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I Run like a Girl………Try to keep up!

 

Once again, Easter has come and gone. A long weekend, full of high expectations and to do lists disappointingly unfulfilled, chocolate consumed in larger than needed quantities and in amongst all that, numerous verses and quotes posted on social media, reminding us of Christ’s great sacrifice on the cross and his glorious resurrection.

Many, many years ago, in another time and another culture, in the pages of Scripture, we read of some women. These women were women we see making cameo appearances in various Bible stories at different times.

In Marks gospel (16:1), we see mentioned Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus delivered from seven demons; another Mary, the mother of James, Salome, the mother of James and John and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod Antipas’ household estate and a woman also healed and delivered from evil spirits. There were possibly others as we see in Luke 23:55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee..

These faithful women had walked with Jesus. They ate with him, they listened to him teach, they served him. They partnered in ministry with him. And then came the day when they saw him crucified and laid to rest in a borrowed tomb.

What I find beautiful and fascinating in the story of the resurrection is the fact that God could have announced his miraculous rising from the dead in any number of ways, triumphantly, loudly, grandiosely. And yet, he chose a couple of angels to speak to some women whose lives had been transformed by his Son. God chose to send his message of good news through broken and yet forgiven and redeemed women.

In the harmony of the gospels, we see this story retold with small variations. Matthew 28. Mark 16. Luke 24. John 20. We know that there are no contradictions in the Word of God, so these differences are not errors, they are simply a retelling by men of differing personalities from their own unique perspectives and to different audiences. These authors simply chose different angles to communicate about the same person, Jesus Christ.

In three of the gospels, I noticed something interesting. I’ll get to it in a minute. The women arrived at the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with spices, as was their custom. But when they arrived, they were perplexed (Luke 24:4) and then frightened (Mark 16:5) as they saw not only an empty tomb but also the angel/angels sitting in shining garments.

They were then given the message of Christ’s resurrection, and they were told to take the good news to the disciples.

We read in the Gospels that the women ran. That’s right. They ran. Now I don’t know how common it was for women in that culture to run, but I think it would have been an interesting sight.

There were no women in Bible times, clothed in Lorna Jane gym wear, out jogging while pushing a pram, air pods in, ponytail bouncing in the breeze.

No, these women would have been clothed head to toe in long, flowing garments and head coverings. Not quite the attire of one bent on running flat out after being surprised and amazed at the sight of an empty tomb, where just 3 days before they had seen their Saviour laid to rest.

But, run they did.

What a sight it must have been, to see grown women, running flat out, intent on giving the good news to the disciples, still grieving over their Saviour’s death.

Matthew 28:5-8 KJV - And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

Mark 16:8a KJV - And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed:

The angel told them to go quickly and give the news to the other disciples, a message of hope and good news. So, run they did.

Luke 24:9-10 KJV - And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

God used different women, from different walks of life to announce his resurrection.

Did you notice, in Matthews Gospel, that they had a divine interruption to their running?

Matthew 28:9-10 KJV - And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

As they ran, flat out, skirts hitched up, head coverings flapping, sandals flip-flopping along the dusty road, they met the one they had been searching for. Jesus stopped them in their tracks. And they knew him immediately. They fell at his feet and worshipped him.

From running swiftly to worshipping humbly to becoming heralds of hope.  

What struck me about these passages, was that God chose to use his people to do a job he himself could have done in any number of ways. He chose some women whose lives he had changed to be the bearers of the good news.

He was able to change their grief to glory.

They ran for God’s glory. They ran with purpose. They ran with passion.

And so, if I can encourage you with one thing today, it is this. When God gives you a message to share, don’t be slow about doing it. Run. Run with the message. And do it with joy!

The Bible tells us that they ran with fear but also with great joy!

Matthew 28:8 KJV - And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

Just days before, they felt all hope was lost, but God turned their mourning into gladness and their grief to joy. They ran for God’s glory. They ran with a message.

Matthew 28:6a KJV - He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.

(Keep a look out for a future post on another interesting figure in the Bible that ran!)

God bless

Xx

 

 

Me. Forgive them?

(a brief summary of a recent lesson on Forgiveness at Ladies Bible Study)

 

Maybe you know exactly when it was the clock stopped in your life. The day when the hurt was caused that began the downward spiral into bitterness and resentment that has been eating you up inside ever since.

Or maybe you’re not in that place but you just find it difficult to forgive.

You can’t go through even one day without some hurt. Ignored. Overlooked. Put down. Told off. Gossiped about. Let down. Many offences happen but how you respond or react to them matters.

Forgiveness is not our normal response to offenses. It is not our default.

But God doesn’t call us to give a natural response. He calls us to give a supernatural response. It is only possible through him.

Can I let you in on a little secret. Forgiveness is not for the other person. Forgiveness is for you!

Stay with me and I’ll explain that in more detail soon.

Let me first tell you what forgiveness is not.

Forgiveness is not necessarily reconciliation. Forgiveness doesn’t mean we continue to place ourselves in harm’s way. We are to forgive others for hurting us or others, but we don’t have to give them unlimited opportunity to hurt again. Eg abuse. We don’t have to get back into relationship with the person. Sometimes reconciliation is not possible.

Forgiveness is not the absence of pain. You are not pretending that all is good. You are not necessarily forgetting. Only God can forgive and forget. Pain will often still be present.

So, what is forgiveness?

Forgiveness is a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you. It is an emotional and heartfelt process that involves putting aside feelings of resentment toward an individual who has committed a wrong, been unfair or hurtful, or otherwise harmed one in some way. Forgiveness is showing mercy even when they don’t deserve it.  Forgiveness is extending mercy even if they are unaware of what they have done.

In Scripture, we see forgiveness portrayed perfectly by the Lord Jesus Christ, as he lay down his life for us, promising not to put our sins to our account, and casting our sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19) He forgave everyone of us for all our sins for all of eternity. Past, present and future.

Christ is our example of how to forgive.

As hard as it is, our forgiveness should be in direct proportion to the amount we’ve been forgiven. Jesus forgave all, and so should we. Easier said then done!

Ephesians 4:32 KJV - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Love and forgiveness go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other.

1 Peter 4:8 KJV - And above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselves: for charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins.

By extending forgiveness and kindness, we reflect God’s heart and reveal his character. It is a mark of Christian love. It is not optional in the Christian walk. It is commanded. It’s not just a suggestion.

There are so many examples in Scripture of forgiveness being played out. Here are just a few.

Joseph – Genesis 50 – Joseph forgave his brothers

Prodigal Son – Luke 15 – The father forgave his son

Stephen – Acts 7 – Stephen forgave his killers

Christ – Luke 23 – Christ forgave us through his death on the cross

So, why is forgiveness so important?

Let’s talk about unforgiveness.

Put bluntly: UNFORGIVENESS IS SIN.

We often focus on the so called “big” sins – adultery, murder, stealing etc and we minimise the ‘emotional’ sins like unforgiveness, anger, jealousy, malice etc.

I make no apology for saying this: IT IS ALL SIN! However we see it, God sees it as sin.

Why is unforgiveness so bad? Why do we need to get rid of it out of our lives? Why do we need to develop forgiveness in our hearts and lives?

1.        It is sin. It is just as bad as the big sins

2.        It hinders your prayers.  When you sin, you don’t lose your salvation, but it affects your relationship, fellowship and intimacy with God. Psalm 66:18 KJV - If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

3.        It angers and hurts God’s heart. Parable of the talents - Matthew 18:34-35 KJV - And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

4.        It breaks down your fellowship with God

5.        It destroys your personal relationships

We can’t talk about forgiveness without talking about bitterness.

Remember at the start of this lesson, I said:

Forgiveness is not for the other person. Forgiveness is for you!  

Let me expound on this a little.

Hebrews 12:14-15 KJV - Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

In Ephesians 4 the apostle Paul talks about offenses and how we should deal with them. He speaks of lying, anger, stealing, working with our hands, corrupt communication and then he tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit.

And what is one of the ways we can keep from grieving the Holy Spirit? By putting bitterness away from us.

Ephesians 4:30-32 KJV - And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Not only is bitterness dangerous as a root that grows, but when we continue in unforgiveness, we are giving the Devil an opening to work. We are swinging the door wide open and letting him in!

Ephesians 4:26-27 KJV - Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.

The Greek word for place in this verse is translated: opportunity, power, occasion for acting. Food for thought!

In Hebrews and in Romans, we are commanded to live peaceably with all men and to follow peace.  

Did you know that bitterness has many side effects?

*Changes personality and self-image- it becomes part of your character and you develop a victim mentality

*Breeds cynicism and paranoia – you become so self-protective you view the world differently, so it affects your relationships

*Stops the clock on your life. The hurt keeps you trapped in the past. You can’t live fully in the present.

*Wastes time and energy- by reliving the past and replaying the event.

Let’s go back and take a look at Hebrews 12:15.. lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

The Greek word for bitterness is pikria. It means extreme wickedness. Poison. Hatred. A bitter root producing bitter fruit. It’s not a pleasant thing to have in your life.

Bitterness is a root. It may stay hidden under the surface for a time, but it will eventually spring up and trouble you.

That word defiled means “contaminated, polluted”. Many will be defiled. That means you too.

People who are bitter become hard and cold and depressed and negative and hard to live with.

They say that an animal that is wounded is the most dangerous. Wounded people who don’t receive God’s grace and stay bitter often become wounders of other people. With their actions. Attitudes. Words.

HURT people, HURT people. It really is true. If you are around a bitter person, the hurt that lives inside them needs to find an outlet, and more often than not, it’s going to come out in words of hurt.

You can’t walk in true fellowship with God and others if you refuse to forgive. There is no freedom and no peace.

Unforgiveness is sin. Bitterness is sin.

“Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die”

Forgiveness means letting go of the anger and resentment and thoughts of revenge and letting go of the bitterness you’re holding on to. When you do this, it will free you from the heavy burden of bitterness and bring the peace that your soul needs. That’s why I say that forgiveness is for you.

You may be the one wronged, but when you choose to forgive, a burden is lifted, and you are able to live the abundant life God has promised.

All you’re doing by choosing to live in bitterness, is giving the other person control over your own happiness and joy and peace of mind. By extending grace and choosing to forgive, you will experience God’s help over your life. Emotionally. Physically. Mentally. Spiritually.

If we are going to reflect God’s character, we have to show love and compassion like Christ did. When we forgive, we reflect God’s character. Our forgiveness shows the grace and mercy we’ve been given.

It doesn’t mean forgetting or accepting wrong, it’s about letting go of resentment and choosing healing and restoration.

We are choosing to break the cycle of hurt. We are letting go of negative emotions to enable us to live happier, more fulfilling lives.

Forgiveness is a choice to follow and obey God’s Word. It is an act of love, and it is a choice to extend the same grace to them that God gives to us.

Forgiveness shows the love of Christ in us.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give you a few practical tips on how to go about extending forgiveness. There is so much to be said on this topic, and I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface, but I want to leave you with 4 little take-aways that I pray will help you if you are struggling in this area of forgiveness.

1.        Trust God to deal with them - Romans 12:17a – Recompense (pay) to no man evil for evil.

 Romans 12:19 KJV - Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

When we hold onto anger and resentment, we are saying we don’t trust God. We don’t trust God knows what’s going on. We don’t trust him to deal with it. We take matters into our own hands, and we try to give them what they deserve. Give it to God. He is a righteous judge. Forgiveness requires relinquishing your control and giving it over to him to deal with.

2.        Clearly communicate your pain to the person who has wronged you. – Sometimes they are clueless.

The benefit of this is it releases you from the burden you’ve been carrying. It can also help the other person not commit the same offence to someone else. It opens up the door to reconciliation if possible and restoration of relationship.

3.        Pray for those who hurt you – It’s hard to stay hating those you pray for. When you begin to pray God’s blessing instead of cursing over someone, it will change your perspective. Matthew 5:44 KJV - But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

 Proverbs 24:17 KJV - Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

4.        Stop talking negatively about them – When we do this, we are defaming their character without them being present to defend themselves. Look for the good and refuse to speak badly about them.

James 4:11, 17 KJV - Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. ... Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

 

When you forgive, you don’t change the past, but you change the future.

 

“Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free,

 then realising that someone was you”

 

The following is an excerpt from “The Hiding Place” by Corrie Ten Boom.

An excellent example of true forgiveness.

 

It was in a church in Munich that I saw him, a balding heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken, moving along the rows of wooden chairs to the door at the rear.

It was 1947 and I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives.

It was the truth they needed most to hear in that bitter, bombed-out land, and I gave them my favourite mental picture. Maybe because the sea is never far from a Hollander’s mind, I liked to think that that’s where forgiven sins were thrown.

“When we confess our sins,” I said, “God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever.”

The solemn faces stared back at me, not quite daring to believe. There were never questions after a talk in Germany in 1947. People stood up in silence, in silence collected their wraps, in silence left the room.

And that’s when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones.

It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the centre of the floor, the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister’s frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were!

Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland; this man had been a guard at Ravensbrück concentration camp where we were sent.

Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: “A fine message, fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!”

And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of course–how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women?

But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. It was the first time since my release that I had been face to face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

“You mentioned Ravensbrück in your talk,” he was saying. “I was a guard in there.” No, he did not remember me.

“But since that time,” he went on, “I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fräulein”–again the hand came out–“will you forgive me?”

And I stood there–I whose sins had every day to be forgiven–and could not. Betsie had died in that place–could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

For I had to do it–I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. “If you do not forgive men their trespasses,” Jesus says, “neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

I knew it not only as a commandment of God, but as a daily experience. Since the end of the war I had had a home in Holland for victims of Nazi brutality.

Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that.

And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion–I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.

“Jesus, help me!” I prayed silently. “I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.”

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

“I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all my heart!”

For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then.

 

 

Don’t be a pen snatcher!

 

Don’t be a pen snatcher. I’ve been thinking about this today. If you’re confused, then that’s okay. Stay with me. I don’t have anything profound to share but I pray that you will be encouraged with what God has been working on me about.

In previous posts, I’ve talked about how God writes the script of our lives and how all too often, we are discontent with the story’s plot.

Sometimes in life, circumstances happen that throw our plans into disarray. We hit a bump in the road that sends us off the course we had planned. Unexpected things happen and before we know it, we wake up one day, realizing that this is not the life we planned and not the life we wanted. This is not the script we wanted written.

We had a totally different picture in mind. The picture of what we thought life would look like is vastly different than the reality.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately with the trials our daughter has been facing and the unfathomable plot twists in her story.

The script of her life is definitely not playing out the way she expected and it’s not how we, as her parents, expected either. No one could have foreseen what she has had to go through these past few years. No one but God, that is.

Are you struggling today with the way your story is playing out? Are you discouraged because the script of your life is not at all what you had planned? Are you frustrated with the season of life you currently find yourself in?

Maybe you are facing illness. Or maybe it’s the loss of a friendship. Or a very busy season that just won’t let up and let you catch your breath. Are you riding a wave of emotions that range from sadness to hurt, to anger, to bitterness?

Can I encourage you today to refrain from snatching the pen!

This is something I find myself doing all too regularly. I find myself dissatisfied with the story God is writing and so I try and wrest the pen from his grasp, feeling sure that I can write better than he can. Surely, I can change the story to suit me. Surely, I can write a better ending.

But I can’t. And spoiler alert, you can’t either.

God has all wisdom and all power and all knowledge. He knows the beginning from the end. He knows the future and so he is more than capable at holding the pen and writing our stories.

Our stories are often messy and unpredictable, full of ups and downs, twists and turns, but don’t you think that the God who formed the universe with his voice, the God who catches our tears in a bottle, the God who knows about each sparrow that falls to the ground, don’t you think he can handle your life’s story?

Not only is he able to go above and beyond what we ask, we are promised that he will do exceeding more than what we even think! What a beautiful promise.  

Ephesians 3:20-21a KJV - Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory….

I want to remind you that although you can’t choose the life circumstances you go through, you can choose HOW you go through them.

Your peace, your joy, and your contentment are dependent on the choices you make.

If you’re struggling today with the circumstances you find yourself in, if you find yourself fighting against God as you try to snatch away the pen, if you feel as though you’ve reached the end of your rope, then don’t despair.

There is a simple remedy. LET GO OF THE PEN!

Stop fighting with the pen, stop tearing the pages out, stop adding pages in, stop changing the fonts, stop messing with the pauses, the commas, the chapter divisions.

Trust God with your story. Let go of the pen. Don’t try to change or rewrite it. Submit the writing to him and let him add in the plot twists and the joy and laughter, the hurt and tears.

God, the author of the precious Word of God we so casually hold in our hands, the Book of all Books, the greatest piece of literature ever written, inspired by God Almighty, penned by men of God, passed down through the ages, never able to be destroyed, the most beautiful love letter ever written, that same God can be trusted to write your story.

Let God take full control and rest assured that your story is in his hands.

He is the only one fully qualified to write the script of your life. Because of who he is, he is the only one that can write the story of your life and it be complete and according to his perfect will.

Just because the story we find ourselves in right now is not to our liking, doesn’t mean God is not working behind the scenes.

God loves to write the script of our lives and weave into it his love, his mercy, his compassion and faithfulness so that we will see him for who he is and it will drive us to worship and praise as we allow him to have first place in our lives, realising that but for him, we are nothing, and he alone is able to take our stories and make something beautiful of them.

He really is the best author there is. No matter what life looks like for you right now, God knows about it. He is writing your story. He knows the end of the story, and so he knows exactly what needs to be written in order to finish the book.

Don’t be a pen snatcher! Let go!

Trust in him. Delight yourself in him. Commit your way unto him. Rest in him. (Psalm 37)

Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV - Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t surrender your worship

 

Don’t surrender your worship. What do I even mean by this statement?

There are a lot of confusing and difficult things going on in our world today, and there are a lot of hard things happening closer to home at this present moment.

Life is never void of trials and trouble. We are reminded of this in John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

In a sermon I listened to yesterday, I heard the story once again of the three Hebrew boys who made a stand against an egotistical King and chose to worship God. (Daniel 3)

The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is such an amazing display of God’s almighty power, but it also shines the spotlight on three boys who refused to surrender their worship.

Before I get to that, let me just take a moment to speak about the choice they made when it came to their focus.

When these boys made the decision to disobey the King’s decree and refused to bow down to his golden image, their focus wasn’t on the fiery furnace. Their focus was on God.

How often do we find ourselves focusing on the trials in our lives? How often do we zero in on the circumstances we find ourselves in? How often do we speak of the giant instead of speaking of our God?

Do you remember the story of David and his face off with a giant? Read it for yourself and you’ll find that David himself never acknowledged how big Goliath was, he only ever acknowledged how big his God was! (1 Samuel 17)     (Talk faith not fear)

He didn’t talk about how dangerous or how large or how impressive, threatening or scary Goliath was? He only talked about how great his God was.

He knew the truth that his God, our God, is able to deliver us!

Yes, life gets hard. The unexpected happens.

We have a choice to make. We can’t choose what battles we face. We can’t choose the trials we go through, but we can choose what we focus on!

Both David and the Hebrew boys didn’t keep their focus on the mountain. They chose to focus on the one who spoke the mountain into existence. God.

Now, let’s come back to my opening statement.

Don’t surrender your worship!

In the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, the three Hebrew boys refused to surrender their worship.

When it came to a choice between God or the King, they chose God. They chose to believe and worship.

Daniel 3:16-18 KJV - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego took their focus off the fiery furnace (mountain) and looked to God. They decided to worship before the miracle even took place and even more astounding, they didn’t even know if a miracle would take place.

They didn’t have a rock-solid guarantee that God would choose to rescue them from danger, but they knew that their worship of him and their trust in him was paramount.

These verses tell us that they were so sure of their God that even if he chose to let them perish in the fire, they would still worship. They would go down worshipping. They would go down singing his praises.

They would not surrender their worship!

Sometimes, as Christians, we worship because we see a miracle. God works, we witness a miracle, we see the circumstances change and we rise up in worship.

But it takes a lot more courage to worship before we see the miracle. It takes strength to sit in the midst of a trial and choose to worship through it.

For those of you who know me and my story, you may be tired of hearing it, but I will never stop telling it. It is my glory story.  (Do you have a glory story)

For those who don’t, here is a very brief mention of it so I can drive home my point.

A few years back I faced a giant. For 6 long months I fought an internal battle. An unexplained battle with depression, anxiety and panic attacks that literally took my breath away, threatening to take me out completely. It had made itself at home and nothing I could do seemed to shake it.

But while I was being pounded by waves of fear, while I struggled through days where I didn’t want to get out of bed, while I neglected friendships and often tried to put on a brave face hoping others wouldn’t notice, God was working. God was weaving threads of strength through my pain.

As I battled along, I made the choice to worship. I chose to worship through it. I chose to worship before I saw a miracle. I tell this not to bring any glory to myself, but to hold the Lord’s name high.

My first timid attempt at worship was through music. I listened over and over to worship songs that spoke peace to my heart. As the days went by, my lips mouthed the words and then those words made their way down into my heart and my spirits began to lift. Then I read through promise after promise in the Word of God and my worship spilled over into reading aloud and letting God’s love and goodness wash over me.

Long story short, God in his mercy and grace pulled me up out of a dark pit and set my feet upon a rock and helped me to walk again. (Psalm 40:2)

When the three Hebrew boys chose to worship God through their trial, and when they chose to focus on God’s power, you’d better believe that it changed them!

I am absolutely positive that they came out of that fire with a fire burning inside them that was all to do with God and nothing to do with hot flames. It changed them.

And I want to encourage you if you’re walking through something right now, your choice to worship will not only change you, it will help to change others.

YOUR FIGHT ISN’T JUST ABOUT YOU!

You never know who’s watching. You never know who you will affect by your worship.

Do you remember what happened after the King called the boys out of the fire, having seen 4 men walking in the fire? He was changed.

Daniel 3:28-29 KJV - Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged not only the existence of God but also the Almighty, power of God.

When you choose to worship through a trial, with no idea how it will turn out, not only is it pleasing to God, but it is encouraging to those looking on.

You can encourage someone else’s faith. You can encourage another brother or sister who is faltering, to stay strong, to keep trusting, keep worshipping, keep believing.

Sometimes our faith is weak, and we have to borrow some off a friend. Sometimes we need to borrow some strength to be able to stand stronger. As we see another brother or sister standing strong and choosing to worship although they are facing an ‘even if’ situation, it gives our faith a lift and encourages us to keep in the race and persevere.

My story, your story, may be just what someone needs to see and hear to give them the courage to keep on.

When someone realises that they are not alone, and others have faced similar situations and God has brought them through, it gives them the strength they need to make it through and Lord willing, they will choose to refuse to surrender their worship.

God is worthy of all our worship and all our praise. Our stubborn refusal of surrendering our worship will be like a beacon to those looking on. A beacon of light. A beacon of hope.

1 Peter 3:15 KJV - But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Focus on God, not your mountain. Be ready with an answer and a voice of truth and hope for those looking on.

 

Don’t surrender your worship.

 

 

 

 

 

Coffee Cups and T Shirts

 

Here in Katherine, we have a lovely Christian bookshop run by volunteers. In it you’ll find countless Bibles and Bible covers, pens, notebooks, books on Christian living, commentaries, music, Children’s books and games etc etc and the most beautiful collection of giftware with scripture verses on them.

I have a lovely turquoise coffee mug with the phrase “Be still and know” written in a flowing font across the front. It is one of my favourite cups, not just because of its pleasant shape and size, but because it is a continual reminder each morning, of God’s goodness.

Last night, as we had our fortnightly Bible study in our home, I had a lady ask to read what was on my shirt. And lo and behold, there the phrase was again. Be still and know.

Just last week I was reminded of this verse and wanted to take some time to write about it as I have done in the past, but time got away from me and so, finally, here I sit, hoping for some peace and quiet and distraction-free time to share some insight on this beautiful verse.

We find this verse in the Psalms.

Psalm 46:10 KJV - Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

This verse comes from a longer section of Scripture that proclaims the power of God and the security we find in his presence.

In verses 1, 5, 7 and 11, the Psalmist reminds us of God’s presence. He is ‘present’. He is in the ‘midst’. He is ‘with us’.

As you read through this Psalm in its entirety, you’ll see that the majority of it is written in the third person as the Psalmist speaks about God. However, when we get to verse 10, God’s voice is heard, and he speaks in the first person.

Be still and know that I am God.

So, what is this being still? Being still is not something I’m very good at. I have worked on it over the years, and I’ve come a long way from where I started in this area, but it still doesn’t come naturally to me. I don’t have any trouble being busy, crowding my days with activities and the like, but being still? Not so easy.

In this verse, God calls us to stillness.

”The word used here in the Hebrew - rapa - means properly to cast down; to let fall; to let hang down; then, to be relaxed, slackened, especially the hands: It is also employed in the sense of not making an effort; not putting forth exertion; and then would express the idea of leaving matters with God, or of being without anxiety about the issue.” Barnes.

So being still here carries the idea of being quiet and easy, not fretful and impatient or restless, content to relax into the will of God. It doesn’t mean to be inactive and unconcerned, but quiet. A quietening of the heart.

We find this phrase ‘be still’ in another place in the Bible that is worth mentioning.

Mark 4:39 KJV - And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

The difference here though is that in the Greek, these words, be still, mean to be silent or be dumb. So, in essence, hush or shut up. The Lord told the waves and wind to shut up! And I think sometimes, we need to just hush and be silent and listen.

We fill our lives with so much ‘doing’ and not a lot of ‘listening’. We dart from one task to the next, always on the move, never resting, never stopping to catch our breath. But God requires us to come into His presence and just be still. To quieten our minds and our bodies and listen as he speaks to us.  

As I have thought on this verse, this phrase is continually on my mind in light of recent circumstances. As our daughter battles with cancer a second time, and lives with the unknown looming so large over her, I am reminded to be still and know.

Cancer is horrible. It is a ravaging destroyer. It is full of unknowns. Only God can bring peace and a supernatural rest in Him during a time that might otherwise be devastating. Only God can say, be still and know, and have the power and authority to back it up by his faithfulness and love so that we can fully trust that he holds life and death in his hands and only God can enable us to rest in the assurance that his ways are perfect. (Psalm 18:30)

God is not the God of chaos and confusion, but of calm. God is not the God of stress and anxiety, but of rest.

God knew all about what our daughter would go through, long before I ever carried her in my womb. (Psalm 139). He held her hand, long before I ever did.

God calls us to be still. To rest. To trust. To lie content in his will.

But there is something more than just stillness in this verse. We are told not only to be still, but also to know.

What are we to know? To know that He is God.

As one commentator puts it:

“And "know"; own and acknowledge that he is God, a sovereign being that does whatsoever he pleases; that he is unchangeable in his nature, purposes, promises, and covenant; that he is omnipotent, able to help them and deliver them at the last extremity; that he is omniscient, knows their persons, cases, and troubles, and how and where to hide them till the storm is over; that he is the all wise God, and does all things after the counsel of his own will, and makes all things work together for good to them; and that he is faithful to his word and promise, and will not suffer them to be over pressed and bore down with troubles.” Gill

We are not just to learn to be still, but we are to know who God is. The more you know God, the easier you will find it to trust in him.

During this time of trial in our daughter’s life and in the lives of those that love and care for her, it can be hard to be still and know. We want to rush about trying to find solutions and we continually cry out to God searching for answers. But his still, small voice whispers to our hearts, “be still, my child”. Rest in me.

So, what do you do when your life begins to crumble, and you can’t make sense of the path God calls you to follow?

You hold on to what you know.

I have said it before, and I’ll say it again. One of my favourite quotes is this:

“Don’t doubt in the dark, what you know in the light”

During those times when life doesn’t make sense, you have to lean in to what you know of God. He is good. He is loving. He is merciful. He is compassionate.

He is the same whether the sun is shining or the storm clouds form.

Let me give you three things to think on if you’re going through something right now and need a word of hope and comfort.

1.        God is faithful. No matter what is going on in our lives, no matter the circumstances, or the crumbling plans beneath our feet, God is still faithful. He is steady. He is stable. He is our rock. (Psalm 18:31) His compassion and mercy never fails. (Lamentations 3:22,23)

2.        God’s peace and his presence are real. Even when we have no explanation for what is happening, even when life doesn’t make sense, we can rest in the promise that God is with us and will never leave us. (Hebrews 13:5) And we can enjoy his peace. The peace that is beyond our human comprehension (Philippians 4:7)

3.        The body of Christ is and should be beautiful. The gift of community amongst believers is a precious thing and something we should work on developing. As a body of Christ followers and image bearers, we are called to service to one another. We are called to love and compassion. (John 13:34,35)

One of my greatest comforts as a mother watching, from afar, our oldest child go through such a scary, difficult season, is the love of the people around her. She is surrounded on every side not only by flesh and blood family, but also by the family of God. Her brothers and sisters in Christ who love and care for her.

I can rest in the promise that as I obey God’s call to be still and know, he will give me peace that passes understanding. He will be my refuge and strength. Though the earth crumble, though the mountains shake, though the waters roar, God stands immoveable. Steadfast. Strong. My help in trouble.

And if he can do this for me, as I only watch from afar as the days roll by, how much more can he do it for our daughter, in the very midst of the storm, tossed about on the waves.

It’s not about the strength of the storm, it’s about who you have in the boat with you!

If he can do it for me, he can do it for you.

When life begins to crumble, hold on to what you know. Lean into Christ, the solid rock, and take time to be still. Listen for his still, small voice that can carry even over the noise and tumult of the storm. If you’re listening for it, you will hear it.

Be still and know.