Tag: Devotionals

Fruitful

As the fruit and nuts and leaves fall from the trees around our yard, I can’t help but notice the poignant reminder that our lives, too, have seasons — and they change.  As I reflect on this, I am reminded that the most fruitful season may not appear to be the currant one – even though it may appear so with the fruit that is dropping into the baskets at this time.

I’m looking ahead to the winter when the trees have no leaves or blossoms or blooms and I’m praying this time will be the most fruitful of all.

Fruitful:
a: yielding or producing fruit.
b: conducive to an abundant yield.

So, I’m in prayer that the Lord will continue to shape my life that it will be conducive to yielding abundant fruit.  It may not seem like it from season to season –or even in the moment– but that’s where the being “conducive to an abundant yield” comes in — and that’s where prayer and fasting/waiting on the Lord comes in.

The prunings, the waste, broken limbs, the honeybees, the drought, the water, the shade and, yes, the fruit of my yesterdays all give me great hope for tomorrow.

I’m thankful for the pictures the Lord continually presents me… as He often speaks to me in or through the things He’s put in or taken out of my life.  I’ve seen our children and grandchildren swing from the branches of the willow tree outside our bedroom window and I consider the strength of a tree.  They’ve eaten the fruit of the trees in the garden… I consider the value of a well tended tree.  They’ve seen years where there was no fruit to gather in the baskets… sobered at the value of a well tended tree.

Sometimes there’s no one to gather the fruit — no one to appreciate the fruit… and it falls to the ground and becomes part of the soil.

Mary Thoughts Martha Hands

I just came across a little note in my basket… and thought, this is just what I’m needing!  The reminder to have a Mary heart and a Martha mind was the gist of the note.  I’m personalizing it a bit to be: Mary thoughts and Martha hands.   I must be in the Word and in song in order that my heart and mind are stayed on heavenly things.  I must be in the Word and in song that my hands and plans are stayed on heavenly things — working at or accomplishing good things.

This is such a needful  reminder that in all my Martha-ing around our home, I must cultivate, guard and increase my Mary-ing!    I tend to get sidetracked, and as I get busy – I become myopic and outcome oriented far too often!  I’ve come to understand through a series of different experiences that I tend to focus on the job at hand instead of the people around me.  This is something I daily working to change — daily seeking to re-work in my life and home. I must stop and be Mary — I must stop and regroup remembering that in all my Martha-ing, I need be be Mary-ing along the way.  I often forget to be resting at the feet of Jesus in my work – resting at the feet of Jesus in my planning – resting at the feet of Jesus in my mothering.

Mary and Martha — in case you’re wondering at the reference of this,  it’s Luke 10.38-42

Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.   But Martha was cumbered about in much serving and came to Him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me.   And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things;  but only one thing is necessary, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Instead of integrating work and worship, I often live as if the two are different compartments of homemaking.  I need to remember and guard the fact that work and worship must blend — that my work is a service of worship!  Thus: A Mary Heart and a Martha mind – Mary thoughts and Martha hands.

And so when the days are long and the tasks are many, the family is scattered and the schedules are hectic… my focus mustn’t change — my heart mustn’t change — my thoughts must remain the same: He alone is my joy and strength, He alone is my hope and my song.  So, no matter what’s going on around me, I must cultivate this by daily investing time in the Word and in prayer, daily seeking the Lord’s divine guidance and presence — daily seeking and listening to the Voice of the Lord… following His Word, rehearsing His promises, turning away from the lies of the enemy and listening to Truths in song.

May the Lord bless you in all your Martha-ing with a Mary heart and mind.

 

What’s Pulling on Your Apron Strings

That might sound like a strange title to a message I want to share with you today, but perhaps by the time you finish reading this letter, you’ll have an idea and perhaps realize some things you’ve been wanting to take care of for some time.

So, what’s pulling on your apron strings?  You know… the thing or things that nag at you or that seem to be pulling at you from one direction or many.  You may be attempting to work around your home and keep having interruptions or distractions that prevent you from accomplishing what’s really needful.  You may have plans or schedules, or wish you had plans or schedules, and yet every day something, or many things pull on your apron strings and prevent you from meaningful or notable accomplishment.

I know I have these same feelings or experiences from time to time –sort of as if nothing seems to go right or nothing measurable ever seems to get done. It’s as if at the end of each week I have relatively little to show for my efforts and certainly none for the fatigue I might be feeling.  Yet, my apron’s dirty and the strings are raveled at the end.

Over the years I had great ambition for great things.  I wanted to spend time individually with each of the children each day; I wanted to spend time reading aloud, fixing their hair, assisting them with schoolwork, chores and prayers.  I had lofty aspirations that we would do projects, tell and record stories: that I would pass on valuable stories, life-lessons and a rich heritage…

But then, many days –most days– I would come to my bedside and realize that, once again, yet another day where I’d failed to reach my glorious ambitions.  Instead, we had just spent another day –another hum-drum day.  Together.

Pulling at my apron strings were all the wouldda, shouldda, couldda’s and few of the atta-girl’s, way-to-go’s and wahoo’s of life.  At the point I realized that all those marvelous and coveted accolades were simply unrealistic, I also realized I truly was getting all those atta-girl’s, way-to-go’s and wahoo’s of life.  I truly had them… I just wasn’t seeing them, that’s all.  I wasn’t seeing the “atta-girl” in my son’s: “Mom, will you fix this for me? I can’t do it.” Or, in my daughter’s: “Mama, you’ve got to write down these recipes for me or I will not ever be able to cook like you!”  Or, “O, my mom will do it for you, she’s right here!”  Or,  probably the sweetest gift of all I just received and it was contained in a letter, reading: “Mama… You are the best friend I’ve ever had.”

See, I missed the blessings by being concerned
about the unimportant things or on my failings
instead of what really was most important for that day.

Often, pulling on my apron strings are all the things I’ve done wrong as a mother, wife or friend.  Pulling on my apron strings are the things I don’t do well or the things I don’t have (as compared with my friends) or all the ways in which my children don’t *seem* to measure up (again, compared to others’ or compared with a high ideal or whatever).

Everyday, nagging thoughts creep in and occasionally pull me here and pull me there… and even get me all tied in knots sometimes over the silliest things – all tied up over things only the LORD can take care of or only the LORD knows about.  Sometimes all tied up over things I *imagine* to be so.  And then, I stop and think:  wait a minute… should these things be pulling at my apron strings, pulling me down in despair?  Should I be letting those thoughts come in and flood my mind, or should I take those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

I know this to be a truth: I have never given to the LORD –any thought, desire, motive, whatever that was then rejected by Him.

He has never yet, will never, can never: fail me.  So then, I consider at thought or a pulling on my apron strings and I ask: is this of You, LORD? Or I say, I know this is not of You, LORD, and so I ask You to take this thought, desire, fear (or whatever), from me and I ask You to guide my thoughts, guard my heart and mind and help me to see only You.  Please hide me behind Your Cross, LORD.

O, sure, other women are going to have bigger, better, more than you or I; and sure, other families are going to have newer, brighter, more attractive homes, children, lives, accomplishments, etc., etc., than you or I.  But you know what?  They don’t get to be you—they don’t get to be me.  You’re uniquely you created by God, saved by Him unto faith and good works.  He loves you with an everlasting love and underneath you are His everlasting arms and in you is His eternal Spirit and surrounding you is His eternal joy of salvation in Christ Jesus.  Wow.  Now those are some pretty wonderful things.  Did you know you had all those treasures tucked in the pockets of your apron?

So, next time something starts pulling on your apron strings and you know it’s not simply one of the little blessings the LORD has given you, you just reach in your pocket and pull out one of the Truths of God’s Word and His love for you.

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Jeremiah 31.3

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”   2Corinthians 10.3-6

I pray the LORD will just bless you and bless you over and over and that you will be assured of His great love for you and that He will guide your steps and guard your thoughts.

always in His hands, love,  pamela

a page of a letter

I’ve sure been thinking of the serendipity of finding the pages of that letter in the old desk — I shared about yesterday.  In addition to the great wisdom and blessing of the words of these two pages, the fact that they are only part of a longer letter is fascinating to me — fascinating and wonderful.  You know, another wonderful aspect to all this is that it sure blesses me and encourages me further regarding the integrity and depth of grandma’s character — that, and the quality of friends she had.

So, here’s a bit more from the letter.

…the saints are the tallest people on earth.  They have their feet on the ground but they have their heads in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.  They have the touch of Eternity.”

Don’t settle into the words of a beautiful song of salvation and lost the music in your life, it’s the attraction to the Gospel.”

God does not think as we do about success and failure.  He measures it in the criteria of obedience, devotion, faithfulness and love.  He isn’t impresses by status, showmanship or parades of piety.  1 Cor. 3.6 St. Paul declared, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  Too often our attention is drawn to the planting and watering. More important is the gracious, thirsty crops revived. [this is where I began the quoting of excerpts of this letter in the previous post.]

O, I pray something I leave behind will bring as much joy, blessing and encouragement as what I’ve found in these two pages of an old letter — I’m sort of glad there’s no indication of who wrote it or when it was written. ♥

pages of a letter; for such a time as this.

This has been a most interesting year.   I wonder what I’ll think when I look back on this year — in years to come.  I wonder if the rough edges will seem smooth later on and I wonder if the smooth days will be remembered with even more fondness.  Hmmm.  It’s interesting to think of all this.    As I looked back at the very few posts over the last several months, I noticed I’ve been sort of stuck in a recurring theme: journaling, remembering, recording…  messages that will be left behind.

Tonight, cleaning in one of the bedrooms upstairs, the drawers of a very old desk were removed and papers were retrieved that had slipped behind the drawers and were stuck in the back of the old desk — obviously there for a very long time.  Envelopes, lists, a program and two pages of a letter.  I read some as I walked downstairs to my desk.  Here I have, left behind: a couple of random pages of a letter, a beautifully hand written letter.  Now, a little while later, I find myself wondering if the Lord had those loose pages stuck in there — tucked away — for just such a time as this?

I honestly believe that finding those pages was a little gift the Lord had tucked away for me — a sort of affirmation, encouragement and inspiration to press on here — to share different things He is doing, to offer ideas, hope and some encouragement along the way.

Whoever wrote this letter surely knew and loved the Lord.  O, not a casual love — nor a simple, intellectual understanding, but a deep abiding love.  What a gift that life must’ve been and surely is to me tonight.  I wonder, was it a letter to grandma?  Was it a letter from her?  No name — not even the complete letter — just a couple of pages of what must have been a lengthy letter.  I’ll share a few of the lines tonight and perhaps a few more tomorrow, you’ll see just how sweet it is to have sweet, lovingly written, encouraging words tucked away just for, yes: such a time as this.

Have you been thru a dry arid season in your spiritual growth? Is it hard to pray? Does the Bible have a dim meaning?  Dos it cease to feed you spiritually? How about the creepy crawlies of criticism the serpent of temptation that has defeated you and robbed you of the spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace and other delectable fruits of the Spirit?  There’s help for us.

I have been through a season of dryness where it was almost impossible to pray.  The heavens seemed to be brass and one thing after another happened to me until I felt forsaken, drifting in the doldrums going nowhere.  Then I was reminded of a statement:  When you’re in the doldrums and not a breath is stirring, do you sit in your little boat and allow it to remain in the hot sun and shrivel you?  No, a thousand times no.  Grab the oar of faith and the other oar of obedience and row for dear life out of there…”

Next time, I’ll share more of this letter – literally, a slice of life.

 

A Book of Remembrance

Though I have a number of very favourite or treasured verses I continually recall, there are a few that give me great encouragement and great hope.  Some I have copied and posted in my home, some I have highlighted or underlined and some I have recorded alongside God’s work or answers to prayer, continued petitions, blessings and other heartfelt matters written  in journals.

As I’ve been slowly reading through the Word this year, I’ve been sort of surprised at the number of verses I’ve underlined or highlighted.   I’ve been continually blessed and encouraged  by dated notes beside significant verses or passages.  Some dates or notes point to events I’ve forgotten — others remind me afresh of the great goodness of the Lord.  Still others remind me of the great faithfulness of the Lord.

And so, it is these two things that have prompted this writing today: The Goodness and Faithfulness of the Lord.  Sort of hand in hand with the verse in Philippians 4.8 that says: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

God’s Goodness and God’s Faithfulness

Then they that feared the LORD
spake often one to another:
and the LORD hearkened, and heard it,
and a book of remembrance was written before him
for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
—Malachi 3.16

And we do need to be reminded to think on these things, don’t we!?!  For if we don’t determine to think on these things, we tend to think on things that are not true, things that are not honest, things that are not just, things that are not pure, things that are not lovely, things that are not of good report… we tend to drift from virtue and forget praise… we tend not to think on these things.

We must be daily in the Word, we must be daily in prayer, daily in praise and thanksgiving…

That verse in Malachi that I quoted above has particular significance for us — for it is packed with information, admonition, instruction and edification!   As you read it and reread it, you will see it, too.  There are so many things to take away from this verse!  Fear the Lord.  Speak often to one another about Him.  He will listen! He will hear!  He will inspire the writing of His dealings… and it will be for those who fear Him — those who love Him and think on Him.

Your life is a marvelous opportunity!  Your life is a blessing!

So, I’d like to admonish you (or encourage you, at least) to write!  Write what He has done for you.  Write what He has done in you.  Write what He has done through you.  Write what He has done in answer to prayer.  Write a book of remembrance…  let it take time… let it take the rest of your life… but start writing a book of remembrance.  Share your stories with others!

Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings, count your many blessings: see what God has done.

Speech filter

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom;
and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”
proverbs 31.26

As we have “spell-check” to alert us to misspelled words – or a grammar-check to alert us of grammar mistakes, this verse serves a divine speech-check — except that we never get a second chance to say the right thing first.  This verse then would be our speech-filter verse.  The word spoken is spoken – no highlight, delete, re-speak… what’s said is said.   We might tend to say the first thing that comes to our mind — and may not stop and give attention to whether it’s wise or kind.   So then, as we carry on through the day or when we have opportunity to teach or share a thought — we might test our comments by filtering them through this verse.

O, how our lives need filtering.   The filter could be described as the continually abiding life.  This filter might be reveling: am I abiding in Christ? Is what I am thinking and/or saying from the Lord?  This filter is sort of a product of the engrafted Word — learning and continually gaining more understanding from the Bible; having our life committed and yielded to the will, the way and the leading of the Lord by the Holy Spirit.

“Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.”
–proverbs 4.23

I cannot count the number of times I’ve said things — and then said or thought:  O, I shouldn’t have said that!  Or, I can’t believe I said that!  More and more I am seeing that the things I/we say are not from nothing — they come from somewhere.  Has this thought come from a yielded heart, a content life — for encouragement or edification — or is this word or thought borne of bitterness, pride or some other selfish thing?  More succinctly, is this of the Lord or of the enemy?  Ouch.

Second chances we might receive to say the right thing might not come right away — if at all.  We usually know –instantly– that we’ve said the wrong thing or that we spoken in haste or anger or foolishness.   But sometimes we say things we honestly have no idea that the words came across as angry, critical or judgmental.   I am coming to see more and more that humility and forgiveness go a long way — for retrieving  a misspoken word is not like autocorrect for misspelled word.

“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
— colossians 4.6

I’m again reminded to use a double filter when speaking:  Is this comment wise?  Is this comment kind?  This double filter would sure prevent many misunderstandings, hurt feelings, rude or inconsiderate comments.   Problem is, we often have hurt feelings over what someone’s said to us — but we tend to forget we ourselves are just as guilty of speaking without grace or speaking without charity.  I am so often reminded of this as I think on past offenses or wonder why someone has said this or that hurtful thing.  And I have to again filter it — and it’s a decision to do so — only this time, I must filter it through the filter of love: love bears, believes, hopes and endures all things.  (1 Corinthians 13.7)    I think that it’s in the remembering of this that much ground is spared in maintaining and for mending relationships and friendships.

Sweet speech, loving kindness and graciousness are always a blessing — speaking otherwise always destroys.  Time and time again I am having this matter tested in my life — and continually I am learning more need for refraining, rephrasing answers, rewording comments, reworking thoughts and speech.  All of the different humbling experiences have been truly for my good — and I’m thankful to have the blessing of correction and second chances.  Proverbs 31.26 is a wonderful speech filter.

“Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:
for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
— 1 peter 5.5

Time takes time

In my drafts bucket I have a whole bunch of half-begun and mostly unfinished drafts of letters and blog entries I intended to send or post.  Many never get finished.  I either don’t have time or I don’t have enough of the “rest of the story” in my head to complete the work.  Usually, it’s the former, not the latter.

So, time takes time.  I’ve said this to myself, to my children, to other women… I’ve thought this many, many times.  I’ve usually thought this as a self-reminder when a situation seems to be unchanging or a problem seem to linger: give it time.  We all know that things take time — wounds take time to heal, friendships take time to bloom, paint takes time to dry.  But we’re impatient, aren’t we!?!  We want what we want: now.  We weary of waiting.   We need answers.  We must have resolution.  We can’t wait another day… and on and on.

I recall saying many times: time heals all wounds (in my head I add, for personal entertainment: time wounds all heels).  But then I mentally slap myself for retaliatory indulgence and determine not to think that thought again — for I sincerely do not wish to inflict injury on anyone – but can’t resist the play on words.   And though I still believe that time heals all wounds, I think  I’d better clarify that it’s not the passage of time that heals wounds — it’s what goes on in the passage of time that heals wounds.  The Word and work of God heals wounds — and it seems He uses many things to do so.  Faith heals wounds.  A different perspective over time heals wounds.  Repentance (ours or theirs) heals wounds.  Humility heals wounds. Forgiveness (again, ours or theirs) heals wounds.

But it takes time.  Things take time.  Time takes time.

In the fall, we plant garlic.  Preparing the soil takes time.  Marking the rows takes time.  Planting takes time.  All through the winter, the ground looks barren.  Nothing’s happening — or so it seems.  In the spring, the little sprouts appear and by early summer the garlic looks mature enough to harvest.  But it’s not.  Not yet.  It needs a little more time.  Even after it’s harvested, we hang it up to dry… still more time passes.  Time… takes time.

A couple of years ago I pruned, dug up, divided and replanted a very large hydrangea.  It looked pitiful.  Last year it, and the divided plants, looked pitiful, still, with its sparsely leafed, woody canes and no flowers at all.  This year it’s filling out nicely — but still, no flowers.   And it may well be that there’ll not be a single flower on the whole bush again this year.  But it’s nicely shaped and its leaves are strong and full.  Time.  It just needs more time.

Life breaks and falls apart.  Sometimes it’s relationships, sometimes things.  When things in our lives break we learn to pick up the pieces, bond them together and patch the cracks.  In time, we carefully begin to use the vessel again — this time, more patiently, more carefully — knowing from experience that the vessel is precious and the cracks have added much value to its worth.

Sometimes in life we get to experience the humbling reality with keen awareness that the broken thing was repaired not discarded.  The Lord’s work, in time, healing all wounds.

So, in the passage of time — whether in the garden or in my home or in my heart — I’m learning that I must often stand still and let some time pass.  I must stand still and see the salvation of the Lord in that circumstance.  But in that standing still, I’m not just standing still.  I’m waiting.  I’m watching.  I’m trusting.  I’m yielding.  I’m obeying.  And, though it might look like nothing’s happening outwardly — the work that’s being done inwardly is priceless:  I’m leaning on the Lord and He is working in me by His grace,  the gift of patience and hope.

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work,
that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
James 1.3-4

My-o-my, I’m learning these things… and they’ve been so worth the learning!  I’m learning to redeem the time!   Time takes time… and it’s priceless.

 

Wasting Experiences

Do you occasionally emerge from a situation — a conversation, a class, a conference… an experience — and say or think: Well, that was sure a waste of time or that was a wasted opportunity or that was a waste of money.   We do say or think those things, from time to time, don’t we?

What keeps us from saying that was a waste — or — what would keep up from saying or feeling that was a waste?

As  I’ve shared with you many times, I write a lot… I write in journals, I write on scraps of paper, in notebooks and post-it notes.  I take notes when I’m attending conferences, studies, prayer meetings and even when I’m out shopping I’ll make a note of something I’ve seen or read.  For many reasons I’ve done this through the years… I’m not exactly sure when or why I began doing this, but I must say, the practice sure has helped me to pay attention, to keep information I might otherwise forget and, probably more importantly, it helps me to have clear records or accounts of things I’ve heard or read.  You know how you hear something and later you attempt to recall it and your recollections are fuzzy or, worse, completely different than what actually occurred or what exactly was said?   I think it’s in those times that we might most often say of the event: well, that was a waste of time.

It’s been in those times, where I either didn’t pay attention or didn’t remember accurately what occurred or what was said, that I might tend to consider the time spent to have been a waste.

And then I realize:  that event, talk, conversation or whatever wasn’t a waste of time, it was my lack of interest, attention, response or involvement that made it — for me — a waste of time.  Or, in other words, I wasted the time.  What could have and really should have been for my benefit, education, enjoyment, betterment or encouragement was wasted on me.  Sort of like purchasing an expensive item and dropping it out the window of the car rather than taking it home and using it for the purpose intended.  What a waste — a waste of time, money and energy — but more, what a waste that the purpose or use of the item will never be accomplished.

I think of the many times the Lord has sent me a trial, a testing of my faith, a good word, a blessing, a sorrow… and I either rejected or questioned or disregarded what was sent my way.  A waste…

Several times in the last couple of years in particular, the Lord has allowed or brought about things in my life that have been quite painful, quite grievous, quite heavy and, frankly, some have been quite embarrassing.  But, interestingly, in most all of these times, I’ve been able to see or think — in the trial or in the experience — that God in His great wisdom had surely allowed the situation both for my good and His glory.  I wish I could say that all the events and experiences had this spiritual growth or influence — how blessed I would be today had I yielded to the Lord instantly or had I not wasted the experience.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:
it shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please,
and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
–Isaiah 55.11

So, in order that my experiences not be wasted, I must determine to pay attention, to yield to the Holy Spirit, to seek the Face of the Lord in every matter, in everything, so that the thing He sent will be accomplished in me.

When there are losses, misunderstandings, offenses, distractions, etc., etc., I see how the experiences can either bring fruit and thus, glory to God — or — they’re wasted me — on us.  Indifference, neglect, pride, arrogance, ignorance or whatever wastes the experience.  But, interestingly, that doesn’t mean that it returns to God void.  When we have losses, scars, pain or shame, it is amazing how God uses even those things to refine us – to mold us – to work in us His purposes.  Still I wonder how many blessings we miss, how much joy we miss because we allow ourselves to indulge in wasting experiences.

Worse, how many times to we miss a blessing — and waste an experience — because we listen to the devil and/or are swayed by his cunning.  And, truly, we are seeing the deceit, the gashes, the lies and smear marks of the devil all around us.  The doubting, the deception, misunderstandings, divisions in homes, friendships and churches, employees being wrongly accused, believers following lies… all these and more are sure evidences of the handiwork of the devil lurking in the shadows and ever prowling to see whom he may devour.  And a devourer, he is. A destroyer he is.  The accuser of the brethren he is.

O, that we would not miss the marvelous opportunities the Lord is presenting us.  O, that we would be found faithful to seek His Face in all things — to read His Word, to pray, to call out to Him in trials, to cry out to Him in the midst of fear, to trust Him in hardship, to lean on Him in times of grief, rejection and temptation — to praise Him in bounty, blessing and to be thankful: even in tragedy.  For all His ways are good… O, that we not waste another experience.

Keeping a journal or book of remembrance is a wonderful way to record and then keep for reference the ways and dealings of the Lord in your life… lest your experiences be wasted.

 

What you’ve been through…

Browsing through a bunch of papers and stuff… a slip of paper… the quote:

“It is in the quiet crucible of your personal private sufferings that your noblest dreams are born and Gods greatest gifts are given in compensation for what you’ve been through.
–Wintley Phipps

The paper is yellowed, the ink is smudged.  I mull the quote over in my mind – having done so many times before, I reflect on what it’s meant to me – what it means to me today.  I know it’d be real easy to just think on the first part… the crucible part — the suffering part.  Then it’s easy to move on to the dreams part and camp there for a while and consider what dreams have come from times in the crucible — the times of suffering.  But my eyes leap to gifts.  God’s greatest gifts.  I can’t even carry — can’t even recount — all the gifts the Lord has given.   You might not think this just looking at my life…  you may see the high points, low points, the scattered tragedies of misunderstandings, losses, failings, joys and sorrows, blessings and wasted days.  You may see all that and more… God sees a girl He’s redeemed.

I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t see many things as gifts from God if I hadn’t been through the valleys I’ve been through.   And I surely didn’t walk through them alone – I may not have seen this at the time, but I surely see now… looking back, God’s been with me through them all.  ‘Seems He’s sometimes been with me in the front.  Other times He’s been with me from behind.  Sometimes my footsteps have left no imprint in the valley — those are the times He carried me through — and the print of the valley is on my heart.  Still other times I see now that it was His hand firmly around mine that guided me through the dark.

I don’t see these valleys from mountaintops, not really — though the many mountaintops have been great blessings and cherished gifts.  I actually see the valleys better when I’m in them.  Recently, walking through a valley, I had the keenest sense of awareness that I’d passed this way before.  A few times, actually.  And I had the strangest yet most familiar feeling of security… the valley imprinted on my heart.  And then I knew for sure… ahhhh, yes,  Jesus has been this way — He followed me here… He watched over me here… He guided me here… He covered me here… and He carried me out.

I don’t know what you’re doing today – I don’t know what you’re going through — but I do know this: whatever it is, wherever you are: Jesus is near.  You may not even know Him as Saviour and Friend, but He truly is near.   Even if you’re in the darkest valley of despair – His hand is not shortened that it cannot reach you. Nothing you’re facing, nothing you’re going through, nothing that’s concerning you is a surprise to Him. Nothing escapes His merciful gaze.  Do you know that?  Do you know that in Him you *will* — you surely will — find all you need?

I’m praying for you right now.  Turn around.  Look… call on Him.   If you, in faith, call on Him, He will — He surely will — answer you.  Repent…  turn your eyes upon Jesus; give Him your life.   The Bible says: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” — Romans 10.9    And you can rest in His Truth:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  — 1John 1.9

He will live in your heart… whatever you’ve been through.  He tell you that you’re clean and forgiven.  His love for you will say: welcome home.