ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 9

DEC. 18 - (Доверие)
Today's meditation focused on the reality that as followers of Christ, we will experience the same difficulties that He faced in His earthly ministry. Fulfilling the mission of sharing the gospel with people in our broken world is not an easy task, but the result is not up to us -- and that gives us hope.

I chose these verses today - Psalm 18:29-31 (17:30-32 in the Russian Bible) -- For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?

Our hope comes from knowing that God is in control and His way is perfect. If we trust in Him - in His mercy and grace - then we can persevere through any difficulty AND He will use us to accomplish the missionary work that He has given to each one of us. But we must trust only in Him.

DEC. 19 - (Освобождение)
Today's devotional thought centered on the fact that Jesus Christ came to set us free -- but not necessarily in the way we sometimes think about it. The freedom that He provides to us is described in the following verses that I chose to memorize:

Hebrews 2:14-15 -- Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

For those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, who have accepted His salvation, death no longer has power over us. We do not have to fear death because of the victory that Christ won for us through His death on the cross! And if we understand this truth, we don't have to fear anything else either!

Struggle and Rest

You may be asking why I put two opposing words together in the title -- it's because they are both necessary to the Christian journey and they often go hand-in-hand.

For the last several weeks, I've been struggling with questions about purpose and feelings of not being useful or needed, particularly in regard to the ministry I'm currently involved in. It's been on my mind constantly, and I've been praying much about it, but for the majority of the time, I've been praying that God would give me what I felt I needed most.

I shared this with a few people I trust and asked them to pray for me also, especially as I waited for an opportunity to discuss this and consider what the best resolution is.

As I've been waiting and praying and reading God's Word, I've noticed the tone of my attitude changing from "please make it easier for me" to "give me the peace to accept Your will for me."

I meet via Skype with my parents and several other couples and individuals for a Bible study every Thursday morning (Wednesday evening in BC, Canada), and we are studying the book of Hebrews. Last week, the theme of the study was "rest," and that really spoke to me. I want to share with you a few of the insights I gleaned from that:

• There are different kinds of rest - there's physical rest, mental/emotional rest and spiritual rest - and we need these different kinds of rest in our lives. In a symphony, all the instruments don't play all the time. The rests are intended to accentuate the music, and similarly, the periods of rest in our lives are necessary to fully appreciate the rest of what we do.

• The Sabbath rest is a picture of our rest in Christ at salvation - the work of salvation is complete and there is nothing we need to do in regard to that. The Canaan rest (the rest that God had promised to His people) is a rest of claiming our inheritance in Christ - a rest of submission. Submission is a process - we don't give up everything at once; we may be able to rest in one context, and then in another way later on.

• Hebrews 4:11 says that to enter that "rest of submission", we need to give due diligence/make every effort/do our best. We need to work hard at giving things up to God, and we must give it our best effort.

• Hebrews 4:12 describes the Word of God and the picture of separating soul and spirit is important - God is the only One who can separate us from the things we want to hold onto and what we struggle with. The soul - our will and emotions - is what needs sanctifying. It's important to remember that while it may be painful, we are NOT being separated from God or His love, but rather from the things that hold us back from truly "resting" in Him.

Therefore, today when I had my ministry evaluation meeting and it was communicated to me that this time is intended to be a time of learning and that I don't need to strive so hard to "do something in order to feel useful," my heart had been softened to the point that I was able to submit to his leadership and accept his advice for me.

In the devotional from Joni Eareckson Tada today, I read these words:
Everyone enjoys the idea that God's plans for His children are to prosper them and not harm them, to give hope and a future, bright with possibilities. Yet God gave this invigorating and encouraging promise (Jeremiah 29:11) to inspire the captives. They were not to lose heart. One day, the Lord would deliver them and bring the nation back to Jerusalem. Despite the heartbreak of captivity, God's purpose was not to harm His people. Yes, they would feel the sting of slavery and hardship, but it ultimately meant a prosperous future.

God's purpose for our lives is usually discovered through the process of struggle and surrendering our will and desires to Him. And when we do, we discover incredible peace and rest in Him. One of my new favourite songs by Tenth Avenue North illustrates this when it says:

Hallelujah, we are free to struggle. We're not struggling to be free. Your [Christ's] blood bought and makes us children - children, drop your chains and sing!

So even though I will still struggle sometimes, I can be at rest in God.

Because HE CAN

Philippians 4:13 says this: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
This verse is one of my favorite verses, and it is also one of the key themes of an endearing and well-written book I've been reading lately, called "At Home in Mitford," by Jan Karon.

I'm going to be perfectly honest and tell you that recently, I was beginning to wonder if I really could do what had been set in front of me. Now, don't get me wrong - I didn't doubt God's plan or His hand at work to bring me to where I am - my struggle came because I let my focus slip. I had become lackadaisical and had allowed temporary pleasures to take over from what I knew was more important.

As a result, I lacked ambition to work hard, I began to question my dedication and whether I had what it takes to meet the expectations I had for myself and the ones I believe God has for me also.

I realized that I needed help, so I asked a number of trusted friends to pray specifically for me in this area and I also asked a very close friend to help keep me accountable. I have already begun to see some answer to the prayers, and in that I have realized something very important, a truth that is contained in this verse. I know it is true, but sometimes it's not obvious in the way I live.

Here is Philippians 4:13 paraphrased in my own words: "I can do all things through Christ because He can do all things."

If we are able to do anything, it is not because we have done something that equips us for the task -- the only reason we are able to do what God wants us to is because His Holy Spirit, who is given to us by His Son, Jesus Christ, is able to work in and through us.

When I pray and present my requests to God with thanksgiving and faith that He will answer (Philippians 4:6), my humility - although required - is not the reason why God is able to answer. It is the catalyst, the act that enables me to place my trust in Him and to allow Him to show me His answer, but He is always able to do whatever He chooses.

Romans 8:28 confirms this belief of how and why God works in our lives, and it makes some very strong statements:

1. We KNOW that God works in our lives - it's not a question or a hope, but a reality.
2. God works for GOOD, never evil - evil is a consequence of sinful choices - but God will use everything in our lives for our good.
3. Why? Because GOD LOVES US and HE HAS CALLED US for a purpose that He has determined.

I tell you this because I have realized AGAIN (I already knew this, but I needed a reminder) that I CAN do what God has put before me only because HE CAN and He has promised that He WILL accomplish His good purpose in my life (Philippians 1:6).

• I can learn Russian because HE CAN give me understanding and the ability to remember what I've studied.
• I can share Christ's love with people - anywhere I go, not only here in Ukraine - because only HE CAN change their hearts and fill them with the same love He has given me.
• I can resist temptation and stand strong because HE CAN keep me by His power and grace and enable me to do what I am powerless to do on my own.
• I can please Him with my life because HE CAN take everything that we offer to Him and make it holy and pure to present to His Father on our behalf.

As long as I keep my focus on Jesus Christ - fixing my eyes on things above, not on earthly things because I belong to Him (Colossians 3:2-3) - I will be able to do what He asks of me, because He is more than able. And because God's power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), I will gladly acknowledge my failings and confess them to Him because then HE CAN change me and work through me to do what in my flesh seems impossible.

John Piper shared recently in a blog some insights from Jonathan Edwards and the part that stood out to me was the statement that God is glorified by communicating and manifesting Himself to us, not by receiving anything from us, and that this is seen most excellently because we are so remarkably poor and empty in ourselves.

We do not serve God because He needs anything from us, but because in the process of dying to ourselves and offering ourselves to Him in humility, He gives us the opportunity to see and know Him and in our great need, He miraculously endows us with His power and love and grace.

Father God, forgive me for my shortsightedness. Forgive me for forgetting that I need You not only for the great and seemingly impossible things, but for every moment of every day. Forgive me for putting other things ahead of You and for neglecting to sit in Your presence and accept from You the strength and grace that I need and desire to accomplish what You want me to.
Speak to me through Your Holy Spirit and remind me when I am tempted to stray that I need You more than anything. Convict my heart and cause me to turn to You and You only for what I need. In the holy and powerful name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, amen.

EXPECTATIONS, LETTING GO and TRUST

This blog post has been a draft for about a month now. I knew that I needed to write it, but I needed to experience a few more situations first...and now I'm ready. Sometimes putting my feelings and thoughts into words gives me courage for the challenges ahead, so here goes:

Living here in Ukraine and trying to adapt to the culture and the challenges of studying seems to bring out both the best and the worst in me, and that's a good thing, although it doesn't always feel like it. When God in His grace redeemed me and called me to Himself, He began a process called "sanctification." Sometimes I forget this, and then my Heavenly Father lovingly chastens me and reminds me that the goal is to change and transform me to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ. There are times along the way when I may receive unexpected encouragement or glimpses of the miraculous changes that He is bringing about, but it is important to remember - especially when it's hard - that He will complete the work He started in me because it is all about Him.

"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..." (Philippians 1:6)

EXPECTATIONS -- sometimes we realize that we have them, and sometimes we don't. In both cases, there is often disappointment and hurt and a wide range of emotions. But there is also great opportunity for grace. I think probably one of the hardest aspects of understanding expectations is acknowledging that some of them are not important and truly desiring to change the way I respond to circumstances. I will never be free of expectations in this life, but I am so thankful that in His mercy God understands my weakness.

LETTING GO -- once I have honestly faced my expectations I must move to the next step - learning to release my grasp on them and the emotions attached to them. This is really a shift in perspective, because in order to let go I have to be willing to change. Too often I find myself thinking, "Why is this so hard? Why can't I just do it the way I want to or have done it for so long?" This is stinking pride -- the root of it is that I want to feel knowledgeable or important or that I have been able to achieve something, and so instead of being willing to learn from others and looking for the positives, I gripe and complain about how difficult it is to change.

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Galatians 2:20-21)

Were it not for this truth, for the reality that Christ lives in me and is working in me, it would feel hopeless. But I can press on because I know that this is true.

TRUST -- it is a daily challenge to trust that God's plan truly is the best and to translate that into how I build relationships and respond to circumstances that come my way. I have to trust that there is a reason, even if I cannot see it now and I must trust that if my heart is truly willing, my Father will enable me to do what feels impossible to me at the moment.

These insights have come out of my experiences in learning to live in close quarters with people I don't know who think and act differently than I do, and in studying a language and culture that is in many ways foreign to me. I want to relate to the people in my life and to build relationships with them, and in order to do that I have to be willing to develop new ways of thinking and acting, but the old ways must go first.

I appreciate your prayers and encouragement on this journey -- God is at work and I want to joyfully accept what He brings into my life and allow Him to transform me into the person I need to be. I am in the service of the King and He must be Lord of all.

ALL FOR A PURPOSE

Romans 8:28 says this:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Once this truth is firmly fixed in our hearts and we trust God to guide us in His wisdom, we will begin to see how the details of our lives are fitting into a specific plan that only a sovereign God could have designed. Even though we may not yet understand exactly what that plan is.

Yet along the way some circumstances don't make sense and we wonder, "Just how exactly does this fit into the big picture?" We don't always have the privilege of discovering the purpose of these events and we simply have to walk by faith, knowing that God will use them in some way. But sometimes a long while afterwards we can look back and see in reflection at least part of the reason why certain things happened in our lives.

Today I had two of those moments. The first came when I was reading email responses to my latest ministry update, and a special friend wrote these words to me:

"Remember once when you and I were talking,

and you said that you wished you had met the right man so that you could be married and have children because you love children so much? God always has a better plan,

better because He finds a way for Himself to be glorified and as a result we receive blessings too. 

Now you will have MANY children to love and care for, not just the one or two

that you could have naturally."

I still pray and believe that God has someone special for me someday, but what my friend shared is true. Had I been involved in a relationship, or perhaps married with a family, I probably would not be where I am today, preparing for full-time ministry to needy children in a country halfway around the world from where I was born. God knew that and He lovingly and carefully kept me for a special purpose that I could never have dreamed of and that now fills me with an inexplicable joy and hope!

The other moment came as I was doing my supper dishes. I have discovered that in Ukraine, things are done a little differently than what I'm used to -- here we use a sponge with a little bit of dish soap and some running water to wash the dishes. We don't fill up a sink with water, and there's no second sink to rinse in. And I have to wash up the dishes after each meal, because of the size of the kitchen and the relatively few dishes we have. Once the dishes are washed, they are put away in the cupboard - still wet - and left to air-dry. (I dry them sometimes anyway, because I prefer to do that.) Well, it occurred to me that God had prepared me for even this interesting change...

Back in 2005 when I moved to Cambridge, Ontario, I shared a 3-bedroom apartment with 2 other young women. I'm once again sharing an apartment with 2 other women, but that's not where the comparison stops. In that apartment in Cambridge, I quickly found out that my room-mates expected me to wash up my dishes and put them away after each time I used them, rather than letting them pile up on the counter or in the sink. At first that was a bone of contention with me because I was used to doing dishes only once a day. But it was her home, and I realized that I needed to accommodate her wishes.

I did not carry on that tradition over the past 5 years, but learning to do dishes in this way again has been a relatively easy adjustment -- in part because I had already developed the skill years ago. I used to think that was just for that time, but I realized today that even that living experience was preparation for what I would need to do 7 years down the road in another country! (Interestingly, back in 2005 I lived with a young woman named Tanya, and again, one of my apartment-mates is named Tanya!)

Psalm 139:16 says this:

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

None of these circumstances are a surprise to God, and let me tell you...it is a pure delight to be able to look back and realize how God has lovingly and carefully arranged the details of my life that most of the time I would deem inconsequential. Not only is nothing hidden from His sight, but He has planned it all before I was even born -- now that's amazing!

I hope this encourages you today that ALL that happens in your life is FOR A PURPOSE. Embrace it with faith and hope, looking to the Lord God, and you will be able to rejoice and give thanks "in everything."

LOOKING UP...AND HOLDING ON

The title describes how I am living day-by-day as I prepare for one of the biggest changes in my life. But it is something that I have to continually remind myself of, because learning to walk by faith is a process. I am so thankful that God is patient with me and that "He knows [my] frame, He remembers that [I am] dust" -- Psalm 103:14.

Looking Up -- I have been making a decided effort to spend time in God's Word and prayer before I start every day, and I've asked my prayer partner to help keep me accountable. Without this, it is incredibly easy to start looking at my circumstances and wondering if I'm going to be able to do what I need to do and how everything is going to come together. I need to keep "looking unto Jesus."

I started this post back in April, but am now finishing it on May 25th, and I am amazed at how God continues to teach me what He wants to do in my life...

Holding On -- It is easy, being a short-sighted and finite human being, to lose sight of what God has already done and what He is going to do to fulfil the good purposes He has for me. This "holding on" is, I believe, how we keep focus in the midst of changes and uncertainties. I need to remember what the LORD, our Sovereign God, has done already and to keep holding on to the truth that He "is faithful to all His promises" (Psalm 145), and as I do that, I will be encouraged as I continue to take steps of faith and trust along the way.

OBEDIENCE -- THE VERY BEST WAY

Yesterday, I was convicted...God had spoken to my heart about something and I was still hemming and hawing about whether I would do it and if I did, how I should do it.

Then, unexpectedly to me (but I see this as the working of the Holy Spirit), I had this little song that I learned at Dorion Bible Camp ringing through my mind...

                                  Obedience is the very best way 
                                  To show that you believe: 
                                  Doing exactly what the Lord commands,
                                  Doing it happily. 
                                  Action is the key--do it immediately, 
                                  The joy you will receive! 
                                  Obedience is the very best way 
                                  To show that you believe. 

It didn't take long! I knew what I needed to do, and as I bowed my heart in obedience and then took the action that God had been nudging me to do, I realized that the issue was not the exact details of the action, but rather my willingness to obey.

And yes, as soon as I obeyed, I received three joys -- the joy of release from my internal struggle, the joy of giving freely, and the joy of knowing I had pleased my Father.

Obedience is the very best way to live -- and to show that you believe God's Word to be true and His working for good in your life.

                                  When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
                                  What a glory He sheds on our way;
                                  While we do His good will, He abides with us still, 
                                  And with all who will trust and obey.
                                  Trust and obey, for there's no other way 
                                  To be happy in Jesus, 
                                  But to trust and obey. 

MY GOOD, HIS GLORY

On Wednesday, September 28th, I was finally ready to embark on my cross-country journey...

The car was packed, and I had shared many wonderful times with friends before I left my home in Thunder Bay. I had no idea what awaited me that day, or how the particular Scripture I read and meditated on that morning would be just exactly what I needed.

I had filled up with gas and then begun driving out of the city...it had only been about 20-25 minutes, when at the intersection of Hwy 102 and Mapleward Road my car died! There was a gas station on the right hand side, so I pulled off and stopped. After trying unsuccessfully to start the car, I called my mechanic (who was at his shop) and he said that he would take a look at it if I could get it there. I then called the tow truck and my friends with whom I had stayed the last few nights -- all these phone calls were courtesy of the kind man who operates the gas station -- and within 1 hour the car was at my mechanic's auto shop.

It wasn't long before we discovered that it would be a costly repair to fix the car, which was already leaking oil pretty badly. I called my dad and he recommended that I rent a vehicle to make the trip out west, since I wasn't planning on keeping the car once I arrived in BC anyway. This turned out to be quite a bit more expensive than I desired, but really my only option, since I really needed to get on the road. And God even provided a surprise monetary gift to help with the expense -- He is SO good!!

Here I am with the 1997 Chrysler Intrepid all packed full the night before I left:

Here is the 2011 Ford EDGE that I rented from Enterprise for the trip to BC:

The trip went very well...I drove from Thunder Bay, Ontario to Elm Creek, Manitoba in 9 hours and didn't encounter any wildlife, nor did I sense exhaustion until I reached my destination - PRAISE THE LORD! On Friday, Sept. 30 my mom arrived in Winnipeg by plane and then we drove for the next 3 days together, arriving in Ashcroft, BC on Monday around 4:30 pm. The rental vehicle was very nice, except that the seats were not comfortable on our backs.

After getting settled in my new "temporary" home, on Thursday I opened up my devotional journal and read what I had written down on the morning I left Thunder Bay as I meditated on Psalm 73...

I love how Asaph ends this psalm:

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever...But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all your works.

Sometimes we need to come to the end of ourselves to realize that God is our strength and our portion.

Lord, may it be true in my heart that I desire nothing on earth besides You.

I agree with Asaph that it is good to draw near to God - we see the short-sightedness of our vision and the goodness and faithfulness of the one in whom we've put our trust. And the reason why we've put our trust in Him is so that we can declare all of HIS works, not ours.

Lord, help me to see Your hand in everything, and to declare Your works even when it doesn't make sense to me. Thank You that You do not forsake Your own and that You care about all that concerns us. May I trust You more and more each day.

It is NOT a coincidence that I was reflecting on God's goodness in the midst of circumstances we cannot understand on the day where my travel plans would need to be adjusted...and it didn't take long for me to see just how good God was in all that transpired that day --

- my car died (literally) in front of a gas station, not on the highway in the middle of nowhere
- my mechanic was at his shop early that morning and was able to tell me what was wrong
- the car rental company went the extra mile to help me out with the unexpected expense
- God provided some extra funds to help with the trip
- I had safe travel the entire time and a reliable car to drive

As children of our loving Heavenly Father, we know that all of the things we experience are for our good and His glory, because He has promised to "never leave or forsake us" and that "He will complete the work that He started in us."

IN FAITH AND TRUST...

I love many of the old sacred hymns, and the words of one particular hymn came to mind as I was pondering on how God has been changing my heart recently...

Simply trusting every day; Trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small, trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting as the moments fly, trusting as the days go by,
Trusting Him, whate'er befall, trusting Jesus, that is all.

I am convinced that fulfillment and joy come when we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, but it's not always an easy thing to do, since it requires that I relinquish the right to control my life and choose to follow God even though I may not see or understand where He is leading.

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:

   “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength,
   but you would have none of it." ~ Isaiah 30:15

This is a word from the Lord to the people of Israel, who chose oftentimes to lean on their own strength and understanding rather than trusting in the Lord their God. Oh, that we would run to our Saviour, not only to find our salvation, but also to find our strength in Him, in quietness and complete trust!


I began this posting a few months ago, and as I looked at it today, in view of my recent circumstances, I realized how God has been revealing this to me anew...

Everything from dealing with leaving the job I've had for the last 2 years to moving to financial challenges and unexpected changes in my travel plans - all these things remind me that I cannot rely on my own understanding, but that I have to trust in the Lord with ALL my heart in ALL the circumstances I face.

And we know that we CAN trust the Lord, as expressed in Psalm 145:13b --

The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.

YOUR WILL, NOT MINE

As Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, "yet not my will, but yours be done." This is to be our declaration if we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives, but it's easier to say than to actually let go of the control we want to have over our choices.

A short while ago, when I returned to Canada from Ukraine, as I prayed about my future, I made a tentative decision based on what I had seen and experienced and what I thought was best for my future. For a couple of days, it seemed that I had made a wise choice, but then God began to challenge me in my spirit.

My pastor spoke that Sunday about surrendering control of our lives to God and he asked a pointed question: How stubbornly determined are we to live our lives the way we want to?

I had no rest in my spirit for several days as I wrestled with the possibility that I had allowed my will, my desires, my thoughts about what was best for me overrule what God wanted to do in and through my life.

I picked up a devotional book on July 9th and it was a devotional on John 7:17 which was exactly what I needed to hear...
To those who say they want to believe but can't, to the Christian who hesitates to launch out in full dependence on the promise of Christ, it offers an experiment. Reduced to its simplest terms that experiment amounts to this: Submit your will to God and you will know. Just as surely as it is impossible for God to lie, so everyone who honestly says to God, "I will do Thy will," will know whether the Lord Jesus spoke divine truth or only a human word. In light of this, it is the unsurrendered will that keeps men from knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. No man can hold full title to his own will and at the same time really know God. Nor can a Christian hold partial title to his own will and realize to the full what God can do in his life.

That night, amid many tears, I confessed my stubbornness and desire for what I wanted my life and ministry to be and surrendered it to God, asking Him to lead me in His plans for me. I had immediate peace and release from the struggle I had been feeling in my spirit all week.

I do not claim to know yet where exactly God is leading me in ministry, but I DO know this: as long as I do not allow my desires, plans, hopes, etc. to take precedence in my thoughts and prayers, and as long as I truly listen for God's voice, I will know what He wants me to do. And that has brought me the peace I sought.

MEDITATIONS ON THE PSALMS - Psalm 20

The psalmist David is reminding the readers that Yahweh is the One in whom they trust for salvation.

Three times in this chapter, it references "the name of the Lord." This is significant, because we know that there is power in the name of God.

Psalm 124:8 says that "our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."
Proverbs 18:10 says that "the name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."

John 3:18 says that "whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
John 20:31 says: "But these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."

In Acts 4:10, after the lame man was healed, Peter declared that "it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed."

In Philippians 2:10-11 it says that "at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

God's name is so precious to us as believers because we know the strength and faithfulness of our God. The psalmist says 3 things about the name of the Lord in this chapter:

"May the name of the God of Jacob defend you" ~ God's name is a defense for us against evil and wickedness and trouble.

"In the name of our God we will set up our banners" ~ We should rejoice in the name of God and proclaim it to those around us.

"Remember the name of the Lord our God" ~ Our trust is in God and we need to remember this - AND remember who He is and what He has done for us, how He has proved Himself - especially when we are tempted to believe otherwise.

I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh praise the greatness of our God! ~ Deuteronomy 32:3

BY HIS GRACE

It's been almost a month since I wrote on my blog, and I'm a little disappointed in that, truthfully. But, as someone once wisely said, "You can't go back, but you can go forward." And that's exactly what I'm going to do.

I'm a writer, and poetry comes quite easily to me, so here's a new poem that's been cogitating in my mind for a little while now - I just didn't quite know how to begin it until today.

"By His Grace"
Written by Darlene Joy Koop, March 22/2011

My Lord is so faithful, so merciful and kind,
He has given new sight to me, who once was blind.
He speaks to my heart so tenderly
And, by His grace, enables me to believe.

When I stumble and feel oh, so weak,
By His grace He gives strength as I kneel at His feet.
I'm learning to rely on my Lord day by day,
In Him I'm protected and cared for always.

Sometimes this life seems so weary and long,
And I feel like I have lost the song.
Then God reaches out by His grace to me,
And breaks the chains, setting my heart free.

My future is uncertain and fog oft obscures my way,
Yet by His grace the Lord teaches me to trust and obey.
And though I still have such a long way to go,
Each day I can see how He helps me to grow.

Jesus has promised to never leave us alone,
And He loves us like no other could ever have shown.
He called me and chose me to bear His Name,
And by His grace, I will never be the same.

A SEEKING HEART

I was reminded of a familiar Scripture today as I was reflecting on the past few days and I realized its truth in a new way: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33)."

Of late I've been praying: "Lord, give me wisdom/guide me/show me Your will for my life." This is good, but it can be so easy to focus just on me and on what I think is needed in my life, rather than truly seeking Him. He promised in Jeremiah 29:13 that "you will seek Me and you will find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."

What does this mean for me? A few things, I believe:

1) As I go to work, I pray that God will help me to look at the people around me with love and to seek ways to be a blessing to them, not just to make it through the day without complaints/frustration.

2) As I seek where God would lead me in ministry, I pray that I would pour myself into my current ministry, trusting Him to enable and equip me for today and for the future.

3) Seeking His kingdom and His righteousness means turning my focus outward and being more faithful in praying for others in their ministries.

I'll close simply with a few stanzas from a poem written by Olga J. Weiss:

Give me a burden, O Lord, for the lost,
A burden for souls gone astray,
So that many now lost in the darkness of sin
May find Thee, the Truth and the Way.

Give me a burden, O Lord, till Thy love
Shall fill me with power divine:
Then emptied of self and lost in Thy love
The light through the darkness shall shine.

Give me a burden till my heart shall bleed:
Give me a vision to see the great need;
Stir me, oh stir, till my heart e'er shall be
Burning for souls, all ablaze, Lord for Thee.

ALL ABOUT HIM

I've been a little slack in my blog-writing, so today while I have a few quiet moments, I decided to amend that. Sometimes coming up with an accurate title for what I want to share is a challenge, so I decided for this note to follow the theme of the last one. (Not About Me...All About Him)

I'm overwhelmed (in a good way) by God's love and care for me and the way that He guides my steps - I hope I never lose the joy and wonderment of that realization.

I've been so encouraged the last few weeks by the children in my Sunday School class. They have risen to the challenge of learning their memory verses and it's exciting to see that they are remembering what has been taught them about God's promises! It's been a challenge for me as well, to adapt my style of teaching to a more active group of children, but I am a creative person, so I've begun to enjoy the challenge of finding new ways to make the lesson more interactive for the children.

This last week's memory verse was 2 Corinthians 12:9a - "...My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." How timely this was - considering that I would succumb to a throat infection on Friday and find myself physically weak and needing to literally rely on His strength! I claimed this promise and held to His hand and He provided in His grace just what I needed.

Ahead of me this week are some meetings and discussions about my future, and although the details are still uncertain to me and I don't really know what to expect, I know that I can trust God to work out His perfect plan. The chorus of a gospel song says it like this: "Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand; but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand."

Here a few verses that speak to my heart - there's nothing better than meditating on the wonderful truths in God's Word.

Job 23: 10

"But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me I shall come forth as gold."

Isaiah 26:3

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You."

Psalm 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God...I will be exalted in all the earth."

I'll close this note with the powerful words of a worship song that echo the declaration of Isaiah 46:9 - "Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me."

There is no rock, there is no god like our God, no other name worthy of all our praise.

The rock of salvation that cannot be moved, He's proven Himself to be faithful and true; there is no rock, there is no god like ours.

Rock of Ages, Jesus is the Rock. Rock of Ages, Jesus is the Rock. Rock of Ages, Jesus is the Rock. There is no rock, there is no god like ours!

A PRAYER

I was reading Nehemiah chapter 1 on Wednesday morning for my devotional, and the way that Nehemiah prayed struck me in a profound way. I believe that the following characteristics of his prayer to the LORD are an example of how we ought to pray:
      - He acknowledges who God is and what His character is like.
      - He confesses his sins and the sins of his people.
      - He declares his trust in God's promises
      - He prays with a humble attitude.

So as I prepared for the day, I took the time to write out the prayer that was on my heart...

Lord God of heaven, my great and awesome and faithful God, You who hold the entire universe in Your hand, You know everything that concerns your servant. Please let your ear be attentive to my cry and meet me in my place of need.

I have sinned, Lord - I have acted in selfishness and pride, thinking that I could make a difference at work if I just try harder and put more of my own effort into it. I took upon myself a burden too heavy for me to bear alone and I forgot that I can only prosper if I first surrender it all to You, Lord.

In Your mercy, O God, because You have promised that You will not place us in a situation where You will not give us the strength and grace to bear up under the pressure, I pray that You would show Yourself faithful to me again. Not because I deserve it, but because I long to trust You more.

Lord, You know what awaits me this day and in the coming days. I confess that I am worried about many things, including whether or not I will be able to meet all the expectations of me, and right now I surrender that worry to you.

O Lord God, my desire is to honor You each day and in all that I do to reflect the kind of trust You desire to see in Your humble servant. Please remind me daily, Lord, that You are with me and that You are in control. May I serve with joy, knowing that it is not my own strength, but Yours that enables me and carries me through.

In the precious and holy name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, my Saviour, amen.