How Long Will You Give The Lord To Answer?

I’m convinced the Sabbath was created for frantic souls like me, people who need a weekly reminder that the world will not stop if I do. In one of the most dramatic examples of waiting in the Bible, Daniel prays for people who’d been oppressed for seventy years. He abstained from food and drink for twenty-one days, as he labored in prayer, persisted, pleaded, and agonized. No response. On the twenty-second day an angel of God appeared. He revealed to Daniel that his prayer had been heard on the first day. From an earthly perspective, nothing was happening. But from a heavenly perspective a battle was raging in the heavens. God was working.

What if Daniel had given up? Lost faith? Walked away from God? Better questions: What if you give up? Lose faith? Walk away? Don’t! God is at work. Keep waiting!

From You’ll Get Through This by Max Lucado

Until Steve and I did this study by Max, I don’t think I had ever heard this passage and certainly don’t believe that I have heard it preached on.  Daniel prayed for twenty-one days with no response from heaven--or so he thought.  But read the passage again and see what really happened.

Daniel's Prayer for His People
9 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7 To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. 8 To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him 10 and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. 12 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. 13 As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. 14 Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. 15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

16 “O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. 17 Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”

Gabriel Brings an Answer
20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, 21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. 23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.

Wow!  That was quite the prayer, wasn’t it?  No wonder the spiritual forces in heavenly places were warring over this.  No way did Satan want this one answered!

So, this begs the question:  what are you praying for that has yet to be answered?  What is the devil so afraid will happen if God gives you the desire of your heart?  It could be God said “yes” but Satan?  Oh Satan.  He does not want you to get the response you so earnestly seek.  He knows what will happen when God’s children pray fervently in the will of Christ.

 

I encourage you, readers:  keep on praying.  Fast if you desire.  God is listening.  Cry out to Jesus!  Your prayers aren’t in vain.

You'll get through this!

Good morning!  I hope today is starting off on a positive level for you.

Tell me something:  is there anywhere one should go without having on the full armor of God?  Surely there are some safe places out there where one doesn’t need the battle gear on!  Right?  Church services, for example.  If any place is safe, then being around God’s people, hearing the songs of Zion, and listening to the man of God preach the Word should evoke a sense of security.  And meetings--such as Card Ministry, Bible Studies, or other church-related events:  these places one can definitely forego the battle gear attire, right?  And lastly, one of the most sacred places of all--your home, your sanctuary, where you are with your most trusted friend, involved in a study designed and purposed to bring you closer to becoming more like Christ--is of all places where you should feel guarded.  Right?  Right??

Ahh.  If only.  If only there indeed was a place where the helmet of salvation wasn’t necessary to block those fiery darts of the wicked one as the mind is attacked.  If only the breastplate could be set aside so that one’s heart wasn’t in fear of being pricked, much less broken.  

Steve and I are currently doing the you’ll get through this study by Max Lucado.  The mantra for this study goes as follows:  

You’ll get through this.

It won’t be painless.

It won’t be quick.

But God will use this mess for good.

Don’t be foolish or naïve.

But don’t despair either.

With God’s help, you’ll get through this.

Uh oh.  I already failed.  I was foolish.  I was naive.  

The first lesson we sailed through, congratulating one another on how wise and smart we were for not letting the woes of the world take us down.  Not us!  God had smartened us up to what was really important in life and while we thought this study would be useful as we learned more about how Joseph dealt with the adversities of his own life, we were pretty sure we had a good handle on this.  Especially Steve.  I mean, how hard is it to relate to your brothers betraying you when you are an only child?  He never dealt with the jealousies and pettiness of siblings, much less ever thought they’d sell him out as Joseph’s brother had.  At the end of Session Two, he was ready to move on, wondering if I had gotten anything from it.

Oh boy.

Sigh.

Being careful then--as I’m also trying to be now--I hesitatingly looked over my notes.  A couple of things had stood out to me.  The first was obvious:  being sold out by family members.  Yep:  I have the t-shirt for that one!  The second:  just how much would twenty pieces of silver be equivalent to in today’s market?  Were my siblings basking in their wealth and was it worth the price they paid for putting me into the cistern?  Third:  Max related how when Joseph was found he didn’t have a penny to his name.  This instantly took me back to the check I received from my mother’s estate for--you guessed it!--one cent.  The memories started and were just waiting for me to rehash them, revisit them, and return to the mire.

Okay, here’s where it pays to have ready the shield of faith, “with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16).  Remember when I first started today’s blog how I questioned where one might be safe from the attacks of the wily one?  The answer is nowhere, as I relearned this lesson.  As I spoke to Steve of the insights I had, my faith shield was being drawn.  The truth of God’s Word, my position as His child, and my acceptance--no, my belief that regardless of what the world says, my worth is of much more value than any earthly inheritance.  I raised that shield and did not succumb to the lies, the memories, the betrayal.  Woo hoo:  ol’ Stef was indeed growing up in the faith!  

Reflecting further, I spoke of how Max had gone on to declare that not only had Joseph survived what his brothers had done to him, he thrived.  He had a destiny to fulfill, one that could not have been accomplished had he stayed at home.  And like all destinies (said Max), there are at least two common denominators.  The first is that one is God’s child.  Chosen by Him, purchased, and purposed.  The second?  One is God’s child forever.  No chance of being sold or disowned.  I am still a daughter of God.  Forever.  He won’t break His promise to me.  “From birth to hearse” my life on earth is preparing me for an eternity in heaven.  God’s plans for me are out of this world.  

Read that again.  God’s plans for me are out of this world.  Remember what Jesus told His disciples in John 16:33, how they would have tribulation but to be of good cheer because He had overcome the world?  That’s what I am going to do.  I am going to be of good cheer.  I am going to keep my armor handy at all times--especially when involved in things that pertain to church.  Why there?  Because that is where my guard is least down and my defenses can more easily be permeated.  It’s happened before and no doubt, I will be attacked there again.  Ephesians 6:12 states:  “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”  Satan tries to make us war with one another--often using our families to inflict the most damage.  

Are we going to let him win, friends, or are we going to fulfill the destiny Christ Jesus has prepared for us?  Keep those defenses up and be alert.  Don’t let him devour you.  I almost did.  By God’s grace and applying His Truths in my life--including in my mind where I am told to captivate my thoughts--I stand today.  And with His help, I purpose to remain upright and not go back to the pit where Satan tried to keep me bound and forsaken.  Who’s with me?

Let’s pray!

Dear Lord,

Whew!  What a lesson for me!  So much of Joseph’s life mirrors my own.  Betrayed, being a dreamer, being imprisoned, forgotten, falsely accused, used to allow others their relationships…

Lord?  You delivered me.  You rescued me from the pits of despair, time and time again.  And during those times, Father, You strengthened me, prepared me, and grew me.  Like Joseph, I learned to control my tongue and although I haven’t mastered it yet, my hope is that it now is more used to build up than to tear down.

As You use those evils for good, my prayer is that I won’t fight, won’t struggle against the lessons You teach.  The striving will end, Father, when You take me home.  Until then, my hope is that my life--when all is said and done--reflects You and what Christ Jesus has done for and in me.  Use me for good is my desire and I ask that You do this for Christ’s sake so that His sacrifice for me was not one done in vain.  Amen.

And Now You Know!

And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?  (Deuteronomy 10:12–13, ESV)

It’s time for another edition of “Put Your Name Here!”  I just love Bible verses that I can truly personalize so that when the time comes (and it comes often) that I am not (ahem) sure that God is really talking to me, I can know for sure.  

So often many of us wander about, trying to decide who we are, who we want to be, and who we are supposed to be.  Whether it’s in a job, relationship, or during a mid-life crisis, so many of us are still trying to figure out who we want to be when we grow up.  Sigh.  I know during my fifty-three years of life the question has come up on more than one occasion.  Truthfully?  I am again this very moment trying to determine where to go next in my journey of life.  Luckily--scratch that.  Thankfully for me, the timely Word of God has once again stepped up to show me that it really doesn’t matter what I do, what job I perform, or who I am relating with that it’s just not about me.  I’ll write that again:  it’s just not about me.

I know!  I was stunned too, even though it’s not the first time this has been brought to my attention.  Years ago at Flemings Chapel during one of our Sunday School lessons, we read the book by Max Lucado entitled It’s Not About Me.  During our studies, we found out that this life we lead is not about what we can accomplish on our own but rather it is about Jesus.  It’s about Him and what He is doing, not about seeking our own fortune and fame.  

So, as mentioned above, I took this verse, replaced the “yous” with my name and personalized it for these times of wondering and wandering.  May I encourage you, friends, to do the same?  Talk about having the answer all spelled out for you!  Additionally, when we truly believe that our Bibles were written for our edification and not just some random “other” people, we are more able to identify with the truths found.  

Here is “my” verse:  

And now, Stefanie, what does the LORD Stefanie’s God require of Stefanie, but to fear the LORD Stefanie’s God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD Stefanie’s God with all of Stefanie’s heart and with all of Stefanie’s soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding Stefanie today for Stefanie’s good? (Deuteronomy 10:12–13)

Kind of explains it all, huh?  Stefanie is required to:  fear the Lord; to walk in all (not some) of His ways; to love Him; to serve the Lord with all (again, not some, not part, but the whole kit and kaboodle) of my heart and soul (ooh, that one’s going to be tough!); and lastly, to keep the commandments and statutes of my Lord.  I am commanded to do these things.  It is a requirement and my reasonable service as a child of God.  Now, before you go laughing at me and wondering how in the world I am ever going to pull this one off, remember:  you have to do this too.  Nan nan uh boo boo.  😁

Whew!  I think we can all agree that it’s time to pray.  Ready?

Dear Lord, how many times have I said that I just don’t know what to do with myself?  How many times have I planned and schemed and fought and lost the battle to be something that I am not destined to be?  How many times have I sought Your will in all of this only to fall short?  

But here it is, Father, plainly written for my eyes to behold and my mind to accept.  It’s not about me.  It never was, never will be.  My life’s purpose is to honor You, to love You, to fear You, and to follow Your Word.  And You know what, Dad?  It’s really not such a hard thing to do.  Your commands are not meant to keep me from stuff I think I should be involved with, that I am entitled to somehow, or so that I can be one of the crowd.  Rather, Lord, the things You ask of me are--and again, it’s clearly spelled out for me when I take the time to just read and study Your Word--for my good.  Wow!  After all of the things I have done and still do to hinder my walk with You, You still are requiring me to do these things for my good.  No, You didn’t ask and You didn’t see if I was chill with it.  You instead in Your infinite wisdom and knowledge knew before I even came on the scene that my life indeed was to have a purpose and that purpose would be to glorify You.

I can do that.  I can, Lord, as long as my eyes stay on You and off of me.  Knowing what is required of a body is half of the battle and now that I know what Your will is for me, the remaining part is all about obedience.  This I will endeavor to do because yes, I fear You, but also and most importantly because I love You.  How could I not?!  You have given me so many desires of my heart.  You have blessed me in more ways than I could ever count.  You redeemed me from this fallen world and from my sorry self.  You taught me real love and laid down Your life for me.  For me!  That still dumbfounds me.

Lord?  Thank You for Your amazing grace, Your unending mercies, and for Your gentle reminders to me that I am loved by One Who knows best.  While others may be more deserving, You chose me and for that alone I trust You and will try harder to make that calling one that pleases You.  Keep sending me unexpected reminders when I need them most and when I need them period elsewise I am liable to take my eyes away from You and get caught up in self again.  

I love You, Father.  I accept Your Word and with the help of Christ Jesus I will please You.  It is in His wondrous name I pray:  amen.

Validation

A great friend of mine is going through… something.  It’s hard to exactly describe it, to pinpoint it to just one thing, to define what it is that’s troubling Stacey (for privacy reasons, we’ll just refer to said friend as Stacey).  She’s got some things nagging in her subconscious that have been trying to steal her joy--something you faithful readers of mine know is a huge No-No.

Being the ever-so-helpful-and-oh-so-wise-friend that I am, I offered Stacey some advice, based on years of wisdom and things I wish someone would have told me.  I advised my precious friend to write things down.  On a slip of paper, the back of a receipt, a notebook, a note card, a post-it note, a notepad, or nearly anything she could find to quickly write out the words she was feeling--even if they weren’t in a whole sentence.  Sometimes a couple of words would suffice and other times she might need to write a whole paragraph or essay.  “Just don’t do it on the back of your hand, Stacey, for that is just not a good place to keep these random thoughts.”

What will this benefit you in your state of need, you might wonder?  I am so glad you asked!  Here are five things that I jotted down this morning as I considered my friend and the advice I had given to her.  Ready?  Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Writing it down ACKNOWLEDGES:  the pain, the situation, the fear
2. Writing it down VALIDATES:  that you have the right to feel this way
3. Writing it down SEPARATES:  the truth from the lies
4. Writing it down ALLOWS:  the anger, the grief, the release
5. Writing it down ADMITS:  the helplessness, the helpfulness, and the hopefulness

Whether you follow up on these notes today, tomorrow, next week, year, or what have you, writing it down brings a bittersweet satisfaction to voicing this thought/feeling--even if there is no resolution.  There is still this concrete, tangible proof that you exist, that your situation is troubling you, and that you matter--even if to no one else.  You are allowed to feel, friend.  You don’t have to stuff it all inside and await the day it all spews out into a bigger fluff than it might have had you just taken the moment to deal with it on its surface.  Remember Neil Diamond’s classic song “I Am, I Said” where “no one heard at all, not even the chair”?  It still helped ol’ Neil (and ol’ Stef on more than one occasion) to belt it out in song or to write the beloved lyrics on the paper.  

Lastly, even if the situation only serves to remind you of the pain, again, it validates your...well, it validates you.  You are alive.  Your feelings do matter.  You have a right to feel this way in this moment at this time.  Now, you don’t necessarily have the right to act on these feelings, mind you.  “Be angry and sin not” as Ephesians 4:26 tells us.  But when you write these thoughts down, friends, at least they are not buried so deeply inside of you that once the flow starts, it cannot be quenched.  Does that make sense?  Sometimes a snowflake starts an avalanche (Max Lucado).  Don’t let one straw break the camel’s back.

Okay, enough of the analogies and quotes.  For Stacey, myself, and all of you out there in Wandering Land, I encourage you to keep a pencil and paper handy.  When something fascinates you, excites you, encourages you, incites you, and so on WRITE IT DOWN!  Let your fingers memorialize this instance and follow up on it when you can.  Better for it to come out of these members than the one that cannot be tamed.  Yes, I’m referring to the tongue.  We can’t always take back what we said but with a good eraser we can certainly blot out what shouldn’t have been.  Amen?

Let’s pray!

Dear Lord, I hope this message gets through to Stacey and to the ones out there like her.  It’s so hard, Father, to express ourselves when we aren’t even sure what it is we’re feeling.  Therefore, to write these momentary trials, temptations, and/or twinges on our hearts is the safer way to handle them until a more opportune time comes along.

Yes, I know, Lord, that often these evidences can serve to bring back pains and things probably best forgotten.  But they can also serve as warnings and reminders to not behave this way again or to not let that situation get the best of us.  We are to be constantly standing for You, God.  When our feelings control our actions, though, we tend to stumble and fall.  Help us, I pray in the sweet name of Jesus Christ, to temper our behaviours into ones that bring honor to Him, to You, and to not let them steal our joy.  Amen.

Wanderings of a Wanderer

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.   

I Corinthians 13:11

 "If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much space."  My husband states this often.  He likes to think of himself as a rebel, as one who colors outside of the lines, as one who doesn't follow.  No, he's not a leader; not at all.  He just is one who doesn't like to be bound by rules and regulations, although I assure you he is a law-abiding, God-fearing man.  It's just...

It's just that inside, he is human.  He has his own mind, his own dreams, his own thoughts of how things should be done.  Men in the field:  women in the kitchen.  Barbaric?  Caveman?  Nah; just your typical good ol' Southern boy.  And why I am droning on about him I don't know except that my fingers seem to have a mind of their own this morning and hopefully they will lead us to the point I am trying to make.  I too have my own dreams.

Remember the impotent man I've been writing about all month?  Jesus told him to take up his bed and walk.  He didn't tell him to stand:  He told him to walk.  Have you ever watched a toddler in the beginning stages of learning this phase of life?  He'll stand up on his wobbly little legs, think he's ready to go, and then plop!  Down he goes.  Those first few times, he just stays down but...but he keeps on moving, crawling towards his goal, until the next time he's on his feet and another attempt is made, hopefully with more success.  Finally, one day without any fanfare, the kid is walking and though he still stumbles, the occurrences are fewer and further than before.

This morning before he left for work, Steve and I read another chapter from Max Lucado's book When God Speaks Your Name.  Entitled "Healthy Habits," Max wrote of the four habits in the Bible that we are to implement in our lives if we are to become spiritually mature adults.  We can't stay kids forever.  Max wrote about growing in grace, growing up in Christ, and leaving behind the elementary teachings and going on to ministry.  You can click on the link and read it; it's quite good.  But here's what I want to discuss:  growing up.

We can't stay babies forever.  See this pic of me?  I was in the "Terrible Twos" stage and if you look at my face, you can see the pouting lips, the near-defiant stare, the fingers poised to get into something that they didn't belong in.  While I don't remember being this young, I obviously was.  But here's what I wonder most when I reflect on this photograph:  have I changed?  Look with me, beyond the superficial for a moment.  Am I still a pouter?  Shamefacedly I admit, yes.  Do I still glare when others dare to defy my wishes?  Uh, guilty.  And those hands:  are they still looking to get into mischief?  Wellll, maybe not as much.  I do try to use them to further the good news of Christ.  Sometimes.  Most of the time.

Hmn.

As I close this blog, I want to challenge you--and myself--to examine once again whom we are in Christ.  Are we still babies who can barely do anything for ourselves and must continually be fed, be led around by our fingers so that we have someone to hold onto, and be told constantly what to do because we don't know how to fend for ourselves?  Or...are we growing?  Can we pick up and put away our toys without being told that it's time to get to work?  Can we chew on some steak instead of just eating processed food that doesn't require us sinking our teeth into?  Can we stand for what is right and then take the next steps into defending our stance?  

My closing prayer with Steve this morning went something like as follows.  Is it true for you too?

Dear Lord, as I think about being a child who needs to embrace adulthood, it's kind of like when I go to the ocean.  At first, my tootsies want to just dip into the receding waves to get a feel for the ocean's temperature.  Just a small taste.  It's okay to get my feet wet, but to get knee deep into this unknown source?  Hmn.  Not so sure.  But then, Lord, when I take the plunge (so to speak) and let the waves crash into my back as I am exhilarated and stunned at the same time, the feeling of the waves causes sensations like none other. I want more but also feel fear as the powerful water invites, challenges, and urges me forward.  I can't swim.  Do I dare to proceed further into uncharted territories?  

Lord?  As I continue growing in Your Word, I realize that there are bigger things out there for me, new experiences to try, and further paths to explore.  I'm not a baby anymore and You have grown and equipped me to walk: to carry my bed and to walk.  I can't just sit on the sidelines, Father, if I am to be all I can be.  Help me to rise is my prayer, asked in the name of Jesus.  Amen.