowing that He required truth in the inward parts changed my prayer life. Secure in His love, I could begin to voice questions, doubts, and misgivings. True feelings and honest thoughts could now be shared with Him.

Taking in the truth of God’s love is one thing but God invites us to go further. He wants His love to become our place of abiding on a daily basis. To tarry in the knowledge and have it become our continual reference point. Come what may, it must be our plumb line that keeps us centered and focused on Him. Without it we drift and become victims of difficulties, rampant emotions, and tactics of an enemy who wants to devour and destroy us. Physical, financial, emotional, spiritual, or relational hardships must continue to be placed under the canopy of God’s love for us. We must anchor our souls to it, fix our minds on it, and live within the reality of it on a continual basis.

Easier said than done? Absolutely. But worth it! It is what strengthens me when I am weak, wounded, or weary. It is what renews my hope when I am floundering. It is what assures me of forgiveness and mercy when I have really blown it. It is what redirects my steps when I have wandered. Each time I crawl into the truth of His love and embrace it for myself, I am anointed with a security that no one else can give to me.

I am still learning and still growing but it is being done in the context of God’s love, heart, and thoughts toward me. Whether I am in valleys or on mountain tops the truth continues to set me free!

Father, thank you for a love that never changes, never walks away, and never diminishes. I open my arms and my heart to all You give to me. Amen.

The No Matter What of Rejoicing

Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! Habakkuk 3:17-19 (Amplified Bible)

Got the picture? No matter the circumstance, disappointment, loss, failure, or lack, rejoicing is possible…it is a choice! Why? Because it is based in who God is and what God does not in anything or anyone outside of Him. That which cannot be given to me by other avenues cannot be taken away from me by other avenues. Since God is my Strength, I am able to stand strong! Since God is my confidence, I am able to advance with my head held high! Since God is my army of defense, I am able to live life secure and protected. The storms of life and trials of this world do not determine my position, provision, or possessions. God does!

Today’s verse is the kind of verse I can slip ANY situation into and come out with the same result. No matter what I list behind the word “though” it can be followed by YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD! Why? Because He is my strength and the one who makes me to walk above the places of difficulty. He shelters me in any storm, holds me in any trouble, comforts me in any distress, accompanies me through any valley, and strengthens me in every moment. This is a passage of victory if ever I saw one!

I am struck by the fact that Habakkuk does not voice these truths after the situation has improved. He voices them as he realizes the possibility of a worse case scenario. What an example! Whether I look to the past and think on things that I would have chosen never to happen, I can still rejoice in the Lord. Whether I take stock of my present situation and see things that still have not changed or been resolved, I can still rejoice in the Lord. And whether I contemplate the many what if and if only moments of the future, I can still rejoice in the Lord.

God’s New Year resolution to me is always the same! He promises to be faithful, present, involved, righteous, and loving. That alone gives me reason enough to rejoice! Whatever lies ahead I will rejoice in Him!

Father, Your love has never been conditional. May mine not be either. I joy in the God that You are! Amen.

Seeing a Clearer Picture

Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, you shall dwell in the field, and to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; there the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies. Micah 4:10 (New King James Version)

Have you ever wondered what it is the Lord is doing in your life? On a daily basis you feel as if you are sitting among countless puzzle pieces and the semblance of a picture is no where to be found. Days blend into weeks and even months, and you still perceive nothing! Faith says, “God knows what He is doing!” while the flesh says, “This doesn’t make sense!” Can anyone relate to this?

When my eyes landed on this verse this morning I began to see a clearer picture of what has been happening over time. As one year gives way to another year I am looking back and seeing phrases within this verse coming to life for me. I have absolutely no doubt God is presently birthing something in me….I have experienced the labor pains!!!! Maybe you have as well.

When I think of God calling His people out of the city and into the field, I picture the leaving of comfort zones and places of presumed security. To say it is unsettling is an understatement. I will admit that the first year of my journey was filled with many fearful moments as I was letting go of so many things I had held to for decades. But I knew I would be okay because my heart’s desire was to know God more intimately and walk in freedom! I just had to get past the idea that what people thought equated what God thought. Once I began to experience God and the Christian life in a whole new way, I was thrilled! This was followed by another season. That of pain and sorrow at a significant loss in my life. Tears marked the path on which I had formerly danced! But again, I knew I would be okay because I now knew God in a way that allowed me to lean upon Him like never before. This became my season for seeing areas in which I needed deliverance.

God has wasted no time in showing me how deeply the areas of bondage run in me and along with that, His incredible power and ability to set me free! As I enter a new year, I am entering it as a changed person in many respects. Compared to a year ago, I don’t think the same way I use to think. I don’t relate to people the way I use to relate. I don’t view God the way I use to view God. I don’t know what this new year will be like but I know that over all of it will hang God’s promise to deliver and redeem me from all my enemies. Even that with which I presently struggle will give way to His hand of redemption! Because of that, I walk with a confidence and security that has me dancing once again!

Father, I no longer wonder how You will accomplish Your purposes in me! I simply know that You will! Amen.

Ready to Receive or Release

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11 (New International Version)

I just spent a lovely evening with a friend and her family. After an elementary school Christmas program we headed for some pizza. My soul basked in the warmth of their laughter, love, and life! It is hard for me to believe that our friendship has grown and developed in just a few short months. It has been needed and it has been enjoyed!

There have been a handful of women whom God has introduced me to in this past year that came at a time when it seemed other friendships were going through some changes. At first, the changes concerned me and I started wondering what had gone wrong and what I had done to “drive” them away. Just when I thought I had become a “relational leper” God enlightened me to something I hadn’t considered. The friendships were still in tact. If I saw them or spoke with them we would enjoy ourselves. So what was different? God’s answer was this: they are no longer primary encouragers to you or you to them. And that’s okay because I have other relationships for all of you. When I embraced that truth everything changed!

God’s intent is that I enjoy the friends He brings into my life with open hands. Releasing them must be done as freely as receiving them. For it is only in releasing them that I am able to then receive others. God has purposes for the ones He brings into my life. We have the opportunity to enrich each other’s life within the time frame God has determined. He will know when it is time for me to interact with new people. Frequency will no longer mark our conversations but the friendship will continue in a new way.

This has been freeing for me. It has helped me take my expectations off people and enjoy them for who they are. It has also helped me to delight in the times we do share. Not hearing from them no longer becomes a time to doubt, condemn, or blame myself or them. I am now free to trust God to intersect my world with others in His time!

I have no idea how many more people I have yet to meet. God keeps surprising me like He did this past summer! I lift up thanks to Him for past encouragers as well as present ones. It is one area of need He continually supplies and He does it to perfection. It doesn’t have to be a thing of confusion or pain any longer. I am free to embrace the body of Christ as it was meant to be embraced. I now treasure the past, enjoy the present, and anticipate the future.

Father, I never liked change but have finally begun to see the preciousness of it! Thank you for each person who has touched my life in beautiful ways. I await the ultimate reunion in Heaven! Amen.