Month: August 2021

Yet will I exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength.

Habakkuk 3:18-19

It seemed strange last week when someone at church suggested that I read the book of Habakkuk, one of the Old Testament prophets.  I had read it a long time ago in a Bible study, but I decided to read it again this week.  It’s very short, only three chapters.  But I’ve been reading it and thinking about it all week.  The prophet Habakkuk is crying out to God with his complaints about the condition of his world (between 612 and 589 B.C.).  He sees that violence is everywhere…evil deeds, misery, surrounded by people who love to argue and fight… no justice in the courts…The wicked far outnumber the righteous…

As we look at the current events taking place in the world today, we might be tempted to ask the same thing that Habakkuk asked: “How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen!”  The devastation of earthquakes, floods, fires, the pandemic which has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, hospitals full to overflowing, disruption of our way of life with business and schools, the political dissension, the heartbreaking situation in Afghanistan…  The list can go on and on. 

The Lord’s response to Habakkuk was “Look around at the nations, look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.”  He tells Habakkuk of the judgment that He is bringing on His people in Judah.  The Lord goes on to tell Habakkuk “This vision is for a future time.  It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.  If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place.  It will not be delayed.” 

After Habakkuk’s conversations and questions about what God was doing, he concludes by declaring his faith in God: 

Habakkuk 3:16 (NLT) I will wait quietly for the coming day… Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

I am greatly encouraged by the reminder I read in the footnotes of my NLT Life Application Study Bible:

Habakkuk 3:17-19 Habakkuk affirmed that even in times of starvation and loss, he would still rejoice in the Lord.  His feelings were not controlled by the events around him but by faith in God’s ability to give him strength.  When nothing makes sense, and when troubles seem more than you can bear, remember that God gives strength…. Habakkuk saw his own limitations in contrast to God’s unlimited power and control of all the world’s events.  God is alive and in control of the world and its events.  We cannot see all that God is doing, and we cannot see all that God will do.  But we can be assured that he is God and will do what is right.  Knowing this can give us confidence and hope in a confusing world.

            We can pray for strength to hold on to the truth that God is sovereignly in control of all the events of our lives, even though we can’t see an answer.  We can ask Him for faith to keep on believing that He sees what we are going through and promises to provide what we need, in His time.  He promises that He is with us and will never leave us.  We can wait patiently and rejoice in Him as we trust.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

What situation in your life causes you to respond as Habakkuk did?  “How long, O Lord, must I cry out to You?”  And you can’t see an answer.  Maybe there is an ongoing health issue, or a broken relationship, financial burdens, unsaved loved ones, wayward children, death of a loved one…

Can you pray and trust God as you fill in the blank:  Even though ______________________________________________________________________________________________yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength.

You may want to write a prayer to God expressing your need, your trust, your commitment to rejoice in His strength as you wait for His answer

My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him comes my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold.  I shall not be greatly shaken.

Psalm 62:1-2

For 17 years, I had to fly to Denver when I wanted to visit my daughter and her family.  Thankfully, they moved here 8 years ago and they live only 3 minutes from us!  But my daughter and I still have “Denver Days” together.  We both love to play games, go out for lunch, do some shopping, stop for ice cream…  all of our favorite things for several hours.  It brings us great joy spending that time together.

         A few days ago, we were enjoying a Denver Day.  As we were playing a game, she remembered a song they have been singing at their church called “Make Room” by Community Music. It had made a personal impact on her life recently and she wanted to share it with me.  (You can listen to it on YouTube.) She found the lyrics on her phone so I could follow along as we listened to the song.  It’s a lengthy song, with several repeated stanzas – a beautiful prayer of surrender and a commitment to do whatever God wants me to do.  We listened to the song, and I commented on the beautiful message.  She shared how it had impacted her, and then we went back to playing games.

But the next morning, before even getting out of bed, one of the stanzas of the song came to mind:

“Shake up the ground of all my tradition; Break down the walls of all my religion.” 

God used those words to speak to my heart as I spent my morning quiet time with Him. I’m very disciplined about getting up early in the morning, coming to the place where I can be alone to pray, read my Bible and a couple of devotional messages.  I even have a system for writing down what I learn about God from what I have read, and how I am to respond to what I’ve read.  Discipline is good, and even necessary, but not if it becomes a rigid routine. 

  I was convicted by how often my own “traditions” may get in the way of truly just being with God. The verse came to mind from Psalm 46:10: Be still and know that I am God.  Whenever I read that verse, I usually focus on the word “still.”  But that morning, the word “be” is what captured my thoughts.  Just to “be” with God, worshiping Him for who He is, thanking Him for what He has done, and then listening to whatever He wants to say to me as I quiet my heart to listen.

I felt Him calling me to set aside my daily “traditions” and make room for Him to draw me even deeper into a love relationship with Him.  I am asking Him to create in me a true heart of worship in the time I spend with Him.  He reminded me that I am not just His servant, I am His beloved daughter.  I want to make sure that my relationship with God is a true heart connection with Him, not a rigid routine.  I want to “Make Room” for Him!

PERSONAL REFLECTION

How do you “make room” to be with God? 

Do you feel the desire to make any changes in your life in order to hear Him speaking to you?  You can even ask Him to give you that desire.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…

Galatians 5:22

The worship team at our church introduced a new song this week.  It is a prayer that has deeply impacted my heart and mind, and I want to share it with you here.  You can find the song on YouTube to hear the music along with the words. 

 Less Like Me

Zach Williams

Oh, I have days I lose the fight
Try my best but just don’t get it right
Where I talk a talk that I don’t walk
And miss the moments right before my eyes

Somebody with a hurt that I could have helped
Somebody with a hand that I could have held
When I just can’t see past myself
Lord, help me be

A little more like mercy, a little more like grace
A little more like kindness, goodness, love, and faith
A little more like patience, a little more like peace
A little more like Jesus, a little less like me

Yeah, there’s no denying I have changed
‘Cause I’ve been saved from who I used to be
But even at my best, I must confess
I still need help to see the way You see

Somebody with a hurt that I could have helped
Somebody with a hand that I could have held
When I just can’t see past myself
Lord, help me be

A little more like mercy, a little more like grace
A little more like kindness, goodness, love, and faith
A little more like patience, a little more like peace
A little more like Jesus, a little less like me

Oh, I wanna feed the beggar on the street
Learn to be Your hands and feet
Freely give what I receive
Lord, help me be
I want put You first above all else
Love my neighbor as myself
In the moments no one sees
Lord, help me be
(One, two, three)

A little more like mercy, a little more like grace
A little more like kindness, goodness, love, and faith
A little more like patience, a little more like peace
A little more like Jesus, oh, a little less like me

A little more of living everything I preach
A little more like Jesus, a little less like me
Oh, a little less like me

*********************************

As I read the repeated chorus, I realized that these qualities (kindness, goodness, love, faith, patience, peace) are the fruit of the Spirit in the Bible, Galatians 5:22.  As followers of Jesus who have been saved by Him, we have the Holy Spirit living in us. To live more like Jesus, it’s not enough to just make up my mind to try harder to live this way. I need to ask Him to change my heart as I depend on His Spirit in me moment by moment to live “more like Jesus, less like me.” 

            Our pastor challenged us to read through the Psalms this summer. As I read each chapter, I’ve written what I learn about the Lord.  Over and over, I see His lovingkindness and compassion. He is our help and our hope in times of trouble.  He is a God who hears us when we cry out to Him, and He is a God who speaks to us through His Word.

            To be more like Jesus, I need to spend time each day in His Word, listening to what He has to say to me.  I can ask Him each day, “Is there someone who is hurting that I can help?  Is there someone who just needs a listening ear and encouragement?”  And then I can ask Him for a heart that is willing to reach out in love to others, to lead them to Jesus who is their hope.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Is there someone God has put on your heart that needs the hope and encouragement you can offer them through Jesus?

It’s easy to feel like we just don’t have what it takes to help someone who is hurting.  But we can trust God for the words of encouragement He wants them to hear. We can ask Him for a willing heart and wisdom to know what to do and what to say.  We can help them turn to Jesus who loves them and is filled with love, kindness, compassion, faithfulness.  He is the One who knows what they need, but He can use us to be His hands and feet and voice as we reach out to them.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. 

I will counsel you with My eye upon you.

Psalm 32:8

It happened 18 years ago, but it’s a lesson I’ll never forget! My husband and I had been struggling for a long time with the decision whether to sell our home in California and move back to Spokane, Washington, where we were both born and raised. We had been away for 33 years, but most of our family was still living in the state.  We were both feeling like it would be nice to live close to family again.

The housing market was wild in California at that time. Homes placed on the market would sell within a few days for thousands of dollars over the asking price.  So, we finally put our home on the market and were confident it would sell immediately – a remodeled home in a nice neighborhood, good schools, parks nearby – a very desirable location.

But we waited…and waited…  Two months went by without a single offer!  We couldn’t imagine why our house didn’t sell.  We finally made the decision to take it off the market.  Maybe in the future we would try again.  We called the realtor with our decision.  Someone soon came to take down the “For Sale” sign.  While he was in the process of removing the sign, we got a phone call from a realtor asking if he could bring someone to see our house.  Two separate couples came on that same day, and we received an offer!  Our house sold!!

The next step was to fly to Spokane to look for a home.  We contacted a realtor and planned to stay five days.  At the end of five days, we still had not found a home that we could agree on.  We were discouraged, and literally on our way back to the airport when my husband asked if I wanted to see one more home that he had seen on the internet. It had several things we didn’t want, but we went to see it anyway.  We didn’t have a realtor with us, and there wasn’t even a “For Sale” sign.  The owner at first refused to let us in since she wasn’t ready for an open house that day.  It had only been on the market for 17 days. After explaining our situation, she reluctantly agreed to let us in, and within 15 minutes we knew this was the house we wanted.  But we were on our way to the airport for our flight back to California! 

We contacted our realtor, told him about the house, asked him to check it out for us.  By that night when we arrived back in California, he had faxed us papers to sign.  The next morning, the owner accepted our offer!  We were astounded!

Here is the lesson I learned through that experience:  I had been praying for God’s will through the whole process.  There were times of confusion and disappointment when our home didn’t sell, and again when we couldn’t find a home in Spokane.  But all along I was trusting God for His plan and His timing.  I had to keep reminding myself that God knew the plan He has for us.

Looking back over these last 18 years, I am thrilled with God’s plan!  Each time there is a new choice to make, I remember.  I love seeing His plan unfold in His perfect timing.  My faith has grown strong as I continue to trust God for everything! 

Here are some Scriptures I have printed out so I can look at them often and be encouraged.  I pray they will encourage you too!

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord…

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.  I will counsel you with My eye upon you.

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him…

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Is there a choice you need to make right now?  You can pray and ask God to give you the faith to believe that He has the answer.

Choose a Scripture to memorize and repeat it often to remind you that God has a plan for you, and He will lead as you choose to trust Him.

If you are confused and discouraged, find someone who will pray with you and help you trust that God has the answer.  He is faithful to His promises!

We will not fear though the earth shakes and the mountains slip into the heart of the sea.

Psalm 46:2

This Scripture spoke to me especially this week. As I think of all that is going on in the world, fear is a natural reaction to so much of what is happening all around us. The global pandemic has changed our world.  The loss of so many lives, serious health issues, jobs lost, financial insecurity, businesses closed forever. And daily news reports fires, floods, earthquakes, famine, drought, wars…

Personally, I am experiencing a situation that initially caused a “mountain” of fear.  As I deal with it, I am so aware that it is not a one-time battle to overcome fear.  And yet God’s Word tells us “Do not fear…”  We know from 1 Peter 5:7 that we have an “enemy who prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.” Our enemy, Satan, will attempt to get us caught up in fear of our circumstances, or what might happen in the future.  But we have a choice – we can listen to the enemy and give in to fear, or choose to hear God’s words of truth and trust Him.  No matter what!

As I read through the Psalms this summer, I am making a list of what they teach me about God.  Over and over, I read of God’s love and faithfulness that endures forever. He sees everything that is going on, and He hears when we cry out to Him.  I’m encouraged by so many verses which tell us God is our shield, our refuge, our deliverer, our protector, our rock, our fortress. 

As followers of Jesus, we can claim the promises in His Word. There are many more, but I have chosen just a few that greatly encourage me. When you are tempted to fear, read these Scriptures and take courage. 

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not for I am with you. Do not be afraid for I am your God.  I will strengthen you; I will also help you; I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Psalm 56:3

When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Psalm 27:5

In the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle.  He will lift me up on a rock.

We will all go through circumstances that can cause us to fear. Trusting God is the solution to fear.  But we have to know who God is and what He has promised in His Word.  And we have to claim His promises and choose to believe.  We may have to make that choice many times a day when fear threatens.  We can stand firm in Him and not be shaken. 

PERSONAL REFLECTION

What “mountains” are you personally experiencing now that could cause you to fear?

Fill in the blank for yourself: Even if _____________________, I will not fear. I will choose to trust my God.

Remember that we have an enemy who is out to destroy us. Fear is one of his tactics.  Which of these Scriptures will you choose to focus on when you are tempted to fear? Consider printing them out and keeping them in a place where you can refer to them often.

Maybe you are in a season of life where all is well with you.  Thank God for that!  There may be family or friends that you could share these verses with to encourage them.

I’ve copied these words from Lauren Daigle’s song “I Will Trust.”  You can go to YouTube and listen to her sing it.  It is such an encouragement to trust God when we are facing a mountain of fear.

  I Will Trust

… Letting go of every single dream
I lay each one down at Your feet
Every moment of my wandering
Never changes what You see
I’ve tried to win this war, I confess
My hands are weary, I need Your rest
Mighty warrior, King of the fight
No matter what I face, You’re by my side

… When You don’t move the mountains
I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters
I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers
As I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust
I will trust in You

… Truth is, You know what tomorrow brings
There’s not a day ahead You have not seen
So in all things be my life and breath
I want what You want, Lord, and nothing less

… When You don’t move the mountains
I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters
I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers
As I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust
I will trust in You
I will trust in You

… You are my strength and comfort
You are my steady hand
You are my firm foundation
The rock on which I stand
Your ways are always higher
Your plans are always good
There’s not a place where I’ll go
You’ve not already stood

… When You don’t move the mountains
I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters
I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers
As I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust
I will trust in You
I will trust in You
I will trust in You
I will trust in You