Do Not Be Afraid

What are you afraid of?  What thoughts fill you with stomach churning dread?

There are times and events in life we’d like to fast forward over...

• the devastating cancer diagnosis,
• the hard conversation at work, or with a spouse,
• the breakdown of a marriage,
• the loss of a loved one

The thought of any of these is enough to tie your stomach in a series of knots so tight you'd be awarded your Boy Scout Knot Merit Badge.

As I write this I’m faced with the unenviable task of a tough conversation at work.  It’s a black cloud on the horizon of tomorrow.

But throughout this week, I’ve been reading the book of Joshua and one overarching theme has come through.

I’ve lost count of the number of times the following words appear in some format…

BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS.  DO NOT BE AFRAID.  GOD WILL BE WITH YOU AND WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU.

The first instance of the words, “be strong and courageous” appears in Joshua 1:6, it repeats in verse 7, and again in verse 9 and verse 18.

The Israelites are faced with many challenges as they move into the Promised Land.  It would be easy to let fear over take them, and yet over, and over again Joshua reminds the nation…

“Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged…be strong and courageous…”

This is a good reminder for all of us.  God is with us and will see us through the dreaded black clouds of life.  Pray for His divine strength and courage today.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Where do you need to be strong and courageous in your life?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

Knowing God's Presence

“The cloud covered the Tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle…The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it.  This continued throughout all their journeys.”  Exodus 40:34-38 (NLT)

What would it be like to wake up in the morning, yawn, stretch, scratch, and look out the window to see physical proof of God’s presence hovering over your place of worship?

Or imagine screaming yourself awake from a nightmare and peering blindly into the thick darkness to see a reassuring fire glowing over the church – a constant reminder that God is with you.

Would it make your faith stronger?  Would you trust God more?  Would you worship more?  Would you treat people better?

Or would His presence become common place, instead of sacred…just one more cloud on the landscape?

So often we struggle to “see” God, and we look for reminders of His presence.  We carry symbols with us.  We wear jewelry in the shape of a cross.  We put fish stickers on our bumpers.  We carry small polished rocks engraved with words like “faith” and “hope” and “Jesus”.  We wear bracelets proclaiming , “I am second”.

We yearn for a constant sense of His presence and we do all these things to remind us of Christ’s death and resurrection.  These are signs and symbols of our faith, but none are the physical presence of God. 

Yes, the Israelites were fortunate enough to journey with visual proof of the physical presence of God, and it must have been amazing, awe inspiring, and frightening all at the same time.  But today we don’t need physical proof of God’s presence.

When Jesus gave His life for us, was crucified and rose from the dead, God’s presence came to dwell in us in the form of the Holy Spirit. 

Admittedly there are times when you don’t “feel” the presence of God, but if you’ve trusted Jesus with your life, then you can be certain He is there with you always.

“The eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him – but some of them doubted!  Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:  I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:16-20 (NLT)

Some of the disciples doubted Jesus’ presence even though He was standing right in front of them.  But He reassured them, promising to always be with them.  We can take reassurance of His presence from this promise, too.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

Do the times you think God isn’t there outweigh the times you “feel” His presence?  Are you like the doubting disciples, needing reassurance?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “Comments” below.

Eternal Hope

This post is dedicated to my dear friend, Judy.  In memory of her daughter.  Thank you for sharing your pain with me.

 

How do you find hope in your life in the midst of pain and suffering?  What a question!

This past weekend I was facilitating a women’s retreat for Southwood United Church.  The retreat centre is located on an escarpment in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains overlooking the Ghost River.  This was the scene of a major flood that swept across Southern Alberta in 2013.

 

Trees that previously stretched their limbs to the sunlit sky now lie on the ground, flattened by the rush of water that buried them one year ago.

On Saturday afternoon I went for a walk by the river with a dear friend who recently lost her daughter.  Her pain is fresh and raw, and my heart broke for her as we grieved together by the river.

 While we were there we noticed an interesting characteristic of the trees in the devastated landscape.  Each tree appeared to be lying on the ground.  On closer examination we realized that although they were flattened out, each tree had brilliant green spring growth on it. 

 Intrigued, we looked closer and saw that the trees, weren’t actually uprooted. Their trunks lay parallel to the ground, forced down by the weight of the flood waters, but their roots remained firmly planted in the ground.

 Despite adverse growing conditions, their roots extended deep into the soil and they continued to thrive and grow. 

 

My friend, in the midst of her pain, looked at this and commented on the similarity to a faith journey.

 Life’s events knock us down and leave us lying on the ground, but our faith roots us firmly in Jesus Christ so we are able to drink deeply from His well of life-giving, life-sustaining water and continue to grow through difficult times.

 

This beautiful woman is an inspiring example of what a strong faith looks like.  She grieves, and yet she finds and accepts the gifts that God continues to bring into her life.

I’m reminded of this scripture…

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.  Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.  But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.  When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”  Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)

 

So we suffer and we grieve, but Jesus is our solid foundation.

Yesterday I received this picture from my friend.  A reminder of our time together.  She titled the picture “Eternal Hope”.  Now I share that hope with you and pray for all who grieve.  May you find the hope of Jesus Christ in the midst of your pain. 

 

 

 

 

Where's God - Part 1

Where’s God when your marriage falls apart?

Where’s God in the cancer riddled body lying in the Palliative Care Unit? 

Where’s God in the crumpled metal frame lying by the side of the road while the wail of an ambulance fades into the distance?
Where’s God when life is tough?

You may have asked these, or similar questions.  Right now you might be shaking your fist and screaming at God, demanding an answer to a tough question.

We all face circumstances in life that don’t make sense.  And we wonder, “Where’s God?”

Sometimes we don’t get answers, but sometimes God leaves us clues.

Today and next week I want to share insights from the book of Jeremiah.  I hope by the end of these two posts we’ll have a little more clarity to the anguished question, “Where’s God?”

Jeremiah is a prophet, called by God to preach a message of repentance to the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.  Jeremiah’s message isn’t popular, but he remains faithful to God, persisting in warning the rebellious nations, Israel and Judah, of the dire consequences they’ll face if they don’t stop worshiping other Gods.

 

Like most of us, Israel and Judah are stubborn.  They fail to heed Jeremiah’s warning.  Jerusalem is overthrown.  Eventually the people of both nations are taken into exile.  Things look pretty bleak to the prisoners of war, as their victors herd them towards a life of exile in Babylon.

But God sends this message to Jeremiah…

“After King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon exiled Jehoiachin son of Johoiakim, king of Judah to Babylon along with the officials of Judah and all the craftsmen and artisans, the Lord gave me this vision.  I saw two baskets of figs placed in front of the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem.  One basket was filled with fresh, ripe figs, while the other was filled with bad figs that were too rotten to eat. 

Then the Lord said to me, ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’

I replied, ‘Figs, some very good and some very bad, too rotten to eat.’

Then the Lord gave me this message: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:  The good figs represent the exiles I sent from Judah to the land of the Babylonians.  I will watch over and care for them, and I will bring them back here again.  I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord.  They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.’

‘But the bad figs,’ the Lord said, ‘represent King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, all the people left in Jerusalem, and those who live in Egypt.  I will treat them like bad figs, too rotten to eat.  I will make them an object of horror and a symbol of evil to every nation on earth.  They will be disgraced and mocked, taunted and cursed, wherever I scatter them.  And I will send war, famine, and disease until they have vanished from the land of Israel, which I gave to them and their ancestors.’  “Jeremiah 24:1-10 (NLT)

Jeremiah receives the “inside scoop” from God about the exiles.  Here’s what I believe God is telling Jeremiah…

There are good people living in Judah.  People who have potential to become a great and godly nation once more.  But they’re mixed up with evil and corrupt people.

By sending them into exile God separates these good people from the evil, corrupt ones.  He saves His people from the war and famine that He knows will devastate the land. 

By sending them into exile God preserves their lives. 

Here’s the problem for the exiles…

In the midst of the chaos; homes lost and lives changed overnight, the exiles can’t see or understand God’s greater purpose.  Like us in the midst of turmoil, I imagine they wonder…”Where’s God?  Why has He deserted us?”

Even though they don’t know it and can’t see or understand it at the time, God is still with the exiles.  He continues to protect and watch over them.

Quite often our troubles overwhelm us.  We give in to fear. 

The thing is when we’re in the midst of our troubles, paralyzed by fear and uncertainty, we don’t know the whole picture.  We don’t know what God’s doing behind the scenes.  We don’t have Jeremiah’s “inside scoop”.  

This segment of Jeremiah brings hope for the exiles and it brings hope for us, too.  Even when we don’t see it, God is at work and has a plan for us.

There’s more good news for both the exiles and us a few chapters later in Jeremiah.  Next week we’ll look at some other promises God makes about taking care of his people. 

To read ahead, take a look at Jeremiah chapter 29.  That’s where we’ll be next week.

Thirty Second God Hits

Are you facing a stressful day?  We all have times when life is overwhelming and we don’t have the energy to make it through the day. 

Recently I injured my foot in a car accident when I tried to put the brake pedal through the floor boards in a futile attempt to avoid hitting a vehicle making a left hand turn in front of me.

My physiotherapist banned me from my running routine until my foot could heal.  After four weeks of inactivity I finally got the green light to start running again.

Following instructions to start off slowly I set the treadmill for 15 minutes.  It was great to be running!  I was excited.  I was energized.  I was pumped…for the first five minutes!

That’s when the lack of physical activity from the last four weeks kicked in.  I was gasping worse than an asthmatic in a forest fire!  There was no way I was going to make the fifteen minute mark!

The internal self-talk started.  Actually it was more of a “self-argument”.

“You can’t do it, there’s no way you’re going to make it.  There’s ten minutes left and you can’t breathe! 

“That’s ridiculous.  Of course I can make it.  I’ve done this before, heck I was running twice this distance before the accident.”

“Must slow down.  Not going to make it.”

“Have to make it.  I’ll never get back in shape if I don’t push myself.”

And then it happened.  The “Blog Thought”!  “If I can just make it to 15 minutes this would be a great example for a blog post.  If I don’t make it I’ve got nothing to write about.  (That’s right.  In the twisted minds of writers no life experience is exempt from becoming “blog fodder”.)

So I knew I had to continue, but how?  By breaking it down into minuscule goals. 

I couldn’t run for another ten minutes, but I could run for 30 seconds.  The timer ticked away…27, 28, 29, 30.  OK just run for another 30 seconds…29, 30…did it!  OK another 30!

Thirty seconds isn’t a lot but it was an achievable goal and I experienced baby step wins on the way to reaching my 15 minute goal.

Do you see the parallel between 30 second running goals and taking baby steps in the times when you can’t see what’s ahead in life? 

 

The times when you’re scared about the future

• When you face a broken marriage or the loss of a parent
• When you lose a job and don’t know how to start the hunt for a new one 
• When you’re so sick from the chemotherapy treatments you can’t raise your head off the pillow
• When you’re trying to help your child beat an addiction

Sometimes all you can do is cry out to God and ask for strength for the next 30 seconds, and the next, and the next.  God is faithful to give it to you.   

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

I did run my fifteen minutes that day and you can conquer 30 second segments in your life, too.  Remember 30 seconds adds up to 24 hours, then 48, then 72, then a week, a month, and a year. 

With each 30 seconds God imparts a little more of His gifts of grace and love.

Do you need a 30 second fix from God right now?  Cry out to Him in prayer.  He’s there for you always and He’ll respond with His incredible power and grace.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT…

What’s the greatest challenge you’re facing in your life right now?  Where can you use a 30 second gift from God?  Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

Fiery Guidance Part 2

Last week I posted part 1 of “Fiery Guidance”.  I commented on how encouraging it would be to constantly see visual proof of God’s presence.

One reader, Nicole, left a thought provoking comment…

“I don’t know if I would trust a visual presence – isn’t that strange?  It is so outside my experience of God that I would think I was losing my mind.”

It’s a great observation.  And the Israelites are proof that visual presence of God doesn’t guarantee faithful followers.

The Israelites DID have proof.  Day in, day out, right in front of their noses.  The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

And they still messed up!

They worshiped other Gods (Exodus 32), they rebelled against their leaders (Numbers 16), and they accused God of trying to kill them after He saved them (Exodus 14, Exodus 16, Exodus 17, Numbers 14).  Keep reading through the books of Exodus and Numbers and you’ll see all the times the Israelites didn’t get it right.  And God was right there in front them!

Why is that?

Maybe they were so accustomed to seeing the cloud and fire that God became an “every day” god.  He was just part of their daily routine…

Get up in the morning, look at the cloud.  It’s not moving today, guess we’re staying in camp.  Get up at night, see the fire.  That’s convenient.  Something to light the way so you don’t trip on the path to the outhouse in the middle of the night.

God became convenient, normal, common.

And guess what?  We’re no different than the Israelites.  Even if we each had our own private fiery pillar floating along in front of us we’d still mess up.  We’d still doubt God, just the same as we doubt the GPS when it tells us to make a turn we don’t agree with.

“Oh look, the fire’s turning left up here.  That can’t be right.  God wouldn’t take me into a nasty neighbourhood where I’ll have to talk to homeless people.  I’ll keep going straight for a few more blocks.”

All the while the fiery pillar blazes in front of you calling out, “Make a U turn, make a U turn, make a U turn.  I want you to go and help that person.  You’ll be blessed because of it.”

But we think we know better.  We continue on our straight path and miss the blessing God intended for us.

This raises two questions:
 

1.  How do we go through our daily struggles but continue to trust that God is with us?
2.  How do we prevent God from becoming ordinary to the point that we ignore Him?

The answer to both these question can be found in two places: 

• Our daily time in the Bible
• Our daily time in prayer.

As we read through the Bible we find reassurance of God’s presence. 

• He never deserts us. 
• He carries us in times of trouble.
• He loves us. 
• He can take the most horrible situation and make something good and godly out of it.

When we spend time in prayer we enter into relationship with God.  You can’t hear someone speak if you never slow down long enough to listen.  God is no different.

When we stop talking to God and start listening we hear Him whispering to us.  Our hearts soften and we become more aware of what He wants for this world.

If you’re going through a hard time right now please be assured that God is with you.  In the midst of your pain you may not feel or see God, but He is there.  He knows your struggle and loves you deeply in the midst of it.

Do you make time to stop and listen for God’s voice?  Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

Fiery Guidance - Part 1

Wouldn’t it be great to have visual confirmation of God’s presence?

Think of the Israelites.  From the day they set foot in the wilderness after leaving Egypt they had visible evidence, 24 hours per day, that God was with them.

“The Lord went ahead of them.  He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and He provided light at night with a pillar of fire.  This allowed them to travel by day or by night.  And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.”  Exodus 13:21-22 (NLT)

How reassuring is that?!? Real proof of God’s presence.

I’m especially partial to the pillar of fire.  I grew up on a farm in rural Manitoba.  The closest city was about 100 km away.

When you live in the middle of nowhere outside the “urban glow” you understand what “dark” really is.  Your eyes strain to see, but a black void consumes your attempts.  You’re essentially blind. 

As a kid this was a huge problem for me.  I was afraid of the dark. 

Picture taken from
www.jimwegryn.com/Photos/Photos2.htm
"Old Barn"

One of my chores was feeding the cats.  I know this doesn’t sound terrible, but the cats were housed in our old, ramshackle barn which lay on the opposite side of the farmstead from the house.

The walk to the barn was scary, but at least I had the furry comfort of cats milling around my feet.  The walk back was spine-chilling!  I was convinced hundreds of nasty monsters lurked in the dark recesses of the barn. 

I’d drop the food dish on the floor, turn, shut the door behind me, and sprint to the house, convinced that all the powers of hell were in hot pursuit!

I really could have used a fiery pillar lighting my way! In fact, I could still use one today.  It would be comforting never to have doubts about God’s presence. 

What about you?  Could you use some reassurance of God’s presence in your life?  Consider the following promises from scripture…

• “…And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”    Matthew 28:20

• “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.”  John 14:16

• “The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call in Him in truth.  He grants the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them.”  Psalm 145:18-19

• “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have.  For God has said, “I will never fail you.  I will never abandon you.”  So we can say with confidence, “the Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear.  What can mere people do to me?”  Hebrews 13:5-6

• “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

Still not convinced God is with you?  The Bible is full of promises of God’s presence.  Take time to dig deep into the truth of it and savour the promises you’ll find there.

Do you ever need reassurance of God’s presence?  Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

Psalm 118:24 - Difficult Rejoicing

MEMORY VERSE:

“This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24 (NLT)

In psalm 118 the psalmist rejoices over the things God has done for him.  Sometimes rejoicing comes naturally.  Other times it’s as foreign as eating chocolate covered cockroaches.  We can’t summon up the enthusiasm or energy to even attempt to rejoice.

Some days are difficult from the time you open your eyes in the morning to the time you close them at night.  There are many reasons for difficult days.

Maybe you’re grieving the loss of a family member or friend.  Maybe you’re feeling the effects of the chemotherapy or radiation treatments.  Maybe you’re desperate to help a depressed teenager.  Maybe you’ve lost your job and feel you’ve let down your family. 

I think of this verse, “this is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it” when I sing Matt Redmond’s worship song, “Ten Thousand Reasons”.  Think about these words…

“The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes…”

What incredible lyrics!  On the grey days when I don’t feel like rejoicing there’s a prayer I need to proclaim.  Whatever happens during the day, I pray that at the end of it, I’ll still be able to say without a doubt, “God is good”.   I pray that I’ll be thankful for His presence and provision throughout the day.

Things To Think About:

Are you having trouble rejoicing?  Listen to Matt Redmond’s song, “Ten Thousand Reasons” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E .  Pray to God and remind yourself of His provision and blessing.  Can you find a reason to rejoice in the midst of difficulty?  Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

“This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24 (NLT)

Isaiah 26:3-4 - Carrion Crows - Worry, Anxiety, Panic

MEMORY VERSE:

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you.  Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”  Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)

I’ve written about the importance of spending time in God’s presence in previous posts.  (Check out Mysterious Peace for some words from the apostle, Paul) Apparently I don’t listen to my own advice because I needed a refresher course in peaceful living last week.

I’ve been on an extended work trip in the province of Manitoba.  I had nine days of early morning starts, long driving times interspersed with customer meetings, and evenings spent responding to a flurry of accumulated email.

When I’m not travelling I get up early to work out and spend quiet time with God.  When I’m on a road trip I want to make efficient use of my time, seeing as many customers as I can.  My scheduled quiet time is sacrificed in favour of getting on the road by 6:30 or 7:00 a.m.

Here’s the problem.  I can maintain this pace for a while, but if you keep burning the candle at both ends, eventually the ends meet in the middle, and your fingers get scorched. 

I’ve struggled with anxiety and panic attacks in the past.  Periodically, like a carrion crow swooping down on road kill, panic comes back to feed when I’m in a weakened state. 

I was reminded of this last week as I sat in a hotel room struggling to ward off anxiety and an impending panic attack.  Not exactly my idea of a pleasant evening!

On the plane home for a four day hiatus (before returning to continue the trip for another ten days) I was reading Max Lucado’s book, “Great Day Every Day”.  The following statement flashed on the page like a bright neon sign, “No one can pray and worry at the same time.  When we worry, we aren’t praying.  When we pray we aren’t worrying.” (Page 49)

It’s a thought provoking statement that served as a much needed reminder.  Sometimes I wonder why I schedule myself as I do.  It goes back to one of those “it seemed like a good idea at the time” thoughts.

Reading Isaiah 26:3-4 and Max Lucado’s statement gave me the “kick in the backside” reminder that often our priorities get twisted. 

We need to take time every day to re-focus our thoughts on God.  When we do, the carrion crows of worry, anxiety, and panic find us equipped to handle daily challenges.  Their attempts to peck at our minds are repelled because we’re focused on God’s peace.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

Is your mind fixed on God?  Do you trust Him as your everlasting rock?  Do you need to re-focus your mind on Him to find His peace today?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you.  Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”  Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)

Lamentations 3:21-23 - Bad Days

MEMORY VERSE:

But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

His mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is Your faithfulness. (ESV)  Lamentations 3:21-23

Remember the song “Bad Day” by Daniel Powter?  It was played one season on American Idol when a contestant was eliminated.

“...‘Cause you had a bad day, you’re taking one down

You sing a sad song just to turn it around...”

What about the lyrics from the theme song to the sitcom “Friends”?

“...well it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year...”

Do you feel that way? 

We all have bad days.  The cause might be work, family, health, money, or relationships.  And sometimes those days do go on for weeks, months, or even years.

During these times it’s tempting to shut out the world, curl up in your fuzzy robe and slippers, and throw yourself a pity party.  I wonder if the author of Lamentations started out writing in fuzzy robe and slippers. 

He may have started out attired in the comfort of fuzziness, but soon realized he couldn’t stay this way.  In the midst of his lament he understands he’s not alone.  The people of Israel aren’t abandoned.  God is still there, faithful in love, mercy, and grace. 

If you’re having a bad day that won’t go away, remember we have cause to hope.  Even in the midst of our worst sorrows and trials God never stops loving us and He never abandons us.  God is with us every morning, even on our bad days, bringing us mercy and grace. 

What does that look like? 

It could be a visit from a friend, a “thinking of you” card in the mail, a phone call from a family member, the strength to get out of bed, relief from pain, patience with a child, another day of work, a surprise cheque in the mail...the list is endless.

God’s mercies aren’t limited.  He knows what you need, when you need it.  That is cause to hope.   Praise be to God!

Things To Think About...

What sends you scurrying for your fuzzy robe and slippers?  What mercies does God bring to you during those times?  Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;  His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness (ESV)

Lamentations 3:21-23

Isaiah 53:5 - No Ordinary Super Hero

MEMORY VERSE: 

“But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.”  Isaiah 53:5

Isaiah 53, verses 5 and 6 are wonderful reminders of the power Jesus Christ has in our lives.  Through His suffering we find forgiveness and healing.

I think it’s important to remember the message from both verses of this chapter so I’m breaking them down into two weeks.  This week we’ll learn verse five and next week verse six.

Life has a way of breaking us down.  We start out filled with good intentions.  We plan to do the right thing and lead a good life, but eventually we run full speed into a construction zone.  Here we’re forced to navigate life’s unfinished roads; complete with pot holes left behind from rain the storms dumped along the way.

The results aren’t pretty.  We may find ourselves compromising our values, making questionable choices, and leading secret lives we never intended. 

The crashes in life test our faith, cause us to doubt God’s goodness and prevailing power, and sometimes even lead us away from Him. 

We find ourselves spiraling out of control, screaming in terror for someone to stop the ride of life so we can get off before we get sick!

I know we’ve all been there…the onset of depression, the loss of a child to addiction, the cancer diagnosis, the affair that slithered into your life, an abusive relationship.  The circumstances may vary but we’ve all been there.

We’re left with feelings of remorse, guilt, anger, and shattered self-esteem.  Complex emotions rage within and we’re at a loss to know where to turn or how to cope.  We long for the super hero in our favourite movie to swoop down and save us.

Enter Jesus…stage right.  He’s quiet and unassuming.  He doesn’t wear Lycra tights.  He doesn’t change in a phone booth or wear a cape.  He doesn’t morph into a raging, green hulk.  He doesn’t lead a double life, crawl up buildings, or have a tingly “spidey” sense. 

At first glance He’s pretty boring in the world of super heroes.  But take a second look.  Jesus defends the weak; He helps the marginalized; He accepts the unaccepted.  He loves with a love so deep it’s beyond our comprehension.

He dies on the cross for us; for our screw ups, our failures, and our guilt.  He loves us and sacrifices Himself for us.  What other super hero does that?  That’s the super hero I want in my life.  What about you? 

Please share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.”  Isaiah 53:5

Isaiah 41:10 - God's Strength Anywhere You Need It

MEMORY VERSE:

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

I’ve seen the truth of this scripture verse repeatedly in my life, most recently last week.  I had an appointment with a new dentist to get a cavity filled.

I know this isn’t a big deal to a lot of people so let me put it in perspective for you.  My husband refers to the dentist as “the spawn of Satan”.  It’s nothing personal against the dentist, just a sentiment towards dental work in general.  I tend to agree with him on this point.

I don’t fear needles and I have a relatively high pain threshold; neither of these things are issues for me.  It’s the sensation of being frozen, the dental dam, and the total lack of control that gets me.  (We'll deal with "control" issues in another post.) 

I’m lying in the chair, dental dam in my mouth, gagging on bits of saliva trickling down the back of my throat, and I know I’m trapped like a rat!  There’s no escape, you can’t just rip off the rubber dam and run screaming from the office.  You might just as well be strapped down on the chair with instruments of torture surrounding you.

Then there’s the freezing.  I have a phobia of having my throat frozen.  It feels as though you can’t swallow and I have fears of gagging, choking, and who knows what else. 

In my world I’d be much happier if they could just do the work without the freezing.  At least I think I would be.  So far I haven’t found a dentist who’s willing to try, although I did manage to talk this one down to only using one dose of lidocaine instead of the standard two.

Just talking about it is enough to throw me into a minor anxiety attack, so you can imagine my state of mind when I walked into the office last Tuesday for my appointment.

They start with the topical anesthetic so you won’t feel the needle going in.  This freaks me out because as you salivate some of it runs down into your throat, temporarily numbing it.  I negotiated a reduction on the amount of this too and proceeded to suction every last drop of saliva out of my mouth so it was dry as sand paper; leaving no chance of anything running into my throat.

By this time I was doing deep breathing exercises in an attempt to stay calm.  My legs twitched with a last ditch effort to make for the door but I managed to restrain the impulse.  (I’m a 44-year-old, rational woman (most of the time).  I can’t just flee from the dentist office in desperation and never come back...can I?)  And then came the freezing.

The injection is a slow process.  They generally do a few pokes to make sure the entire area is frozen.  Here’s an interesting little nugget I read on the internet this evening while writing this...epinephrine is added to dental anesthetic to make it more effective and longer lasting.  Guess what a side effect of epinephrine is?  Panic attacks!  Like I needed any additional help in that area!

The freezing went in and it was time for the dental dam.  I asked for a few minutes by myself.  I closed my eyes, breathed deeply, and prayed.  I prayed fervently.  I prayed for strength, I prayed to not be such a whuz, I prayed for courage, I prayed for God’s peace to be with me in that room.  I breathed in the Holy Spirit and clung to His presence with every unfrozen nerve ending in my body.

I lay trapped in the chair, eyes closed, praying for people  I knew who were sick, praying for the mission team in Africa, praying for the world in general, praying that I’d get through the half hour that was left, praying, praying, praying, and more praying!

The panic did eventually subside a little.  I continued to do deep breathing and focus on God and prayer and I managed to get through the appointment.  The filling is done, I didn’t run screaming from the office trailing bits of desiccated dental dam, and I think they might actually let me come back for my annual cleaning next year.

God was there giving me strength and courage when I had none to offer myself, just like He has been in many other events in my life.  Trust Him to do the same for you.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

Has God helped you through struggles?  Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.