Wonders Without Number

"As for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before Him; Who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number."
                                                                       Job 5:8-9




There are millions of wonders that occur in our world everyday. From the sun that rises to the sun that sets, and, still, there are wonders that continue to occur in the dark.  Just two nights ago, we had a combination of a blue moon, a super moon, and a lunar eclipse that happened in the same night! (The picture posted is of this moon over our house.) The last time this happened was in the year 1866.

God's wonders occur all the time, no matter what season of life we may find ourselves. They can be seen in nature and in providence and in His grace. The whole purpose, plan and accomplishment of salvation is filled with the wonders of our God.

They are continuous and they are great. In Psalms, we are told that "God alone does great wonders, for His lovingkindness is everlasting" (Psalm 136:4). No one else can do them and they are always unique and powerful, filled with God's wisdom and grace.

Merriam Webster defines wonder as "a cause of astonishment or admiration; a marvel; a miracle; astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience".  Wonders are awe inspiring and should lead us to drawing even closer to the One who accomplishes them. God reveals aspects of Himself through the wonders He performs.

Unfortunately, sometimes we get busy and sometimes we forget. Instead of focusing our thoughts and hearts on all that God is doing in the earth, we sometimes get sidetracked, sideswiped, or sidelined. These pesky distractions can cause us to lose focus on the most important things in our world.

In these cases, we can even pull back from our relationship with Jesus, instead of pressing in to discover the revelation and treasures He has apportioned for us. This is how disillusionment and discouragement take root and why some people even walk away from their faith. This day and time is definitely the time to press in "to receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

As I reflect on this New Year, it occurs to me that this may be a year that is filled with the wonders of God. Surely our world would be a much better place if more people saw and experienced Him in a tangible way. It is my prayer that this will certainly be the case.

More important than seeing and experiencing His wonders is to see and experience His presence. This, in and of itself, is the greatest miracle of all. When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, it was the presence of God that really knocked his socks off (or sandals), so to speak.

This makes me wonder exactly what was running through Moses' mind as he heard the voice of the Lord call him personally by name. Were memories from his former life in Egypt flooding his consciousness, or was he thinking more in terms of the people there that were still being oppressed? Whatever his thoughts were, he soon reached to cover his face, realizing now that he was in the presence of an Almighty God.

The Lord quickly assured Moses and explained to him that He had seen the oppression of His people and had heard their cries. He acknowledged His awareness of all that they had suffered. This was the day that God chose to come down from heaven to intervene on behalf of His people- the people with whom He had covenanted. This miracle (or wonder) occurred so that God could show that he cares for His people, and that He will guide, deliver, and bless them through His presence.

God commissioned Moses and told him what he was to do. Moses had many objections and doubts, but, once again, God reassured Moses that He would be with him and that He would give him the words to speak and the wonders in which he would be allowed to participate. Moses was still reluctant to proceed in God's mission, but the will of God could never be thwarted by the insufficiency of man. God was sufficient to overcome that too!

The destination of God's people was the Promised Land. No matter how many doubts or insecurities they may have had, God's objective would be accomplished. The same is true for us today. God is commissioning us into our destinies and we are going somewhere.

No matter what has come against us, God is reassuring us that He is with us and that He is sufficient to accomplish every promise and purpose that He has given to His people. Press in to His presence through reading His Word and loving and worshipping the One who really is sovereign over every mess. Take heart, sweet one, because I believe that this is a year in which we will see wonders without number!


                       "I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth..."
                                                      Joel 2:30

Light Bursting Forth

"And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it]."
                                                                John 1:5




Christmastime is my favorite time of the year! I love the music and church services, as well as the decorations and choosing little gifts and blessings for others that will bring a smile to their faces. I love the baking and get togethers and spending time with all the people we love the most. Greater than all of these, however, is the remembrance of our Savior and how He chose to bring us the greatest gift of salvation by entering into our very dark world as The Light of the World.

When I look at our world today, it makes me wonder how similar things are today (in terms of darkness) as they were 2000 years ago. Does our degree of violence parallel that of the Roman soldiers?  Or, does the degree of intolerance for Christians today match that of the early church? Most importantly, does the disdain that the average man has for God compare to that of the time in which Jesus was born?

While we cannot know for certainty, what we do know is that the darker the world gets, the brighter the Light can shine. Even simple kindnesses and courtesies stand out today that would have been taken for granted not that long ago. Our world is rapidly changing around us, which fully gives believers the opportunity to shine brighter than was previously possible.

While it is sometimes difficult to fathom, we are truly blessed to be living in the times that we are. The apostle, Luke, tells us that "many prophets and kings longed to see what you see and they did not see it, and to hear what you hear and they did not hear it" (Luke 10:24). We are literally watching Biblical prophecy occur and are now the closest generation to the second coming of Christ!

This means that today we now have more opportunities spiritually than we have previously had. To appropriate all the promises that God has given to us, we have to "stand firm and hold fast" (2 Thessalonians 2:15) to our faith and not allow discouragement to seep in.  As we keep our eyes on Jesus and on His Word, He is our Spiritual Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4) that keeps us firmly planted, even in these turbulent times.

Jesus is the Only Light of this world.  He told us that we, also, are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). His Light shines in and through us no matter what may come against us. While darkness tries to invade through sickness, death, pressure, and lack, we know that, with God, there is always Light and there is always hope. Light pierces the darkness and no matter how daunting our circumstances may appear, Light always wins when we trust in God.

Often, God may allow difficulties and trials so that others (who do not yet know Him), will see His mighty hand work and move on our behalf. The prophet, Isaiah, tells us that "The people who walk in darkness will see great Light; those who live in a dark land, the Light will shine upon them" (Isaiah 9:2). This, to me, is both the beauty and the miracle of Christmas.

If, today, you are wondering where the Light in your life has gone, or you are feeling like darkness has come in like a flood, look up! This is definitely the time and the season where God is igniting life and light. Just as the world desperately needed the birth and Light of Jesus 2000 years ago, this is also a time when the world cries out for it daily. He came in the form of a babe to bring salvation then, and  today He heralds the cry of a King and warrior to any who would hear. He still longs to bring to all the precious gift of salvation.

It doesn't matter what people may have said or done in your life. The only thing that truly matters is that we see and hear Jesus and that we continue to allow His Light to flow through our lives.

If life throws you a curve ball.... Shine on!

                 If a loved one veers off the path.... Shine on!

                              If darkness comes in like a flood..... Shine on!

                                        If Jesus should tarry...... Shine on!

                                                     If you have more questions than answers..... Shine on!

                                                                If others stand against you.... Shine, Shine, Shine on!


              IF WE JUST KEEP SHINING, HIS LIGHT WILL BURST FORTH!!!
                                               (Be patient; It is a promise!)

For The Love

"People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering... Now, let us acknowledge the wonder of our physical incarnation-- that we are here, in these particular bodies, at this particular time, in these particular circumstances. May we never take for granted the gift of our individuality."
                                                            St. Augustine




When I look at the current state of our country, I am compelled to pray for yet another reformation. We are in desperate need of an awakening that would cause our nation to once again rise and honor God and love and care for one another. Instead of factions and groups causing more dissension and division, it would sure be nice to see us come together and unite for the principles and standards that God set for us long ago.

It is heartbreaking to witness so many that are filled with hatred and determined to spew their venom on anyone who will listen to their rhetoric. It has, in fact, now escalated to the extent that violence has become commonplace and free speech is restricted. Evil has been elevated in the marketplace and truth and goodness are in jeopardy of being quenched.

For us, as believers, the anecdote is love. Jesus spoke of these times and He said that "everyone will know My disciples [by their] love" (John 13:35). We will never win the battle or the war raging on our culture if we do not genuinely exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and not engage in the lesser things.

If we really understand that we are living in the end times and that God has placed us here with purpose, we could begin to change the world in the ways that God has purposed for us to do. All of this begins and ends with the love of Christ. When God told us that people would know we are His disciples because of the love we have for each other (John 13:35), that was both a challenge and a commandment.

Jesus teaches us that love is both a decision and it is an action. That means that it can be inconvenient and sometimes even impossible to do in our own strength. Yet, God never leaves us ill- equipped for the task at hand. He empowers us to give out what He first gives to us.

One of the obstacles we deal with as believers is that the enemy of our souls is a master of illusion. He taunts us to focus on what we can see with our own eyes, rather than understanding the worth of our own soul, as well as the souls of those around us. He tempts us to get caught up in the frustration of loving those around us who are difficult to love, rather than genuinely serving them and praying for their salvation.

Too often and too easily we give up, rather than pressing in and understanding God's heart in a particular situation. We opt for convenience and what feels good instead of facing the obstacles and challenges that stand in the way of either exhibiting the love of Christ or becoming more like Christ, or both. I mean, let's be real, there are some people that exasperating on a good day. However, our lives have more meaning than to acquiesce to the pressure of not being everything that God has called us to be. If we are submitted to God's will, it will truly be "the love of Christ that compels us" (2 Corinthians 5:14).

If we had to narrow it down to one reason why this country has not experienced revival, I think it all comes down to the issue of love. For quite a while, the Church in this country taught its members to be more main-stream and to fit in with the culture around us. Many people did, and, in the process, we only became more like the world, losing our saltiness and light.

Paul warned us that "in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, and unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, without self-control, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

We can see this both within and outside of the Church. It all boils down to one thing-- what is it that we love? Is it success, or notoriety, or significance from those around us? It is acknowledgement, or praise, or admiration we seek? Or, is it truly to live a life that is pleasing to God and eternally valuable to every person within the sphere of our influence? If the latter is true, then it can only be achieved by knowing how loved and valuable we are to God and then becoming distributors of the love He so lavishly bestows upon us.

Every one of us have people in our lives that desperately need to see and experience the love of God. We forget sometimes that that is what we are here to do. Look around... I'm sure you will see people who are sick, elderly who are homebound, single Mom's, young Mom's, difficult classmates and co-workers, children without parents, teachers who are overwhelmed, people who are hurting, men and women in jail, neighbors who are lonely, and even family members who would never ask for help, but genuinely have a need. There is no thing that is more Christ-like than to see a need, and then respond, in action, to meet that need.

Ask God to show you who needs the most help, and then ask Him to help you love them even more. Don't be surprised if they are the most "prickly" people because these are the ones who have been battered by life but have too many walls to ask for help. These are the ones who are crying out to see God's love and mercy in their lives. Rick Warren says, "Learning to love unselfishly is not an easy task. It runs counter to our self-centered nature."

To spread love horizontally, we have to first receive it vertically. We do this by trusting God with our whole heart (Proverbs 3:5-6), seeking God with our whole heart (Jeremiah 29:13), and loving God with our whole heart (Deuteronomy 6:5). We pursue the things that God approves of, which is a "godly life, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness" (1 Timothy 6:11).

Martin Luther's true message to the Church was one of repentance. That message is also desperately needed today. In America, we have strayed away from daily repentance and somehow believe that loving others is optional. It wasn't 500 years ago, and it is not today.

When the church in America distinguishes itself by love, we will see revival. It begins individually and then spreads like a wildfire. The world desperately needs to see the love of Christ and to experience it firsthand. This is when they will understand how much God loves them and the reason the church is here on planet earth. It is definitely for the Love!


    "The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now."
                                                                Rick Warren

Bigger Than Your Circumstances

"It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts."
                                                       Isaiah 45:12




These past few weeks have been a whirlwind for me. Brent and I dropped our youngest off to college (over 1500 miles away, but who's counting) and then returned home to Naples, Florida for a few days, only to evacuate because of hurricane Irma. My sudden empty nest had to quickly be deserted before I could even fully process the emotions I felt from dropping off my baby in a town as large as Boston. It was hard to even wrap my mind around all that we were experiencing.

Sometimes life can feel like it is careening out of control and, in times like these, it can be hard to find your footing. There are even circumstances that make us feel like we have been sucker-punched and it is hard to catch your breath. The unexpected happens and in a nanosecond our security becomes elusive and we find ourselves reeling from the impact.

These are the times when you find out just how deep the roots in your life dwell. If they are shallow and not grounded, it is easy to become fearful and anxious. If they are moderately deep, there will be intermittent times of peace and clarity that are sometimes interrupted by chaotic thoughts and worry about what is to come. If, however, your roots are deep, you will see the core values and belief systems that cannot be shaken under any circumstances. In other words, you know beyond a doubt that God is bigger than your circumstances and that His Word promises that He will make a way, even when it would seem that there is absolutely no way to be found.

As followers of Christ, our goal is to ultimately have unshakeable faith in God and to know that no matter what we face, He is bigger. Even though the continuum of difficulties can range from everyday stressors to life-changing grief and loss, it is still possible for us to grow in God's grace and move from shakiness to a faith that is unshakeable and able to stand and withstand the storms of this life.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, the apostle, Peter, did just that. God gives us a firsthand glimpse into Peter's growth beginning in the gospels, transitioning to the book of Acts, and then followed by the two letters that Peter wrote. As Peter walked with Jesus, he learned how to cooperate more and more to position himself into a place of alignment with God's will and purposes for his life.

His name began as Simon, but Jesus changed it to Peter, which means "a stone" (John 1:35-42). The name Simon typifies his humanness and his old nature as clay, but, by the time Jesus finished working in him, he became "a rock" that was able to withstand much more than he did in the beginning. Peter and Paul were the two leading apostles of the early church and Peter's assignment was to strengthen his brethren (Luke 22:32) and to tend to the flock (John 21:15-17).

There were many lessons that Peter had to learn along the way in order to grow stronger in his faith. What started as a denial of the Messiah ultimately ended in his knowing the "living hope" (1 Peter 1:3) that only comes from knowing God in an intimate way. His knowledge was transformed from a mental assent to a heart knowledge that not only rocked his world but also the world around him for all future generations.

His story and his message in his letters are to encourage us today. Peter grew in: accepting and receiving the love of God,  knowing that God had chosen him, submission to God, and in confidence and security that God is All-Powerful, All-Knowing, and sovereign. His discernment matured as he understood how to stay alert and avoid temptation and to lean on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and protect him. He pursued holiness and kept his eyes on the Lord, rather than on his circumstances. He was prepared to endure persecution for the sake of Christ and he was connected in love and service to the local church.

When I survey Peter's growth in faith and dedication to the Lord, I realize that I still have a long way to go in my own faith. Too often, I pray and ask God to change my circumstances instead of looking at them more introspectively to learn what it is that God may be trying to teach me. Max Lucado says, "The circumstances we ask God to change are often the circumstances God is using to change us."

God created a marvelous creation and He still sits on the throne over all things. He has a purpose and a plan in every detail of our lives and He is not finished yet. Philippians 1:6 says, "Be confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

If we allow our circumstances to become bigger than our God, then they have become our god. We must intentionally toss out anything and everything that tries to rise up in our hearts to replace the One, True, Living God. He, alone, is the One who deserves our attention, time, and worship. Not anything or anyone else... even our loved ones.

We truly can trust Him with whatever we have concern. So, today, what is bigger in your mind and heart than God? Be honest. Are you concerned with:
                                       a family member
                                       your marriage
                                       an illness
                                       a betrayal
                                       an empty nest
                                       your job
                                       an alienated relationship
                                       your future
                                       someone who doesn't know Jesus
                                       fear
                                       anxiety
                                       finances
                                       a wayward child
                                       grief
                                       loss
                                       natural disasters
                                       divorce
                                       or any other worry

If so, then take the time to honestly evaluate how unshakeable your faith really is. If you hadn't noticed, God is really shaking things up in the world today. Through the prophet, Haggai, God tells us, "'Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake and make tremble the [starry] heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations and the desire and the precious things of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendor,' says the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:6-7).

This is not the time to lose heart because God is preparing to return and fill His house with glory. He has a purpose and a plan in everything that He allows in our lives because He is intentionally shaking out everything that is not in alignment with His purposes. Within the church, God is preparing a people to carry the weight of His glory and accomplish His purposes in the earth.  At times, it can seem incomprehensible to us, and yet, He is busy behind the scenes preparing things that are better than we can even imagine. Trust Him to grow and strengthen you in this season.

The more we see shaking, the more we should confidently know that He is preparing an unshakeable kingdom for us. We should listen to God's Word and obey and pull in closer to Him as our refuge. Take every burden and concern to your Heavenly Father and know that He will handle it better than anything we could do. Rest in the confidence that whatever He allows the outcome of your situation to be that it will be used for His greater glory and our good.  He loves you beyond measure and has promised to take care of us. He is always good and definitely bigger than anything we may face!


"Dear children, you belong to God. So you have won the victory over [your giants], because He who is in you is greater than he that is in the world."
                                                               1 John 4:4

Thoughts from an Irma refugee....

For the past four and a half years, I have been blessed to call Naples, Florida my home. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and life there is peaceful and serene. A typical day is met with sunshine and palm trees, with pelicans and seagulls sailing calmly through the air and dipping into the gorgeous ocean to obtain their sustenance. Dolphins play in the expanse and people relax on white, sandy beaches.  Many people call Naples “paradise” because there are so many gorgeous places and aspects to living there.

All of that began to change on Monday. Suddenly, there was a mass rush to every Walmart, grocery store and gas station. Water was sold out on Monday, and there were long lines to get gas and building supplies. The usual laid back pace there became frenetic and worried. People scrambled to get supplies for the imminent hurricane, even though, at that point, it seemed it was poised to hit the East coast.

Still, most people who live in Florida become somewhat immune to impending hurricanes because that becomes a part of living in a place that is dubbed as paradise. You watch and prepare but deep inside there is a confidence that things will be fine and return to normal shortly. And that his what most people in Naples were doing.

On Tuesday, Irma shifted course slightly and now it began to look like it might hit in the middle of the state and maybe on the West coast. The pace quickened and some people began to make plans to leave. I happened to fall into this group because I would be traveling with my parents and my Mom had just had surgery and would be more challenged in her travel plans.  It occurred to me as we were leaving what a gorgeous day it was. We were able to book a hotel room in Valdosta and by 2:30 pm, we were on the road. Thankfully, we averted the heavy traffic that would begin the next day.

We drove the rest of the way to Tennessee on Wednesday, and that’s when things got dicier for residents in South Florida. At this point, the time to drive from Naples to Georgia (which usually takes 5 hours) began to take about 13 hours, and by Thursday the same distance took 19 hours. Gas stations began to run out of gas, and people had to wait for new supply to come.

I would really like to commend Governor Rick Scott for the amazing job he did on preparing the state for such an unimaginable catastrophe. He was very detailed and organized in his approach and exhibited exemplary leadership skills. He told Floridians in south Florida to finish up everything they had to do by 8pm on Friday because that is when tropical storm force winds would arrive on the scene. This is where the problem emanated.

Irma shifted again slightly to the West by Friday am and now Governor Scott had to evacuate Sarasota and Tampa. Highway I75 was so crowded that by noon on Friday no one else could leave South Florida because they would have been sitting on the expressway when Irma barreled in. Many people (including several friends of mine) thought they were prepared and thought they had time to evacuate but they did not. They had to remain in Naples despite their desire to leave.

Over 100,000 people ended up in shelters because time caught them in its grasp. Despite prudent preparedness, the clock ran out. Even though they thought they were ready, they really were not.

This makes me think about the storm on a more macular level, even on a spiritual one. The first verse I think of are words that Jesus Himself told us. He said, “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.” (Luke 21:25). I truly believe that Harvey and Irma are among the natural disasters of which Jesus warned us.
I think that, like the Southern Floridians, there will be many who will believe they are prepared for the return of Christ, only to find that the door has shut. In God’s mercy, He wants each one of us to be ready for His return. I pray that we can read the handwriting on the wall and be among those who are raptured up to the place that is the only true paradise!

My thoughts and prayers are with every Floridian and every victim of Harvey. Please know that God is with you and that His mercies abound even in the midst of the storm. Please know that He loves you more than you can imagine and that He prepares an eternal home for you, even now.

Love,
A Fellow Evacuee

Letting Go

                         "Let us go into His tabernacle; Let us worship at His footstool."
                                                            Psalm 132:7




We all experience so many seasons in our lives, and, for me, this is truly a reflective one. Thirty-four years ago, I became a Mom for the very first time and have always had children under roof for the duration. This will be the first time in thirty-four years that I will not, as our youngest daughter, Abigail, is heading off to Boston for college. All my other children went to college close by, which was just perfect for me. This time, however, will be totally different and I am still trying to figure out the logistics of it all.

In my mind, I know this is an exciting time for Abbie and the perfect transition for her into adulthood. However, my heart does not yet know that. As we finish up this last week of having her at home, it is really hard not to feel a "pit" in my stomach and to continually fight the urge to burst into tears. Yet, I know that as hard as this transition may be, that God does have a good plan for our family and that I will learn to trust Him yet again.

"Letting go" is not something that comes easily for me. I really do not like change and I definitely do not like having my children thousands of miles away. All of my happiest memories are the ones where every family member is together at home and we all have the time to just hang out and enjoy each other's company. To me, this is what feels right and good and the way it should be.

However, it cannot always be this way. God has a plan for each one of our children, and, deep in my heart, I don't want to stand in the way of that. It's being caught in the tension of what is supposed to be and what I would really prefer to happen that creates a conundrum for me. It is in recognizing that God has a higher  purpose and calling that brings me to my knees and cries out for His comfort in the deepest recesses of my heart and soul.

When people use the phrase to "let go and let God", I don't think this means to passively just sit back and do nothing. For me, it is to let go of what my expectations are and to trust that God has a better plan. This holds true especially if I don't understand His plan or if it doesn't feel good to me. His thoughts are definitely higher and all His ways are perfect.

I must learn to take every thought captive and not allow myself to worry about the myriad of things that are beyond my control- like her tripping up a flight of stairs or falling down off of her lofted bed. I cannot focus on the blizzards in Boston or potential natural disasters that could occur. I steer clear of all the medical possibilities including meningitis from living in the dorm (even though we did get the vaccination!). I remind myself that I don't believe in aliens so she won't be abducted and that all of us have survived steady diets of ramen noodles. Mostly, I allow God to calm my nerves and assure me that she will make good choices, and in the event she does not, that He will still be there to guide her steps and light her path. Oh yeah, and He always has been...Oh yeah, and He even loves her more than I do...

Asking God for more patience sometimes seems like something I want to avoid, however, in situations that are going to last for a long time, we might as well have the patience to go along with it. Prayer is one way to develop this skill because we seek God and learn to wait for His answers. He will give us supernatural strength to change our perspective.

All of us have areas in our lives where we need to release our grip and trust God more. Some of us hold too tightly to loved ones, or job security, or fighting illnesses or potential divorce. Instead of fully trusting in God, we can trust in ourselves or others.  We can also hold back in our giftings or callings because we allow fear or doubt to take control. Sometimes it is easier to stick with what is familiar than to successfully transition into the new place that God has for us.

The  new place can look scary or daunting or unfamiliar. We may have far more questions than we do answers. Don't pull back, though. Keep marching forward, knowing that God is with you and He will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. He is good and He is faithful!

While every season in our lives may have its' own unique challenges, each one also has its' own unique beauty and blessings. That is where we focus our thoughts, remembering to thank God for every gift He gives. Sometimes He gives us the gifts in the midst of bounty and sometimes in the midst of the desert.

Focusing on Him and worshipping and trusting Him will yield the greatest harvest in our lives. He honors and blesses our sacrifices of praise the most of all. He is the best Father of all and He will never allow anything into our lives that He will not ultimately work together for our good.

If today you have a lump in your throat or a pit in your stomach, take some time alone with God so He can calm your nerves and obliterate your fears. He is bigger than our greatest challenge and worthy of our highest praise. Turn it all over to Him and watch what He will do!


"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
                                                        Isaiah 41:10

The Goodness of God

      "The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend."
                                                        Aiden Wilson Tozer




If we could visit heaven temporarily to interview its occupants today, I wonder how each one of them would define the word good. Would they limit the definition to only experiencing the pleasant things in life, or would there be a deeper consideration for the things that would ultimately yield an outcome and a fruit that is good? Exactly how would some of the heroes of our faith, like Isaiah, or Esther,  or Jeremiah, or Paul, or Mary ( the mother of Jesus) answer this question? Especially now that they have the advantage of only seeing things from an eternal perspective. Oh, how I wish we could conduct that interview today!

It has been said that hindsight has 20/20 vision. I believe that true clarity comes when we focus our gaze through the eyes of the One who created this world and its inhabitants. I honestly do not believe that even the heroes of our faith had complete understanding of the sheer goodness of God and the mysteries of His ways until they were nestled in eternity and could see firsthand both how good God is and how good the things He does really are.

This was the dilemma that plagued the life of Asaph, one of the authors of the Psalms. Asaph was a Levite and one of the chief musicians under King David. He composed Psalm 73, as well as eleven others. Psalm 73 tackles the age-old problem of why the righteous have to suffer while it seems as if the ungodly prosper. This nagging question created quite the conundrum for this worshipper who confesses that at one point he almost walked away from his faith.

Asaph's assumption was not unlike many believers in the U.S. today. He thought that if God was good then He would constantly pour out His blessings on the righteous and deliver all the trials and difficulties to the unbelievers. While there is an element of truth in this assumption, it is far from being complete.

Consider what the author of Deuteronomy tells us when he says, "And you shall [earnestly]  remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in you [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. And He humbled you and allowed you to hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you recognize and personally know that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord" (Deuteronomy 8:2-3).

The real problem that Asaph had was not the fact that he was grappling with hard truths. Rather, it was the fact that his perspective was distorted. Instead of hating the sin of the ungodly, he envied their success. He self-righteously believed that he deserved God's blessings and when they eluded him, he concluded that all his righteous living had been in vain. He erroneously assigned his suffering as emanating from God and he decided to throw one big pity party!

He over-generalized and he defined the goodness of God as meaning "health and wealth" for himself.  By the end of Psalm 73, however, he realizes that his definition of good was inherently wrong. For the first time, he begins to view it from the vantage of eternity rather than from the here and now.

His thinking was transformed and so was his definition of the word good. Originally he had believed that the word good meant the absence of pain, sorrow, difficulty, poverty, and poor health. After his heart and mind were transformed, he said, "But, as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works" (psalm 73:28).

If we could really have a revelation of the goodness of God, our lives would forever be transformed. Even if we understand that God is good, we must also understand that even the bad things that occur in our lives will be used for good. Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was delivered to him by a "messenger of Satan" (2 Corinthians 12:7) but God allowed this so that His strength could be witnessed through Paul's weakness. What Joseph's brothers intended for his "evil", God intended "for good" so that He could save the lives of many people in the time of a severe famine (Genesis 50:20).

God works all things for our good and for His glory. Many times we would write a different script when it comes to the story of our lives, but it is His script that ultimately is the best for us. Often, we just don't understand what the larger plan is. This is why we walk by faith, knowing in our minds and hearts that God's very essence is good and that that will be parlayed into the construct of our lives. 

A true life of gratitude will take the difficulties in our lives and use them to honor God. Our flesh may want us to run and scream, but the Holy Spirit gives us grace to bring God glory. Ann Voscamp says, "Giving thanks is that: making the canyon of pain into a megaphone to proclaim the ultimate goodness of God when Satan and all the world would sneer at us to recant."

Honesty and truth are required to truly praise and worship in the midst of a storm. So is maturity in Christ. We have to be willing to allow Jesus to show us where our perceptions are distorted and where are hearts have become hardened. Not one of us has a perfect heart, and the ones who think they do are the most deceived of all. They are the best at concealing what's really inside, even to themselves.

The wilderness is the place where God exposes our hearts. He also exposes the intentions buried deep within our hearts. It takes humility to understand that it is God's Word that we need even more than we need our daily bread.  It takes courage and faith to continue the course fully confident that even the wilderness will be used for our good. It takes wisdom from above to know that "all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) are like filthy rags"  before the Lord (Isaiah 64:6).  It takes commitment and love to know that God is right by our side even as we traverse a dry land.

God always has been and always will be good. He is good in the good times and He is good in the difficult ones. His mercies and grace are poured over us as we grapple with the difficult questions we face. His greatest promise to us is that He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). He will forever be with us and for us. We can lift our voice of praise while we wield a two-edged sword in our hands (Psalm 149:6).

Asaph's perspective was changed when he quit looking at the circumstances around him and started looking at the destiny before him. We also need to do the same. Steven Furtick says, "What would happen if you stopped asking, 'God, why am I going through this?' and started asking, 'God, what are you preparing me for?'" The answer to this question changes everything.

Praise God for who He is. Praise God for His goodness. Praise God for working all things together for our good. Praise God for what He has done. Praise God for what He is doing. Praise God for what He will do. Praise God for your destiny.  Praise God that He gives and He forgives. Praise God because He is good!!!!


                "Sing praises to God, sing praises; Sing praises to our King, sing praises."
                                                            Psalm 47:6