Our Goose was (Almost) Cooked

I love how God uses the most ordinary things to illustrate His truths to me in very profound ways.  He is an extreme multi-tasker, and very good at it, but most of His ways are too big to wrap my head around, so I just fall over in amazement attempting to stutter some words of gratitude. 

My current illustration begins with a stove.  A couple that knew my husband decided to renovate their kitchen, replacing all their appliances.  We were blessed with a gently used stove that resembled ours but had a ceramic top that I've been wanting (and waiting for) for years.  What a nice gift, we thought, that God gave us.  It stood in our garage for several days before we had the time to replace the old one.

As my husband began to pull the old stove from the wall, he was greatly disturbed by what he found.  The wire to the stove was fried!  We were amazed that it had not caught fire to our house, even more so that it was still working. I had even cooked dinner that night!  You could say we were a bit thankful for all those bedtime prayers of protection our 7yr old faithfully prayed every night.  We were as equally thankful for the new stove coming when it did.  What timing!  How could that be?  My mind went into a spin thinking about God knowing our needs and providing for them even before we know we have a need.

But the good stuff doesn't end there.  I've been reading through Romans 5 & 6 where we are given the bad news that "through one man's offense judgement came to all men, resulting in condemnation".  Because of Adam we are destined to a life of sin/death.  But in the same sentence we are given hope, "even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life" (5:18)  So God, before we were ever aware of our need for salvation, provided it through His Son and we had nothing to do with it;  like our stove, God saw the wires before we ever knew and provided an answer for it.

Concerning our stove, it was a fact that there was a deadly situation going on where we could not see, where our understanding was limited.  Not seeing or understanding it didn't make it any less true, and regardless of our lack therein God provided out of His love for us.  The answer to our problem was waiting for us.  All we needed to do was remove the "old" and let the "new" begin doing what it was made to do in the first place.  Likewise, our deadly condition is a fact and salvation waits for us to take hold of it. We are told "our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" (6:6), meaning IT IS FINISHED. 

We have total access to new life, new beginning.....a new nature.  We were created with a purpose, and when we recognize the danger that the "old creation" is in , we can reach out for that which was provided for us, and live as we were intended to live in the beginning.

I've Always Wanted Night Vision

There was a time God was asking me to walk in complete darkness.  I'm not talking about the kind of darkness that we associate to evil, but darkness that removes all ability to see with the eye, and requires us to become aware of things other than what we can (or can't) visually understand. That's where faith comes alive!

After homeschooling my children for 15 years, it was time to make a change, one that I wasn't that willing to make.  I had already fought it for 2 years. but because we were becoming more and more financially "in the hole", serious changes needed to take place.  I had to get a job.  And because I knew myself, I knew I wasn't able to work and homeschool successfully.  Another reason I fought it so long was that I found my identity in being a "homeschool mom"; that's WHO I was.  How could I give up?  That meant failure in my eyes and giving up my "swim against the stream" temperment.  I finally relented, and that's when I began my journey through total darkness.

Imagine, in your experience. when faced with a sudden blackout, what do you do?  Panic?  Reach for the nearest thing to get your bearings so you can understand where you are?  Perhaps you don't know where you are, you're standing in an unfamiliar room and you could endanger yourself by even walking forward.  That's how I felt.  All my senses went into panic mode as I realized I was in a new and scary place.  I had to get all my years of paperwork in order --and I'm terrible with paperwork, call the school, trust strangers to care about my kids' education --and worry that I did an acceptable job in their eyes, and then find a job --and we know how stressful that can be on its own.  All of this, and more, was overwhelming me to the point where I wanted to shut down and give up.  But I knew if I gave up today, tomorrow we could lose everything; and so my middle name "procrastination" had to be changed.

God gave me a vision of myself in panic mode, reaching out in the darkness, my hands flailing about for something to grasp, my eyes wide open straining for something to see.  Then I sensed His voice, "Be still", and I strangely felt comforted.  As I stood in peace, I knew the Lord was intending to get me through that dark room, but I had listen.  As He directed me step by step, revealing only one movement at a time, I was able to get beyond the obstacles that trapped me from moving forward.  In reality, each day came with a different focus; I would inquire of the Lord and He would direct my step.  One day was finishing the grades and recording them, another was making phone calls, one day I simply just focused on laundry, and then a whole day was devoted to job searching.  Where I failed to see that I didn't have to do everything in one day, God broke it down for me day by day, step by step, so I could get through my "darkness".

Sometimes God must get us into a place where we cannot see, so we will listen with more intention. Its our human nature when we see obstacles in front of us to move in our own understanding or get so overwhelmed that we give up.  He is good to us to only reveal portions of life at a time; we couldn't manage it all at once, we may even deny ourselves the opportunity for great fullfillment because our limited vision has decided something is too impossible.  I encourage you to let God lead you into total darkness, because He will light your path to see things you could never see with your eyes wide open.

What Are You Gonna Do..Just Stand There?

My 6yr old and I are reading through the Old Testament and we are now at my favorite section....times of the prophets and wars!  That may sound brutal coming from a gentile-woman but I find so much courage for my own life as I read it.  Each account and situation is different and the Lord, creative and powerful, acts on behalf of Israel and Judah to bring success no matter what the odds, but only as each leader inquires of Him.  In fact, in several accounts, He dwindled down the army of Israel to a ridiculous number and Israel came out of it victorious against their enemies.

Today we reached my favorite outcome.  Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was faced with a multitude of enemies coming against them.  The king was afraid, but immediately turned to the Lord, recognizing that God alone could change that which threatened their future.  The Lord sent word not to be afraid but to meet their enemies in the Valley.  In fact, He said they wouldn't even have to fight....just stand there. Wow!  I don't know anyone (including myself) that would go into battle without giving everything they had to survive. 

So the army gathered in expectation, assigning the singers to the front line, and when they arrived where they should meet their enemy they found no one alive to fight.  While the worshippers led the army, God had turned their enemies against each other, and victory was won before they ever showed up.  None of their lives had to be lost.  Judah then gathered up for three days the riches of the spoil that was left by their would-be attackers.  And if that weren't enough, all the surrounding countries heard what happened and left Judah at peace for fear of their God.  Now that's amazing Victory!

Does any of that speak to you like it does me?  When we are afraid to face the threat that comes against us (fill in the blank), God says don't be afraid because He has a plan for our success.  We are to meet with our fear not run from it, worshipping Him who works beyond our sight, and resting in the outcome...or should I say gather up the riches of His victory on your behalf!  I need to read this everyday; I forget so easily.

I recently had a conversation with a dear friend facing some serious issues that threaten her life, a precious life of sincerity and devotion.  Of one thing she is sure...the battle IS the Lord's.  As she rests in His promises and worships Him, even though she can't see what the Lord is up to she can trust that the victory and the riches are hers.

2 Chronicles 20.

Running with a Broken Leg

In the last few weeks my daughter's attention has been on some kittens that have come across our path.  They were sickly and vulnerable so we thought the best place for them was in our garage.  Upon caring for them we found that one of the three babies was either born with its leg bent and deformed, or was broken during the first few hrs of her life.  Truthfully, it was gruesome for me to look at, I wondered if it was hurting the poor thing or if the cat would soon die from being puny and disadvantaged.  We just waited and let nature take its course.

To our surprise after a week or so, we observed the lame kitten was the one moving more than her two siblings.  She was walking all over the place with her foot bent backwards and getting exactly to the places she wanted to go.  Her brother and sister, on the other hand, were not doing half as well, they were still fumbling and falling and giving up before they could get anywhere.  They had it easier so they didn't experience the fight to gain their momentum and cover their ground, instead just laid where they struggled.

Of course, as God often uses things like that to bring up spiritual truths, I immediately thought of the verse that says "..we glory in tribulation, knowing that it produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint..."  Rom 5: 3-5.  I saw what seemed to me to be an obstacle to get in the way of the kitten's growth and vitality and I have been proved that this "hindrance" was only something to make her work harder and coming out better than her siblings.

Where are you broken?  Often we think to ourselves, "If only I didn't have these issues always rising up in my life I would be able to grow and mature and become a better person, but these issues keep getting in the way."  Look at the issues a little differently.  Let them be a reason to try a little harder or lean on God a little more.  Just don't flop down where you struggle only to lay there.....unsatisfied.  You may just gain the momentum you need to pass up everyone else who always "has it easier".  And how much more satisfied will you be knowing you cleared your obstacle and became better for it.
 "Thanks be to God who ALWAYS leads us in triumph IN CHRIST, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." 2 Cor 2:14

Mountain Moved

I was begining to sink into depression.  That's not really a place I like to go, not where I feel comfortable like some, but since my spirit was out of shape that's where I was headed.  I sat in my little corner of life worried about the issues that surrounded me without the courage to move on because I knew these obstacles were bigger than me, more powerful than me, and I didn't have any more energy to fight.

Then, as I sometimes do when I feel overwhelmed, I visited one of my favorite mountaintop friends to retreat from the worries for a couple of days.  I often like to go to sit on that mountain and remind myself how big God is and how easy my problems are for Him. 

On this particular morning I woke up and looked out the window and I saw 3 hot air balloons, nothing unusual to see on a clear Saturday morning; I've seen hundreds of them at a time above me, and I stare in amazement at the heights they can reach while peacefully floating through the air.  But what was different on this day as these balloons were floating across the sky was that instead of looking up I was looking DOWN on them.  What an awesome change of direction.  And it hit me like a big gust of wind deep inside..."I'm changing your perspective." 

What the Lord was telling me was all the things in my life that are bigger than me, things I'm familiar with a certain way that keep me from living the life He purchased for me....well, they will all seem like absolute weaklings in comparison to HIM.  And when I hide myself in Him I can move through any obstacle.  And since then in His faithfulness He has proved it over and over.  I have stepped through walls of fear and dug my way out of a pit of worry.  With Him all things really are possible to him who believe.  So, to me the mountains moved...and that's what Jesus said would happen. (Matthew 17:20)

It's Supposed to be a Garden

I can't believe its been so long since my last blog, I sure have had plenty to say, just no motive to share I guess.  I looked around today at my yard and saw a parallel to the condition of my attitude, if you want to call it that.  Neglect. That about sums it all up.  I have been neglecting my yard for several reasons: its been hot, I've been tired, I've been gone much of the summer (or maybe it just sounds good), and there really aren't that many plants to take care of so I don't see the point in attending to any of them.  As a result weeds have grown in and taken over, some of the herbs I love have burned up due to lack of watering, and the pots of dirt that haven't been used for flowers have consequently been used by the cats and give off that horrible odor that keeps me from enjoying my patio.

Wow!  I have really thrown it all out there, you probably didn't really care to know all that (especially about the cats), but admittedly that's been the condition of my spritual life lately as well.  I have had the same attitude about myself as I have had about my yard: so much neglect, and no concern about what happens to it.  I have allowed weeds like passivity and compromise choke me out.  Rarely have I sat still long enough to allow God to water me with His word, so I've dried up.  There are so many excuses I could use: I don't have the time, I'm too tired, I'll do it later, what good is it really?

And now I look at my life and my attitude and see the weeds taking over, I've been burned by the things of this world, and I'm down right putrid.  I think I've finally come to the point of doing something about it.  I need to surrender and let the Gardener come in and clean up my mess, soak me in the Living water, and cut out the things that harm my growth. 

A garden provides beauty or nourishment for others to benefit from.  I want to believe I have much to offer those around me in this hurting and barren land.  I want to be "like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf shall not whither, and whatever he does shall prosper."  (Ps 1:3) 

How about it? 

I'll Take IT!

"God affectionately permits difficulties that He may develop unceasingly that which He is willing to do for us, and to this end we should not shrink, but if He gives us sorrow and hindrances and losses and afflictions, we should take them out of His hands as evidences of His love and care for us in developing more and more faith which He is seeking to strengthen in us." ~ George Mueller.

Let me tell you what I saw when I read this.  I had a picture of the hands of God, and in them was a gift neatly and beautifully wrapped, just for me.  I understood the gift was the faith I had been asking for, and He was ready to give it freely, just because I had asked.   But at a closer look I realized what covered the faith that was potentially mine was a trial, a hardship that I would endure.  I had a choice.  I could leave the trial alone, ignore it or try to fix it myself and miss out on recieving the gift God had for me or I could take it from His hands get through the wrapping and experience His unending faithfulness and goodness to me.  That's where I recieve the faith to get through the next trial that comes and therefore recieving more faith. 

Its not about trying to muster up enough faith to "pass the test", I believe its about finding His Word to be true and steady.  Do we believe it or not?  Its that simple.  So don't feel that hardship is necessarily a punishment for not having enough faith, the hardship can be where we find it, the very reason you need it.  He loves us enough to get us through if we let Him.