Recently the Lord has been teaching me to be silent before Him, and wait for Him to make the first move, revealing His heart for me and the good work He’s about in the matters at hand.
I suppose the Spirit’s voice in this matter started during March Madness when I noticed commentators frequently saying something to the effect, “They’re doing well because they’re not forcing their shots, but waiting for the flow of the game to bring it to them.” And then there was the incredibly strong impression my memory verse from Isaiah 30:15 made upon my consciousness, “For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength. But you were not willing.'”
As I walk forward with the Lord in these days, I realize again how far too often an idol from the past is one I’d resurrect if left to myself. How often the thought escapes my mouth in some fashion, “If only I could figure out what He wants me to do, then I’d be at peace and would know what to do next.”
But I can’t figure Him out. I can only receive what He is willing to reveal – to give for the day at hand. I must rest in the goodness, acceptability and perfection of His choice of what to give me. Whatever it is, and however much it is, is enough. It will accomplish what He wants it to accomplish, not what I would accomplish if it were up to me.
“Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.'” Isaiah 55:7-11 (NASB)
My lot, my assigned portion, my cup to drink – this is what I’ve been led to consider lately in breathing by grace.
The ancient scriptures predicted that Jesus Christ would be like a lamb led to slaughter and a sheep standing dumb before the shearer (Isaiah 53:7). As one of his closest disciples testified, when Jesus was reviled, he didn’t revile in return. While suffering he uttered no threats, but instead entrusted himself to the Righteous Judge of all the earth, God himself. (1 Peter 2:23-25)
The 1984 NIV of Psalm 16:5 reads, “Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup, and have made my lot secure.” If that translation were accurate, it would be enough for a quiet heart. But revisions of Psalm 16 since 1984 have deepened the spiritual power to be found in those words. Now, the NIV reads, “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.” This is far more fitting for what follows in verses 6-8, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
The Psalmist’s testimony is mine and so my prayer today is “Jesus, you are my portion and my cup. My lot in life is secure only and always because you’re here with me in everything that happens. The interruptions and course corrections are no surprise to you. I can be quiet, Gracious Master, because of you.”
Today we are celebrating our sister Linda who arrived in heaven yesterday and found the answer to her lifelong prayer, “Be Thou My Vision.” We’re certain our Savior gathered her into his loving embrace and invited her to work and play in His Gardens of Glory.
At that point two leading men of the church, Michael Stubblefield and Linda’s husband John, brought in two large rough timbers and laid them on the floor of the church – in the shape of a cross. Our “brokenness” was poured out on that cross to represent what happened to Jesus Himself when He died for us and opened the doorway to God’s redemption of our lives. Afterward, Linda graciously took the timbers and the broken pieces of glass and pottery and promised to create something that would represent how we find life in the death of Christ.
Linda’s inquiring mind helps us to never be satisfied with simplistic answers…
It was not uncommon for us to be studying to preach or teach and ask the question of what we were preparing, “Would this make sense to Linda?” We still wonder as we teach, “What question will Linda ask of what we have to say?” 0h, for more like her that push us to search for the truth in everything! Oh, for more like Linda who invite us to live unafraid of questions.
When there was a problem, a need, or even just a task to accomplish, Linda was first in line to help. She helped paint several rooms in our house, even though she felt pain as she worked. Our dining room table often held sewing projects where she helped work out patterns as well as helping with the final results. Our front yard contains rocks she painted, intricate rock animals peeking out from under our porch.
The people of our church benefited from her green thumb as she shared her plants and extra produce. She read of the First Fruits offerings in the Old Testament and faithfully dropped off the first of the harvest of her garden and orchard at our home each year. She spent countless hours setting up for special events at church, for sharing her beautiful yard for a women’s tea or entertaining friends.
How she loved her family and how she enjoyed her grandchildren! Julia was privileged to be part of outings for tea parties or shopping trips to Eugene with she and her granddaughters. She was always thinking of ways to influence them toward Jesus and encourage them in using their gifts and talents in creative ways.
With all our love and many prayers,
“High King of heaven / When vict’ry is won / May I reach heaven’s joys / O bright heaven’s Sun / Heart of my own heart / Whatever befall / Still be my vision / O Ruler of all”
It’s at those times when the Caleb’s victory at 80 years of age is truly inspiring. Joshua 14:14 says that he was given Hebron in the hill country of the Promised Land because “he followed the LORD God of Israel fully.” What inspires me is that he was 80 years old when he led the conquest of God’s spiritual enemies – fighting uphill! Any soldier knows that’s not easy. Any old soldier thinks that’s just crazy!
O Lord, as I and the other gray hairs enter the spiritual battles before us today, we pray with the Psalmist that You will “Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.” We remember that WITH You “we will gain the victory,” and that YOU “will trample down our enemies.” (Psalm 60:11-12)
We’ve had Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Now it’s time for Forgiveness Eve.
Forgiveness is a dynamic way of life that takes us ever closer to bearing the image of Christ with love and transparency to all those He brings into our circle. It is not a 7-steps-and-we’re-done kind of deal.
I’m leaning on your prayers this Forgiveness Eve.
Thank you, Lord!
This assignment is one of the most difficult of my life and I beg for your prayers.
Your brother,
Should’ves & could’ves have threatened my heart world again lately. I know they are the language of regret. I know they are in the background of grief over losses. I know the pictures they present to my mind appear so brilliant because they act on after-the-fact information. But I also know they are dangerous to soul health and can be used by our spiritual enemy to steal away joy, crush hope, and hinder faith.
The snowfall last night and into this morning left a foot of heavy, wet snow. After an hour of shoveling a walk to our cars, the weakness in my back and legs showed up big time and I had to come in and head for the Ibuprofen bottle. Grief over lost ability to work threatened to undue my snow-cheered attitude and once again I had to put the remembrance of youthful vigor in proper perspective – with God’s help. And now, after coming back in and resting, making breakfast for Julia and me, and doing the dishes, I think I’m ready to return.
My neighbor just showed up with his snow blower. Yeah John!
How thankful I am that though we may be a broken people, God is faithful.
But as He stands there, objects to life as it tends to go on and on in this sinful world, He is not just standing there like a brick wall. No, God is standing there with His arms open wide to us, saying, “I want to help you through this, I want to redeem you, I want to rescue you. I want to set you apart from all of this. I want to raise you up and some day take you completely out of all that junk. So God as this great OBJECTION to the sin and brokenness of our lives is also the great REFUGE and HOPE. And in His faithfulness we find all that we need in order to be whole people.
A few days ago, David and I were talking about our life as it is now, and David commented that this the very best time of his life. I agreed. We have lived very busy lives, David studying for his master’s degree, starting a church, working at pastoring for forty years with all the meetings, counseling, studying for sermons and teaching and me working at a variety of jobs, raising a daughter, maintaining a home that was built around hospitality, and teaching.
You hear stories of couples who, when they retire, can hardly stand each other for they are always in each other’s way. We are so not like that. Our lives have been so busy that we could go days without seeing each other for more than a meal or two a day and then falling exhausted into bed at night. The rest of the time we just tried to squeeze each other into our busyness. We longed for more time together being just “us.” Now we have it and we are loving it!
But God knew and He planned the very best for us and gave it to us wrapped up in a big bow!
Julia Ewert
I I had to chuckle at the moment for it brought a powerful truth to mind that has many times given me courage to try again, to keep imagining the possibilities and not give up on God’s promises:
EVERY season is needed to make the most brilliant colors – the most of what God has given to this life we live. And with those subtle seasonal changes come the diversity of colors that cheer the soul.
