It's been a while...

"Moses returned to the Lord and said, 'O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people...and you have not rescued your people at all.'" (Exodus 5:22-23)

How often I have brought a similar charge to lay at God's feet, verbalized or silently. When circumstances get to the point where I feel like I am in far beyond my ability, when relationships are challenging or stale, when long-standing situations seem stagnant - then I accuse God, like a petulant child.

What I do not do is wait - trustingly wait. Believe and watch.

God answers Moses, not with a rebuke but with an affirmation of his own character, "I am the Lord." He bookends his reply to Moses with the assertion of who he is, because He is the reason we can believe, we can trust and we will see his deliverance. Even when Moses reminded the Israelites of God's character, "they did not listen because of their discouragement and cruel bondage" (6:9); that did not deter God.

My moments of discouragement do not discourage God - He reminds me to lift my eyes to his unchangeable self and to still and quiet my soul "like a weaned child with its mother" (Psalm 131:2). For He does not change - He is.

Thank you, Father.

An encouragement

Yesterday at church the pastor shared some wonderful truth from God's word that I have been pondering...

2 Peter 1:4 "Through these [His glory and goodness] He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature..."

I have to go now, but I'd like to share more here later.

Do you ever wonder?

Do you ever wonder if you are doing the right thing?

Do you ever wonder if homeschooling is the best thing for your kids?

Do you ever wonder if you are the best teacher for your kids?

Do you ever wonder if this is really what God wants you to be doing?

Do you ever wonder how you got here? And where here is?

I do.

Help me, Lord, to see. And hear.

A morning prayer

Lord Jesus,

I give you this day - this day that you have given me - fill it as you see fit.

Help me to accept with joy the people, the circumstances You allow into my life this day.

May I see You, honour You and bring pleasure to Your heart and glory to Your name.

Come fill me, Holy Spirit.

Faith

"Where lies the secret strength of faith? It lies in the food it feeds on; for faith studies what the promise is - an emanation of divine grace, an overflowing of the great heart of God ..."
-- CH Spurgeon

(If you want to read the whole of this thought, you can access it at Brandon Staggs website and there are more "Morning and Evening" devotions online at Daily Dose of Spurgeon.)

Worry

It comes in at odd times. Some mornings it slinks into my waking thoughts, whispering in my heart's ear. Some nights it trumpets me awake with crashing and crushing thoughts. When there are unexpected late returns or illness, it teases my imagination into fearful possibilities.

But I have a choice. Like my grandmother used to say, "You can't stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from making a nest in your hair." Those fleeting thoughts of worry, of doubt, the temptation to mistrust my Heavenly Father will come - but I do not have to invite them in for a cup of tea. I can, and I must, turn to my Father and put my hand in His and put my trust in His unfailing love.

I must rehearse again and again all the ways He has met our needs, and so often our desires, with faithfulness and abundance. And I must go beyond my own experiences too, to His unchanging promises. So I have to remind myself of what He has said.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Me." John 14:1

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns; and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:25-26

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Psalm 16:5-6

For He is good. And He does not change.

105 and more

105. laughter

106. the wisdom of others

107. the honest enthusiasm of a child

108. the muted splendor of a morning sky

109. a mother who travels around the world to wash my dishes, do my laundry, love on my kids and just generally be a blessing

110. healing for a pony

111. an anniversary present of a fuzzy hat

112. 10 years of Your grace and countless glimpses of Your love through this man

113. A sister who rejoices in giving - and delights in blessing her nephews

114. These Truths: that You provide, that You hear, that You are pleased with faith (even if it is the size of a mustard seed), that faith does not see with these eyes of flesh...

Oh my Father, You are so good. Please strengthen my faith as I lift my eyes to You.