Abigail McKenna

Testimony of Salvation

I was born and raised in a wonderful Christian home. Coming from generations of Christian families was a blessing I took for granted when I was younger. I now realize just how amazing it really is to be surrounded by so many people who not only love and support me but also believe and serve the same true God as I do.

I was saved at the age of 12 on the night of the 31^st of August as I sat on the end of my parent's bed and prayed that God would come into my heart and forgive me of my sins. After many years of pushing against it and putting it off for another day, (in part because I didn’t know what people would think of me for waiting so long even though I had known the truth about heaven and hell and what it meant to be saved for some time, and I also figured that because I was young, I would have plenty of time to do it later), I finally had true peace that only God can give.

From the time I asked Jesus to save me and take control of my life, I felt a peace like no other. I had moments of doubt from time to time but God always reminded me that my eternity was settled.

I was baptized a couple years later, but the date has slipped my mind.

And now as I write this as a 26 year old mum of 4 (soon to be 5), I am reminded daily of the amazing and awesome God we serve. I am so thankful for the man he has given me to serve beside and raise children with. And for parents who raised me and my siblings the way they did and for the love and support they give me and my family.

Life certainly hasn’t been all smooth and easy but I know God is right here with us, leading and guiding though every hardship life will bring. Before I finish, I want to share a story of the time I learnt what it meant to truly fear God.

 

On this one particular night not so long ago, my husband and kids were all asleep and I was loading the car for a town trip the next day and cleaning all the mess from that day. It was close to midnight, I was exhausted and stressed about the list of things that needed to be done and all the things that were hanging over me making me feel like I wasn’t enough. And the pain and heartache that I carried from having two miscarriages. I felt so far from God that night and not even sure he was hearing my prayers. 

So, I sat down outside in the dark under the stars and I prayed something like this “God if you can really hear me and if you really care about me, show me with a shooting star”. Now it does sound a little crazy, but I really needed God to show me his love in a way I could see and understand. So, after I prayed, I sat there not sure of what was going to happen and in less than 15 seconds God sent a star shooting across the sky right in front of me. In that moment it felt like God was right there with me telling me “It’s ok my child I’ve got you and I do care”.  I wasn’t afraid even though it made the hair on my neck stand up, I was just in awe of how much God cared for me. I was just one person and God had time for me. I finally knew what true righteous fear was and that I didn’t need to be afraid of God in order to fear Him.

It felt like such a silly thing to pray for, but God knew it was exactly what I needed, and he did it just for me. Now as awesome as that was of course my mind was like, "well shooting stars happen all the time and maybe it was just a coincidence". So, I prayed once more for God to show another shooting star so I would not doubt He was there with me. And again within 15 seconds He shot one across the sky and I knew that He really was there with me the whole time, through my heartaches and troubles. And that I should not doubt again.

I want to encourage anyone who feels alone or like God is not listening to your prayers and cries, He is, and you are not alone. Maybe God is silent because He is waiting for you to turn back to him. Open your heart and let him work in your life. Remember He will never leave or forsake you.

 

Are you looking for the “Ones”?

 

Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus cares for individuals? Yes, I know that you know that he cares for us. He died on a cruel cross so that we could have life eternal. But did you ever stop to think about the example he set for us when it comes to caring for the individual? The “one”.

In our day and age, often we see churches running huge programs and ministries that promote community and connectedness as a whole, but sometimes, and this is not always the case, sometimes the individual is overlooked.

Jesus’ ministry focused on individuals. Yes, he preached to massive crowds and worked with large groups of people, but it wasn’t all about numbers. It wasn’t all about crowds.

He wasn’t concerned with counting heads and keeping tally.

He was interested in the “one”. Just think of all the examples in scripture where Jesus took time to reach out to the “one”.

In John 9, we read of a man who Jesus touched, both spiritually and physically. He made clay from the dust and touched the man’s eyes, and once the man had washed, he came away seeing. Jesus had taken time to stop and heal the eyes of a man born blind.

In John 3, we read of Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, coming to Jesus by night. I see them sitting on a rooftop in the cool of the evening, Nicodemus asking his questions and Jesus giving him the answers he sought. Jesus wasn’t too busy to take the time to help a confused Pharisee.

In John 20, we find Mary Magdalene, grieving for her Lord, in agony of spirit, seeking comfort, and Jesus comes to her alone, and speaks words of life to her. He met her in her hour of need.

In John 4, we read an interesting statement, “And he must needs go through Samaria.” Why did Jesus need to go out of his way to the town of Samaria? Because there was a woman that would be at a particular well, at a particular time of day, that had an appointment with Jesus. She didn’t know this was going to happen, but her life was about to be changed. Jesus went searching for the “one”.

Even at the point of death, in excruciating agony, Jesus took the time to reach a soul for eternity. He extended forgiveness and granted eternal life to a common thief.

Over and over in the Word of God, we read of Jesus seeking out the “one”. He singled them out. He picked them out of crowds, he peered up into the branches of a tree to extend an invitation, he held out his hands to a doubter, he appeared in miraculous form to a simple Hebrew watching sheep in the desert. He realised, as we need to, that each person is unique, and each person has their own set of unique problems that need a unique, personalised way of being dealt with.

Luke 19:10 KJV - For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

The Lord Jesus came to earth to seek and to save the lost. He came to die. He came to bring new life. He came to bring hope. He came to bring comfort.

So where are the “ones” in your life?

Are you looking for the “one”? Are you actively searching for those that are hurting? Those that are in need of words of comfort? Those that desperately need Christ and the hope and life he offers? Are you looking for opportunities to be a blessing and encouragement to others on a one-on-one basis?

I’ve heard it said that there are 3 types of people:

The ones who care

The ones who don’t care

And the ones who need care.

The ones who care are people with a mindset like the Lord Jesus had in his ministry on earth. He reached out to those in need. He was sensitive to what was going on around him and he was alert and watchful and was always looking for the “one” in need.

Being someone who cares will cost you. It will cost you time. It will cost you money. It will cost you emotionally. Sometimes your reputation will be stained, just as the Lord Jesus was looked down upon by the Pharisees of his day, because he became known as a friend of sinners. (Luke 7:34) When you choose to help someone that no one cares about, you may get judgmental looks, or whispers of disdain. Your time will not be your own. There will be times when you have to drop everything to go to someone in need. Your plans may get upset and your schedule may get rearranged. Yes, being a person who cares will cost you.

But there are those who don’t care. There are those who are apathetic and are the takers of this world. They are happy to take but never give. They are self-centred and only interested in what benefits them. They see ‘things’ more important than people. Their possessions, their time, their money is all consuming and people are simply a means to an end. Their eyes are blind to those that are hurting. They attend their churches with closed eyes and ears, oblivious to the tears of an aching heart. Unaware of the soul that’s hurting, the child that needs comfort, or the one that’s barely making it through each day. They sit in their worship services, hoping only for something for themselves. They simply don’t care.

And then there are those in need of care. We all need care, and we all need distinct things at different seasons of our lives. But if you are sensitive and on the look out for those in need, you will see these ‘ones’. These ones in need of care.

There are so many ways that a person may need care. And often, the care they need can only be given by you, because of your particular personality, cultural background, life experiences or knowledge.

The trials we’ve been through, the lessons we have learnt, the wisdom we’ve been given, the comfort that has been extended to us is meant to be passed on.

Why do you think this passage is in the Bible?

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV - Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

One of the reasons God comforts us and teaches and heals us, is so that we may be able to help someone else in their time of need.

He expects us to pass it on.

God expects us to learn from our trials and then in turn become a comfort, blessing and encouragement to someone else who is facing similar things and in need of a friend to come alongside, exhorting, helping, and showing love and compassion.

I have found in my life as I look back on my most difficult seasons, that at the time they made no sense and I wished them away, praying that God would free me from them. And yet all the while, he was preparing me for what lay ahead. He was putting me through the fire in order that I could be a help to someone facing those same flames with fear and doubt and in desperate need of a friend, a comforter, an encourager, someone to be an example of God’s amazing mercy. He put me through the fire so that I could pull someone else out.

Because of the strength God had built in me and the resolve and determination and the knowledge that God could do it for me and would be able to do it for them, I was able to reach out to the “one” that God brought across my path and miracles happened.

We need to remember that the most important ‘need’ is soul care. The world looks for care in all the wrong places. They search for it in diet. They search for it in mind-numbing substances. They search for it in relationships. They look to programs and 5 steps to success promises and yet they are left unsatisfied.

The reason is that only Jesus can satisfy. Only Jesus can bring peace and happiness. Only he can fill the emotional needs of a soul. We can only do so much in our own strength. We must have the Almighty hand of God undergirding all our endeavours.

I had a very good friend remind me of something very important and it really helped me at the time as I was reaching the “one” and needed encouragement.

She said, “Your job isn’t to be her Saviour, it’s to point her to the Saviour.” What a blessing it is to know that the Holy Spirit is there to lead and guide us and help us have the words to speak, but even more comforting is the knowledge that it’s not up to us. Our job is to point others to Christ.

All our words, our advice, our well-meaning, well-rehearsed words of comfort are all meant to point those we seek to help, to the Saviour. We should be constantly redirecting their gaze to the face of Jesus.

And so, I ask again, where are the “ones” in your life?

In all your groups and programs and ministries and churches, where are the individuals that God would have you seek out? Where is that one that with God’s enabling power, only you can reach? Where is that one that needs to hear of your past victories so that they can rejoice in the knowledge that there is hope?

Ask God to open your eyes and show you who he has put in your path that you can show the love of Christ to. Ask God to give you a sensitive and compassionate heart that hears the cries of the hurting even before you see the tears fall.

And when you have the chance to be a blessing, give God all the glory. He knew what he was doing in putting you in the right place at the right time. You are unique and God can use you, if you let him.

 

(Below is a poem I wrote in 2008, after a particularly hard season in my life.)

THE COMFORTERS

 

Something is needed in this world,

Of which many know nothing about.

People are crying out for help.

They are searching throughout all creation,

They are seeking in all the wrong places.

And sadly, they are going undetected,

By the masses that pass them by.

But, they need not fear,

God has raised up a people to help.

He is schooling and training by fire,

Those he wants to fill this need.

Through trials and tribulations,

He is bringing  forth a people,

Who through their suffering have learned,

To comfort the trembling heart,

To ease the afflicted mind.

They have learned the meaning of sorrow,

They have felt the fear of pain.

They have wet their pillows with tears,

And know what it means to despair.

But through it all they have studied,

And prayed and sought the Lord.

Theirs is now a ministry of comfort.

A life set apart for others.

They have searched the scriptures for encouragement.

They have meditated on the word.

They have gleaned the precious promises,

And have claimed them for their own.

And the time will come when a weary soul, full of hurt and pain,

Will be comforted by the comforters,

God has so aptly trained.

Their kind and compassionate words,

Will help to strengthen a heart.

They will lead the suffering soul,

Into a path of light.

They will guide them out of the darkness.

With a loving and gentle hand.

They will hurt with the hurting,

But will not give up,

When the pain becomes too much.

For they have learned from the TRUE Comforter,

How to treat an aching heart.

Through their fiery trials,

They have discovered words of comfort,

To help the despondent soul.

And oh, the comfort they can bring,

For through the fire, they too have been.

 

Even though, I will

 

Habakkuk 3:17-19 KJV - Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

I have always loved this passage of Scripture and just two days ago, I sat down to write about it. I had just sent it to one of my daughters to be an encouragement and I fully expected to spend a couple of hours writing and studying.

God had other plans.

After a long phone call with a friend and more texts and phone calls back and forth with my husband, I hastily packed a few things and headed up the road to Darwin to be with a friend who was in need of comfort and counsel.

I won’t go into details for privacy’s sake, but I thought it interesting that God had put this particular verse on my mind that very morning.

I love how God does that. He brings his Word to mind just when it is needed. That is one of the reasons we need to be in his Word on a regular basis. If we’re not soaking in his Word, reading it, meditating on it, studying it, we won’t have those verses come to mind. We won’t have his Word replaying itself like an old record going round and round.

Although the trajectory of my day changed and even though my friend was dealing with some hard things, even though things weren’t going to plan, we could still rejoice in the Lord.

The thing that strikes me in this passage is the resolve of the prophet. Habakkuk was committed to praising the Lord regardless of his external circumstances.  

His joy was not dependent on physical blessings. He was determined to praise God even though there was:  1. No fruit on the fig tree 2. No grapes on the vine 3. No olives 4. A lack of sheep 5. A lack of cattle.  

After the prophet gave this woeful description, he summed it up with this beautiful phrase, “Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord.”

Even if he suffered extreme loss, he was determined to praise and worship God.

Even though, I will.

This was not a faith that believed God only when the sun was shining. It was not a faith that wilted under pressure.

This was a faith that flourished even when the pressure was on. This faith said, “Even though bad things are happening, I will praise the Lord”.

Even though I am under financial pressure…

Even though the darkness is closing in and my anxiety is frightening….

Even though the world is a scary place….

Even though my children are not walking with the Lord….

Even though my health is not good….

Whatever your situation may be…..

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord!

Developing this kind of “even though / I will” faith, changes everything. When the pressure mounts and trials come, this kind of faith doesn’t falter. It doesn’t deflate. It becomes bolder. More resolute. More determined. Undaunted. Unfazed.

This “even though / I will” kind of faith has everything to do with where we position our focus. If our eyes are on the Lord Jesus, and NOT on our circumstances, we will be able to say along with the prophet, “I will rejoice in the Lord”.

He remembered God’s goodness to him in the past and came to the conclusion that God was worthy of his praise. He might lack physical things, he might be short on money or food, but he would never be without God.

God has promised to never leave us and no matter what we face, or what we lack, he will be there with us.

Not only did Habakkuk rejoice in the Lord, he also joyed in his salvation. Only God can save, and this Godly prophet knew that and took joy in it.

But why could he with confidence say, “even though, I will”?

The answer is found in verse 19.

Habakkuk 3:19 KJV - The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

Habakkuk could rejoice in the Lord and joy in his salvation because the Lord God was his strength. He was the one that gave him the power to walk in God’s ways and prophesy in his name and testify of God’s amazing grace and love and mercy.

If only we could grasp this concept and get a hold of this kind of faith. If only we could have the kind of faith that is determined to praise when all seems desperate, and we want to give up.

If we could just look at our circumstances through the lens of God’s goodness, remembering his blessings and the victories of the past. If we could but realise that everything he has done and is doing is to mold us into his image and that no matter what our life looks like right now, in the moment, we serve a God that is still good. He is God. He is holy and righteous and merciful and kind.

He knows exactly what difficulties we need to face in our lives so that we can grow in our faith and our Christian walk.

And he longs for us to praise him in the storm.

We don’t have to be afraid of the storm. The waves don’t have to overwhelm us. The tempests may blow, and our frail vessel may be at breaking point, but with God in the boat with us, we need not fear. It’s not about the fierceness of the storm, it’s all about who is in the boat with you.

I know my God. I know his character. He is known to me, and I am known to him. I’ve seen him work. I’ve benefited from his victories in the past and I know he’ll come through again and again and again.

Even though the future is unknown, even though it may be troublesome and there seems to be no way out, even though I fear, my God is bigger than my storm. And I can trust him!

He has never failed me before, and he’s not about to start now. He will always be there. He will never leave me or forsake me. He will always supply my need. He will always be my provider. His will is perfect. His ways are right.

I may not understand the way he works, but I can have faith in knowing that he will work things for my good, whatever that good may be and I can say along with the prophet, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord”.

EVEN THOUGH, I WILL!

Psalm 23:4 KJV - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Run to the Giant

 

I have just finished listening to an audio book, written by a Pastor after the sudden death of his five-year-old daughter. In the book he talks about how his family was faced with terrible pain but was able to find amazing power through Christ.

In one part of the book, he mentions a young David (pre his king days), facing a literal giant, Goliath, in the valley of Elah. (I Samuel 17)

The reminder of this famous story in the Bible brought to mind something I wrote four years ago, and I want to share some of that with you in hopes that I can encourage you to face whatever giant is standing in your way.

I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but I pray that the Lord will speak to you personally and God will give you the courage you so desperately need.

It was early morning, as I sat by the ocean, watching the waves wash up on the shore. A beautiful, cool sea breeze was blowing and there was no sound apart from the noise the water made as it rippled across the sand, leaving bubbles in its wake. There was the occasional song of a bird calling as it flew by.

I had come down to the beach early, to get alone with the Lord and pray about the lesson I was going to be teaching to a group of ladies in only a matter of hours. I was struggling with doubt and worry. Yes, I had prepared what I thought God would have me teach, but upon meeting the group I would be teaching, I began to have doubts about whether or not the words the Lord had given me were actually what He would have me say.

I began to pray earnestly, and I sought the scriptures for encouragement and assurance that I was heading in the direction the Lord would have me go. I was so unsure. I began to doubt myself. I began to doubt my ability to speak.

 Who was I to think that I could speak to a group of ladies of every age, and from vastly different backgrounds? What could I possibly have to teach them that they hadn’t already heard? What about those present who seemed to be unteachable and that I sensed a hardness from? What about those who had walked with the Lord for far longer than I? Would I be able to explain my points effectively? Would they be able to learn something from what God had given me to teach? Would they even listen?

In effect, I had taken my eyes off the Lord and started focusing on the circumstances and the people around me. Never a wise thing to do. Remember Peter?

Matthew 14:29-31 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

As soon as Peter took his eyes off the Lord and looked at the waves, he began to sink. And the Lord rebuked him for his lack of faith.

My doubting was a lack of faith. So, as I sat there, praying earnestly for the Lord to come through for me and give me peace in my heart, I opened up the Bible app on my phone to read some words of comfort.

It’s strange how God works in mysterious ways, because every time I tried to open my Bible app and find the verse I was searching for, the app crashed. This happened at least 5 times. And each and every time, without fail, it would open up to the same passage. And it was not even the passage I had been searching for.

Obviously, I’m a slow learner, so the Lord had to do it a few times before I realised that maybe, just maybe (there I go, doubting again), God had something in this passage that I needed to hear.

Here is the passage that my Bible app kept opening to.

Deuteronomy 1:28-30 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there. Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them. The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;

Wow! Talk about God making it clear! I needed the Lord to fight for me as I felt so incapable of teaching the lesson I had prepared. But God knew that it was exactly what I was supposed to teach and that I just needed a little push and a little reminder that he would be with me. 

Of course, I couldn’t do it in my own strength. I needed his help. And I needed to be reminded that he would lead and guide as I taught, and that he would put the words in my mouth that needed to be said. All my hours of study amounted to nothing if I didn’t rely on him and his power to go before me.

I didn’t need to be afraid of the waves. The Lord would go before me if I kept my gaze wholly upon him. If I just trusted him to speak for me.

I prayed and cried to God to increase my faith and to guide and direct every word that would come out of my mouth.

My first thought was to text my mum and share this profound revelation with her. (What a blessing to have Godly mothers in our lives that rejoice with us and always have a timely word of comfort or advice).

And just as I expected, not only was she happy for the peace I had found, but she had a precious word of wisdom that has stayed with me to this day.

She told me to “Run to the Giant”. Simple as that.

Just as David did when he took on the insurmountable task of killing Goliath, when all others were too afraid, David did something amazing. He ran to the giant.

Read the passage with me.

1 Samuel 17:48-49 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

Firstly, it was incredible that David was willing to face the giant at all! He was a simple shepherd, not a man of war like his brothers, just a simple shepherd on an errand from his father.

But what is so impressive about David was the fact that he “hasted, and ran toward” Goliath.

He was sprinting toward what seemed like certain death. Crazy, right? I’m sure his heart was beating fast and there was a hint of fear inside him, but he didn’t let that fear control him.

It’s okay to fear and feel afraid, but we have to push on with the assurance that God is with us, and fear doesn’t own us and need not have any control over us.

David had some pretty brave words to say to the giant. If I was in his place, I don’t think I could be as bold as he was with his courageous statement.

1 Samuel 17:45-47 KJV - Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.

David ran towards his giant. He ran towards the giant that terrified the whole army that day. He didn’t cower in fear, he didn’t hesitate, stopping only to arm himself with a few stones plucked from a brook, he ran towards the giant.

And we know the end of the story, the Lord came through and what an amazing victory it was. Not only for the army of Israel, but for David himself. He had trusted the Lord and God had proved to him once again, his power and might and awesomeness. David added another story of victory to his arsenal, empowering him to keep pushing forward and giving him the courage he would need in the years to come.

The Lord came through. And the Lord can come through for you.

No matter how far removed the possibility of success seems from our vantage point, God will come through. And God doesn’t just come through for the mighty, he comes through for all of us. The broken, the hurting, the weak, the sick, the fearful and the doubters.

Whether God is calling you to a ministry you feel unequipped for, or whether he wants you to speak to that co-worker about their eternal destiny. Whether your giant is a pregnancy that has you worrying whether or not you can be a good mother, or whether you fear being able to homeschool your children well. Whether the interstate move you plan to make with your family has you doubting and afraid, or whether your decision to leave your current church to attend another is holding you back. Whatever it is, God is with you, and you can face it as David faced Goliath. With absolute trust and faith in God, you too can run towards your giant.

That day on the beach, as I doubted my calling, God came through for me. He gave me encouragement through his Word and then through his people. God often brings people into our lives to help encourage us to keep on the path God has us on. They cheer us on and bring words of wisdom to help strengthen our tired arms, lift our weary heads and turn our eyes back onto the Lord Jesus.

If you have giants in your life today, then run to them! Don’t be afraid to do what God is calling you to do. If he is calling you to do it, then he will equip you for it. When God called David towards his giant, he equipped him for the task.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 KJV - Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

I can’t tell you what God’s will is for your life. God has a specific story that he is writing for each and every one of us and we have to step out in faith, obeying him and following his light, putting one foot after another with a heart of trust.

All I can tell you is that you mustn’t let fear play a part in your decisions. It’s not brave to feel no fear, it’s brave to feel fear and push on anyway.

Yes, running towards your giant may feel daunting, painful, scary and there are days when you want to turn and run the other way. But only by facing our giants do we grow stronger. By seeing God win the battles for us, as we step out in faith, we are able to add another victory to our growing list that will hold us in good stead in days to come when once again fear arises.

As the author put it, “When you live a life of faith, there are going to be questions that have no answers, because for there to be faith, there has to be mystery. That’s just life in the deep end. It would be nice if we could have the safety of the shore and the potential of the open ocean at the same time, but that’s not how it works. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

If you want to defeat giants, you have to run towards them and take them on with the help of God’s almighty power. You may think you’re running alone, but God is keeping pace with you and he is right there should you fall.

I was able to teach my lesson that day without the fear of man, without doubt and with a faith in God that he would not let his Word return void.

Isaiah 55:11 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.

I was taught a valuable lesson in faith and trust that day. God showed me that although I may doubt my own talents and abilities, he is able to uphold and strengthen me when I am at my weakest. He is able to use me, despite my failings, fumblings and fears to accomplish things for him and bring glory to his name.

He is able to give my legs strength and my arms power as I run towards the giants in my life, and he is right there beside me as I lop off the head and hold it high singing God’s praises for all to hear!

 

Run to the giant!

 

Psalm 34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commands and Promises

During my quiet time this morning, I was writing out some verses on the subject of testings and trials and God’s promises to be with us. As I began to write the verses found in Hebrews 13:5,6 I noticed something I had overlooked before.

Hebrews 13:5 KJV - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

The writer of Hebrews challenges readers with the command to be content with what we have.

What struck me was how often I have quoted the last part of the verse without giving thought to what precedes it.

I love to claim that promise that God will never leave me or forsake me. And what a beautiful promise it is.

But I thought to myself, “How odd that it comes directly after a seemingly random phrase about covetousness and contentment.”

And so, I read the whole chapter, trying to discern the context of the statement.

Not having studied Hebrews in depth before, it seemed to me that chapters 12 and 13 were almost a list of directions or instructions for how we are to behave.

We are told to persevere and endure chastening (Heb. 12:3-13). We are encouraged to be at peace with others (Heb. 12:14). We are told to love our brothers and sisters in Christ and show hospitality to strangers (Heb. 13:1,2). We are to care for those who are being mistreated (Heb. 13:3).

It is against this backdrop that we come to chapter 13 verse 5. In addition to all these instructions, we are told to live our lives without covetousness. We are commanded to be content.

I realised that we really need the first part of this verse as the second part forms the reason for our contentment.

Yes, it’s a beautiful promise that the Lord will never leave us or forsake us, but we need to remember the command that comes before it.

We are told to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and his provision for us. Because of God’s grace, we can learn to be content with what God gives us.

Promises are often preceded by commands in the Bible and all too often, we skip over the command on our way to the promise. But God expects obedience from his children, and just as an earthly parent may place conditions on receiving a reward, God too places conditions on his children, longing for them to obey and enjoy the blessings he sends.

 

Commands and promises

Trust in the Lord – and he will guide (Prov. 3:5,6)

Draw close to God – he will draw close to you (Jam. 4:8)

Seek God first – he will provide (Matt. 6:33)

Trust in the Lord – you will bring forth fruit (Jer. 17:8)

Delight in the Lord – he will give you what you need (Ps. 37:4)

Don’t be anxious – God will bring peace (Phil. 4:6,7)

I think this verse in Hebrews is trying to tell us that instead of trusting in our riches or in material possessions, which will ultimately fail us, we, as believers, should place our hope in God, who promises to never leave us or forsake us. He won’t abandon us. Our riches and our material possessions will abandon us. They will fail. We all know that money can be here one day and gone the next. But God keeps his promises and when he says he will stay beside us, he means it.

So, why can we be content? Why can we live our lives without covetousness? We are able to do this because God has promised that he will always be there.

Friends come and go. Relationships fail. Family members pass on. This world is constantly changing, and the promise that God will never leave, and he will never change is such an encouragement to the soul.

This promise was first given to Israel and Joshua before they entered the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 31:6 KJV - Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

And then Moses reminded Joshua of it again in verse 8.

Joshua’s daunting task of taking the Promised Land seemed impossible, but with the Lord’s help, it was possible, because he would not forsake his people.

There are many other references to this promise in the Bible.

Jacob (Genesis 28:15)

Joshua (Joshua 1:5,9)

Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:20)

The poor and needy (Isaiah 41:17)

This verse in Hebrews is a reminder that we shouldn’t trust in riches, we should be content with what we have, because God is with his children forever and our trust should be in him alone.

The Greek word for forsake in this verse has the idea of being completely abandoned, deserted or left alone. God promises never to do this to his children.

And it is with this promise in mind that we can learn to be satisfied with God’s provisions. We don’t have to fret and worry over what we have or don’t have. We don’t need to be obsessing over what others have and constantly wishing for more.

We have the promise that God will be with us, and he will supply our needs. He will make sure we have what he knows we need. Notice I didn’t say, what we want. BIG difference.

God wants to give us what will make us conform to his image. Not the image of something or someone we have in our minds. No. His image.

Even when we are struggling through a dark time, or a time where we sense we are lacking the things we need, God is still faithful. God is still good. He is providing what we need in order that we will grow and become more like him.

God’s eternal promise that he will never leave us is not only comforting but it also gives us courage to walk the Christian life. Because God will never leave us or forsake us, we can live unafraid.

In Hebrews 13:6, God follows up on his promise with this statement.

Hebrews 13:6 KJV - So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Here we have another quote from the Old Testament.

Psalm 118:6 KJV - The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

God is the helper who protects and provides for his chosen people.

Just like Joshua was emboldened by God-given courage to complete his task, we too can be strengthened by the promise that God is on our side, and we don’t have to fear what others do to us or say about us.

Can I encourage you, the next time you come across the phrase, “he will never leave you or forsake you”, remember the first part of the verse and do a mental check on your contentment level.

Are you struggling with covetousness or discontentment? What is it that is keeping you in your pit of despair? Is it possible that you have forgotten the promise while you were busy disobeying the command?

Learn to be content.

Contentment is not found in ‘things’. True contentment lies in having faith in God, that whatever he chooses to do in our lives, whatever he chooses to give us, or not give us, is according to his perfect will and we should put our trust in him and be content that he is working for our good.

As you go about your day, think of things that you can be thankful for. Jot down the blessings as they come. Take time to think over your day and write down the things you’re grateful for. No matter what kind of a day you’ve had, how crazy it’s been, how frustrated you’ve felt, there is always something to be thankful for. Even if you just cry out to God in praise that the day is over, and you made it through!

Hebrews 13:5 KJV - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Be content FOR he promises to never leave you or forsake you.

The reason for your contentment is the blessing of the promise.

Matthew 28:20b …”lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”