The Good Fight

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9

She’d left the house in a huff—the typical Sunday morning routine lately. Kids in tow, arguing, “If Dad doesn’t have to go to church, why do we?” She pressed on, angry and feeling defeated. This was a battle she no longer felt like fighting; she was ready to give up. “Are You watching, God? Do You care about my family? I hate fighting with Rick.” He’d been wounded at church years ago and refused to allow it to happen again. “Why did You let that happen, Lord? Don’t You care that he was wounded?”
As she pulled into the parking lot, she glanced toward the digital marquee in front of the church. Doing a double take, she looked back. Today’s message read, “I know sometimes it doesn’t feel like it, but I am watching. God.” Staring at the marquee as the message scrolled by once more, she sensed God’s presence and peace. “Give me strength, Lord.” she whispered.

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We are never alone. Occasionally, when it seems He is nowhere near our galaxy, the God Who set the stars in the sky and calls them by name, kneels down and speaks ours.
Singlehandedly rearing children in the Lord was never God’s design. Many deal with spouses who would rather play nine holes, sleep in, or just relax and read the Sunday paper than attend church.
If you are one who is fighting this battle, remember that God is at work while you are being faithful for both of you. He wants you to know this is a battle for your children’s future and spiritual direction, as well as your spouse’s. When you choose to fight the good fight, you follow the exhortation in Galatians. Those who walk away from God must come back on their own. It’s called free will. But God says, “Do not become weary, for at the proper time you will reap the harvest.”

Prayer

“Lord, give me strength to continue this fight. Heal my heart and the wounds of those I love. Bring resolution to painful memories and restore us to complete spiritual health. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

A Matter of Perspective

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8–9

Through a clear and cloudless sky, the jet banked hard left, preparing for final approach. Looking out the window, I saw the hand of God and heard His voice. There, below me, was a single, fluffy, white cloud. Centered on the cloud was a perfect, vibrantly colored rainbow—not an arch as we see from the ground, but a perfect circle. And in the center of it all was the shadow of his plane cast by the noonday sun.
In that moment God whispered, “This is My promise. There is no place that exists outside my love; no valley is below this circle; no mountain rises above it. There is no east; there is no west; there is only my love. This is My promise.”
There wasn’t time to snap a picture before the plane leveled out, but that didn’t matter; I will never forget the image. A sense of peace replaced my harried and stress-filled mind.

†

Following the flood, God promised Noah to never again destroy the earth with water. His covenant was the first recorded rainbow. “I have set my bow in the cloud.” Never having witnessed one before, Noah must have been awestruck!
In the fourth chapter of Revelation, John describes how God remembers that promise: “A rainbow resembling an emerald, encircling the Throne of God,” not arching above it, but encircling the throne, all encompassing and never ending, just like God’s promises.
The image and the whisper through the window of that plane let me know that God was aware of my life and the problems I faced.
From God’s perspective, the things we deal with and witness each day are usually not what they appear to be; there is a purpose. God asks that we trust Him to work in our lives for that purpose.

Prayer

“Lord, I don’t look at things the way You do. Help me to see what You see as I look at the issues of my life. Help me to trust in Your promise. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Soiled Parts

This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
1 John 3:19, 20

The walls were soiled and stained; the wallpaper was curling at the edges and hanging loose in places. The furniture was run-down, sagging cushions and gouges in the wood. The curtains were torn but still not much light penetrated them, and the dust took on the appearance of silt. It was dirty and repulsive here. That was all right; the more silt covered, the better.
She came here so seldom she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been here. Pausing, she looked amidst the rubble. It was then she noticed Him standing there, just inside the door. She’d almost forgotten; she’d invited Him. He was waiting for her to acknowledge His presence, but what was there to say? It was all here for Him to see, those things in her life she was ashamed of and not sure how to deal with. Time seemed to drag on forever, but He never moved. She knew He was waiting for her to speak. “I can’t seem to get rid of these things,” she said. “I try and try.” He spoke softly, “Will you let me help?” She awakened with a start. What a dream! Jesus had just seen the darkest part of her heart and still loved her!

†

Omniscience doesn’t mean knowing some things; it means knowing everything. God’s desire is that we come into a relationship with Him where meaningful conversations about the issues of our heart bring healing.
His hope is that our hearts will bend in such a way that we give Him those silt-covered parts for cleansing. He wants us to know the truth: belonging to Him removes condemnation from the heart.

Prayer

“Lord, there are things that I wish You didn’t know about me, but You do. That You could still love me is hard to grasp, so sometimes I act like You don’t. Help me be open and honest with myself so we can talk about the soiled parts of my heart. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Brokenhearted Prisoners

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.
Isaiah 61:1

She spilled some of the precious liquid as muscle spasms caused a twitch. Cooking the smack was getting harder. It was just before 11:00 a.m., and her stash was gone. She’d care in about two hours, just not right now. Firing the load, she fell back on the couch, the rush driving every thought from her mind. That’s what she was after, numbness. She wanted the pain to go away.
For a sixteen-year-old, childhood seemed so long ago. Two hours later, she came to in restraints in the psych ward of a hospital where she underwent detox. She wasn’t sure when the young woman had begun visiting. She’d started out just sitting with her. By the end of the first week, she was helping her dress and eat. Then one day the young woman didn’t come. In her place was a book with a note clipped to it. The note read, “The rest is up to you. This saved my life; it can save yours too.” With tears running down her cheeks, she opened it at the bookmark. There was a verse highlighted with a name superimposed over two words; it read, “For God so loved Janet that he gave his one and only Son,” (John 3:16). Tears flowed unabated as she sobbed. She didn’t know what her next move was; she just knew she couldn’t live like a prisoner anymore.

†

Addiction takes many forms, stealing the soul of millions of God’s Creation, leaving them destitute and alone. Many die, still searching for that elusive “first high,” not understanding their motives, and never having known or experienced the love of Christ.
Those who have been rescued from addiction know it’s impossible to attain true victory on your own. In Christ alone can we find the strength to live. He will bind up the brokenhearted and set the captives free!

Prayer

“Saving Lord, we petition for the souls of those lost in addiction. Draw them near, tear down the veil the enemy keeps in place, and set the captives free. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Useful Hands

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his hands.
Ephesians 4:28

He had come to the hardware store to buy a new ball glove. As he walked by the fishing equipment, he was mesmerized by the brightly colored assortment of lures. There were shysters, rapallas, spoons, and jitterbugs. But one lure caught his eye more than the others. It was a chartreuse popper! For no reason he could understand, the boy looked around to see if anyone was watching, reached around the counter, and took the lure, pocketing it.
He left the store without even looking at ball gloves. He couldn’t seem to get away fast enough! On his way home, he pulled the box from his pocket and removed the lure. He couldn’t wait to try it out! Then, as unexplainable as his first urge, he knew he must return it and apologize for stealing.
The store owner listened to the boy’s story and proposed the boy work for him until he had paid restitution. It took the boy two weeks of hard work to pay his debt. He never forgot that lesson or the store owner.

†

The owner of the hardware had been a wise man, understanding that the deed could not go unpunished or the boy may repeat his offense. Contacting the boy’s parents and using work as a way of teaching the boy the value of putting his hands to good use, he was able to help the young boy with not only his guilt but also caused him to be able to appreciate what he could accomplish through honest labor.
Left unchecked, who knew what this young boy would do. The owner understood that little thieves are easier to rehabilitate and always worth the effort. He gave of himself for the future of the boy, understanding that, “But for the grace of God, there go I.”

Prayer

“Lord, only You know the evil that inhabits the hearts of men. Please lead me in such a way that I will not judge others, nor fall under judgment myself. Cause me to have useful hands. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

When Fear Becomes Trust

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes … and never fails to bear fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7, 8

He’d always been intimidated sharing his faith with big men. The gentleman sitting across from him was six feet and four inches tall, three hundred fifty pounds, barrel-chested, and he was intimidated. But today’s circumstances were going to change all that.
He felt God urging him to pray with this man. He’d just been told that the medical equipment the man needed to survive had been denied as he had no means to pay for the machine or the care involved. Stuffing his fear, he asked the man, “Would it be all right if we pray about this?”
The man answered, “Sure, I guess.”
He prayed a short but direct prayer that God would have His way, removing any obstacles between the man and the care he needed. Finished, they completed the interview, and the man left.
Fifteen minutes later, the phone rang. Picking up the receiver, he heard sobbing on the other end of the line. Through sobs, the big man explained that upon his return home, he had listened to his voice mail. The lone message had been the medical provider. The message said, “It’s against our policy, but we’re bringing the equipment you need, and we’ll worry about payment later.”

†

When we answer God’s call, He works in ways we cannot imagine. He moves the hearts of people that know and follow Him, and He works on the hearts of those who don’t.
When God gets us in the classroom, He intends that we learn these lessons for future reference. The man behind the desk learned that he could share his faith with anyone as long as God was in control. The big man had learned to trust God for his very existence. Stepping out in faith pays exponential dividends.

Prayer

“Almighty Father, teach me to trust You in every part of my life. Help me to step out in faith and give the fear of my life to You so I can be better used by You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

His Strong Right Hand

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life … with your right hand you save me.
Psalm 138:7

Steve and Rita traversed the snow-covered rocks to the floor of the gorge. Virtually unknown to the general public, Ice Rocks is hidden less than three miles off the main highway and just yards off the beaten path. Yet without knowledge of the rock formation, you would never suspect its presence.
A beautiful waterfall any time of the year, it is striking in mid- to late winter. A crescent-shaped gorge with a waterfall in its center, it boasts stalagmite and stalactite icicles as large as semi trailers. The gorge is sixty feet deep with a forty-foot mound of rock in the center. The falls becomes a frozen chute in winter, solid on three sides, water continuously pounding the creek bottom. Steve had Rita stand at the base of the falls to give the photo a sense of proportion. Hearing a loud crack, they moved quickly away from the immediate area. As they rounded the mountain of rock, putting distance between them and the ice, they heard a thunderous crash. Something had let go! Returning, they found a forty-foot piece of ice lying at the base of the falls, right where Rita had been standing. Had they not been warned by the crack, Rita might have been killed!

†

Steve and Rita had experienced God’s protection many times in their lives. They recognized His intervention on this day, moving them out of harm’s way with a warning crack. Although God is at work in all His children’s lives, we sometimes chalk His supernatural protection up to coincidence, good luck, or what some call fate. Regardless of what we read or see in movies, we are not two ships passing in the night. Nor are we feathers just floating about on the wind, guided by every breeze that comes along. Our Father has a strong right hand. With it, He preserves our lives. As His children, our choices will always be His concern. He protects us when we heed His warning. His desire is that we choose wisely, making some of the rescues unnecessary.

Prayer

“Thank You, Papa, for Your loving protection. Help us recognize Your right hand at work in our lives so we might give You praise. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”