Look Out the Window

A couple years ago our pastor gave us an amazing analogy that has been seared into my mind. He said to close our eyes and imagine ourselves in a room with God. We have peace within, all our needs are met, and we have complete access to God. Everything is good.

After awhile we notice God standing and looking out the window. It is too high for us to see out. So we ask God to pick us up and let us see what He is looking at. As He does just that, we see a sea of people as far as the eyes can see. A huge mass of people. "Who are they?" we ask. "People My Son died for. Lost ones. Someone needs to leave the room and go to them."

"The door is open. You can come back anytime you need to."

I sat riveted in the pew and looked at the picture. The undistinguished faces became a relative, a teenager I know, the man at the gas station, and others. Pastor preached on, but my mind was stuck on that picture. 

There was one person that stood out. I felt like the Lord would have me focus on that one. In the sea of people, there was at least one person hoping for someone to tell them the truth, to show them the way, to lead them to Christ.

Am I willing to surrender my comfort and go for that one?

I imagined myself leaving the comfort of the room and walking out the door into uncertainty. Once in the masses the sense of the enemy was thick. The undistinguished faces become real people with real things hindering them from seeing God for Who He is and sadly, they don't seek Him. Most people aren't desiring to hear what I have to share. Hearts are hard, cold, apathetic. Doors slam in my face and angry voices are raised. Yet I trudge on. 

My God's Son died for all these. Compassion rises within me. Somewhere there is that one I saw from the window. The one hoping for someone to tell them the truth, to show them the way, to lead them to Christ.

*In this day of social distancing, this picture is mindboggling. But the reality is there is a greater pandemic out there. Unbelief in Jesus Christ as Lord. The Bible is clear that the unbelieving die in their sins. And they never experience the amazing relationship they could have with Christ.

Child of God, there are many ways to creatively reach out to others, to share truth, to lead others to Christ. Be wise, but still be busy for Christ. There is a sea of people around you, even if it is only through technology, that need Christ. 

Infection of Fear

Fear has been sweeping across the world faster than COVID-19. It is natural. But, believer in Christ, we are not to operate in our natural man, in the flesh. We, the church, are a called out assembly. We are called to be different in how we respond to trials. We are only to fear God alone. That fear is one of reverance and acknowledgement that Almighty is a just and holy God. 

But we fear many, many other things instead. What we fear becomes our master. Let the mind overthink long enough and the fear will overwhelm us. I liken fear to a dog nipping at our heels. We need to kick at it, to keep it back. Sometimes it will pounce and latch on to us. We must shake it off. 

How?

What is this fear? 

I see fear as unbelief and forgetfulness. Fear comes when we doubt our Lord. Fear pounces when we forget all that the Lord has brought us through and all that He promises us. Fear comes when we hesitate to trust. 

God's Holy Word says perfect love casts out fear. If we accept God's perfect complete love for us, fear flees. When we remember He loves us more than we will ever understand, fear flees. 

What is the antidote for fear? Trust.

Psalm 56:3 says "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee." 

So when fears starts nipping at my heels, I remind myself to trust. With all the COVID-19 info in my face, I needed to put God's Word in my face. So I have been doing a word study on the word TRUST. I have been finding verses with the word trust in them and writing them down. And when fear nips, I go back and read them. Sometimes silently and sometimes outloud. I pray them. 

COVID-19 is real and we need to be wise. But my God is bigger and though fear may pounce, I choose to trust in Him. 

I encourage you, dear reader, to do the same. Look up verses on trust. Then share them with friends, family, coworkers, and strangers. For everyone is fighting some kind of fear. We can do our part to fight back against this infection of fear. 

Mark 11:22

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

The Soldier's Psalm

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

² I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

³ Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

⁴ He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

⁵ Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

⁶ Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

⁷ A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

⁸ Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

¹⁰ There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

¹¹ For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

¹² They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

¹³ Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

¹⁴ Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

¹⁵ He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Christ With Me...Christ In Me

Uzzah: Be More Mindful

In 2 Samuel 6, I was reading about Uzzah. David was bringing the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem. They had it being carried on a cart. It got tipsy. Uzzah touched the ark to steady it and was instantly killed. Whoa! 

What happened? God had specific instructions on how the ark was to be carried and they were not being followed. There was also specific instructions on who was allowed to touch the ark. I did a little research on Uzzah and something really stood put to me. 

The ark had been in his father's house for 20 years! 
The Philistines had taken it, had some negative consequences for it, and had sent it back to the Israelites. The ark of the covenant stayed in the home of Abinadab. For 20 years I Samuel 7:1-2 tells us. Eleazar was in charge of guarding it. I am not sure where he was when this ark was returned. He is not mentioned. But his two brothers, Ahio and Uzzah, were involved in its transportation back to Jerusalem. 

What really stood out to me is how comfortable we can be come with God's holiness that we forget to be reverent to Him. 20 years is a long time to have such the sacred ark of the covenant in his home. Uzzah grew up with it there. 

I grew up going to church and hearing Bible stories. But I took it for granted. I got saved at the age of 21. I have been having a close personal relationship with Christ for over 21 years! He is my best friend. But I must stay very mindful of His Holiness, of His Supeme Authority, of His Justness, of His abhorring of sin, and what my responsibilities to Him are. 

Like Uzzah, what seems right in my eyes might be very against something He instructs in His Word.

Did Uzzah know they were transporting the ark wrong? Maybe. Maybe not. 
But transporting it was a sacred thing and there should have been inquiring to make sure it was done God's way. 

May we all seek God's Word more & learn His ways, and be ever mindful of His Holiness and Power. We can go to Him about anything. But we must be mindful of Who He is and who we are. 

Silence about Abigail

A quick summary I Samuel Chapter 30: 

David and his men return to Ziklag and discover the Amalekites had attacked in their absence. The place was burned and all the women and children had been taken. David and the men are deeply grieved. David seeks God for direction. They pursue after the Amalakites and recover all. 

There is a silent character in this story. A heroine that we can only guess as to her role in these events, Abigail, one of David's wives. Abigail knew about surviving hardships. Her first husband had been Nabal. A rich, but foolish man who was extremely disrespectful to Dave and his men. His foolishness almost got him and his whole household killed, except wise and beautiful Abigail quickly took action. She had sent food and provisions ahead to David and his men. Then she hurriedly arrived, bowed herself to him, and sought his mercy. She acknowledged that he was ordained by God to be king one day. Abigail's words and actions caused David's anger to be subdued. The next day Abigail tells her husband what she had done. He has a stroke and days later dies. David then sends for Abigail to marry her. A wise move. She is a prudent woman as well as being rich and beautiful. Abigail is humbled by the future king making her his bride. She sees herself as his servant.

In Chapter 30, David hasn't become king yet, but I believe Abigail knew without a doubt he would be king one day. She believed in him because she believed and trusted in God. When the enemy came into Ziklag while the men were gone, what did Abigail do to try to protect the women & children? Why did the enemy take them alive instead of killing them all like David had done to his enemies? Had Abigail used her quick wit and understanding of angry men to get them to not slaughter the women and children? As they marched away, did she fervently pray asking God for David to return and come to their rescue? Did she encourage the others to trust God as they marched away as captives of the enemy? Did she speak words of hope to the children and wives? Did Abigail help in some way when David & his men attacked by distracting the enemy so all could be recovered?  When David came to their rescue, did she exclaim, "I knew you'd come!"  ? The Bible is silent. 

Seeing the kind of woman Abigail was in chapter 25 leads me to have no doubts she might have done all of the above. She is a silent character, but a noble and brave one. Abigail inspires me. I can remember after becoming a believer and reading through the Bible how disappointed I was that she was not the mother of Solomon.

But Abigail did bare David a son, Daniel or Chileab. LIttle is known about this child. He was David's second oldest. Amnon was his elder half-brother, and Absalom, Adonijah, and Tamar were all his younger half-siblings. He is only mentioned as being born and then listed in the line of David's sons.Some believe he died young. Or maybe he was a prudent and humble believer like his mother. Prudent to avoid the trouble and drama of his half-siblings and humble in understanding that though he was 2nd in line to be king the position belonged to his younger half-brother Solomon.

The Bible is silent on somethings that we wish we knew.
But just like when I pray and God is silent, it doesn't mean He doesn't care
or that it isn't important to Him. Sometimes He is silent because He loves us so much
and His presence is more important than words.  

40 Day Challenge

1 Samuel 17:15-16

"But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. And the Philistine drew near morning and evening and presented himself forty days."

Morning and evening...

when the Israelites offered sacrifices, 
when they prayed, 
when God told Joshua to mediate on His words...

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate there in day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success?"

Joshua 1:8

Morning and evening is when the enemy came and railed against them. Till there came a lad who had been alone with God. Focusing on Him morning and evening. 40 days. That lad was not afraid. He had been with God, he was prayed up, and he headed into an unfair fight and was victorious spiritually and physically. 

Our pastor recently challenged us to take 40 days and spend time in the morning and evening studying God's Word and drawing close to Him in prayer. Morning and evening. 

It has been a challenge. Especially at the end of an exhausting and crazy day. It has also been so precious. Truth leaps off the page at me. And I feel the Holy Spirit directing my steps daily...hourly...moment by moment. 

Dear Reader, I encourage you to do this also. Take the 40 days challenge. Draw closer to God. Cherish His Word and His presence.