The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Isiah 58: 11
What Are You Choosing to Live With?
Moses said to Pharaoh, “I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile. ” “Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said.
Exodus 8: 9-10
Exodus 8: 9-10 always makes me stop and ponder why in the world Pharaoh would choose to spend one more night with the plague of frogs when he had the chance to get rid of them immediately. Can you imagine having frogs overtaking your land and home and choosing to spend one more night living like that?
The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs. The frogs will come up on you and your people and all your officials.
Exodus 8: 3-4
It’s easy to look at Pharaoh and think about how silly it was for him to decide to sleep with the frogs overtaking his bed for another night, but how many of us choose to live with uncomfortable things we put off dealing with? While we may not have a plague of frogs overtaking our homes and beds, we often choose to exist with destructive habits, irrational fears, or insecurities that can be as miserable as a plague of frogs.
Perhaps we harbor bitterness and need to seek forgiveness from someone and don’t. Maybe we lie awake all night worrying instead of taking our cares to the Lord in prayer. Maybe we have a destructive and sinful habit we need to break free from but we keep thinking, “Tomorrow, I will deal with ____.”
I’ve struggled with emotional eating for many years and I was a master at putting off dealing with my unhealthy addiction until tomorrow. I would always wait until the first of the month or a Monday to start eating better. If it was close to the holidays, I would often decide to wait until the new year arrived. Then I would binge eat for days before my scheduled start date, which only left me feeling sick and miserable and gaining more weight. It was a destructive pattern and one that I still have to battle with at times.
Sometimes we can become so comfortable living with our “plagues” that we aren’t aware of the seriousness of the problem. However, complacency can be dangerous. Choosing to remain where we are may feel comfortable but it can actually be the very thing that’s wrecking our life.
No matter what uncomfortable situation you are dealing with, waiting until tomorrow to address the issue is simply prolonging the misery. Why not go to the Lord in prayer and ask him to free you from the “plague” that’s afflicting your life? If it’s a sin, confess it. If it’s worry or fear, ask the Lord for peace. If you’re uncertain about a decision you need to make, ask the Lord for guidance. The Lord hears our pleas for help, but we have to take that step of faith and reach out to him.
I will lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalms 121: 1-2
Is there a situation in your life that you’ve been putting off dealing with until another day? Like Pharaoh, will you choose to spend another night with the frogs or ask the Lord to set you free?
Wednesday Wisdom
Jesus doesn’t participate in the rat race. He’s into the slower rhythms of life, like abiding, delighting, and dwelling – all words that require us to trust Him with our place and our pace.
~ Lysa TerKeurst
Is Your Faith Flourishing?
But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God; I trust in God’s faithful love forever and ever.
Psalms 52: 8
Summer is such a beautiful season in the mountains. We’ve enjoyed an abundance of sunshine this summer, and the flowers I planted in the spring, as well as the various wildflowers, are flourishing as they soak up the sun. I love all flowers, and even the flowers that grow in the wild that some would consider weeds, I find beautiful. They are a constant reminder of our creator who made all things.
Watching how the flowers respond to the sunlight makes me think about how my own faith flourishes when I get plenty of “son” light. When I spend adequate time with Jesus, my faith flourishes. However, if I neglect my time with Jesus, I feel as if my faith is floundering rather than flourishing.
Just as a plant deprived of sunlight struggles to develop robust blossoms, I suffer from failure-to-bloom syndrome when I don’t get enough “son” light. I feel ungrateful, I begin comparing my life to others, and I start to feel that old negative thinking creeping in. It doesn’t take long for depression, hopelessness, and discouragement to take root.
When I spend time in worship, prayer, and reading my Bible, the light of the son causes me to bloom spiritually. As I reflect on God’s promises, grace, mercy, and love, I begin to flourish as the fruit of the spirit takes root in my life.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Galations 5: 22
The bible contains several verses about flourishing faith. We were created to flourish and bear fruit. As righteous people, who belong to God, we weren’t made to settle for failure-to-bloom syndrome.
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will remain fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
Psalms 92: 12-15
As a woman who will turn 60 years old on my next birthday, I want to bear fruit in my old age. I want to remain fresh and green, and I want to still be proclaiming, “God is my rock,” for the rest of my days on this earth.
Sometimes I wonder why I ever settle for failure-to-bloom syndrome when I can be flourishing in the Lord. How much better life is, even on those difficult days, when I make the choice to flourish by soaking up plenty of “son” light rather than floundering just to make it through the day.
Is your faith flourishing? Is the fruit of the Spirit blossoming in your life? What is one thing you can do today to flourish in your walk of faith?
Like the Feet of a Deer
The sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights ~ Habakkuk 3: 19
As a lover of the outdoors and nature, I’m always intrigued when I see references in scripture to nature and wildlife. Memorizing scripture has never been easy for me, and I love having visual reminders to help me focus on God’s amazing truth.
I am reminded of Habakkuk 3: 19 each time I see a deer leap across the road when I’m driving down the mountainside or when I watch a deer munching on leaves in the backyard. It’s a much-needed reminder on days when I don’t feel very strong.
What does it mean to have feet like a deer? The deer referred to in Habakkuk 3: 19 is a red female deer called a hind. The hind is known for being surefooted. Its hind feet land precisely in the same spot where the front feet stepped. It can ascend and descend rocky mountainous terrain with agility and gracefulness. Its powerful legs enable it to leap over obstacles with ease.
When everything is going great in life, it’s easy to feel surefooted and strong, but what happens when life falls apart and nothing seems to be going right?
The prophet, Habakkuk, was experiencing a time of extreme hardship when he penned the verse above. Wickedness and oppression surrounded him. In fact, when the book of Habakkuk opens, we see Habakkuk questioning God.
How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife and conflict abounds.
It’s easy to understand how the prophet felt. Our world today is filled with violence and wrongdoing. It seems like everywhere we look we see immorality and crime escalating. It is disheartening to watch good people suffer and those bent on evil continuing to have their way with innocent people.
Habakkuk questioned God and was in distress, but he made the choice to rejoice in God in the midst of devastation and a time of severe testing. We also have a choice to make when we are being tested or feel discouraged by the events taking place around us.
Too often, I settle for the lower ground rather than the heights. My feet and legs feel weary when I’m going through tough times. I focus on trying to fix whatever injustice or problem I’m facing. I don’t trust in God enough for the outcome. I do it my way. I go through the motions of daily life, settling for a life of mediocrity, wobbly legs, and feeble attempts to change things.
It never ends well. I always end up realizing that without 100% faith and trust in God, I will never be strong enough to get through any trial or difficult circumstance on my own.
Why should we ever settle for the lowland when we can ascend the heights? Why walk around on wobbly legs when we can have the feet of a deer? Like Habakkuk, we can say, “The Sovereign Lord is my strength.” We can make the decision to rejoice when it seems as if there is little to be joyful about.
God has more for us than just going through the motions of life or settling for life in the lowlands. He provides the strength we need to be surefooted. He enables us to leap across the obstacles of life. He gives us peace in the midst of hardship.
God will not tolerate evil forever. In his perfecting timing, justice will prevail. He allows things to happen for a reason and a purpose. We have to trust him when things don’t make sense. Those who remain faithful will be rewarded.
Are you ready to ascend to a higher place ? Then inhale deeply and breathe in the pristine air. Remember that God is in control. You have the feet of a deer. Have faith. Trust God. Life on the heights is breathtaking.
Wednesday Wisdom
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.
Helen Keller
Wednesday Wisdom
To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter…to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life.
John Burroughs
Wedding Preparations
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roaring of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear.
Revelation 19: 6-8
The summer wedding season has arrived, and I’ve been seeing a lot of beautiful wedding pictures on social media of glowing brides, lovely dresses, and gorgeous flowers. The bride goes to great lengths to find the perfect dress, make-up, hair style, venue, flowers, and music in preparation of her wedding day. She longs for her special day to arrive and is giddy with excitement as she anticipates walking down the aisle to meet her groom.
Seeing the wonderful wedding pictures makes me think about the greatest wedding celebration of all time – the day Christ, the bridegroom, comes for his bride, the church. We don’t know when that day will arrive, but according to scripture, it could happen at any moment. For those who belong to Christ, it will be the ultimate wedding celebration.
Scripture warns us to be prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom. Sadly, it seems few believers, myself included, are giving it much thought most days. The distractions of the world are always pulling us in other directions, keeping us caught up in a never-ending cycle of information overload.
If our bridegroom arrives today, what will he find us doing? Will he find us ready and longing for his appearance, or will he find us caught up in selfish pursuits, scarcely thinking about him at all? Is our spiritual attire fitting for a beautiful bride longing for her bridegroom or is our wedding dress stained with pride, selfishness, envy, bitterness, and ungratefulness?
Can others see the love sparkling in our eyes and the glow on our face when we talk about our bridegroom? Are we exuding excitement that’s contagious? Are we so focused on our heavenly wedding that our earthly cares and the distractions of the world can’t pull us away?
As Christians, our heavenly wedding day draws nearer and nearer with each passing day. What a glorious day it will be! We must get ready! I pray our bridegroom will find us prepared when he arrives, beautifully dressed in our finest spiritual attire, eyes sparkling with love for Him, and our hearts longing with anticipation to see his face.
Wednesday Wisdom
If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive.
~ Eleanora Duse
Heart Music
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything.
Ephesians 5: 19-20
I started attending a new church a little over a year ago, when I was at a discouraging point in my life, and it’s been life changing. Several years ago, my old church of 16 years fell apart when my pastor died of cancer. A new church I grew to love was devastated when the young pastor committed suicide. I stopped attending church for a period of time and had my own devotional time on Sunday mornings, thinking it was enough.
During my hiatus from church, my youngest daughter and her husband starting attending a new church and invited me to go with them. I made excuse after excuse not to go. With all the drama that took place in my previous two churches, I felt I wasn’t ready for more.
In the meantime, my son-in-law started playing electric guitar on the worship team at the church they were attending. I had prayed for about 7 or 8 years that he would use his musical talent for God and ministry, so this was an incredible God moment for me. God had answered my prayers!
I reluctantly went to church to hear the worship team. I figured I would go just once but God had other plans. I walked into the sanctuary the first Sunday not knowing what to expect. It was a much larger church than any I had attended in the past, and I was certain I wouldn’t feel at home there. The opposite was true. I felt welcome from the start.
When the worship team started to play, I felt old emotions stirring inside that were buried somewhere beneath the unrelenting stress of the past several years. It felt like my heart was alive again and I could sense the Holy Spirit moving. Every time I heard my son-in-law’s electric guitar, it was a reminder that God does answer prayer and we should never give up praying for loved ones, even if it takes years or a lifetime. We can’t see what God is doing behind the scenes when we feel like our prayers are going no higher than the ceiling.
The words and music stayed with me long after I left the church that day. I started a playlist at home and downloaded the songs from the worship service to listen to as I go about my daily routine. Music holds such power to change emotions. It’s nearly impossible to feel down and out when you’re being inspired by praise music. I’m still attending that church and continuing to add songs to my playlist at home.
As I was reading my Bible this morning, Ephesians 5: 19-20 stood out to me. What does it mean to make music in our hearts to the Lord? I believe the second part of the verse holds the answer. ” Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything.”
No matter what we are going through, there’s plenty of reasons to give thanks to God. It may be a sunrise or a stunning sunset. It might be a praise song that fills our hearts with joy or a Bible verse rich with promise. It may be a baby smiling or a home cooked meal. There’s always a reason to sing and make music in our hearts. God’s blessings are plentiful and abundant.
Things in my personal life may be overwhelming at times, but each day the blessings outweigh my troubles. It’s not even noon and I’ve already experienced abundant blessings. The beautiful weather made it possible for me to bring my laptop outdoors and work this morning, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the mountain. A gentle summer breeze is blowing, the scent from my lavender plants is heavenly, hummingbirds are flitting about next to me, a little fawn stopped by to nibble on some leaves, and I’m witnessing the wonder of a mother bird feeding her babies in a nest nearby.
The blessing of working from home in my outdoor “mountain office” today is enough to make me sing and make music in my heart to God. My health issues and struggles may persist, but it would be much more difficult if I had to commute to work and spend my day in a stuffy office building. I will continue to sing and praise God with all my heart, because every day my blessings are many more than I can count.
Are you feeling discouraged or hopeless today? Pause and count your blessings. Put on some praise music and sing your heart out to God. You may find it’s just what you need to fill your heart with joy and give you the hope and courage to get through the day.