Tag Archives: steadfastness

Relax! God Doesn’t Play Favorites

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:5-6)

Psalm 118 falls right before Psalm 119′s sometimes unappreciated, lengthy serenade to the law’s beauty and virtues.  In 118, the psalmist urges his audience to give thanks to the Lord because he is good and his love is steadfast. To these reasons, the psalmist adds his personal testimony: he was either troubled internally by mental or physical pain or suffering or he was in an external state of danger or desperate need, per the meaning of distress. He prayed to God for help, God answered him by freeing him from whatever was causing his distress.

Here he turns from past tense to present tense: the Lord is on his side. He will not fear now what men can do to him, he knows God is in control. This switch is implying that the psalmist is one again in difficult times; he is confident because he has past experience with God. He remembers what God has done for him in the past and trusts God to do what he has always done before.

Faith and trust in God grow over time, with each blind leap and each instance of God doing what he promised in His word. If you are young in the Lord and have not many personal experiences,  you can still make that leap with confidence based upon His peoples testimonies, if you trust in the accuracy of the bible (there are ministries who can feed your intellect with proofs of this) and also through the testimonies of your living brothers and sisters in Christ today.

God is not a respecter of persons, beloved. He does not play favorites with his children.  If you are His, and you know for a fact what God has done for His people in your situation, he will do it for you, too. Maybe not the exact same way, or with the exact same timing, but if you draw near to him and place your life and your situation wholly into his hands, daring to trust him completely, taking refuge in Him and His work in your life, he will deliver you and bring you through this, if not out of it. Even if we do face the pain of death, if we continue on with God, even in death, he will set us free forever.

Lord, forgive us for the times we have forgotten what you have done. Strengthen us today, remind us of what you have done in our lives and in our brothers and sisters’ lives in similar situations. Increase our faith. May we trust in you and your declarations over us, not the threats of men. Give us thankful hearts that praise you for who you are and what you do. Deliver us from fear and all emotional distress this day. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Posted in Bible and Theology, Faith, Fear and Anxiety, God's Character, Prayer and Devotions, Suffering

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Longing for your Heavenly Home or Fearing its Loss?

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

This is my favorite verse to turn to in times of trial and distress of any sort. Here the Lord reassures us that though he has returned to the Father and we cannot see him face to face and feel his physical touch of comfort, he is preparing a place for us, his bride, to dwell in, and he will return again and receive us as his own forever. No matter how hard and dark and cold and lonely the night is here on Earth, in Heaven, we have a warm place called home and we can always call home and talk to our Father and our Brother and be loved and welcomed and encouraged and strengthened and made whole where it matters most.

Older translations of this text render “rooms” as “mansions” while we can dispute which is more accurate and which is more desirable, the epistles suggest God is preparing not merely a literal dwelling place for us in Heaven, but a brand new body as well. God’s standards are strict, and we cannot hope to obtain to them on our own, but he is making preparations to transfer us from our old broken bodies of sin (spiritual corruption) and physical corruption to pure, spotless, incorruptible bodies, to transform us from sinners into saints.

Let us not lose heart then as we battle against sin within ourselves and to resist the external pressures of the corrupt world around us. No matter how many times we stumble and fall, so long as we continue to choose Jesus and trust him as both our Savior and our Lord, we stand secure, because He will never change His unfailing love for us. He will never abandon us nor forsake us, nor will he ask from us more than we are capable of or more than he is willing to equip us to do.

So many of us when our hearts are troubled turn to our friends and family. Some of us are fortunate enough to have strong loved ones who are full to overflowing and have plenty to give us and meet our needs. Others among us are surrounded by friends and family as every bit as troubled as we are and often are also running on empty. For those in this situation, leaning upon one another spreads the pain around like a game of hot potato being played with toxic waste.

Christ urges us this day to stop a cycle that tends to compound and multiply our troubles and bring our broken hearts to Him. The Lord is the ultimate source of the spiritual and emotional fuel we require to live and thrive, and He is the only true source of healing, and only He can take the toxic waste, nail it to His cross, and truly remove it from us and those around us once and for all.

Lord, open our eyes. Draw our attention to the times when our hearts are troubled. When we are tempted to unload the toxic waste building up in our fallen hearts on our loved ones, remind us to stop and pray and surrender it to you instead. Show us also when our loved ones are seeking from us what comes from you and handing to us burdens that only you can carry. Give us the strength to refuse to participate in what amounts to idolatry and the courage to gently, respectfully, and lovingly, yet firmly point them to you and offer to pray with them instead. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

 

Posted in Bible and Theology, Fear and Anxiety, God's love, Prayer and Devotions, Suffering

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“Law” Means “Law” Not Simply “The Bible”

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.” (Psalm 119:93)

This falls in an a eight verse octane that begins in verse 89 and continues to verse 96. It starts off saying God’s word is fixed in the sky, that the earth is firm and consistent because it’s creator is, and that all creation serves him and remains where it is because he has put it there.

From there it assert that only because he found joy and pleasure in God’s law was he able to survive great suffering that had caused him persistent pain and distress. This is why he never forgets God’s commands and principles, they saved his life  (probably by providing direction and helping him navigate through the storm) and kept him sane in the midst of great adversity, as we might put it.

Note we often mentally substitute “bible” for “law”  based on “the law” being contained in the first five books of Moses, which are sometimes referred to as “the law” as well as “the testimonies” here. But he’s clear later when he’s only talking about reading the scripture and being inspired by God’s dealings in history with his people Israel.  ”The law” does emphasize the side of the scripture where we’re searching it for guidance, principles for living, and, yes, rules. It brings delight and pleasure from producing communion with God and by saving us from the pain and suffering of the consequences of sin.

In the next verses we learn he is again in trouble, despite his diligence to seek and follow God’s ways. He asserts he belongs to God and asks to be saved from enemies seeking to destroy him. He again turns to the bible for comfort, here considering the testimonies of the patriarchs. He also declares, in effect, all earthly claims of how to be perfect are quite limited in application, but God’s commandment is not, it is extremely “spacious, open, full, plain, obvious, unrestrained, general” (i.e it applies universally, in  every situation.)

Lord, open our eyes and our understanding, so we might find the joy and pleasure in your law, not only the promises,  but the principles and guidance in your word for daily living. Show us how to apply your ancient, fixed, unchanging command to our modern, unfixed, ever-changing cultural world. Give us wisdom and hearts that obey you out of love, not fear of punishment. In Jesus’ name we pray, Lord

Posted in Bible and Theology, Prayer and Devotions, Sin and Holiness, Suffering

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When Mountains Fall and Rivers Rise

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Are you afraid? Are the walls closing in, the roof caving in? Are you teetering over the edge of a cliff, hanging on by a slim root? Do you feel overwhelmed by the circumstances of your life and like you having nothing to hold onto?

God here reassures the spiritual heirs of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, those of us who he has chosen from the every corner of the earth, that he is with us, that he cares about us and looking out for us. He asks us to trust him to be bigger than our enemies and all of our problems and hold onto the outstretched right hand he promises will be there for us to cling to even when our senses can perceive nothing there at all.

We can ask God for help and for strength with bold confidence, because he has already promised us he would do it, and God’s promises are always secure. He simply doesn’t work on our time table or do things our way. We often are looking too low, thinking too small. God often is way ahead of us, thinking bigger and grander, and the rewards down the road are often directly proportional to the amount of suffering we endure in the present–but we have to hold on and trustingly continue to love him to receive the good he has for us, especially if the particular payoff he envisions is intended to come in Heaven.

Lord, we thank you for your promises. We thank you for your steadfast love and the dependable strength of your arm. No problem we have is too big for you. Thank you for having everything under control even when we don’t. Increase our faith today. Strengthen our hearts to love and trust you more. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Posted in Faith, Fear and Anxiety, God's promises, Prayer and Devotions, Suffering

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Death, Taxes, and the Word of God

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

Cynics tell us the only constants in this life are death and taxes. This world is ever changing and ever dying. People die, promises are broken and relationships betrayed unto death. The elements ravage, the thief steals, and the moth destroys our possessions.

One thing more remains constant and true and faithful to us. God’s word. His promises, his character, and his standards, and his truth are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Even when we can’t see him, even when we can’t feel him, he is right where he always was. As the gospel song says, what he’s done before in history, he’ll do again for us. We don’t know how or when, but he will come through if we cling to his promises, remember how he’s always been faithful and come through for us before, and continue to trust him in this present storm.

One catch is God’s promises and God’s teachings are true and constant. Men’s interpretations thereof are quite the opposite. When God’s not doing what we expect, we need to be sure we are rightly dividing his word. Don’t take others’ word for it; search the scriptures. Learn the cultural and historical context. Look up the English words the translators chose in a dictionary to ensure proper understanding.  Cross-reference the scripture by other scriptures in other books of the bible as well as the immediate context. Try to read it without assumptions based upon your personal experiences and your culture. Those  twist the meaning of scripture away from their intent.

Lord, give us wisdom and knowledge to understand your word and the promises you make. Increase our discipline and hunger to equip ourselves. Strengthen our faith and our trust in you. Remove all blinders that keep us from grasping the truth of your word. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Posted in Bible and Theology, Faith, God's promises, Prayer and Devotions

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Trouble? God’s Purpose Cannot be Defeated.

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” (Psalm 138:8)

Verse eight follows verse seven, where the psalmist says to god, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out  your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.”

We all have times when trouble surrounds us on every side, where the heat is on, angry voices mock and scorn us. Sometimes the enemy works through people, sometimes it’s a voice inside our heads. Either way, it is all the same destroyer and liar seeking to devour us.

God promises to be there with us and deliver us out of it–by bringing us through it safely to the other side often. He promises he has a purpose for our life and no device of the enemy can thwart it. His love endures even when we make wrong choices and choose to listen to the wrong voices. He redeems us and gets us back on track, should we put our trust in him as the psalmist did.

Lord, we are the work of your hands and the people of your pasture. We ask you not to forsake us,  knowing your love is steady, secure, and constant, for it never ends. We lift our hearts and lives up to you today, and our minds also. Cleanse us, heal us, shape us according to your purpose. We trust in you. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Posted in Bible and Theology, God's love, Prayer and Devotions, Suffering

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Studying Father God’s Parenting Example

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13)

Sadly, some of us can’t relate to this verse. Our fathers weren’t compassionate, and we certainly didn’t associate the fear our fathers produced leading to him being gentle, kind, and loving toward us.

Verses six through twelve give us insight into what this creature called a compassionate father is supposed to be like, however. Elsewhere we learn God’s people are also the bride of his son, and the son does what he sees his father doing, hence all of this applies to husband-wife relationship, too.

  • The Compassionate Father does what is right himself and does not use his power to crush or heavily burden his wife and children. Rather he  seeks to brings justice to all persons who are being treated unfairly, including all the members of his own family as well as any others within his reach.
  • He is clear to his wife and children about how he will behave and, by implication, what he expects of them. We also know from the scriptures that God is consistent and does what he says he will do.
  • He shows mercy and forgiveness, is patient, does not easily anger, but has plenty of love and expresses it freely and consistently.
  • He is not constantly scolding and yelling at his wife and children, nor is he always angry at them.
  • Once a child has been restored from a wrong, he no longer holds the past failing against his child. Likewise, he does not factor his wife’s previous errors into his future decisions, it is never mentioned again, full trust is restored. He loves his wife and children just as much when they have failed and done wrong as he did when they had not and hence does not withhold his love as a punishment.

Our verse today then also tells us a healthy father sees when his  children are sorry for their misdoings or otherwise in distress and feels their pain and hurt in himself and is moved to reach out and comfort and restore the child. For those of you who can consider this a “duh” rather than an amazing revelation of scripture, god bless you, and pray for us whose fathers were not consistent, compassionate, or forgiving  in their responses to us, that the truth of God’s word would become real in our wounded hearts.

Most all of us can gulp and tremble at this standard. Father God’s example is also a good model for mothers, wives, and leaders in general, and we all fall short of God’s glory and perfection. Let us accept his offer of a clean slate and a fresh start ourselves and seek power from above to be more like him in our dealings with our neighbors and all those who might be in our care or charge.

Posted in abuse, Bible and Theology, Children, Family and Friends, Fatherhood, God's Character, God's love, Prayer and Devotions

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