Tag Archives: trust

Genesis 21-22 I Believe Him

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The Father offered His Son as a living sacrifice. The Son, obedient to the Father, hung on the cross, and willingly laid down His life. The Son, the sacrifice, the Lamb that was slain, lives again.

Was God’s instruction to Abraham some random test of faith? Or was it a foreshadowing of what was to come, a beautiful picture of Jesus?

Abraham might have been confused. God just got done telling him Isaac would be the father of nations. But Isaac hadn’t had his first child yet when God told Abraham to sacrifice his son. I love the fact that Abraham obeyed anyway.

For three days he walked with his son. The son carried the wood for the sacrifice. The father carried the knife.

Didn’t Jesus carry His cross? Was it God the Father or the Jews who held the “knife?”

Abraham had time to change his mind, but he kept moving. His faith in God seems to have prevented him from disobeying. “God will provide the lamb,” he told Isaac. And I love how Abraham’s faith was revealed when he spoke to his servants.

He said, “We (Isaac and I) are going ahead to make a sacrifice to God. You wait here. WE’LL be right back.”

Abraham might not have known HOW God was going to keep His promise. He only knew God WOULD keep His promise.

And that’s how I want to live my life. God has promised never to leave or forsake me, He promised to forgive my sins when I repent, He promised to go prepare a place for me to live with Him forever. And I believe Him.

Dear Father, I want to live my life with faith like Abraham’s. I want to go about my day with the same determination to obey You. I want to take those steps of faith even when I don’t see how Your will can be accomplished in and through me. May I be yielded to You, sensitive to Your voice, believing You and trusting You. Thank you for providing the Lamb. Your promises are true. I love You. And I believe.

 

December 29 – Trust

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Revelation 6-11

Today as I read these chapters in Revelation the Lord seemed to be asking me a question. Do I trust Him? The events of John’s vision are frightening. War, sickness, storms, earthquakes, devastation.

Satan.

Do I trust God with the events of my life? All of them?

A W Tozer said, “God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity we plan only things we can do by ourselves.”

Life is hard. And sometimes God wants to do great things in and through us during our darkest moments. Sometimes He wants to reveal Himself through our storms, our diseases, and our wars. But He can’t if we hold on to control, not believing He really can do the impossible.

As John is telling the horrible things that occur in his vision, one thing stood out to me.

God.

At the end of it all, God will still be standing in all His holiness, power and majesty. And not just at the end of time. At the end of my battles in this life, God is still on the throne.

I think of my nephew, encouraging his four-year-old son to jump into the pool and into his waiting arms. I see the little one, frightened and cold, shivering poolside. But then I see determination in those young eyes as he fixes his gaze on his daddy’s face, and jumps.

Do I trust God? Absolutely.

Now to take that leap.

Dear God, I do trust You. But I have to confess there are times when a little doubt creeps in, or I tell myself I should be able to handle things on my own. Forgive me. Help me to pray like Jesus prayed, Not my will but Thine, and mean it. I want to face whatever life hands me firmly holding Your hand, completely trusting You, and obeying You. And, God, accomplish the impossible in me today if You want to. I’ve got my eyes on You. And I’m diving in.

October 9 – There are storms, and there are STORMS

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Matthew 12:1-21; Mark 3; Luke 6

Hurricane Matthew has done its worse. From the Caribbean Islands to North Carolina houses have been battered, businesses destroyed, lives lost. My own home received the torrents of the storm. You’ve probably seen pictures of the devastation the hurricane inflicted on the coast.

It amazes me that any building is still standing. I’m not an engineer, but I’m pretty sure a building’s foundation has an impact on the durability of the structure in a storm. A house well-built, can endure the force of heavy storms much better than one poorly built.

Not only was my house’s foundation tested these last few days, so was the foundation of my life. My house of only a month, with three boxes still unpacked, contains some of the things I hold dear. My mother’s china, my piano and clarinet, pictures of family no longer with us, my dad’s trifold flag and purple heart. Some things just cannot be replaced.

But they are things. And if I die today, none of that would go with me anyway.

I will tell you I prayed almost without ceasing for my place, for my friends’ homes and their safety, our church, our island, people I don’t know in Haiti and Florida and the Carolinas. I can honestly say my faith and trust in God did not waiver for a moment, even in the uncertainty of what was ahead. God, who does all things well, is able to be whatever we need in good times and in bad, in times of joy or great sorrow.

I learned through this storm that my foundation is secure. My life doesn’t depend on easy living or in storm-free days. God is not my God just when I’m healthy and things are looking up. He never left my side and will be my strength in the cleanup after this storm.

I learned that God is faithful in the little storms of life as well as in the face of life-changing events and challenges. He has proved that over and over in my lifetime and will continue to reveal Himself today, tomorrow, and in the future.

I have not built the foundation of my life on relationships, on money or success, or health, or church attendance.

I’ve built my foundation by devouring  God’s Word, by spending time talking to God in prayer. So I’ll continue to talk about Him and walk with Him every day. Because I am the person Jesus talked about in Luke 6:48:

(Connie) is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

August 13 – Roots

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Jeremiah 14-17

It’s been a hot and dry summer here in Ohio. The grass is brown, the flowers have wilted, leaves on trees droop. The last few days there has been an occasional shower and even a few heavy rains, but so far it doesn’t seem to have had much effect on the landscape.

In fact, I went out in bare feet yesterday to get the mail, and the grass was still dry and brittle. It’s been that parched here. Even a bit of rain isn’t enough to quench the ground.

Jeremiah says people who put their trust in mankind, or even in themselves, are like that. (17:5-6) Like tumbleweeds in a desert, like a desolate land of salt, they are cursed with a thirst that cannot be satisfied. Oh, many will say that’s not true, that they are just fine without God. Jeremiah says they’re so used to living in the wilderness they won’t even see when prosperity comes.

Then the prophet goes on. People who put their trust in the Lord are blessed!

For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit. (17:7-8)

We who plant ourselves close to the Living Water will have deep roots, we won’t fear the heat of battle or hardship, and our faith will stand firm even when things around us dry up. Then, because of our witness, people will want what we have. We’ll bear fruit!

Where are your roots planted?

 

 

July 20 – My Rock

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Isaiah 23-27

Selling two homes, buying one, moving 600 miles away from family, packing boxes, moving vans, closings, finances, utilities. To say I’m feeling a little overwhelmed is an understatement. In the past two weeks I have contracts on my two condos, have gone through about twenty homes with my realtor, and put an offer on one. My head is spinning.

It’s times like this when I am reminded that, no matter how busy my life, no matter how many directions I am pulled, I need to protect my time in God’s Word. These intentional moments I spend with my Savior are really the most important part of every day.

Isaiah reminded me this morning to “Trust in the Lord forever, for on God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.” (26:4)

My footing right now feels unsteady. There are so many questions yet to be answered about this move. I may be stressed. But I have a Rock. I need but trust Him with today and eternity.

So with Isaiah I will pray “O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; for You have worked wonders…”

He has. And He will.

July 6 – Scared Courage

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2 Kings 9-11

Has God ever asked you to do anything really scary? Maybe change careers, confront a loved one about sin in their life, talk to your  neighbor about Jesus? It’s ok to be afraid – as long as you obey.

Someone has said courage is fear in action. It is not absence of fear.

Elisha asked a young man to go to Jehu, anoint him king over Israel, then flee. That sounds like a dangerous mission to me. King Joram and King Ahaziah were both firmly established as kings of Judah and Israel at the time. What Elisha asked his servant to do was treason. It could cost him his life.

The young man demonstrated courage by obeying. But I have to confess I had a laugh-outloud moment when I read about it in chapter 9.

The servant approached Jehu who was sitting with his buddies. “Can I talk to you privately?” the servant asked. Jehu might have rolled his eyes, and gave his pals a quick smirk. But he went with the servant into the house. The servant poured oil on Jehu’s head, then told him what God had said to Elisha about Jehu becoming King of Israel. Then, and this is what made me laugh, the servant turned tail and ran out of the house, leaving an oily and surprised Jehu in his wake.

I pictured someone opening a door a crack to throw a bone to a snarling, barking doberman, then slamming the door shut as fast as they can, and running away.

Actually, the servant had reason to get out of there as fast as he could. What he had just done was really, really scary.

That’s what God asks of us. We don’t have to conquer our fear before we do what God has laid on our hearts. We just need to give that fear to God – and obey. God will give us the courage exactly when we need it, if we but trust Him. He will go with us, give us words to say, and get the job done, even if our knees are weak and our hands are shaking.

You might want to put on your running shoes. God has something for you to do today.

 

May 18 – Sleepless In Ohio

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Psalms 26, 40, 58, 61-62, 64

I had trouble falling to sleep last night. So many thoughts were running through my head I couldn’t keep up. It was exhausting. I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours.

Here are a few of the thoughts that kept me awake: 1. President Trump or President Clinton – how has our nation come to this sad place in history? 2. Medicare supplements, life insurance – decisions I need to make, 3. financial martial law – this presidency is destroying us, 4. a man I’ve had contact with who is searching for peace – how would God use me to lead him to the Savior, 5. family stuff.

I tried to pray, but my racing thoughts distracted me. So it was with relief I read these psalms today. Many of these verses blessed me. Here are two:

On God my salvation and glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. (66:7&8)

I don’t know what tomorrow holds. But I will stand on my Rock, and trust God at all times, even in the dark of night when sleep doesn’t come.

God is still my refuge.

May 16 – Again And Again

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Psalms 3-4, 12-13, 28, 55

There sure are a lot of psalms that speak about David’s anguish. He pleads with God. He cries out, moans, with fear and trembling. I have to admit I chuckled as I read 55:17 where David says he will complain and murmur evening, morning, and noon. At least he’s honest.

I notice that in these psalms where David is at his wits end, at the point of despair, he still trusts God. He tells God what is on his mind, and turns it all over to the Lord. I could learn something from David’s example.

What struck me today is the number of psalms that contain David’s expressions of helplessness, despair, and grief. Scripture tells us Saul, the source of much of David’s grief, pursued David for years. It wasn’t the case that Saul was mean to David, David prayed to God and complained about Saul’s unfair treatment, and God eliminated Saul.

Oh, that’s what eventually happened. But it took a lot of praying, a lot of tears, a lot of pouring himself out to the Lord, and a lot of trust in God before that happened.

My takeaway today is to take my requests to God morning, noon, and night if I need to. Lay it all out there. Again. And again.

Then trust God. Again. And again.

During those waiting years, David grew into someone who would be described as “a man after God’s own heart.” It just didn’t happen over night.

Oh God, refine me like you refined David, even when I get impatient and want my prayers answered according to my timeline. As I lay my burdens down, as I bring to You my heart’s desires, as I trust you again and again, please mold me into a woman after God’s own heart.

 

April 15 – When Life Gets Tough

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Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52

There is so much gold contained in the psalms. In the five we read today, you get a feeling for David’s pain, his confusion. He is being pursued by Saul, and betrayed by Doeg. David is hiding in a cave while he writes these words.

In these psalms David also gives us a glimpse of Jesus. Look for verses that refer to our Savior as you read. It’s pretty awesome.

But what stood out to me today as I read these psalms was David’s unwavering faith and trust in God. Yes he was running for his life. Yes, he was being treated unfairly. But no matter what, David rested in God alone.

52: 8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the loving kindness of God forever and ever.

34:1  I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will continually be in my mouth.

34:4  I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

34:8  O taste and see that the Lord is good.

31:14&15  But as for me, I trust in you, O Lord, I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands…

27:1  The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?

7:1  O Lord my God, in You I have taken refuge…

I hope you’ll read these psalms as the prayer of your own heart. Substitute David’s enemy with whatever it is you are facing. I pray you’ll be able to face whatever would destroy you, with the same confidence David expresses in these beautiful psalms.

When life gets tough, the only place I want to be is clinging to God who loves me and shelters me and holds me close. There, and only there, I have no fear.

April 14 – God Uses Sinners

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I Samuel 21-24

David was described as “a man after God’s own heart.” But David sinned. And some of his sins were doozies. Here in these chapters of I Samuel we see David lie to a priest of the Lord. Ahimelech the priest gave David food and Goliath’s sword because David told him the king had sent him. In fact, King Saul had not sent David.

David got what he had come for. But it cost Ahimelech his life, and the lives of his family. David would have to live with the fact that his lie brought about those deaths.

Yet this liar is described as a man after God’s own heart.

My pastor talked to us last night at prayer meeting about Zaccheus (Luke 19). Zaccheus was a hated tax collector, getting rich by extorting money from the people. His neighbors described him as a sinner. But Zaccheus was radically changed when he met Jesus.

Think of the cruel and murderous Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus. And think about how he was used by God after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus.

What I notice about these three men is that they didn’t let their past sins stop them from serving God. Read David’s psalms and hear him repent of his sins, and put his trust in the Lord. The Bible is full of examples of how God used David to bless the nation of Israel, and yes, even examples of what a man after God’s own heart looks like. See how, when God called Zaccheus and Saul by name, their encounter with the Savior effected the rest of their lives.

God didn’t say, “Clean up your act, then come back to me.” Instead God says, “Come as you are.”

Hear God call you by name, then respond to Him with a repentant heart. No sin is too great for Him to forgive. No life too shattered for Him to transform. And no sinner is too far gone to be used by God, once that sinner has met the Savior.

I prayed for you today.