Out of the Mud and Mire

     Trusting God’s timing isn’t easy. But faith in His ways will give us the peace we crave through the mountain-top experiences and in the deep valleys of life. If you are suffering, ask for His presence. When you are worried, ask for His peace. When you fear, ask for His protection. When you mourn, ask for His promise of comfort. God brings good from disaster.

     We can use the lessons learned through our dark times to help others out of theirs. God pulls us out of the deep.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. Psalm 40:2

     He has lifted me out of a slimy pit or two, You too? Sometimes He needs to get right in there with us and pull us out and sometimes, He just offers a hand up and we find ourselves on solid ground once again.

     Trust His timing, even when you can’t see the end of the story. His glory will shine from the depths of the pit. He is there beside us. Count on Him to pull you to safety.

Father,

How can we thank You for getting us on solid ground after a time in the pit? Life’s journey is filled with danger and disaster, but You bring back our delight and fulfill our deepest desires. We wait for Your perfect timing.

In Jesus name,

Amen

For Such a Time as This

     God’s timing is eternally precise, His purposes fulfilled.  I became involved with Jesus in my early 30’s. Our two daughters accepted him as Savior at a much younger age, one around age 4 and the other around 13. A close friend of mine met Jesus when she was 60 years old during a time of great suffering. There is a time for each of us and God understands when our hearts are ready.

     The Bible reminds us, too, of God’s timing in the lives of His followers. Moses needed preparation for 40 years in the desert before he led the Israelites to the promised land at 80 years of age. Abraham and Sarah became parents when they were close to 100 years old, continuing the lineage of the faithful. Daniel followed God closely while in captivity, even in the midst of a fallen culture, when he was just a teenager. He never wavered in his faith, even when facing death.

     Count on God’s timing in your own life. He may call you to do something special as a teenager, as a young adult, in middle age or he may perform something miraculous as you enter old age. Watch for His next move in your life. Is He calling you to something new and exciting?

And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this. Esther 4:14b

     Ester fulfilled her role in God’s plan and saved her people. You are here for such a time as this. God has a plan. Watch for it.

Father,

We have peace in Your hands. You know why we are here and what we are to do. Work for us and through us as we meet the needs around us. Prepare us for such a time as this.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Get up!

So the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! What are you doing down on your face?” Joshua 7:10

     The numbers were overwhelming. The enemies of Gideon’s tribe far outnumbered them many times over. When God found Gideon, he was hiding. It’s tempting to pull the covers over our heads and stay put when our circumstances overwhelm us. God chose Gideon and God chooses you!

     Gideon was from the weakest tribe and considered himself one of its weakest members. But God called him a mighty warrior. With God’s help, the few hundred men led by Gideon conquered their thousands of enemies. And God will conquer yours.

During the night, the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.” Judges 7:9

     Sometimes we just have to get up, move and put it in God’s hands. Let’s face the day today with new confidence. We are in God’s army! With Him as our leader we can conquer the demons surrounding us, we can overcome the obstacles ahead, we can make a difference. Now, get up mighty warrior!

Lord,

Thank You for leading us even when we are overwhelmed. You walk a step ahead of us. Remove our fear as you say to us, “Get up!” We are listening and we believe Your Word.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Thanks Be To God

     Give thanks today for food and family and friends and remember to praise the One who created us all.

Thank Him for the gift of salvation and our eternal security.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift. 2 Corinthians 9:15

Thank Him for His all-encompassing love for us.

This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

But God demonstrates His love for us in this: that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Give Him thanks for everything He has created.

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. 1 Timothy 4:4

Place Him in the middle of all the praise and thanks.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. Psalm 100:4

     I am thankful for each of you reading this blog. You remain in my prayers, as we are connected through the Holy Spirit of God.

I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers. Philemon 1:4

Lord,

You are worthy to be praised and thanked each day. Remind us of our blessings today.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Let Go

     We let go and allow change into our lives. We let go of burdens and allow God to watch over them for us. We let go of the past that binds us. With Christ’s help, we can learn to do all of the above. We learn from our mistakes. We gain strength through our grief. And we look ahead.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do. Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Philippians 3:13

     Our ultimate goal is heaven. As days get tougher, we may long for our heavenly home more and more. Paul reminds us. Keep straining ahead. Keep looking forward. Each day brings us closer to our eternal paradise. In the meantime, He has work for us to do.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Jesus,

Sometimes it is difficult to leave the past in the past. We focus our attention on You today and on our final home in heaven. You will help us to let go and let You lead us onward to the prize awaiting us in heaven.

Amen

Rest

     This is a time of uncertainty, upheaval and unrest. Luckily our protector is available for our 911 call. God never sleeps. He is available 24/7. In those wakeful moments. Give Him your worries. Pray for what you need. Give Him the reins of your life. He is awake and ready to hear.

He will not let your foot slip-He who watches over you will not slumber. Psalm 121;3

     After you have given it all to Him, you will rest.

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

Father,

Thank You for remaining awake and available to us. Only You can give us complete peace and rest from the concerns of our daily life. We believe Your Word today that promises us rest. We leave our burdens with You as You watch over us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Unchanging

     Has it been hard to let go? Life changes continually. Adjusting to change can come easily or with great cost. Letting go of a loved one or a relationship may give us the greatest challenges of our lives. Moving, switching jobs, letting your kids go as they grow into adulthood, retirement, and so much more gives us pause. What’s next? How do we go on? What will life be like now?

     Luckily for us, we have a God who never changes.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

     When we panic, He remains steadfast. When we doubt, He is faithful. When we worry, He is at peace. His grace and mercy are available to us right now. Let Him hold you up as you adjust. Let Him comfort you as you grieve. Let Him wrap His loving arms around you when you are scared. We can do all things with Him.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Jesus,

Thank You for being just what we need when we need it. Thank you for providing for us with perfect timing. Turn our minds and hearts to You through the upheavals in our lives. You remain, always now and forever more our Lord.

Amen