ApprehendingGrace.com

⁵    Trust in the LORD with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶    in all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will direct your paths.
                               Proverbs 3:5-6

There has been much happening over the past couple of weeks that might tempt us to fear. Stock market and financial institutions failing. Embassy and hotel bombings aimed at US interests. These events can make it feel like the world as we know it is falling apart around us. I bet there are some situations in your personal life that tempt you to fear as well. Perhaps your marriage is on rocky ground or someone you love is going through a health crisis. Maybe you have a big decision to make.

If any of those things are impacting your life, this verse is for you! Over the next few days, we’re going to look at each phrase of the verse. It’s a well known Scripture, but you’ll find that there’s much more to it than meets the eye. Let’s get started.

“There is No Panic in Trust”
I love what Bertha Munro said: “There is no panic in trust.” It can be easy for us to fall into a panic in our hearts and spirits. We wrack our brain to try to figure out what we should do to “fix” the situation. And when we can’t come up with something, our brain triggers a panic response. Unless we know that it’s not our responsibility to fix the situation. When we know that someone else who is capable and has all the necessary resources is handling it, that panic response doesn’t kick in.

Let me give you an example. Let’s say the company you work for has just decided to have a huge anniversary celebration next month. It’ll be a great time, with music, games and celebrations. For those who don’t like such frivolity, they want to include a quieter jazz room where people can mingle or just sit and visit with friends. Sounds great…except that planning hasn’t started because the decision to have the party was just made…A location has been reserved for three weeks from today. Trust me, if you’re the person assigned to plan the party, you’ll be tempted to panic! If you’re one of the people who simply gets to attend the party and enjoy the food, dancing and socializing, you’re looking forward to it. No panic required because you’re not responsible for making the event happen.

When we entrust our lives to the Lord, it isn’t our responsibility to make things happen - God has already said “don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” That doesn’t mean we don’t have responsibility to live diligent lives of work and servanthood, but it does mean we trust God to provide the necessary resources and enable us to accomplish the things He’ll direct us.

But my 401K is dwindling…Trust Me. I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I am Jehovah-Jireh, your Provider.

But the doctor says my test results…Trust Me. I knit you together in your mother’s womb. I am Jehovah-Raphe, the Lord who heals.

But I’m lost and it’s dark all around me and I don’t know which way to go…Trust Me. I will lead you in the way you should go. I am Jehovah-Rohi, the Lord your shepherd.

But I’m scared…Trust me. I am Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord your Peace.

But I am unworthy, how can you…Trust me. No, you are not worthy, but I have made you worthy. I am Jehovah-Tsidkenu, the Lord your righteousness. I am also Jehovah-Mekaddishkem, the Lord your Sanctifier. I have set you apart for a purpose.

Trust me. I am El-Shaddai, the God Who is Sufficient for the Needs of His People. Trust me and you become my people.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart.” Make a decision today to trust God with that situation that has you most likely to panic. Let His peace will replace your panic.

Tune in tomorrow for more about what it means to trust God and how to do it.

Yesterday I blogged about how our dog, Sweetie, “presents” herself to my husband, Phil, several times a day looking for love and attention.

On the first Sunday of every month, Phil & I conduct a church service for the residents of a nursing home. We always take Sweetie with us. We officially proclaim it to be “Bring Your Dog to Church Sunday.” The residents love it.

Today, while Phil was leading the singing of some familiar hymns, Sweetie got up from lying near my chair and sat in front of me, looking up at me expectantly. I thought “Isn’t she cute, presenting herself for attention.”

A few minutes, Phil read one of the Scripture readings, Philippians 4:4-9. Verse struck me:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Present your requests to God. God wants me to be very much like Sweetie - coming frequently into His presence, sharing affection with Him, letting Him shower me with love, or even having Him show me the right way to do things. Yes, this verse is about bringing our requests to Him, but we can’t present our requests to Him without first presenting ourselves to Him.

I guess now I have two things to work on this week…paying more attention to Phil and frequently “presenting” myself to the Lord for fellowship and to express my needs. Are you up for joining me in the challenge?

 Sometimes the simplest verse strikes me and brings me peace. I was reading my Bible tonight. I read the last couple of chapters of Esther and wanted to continue to read. I am slowly reading through Psalms, so I turned to Psalm 143, where my bookmark was. Verse 10 struck me:

Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing.

David, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, describes God’s Spirit as gracious - full of grace. The Holy Spirit isn’t angry or critical or cruel. He is full of grace. He’s gracious. The word that’s used also means good, beautiful, kindly, and pleasant. That’s God’s Holy Spirit. That’s who I want leading me! That’s who I can trust to lead me forward (forward! That means my life isn’t stagnant or going backwards. Praise God, because sometimes it doesn’t feel that way) on a firm footing (I won’t stumble - thank You, Lord).

That’s the kind of God I want to make my own. Teach me to do Your will, Lord, for you are my God!

 Have you ever wondered what your purpose is? The shorter version of the Westminster Catechism asks the question “What is the chief end of man?” In other words “Why were we created?” Fortunately, the Catechism also answers the question – we were created to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Sounds pretty good to me!

Of course the answer begs another question or two: How do we glorify God? How do we enjoy Him?

While books and books and books have been written on those subjects, may I suggest a simple approach? Actually, it’s not me, but the Apostle Paul making the suggestion. In our Bible study of 1 Thessalonians a few weeks ago, we came across Paul’s urging that we “live lives worthy of God” (2:12). The verse has stuck with me. Lord, I want to live a life worthy of You.

I’m not going to write books and books and books about the subject, but let me add just a few thoughts. Living a life worthy of God means first and foremost committing all we do to the Lord. Again, from the Apostle Paul: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) In other words, involve God in ALL aspects of your life. Ask Him to join you at both work and play, when what you’re doing is easy and when it’s difficult. Keep up an ongoing conversation with Him as you live through each part of your day. Commit all that you do to God, not just those things you think He’s most interested in…because the truth is that He’s interested in ALL of it.

My second (and final) suggestion (for today anyway) is that having committed everything to Him, relax and enjoy it! Begin to think of your life as taking a long walk with your best friend. Sometimes you’re walking along the beach, other times climbing the steep mountains, but it’s still a walk with your best friend. If you’re have that ongoing conversation I discussed in the last paragraph, talk about the journey as you go along. He’ll reassure you that He knows the route and will get you to the destination safely!

(Wow, this last paragraph sure sounds like a suggestion I need to embrace more fully! I’m not there yet, but I’m working on it – I’m sure there will be another blog about that some time!)

So on your journey through life, let me encourage you to glorify God and enjoy Him always! Along the way, be sure to meet His son Jesus. He’s the One who ensures your “forever.” Be blessed, friends.

As I am doing devotions today, I am aware that I need to call a customer imminently. He called yesterday afternoon when I was out and I feel pressured to call him back immediately this morning.

Wanting to focus on devotions and NOT on the work that must begin soon, I prayed “Lord, free me from the expectations of others.” My immediate thought was…I need to be freed from the expectations I put on myself first. In reality, it’s unlikely that the customer I need to call in a few minutes is really sitting by his phone waiting for the business day to start and watching to see if I call him at the stroke of 8am. (Well, 8:15 really, because I consider it a little rude to call before someone has time to get their work-head together, which I figure takes the first 15 minutes of the day!)

In the strive for excellence…notice I said excellence, not perfection – perfection is not attainable, only God is perfect; excellence is attainable – it doesn’t mean without error, rather with minimal error and a plan for correcting and making recompense for those errors. In the strive for excellence, I can often put more pressure on myself than others do. Perhaps you are like me. How do you deal with it?

 I find that I must continually do several things:

1) Evaluate the source of my striving for excellence. If it comes from a desire to impress or please other people, my focus is probably wrong. My job (both at my place of employment and in my personal life) is to please the Lord. Sometimes that means NOT pleasing other people. If I find that I have been operating from wrong motivations, I must turn to God in repentance, asking Him to forgive me for caring more about what people think than what He thinks.

2) Remind myself that God is in control of my business, not me. Sometimes I fall into the trap of believing that I’m responsible for the success of my business. The truth is that I do lots of the work, but God is the source of my ability to get work, my ability to accomplish it, and the favor shown to me by my customers. Again, repentance is often required here when I realize that I have again fallen for the enemy’s trap.

3) Consider my life and whether it is in balance (or at least some semblence of balance). I know that when my life is in balance, there will always be work that doesn’t get done. There will always be one more request that a customer makes or one more accounting task to complete before it’s time to say “I’ve worked enough today. Now it’s time for family.” If that customer call came in because I was pursuing other things the Lord has called me to, sometimes the most appropriate thing to do is thank God for the life He’s given me, ask for grace with the customer and call him back at the earliest opportunity.

That’s my remedy for dealing with the pressure I put on myself. If you have other suggestions, let me know. We can all learn from each other. As for me, I gotta go call my customer!

Have you ever wondered if you’re fulfilling your purpose? Most of us have at one time or another.

In Jeremiah 13, Jeremiah tells us about when the Lord told him to take the linen belt he was wearing and to hide it in a hole among the rocks at the Euphrates river. Later, God told him to dig up the belt. When he did so, it was (verse 7) “mildewed and falling apart” (NLT), “ruined” and “good for nothing” (NRSV). It was “completely useless” (NIV). God then gives the explanation of the prophetic object lesson:

The LORD says: This illustrates how I will rot away the pride of Judah and Jerusalem. These wicked people refuse to listen to me. They stubbornly follow their own desires and worship idols. Therefore, they will become like this linen belt-good for nothing! As a belt clings to a person’s waist, so I created Judah and Israel to cling to me,” says the LORD. “They were to be my people, my pride, my glory-an honor to my name. But they would not listen to me.”
Jeremiah 13:9-11 (NLT)

While this is a specific prophecy about the Israelites, God says that they were created to cling to Him. That they were created to cling to God isn’t impacted by the prophecy. It is a statement of truth. As Christians, we have also been created to cling to God.

Are you fulfilling your purpose? Are you clinging to God? Or is your pride or following your own desires and worshipping your own idols getting in the way? I know sometimes my priorities get a bit out of whack and I need to be reminded that I was created to cling to God.

Lord, help me to cling to you.

 All this happened so they would follow His principles and obey His laws. Praise the LORD!  
          Psalm 105:45 (NLT)

Prior to this verse (i.e., the “all this” that the verse is referring to), is a recitation of the entire history of the Israelites. In other words, God is saying that all that had happened occurred so that they would follow God’s principles and obey His laws.

Do we operate from this mindset, thinking - knowing - that everything that happens to us is for the same purpose - to help us follow God’s principles and obey His laws? Or do we kick against things that are happening in our lives, resisting God’s constant nudging toward Christ-likeness? Perhaps we simply blame Satan for all the bad things that happen to us. Scripture clearly teaching that Satan seeks to defeat us, but it also clearly teaches that God is sovereign and that He allows difficulty into our lives to form and shape us into the image of Christ. That constant kneading, pushing and pulling is the very Hand of God shaping us into the piece of pottery He has designed us for. And sometimes (often times?) that kneading, pushing and pulling hurts.

Many years ago I shattered my elbow. My orthopedic surgeon said it looked like someone had taken a sledge hammer to it! It wasn’t a sledge hammer, it was a gymnasium floor. I had fallen while playing volleyball at a denominational retreat/conference. I had gone to be refreshed and strengthened in the Lord. Instead I got an extremely painful injury that took months of recovery time and yielded a lifetime of some disability. Satan? No, it was clearly God!

After sitting with my husband during my elbow surgery, a friend received a vision. As he drove home, he saw a picture of me in my hospital bed with a very large angel by my bedside stroking my injured arm. Wow. Wow!

For weeks I had tremendous pain in my arm, often shooting pains from just wiggling a little finger. But I frequently went back to that vision and imagined that the pains were caused by the angel massaging my arm so that I would some day be able to use it again. I knew the Lord was bringing healing. Three different doctors had told me I’d be lucky if I ever got 70% of the use of my arm back. After much prayer and therapy, not to mention an excellent surgeon, I have 95% use of my arm. For all intents and purposes I am able to use my arm to do all the things I need to do. I can’t move heavy tables and I have to make adjustments when I pull heavy luggage. Small prices to pay for the many lessons that came from the experience!

A couple of weeks ago I pulled my white car out of the garage , being very careful not to hit the side-view mirror against the door of the garage…and slammed it quite solidly into the rear side panel and bumper of our gray car. Again, I was in the process of doing a good thing - I was driving to church where I was bringing the morning message  – a message that I was absolutely certain was of God and for that very day. As I type this, our car is in the body shop having a large dent hammered out, a new bumper put on, and a new coat of paint slathered on to cover any evidence of damage. Were the car able to “feel” these things, I imagine it would be pretty painful. (As it is, it will only be painful to my wallet and the insurance company.)

My point is that God is at work in our lives all the time, and sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it hurts a lot. But He is still at work, so that we learn to follow Him more closely and have a greater impact on others. It’s time for us to imagine…no, it’s time for us to know that it is God working in us, hammering out the dents, massaging the broken areas. Let’s not resist God’s efforts to make us more like Christ. And let’s remember to look back at all that He has done in our lives - they happened so that we would follow His principles and obey His laws.

Praise the Lord!

 The last few times I’ve taken an antibiotic, it has done an excellent job of killing not only the bad guys in my body but also the good guys, leaving me with very serious cases of an intestinal virus that only one antibiotic kills and that not very easily. So my doctor and I have been trying to avoid putting me on any antibiotics for the last few years. Well, a CAT scan of my sinuses revealed that the sinus infection I’ve been fighting for months is winning and we decided that it’s time to risk the antibiotic again.

But this time I’m being proactive. Each time I take one of the antibiotics I also eat some probiotic cheese or yogurt. So three times a day as I take my prescribed pill, I am praying for the antibiotic to kill the bad guys. Shortly thereafter, I am praying as I eat my yogurt or cheese for the good cultures to grow strong within me. We’re almost two weeks into the regimen and so far the good guys are winning.

I know, I know — TMI. But the whole process has been a “live” illustration of Romans 7. There is a battle within me to follow God’s ways or my own ways. God’s ways are the “good” culture within me. My own ways, my sinful ways, are the nasty viruses that lead to sickness, hospitalization, and if not arrested, even death. The battle wages constantly, every second of every day, sometimes behind the scene, sometimes in a more “in-your-face” way. But always there’s a battle going on.

Paul put it this way:

“It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.” (Romans 7:21-23)

When the bad virus within my body takes control, I become a slave to it. My movements and activities are limited until the bad guys are brought under control again. It is the good guys within my body that bring the bad guys under control. When the bad guys grow in strength and number, I am down for the count. When the good guys grow in strength and number, health and life returns to my body.

Often, God uses the natural to give us insight into the spiritual. When I fill my spirit, mind and emotions with viruses, things that are not of God, I will reap the consequences of that unhealthy diet. The good that is within me is outnumbered and outgunned by the bad that I am feeding. When I fill my spirit, mind and emotions with the things of God, I build up the good within me.

With natural eyes, I can’t see the good and bad spiritual cells within my body. But then with natural eyes, I can’t see the good and bad physical cells that are within my body. But in both cases, they are there. Both the good and bad physical and spiritual cells are alive, ready to grow at the slightest feeding. Which will you choose? Lord, help me to choose life!

In Deuteronomy 28-30, Moses reminds the Israelites of the blessings God promises those who keep their covenant with Him and the curses that will follow those who step out from under the protection of God’s covenant.  In chapter 30, he concludes his discussion:

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live! Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20a)

Lord, help me to choose life!

“Do not consider it a hardship when you release your servants. Remember that for six years they have given you the services worth double the wages of hired workers, and the LORD your God will bless you in all you do.”     Deuteronomy 15:18

I can imagine that it would be easy to consider it a hardship to release one’s servants in the seventh year. As an employer, I know that it’s hard to lose employees. New employees must be found and trained. In the interim, I have to work long hours to accomplish my work, my lost employee’s work and the extra work required to find and train the new employee. Sometimes that doesn’t even feel like treading water, it feels like drowning!

But just as God created and is in control of seasons in weather, He also creates and controls seasons in our lives. Our challenge is to accept each season, no matter how short-lived, for what it is and for what God wants to do in it. The huge blessing that comes out of being able to develop such an attitude is that life (our inside life) becomes much calmer - we experience that peace that Scripture promises us. We are no longer at war with the circumstances of our life, fighting them to somehow prove ourselves the victors and the circumstances our slaves. Instead, we accept the circumstances and win victory by trusting the One who creates and controls the circumstances.

The physical spoils of the battle are similar - in both situations the circumstances are faced and dealt with. The emotional and spiritual spoils are radically different. When I fight my circumstances all day, I end the day frustrated and stressed out. Emotionally I am spent and possibly short-tempered or impatient. (Yes, yes, I know these aren’t fruits of the Spirit, but I’m being honest here.) Physically my body is absorbing the day of stress in ways that might not immediately be identifiable, but in the long term may mean an unhealthy weight gain or loss, damage to my heart, high blood pressure, or any of a number of other significant health issues. However, when I accept my circumstances and trust that God is working in and through them, I spend the day at peace inside and I end the day with that same peace. My stress level is down. I may be thankful that the day is over, but I am also grateful for God’s presence throughout it. I am less likely to develop the health issues related to living a stressful life.

Let me give you an example: On his way to work at the hospital last week Phil prayed “Lord, this evening is in your hands. Whatever you have for me tonight, I trust you to handle.” It was the worst night he’s seen in the sixteen months he’s worked there. But because he had prayed on his way in, giving the evening to the Lord, there was chaos and tragedy around him but he remained at peace because he knew that the Lord was there in the chaos and tragedy. It was the season God had for him that night.

How much easier it is to go through difficult times when we recognize that everything is in God’s hands and that we might be facing challenges in this season, but tomorrow, next week, next month or next year is coming and a new season will begin. This is temporary and God has something for us in it now. The sister to this attitude is knowing that God is in control. Did you get that? You don’t have to be in control! What a relief! It’s an even bigger relief when you realize that the One who is in control is better at it than you are! Let it bring you peace. Let God prepare a table for you in the midst of your enemies - whether they are human or paper enemies!

I wrote earlier that when we accept each season for what it is, we are no longer at war with the circumstances of our life, fighting them to somehow prove ourselves the victors and the circumstances our slaves. The truth is that we are the slaves…either to our circumstances, or to the One who controls them. We are at the mercy of much that happens to us each and every day of our life. We can’t change most things and trying to do so brings only that frustration I’ve already written about. Let’s choose instead to be slaves to the One who controls our circumstances. I’m learning that it’s a way better way to live.

You thrill me, LORD, with all you have done for me!
I sing for joy because of what you have done.
                Psalm 92:4 (NLT)

Wow! Am I “thrilled” at what the Lord has done for me? I am challenged by the word “thrill.” We talk about “thrill” rides - those that cause a bit of fear within us, take our breath away, then make us laugh with excitement. Does what God has done for me cause that reaction?

If not, I don’t think it’s God’s fault. I think perhaps it’s because my focus is more on the challenges of the day instead of the goodness of my God. I am seeing the petty problems in front of me instead of the tremendous grandeur of the long view of my life.

It’s not that I am some great person or have done such great things. Quite the contrary. Rather, it is the uncountable good things God has done for me and in me that is the “tremendous grandeur.” It is the beautiful clothes and jewels God has given me. You might see the shorts and T-shirt I have on. But God has clothed me in tremendous grandeur.

He has taken a rebellious young woman, focused only on herself and the gain she would someday have and turned her into a less rebellious middle-aged woman, focused at least somewhat on others and the gain she might help them have. None of that is to my credit, but it is all for my good.

He has worked in me a satisfaction that was sorely missing, taking away a striving that robbed me of joy. Again, this was not of my own doing, but a gift from God. And I am truly thrilled by this…it’s just that I often forget about it in the midst of the troubles of the day. Lord, help me to remember.

I usually don’t strive any more. I still pursue excellence, but I am usually able to remember that only God is perfect and He is immeasurably happy with me whether I am able to achieve all I want to achieve or not. That makes me able to relax and experience the thrill of all He has done for me. When I am striving, when I am uptight about accomplishing what “needs to be done” I also see only the shorts and T-shirt. Lord, help me to stay focused on the grandeur that I might always be thrilled with the life you’ve given me.