I've mentioned before that I enjoy reading books written by Elisabeth Elliot. She's a superb storyteller, and often uses anecdotes to get her point across. In The Path of Loneliness ( a book I've mentioned before, and which I'm re-reading again because it's just that good), Elliot recounts a time when she received a letter from a college classmate whose husband had just walked out on her. The woman wrote of the loneliness of coming home to an empty apartment with no one to greet her. And how although she had friends and family who cared about her, she was truly alone for the first time in her life.
"O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love." Psalm 59:17
For my daily devotions, I've been reading through the Book of Psalms. Last week while reading Psalm 59 I was struck by David's name for God as "my Strength" (both in verses 9 and 17).In the English Standard Version, which is the version I use, strength is capitalized. Also in the New King James Version of the Bible this same word is capitalized. I'm not a Bible scholar and don't know why some versions capitalize the word, and others don't (if you know the answer, please let me know in the comments), but either way -- whether capitalized or not -- David is appropriating God as the source of his strength.
"Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?" Matthew 7:9-10
I've come to believe that there's no greater earthly blessing than to have the love of a father. Whenever I see a daddy tenderly holding his little child, my heart does a somersault. As one who did not have a relationship like that with her own father, I understand the damage that does to a child. I know the insecurities and fears that ensue, and how it impacts nearly every other relationship in one's life.
"Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha which, translated means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity." Acts 9:36
I find the life of Dorcas intriguing. As a disciple of Christ, she was dedicated to helping others, often sewing garments for those in need. God used Dorcas to provide for others, and except for her death and the miracle of Peter bringing her back to life, we very likely would never have heard of her. However, the lives she touched speak to her faithfulness to God and the love that poured out from her to others.
"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:6-7
In her excellent book The Path of Loneliness, Finding Your Way Through The Wilderness to God, Elisabeth Elliot recounts the story of a young woman who became a Christian and began work in service to the Lord. Things were going well until she received a diagnosis that would change her life forever. She had a debilitating illness that would most likely result in being permanently bed ridden.
"Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:28-29 (NIV)
Last week I presented some thoughts on how we often feel there is more that we need to do beyond receiving Christ as our Savior to satisfy God. That there is some Christian standard that we are required to live up to in order to please Him, and that if we miss that mark God is disappointed in us. One comment I received made mention of "performance-based acceptance" in childhood, and how being raised in such an environment can impact our relationship with God and our perception of receiving His approval.
I'm so glad this came up, because I would love to address this today from personal experience. I came from a home where "performance-based acceptance" was practiced. As long as I did everything right I received love, and if I didn't do everything right love was withheld. Even forgiveness was withheld. I lived in a constant state of insecurity, never sure that my parents really loved me, and always afraid that they would reject me.
When I reached adulthood I was interested in learning more about God. When people talked about God the Father, I pictured a supreme being who kept a checklist of all the things I did wrong. And I believed that He would never be satisfied with me, no matter how hard I tried. And so, I reckoned that there was no use in trying, and for years stopped seeking God.
Praise God a Christian came into my life who shared the truth of God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit. He showed me from the Bible how my view of God was warped, and he led me to the Savior. That being said, I still had much to comprehend about God's unconditional love, and how His love for me was not dependent upon my behavior. It took years, decades really, for me to overcome the need to perform and rest in the knowledge that my salvation and God's love for me was and is secure. Nothing can "pluck me from His hand." "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (John 1:9) Full stop. Nothing else is required, but for us to be honest about our sins and confess them to God. When we ask for forgiveness, He gives it. And being the wonderful Father He is, He never brings it up again. It's done. Hallelujah!
As I mentioned earlier, it has taken decades to comprehend the amazing love and grace of God and to seize it! To allow Him to write a new script for me to live by; one that eliminates the need for performance and relies solely on the truth of what He says in scripture. My journey to wholeness and spiritual wellness began in studying what God's word says, and then choosing to believe it. I prayed to Him to change my mindset. When the enemy Satan would accuse me and try to convince me that God would abandon me for my failures, I did (and still do!) what Jesus did in the wilderness. I quoted scripture, and that truth vanquished the enemy.
I also journaled frequently. Most often after studying scripture. There's something about writing down what we have learned from God's word that cements it in our minds and hearts. And what a joy it is to go back in time to the present and see how God has changed and grown us. How He has overcome the challenges in our lives, and brought us into a vibrant relationship with Him!
Scripture reading, prayer, and journaling. Those are the tools I have used to overcome "performance-based acceptance", as well as other challenges in my life. I would love to hear in the comments how God has overcome challenges in your own life.
Today's music video The Love of God by Marty Goetz, live from Israel, is one I have shared with you in the past. In writing today's encouragement, this song played in my mind, so I take that as a sign to share it once again. It's so beautiful, and its message is so powerful. Enjoy.
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20
Far too often professing Christians -- those who have trusted Christ as their Savior -- still spend their lives trying to win God's favor. They feel there is some Christian standard they have to live up to; a standard so high they will never attain it. And by not attaining it they live in a constant state of discouragement, believing God is disappointed in them.
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14
Of today's Bible verse Thomas Sherlock, Bishop of London in the mid-18th century writes:
"The best have their failing, and an honest Christian may be weak. Nevertheless, the goodness and sincerity of their hearts will entitle them to pray the petition of this verse. No hypocrite or cunning deceiver can ever use this prayer."
That's quite a statement, and one that causes me to consider "the goodness and sincerity" of my heart. Do I really want the meditation of my heart, the very thoughts of my heart, to reflect the authority of God's word? Am I willing to not only speak truthfully, but to center my heart in truth and, if necessary, to ask God to change the way I think so that it submits in obedience to Him?
Jesus said, "But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander." (Matthew 15:18-19)
You see, no one knows the thoughts of our heart except the One who created us. He searches us and knows the truth of what we meditate on, and this is serious business. If we want to live a life of godliness and self-control, then how we conduct the thoughts of our heart matters. By the grace of God, if we are honest and confess to Him that our thoughts are not pure, He will forgive us. What's more, we can ask Him to change the way we think, and He will do it! God desires holiness from His children, and He knows we can't do it in our own flesh. We need the Holy Spirit's empowerment to transform our hearts and minds (Ephesians 4:23).
We serve a powerful God. We also serve a merciful, loving God who wants the best for His children. He is our rock and our redeemer. May our prayer be that the words we speak and the thoughts of our heart be acceptable in His sight!
Today's music video is Psalm 19 by Sounds Like Reign. C.S. Lewis called Psalm 19, "The greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world."
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11
(Due to technology issues, today's devotional is a repost of a devotional from August 2023. Hope to be back with a new post next week!)
A little eighty-something lady stopped me in the aisle and asked if I knew where the creamed corn could be found. In fact, we were standing just a few feet from the shelf where it was stocked. When I showed her the spot she responded with embarrassment, "Oh, it's right there! I'm sorry." And then she went on to apologize for her hearing loss, which made communication difficult.
“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce." Jeremiah 29:5
There have been times in my Christian walk when words from the Bible have had an immediate impact on my life. At that very moment God spoke to me directly from scripture in such a profound way that it transcended even the circumstance in my life. I want to share with you one exceptional experience I had that I believe may have an impact on your life, as well.
In 2007 God called the love of my life to his eternal home. It was sudden, and after the memorial service when life returned to normal for everyone else, I felt adrift. Praise God I turned to Him for not only comfort, but for direction too. Jeremiah 29:11 was a Bible verse I had repeated often to myself through the years; probably the closest thing I had to a "life verse": "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Whenever life threw me a curve ball, this one verse gave me confidence that my future was secure in Him. He had a plan, and He promised to fulfill it. One morning in my widowhood, I opened my Bible to that verse for comfort when my eyes settled on the verses that preceded the eleventh verse:
"This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
What?! God had allowed Israel to be carried into exile and His instruction to them through the prophet Jeremiah was to carry on? Keep living life. Build a home, raise a family, grow food and feed yourselves, marry off your kids and enjoy your grandkids, and seek the welfare of the community where you live, pray for it! I was astounded! How had I missed that all the years prior? I had only focused on what God promised to do, and had not given a thought about my role in waiting on the fulfillment of His promise. The irony is that it was really quite simple. Just keep living life. Do whatever is in front of me that day and do it faithfully, knowing that God is working all things together for good.
I can't begin to tell you the freedom I felt when I closed my Bible that morning. I was in a strange place for sure, but it was okay. I had a family to love, I had a home to care for, I had work to do in a community I cared about. My life had meaning, and God had a plan for my life. I was going to be fine. Just carry on!
Today's music video The Plans I Have for You (Jeremiah 29:11) by Marty Goetz and Misha Goetz was recorded live in Jerusalem.
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17
In just two days from now 2024 will be over. For some of us it will be a relief to turn the calendar page and say good-bye to this past year. Others will have fond memories of 2024 and may feel a bit nostalgic about leaving it.
