Deal First With God || Further Notes on Prayer

"What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer."

- Joseph Scriven

I recently wrote a post on how prayer should be our first resort, and the passage from my morning devotions today seemed to fit so well with that post that I decided to share it with you all.

Deal First With God

 

"It is modern man's habit to speak much of his troubles (which he generally

calls problems). Endless time and energy are expended on 'sharing' when

prayer is really what is needed. Hannah's strength lay in her habit of taking

things first to God. In her grief over her childlessness she wept and could

not eat, but when Elkanah asked what her trouble was there is no record of

her telling him. He guessed it, as a loving and understanding husband may,

but Hannah stood before the Lord and prayed to Him, weeping bitterly.

Eli the priest saw her lips moving in silent prayer and took her for a drunk.

She explained that she was pouring out her heart before the Lord --

but she did not say why. She did not think it necessary to pour her heart

out to the priest. Nor did he inquire. He simply asked God to answer her.

 

"The lessons of prayer are deep. We will not learn them until we form the

habit of dealing first directly with God. Usually we will find we need not

bother husbands, priests, or other busy people who have burdens to bear.

We will be free to bear others' burdens, which we are commanded to do.

We are also told to bear our own. Nowhere are we told to lay our burdens

on others, or to oblige them to bear ours."

 

- Elisabeth Elliot, The Music of His Promises

He Hideth My Soul

"I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand"
- Exodus 33:22

A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord,

A wonderful Saviour to me;

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,

Where rivers of pleasure I see.

 

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock

That shadows a dry, thirsty land;

He hideth my life with the depths of His love,

And covers me there with His hand,

And covers me there with His hand.

 

 

A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord,

He taketh my burden away;

He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,

He giveth me strength as my day.

 

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock

That shadows a dry, thirsty land;

He hideth my life with the depths of His love,

And covers me there with His hand,

And covers me there with His hand.

 

 

With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,

And filled with His fullness divine,

I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God

For such a Redeemer as mine!

 

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock

That shadows a dry, thirsty land;

He hideth my life with the depths of His love,

And covers me there with His hand,

And covers me there with His hand.

 

When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise

To meet Him in clouds of the sky,

His perfect salvation, His wonderful love

I'll shout with the millions on high.

 

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock

That shadows a dry, thirsty land;

He hideth my life with the depths of His love,

And covers me there with His hand,

And covers me there with His hand.



Quietness of Heart

"Sit still, my daughter. -- Take heed and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted --

Be still, and know that I am God -- Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe,

thou shouldest see the glory of God? -- The loftiness of man shall be bowed down,

and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be

exalted in that day. -- Mary...sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word. Mary hath chosen

that good part, which shall not be taken away from her -- In returning and rest shall ye

be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength -- Commune with your

own heart upon your bed, and be still. -- Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him:

fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who

bringeth wicked devices to pass. -- He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed,

trusting in the LORD. His heart is established. -- He that believeth shall not make haste."

 

Ruth 3:18 -- Isa. 7:4 -- Psa. 46:10 -- John 11:40 -- Isa. 2:17

-- Luke 10:39, 42 -- Isa. 30:15 -- Psa. 4:4 -- Psa. 37:7

 -- Psa. 112:7-8 -- Isa. 28:16

Prayer || Our Lifeline

Today I write from the ambulance garage as I wait for the pager to go off.

It's unnerving. The others seem relaxed, but there is an ever-present underlying sense of anticipation and tension. The alert tones sound.  Everyone moves in practiced rhythm to the rig and we go flying down the road code three. I don’t know what we will actually find on scene until we arrive. And even then, medicine can only go so far. At some point, human efforts fail and prayer is the only resource left.

Prayer may, at times, be our only resource but it should never be our last resort.

Recently the Lord has been impressing on me the importance of prayer as a continual attitude of the heart – the first resort. So, why do we pray? “1) God told us to pray. It is a commandment, and if we love Him, we obey His commands. 2) Jesus prayed. 3) Prayer is a law of the universe. Certain things will not happen without the operation of prayer.” – Elisabeth Elliot

On Sunday, our pastor taught on Colossians 4:2-4, reiterating that God desires us to be devoted to prayer, be vigilant, pray specifically for others, and to pray with thanksgiving. “Prayer,” he said, “is the biggest indicator of our dependence on God.”  

The biggest indicator of my dependence on God.

Do I find myself praying only after everything else has fallen through? Is Christ – my Saviour, Sustainer, Creator – my last resort?

I can recall multiple times when I was so worried about something – a scheduling conflict, how to face my day after a night of no sleep, being exposed to a nasty virus – and He worked everything out perfectly. And I didn’t even think to pray about it. How much more if I had only run to Him first to cast my cares?

Because of what Christ did for me on Calvary, I have instant, twenty-four hour access to His very throne. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). What an amazing privilege.

There is no denying that prayer is hard work. I’m ashamed at how fast my thoughts can wander while I’m trying to pray. Or, how easy it is to rattle off a list of my complaints and needs, forgetting to thank the Father of Lights for the multitude of blessings He has bestowed on me.

It may be hard work, but prayer one of the most powerful ways we can influence the world around us. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).

And, even if I don’t feel like He’s listening, He always hears my prayers. “The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer” (Psalm 6:9). He always answers my prayers, whether that answer is yes, no, or wait. “Call unto Me, and I will answer thee” (Jeremiah 33:3). In fact, the Lord delights to hear my prayers. “The prayer of the upright is His delight” (Proverbs 15:8).

“Prayer is the earnest breathing of the new man, drawn forth by the operation of the Holy Ghost, who dwells in all true believers. Hence, to find anyone praying, is to find him manifesting divine life in one of its most touching and beauteous characteristics, namely dependence. There may be a vast amount of ignorance displayed in the prayer, both in its character and object; but the spirit of prayer is, unquestionably, divine. A child may ask for a great many foolish things; but, clearly, he could not ask for anything, if he had not life. The ability and desire to ask are the infallible proofs of life.”

 – C.H. Mackintosh

When we pray and commit our cares to Him, He grants us the peace that transcends all human understanding. “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made unto God. And the peace of God, which all passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).

“This morning this verse helped me very much. There are so many things happening almost every day which would naturally disturb or distress or cast us down. We all know the refuge of prayer, and here we have the promise, not that we shall be instantly given what we want, but that the peace of God shall guard our hearts and thoughts. So the quietness of peaceful thoughts is the first answer God gives to his needy child, and if our thoughts are peaceful we are peaceful too.”

– Amy Carmichael

One of our most powerful resources as believers is continually available, no matter where we are or what time of day it is. Christ is ever willing to bear our burdens and cares – we need only to cast them on Him.

Friday || Reflections on a Chapter Ended

Today marks the end of a chapter in my life.

 

Today I officially graduate from college.

 

Studying and course work has been a part of my life for over four years, so it feels surreal not to have any more deadlines or degree requirements hanging over my head. Writing discussion posts, reading textbooks, and researching for papers are like breathing for me. The part I will miss the most is the deep, accelerated learning. Not that I won’t continue to learn, research, and write on my own….

As I reflect on the last several years, I can see the Lord’s faithful hand directing my steps in accordance with His plan for my life. When I entered the college phase, I had my own picture of what the finish line would look like, where I would be, and how that was going to take place. Needless to say, I never imagined I would be where I am today.

And that’s okay.

Pre-college me would have been frustrated, disappointed, and scared if I had known the Lord was taking me somewhere other than my desired destination. Looking back, I am so incredibly grateful that I didn’t get my own way in the end. I am so glad that I don’t have to worry about the future. One of the biggest lessons was really learning Isaiah 55:8-9: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” For me, that means faithful obedience to Him, even in the face of a misty, dark pathway.

“God is God. Because He is God,

He is worthy of my trust and obedience.

I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will,

a will that is unspeakably beyond

my largest notions of what He is up to.”

-   Elisabeth Elliot

 

 Now, as I close one of the chapters in my life, I find myself in another season of waiting. I know what I’m supposed to be doing right now, today, but a year from now? I have no idea. From time to time, I do get anxious, but I know it is all in His hands and I am thrilled to see what He will do next.

My prayer is that I would increasingly grow in the grace and knowledge of Him as I step into a new chapter, learning evermore to cast myself in utter abandonment at His feet for His glory.

“It is an older faith that learns to swing out into nothingness

and drop down full weight on God – the broken-up nest of former

‘experiences’ left behind – nothing between us and the abyss

but God Himself. Trained faith is a triumphant gladness

in having nothing but God – not rest, no foothold –

nothing but Himself. A triumphant gladness in swinging

out into that abyss, rejoicing in every fresh emergency

that is going to prove Him true. ‘The Lord alone’ –

that is trained faith.”

-   Lilias Trotter

Grace Greater Than All My Sin

 

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,

Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!

Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,

There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

 

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin.

 

 

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,

Threaten the soul with infinite loss;

Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,

Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

 

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin.

 

 

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.

What can avail to wash it away?

Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,

Brighter than snow you may be today.

 

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin.

 

 

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,

Freely bestowed on all who believe!

You that are longing to see His face,

Will you this moment His grace receive?

 

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin.

Much More

I have been studying Romans in my devotions and it has been wonderfully refreshing and convicting. In my busy, crowded world, I tend to lose sight of my riches in Christ. The basic truths of my salvation slip out under my radar, and I forget what an incredible gift my eternal salvation is. To sit and ponder just for a minute what Christ has done for me -- wretched, miserable, emotional me -- makes me realize how real and yet how unfathomable is His grace.

All is grace. Everything above hell is grace.

In Romans 5, the Apostle Paul uses the wonderful little phrase "much more."

"Much more, then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" (vs. 9).

"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (vs. 10).

"But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many" (vs. 15).

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one: much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ" (vs. 17).

And my favorite. "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (vs. 20).

Much more. Abounding. Christ offers us so much more in Him. He went above and beyond, surpassing anything we ever deserved, even to the point of giving us that which we did not deserve. Dr. McGee writes, "As we go through [Chapter 5], we will notice an expression that is very meaningful. It is 'much more.' What Paul is going to say is that we have 'much more' in Christ than we lost in Adam" (author's emphasis).

God, in His mercy, did not give us what we deserved. God, in His grace, gave us what we did not deserve. "As mercy is God's goodness confronting human misery and guilt, so grace is His goodness directed toward human debt and demerit. It is by His grace that God imputes merit where none previously existed and declares no debt to be where one had been before" (A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy).

The debt I owed, the price I deserved to pay was paid in full by Christ at Calvary. His precious blood provided the necessary redemption for my sin (I Peter 1:18-19).

Christ took what I deserved, but did not stop there. He gave me much more -- what I did not deserve. "Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines Him to bestow benefits upon the undeserving....Its use to us sinful men is to save us and make us sit together in heavenly places to demonstrate to the ages the exceeding riches of God's kindness to us in Christ Jesus. We benefit eternally by God's being just what He is. Because He is what He is, He lifts up our heads out of the prison house, changes our prison garments for royal robes, and makes us to eat bread continually before Him all the days of our lives" (Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy).

Because of what Christ has done for me, I can boldly approach the throne of grace. I am called a child of God and a saint. When God looks at me, He sees the righteousness of Christ. Oh, how wonderful, oh, how marvelous is my Saviour's love for me.

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich" (II Corinthians 8:9).

"We can never know the enormity of our sin, neither is it necessary

that we should. What we can know is that 'where sin abounded,

grace did much more abound.' To abound in sin: that is the worst

and the most we could or can do. The word abound defines the limit

of our finite abilities; and although we feel our iniquities rise over us

like a mountain, the mountain, nevertheless, has definable boundaries:

it is so large, so high, it weighs only this certain amount and no more.

But who shall define the limitless grace of God? Its 'much more'

plunges our thoughts into infinitude and confounds them there.

All thanks be to God for grace abounding."

- A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

The Calling

"The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance

and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot."

- Psalm 16:5

 

"Hear the call of God to be a woman. Obey that call. Turn your energies to service.

Whether your service is to be to a husband and through him and the family and home

God gives you to serve the world, or whether you should remain, in the providence of God,

single in order to serve the world without the solace of husband, home, and family, you will know

fullness of life, fullness of liberty, and (I know whereof I speak) fullness of joy."

- Elisabeth Elliot

 

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life:

in Thy presence is fullness of joy;

at Thy right hand there are

pleasures forevermore."

- Psalm 16:11

 

 

"If you have chosen the set-apart path of a woman who fears the Lord,

your life is not your own. The Spirit of Christ has a claim upon you.

You have a call upon your life; you have a job to do. He has called you to minister

His love to those in need. This sacred claim is the highest privilege we could

ever receive. We can never repay what Christ did for us on the Cross. But

because He has made us His hands and feet to this world, we have the incredible

opportunity to give to others the very same astounding, transforming love that He gave us."

- Leslie Ludy, Sacred Singleness



Insufficiency and the Mask

As I sit here, winding down for the night, raindrops hitting my window, the light outside growing dimmer and dimmer, I'm tempted to brood about the ways I failed today.

You see, I'm a good girl.

Good girls think they have to be "on top of it all" constantly. They have to be successful (read: not fail) in the things they have to do. They have to always say the right things, do the right things, be the right person.

And when they can't, their flesh puts on a mask. A mask of confidence, cheerfulness, self-sufficiency, independence.

Like the raindrops outside fall to the ground and form puddles on our gravel driveway, so I nearly melted into my own miserable little puddle this afternoon. I'm taking a summer class and, for this English, history, and art-lovin' girl, math is hard. May I even venture to say I dislike it....most passionately.

I spent several rather frustrating hours this afternoon trying to solve word problems, simultaneously trying to find the answer and beating up on myself for not "getting it."

My problem?

Good girls think they can do it on their own.

The truth?

I am not sufficient to think anything (read: absolutely, positively nothing) is of myself.

I don't like admitting something is hard for me. I don't like asking for help.

It is then, after I finish my little episode of sighs and throwing-hands-in-the-air, that my Heavenly Father taps me on the shoulder and reminds me that He's been here all along, willing to help and waiting for me to ask.

"The truth is, admitting weakness is the very doorway the Lord uses to lead a tired good girl to a place of rest" (Emily Freeman, Grace for the Good Girl).

I mentally nod. "You already know that truth," my mind goes. "So why didn't you act on it? You did what you know you shouldn't do and you didn't do what you know you should have done, so you really failed twice." And so my female emotion-driven thoughts go. Yet, as Emily Freeman reminds, "Our fluctuating humanness is there on purpose, to remind us of our need and draw us to the One who can meet it."

He is there. He knows my weaknesses. He knows I am but dust -- a fading flower and a infinitesimal speck in the great expanse of time.

He is the One working in me, "both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).

His grace is still there, even though I may feel like I will crumble in the face of a daunting math problem. His grace is always all-sufficient, no matter how big or small my troubles may seem. He is willing to help me, no matter what size my crisis. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). Nearly everyone has that verse memorized, but do we honestly, truly believe it?

I know all these things, but how often I forget them.

"The challenge comes in knowing what to do in the midst of the smoke, in remembering that my identity is secure in Christ even if my emotions imply otherwise, and in setting my mind on truth even when it doesn't seem to make sense....As good girls, it is generally easy to resist the big stuff. The challenge comes in the everyday, living-life things. When the truth doesn't feel true is when we begin to believe it isn't. Satan's biggest, most effective weapon against good girls may not be lust or slander or adultery or addiction. It is forgetfulness" (Emily Freeman).

The challenge is to hold fast to the truth, to remember the lessons learned, the prayers answered, and the promises given. How thankful I am that He is faithful.

Spring Evening at the Lake

The wonders of spring at the lake: flowing water, budding trees, a pair of loons, the smell of fresh mown grass, songbirds, and the occasional float plane. It was the perfect spring evening. Dad and I put the boat in the water and then went for a ride down to the other end of the lake. The sun was beginning to set, the breeze was cool enough for my favorite sweatshirt, and the full moon was rising in the eastern sky.

A bit of heaven on earth.

I am so thankful.

Of Trials, Rejoicing, and Sand Lilies

By nature, we tend to recoil at the thought of a trial. The very word evokes things like hardship, suffering, difficulty, or burden.

Things my comfort-seeking American mindset dislikes.

 

Yet, as James reminds us, it’s not a matter of if the trials come but when they come. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2).

The passage emphasized in Sunday's message was the first chapter of Peter, and as our pastor reminded us, hardship is simply part of the package of life here down on earth. We cannot and will not escape it. “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29-30).

How, then, do we view those trials? How much are we willing to suffer? How are we going to respond to our Saviour? How are we going to live out our Christianity amidst a trial? What mindset we will adopt?

According to Peter, we are to “greatly rejoice” (I Peter 1:6). Yet, even as I read the words, my mind struggles to wrap itself around the concepts of suffering and rejoicing at the same time.

How can we rejoice in trials?

Because of who Christ is and who we are in Him.

 

Image via Pinterest.

 

We can rejoice because we have a sovereign, loving, all-powerful, merciful Heavenly Father who will not give us what we cannot handle (I Corinthians 10:13). Everything that touches us must pass through His sieve. Furthermore, He has promised His grace to be sufficient for our every weakness (II Corinthians 12:9).

We can rejoice because we have a living hope (I Peter 1:3).

 

We can rejoice in the blessings of our salvation. “I will praise Thee, O Lord, my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify Thy name for evermore. For great is Thy mercy toward me; and Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell” (Psalm 86:12-13).

 

We can rejoice because we are never alone, no matter how dark and difficult the trial (Psalm 23:4, Hebrews 13:5).

 

Image via Pinterest.



We can rejoice because trials – indeed our very lives – are fleeting and temporary (I Peter 1:6, II Corinthians 4:17-18).

 

Image via Pinterest.



We can rejoice because there is a purpose for every trial that touches us, and Christ will be faithful to work all things together for good.

Image via Pinterest.



Trials are a necessary part of life because they test and refine our faith – “that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire” (I Peter 1:7).

 

Fire sounds strong, hot, and, well, fiery. It is, but the Lord has promised that “when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2).

 

The fire may be unpleasant, but when the purging of our dross is through and the trying complete, we shall, in the words of Job, “come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).

 

Image via Pinterest.



As our pastor stated, the Lord tests our faith because He want us to be approved. The testing of our faith reveals where our faith is at. The Lord tested the Israelites in the wilderness to see the condition of their hearts. “And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no” (Deuteronomy 8:2).

Testing shows us what or who our faith is in. It reveals what our idols are, reminding us that whatever we put our faith in, outside of Christ, will fail us.

Trials try our faith in order to help us grow more in the grace and knowledge of Him. Our pastor used the analogy of tests. In academia land, tests prove what we know and lucidly reveal what we do not know. They show us where our weaknesses are, what concepts we have yet to grasp. It is the same in the spiritual realm. Trials show us where we need to grow and help to solidify our Christian character.

Lilias Trotter uses the beautiful analogy of sand lilies to illustrate the heat and dryness of the fire, the growth that comes out of the fire, and how the Lord sustains us during the process.  She writes, “Today’s find was beautiful to the inward vision as well as the outward. It was clusters of exquisite wild lilies – white and fragile and fragrant – growing out of the hot salt sand that drifts into dunes round the stunted juniper and lentisk bushes that fringe the shore. Down below the surface, the storage of reserve material in the lily bulbs had silently taken place…and there they had lain, shrouded and waiting. The hour had come now, and no adverse condition could keep back the upspringing. The same Lord over all can store the roots in His spiritual creation, even though they have but smothering sand drifts around them.” The Apostle Paul writes, “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16), and we can be confident that He will strengthen us.

Image via Pinterest.

Our pastor concluded his message with four simple directions for finding joy in the midst of trials from verses 8 and 9 of First Peter 1.

     1. Love Christ.
     2. Trust Christ.
     3. Rejoice in Christ.
     4. Receive from Christ.

Trials give us the opportunity to love Christ more, pushing us closer to Him. He lovingly gives us the grace to trust Him more, and because of who He is, we can rejoice exceedingly in Him.

Each trial is an opportunity, but the choice to accept it is ours. The decision to receive the trial from Him is ours. And it is in accepting it from Him that we find peace.

 

Today I was listening to Elisabeth Elliot’s talk entitled "Instruments of Peace." She describes the refining process as continual. Sometimes there are hammer blows, other times there are chisel chippings, but daily there is the rasping of the file – the little trials life presents us every day. All are necessary for our growth.

 

As she states, “The place where God has put you has unlimited possibilities….God has chosen the place….Are you willing for the honing process? The honing of the instrument is all part of God’s plan. He chooses the place, He furnishes the grace. God’s loving care has placed you and me exactly where we can best receive the gift of grace, which is the gift of Himself….It is here where God has put you, within the context that He wants us to learn to know Him and to be instruments. If you love Him, you will say ‘Yes, Lord.’ You will accept the conditions of your life, and acceptance is the route to peace.”  The size of the trial is not significant. The lessons apply across the board – regardless of the size of the trial. We have to choose to accept the hammer blows and the file rasps. Each contain a lesson for us and a chance to draw closer to God. The key is our willingness to accept it.

Mrs. Elliot said she is often asked how she handled the deaths of her first and second husbands. “I can’t handle it,” she replies. “I accept it. I say, ‘Lord, I hand over my unmanageable feelings. I give them to You, Lord,’ and accept [what He gives]. This is the place in which You want me to glorify you and to be an instrument of peace.”

We have to remember that it is the Lord who has placed us in this particular stage or circumstance in life. He is our Heavenly Father – the One who only wants the very best for us. If we would only keep that in mind – to accept what He gives and simply trust Him – then we will find peace (Isaiah 26:3).

“Instead of the word ‘submission,’ I should write ‘acceptance,’

for more and more, as life goes on, that word opens doors

into rooms of infinite peace, and the heart that accepts asks nothing,

for it is at rest, and the pilgrim of love does not need a map or chart.

‘I know my road, it leadeth to His heart.’”

– Amy Carmichael

Give Me Jesus

"But what things were gain to me, those things I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss

for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."

- Philippians 3:7-8

 

 

In the morning, when I rise.

In the morning, when I rise.

In the morning, when I rise.

Give me Jesus.

 

Give me Jesus,

Give me Jesus.

You can have all this world

Just give me Jesus.

 

 

When I am alone,

When I am alone,

Oh, when I am alone,

Give me Jesus.

 

Give me Jesus,

Give me Jesus,

You can have all this world.

Just give me Jesus.

 

 

When I come to die,

When I come to die,

Oh, when I come to die,

Give me Jesus.

 

Give me Jesus,

Give me Jesus,

You can have all this world,

Just give me Jesus.

 

- Traditional African Spiritual



Delighting in Him

"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall

give thee the desires of thine heart.

- Psalm 37:4

 

As I sat at my desk, working on homework assignments for what seemed liked the millionth day and feeling slightly weary and discouraged, my eyes caught sight of this familiar verse on my mug of steaming tea.

 

Delight thyself also in the Lord.

 

Reflecting on the past several weeks, I realized this verse has not been true of me lately. In the busyness of the ending weeks of my final spring semester, my relationship with the Lord was suffering. I was still doing my devotions every morning, praying throughout the day, but something was missing.

 

I was missing Him. I was simply going through the motions and not delighting in Him.

 

The first rain of the season was another gentle reminder from the Lord that I was spiritually dry -- desperately in need of the refreshment only He could offer. Instead of rejoicing and resting in Him, I was focusing on my own needs, my seemingly endless "to-do" list, and the myriad other things and people competing for my time and energy.

 

Yet, the truth of service is that if we are not filled up, we cannot be poured out for others. Christ must be first in our lives.

 

"I delight greatly in the Lord;

my soul rejoices in my God"

- Isaiah 61:10

 

If He is first, everything else will fall into place. He promises to give strength for the task at hand, to guide our steps, and bestow the grace to serve others. If we surrender to Him, He will be faithful to fulfill His promises.

 

"And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the

afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise in obscurity,

and thy darkness shall be as the noon day. And

the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy

soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou

shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water,

whose waters fail not."

- Isaiah 58:10-11





The secret to the abundant life -- the life marked by peace, a grateful heart, and a willingness to serve -- of John 10:10 is delighting and abiding in Him.

 

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life:

in Thy presence is fullness of joy;

at Thy right hand are pleasure for evermore."

- Psalm 16:11

 

May we all seek to delight more in Him and less in the fleeting pleasures and cares of this present world. 

 

My Delight

- Shannon J. Wexelberg

 

Break through the voices of this world

I cast these burdens aside.

Tune now my ear to Your whisper

Speak to this trembling inside.

Calm my anxious heart now.

Breath in me breath of new life.

Holy Spirit, rain down

My soul is thirsty and dry.

 

Be my Delight.

Be the song that I sing in the morning,

Be the bright ray of hope through the night,

Be my Delight.

Be the rest for the worn and the weary,

Be the peace, oh sweet Giver of life

Be my Delight.

 

Break through the lies that have held me

I hide Your Word in my heart.

Come now, revive and restore me.

Show me the treasure You are.

Calm my anxious heart now.

Breathe in me, Spirit of God,

Pull me to Your side now,

Captured by all that You are.



The Second Day

For about twenty minutes, our house was silent this afternoon. Everyone else was out and about -- shopping, visiting neighbors, working outside in the beautiful 60 degree weather. Even the dog was quiet, sound asleep on the chair. It was just me sitting in the living room, sipping tea and basking in the peaceful calm.

Earlier this morning, I had read a post from Miriam Rockness on Lilias Trotter's view of Easter Eve. Titled "Holy Hush," both writers described the meaning of the Saturday -- the second day -- and how we focus so much on Good Friday and then the third day, Resurrection Sunday, that we do not often pause to consider Saturday. I had skimmed through the post, thought it was interesting, and then went about my daily tasks, pushing it to the peripheral of my busy thoughts.

As I sat a few minutes ago in the silence, the post came back to me and I started to ponder what it really meant. Granted, Resurrection Sunday is not to be diminished in any way -- it is the celebration of Christ's great victory, without which we have absolutely no hope (I Corinthians 15:12-22). Yet we should still remember Saturday, the hours where Christ's body lay in the grave in order that He might rise on Sunday morn. If there had been no death, there would have been no resurrection.

What must have the disciples thought? Did they fall into despair, thinking all was lost? Or did they remember Christ's promise that He would rise again on the third day and that death was necessary for this to happen? I love how Phillips, Craig, and Dean describe it in "Saved the Day."

Christ's death and the shedding of His blood was the necessary requirement to pay for our sins (Hebrews 9:22) and after death, came the resurrection and the triumph over Satan and death.

And so, we too, because of what Christ did for us, have been buried with Him and now are alive, walking in newness of life. (n.b., the following verses speak not of physical water baptism, but of the spiritual baptism that occurs at the moment of salvation).

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized

into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?

Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism

into death: that like as Christ was raised up from

the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also

should walk in newness of life. For if we have been

planted together in the likeness of His death,

we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection:

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him,

that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we

should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall

also live with Him. Now if we be dead with Christ, we

believe that we shall also live with Him: knowing that

Christ being raised for the dead dieth no more;

death hath no dominion over Him."

- Romans 6:3-9

 

For a few moments today, take time and be still before Christ.

 

Remember what He has done for you, what He accomplished on the cross for you and for me. On Saturday, as Robert Lowry's great hymn says, "Low in the grave He lay, Jesus My Savior, waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!" Then, on Sunday, "Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er His foes, He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever, with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ Arose!"


On Calvary's Cross

I have a Saviour; though I sought

Through earth and air and sea

 I could not find a word, a thought,

To show Him worthily.

But planted here in rock and moss

I see the Sign of utmost loss;

I hear a word - "On Calvary's Cross

Love gave Himself for thee."

- Amy Carmichael

 

 

Love gave Himself for me -- fallen, helpless, miserable, rebellious, sinful, and utterly selfish me. He was bruised for my iniquities,  wounded for my transgressions, and died alone all so that anyone could have eternal life, simply by trusting in His finished work on Calvary. As the beautiful hymn "Before the Throne of God Above" says, "Because the sinless Saviour died, my sinful soul is counted free. For God the just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me."

 

I deserve eternity in hell, but I will live forever in heaven. I deserve God's justice yet I walk in oceans of grace. What amazing love! Surely there is no greater kind and surely since I have been the recipient of such love, how can I not give "my soul, my life, my all" to Him?

 

It pleased the Lord to bruise Him: He hath put Him to grief.

~ Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father,

save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Father, glorify Thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven,

saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

~ Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me:

nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done. And there

appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

~ Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself,

and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

~ Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life,

that I might take it again. ~ For I came down from heaven,

not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me.

~ The cup which My Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

~The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things

that please Him. ~ My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

~ Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth.

 

Isaiah 53:10 ~ John 12:27-28 ~ Luke 22:42-43 ~ Philippians 2:8

~ John 10:17 ~ John 6:38 ~ John 18:11

~ John 8:29 ~ Matthew 3:17 ~ Isaiah 42:1



Peace

"The fruit of the Spirit is...peace."

 

 

"To be spiritually minded is life and peace ~ God hath called us to peace

~ Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world

giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it

be afraid ~ The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

~ I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to

keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day 

~ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee:

because he trusteth in Thee. ~ The work of righteousness shall be

peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance

forever. And My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation,

and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places ~ Whoso hearkeneth

unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

~ Great peace have they which love Thy law."

 

 

Galatians 5:22 ~ Romans 8:6 ~ I Corinthians 7:15 ~ John 14:27

~ Romans 15:13 ~ Isaiah 26:3 ~ Isaiah 32:17-18 ~ Proverbs 1:33

~ Psalm 119:165

The Divine Sieve

 

It was nine o’clock last night and I was seeing the error message for the umpteenth time. Nothing I tried was working. I was frustrated.

One lucent example of our Father’s love is how He often first teaches us the lesson and then provides the practical situation for us to live out what we have just learned.

Mere moments after I had posted yesterday on blessings and the importance of being thankful, the Lord tested my grateful heart and I am ashamed to say that my gratitude drained away quite fast.

You see, Microsoft Word on my laptop proceeded to quit working. Granted, I did not really need it last night, but my next three block classes start soon. While Microsoft Office is certainly a wonderful tool and probably falls in the category of luxury for most people, it is somewhat imperative for online students. We do nearly everything in Word: discussion posts and responses, lecture notes, papers, and so on.

So, yes, I panicked.

Then my conscience pricked me. It’s not the worst thing in the world by a long shot. You just finished counting your blessings. Is there anything you can be thankful for here?

Yes, I had to admit there was. First, I am on spring break. There are no assignments that need to be completed. Second, the semester does not start until Monday. That gives me four days to solve the problem. Third, God is still in control. He allowed the malfunction.

In my devotions yesterday morning, I read Chapter XII in Hannah Whitall Smith’s The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life. The title of the chapter?

“Is God in Everything?”

Mrs. Smith writes that Christians have a tendency to submit easier to trials and tribulations they know come from God, but difficulty in submitting to trials that come through other humans.

We know that God is obviously not the author of evil or confusion (I Corinthians 14:33), but He does allow these things to touch our lives.

The solution, Mrs. Smith states, “is to see God in everything, and to receive everything directly from His hands, with no intervention of second causes; and it is to just this that we must be brought, before we can know an abiding experience of entire abandonment and perfect trust. Our abandonment must be to God, not to man; and our trust must be in Him, not in any arm of flesh, or we shall fail at the first trial.”

Psalm 16 says, “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot” (vs. 5). The Lord maintains our lot – He makes it secure. He is the divine sieve through which everything that touches our lives must first pass. “To the children of God, everything comes directly from their Father’s hand, no matter who or what may have been the apparent agents.”

Mrs. Smith continues, “Second causes must all be under the control of our Father, and not one of them can touch us except with His knowledge and by His permission. It may be the sin of man that originates the action, and therefore the thing itself cannot be said to be the will of God; but by the time it reaches us it has become God’s will for us, and must be accepted as directly from His hands. No man or company of men, no power in earth or heaven, can touch that soul which is abiding in Christ, without first passing through His encircling presence, and receiving the seal of His permission.”

Is that not incredibly comforting? We can rest in utter peace, knowing all is under our Father’s control. Nothing that reaches me has not passed through His hands first.

Furthermore, this truth applies to all of life, right down to the tiniest little disappointments, frustrations, and trials that we face. “He, who counts the very hairs of our hands, and suffers not a sparrow to fall without Him, takes note of the minutest matters that can affect the lives of His children, and regulates them all according to His own perfect will, let their origin be what they may.”

The Apostle Paul commands us to “walk in love” (Ephesians 5:2) “forbearing one another” (Colossians 3:13), doing all things “without murmurings and disputings” (Philippians 2:14), and letting “the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15). If we adopt the perspective of knowing all comes to us through the sieve of His love, we will be better equipped to live out these commands.

“Nothing else but this seeing God in everything, will make us loving and patient with those who annoy and trouble us. They will be to us then only the instruments for accomplishing His tender and wise purposes toward us, and we shall even find ourselves at last inwardly thanking them for the blessings they bring. Nothing else will completely put an end to all murmuring or rebelling thoughts. Christians often feel at liberty to murmur against man, when they would not dare to murmur against God. Therefore this way of receiving things would make it impossible ever to murmur. If our Father permits a trial to come, it must be because the trial is the sweetest and best thing that could happen to us, and we must accept it with thanks from His dear hand.”

We must also remember, that when He allows things to flow through His sieve, He also gives us the grace and strength to confront them. His grace, ever-flowing and all-sufficient, is always there. With that perspective, we can truly “in everything give thanks” (I Thessalonians 5:18).

“Lord, may I today go quietly about the work You have set me to do, trusting your absolute control of my life, unafraid of what happens today or what may happen tomorrow. I worship You,  my Lord and my King. You are my strength.”

- Elisabeth Elliot

Daily Bread

"But my God shall supply all your need

according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

- Philippians 4:19

 

 

"We are used to praying 'Give us today our daily bread' (Matt. 6:11)

but we are not used to recognizing the answer and giving thanks for it.

Most of us say grace at the table, perhaps, but daily bread includes

all that we really need in this world. Do we believe God can and

does provide that? Or are we like the Israelites who,

when a 'mixed company of strangers' came along,

developed a whole new set of expectations?

They were 'greedy for better things' (Num. 11:4).

 

"Sometimes God wants to give us better things. Those who

really have trusted Him receive His gifts with thanksgiving.

The spirit of greed is not in them. Rather they ask for and accept

'daily' bread -- in abundance, if God sees that to be good for them,

or in sufficiency alone, according to His loving-kindness.

 

"Help me, Lord, to take today's portion of food, possessions,

joys, pain, and Your presence, believing that it is enough for me."

 

- Elisabeth Elliot, The Music of His Promises