Satisfied

Oh the sweetness of a mother with her baby – thirty plus years later and I can still vividly remember the quiet love that washed over me like a tidal wave when they placed my son in my arms. But he had only one thing in mind – his craving for nourishment. He wanted to eat! Every mom knows that infants will sound the alarm when the first pangs of hunger hit. Mom fills the baby’s empty tummy, and for a season that is all the child knows of her. She is the one who meets his needs. But children grow and the relationship grows with it. The baby soon discovers that Mom is more than a place to eat.
David wrote, “I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Ps 131:2). This is a picture of the child who is past the craving stage; he no longer sees his mother as just a source of food. She is a person to enjoy, a person who loves him. Now he can be content just being in her presence without making demands of her. He still calls for her when he has a need, and he will frequently glance back at her to make sure she is still there and is satisfied to see her nearby.
Are you content simply being in the Father’s presence? Or do you still regard Him as a means to fill your wants and needs? Those who are most satisfied in their relationship with God are the ones who have learned to enjoy Him for who He is. Yes, they trust Him to meet their needs as they come. But He is so much more than a solution to their problems. More and more the Lord is teaching me to love Him for who He is, not just for what He can do for me.
Can you sit with Him in the quiet and just enjoy the privilege? God is able and willing to meet your needs – and your greatest need is Him. Beloved, won’t you come a sit a while with your Father?

Mountains and Valleys

A verse in Deuteronomy struck me yesterday. It is tucked in the commands Moses gave the Israelites just before they finally entered the Promised Land. He was telling them how good the land was, “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Deut 11:9). Verse 11 provided a powerful visual for me: “The land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven.” I realized that mountains and valleys almost always develop together.
Mountains are glorious – tall, majestic peaks that seem to reach up to the heavens. They take our breath away with their beauty and grandeur. Men climb mountains and gaze in wonder at the world below them. Mountains inspire words of prose and songs of awe. My family visited North Carolina several years ago and when we hit the Smokey Mountains I was stunned by their beauty. I’ve seen part of the Rocky Mountains and they are beyond words.
I am sure you get where I’m going. Life is full of both mountains and valleys. And rain. We all want the mountain top experience, but nobody wants to go down into the valley. We want to scale the heights with the Lord. We want to gaze in awe and wonder from that high place. But the valley is where the rain soaks in and nurtures the ground so that there is growth and fruitfulness. Some of the most stunning flowers grow in the shade of the valley.
I have been through many valleys. The truth is, I am in one right now. But if my experience has taught me anything it is that the green pastures and the quiet waters are down in the valley (Psalm 23:1-2). The valley is where we learn to walk with God and trust Him day-by-day. It is where we can most clearly see God’s goodness and mercy (Psalm 23:6).
Here is something else that spoke to my heart. Moses said, “It [the Promised Land] is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it . . .” (Deut 11:12). David said, “Even though I walk through the valley . . . You are with me” (Psalm 23:4). God watches over His children in the valley – He walks with us and comforts us.
Yes, the valleys are hard, but that is where we grow closer to God. When you and I are in the valley, Beloved, let’s plant some seeds of faith and hope and watch them bloom.

Church Doctrine: Jesus Messiah

When we meet someone special, we want to know all that we can about them. When I met my husband, the first thing I learned about him was that he is an Alabama Crimson Tide fan through and through. Thus, I became a Bama fan too. I discovered his favorite foods and learned from his mother how to cook them. I made it my mission to know him. I guess it worked – we will be celebrating our 39th anniversary this year. Last week I told you that if you want to know God, you should get to know Jesus. If you want to know Jesus, you should learn a little about the Jewish faith. This is His background and it is important to understand who He is. It also gives us insight into details that we, as non-Jews, miss.
The Jewish people lived under outside rule since the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon in the late 6th century BC, followed by the Medes and Persians, Greeks, and Romans at the time of Jesus. Because the Lord had promised a Redeemer—the Messiah, Israel looked for a military liberator to break the hold of other nations and restore their independence. They missed Jesus entirely because they didn’t have God’s perspective. They failed to see that they were under the control of the devil and that death was their true enemy.
In the church, this week has, for centuries, been called “Holy Week” and “Passion Week.” Today is Palm Sunday and marks the fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy. Jesus openly presented Himself as Israel’s Messiah and King. He chose a time when all Israel would be gathered in Jerusalem, a place where huge crowds could see Him, and a way of proclamation that was unmistakable.
The people lined the road, praising God, waving palm branches, and throwing their cloaks in front of the colt. They shouted “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matt 21:9) because they recognized what Jesus was proclaiming. They began to spread their clothes in the colt’s path to provide a “royal carpet” and they cut branches from palm trees, adding them to their garments on the ground and waving them before the Lord.
He fulfilled every prophecy about the Messiah. He also fulfilled the first prophecy made about Himself as the one who would crush satan’s head (Gen 3:15). This is Jesus, Beloved. Son of God. Son of Man. King of Israel. Is He the King of your heart?

Lord, I Need a Word

You know how I’ve told you that the Holy Spirit highlights certain Scriptures so I know that this is what I am to write about for the day? Well, it happened again. Verses are popping out this morning with one theme: the faithfulness of God. I need that assurance right now. Between time change, late nights studying, struggling to catch up at work, emotional battles, and a little girl who wants to push my every button, I am worn out – or better said – I am worn down. As I prepared to write, I told the Lord, “I need a word today for me – I’ll gladly share it, but I need something I can cling to today.”
First, the Spirit brought me to Psalm 37 – my “go-to” chapter when I am low. This is the verse: “If the Lord delights in a man’s way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand” (v. 23-24). “Stumble” has a range of meanings, from being struck down, tripped up, or just lying down in exhaustion. I feel like I’ve been stumbling a lot lately – not stumbling into sin, but just stumbling through my days, trying to put one foot in front of another.
The second verse that the Spirit illuminated is Psalm 55:24: “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.” Do you see the two words – the twin promises? I may stumble, but God will not let me fall. Fall in 37:24 means to be cast aside or thrown away. In this verse, it means to be greatly shaken. God will not cast me aside in my time of need and He will not let me be shaken. When everything around me – and in me – is shaking, nothing will shake me out of His strong hand.
What is the common denominator for both verses? No, not the fall. The Lord. The Lord upholds me when I can not hold myself up. The Lord will sustain me – with His “righteous right hand” (Is 41:10). The faithful Lord. The mighty Lord. The tender Lord who cares about me. And about you.
Beloved, I know that you are weary too. And so does He. This word is for me, but I’m not just sharing, I am delivering it personally to you too. His hand is big enough for all of us. Come rest a spell.

Doctrines of the Faith: God of Love; God of Power

We continue to look at the doctrines of the Christian faith, and the first matter we must settle is the reality of God. We have established His existence and His place as both Creator and Father. Today we will look deeper at God’s core characteristics in a verse from the pen of King David: “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving” (Psalms 62:11-12).
I have pondered this verse for a long time and wondered what was the one thing that God said for David to draw his conclusion. I believe the Spirit has given me a clue that goes back to a burning bush in the wilderness. I want to suggest that David is speaking of God’s self-declaration. When Moses asked His Name, the Lord replied: “I AM.” ( Ex 3:14). That was it. But it was enough.
But how did David figure out two things from one statement? Experience. The same way you and I do. When he was surrounded by enemies, his God came in power. When his heart was breaking, his Lord was tender. We need a God who is both. A God who is benevolent but powerless is no help to us in our time of need. A God who is powerful but unfeeling breeds fear that drives us away from Him.
We need to know God as His Word describes Him and we need to respond to Him as He has revealed Himself. We must trust His love for us as our Heavenly Father. We must also trust that He is able to help us in our time of need. Many see God as see God only as harsh and uncaring, but that portrays Him as a mean-spirited ogre. Still others see Him only as a doting Father handing out blessings like candy. That makes Him into a one-dimensional entity. That is not the God of the Bible. The Lord God is all-loving, and He is all-powerful. Not in perfect balance, but in perfect fullness. We can come before Him boldly because we are convinced of His love for us, and we are persuaded that He can and will come to our aid.
Beloved you are in the most wonderful place today – supported by the arms of One who is so mighty and awesome, and who loves you with an everlasting and consuming love.

Spiritual Weakness

I am getting to the age where body parts hurt. I’ve been dealing with knee pain for over a year and my hip has decided to join the party. Now my wrist started hurting and typing these words this morning is painful. But I am a a mom and a nana so I refuse to let a few aches slow me down. I will pop a couple of ibuprofen and push through the pain. Pain I can handle. What I didn’t count on was weakness.
The reason my knee hurts is because of arthritis that has worn away the cartilage in my knee joint – the stuff that allows the knee to move freely. Without it, my knee locks up and stops me in my tracks. Carpel tunnel syndrome is affecting my wrist, elbow, and shoulder and those joints don’t function as they should. And now the pain is overpowering the meds. But I’m not trying to give you a rundown of my health issues. There is a point – a spiritual application – to all this.
Yesterday I came across a verse that is still bumping around in my head: “You may be sure your sin will find you out” (Num 32:23). Moses was warning some of the Israelites that if they failed to keep their word, their sin would not go unnoticed. Sin will always catch up with us and I have found that one way it tells on us is with weakness. Sin causes us to become spiritually weak, no matter how well we think we conceal it.
David said, “For when I kept silent [about his sin], my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night, your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer” (Ps 32:3-4). Sin saps our strength because it comes between us and God. Isaiah said, “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear” (Is 59:2). It is not that God turns His back on His disobedient child, but he turns His face – His favor – from us.
But David knew the answer. “I acknowledged my sin to you . . . and you forgave the guilt of my sin: (Ps 32:5). God turned His face back to David and restored his strength. Beloved, has sin drained you? Run to God in confession and repentance. He will receive and restore you. Remember, “The Joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh 8:10).

Crazy-Quilt Life

I have two verses that are especially meaningful to me and they speak of the same thing.
Psalm 16:11: You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with Joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.
Psalm 119:105: Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Did you see it? Path. A path in both contexts means a well-worn passageway. It is that trail or road that others have used before. These paths in Psalms tell me two things I need to know.
A path is there because it has been proven to get you where you need to go. A path would not exist if it got the traveler lost. A path says that others have been this way successfully. One person does not make a path. But many feet do. It is like an unseen guide calling out, “Follow me! I’ve been this way before and I know it is trustworthy.”
A path also implies a destination. Aimless wandering does not make a path. A path says there is something at the end that matters. There is a reason to follow the path. There is someplace you need to go. There is someone you need to see or something you need to do down the road. Many others have gone this way because they also had a purpose in their travels.
This speaks to me because my life seems like a lot of aimless wandering. I never imagined that I had a purpose or that there was a grand plan for me. I took whatever came to me and never tried to connect any dots to see if there was some direction or reason in any of it. Or if there was Someone behind it all. Even after I became a Christian, I assumed that I was to just do the best I could with the cards I was dealt and hopefully not mess up too badly before I could get to heaven.
Then I read a quote by Marilyn Meberg who said, “[You are] not on a haphazard course of [your] own poor choosing.” I cannot tell you how much that comforted and encouraged me. Yes, I have made many, many mistakes – some doozies. I have suffered the consequences – painful, hard, scarring consequences. But even in my stumbles, God has been working. I need to know that. I’ll bet you do too. Beloved, even a crazy-quilt life comes together to produce something beautiful. Stay on the path and watch God stitch.

What is the Desire of Your Heart?

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven . . .'” (Matthew 6:9)
Somewhere in my life, I got the message that God, being sovereign and all, was going to do what He was going to do without any commentary from me. He had a plan and it would be enacted. I had no say in the matter. He wanted no arguments or suggestions from me. From that, prayer became a dry, rote practice. And from that, prayer became a moot point. I mean, what could I say that would make any difference at all? And “unanswered” prayers reinforced that warped theology.
Then I looked more deeply into the idea of prayer and I realized the point of prayer isn’t changing God’s mind or gaining His approval for my desires. It is about changing my heart and aligning my desires with God’s desires so that He can answer my prayers affirmatively. In a sense, I am still subject to God’s sovereignty, but through prayer, it is not begrudging God’s plan but rather submitting Joyfully to it. And that changes everything about prayer for me.
Consider this – we all love Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” We claim that frequently for all sorts of desires. I took it to heart through seven years of infertility. If I delight in the Lord, He will give me a baby. And I wanted a baby so much that I forced myself to be “happy, happy, happy” in God. But that is not the point of this verse at all. Like me, we tend to misunderstand the first part of the verse in the rush to get to the second part.
But the heart of this verse is – well – your heart. It is not delighting yourself in the Lord to get what you want. It is delighting yourself in the Lord so that He is your heart’s desire. And He will give you what you want – Himself. God is not about giving you everything you want. He is about giving you everything He wants for you. His presence, His peace, His Joy, His righteousness, His glory, and His home.
If your heart longs for God, your prayers will reflect His heart which loves you beyond measure and has a “good, pleasing, and perfect will for you” (Rom 12:2). When God is the desire of your heart, Beloved, you will have your heart’s desire.

Advent 2023: How Do We Get to Bethlehem?

“Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea . . . “Matthew 2:1

I had a conversation recently with a friend who is moving away. She is greeting this transition with both anxiety and excitement. “It’s all going to be so strange in a new town, but who knows what God has in store there?” I remembered my own move five years ago and that same mix of anticipation and trepidation. Like my friend, I believed God was behind our relocation and in the ensuing years He has confirmed that His will for me is here in this place. I believe God sets things in motion and orchestrates events so that His will is fulfilled. The Bible is filled with story after story of God’s hand in the events of human history, and in individual lives. But sometimes the path He chooses is hard and difficult to understand in the moment.

Joseph had a destiny in Egypt that affected his family, the forthcoming nation of Israel and the entire world. But God took him through pits and prison on the way. David would be king of Israel, but by way of the sheep fields and running for his life through the wilderness. I love the accounts of Paul; God had a purpose for him, to “carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel,” (Acts 9:15). He declared, “you must testify about me in Rome, (Acts 23:11). And he did indeed make it to Rome to declare the name of Christ Jesus, but he arrived as a prisoner, through a storm and a shipwreck and a snake (Acts 27-28).

Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem fulfilled a prophecy made hundreds of years before: “Out of you, Bethlehem Ephrathah . . . will come one for me who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2). How could that happen when His mother and father were in Nazareth, some 100 miles away? Watch what God did. “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone when to his own town to register,” (Luke 2:1, 3). Guess where Joseph’s family town happened to be?

Beloved, a life surrendered into the hands of the Lord God Almighty may have twists and surprises, and yes even doubts and struggles, but you can be assured that He is faithful to fulfill His purpose. Don’t be afraid of these “strange things that are happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). It’s just God at work fulfilling His purpose for you.

Advent 2023: A Different Kind of Hope

Kids on Christmas morning hope for the newest toys and electronics under the tree. The soldier’s mother hopes for her son’s safe return for the holidays. Teachers hope to survive until Christmas break and students hope there will be no pop-tests before they reach the last day of class. Travelers hope for good weather and light traffic while law enforcement hopes for safe drivers and no accidents. The merchants hope for record sales and shoppers hope for great bargains. Christmas is synonymous with hope – but not for these reasons.

For the Jewish people, hope was in short supply. Their nation had long been under the control of others. Since 587 b.c. they had been subjects of Babylon, the Medes and Persians, and Alexander the Great. At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Romans ruled over Jerusalem. The Jews had hoped for God’s Messiah to rescue them from foreign oppression. They hoped for a leader who would overthrow the Romans and reestablish David’s throne and Israel’s independence.

 God would indeed send the Messiah to rescue His people from bondage and establish His Kingdom, but He would overthrow a greater enemy than the Romans. He would save more than just Israel and would rule over an everlasting Kingdom from David’s throne. He would not come in power with a sword in his hand and a crown on his head. He would come as a helpless baby with straw in His tiny fist and a crown of thorns in his future. He would not raise a scepter over Jerusalem but would be raised up on a cross outside the city gates. He would not overthrow Rome – He would overthrow death. Their hopes would be fulfilled – but not as they envisioned. It would exceed all they could ever ask or imagine.

Your hopes might be for something flashy and fun, or just simple and quiet this Christmas. You may have hopes that can’t be put in a box with a bow. You may hope for family scattered across the globe. You might hope for a restored relationship or a change in your circumstances. I can’t promise any of those things, but I am certain that in God’s good and loving hands, hope is a sure thing – a promise made and fulfilled in the same instant. It may not look what you thought it would be Beloved, but you have His Word that it will be full of life and Joy.