Our Hiding Place

But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself. I Samuel 19:2 KJV

Where do you resort to when your world is turned upside down? Maybe like David, you are experiencing a devastating change in a close relationship. Maybe you have been handed a medical diagnosis that felt more like a death sentence. Maybe everything that is dear to you has been suddenly ripped out of your life. Whatever the case may be, Jonathan’s words to David are meant for you as well….abide in a secret place and hide thyself.

David eventually penned words that revealed where he learned to safely abide. Psalm 91:1 says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Jesus urges us to abide in Him and in His love.

Abiding has the idea of making a certain place your abode. A place to sit, rest, and dwell. It is the equivalent of a spiritual Calgon commercial! Although we may not be able to physically remove ourselves from a certain place or situation, our spirit can always choose to resort to a secret place under the shadow of the Almighty. To draw in close enough to God that His presence, peace, and person overshadows you and all that is affecting your world.

Throughout Scripture God gives us visuals of being that close to Himself. A mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings. An eagle hovering over her young. Other pictures come to mind of this tender aspect of God. A mother or grandmother cradling an infant in their arms. A person of strength and compassion embracing and holding a grieving friend. The hushed tones, gentle touch, and caring eyes all directed toward a person in need.

But God is also a fortress, stronghold, shelter, and bulwark. A place that is completely safe and unable to be disturbed. One that keeps all storms at bay and hinders them from completely destroying our internal world.

Strength and tenderness! Two aspects of our God who desires for us to seek refuge and comfort in Him.

Father, may my place of hiding and abiding always be in You! Amen.

Deliverance or Defeat?

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

My mind is centered on three scenarios from Scripture this morning. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the lions den, and Peter walking on the water. All five were in life threatening situations and needed God’s intervention and deliverance. The flames did not have an effect on the first three. Not even the smell of smoke was on them when they were removed from the furnace. Daniel was removed after a night with the lions without so much as a scratch on him. And then there is Peter. After a few successful steps he sank. And yet when he cried out to Jesus, his deliverance came. What made the difference in these situations?

I believe part of the answer lies in the focus of each person. It is my belief that the three Hebrews and Daniel were more focused on their Deliverer than their dilemma. This was going to be the case no matter what the outcome was. Peter, like so many of us at times, looked away from His Savior and focused on the storm. What could have been a walk of victory quickly became a harsh lesson in the law of gravity.

Two days ago, God showed me some specific steps to take in order to obtain freedom in a certain area of my life. As He revealed what needed to be done I was overjoyed to cooperate with Him because I knew it would lead to my deliverance. What will be the conditions for success? Continued obedience, reliance upon Him, and keeping my focus on Him. You see, I can spend my days looking at the very things I am stepping away from and focus on the ache that still comes at times, but that will only lead to discouragement and defeat. God has a better plan! Keep looking to Him and remembering the goal! Keep reminding myself it will lead to the freedom I desperately want and keep picturing what that freedom will eventually feel like. He will equip me with everything I need to get through this time of adjustment. The desire for freedom has finally become stronger than the fear of letting go.

Father, You knew when my cry for help went from being a mere desire to stop experiencing pain to an actual longing for freedom. Keep the view of Yourself and the promise for deliverance astutely in front of me at all times. Amen.

Partial Obedience

Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.” I Samuel 15:10,11,13 (NIV)

The instructions were clear (I Samuel 15:1-26). Saul was to destroy the Amalekites and their animals because of their treatment of the children of Israel when they left Egypt. But Saul didn’t do that. He destroyed everything except the king, the best of the animals, and all that was good. His partial obedience was noticed and condemned by God. Hence, Samuel was told two very different things by God and Saul. God said Saul had not obeyed Him and Saul said he had obeyed. Upon hearing Saul’s statement, Samuel had one question for him. In essence he said, “If you have truly obeyed God, why am I hearing bleating sheep and lowing cattle?” Samuel and Saul were within hearing distance of his disobedience. The eventual consequence of that disobedience was his loss of position as king.

Partial obedience is no obedience as far as God is concerned. Every part of His commands to us are significant and necessary. But we often approach His Word with a smorgasbord mentality. Picking and choosing what appeals to us and ignoring what doesn’t. How our selective, partial, incomplete obedience must grieve the heart of God as well. Are there consequences? Absolutely! They may be in the form of missed opportunities, loss of position, withdrawn blessings, or even shortened life. Although we live under grace and not under law, this principle still applies. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. But there is encouragement in the midst of what seems harsh.

David was called a man after God’s own heart even though he had a trail of sin behind him that included adultery and murder. How can that be? Because when he was confronted with his sin he repented and always sought reconciliation with God. When Saul was confronted with his sin he always made excuses and minimized the offense. Repentance opens the door for restoration and reinstates God’s hand of blessing on a life. Refusal to admit the wrong, blocks the return of blessing. It is that simple.

Father, may I grieve at my partial obedience as much as You do. Help me to completely obey and fully follow You. Amen.

Unrealized Options

Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” Luke 9:12 (NKJV)

The disciples had spent the day with Jesus and were witness to a multitude of healings. At the close of the day they looked at the crowd of 5,000, knew they did not have the means to feed them, and presented Jesus with the only solution….send them away so they can take care of themselves. Now Jesus could certainly have done that and no one would have thought anything of it. But instead, He once again chose to intervene and do what only God can do…the impossible.

The disciples must have stood in a place of confusion as they were told to seat people in groups of 50 and then watched as Jesus blessed the five loaves and two fishes and proceeded to tell them to set the food before the crowd. The awareness would have hit as they watched the bread and fish multiply right before their eyes with twelve baskets remaining in the end. Once they saw the miracle take place, do you think they would have dared to think their original plan was still the best? I doubt it. But rather maybe Isaiah’s words came to their mind that God’s ways are higher than our ways and God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts.

How easy it is to look at our circumstances, resources, limitations, and location, calculate our options and decide there is only one thing to do. We approach God with the view that He is as limited as our list of possibilities. We simply cannot imagine that there could possibly be a better way let alone a miracle. How generous of God to hold out for His plan even in the midst of our tears, confusion, and questions. How gracious of Him to display His ways and thoughts while He whispers, “O, ye of little faith.”

This morning I sense His longing for us to see that He still does the impossible and knows if we could see what He has in mind we would choose His plans above our own. He has given us the miracles of the Bible to show us how often He did things no one even thought of let alone considered possible. He implores us to trust Him fully and to stop depending on our own understanding. Will we dare to do it?

Father, You are aware of the options I am focused on. My view is so limited. Help me to turn my eyes and my trust toward You! Amen.

In Need of His Help

But I am poor and needy; yet the LORD thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God. Psalm 40:17 (NKJV)

This is one of those verses I so often want to slip my name into and live with its realization in my life. When I am spent, confused, hurt, discouraged, or in tremendous need, I must allow this verse to wrap itself around my spirit. When everyone else’s life seems to be moving on and I am feeling so alone, I take comfort in the fact that God is thinking of me. He is fully aware of the depth and length of my pain. When I feel helpless and no human help is forthcoming, He is my help and my deliverer. Those are the words that assure me I will make it through whatever I am facing. He even allows for my plea for speed. While David said, “Do not delay,” my version would be, “And hurry up! I need Your intervention now!” It is not spoken out of demand but rather out of desperation.

I am thinking of several dear friends this morning whom this verse fits as well. Some have been given a medical diagnosis that has turned their world upside down, some have just buried a loved one, some are facing the heartbreak of a child’s choices, some are facing an unwanted divorce, and some do not live a day without extreme physical pain. My heart breaks for them and my tears fall for them as I pray this verse over their life and situation. When I struggle to find the right words to tell them or the right way to show them how much I care, I once again entrust them to their only real Helper and Deliverer. While I cannot even begin to scratch the surface of their pain or loss, God is able to reach to the very center of it. Where He allows me to be His hands, feet, heart, and mouth to them I will certainly be that to them in the ability He gives. But when it is all said and done, His direct ministering to them one on one will be what sustains them each step of the way. I am looking to Him to deliver, preserve, and strengthen each of them in ways that only He can do.

It is true that we no longer live in the Garden but the Gardener of our soul has not deserted us. He is tending to our every need, cultivating growth in us, and landscaping our lives with His Word. None of this is said to minimize the pain and suffering but rather to maximize the view of God’s abundant grace!

Father, in the midst of our sorrow we look to You to carry us. Strength, healing, and redemption will only come through You. Amen.

Back to Where It All Began

Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone. Genesis 35:3 (NIV)

When Jacob left his father and mother to go to his Uncle Laban’s home, he had an over night, under the stars stay at a place called Bethel. It was there that he dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven and angels were descending and ascending the ladder. It was there that God spoke prophetic words and promises to him. It was the beginning of a new life for him. Nearly 20 years later, God directed Jacob to return to Bethel, and at that time his name was changed to Israel.

Yesterday, I had lunch with a friend in Nashville, Indiana. When our visit had ended I drove to a little resort that sat atop a small hill. The parking lot was empty as was the building in front of me. But as I ventured out of my car and walked around a bit I was deeply moved by the fact that I had returned to my own Bethel. I was at the very place where I had attended a Daughters of Promise event three years ago. I had entered the building unaware of the depths and truth of God’s love for me, empty in my walk with Him, equating my spirituality with rules and outward appearance, and unfamiliar with the preciousness of prayer and His Word. I had no idea that when I would leave the next day I would be taking my first baby steps on an incredible journey. My mind and heart raced to take in the full scope of the last three years.

I am not the same person I was three years ago. God has changed me from the inside out and continues that process on a daily basis. He is not finished with all He started in February of 2004. I have yet to fully realize the plans He has for me. But yesterday’s visit to my Bethel place assured me that He has not loosened His hold on me. I am safe and amazed!

Where is it God would have you revisit today…either in memory or in person? Where is it that God moved in your life in a powerful way and forever changed the course of your walk with Him? If you do not have a Bethel experience to revisit, ask God to give you one. Then get ready to watch Him move heaven and earth as He sets the stage for it!

Father, I look to You with expectation and follow You with abandon. Thank you for all You did at my Bethel and all You still plan to do. Amen.

Fighting the Deliberate Attacks

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High. Daniel 7:25 (KJV)

While these words speak of the Antichrist they also depict the words and wishes of my enemy, Satan. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:1 to put on the full armor of God in order to stand against the schemes of the Devil. But if we are not aware of the tactics that he uses against us, our “stand” will be incomplete and ineffective. Much like today’s fight against terrorism, a nation can stand watchful of military attacks but miss the setting up of cell groups within hometowns. Today, God is showing me two of the many schemes of His enemy and mine.

Since his fall from Heaven, Satan has taken every possible occasion to speak words against God. He is the father of lies and seeks any opportunity to slander, malign, criticize, and smear God’s character, heart, and Word. He will twist and distort any event, circumstance, or incident in our life to speak an untruth about the most High. He will attempt to put the faces of countless people on God as a way of convincing us thatHe is different from who He says He is. That is why we must bring every accusation back to the Bible and demolish it with the truth!

Here is one way to do that. Take the lie he is telling you and think of the opposite word for it. If he says God is cruel, think of the word kindness. Then go to http://www.biblegateway.com/ and put in that word. You will be given every verse in the Bible that mentions kindness and numerous versions to read them from. With those verses as your truth you can affectively stand against his lies.

The other tactic is in attempting to wear us out. It is not always a flash flood he uses. Many times it is the slow drip of negative thoughts, disappointments, discouragement, losses, fears, insecurities, and failures that wear away at our resolve and stance. The cumulative effect of these over time does wear us down if we do not stay connected to God and resort to times of intimate fellowship with Him. Many times for me it takes going for a walk, shedding the tears, crying out for His help and wisdom, and realigning myself with the truth of His Word in order to be built up again. God will graciously show me where the enemy has chipped away at my soul and then He faithfully begins the internal repair work.

Father, keep me aware of the necessity of You! Amen.