Wednesday, August 31, 2011

He Delights in Me

“The LORD your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring [you] quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy” (Zephaniah 3:17, HCSB).

In the words above God is speaking to the Israelite nation. He is reminding them that He, indeed, rejoicing over them.

Did you know that He rejoices over you and me as well?

Sometimes I need this sweet reminder.

Sometimes I need His love to quiet my restless soul.

My soul that tries to fix and mend and keep everything in it’s place.

Sometimes I need to be told that He joyful shouts His love to me.

Where does He do this?

I see it in a new morning, high up on a mountainside. I see it in the laughter in my child’s eyes. I see it in the food on my table each evening. And the victory of a prayer battle won.

He

Delights

In

Me.

How marvelous. How wonderful.

And He delights in you as well.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The Feet of a Deer

"Though the fig tree does not bud
and there is no fruit on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will triumph in the LORD;
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!

Yahweh my Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like those of a deer
and enables me to walk on mountain heights!”

(Habakkuk 3: 17-19, HCSB)

I love these words above. They really caused me to ask myself some questions of myself.

Do I truly trust my Savior to provide?

Do I truly trust Him to take care of us in the days ahead?

It’s hard when things are uncertain. It’s hard when I’m looking ahead to a time of loneliness and stress.

Sometimes I have to be reminded of how far I’ve already come.

I have to be reminded of all the times He has taken care of me.

Because when my focus is on this world I start to mis-step.

But when my focus is on my Savior my footing is sure, and I’m climbing mountains higher than I ever have before.

Jesus is real my dear friends. He can handle the impossible situations. He can give us the footing we need to climb over those tremendous mountains of this life.

Trust Him with your worries, your cares.

His love will never fail.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A Melancholy soul


I think I have a bit of a melancholy soul (is that the right word? Now I’m not sure…). I’m drawn to the sad, the heartfelt. I love rainy days and jazzy music. I like to brood a bit, and ponder, and write. In fact, I think that this very soul is what makes me a writer. I think it’s those pensive times, those introspective times that I write the most.

It’s on such days that I have to choose to be happy. I have to choose to look for the positive around me. It would be easy to become completely depressed, but I’ve traveled that path before and don’t want to get back to that place. Instead, I choose to use those days to listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice and to see what He might have for me.

And often, when I’m quiet enough, He talks. Sometimes there’s a lesson involved, a person to pray for, or just an overwhelming sense of peace.

I think such days are good for me. They give me perspective. They give me a sense of connection with my Savior. They are a part of what makes me, well, me.

Do you ever have rather “melancholy” days? What do you do on such days? Does God ever speak to you during those times?

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Unchanging Creator

“He is the radiance of His glory, the exact expression of His nature, and He sustains all things by His powerful word” (1:3, HCSB).


"You will roll [the earth and heavens] up like a cloak, and they will be changed like a robe. But You are the same, and Your years will never end” (1:12, HCSB).

Sometimes I need to be reminded that He sustains me. I need to be reminded that He is the one in control. That He does not change with the passing seasons.


Have you ever needed such a reminder?

As Autumn draws closer and closer I dread the coming cold weather. I dread the changing of the seasons. I don’t always like change. I’d rather the sun stood still. But change happens just the same. Times change. People get older. Family travels near and far. Farewells and welcome homes come and go.

This winter will be a lonely one for our family. It will be a dark one at times.

Even so, Jesus brings radiance into my life. He brings light into the darkest corners. He brings an oil of joy into my life time and again (Hebrews 1:9). And for that, I’m oh so thankful. I’m thankful that He will sustain me through the winter months. I’m thankful that He will see me through to the other side.

And I’m thankful that He will not change as the seasons will. He will be the same God next Spring as He is this Autumn, watching over me, guiding me and protecting me every step of the way.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Prophetic Words

Back in college I took a class on Biblical history. This class argued for the existence of Jesus. The professor told us that there were three main ways that we could prove this issue. We could prove it Historically, Biblically and Personally. (Please excuse my paraphrasing). Historically was through all of the historical evidence over the years (even Jesus’ enemies could not refute his existence). Biblically is through all of the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfilled (an impossible amount by human standards). And Personally is through the experiences of friends and family that we trust.

One of the things I have enjoyed the most about reading through the Old Testament are all of these prophesies I keep coming across. According to some sources, Jesus fulfilled more than 300 prophesies! It’s wonderful to read these affirmations of Jesus’ true kingship. Micah 5:2 gives us one such prophesy. The detail is astounding: “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; One will come from you to be ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity” (HCSB).The prophet Micah predicted Jesus’ birthplace down to the town! He also affirms Jesus’ Lordship, saying that He has existed for all of eternity.

Another favorite prophesy is found in Nahum 1:15, ““Look to the mountains—the feet of one bringing good news and proclaiming peace!”(Nahum 1:15, HCSB).

Jesus brought words of peace for those who loved Him. He brought the source of life eternal when he came into this world and died for our sins!

What are your favorite words of prophesy in the Old Testament? What do such words mean to you?