Promise for Today - Guest Author

I copied this article from a woman named Amy (her link is included at the end) and posted it here because it spoke to my heart. I hope it is as timely for my readers.

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At 5am, Husband kissed me on the forehead and told me he loved me. Then he headed out to the airport for a work trip. I rolled over and tried to fall back asleep, but instead my mind kicked into full gear. What if he didn’t make it home? What would I do with the house? Should we downsize or stay put? And what should I do with the life insurance? Who could I trust to help me make those decisions? Who would step in and be a father figure for my kids? How much therapy would they need to process their grief? Ya know, all normal things.

After approximately 23 minutes of this madness, I realized I was not headed back to sleep so I grabbed my bible and journal and went downstairs for some quiet time. As soon as I began to write, I felt the Lord say “Those decisions feel overwhelming b/c I am not there. If you were to actually find yourself there, I would be there too and I would guide you in those decisions. Amy, you can’t dress rehearse tragedy.”

Dude. That’s heavy. It stopped me in my tracks and I realized that’s what I do. All the time. I enter a situation and then jump to the worst possible outcome and try to sort through all the possible ways this could go down. How would I deal? What would the damage be? What would the future look like from this point forward? I look for all the ways that I can make this situation turn out for my good.

Oh wait. That’s not my job. That is what the Lord was trying to speak to my heart at 5:30 on a Wednesday morning. I am completely inadequate in my self-sufficiency. I have neither the ways nor the means to fabricate the best possible outcome for any situation in my life. Why do I keep trying to do life on my own? Why is it that my first response to any situation involves my best reaction to it? Deep sigh.

As I sit in my quiet, still house, I realize how much time and emotional energy has been spent dress rehearsing tragedy. So much. It makes me angry and sad all at once because I realize it is a distraction from the enemy that works every stinkin’ time. Why? Because no matter what my head knows, my heart still struggles to believe that He is for me. That He is perfect in all of His ways, even when those ways hurt my heart. I wrestle with the truth that He is a good, good father. I still fight the tension of hearing His voice and believing His words. I’m still human.

God is God and I am not. My delusion of self-sufficiency is broken all over again and I land on this truth. And then a wave of relief follows. I don’t have to know it all or figure it out. Good! Because my way is exhausting. And what’s even dumber is that it’s not like He’s hiding. This is not a cosmic game of hide and go seek, where I have to figure out where He is before I can get the answers I need or the peace I am seeking. He is not the wizard, hiding behind a giant green curtain in a faraway land called Oz. Jeremiah 29:12-13 is perfectly clear.

“Seek Me and you will find Me when you seek Me with all of your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back from captivity.”

That’s a sweet promise. He is just a whisper away. So why do I avoid the whisper and insist on yelling at the mountains in front of me to move? I have never had a mountain move at the sound of my voice. But He has. I have never healed the sick or fed 5,000. But He has. I have never brought dead things back to life. But He has. His track record is pretty good. Even on the dark days when things don’t turn out like I hoped and prayed they would, and my heart burns with the pain of loss, He is there with a peace that really does pass understanding.

Dress rehearsals might be helpful in the theater, but they are pretty pointless in matters of real life. Jesus doesn’t come to our dress rehearsal. But come show time, He always shows up, and the whole script changes.

http://www.liverightlovewell.com/live-right-love-well/2017/8/28/tragic

What If We Didn't?

 Then Moses told the Lord, “Please, Lord, I’m not eloquent. I never was in the past nor am I now since you spoke to your servant. In fact, I talk too slowly and I have a speech impediment.”

   Then God asked him, “Who gives a person a mouth? Who makes him unable to speak, or deaf, or able to see, or blind, or lame? Is it not I, the Lord? Now, go! I myself will help you with your speech, and I’ll teach you what you are to say.”

   Moses said, “Please, Lord, send somebody else.”           

Exodus 4:10-13 ISV International Standard Version

How many of us can relate to Moses' request? How many times have we NOT done something because we didn't feel qualified? 

How many times have we told God 'no' when in Truth we know our immediate response should be 'Yes, Lord" because we have declared in prayer, "Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven"? Why do we waste the very breath God gave us to refuse Him? How do we take for granted the God-given ability to walk and talk and then use both to walk away from Him while offering Him excuse after excuse?

What if, for one day, we didn't ask God for anything, we just praised Him? What if, for one day, we didn't tell Him 'no'; we only said, 'Yes, Lord'? Just for one day...

Prayer:

Father,

          Change our hearts, O God! Please do NOT send anyone else in our place! Let us fulfill Your purpose for our lives that You have planned for us to do from the very beginning. Put a guard over our mouths so that only 'yes' and 'amen' come out. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Make it Better

Don't spend all of your time thinking about eating or drinking or worrying about life. If you do, the final day will suddenly catch you like a trap. This day will surprise everyone on earth. Watch out and keep praying that you can escape all that is going to happen and that the Son of Man will be pleased with you.
Luke 21:34-36 CEB

How easy it is to get caught up in the day-to-day distractions. I cannot tell you how many conversations in the last few weeks I've had with Christians who are worried about the what-ifs of life. Things that could happen if or might happen if, but have no certainty of happening, and yet we spend precious time and energy trying to conquer any and all potential contingencies. To put it plainly, we worry.

It's surprising to discover how many people believe it is their "job" to worry. That's one of satan's great deceptions - as though worrying about something will make it better. No, it won't. When we choose to worry about things, it means we don't trust God. Praying and believing about it will make it better. Giving it to God and seeking His wisdom will make it better. Trusting the Lord to be ALL that He has promised is faith. Trust and faith will make it better.

The less time we spend caught up in the day-to-day distractions, the more time we have to spend with God. The more time we have to watch and pray. The more time we have to prepare ourselves and those within our realm of influence for the Day of His return. THAT'S when and where we want to be caught up - with HIM.

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray from the Psalms, Satisfy us each morning with Your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let our children see Your glory. This we declare about You, Lord: You alone are our refuge, our place of safety; You are our God, and we trust You. 

           We stand on Your promise that You will rescue those who love You. You will protect those who trust in Your Name. You will answer us and be with us when we're in trouble. You have promised to rescue and honor us.  And also to reward us with a long life and give us Your salvation. We trust You, Lord.  We lay down every worry and what-if of doubt. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen