His Strength Is Perfect

He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might he increases power. Isaiah 40:29

I have a friend who lives with a difficult disease. There are days she expresses the weariness of her particular battle. Not only does her physical condition drain her but the treatment to slow its progress is hard on her as well. Another friend is going through a family crisis. I don't know the details but I have seen and felt her heavy heart. There are days she is simply spent by it all but still clings to God tenaciously. Another friend has recently lost her husband of over 60 years. As the sorrow and loss fully hit, her body and soul will suffer excruciating pain.

The list could go on and on. I could become overwhelmed by the many stories of discouragement, depression, and discomfort. But today's verse shows me the power surge God will faithfully administer to each one. I know that each friend I mentioned looks to Him for the strength and power that only He can supply.

Right now, the terrain of their journey is rugged. Their situations have not seemed to change much. But in the midst of their storms God is faithful to infuse them with strength that they cannot produce on their own. He will send friends to encourage them but the actual strength will be administered by Him directly.

Like a life guard breathing life into a drowning victim, like an IV bag infusing medication into a patient, like a cord being plugged into a power source, they are connected to an ever present, ever ready, ever willing Source of strength and power. Therefore, I can continually lift them up in prayer and know His grace will be sufficient.

Father, You care about my friends even more than I do. Thank you for the strength You are giving them as their storms rage. You are not only their safe harbor and lighthouse You are the Provider of strength they need. Amen.

Roots and Fruit

The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. Isaiah 37:31

Fruit trees bear fruit as their roots go down deep into the soil for minerals and water. They are tapped into a rich source that is necessary for life. Jesus told us to sink our roots into Him by abiding in Him and it would result in us bearing fruit.

There are many things I can do without abiding in Christ and being connected to God's heart. I can join a church, get involved, teach, sing in the choir, go on visitation, work in children's ministries, attend seminars, read books, and do countless other things and STILL not see fruit. While these things are good they are not meant to be my life source. They are not what connect my heart to God's heart.

Connecting and abiding transpire when I simply come to God and receive from Him what He longs to give me. I have spent years looking to people and things to fill the emptiness in my life, to give me my identity, to meet my deepest needs. But as I did, I missed the true Source. It wasn't until I finally stopped and turned to God, and said, "You fill me where I am empty" that I found the connection and I marvel at what has transpired.

I know fruit will come of this ~ it is only natural. But it will not be because I am straining to produce it on my own. It will come because it is the natural result of abiding in Christ. While Satan would be quick to give me a list of things to do, God says to just stay connected to Him. Right now He is nurturing my spirit in ways I have never known. This is all new for me.
He has things for me to do and He has a work He is calling me to. But I must sink my spiritual roots downward in Him before I can begin to bear any fruit upward.

Father, I am in awe of how this works. Nurture me fully and produce Your fruit in me. You are my Source. Amen

Relying and Resting

Now on whom do you rely? Isaiah 36:5

I find it interesting how often God's character is brought into question. I make choices each day to hold on to the truth about God or to give in to the lies. Isaiah 36 is a chapter with a message meant to chip away at the truth about God. The outline is incredible. The plot is simple. Get them to question their trust in God, get them to question those who proclaim the truth about God, get them distracted with the "success" of the enemy, and make numerous good sounding promises to them.

I must be careful when listening to the counsel of others. I must make sure it reinforces the truth about God. When I walk away do their words cause me to trust God more or less? Do their words give me hope for victory or thoughts of defeat? Is my resolve to rely on and follow God strengthened or weakened? Is my view of God enlarged or diminished? Do I hold God's hand tighter or do I find myself grasping at something or someone else to hold on to?

I must remember, God is my Protector, Provider, and Peace. It does not matter what the circumstances look like, what the people around me are saying, how impossible things seem, or whether or not I know how something is going to turn out. What matters is how tightly I hold on to the truth about God.

Often, I find myself in need of remembering how God is truly the orchestrator of my life. As I cooperate with Him I am witness to His amazing abilities. I think of the beauty of the sunset. My job is to simply stand in awe of God's work. I am meant to rely on Him and to respond to what He chooses to do with me. I cannot make the mistake of relying on myself or anyone else to accomplish God's work in me.

Father, I once again yield the canvas of my life to You. I marvel at the choices You make for me. Thank you. Amen.

God Sees It All

Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? And against whom have you raised your voice and haughtily lifted up your eyes? Against the Holy One of Israel! Isaiah 37:23

When Saul wreaked havoc in the early church, Jesus was quick to ask, "Why are you persecuting Me?" It was more than identification with His people's suffering. It was, in fact, an acknowledgment that Saul's actions were against Christ Himself. It was no different with the Assyrians. God pointed out that all the threats, haughtiness, and poisonous words were directly spoken to him and about Him! As some people would say, "Thems are fightin' words!" Persecute His children and blaspheme His name and you WILL arouse God's anger. Can we possibly expect anything less from a loving God? Does not nature itself pattern this for us? Like a mother bear when her cubs are in danger, God is moved by the troubles of His children.

As I pen these words, I am aware there is persecution of Christians in many parts of the world. Loss, torture, imprisonment, and even death are faced by countless believers. Foxx's Book of Martyrs is so gruesome I can never read past the first three pages. I marvel at the tenacity and strength God has given His children.

When we see it happen, we question why and wonder when it will stop. I learn two truths from today's passage. God is fully aware of what is happening and He will act on behalf of His people. The same is true in each of our lives. God is aware of each heart ache and difficulty. He will act on our behalf. As we face the problems and injustices of this world may we remember Jesus identifies with us and God will use all of it! He won't waste any of it. I not only stand on that, I rest in it!

Father, You not only see what happens to Your children, You personally ache over it. Redeem each situation. Bring forth beauty from all the ashes. Amen.

A Productive Process

You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God…you will be called ‘My delight is in her’…for the LORD delights in you…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God rejoices over you. Isaiah 62:3-5

In the summer of 2004 I came across this passage for what seemed like the first time. I had been on my journey for barely five months and this is what I journaled at the time…

It touches my heart and blows my mind that God sees me as a crown in His hand. Something of worth, value, and beauty. Someone He cherishes, loves, delights in, and rejoices over. May He steal my heart and keep me in awe of such wonder. His love and gentleness are foreign to me. I have viewed Him as tolerant of me at best. I was satisfied if I wasn’t offending Him in any way but I never dared to dream that He would actually extravagantly love me. Slight interest but not delight and rejoice over me. Slave master and harsh judge but not gentle, caring Abba Father. My view of Him has been distorted like bad reception on a tv. But through His Spirit, Word, and gentle touch He will bring Himself into right focus for me.

At that time, I was just beginning to catch a glimpse of the truth about God and His love for me. I longed for the picture to be clear and truthful. I wanted to see myself through His eyes. Now, almost two years later this passage does not seem foreign to me anymore but it still arrests the deepest part of me as I drink in words like delight and rejoicing. As I daily take in His message to me I become the recipient of His smile, His encouragement, His touch, and His delight.

I cannot point to an exact time when God finally convinced me of the truths of His love. It was a process much like a metamorphosis. I began reading His Word and devouring books that taught me the truth about His love for me. Over the course of months the truth began to sink in. The fog of my soul was beginning to clear away and what I saw was breath taking.

He is not finished with me yet. There are still lies and distortions He wants to reveal and heal. But what He has done so far is beyond what I at one time thought was possible.

Father, you continue to amaze me with the truths of Your heart. The more I see the more I hunger. Show me, convince me, change me. Amen.

Relying and Resting

Now on whom do you rely? Isaiah 36:5

I find it interesting how often God's character is brought into question. I make choices each day to hold on to the truth about God or to give in to the lies. Isaiah 36 is a chapter with a message meant to chip away at the truth about God. The outline is incredible. The plot is simple. Get them to question their trust in God, get them to question those who proclaim the truth about God, get them distracted with the "success" of the enemy, and make numerous good sounding promises to them.

I must be careful when listening to the counsel of others. I must make sure it reinforces the truth about God. When I walk away do their words cause me to trust God more or less? Do their words give me hope for victory or thoughts of defeat? Is my resolve to rely on and follow God strengthened or weakened? Is my view of God enlarged or diminished? Do I hold God's hand tighter or do I find myself grasping at something or someone else to hold on to?

I must remember, God is my Protector, Provider, and Peace. It does not matter what the circumstances look like, what the people around me are saying, how impossible things seem, or whether or not I know how something is going to turn out. What matters is how tightly I hold on to the truth about God.
Often, I find myself in need of remembering how God is truly the orchestrator of my life. As I cooperate with Him I am witness to His amazing abilities. I think of the beauty of the sunset. My job is to simply stand in awe of God's work. I am meant to rely on Him and to respond to what He chooses to do with me. I cannot make the mistake of relying on myself or anyone else to accomplish God's work in me.

Father, I once again yield the canvas of my life to You. I marvel at the choices You make for me. Thank you. Amen.

A Strong Confidence

Then Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, what is this confidence that you have?" Isaiah 36:4

The Assyrian army was to come against Judah ~ God's chosen people. Their track record against other nations was impressive. At present, they were undefeated and VERY confident. There was a smugness about them as they spewed out threats, lies, and distortions. Their opening question was meant to defeat with ridicule.

Many times, especially in the storms of life, the enemy of our soul uses the same tactics with us. He loves to shake our confidence by causing us to doubt the victory that is ours in Christ. His attacks must employ those things our senses experience ~ what we see, feel, and hear. It is easy to let circumstances define life for us. But we have to remember, things are not always as they appear. God is still on the throne and it is His hand we hold and His heart we trust even when all that is around us threatens to do us in.

Unless we realize our confidence is in God, we will have a tendency to think people, things, and events rule our life. A year ago when I found myself resigning from teaching and working a temp job at a warehouse for educational materials, I wasn't sure what was ahead. At that point I had two choices...fear or faith. Many mornings I would sit in my car and remind myself that God (NOT my circumstances and NOT my employer) was in control of my life. I would listen to music that reinforced that truth. He was and still is faithful!

Father, may I see that I am STILL in Your hands. Amen.