Saturday, May 28, 2016

Job 38-42

Here we are in the final chapters of Job.  Here above the large 38 marking the 38th chapter in my Bible, I see the words "The LORD Answers Job."  After all those men tried to come with wisdom, but lacking true wisdom, not having all the knowledge necessary to truly understand, the Lord will answer, and we will see the rest of the story.

Not only is God now answering (giving Job his day in court), but He (Yahweh, the covenant LORD) is answering out of a whirlwind, and He comes forth reminding Job of both of their places.  Before Job's vindications, he needs to be reminded of who God is.  He speaks of His Sovereign rule over creation.  He asks Job where he was when He laid the foundation of the earth and shows him that he simply cannot understand everything because he does not know everything.  I often think of this passage when I cannot understand why something is happening and might be tempted to be angry with God for allowing something.  I remember who am I to understand the ways of God.  He is so mighty and wise!  He is Sovereign Creator!  How very foolish of man to accuse almighty God of not being fair.  Let us really think about creation, about biology and physics, astronomy and chemistry.  It is God that knows the why and caused His creation to act in the way that it scientifically does.  He is God, and He can be trusted even when we do not understand.  God does not answer Job's accusations with an explanation of what happened with Satan and why Job had to experience the troubles.  He rather questions Job and his understanding of Himself.  He asks Job if he knows how all of creation works and can create and control it, many parties of creation with their varying ways, giving lots of examples from the natural world.  Job obviously is humbled, reminded that dominion is the LORD's.  God then (in chapter 40) gives Job a chance to answer.  No longer seeking vindication, but completely humbled in comparison to God's greatness, Job has nothing to say.

God continues to speak to Job, telling him that He will continue to question him and give him a chance to answer.  Of course God knows all the answers to His questions, but He asks them to help Job see the ere in his questioning God's justice, his need to trust in God's all-wise, sovereignty.  After establishing Himself as Creator and Sovereign over the natural world, we see God challenge Job about His dealings with morality, and judgement of the wicked.  He basically asks Him to do his work for Him if Job thinks that he can do a better job.  He then speaks of His great creation of the Behemoth and Leviathan of the land and sea.  While man cannot control these mighty creatures, the Lord can with ease for they are his creation, as is everything under the whole heaven.  The Lord asks Job is he would be willing to stand against these creatures.  Of course he would not, so why does he dare stand before God who is far greater than these.

The final chapter of Job (42) is quite full.  It begins with Job answering God, still without knowledge of why this all happened but in faith declaring God's sovereign rule, repenting of his rash words and doubts, fully humbled before God's magnificence.  Job's eyes have been opened to truly see God's greatness, and his faith grows.  Praise God for revealing Himself to us and growing our faith!  (Even now as we read His Word!)  Satan is proven wrong.  While Job's faith is tested and he has to repent of his wrong thoughts of God, he never turns from God as Savior.  Job's friends are also proven wrong.  The Lord turns to Eliphaz, angry with him, Bildad, and Zophar for their wrong accusations.  He commands them to sacrifice burnt offerings and have Job pray for them.  They do as they are told, and the Lord grants them all forgiveness.  Praise God for the ultimate sacrifice paid for our sins, for Jesus Christ's death and resurrection! Finally we see the end of the story.  The Lord more than fully restores Job's fortune.  He gives him twice a much as before.  All Job's family and friends come together and eat and comfort and bless him with money and gold rings.  The Lord also blesses Job with three more beautiful daughters and seven sons (and he has plenty inheritance for all ten of them).   I love that while we see Job's livestock replaced with double the number, we see the children replaced with an equal number because though his first children were gone from him, their souls live on forever.  Sometimes I think about how the Lord granted me children in my womb after my two losses and that they are not replacements for their siblings, rather additional children, for my sweet Hope and Kyson are alive in heaven, and we will be reunited one day.  Job lives a long life and sees his children to the fourth generation.  What a beautiful story of restoration!

I will end with this: God is in control.  He is wise and faithful.  We can trust Him.  No matter what we are going through, we can rest in Him.  And when we fail to fully trust in His will, and we question and complain, He lovingly reminds us of who He is and is faithful to forgive us.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Job 32-37

Instead of one post to finish out the book of Job, I decided to just look at Elihu's speeches found in chapters 32 through 37 today.  I'm happy that many have continued reading and seeking to understand this book.  When we remember that all the scripture is "breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work," (2 Timothy 3:16-17), it helps us to continue on.

We meet Elihu in chapter 32.  He is younger than Job and the three counselors that initially spoke with him, and he waited to speak until they had finished their discourse, respecting his elders.  Many commentators see Elihu as a haughty individual, but looking forward to the epilogue, we do not see Elihu rebuked when God chastises the others.  Also Job does not answer back to him.  Elihu is angry with Job, not for living a wicked life deserving of punishment, but for seeming to be more concerned with his own vindication than how he speaks of God, for criticizing Him instead of recognizing that He might have a loving purpose in allowing Job's suffering.  He is angry with the three friends for only blaming Job and not finding an answer for him.  He does wait his turn and even speaks of his own fear and timidness to share before his elders.  This seems humble of him to me and also courageous, so I will not be quick to call him a self-important know-it-all, although I think he could have been a bit gentler with suffering Job.  It makes me think about my interactions of others, that I might be gentler so that I do not come across haughty and uncaring.  There is so much to take from each passage we read.  From Elihu's words in chapters 33, we see that he, unlike the previous three, leaves room for grace and mercy from God.  He challenges Job to not assume that God was silent, rather to look for how He might be speaking, and to remember that God does not have to answer man for His ways.  Elihu uses quotes from Job, to show him his ere in how he spoke and defends God's goodness and justice.  He spoke to Job about his argument of not seeing wickedness punished and reminded him that God is just whether it is evident or not.  He chastised Job for not speaking more wisely about the ways of God.

This brings us to chapter 35 with Elihu still speaking.  He speaks of God's greatness above man and Job's wrong thinking that God is indifferent to his cries or that there is no difference before God for the righteous and wicked.  His advice is to come humbly before God, not at a place of defensiveness and pride.  While this was good advice, it was still not completely appropriate to Job who God found righteous before Him.  When Elihu continues to speak, he is trying to prove before them that he is worthy to listen to, which I do feel comes across as prideful, but I really do not know the appropriate speech for the culture so I will not give that judgement.  He continues to discourse on God's mightiness and His dealings with man, including mercy and justice, watching over the righteous, bringing about repentance, teaching, rewarding obedience, and punishing sin.  He speaks of how God opens the ears of man by adversity.  We see the new suggestion that suffering might be used to draw us closer to God.  I think this is a very important point for us to take note of.  I know that I have grown in my walk with the Lord during hard times.  Elihu also cautioned Job to not get caught up in his complaining, leading him to sin against God, but rather to remember to praise God in His power and works, His greatness that we cannot comprehend.   How often to we fall in to the trap of being negative and miss the greatness of the Lord all around us?  I like the saying, "Do not miss the roses for the thorns."  He continues in chapter 37, proclaiming God's majesty that we see through creation.  I have to stop and really think about this.  Do I take notice of God's greatness and power in the clouds, in the thunder and lightning, in rain and snow, in the animal kingdom?   We cannot even look into the sun when the storm has passed and it is bright in the sky.  How much mightier is God than the sun, and we must fear Him and remain humble before Him in all His majesty!  He is mighty and just and completely righteous!

I hope that this section of scripture has left you, like we, reflecting on God's goodness and our humble place before Him.  Continue reading because we are going to hear God speak beginning in chapter 38 and also find out what happens with Job!

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Job 14-31

We have continued reading through Job this week, and I have enjoyed reading and discussing with my oldest children and hearing what others reading alongside have to say.  Today I will try to summarize and reflect on Job 14 through 31, the end of Job's response to the first cycle of speeches, all of the second and third cycles of speeches, an interlude on wisdom, and a monologue by Job.  Many have commented that Job is a hard book to understand, especially this middle section.  I agree. The literary format, though common during the ancient times, is not one that we are familiar with reading and the poetic dialogue is definitely tougher to navigate than the narrative we are accustomed to in many of the other books of the Bible.

In chapter 14 we find Job continuing his response after the three friends have confronted him.  He has just proclaimed in chapter 13 that he will continue to hope in God no matter what.  He has declared that he believes he will be vindicated after being wrongly accused.  Satan originally wrongly accused him of being faithful to God only because of the good things that God had blessed Job with, and that when the trials came, he would curse God.  Now Job's friends have been wrongly accusing Job of wrongdoing that is leading to punishment from God.  Job's poetic discourse in chapter 14 is about death, and he appears to no longer be speaking to his friends, but rather to himself and to God.  He reminds himself of his own frail, sinful humanity and inevitable death in contrast to God's sovereign mightiness.  He pleads with God to let him die until God's wrath might pass.  He wrongly is believing that God is angry with him. He does not have the insight that we have here, having not known of the scene between God and Satan that we were able to glimpse at he opening of the book. Here he longs for a resurrection from death to a new life without the misery.  We find him at the end of the chapter feeling hopeless.

Chapter 15 is the beginning of the second cycle of speeches.  Eliphaz does not even seem to try to show any compassion, even mocking Job.  He appears to be angry with Job's response and believes that he does not fear God and remains full of unconfessed sin and pride in a false sense of integrity.  Job answers in chapters 16 and 17.  He tells the counselors that they are miserable comforters.  He is weary with their lack of helpfulness and in tears that his friends have become his mockers.  Job is still thinking that God must be against him even if he does not know why.  He is utterly miserable but does believe that he has a witness in heaven that testifies for him.  Praise God we have Jesus that testifies for us in heaven!  He not only testifies for us, but He took our place for us that we might have His righteousness!  Job pleads to God to vindicate him and prove to his counselors that he is right.  He tells of his awful state he is living in with this disease.  He is holding to walking in righteousness and is open to wisdom but is not finding it from these three men.  His hope is still found in God, but he is still thinking of death.

Bildad speaks in chapter 18, rebuking Job in his state of great suffering, still holding to his belief that God is punishing wickedness. Job answers in chapter 19, once again tormented by the words of these men.  He rehearses his suffering, still believing God is against him and wishing that his words could be preserved (which they are in this book now!), then declares that he knows his redeemer lives and will stand on the earth.  We know the rest of the story, that Job is vindicated, and that ultimately the Redeemer of mankind will stand on the earth, Jesus Christ.  All praise to Him!  Job then warns his friends that they should be careful of falsely accusing him as they may experience punishment for it.

Zophar's second speech is found in chapter 20.  He also speaks of the wicked suffering under the wrath of God.  They continue to try to teach Job about the fate of the wicked, pointing the finger at him.  In their opinion Job must be wicked for all of this to be happening to him.  Job answers in chapter 21 that he sees wicked men prosper.  He wanted them to see that though he does not understand why, it was not as simple as they believed, that wicked suffer and righteous prosper.  Sometimes the wicked prosper and righteous suffer.

The third cycle of speeches begins in chapter 22 with Eliphaz again.  He now says that Job must be abundantly evil.  He also paints God as lofty and not concerned with personal relationships with men.    He lists sins that Job must be guilty of to deserve his suffering.  He rejects the idea that the wicked ever prosper and calls Job to repent of his wickedness and return to God that he might receive blessings.  In the counselors' eyes, they see only a system of works and blessings, sins and punishments.  They leave no room for mercy and grace.  Job responds in chapters 23 and 24, not to Eliphaz but with a cry of longing to be in fellowship with God again, wanting to understand all that is going on and to feel God's love once more.  He longs to be vindicated by God.  He is not feeling God's presence but has not turned from His ways, and he still declares His sovereignty.  He wishes he could see God's plan.  Job talks about wickedness and his not understanding why he does not see it punished.  He concludes that their punishment must be coming.

Chapter 25 is a short speech by Bildad restating that God is high and mighty and man, like Job, is lowly and sinful.  Bildad misses that while man is depraved, he is also made in God's image and has worth and dignity.  Job responds in chapter 26 with sarcasm to his friends' worthless "help."  He then moves to speak of God's majesty and power.  Job continues in chapter 27, defending his righteousness and refusing to accept their false accusations. He shows them that he understands as they do that God's wrath will come on the wicked.  The fact that wicked suffer has nothing to do with Job's suffering though because he was a righteous man.

Chapter 28 is no longer dialogue but rather a poem on wisdom, similar to the wisdom literature of the book of Proverbs.    Finding wisdom is compare to the arduous task of mining for precious stones and  minerals.  The men have been discoursing on Job's plight for all this time and Job comes to the conclusion that God has true wisdom and understands everything, not man.  Ultimately we find great truth in verse 28, "the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding."  Do not miss this!  We are not going to understand why everything happens, but we will learn wisdom through reverence and obedience to God, and we can trust Him, knowing that He is all-wise.  That reminds me of an old hymn, "Trust and Obey."

  1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
    What a glory He sheds on our way!
    While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
    And with all who will trust and obey.
    • Refrain:
      Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
      To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
  2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
    But His smile quickly drives it away;
    Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
    Can abide while we trust and obey.
  3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
    But our toil He doth richly repay;
    Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
    But is blessed if we trust and obey.
  4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
    Until all on the altar we lay;
    For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
    Are for them who will trust and obey.
  5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
    Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
    What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
    Never fear, only trust and obey.

Chapters 29 through 31 are a monologue by Job.  He reminisces of the days of God's blessing on his life.  He recounts his good deeds, contrary to the false-accusations. He was indeed a virtuous man that stood up for the weak.  I found these verses to be an encouragement to me to be more willing to stand in the gap for the less fortunate.  Job had expected to live a long healthy life.  He was revered and sought for his counsel, but no longer.  Now he was mocked.  In chapter 30 Job laments his losses, including his great loss of fellowship with God, still feeling that God is against him.  He is in bitter distress.   He gives a final appeal for vindication from false accusations in chapter 31, speaking of different areas in which he could have and did not sin and accepting the curses due if he had.  He signs his name to his testimony and his words are ended.  Again, I find this chapter one to encourage us to seek to strive to live a life of integrity.

This is the end of this section of the book of Job.  The monologues of Elihu (chapters 32 through 37) and God Himself (chapters 38 through the beginning of 42) will come next, followed by an epilogue that finishes out chapter 42.

May working through this hard text help us to continue to seek God, the ultimate all-wise, sovereign Father, for wisdom and understanding and remember to trust Him even when we cannot understand because He is faithful.

Sunday, May 22, 2016

I Open Your Word

I open Your Word, and You speak to me.
You show me just who You are.
You show me who You made me to be.
You make me to feel Your love.
You teach me to love Your truth.
Oh, I open Your Word, and You're there with me.
We reminisce about long ago.
You tell how You created the world,
How perfect it was, how You rested.
You tell me how man fell away.
I think of how I have failed You.
You tell of men and women of old,
And I learn from their faith and mistakes.
I learn You're always there.
Nothing's outside Your control.
Yes, I open Your Word, and You teach me.
I learn about Your law, how You wrote it on stones and now on my heart,
How no one can keep it but Jesus.
I open your Word, and I'm guilty; there's nothing that I can do,
But I am filled with hope, and my faith is alive
Because You paid that death I was due. 
I open Your Word, and You paint for me pictures.
I see Eden and fresh flowing water,
Beautiful plants and majestic animals,
The serpent and Adam and Eve and the fall. 
I see Noah, the ark, the rain pouring down, the flood carving the valleys, wiping earth clean.
I see your rainbow drawn in the sky.
I see parting of rivers, wars, and slavery.
I see fire from heaven and idols torn down.
Oh, I see angels, and I see baby Jesus, 
I see heaven open as He's baptized by John.
I see children under the Savior's feet, Mary washing those feet.
I see the lame dropping their crutches, the blind opening their eyes, the crowds listening to Jesus. 
Oh, I see them arrest Him, they beat Him, they spat on Him. 
I know that I am guilty.
I see His face as He hangs on the cross.
I hear Him say, "It is finished!"
Oh I open the Word, and You shows me Your power.
Death, where is your sting?
Jesus didn't stay dead, He arose: conquered death!
He paid the debt that we owed. 
We were dead in our sins, but let us praise Him! 
By grace, we have been saved.
Our faith's placed in Him, our Savior, our King.
Oh praise Your Holy Name!
I open Your Word, and You gives the command:
Go into all the world, tell them, tell them
All I have read, tell them Your story today. 
Know that You are forever, You were then and now and to come. 
They'll be a new heaven and a new earth, and You love us enough to want us there. 
Oh let's invite everyone! 


Thursday, May 19, 2016

Job 1-13

I began reading through Job this week. I think every time I read Job, it is a humbling experience, a chance to be reminded that God is sovereign and I am but His child. It's a reminder that I am not in control and that's a good thing because I can't see the whole picture. It's also a good perspective to see that anything I've experienced is nothing compared to Job, and he made it through to the other side of his trials. I'd like to reflect a bit on Job 1-13.

The scene that takes place at the opening of the book of Job is a great reminder that we do not have the whole picture. We are often not aware of why things are happening in our lives. We are presented with Job, an honorable man that walks with God. He has a personal walk. He doesn't just call himself a believer; he walks the walk. And God suggests Job to Satan. Wow! I think the thought of God suggesting us to Satan often bothers us. We might think, "Why would a loving God allow Satan to bring trials into our lives?" Perhaps it feels unfair. We, like Job's friends, feel like trials should be for the ungodly, those deserving of negative consequences, or punishment. What about asking ourselves, "Would God think highly enough of me, is my faith strong enough, to be tested, that God might be glorified through it all?"  The thing is God never left Job. The scripture says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."”‭‭(Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:6‬). Through it all, God was still bestowing His grace upon Job that he might remain faithful. God is the "author and perfector of faith." (Hebrews 12:2). We see from Job's response to the news of all that he lost, that Job understood who God is, that He is worthy of praise no matter what our circumstances. “He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.” (Job‬ ‭1:21-22‬).  I clung to verse 21 when I found out that my unborn Baby Kyson passed away within my womb in the summer of 2012. I knew that this truth needed to be written on my hurting heart. I knew that through the hurt, God was still good and worthy of my praise.

In chapters 2, we see that Satan is not even impressed with Job's faith after all his loss, and God allows him to strike Job's health. We are again reminded that God is in control and Satan must have  permission from the Almighty. Satan is sure that Job will not continue to praise God after that, sure that Job's allegiance is based on his own comfort. Job's wife asks him why he doesn't just give up, curse God, and die. “But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” ‭‭(Job‬ ‭2:10‬). How often do we eagerly accept good from God, praising His name for His goodness? Yet His goodness remains the same even when we are not granted "the good." Also in chapter 2, we meet Job's three friends, and their initial response to simply sit with him as he mourns is spot on. Often in a time of loss, we just need the presence of a friend.

In chapter 3, we see that Job is in complete anguish, wishing not only for death, but that he had never been born.  The verse about miscarriage brought my mind back to my heaven babies, Hope and Kyson, and I thought about the earthly trials they never had to live to experience, that they went straight to the glory of our Savior. I have great peace in that thought.

In chapter 4, Job's friends begin making the mistake so many of us make. They have given their friend a week to mourn and now they feel the need to try to fix things. I think this is a good reminder to us that sometimes we just need to be there for our friends, not try to figure out the whys for them because we might be wrong, and instead of helping, we might just hurt them more. Eliphaz was wrong about Job being punished for wrongdoing. It's a good reminder to us that when we suffer loss, we need not blame ourselves.  Trials are not necessarily consequences of anything we have done,

Chapter 5 holds some truth about God and how He is just. Unfortunately, Eliphaz is still holding to the notion that Job needs to repent of something. Job knows God is just; he is not cursing God. The friends seem to need to glean some wisdom from Job, that God can remain just even if He allows bad things to happen to us that have nothing to do with punishment.

In chapters 6 and 7, Job responds to his friends, reminding them of what terrible anguish he is in and telling them that they are being of no help. He knows that he is not in need of repentance, that this calamity is not punishment. He needs their support to help him keep his faith in the midst of this trial, and they are only wrongly accusing him. He just needs them to sit with him in what he believes to be his last days, to comfort him, but they are making him feel worse. Job then turns to God, pouring out his heart to God, still longing for death, seeking to find peace with God.

In chapter 8, another friend, Bildad, speaks. He, like Eliphaz, speaks of God being just, and still does not understand that God can be just and allow these things to befall Job without due cause on Job's part. He must have either missed Job's speech on how they were not helping or just ignored it because he pretty much did the same thing as Eliphaz. Again, we have a reminder to us to really listen to people when they are going through troubles, hear what it is they need from a friend in their times of trouble. I know I often don't know what to say to someone going through a trial, that I would like nothing more than to "fix" things, but sometimes we just need to be there for support. May we also be reminded that we are not to judge why a trial comes upon someone.

In chapter 9, Job answers Bildad, speaking of God's greatness and humbling himself before God.  He doesn't bother to tell Bildad that he is wrong to speak of what he does not understand. He simply continues to speak of God. We can see his desire to have peace with Him, to walk with Him once more. What I really like is when Job speaks of the desire for a mediator, someone that can touch God and mediate for man. He knows this can be no human. We see a glimpse of the Savior here, for we know the rest of the story. We know we have a  redeemer, Jesus Christ, the God-Man, who intercedes for us even now (Romans 8:34)!

Chapter 10 shows us Job crying out to God, not understanding why this is happening and feeling perhaps that God, who lovingly made him and loved him, is now against him. It is a sad state in which we see Job.

Job's third friend, Zophar, begins to speak in chapter 11. He, like the other two friends, simply pours salt into Job's wounds, holding that Job should stop confessing his integrity and needs to repent of whatever sin brought about this calamity that Job might be restored before God. He too fails to see that what Job is experience has nothing to do with sin.

Job answers in chapter 12 and tells his friends that while they think they are better than him and have made him a laughingstock, they are wrong. Job knows of God's greatness and does not deny it. He continues in chapter 13, that they should not speak for God. He declares, "Though he slay me, I will hope in him.” ‭‭(Job‬ ‭13:15‬) Do we have this kind of faith, faith secure in who God is so that though our world around us is falling apart, we still hope in Him? Job again turns to God, longing for answers as to why this is all happening, longing to be at peace with his God.

Thirteen chapters of this complex book of Job find me at a place of being humbled and feeling blessed. I am ever grateful that Jesus came to redeem us from this place of suffering and grateful of the good God has given me while I am on this earth. I know that nothing good I have is deserved, that it's all grace. I am humbly reminded of my finiteness and the glimpse I have of the whole picture and my need to rest in the One who is in control of all eternity.

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Rest

So I started reading through the Bible in a year again today. The reading for today was Genesis 1-3. I am very familiar with this passage so I prayed that God would show me something new or with fresh eyes today. I love how He loves to answer our prayers to speak to us through His Word!

So what stuck out to me today: REST.

I don't even know how many times I've read the creation account. I grew up hearing it, I've taught it to my children, and I've taught it to other children. I know that seven is a number of perfection in scripture, and I know that creation took 6 days and that on the seventh day, God rested from His work. I guess what I've never thought about was what God resting looked like.

          “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of
           the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”
           ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:28‬ ‭

From the above scripture, I had known that our perfect infinite God does not grow tired the way that we finite beings do.  I never thought about Him as resting by taking a nap like we might because I know God does not require sleep. Honestly, I'm just not sure I ever really thought about what God resting meant. It's funny how we can read something over and over, know it as fact, and yet never really think much about what it means.

           “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was
           evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” Genesis‬ ‭1:31‬
           “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh
           day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his
           work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God
           rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” Genesis‬ ‭2:1-3‬

In the passage about God resting, the Hebrew word shabath is used. It means to cease or rest from work. To rest because of being tired or weary is another word. When I look at the passage, I do not see anything specifically that God did except rest because He was finished with His creation. I do see  that right before He rested, He said that everything He made was very good. I can just start to picture His rest as "sitting back" and admiring His finished work like an artist might put down his paintbrush and stand back and look at his masterpiece.  He rested in Himself, and He calls us to come and rest in Him as well.

I know that God is speaking to me through this, telling me to rest, to really sit down and rest. I need to rest in Him, to "taste and see that the Lord is good."  I need to "take heart; He has overcome the world." I need to see the "very good," to think about "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise."  I need to just rest in His goodness and grace. I need to cease worry and cease trying to do everything myself. I need to rest in His completed work, to rest in His perfect plan.  I need to rest "in God alone," fixing my "eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith."  (‭‭Psalm 34:8, John 16:33, Genesis 1:31, Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬, Psalm 62:5, Hebrews 12:2)

There is so much more to study here, to learn about rest, about Sabbath, about celebrating the creator, our little foretaste of heaven where we, His people, will worship Him face to face for all eternity, forever resting in Him.

What a perfect start to my reading, to find God calling me to rest in Him, knowing I have 364 days of readings to find rest in Him!

Sunday, May 8, 2016

God is good... It is well

God is good, and that's enough
For me to say, "It is well."
It is well within me
For my hope is in Him.
It is well within me
For my faith is in Him.

God is good, and that's enough.
His love overflows.
His mercies never end.
His grace, oh His grace
That saves sinners from their sin.

God is good, and that's enough
For me to say, "It is well."
It is well. It is well
Because of Him.

Sunday, May 1, 2016

I want to write again! I can feel it inside... FAITH

I want to write again! I can feel it inside, that desire to put my heart into words, to bring praise to God through writing.  I have asked the Lord to help me focus on faith this year. It only seems fitting to write on that first.

FAITH
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews‬ ‭11:1‬)

What is faith?

To believe, to trust, but more than that...

The assurance of things hoped for... What does that even mean?

The conviction of things not seen... Again, meaning?

Well, the scriptures also say, “for we walk by faith, not by sight-” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:7‬) We live inside the realm of time. Although I sometimes have a good idea of what might come tomorrow, I do not really know what the future holds. I cannot SEE the future.

BUT, the Word says I can have assurance (a great confidence based on the truth I know, the truth written down long ago of our great God and Savior and His promises) of things hoped for (like all things good: love! peace! joy! mercy! grace! hope! salvation! eternal life!). The Word says that I can be convicted (strongly persuaded, convinced because there is proof) of this even without seeing it. This is faith!

Someone recently reminded me, "God is good, and that's enough." Isn't that true? Isn't that the basis of our faith? Even if I know nothing else, it is enough. This week I asked a group of 3rd graders what faith is as we discussed that a "shield of faith" is part of our spiritual armor. One answered that it is "not doubting." When we have confidence in who God is, we can trust Him: faith, without doubt. The scriptures say, "in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians‬ ‭6:16‬) That's powerful! Faith is our shield, not only blocking the enemy's arrows, but also extinguishing their flames.

Faith is not only a weapon of defense in this spiritual war; we are saved by faith! “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians‬ ‭2:8‬). What a beautiful gift!

May we have faith in Him who is faithful, faith to believe unto salvation and faith to keep on believing all He has for us and our futures. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews‬ ‭10:23‬)

I pray the Lord continues to teach me and grow me in the area of faith. May He do this for you as well.  "I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark‬ ‭9:24‬b)