Trust. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart..."
"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture..."
There are many commands to trust the Lord in the Word, and there are many promises given to those who do.
The Lord share with me a recipe for Trust last year - and I was reminded of the vitality of it again recently -
T - Turn it over: whatever it is that is troubling you, turn it over to the God who cares for you and is infinitely able to hold it.
R - Repent: Lack faith and trust in Him is sin and separates us from Him
U - "You": Our trust should be centered (just like the U is in the centre of the word) on God: His ability, His love, His faithfulness, His wisdom.
S - Stay. Remain in that place of trust and rest. Actively remain.
T - Thanks: Give thanks. Give thanks before receiving. Give thanks in the midst of the unknown.

Faithfulness over Fear

Ezra 3:3

Although they were surrounded by enemies, who didn't want them back in Jerusalem, and detractors, who didn't believe in what they were doing, the Israelites were faithful to what God called them to do: rebuild the Temple.

They felt afraid, but they didn't allow fear to stop them from being faithful.
How am I allowing fear to stop me from being faithful to what God has called me to do?

A post-Christmas post on a pre-Christmas ponder

In preparation for Christmas, I was reading in Isaiah 8 (leading up to Isaiah 9: one of the prophecies fulfilled in Jesus's birth) and when reading the following verses I stopped to ponder...

Isaiah 8:11-9:1

(13-14)“The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, He is the one you are to fear, He is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary…”

This implies a choice for us. To regard someone with a certain character trait means we have to focus on that, choose to see that person in that way – in line with truth. This goes beyond our feelings, but is anchored (and anchors us) in truth, in reality. The Lord Almighty isholy, and we are faced with the choice to regard him as that, to line up our thinking with truth. When I think about the word ‘regard’, I think of a lens through which we view others’ actions and words, how we see them.

Holy – I’m reminded of the verse later in Isaiah where God tells us that His ways are not like our ways, His are infinitely higher (55:8-9). Fear – I’ve often struggled with the frequent commands throughout God’s Word to ‘Fear God.’ Even as I think on it now, the verse “Perfect love casts out all fear” comes to mind, so maybe as we begin to love Him more, rightful fear is swallowed up in love. I was wrestling with the word ‘dread’ – God is deserving of a feeling of dread by sinful hearts, like Adam hid from Him in the Garden, dreading the conviction that comes with the light of His presence.

When we do regard Him as holy (view Him with an understanding of His character as He presents Himself to us), when we do fear Him (so that we do not fear the darkness, the false judges of our lives: our own feelings, others’ perceptions), when we do dread Him – then He will be our sanctuary: our place of safety, rest and security.

He is stronger than any of the world’s changing philosophies, than our ephemeral emotions, than the enemy’s strategies and schemings; Holy, Fearful, Dreaded keeps the enemy at bay and His child safe and held.

A thrill of hope - Christmas Eve

Since I can remember, I’ve deeply loved Christmas Eve, especially after everyone has gone to bed, and the house is quiet. Many Christmas Eves have found me listening to Christmas carols at the foot of a lighted Christmas tree. A quiet, holy blanket settles on my soul at this time – reminding me that in Jesus my every need, known and unknown, felt and yet unfelt, is fully met. 

This Christmas Eve is no different. The family has all gone to bed (as a matter of fact, Mia, our large dog, has settled herself onto my side of the bed…) – and I am here, soaking in the precious and wondrous truth that the God who set life in motion, who is still expanding the universe, reached out for me. 

Over the past couple of days, I've been pondering Isaiah 8 & 9. The second half of chapter 8 establishes that when we are not grounded in God, we are lost: in darkness, distress, despair, even cursing God, and seeing nothing good in heaven or earth. Then comes chapter 9: "Nevertheless.." I love how often God's word pivots on a word, and this time, it's nevertheless. Even though we were far, even though we said "No," even though we had declared ourselves His enemies - He said 'Nevertheless' and sends His Son, the Child, the Light, the Answer that we all so desperately need - whether we know it or not. And He is all: Counselor, Father, God, Prince of Peace.

Let me share what I hear with you, the words of one of my favourite Christmas carols, "O Holy Night": 

"Long lay the world in sin and error pining, 

Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope. The weary world rejoices.

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees. O hear the angel voices..."

And those voices resounded with "Good news of Great Joy that will be for all the people..." (Luke 2:10)

A call... (thoughts from September)

I have often struggled with 'me'. Often wishing, thinking that I should be different than I am, bemoaning my traits, belittling the 'me' that I am. Trying hard to force my shape into that of the cookie-cutter ideal I see. But I never stay in that shape, and I'm not happy in that shape.
Yet, there is a balance -- as Jesus tells me to deny myself, so I cannot just assume that as I am is as He wants me to be...

I read a poem this morning by Mary Oliver titled "The Other Kingdoms":

"Consider the other kingdoms... the creatures, with...their infallible sense of what their lives are meant to be. Thus the world grows rich, grows wild, and you too, grow rich, grow sweetly wild, as you too were born to be." 

Her words reminded me of Jesus' words to His disciples, His words to me: "Consider the lilies of the field... consider the birds of the air.."
As I follow His lead, I learn - but it is in the following.

"The grand point is not to wear the garb, nor use the brogue of religion, but to possess the life of God within, and feel and think as Jesus would have done because of that inner life. Small is the value of external religion unless it is the outcome of a life within."
CH Spurgeon "Spiritual Parenting" p. 154

Joy Dare - July 7

Gift of Challenge, Conflict and Change
These three are summed up in one for me right now : parenting.  Actually, two - and marriage.
Parenting holds the challenging reality that I am shaping other eternal creatures lives, the conflict of growing personalities bumping into one another (and mine) and change, well, kids don't stay the same for very long, do they?  Nor do they allow my plans to stay in place long, either.
In marriage there is a continual challenge to love another more than myself, the conflict of two living as one flesh, and the need for me to change and to be changed.  This is my Father's will for me - and it is good, very good - not always easy.  (A thought on conflict too: it is not always a negative thing.  It is through conflict that we are shaped: "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another" Proverbs 27:17)
These four relationships are not only jewel-like gifts in themselves, but the challenge, conflict and change that they present drive me back to my Father for wisdom, grace - and oh, everything.

So thank you, my Father.