Sweeten Every Fear

“From my distress I called upon the Lord.  The Lord answered me and set me in a large place.  The Lord is for me: I will not fear; What can man do to me?”  Psalm 118:5, 6

Fearless Friday.  And what did I awake to?  Fear!  No surprise.  But the more important question is, where do I go with that fear?

David went to the Lord:

From my distress….I called upon the Lord.

What does the Lord do?

He answered me and set me in a large place.

I understand “answered me”, but what is this ‘large place?’ 

According to Biblical scholars (ie, those who can read Hebrew), a large place is actually a clearing, a bright spot that has been freed of foes, holes and corners (where we go with our fears) and all manner of enemies.  Like a clearing in the woods, the Lord brings us to a place where we can breathe, get a fresh perspective on our surroundings and be warmed by the sun!

“He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.”  Psalm 18:5

So in the midst of our distressing thoughts, we can be assured that the Lord answers us, and will set us in a clearing, where we can get His perspective, rather than being muddled or weighed down.  And, then He reminds us–again and again, because we’re so forgetful–that He delights in us and He is FOR us.  I’ve posted on this before, but it bears repeating:

“The Lord is for me: I will not fear.”

We need the reminder.  And that’s what God’s Word is for (and Fearless Fridays :-)).  When we’re in distress, anxious, fearful, or any number of synonyms that describe that pit we feel in our stomachs, we must turn to God’s Word. 

And we need to pray, taking our fears directly to God.  We’re not supposed to hide them or pretend they don’t exist.  David shows us how to pray in the Psalms, where he constantly and honestly shares with the Lord his sins, weaknesses, fears and doubts.

Another example of honesty in prayer is found in Valley of Vision, a Collection of Puritan Prayers.   This is my prayer today and, perhaps, could be yours: 

 

Sovereign Commander of the universe,
I am sadly harassed by doubts, fears, unbelief, in a felt spiritual darkness,
My heart is full of evil surmisings and disquietude,
        and I cannot act faith at all.
My heavenly Pilot has disappeared,
        and I have lost my hold on the Rock of Ages.
I sink in deep mire beneath storms and waves,
        in horror and distress unutterable.
Help me, O Lord,
        to throw myself absolutely and wholly on you,
        for better, for worse, without comfort, and all but hopeless.
Give me peace of soul, confidence, enlargement of mind,
        morning joy that comes after night heaviness;
Water my soul richly with divine blessings;
Grant that I may welcome your humbling in private, so that I might enjoy you in public;
Give me a mountain top as high as the valley is low.
Your grace can melt the worst sinner, and I am as vile as he;
Yet you have made me a monument of mercy,
         a trophy of redeeming power;
In my distress, let me not forget this.

All-wise God,
Your never-failing providence orders every event,
        sweetens every fear,
        reveals evil’s presence lurking in seeming good,
        brings really good out of seeming evil,
        makes unsatisfactory what I set my heart upon,
        to show me what a short-sighted creature I am,
        and to teach me to live by faith upon your blessed self.
Out of my sorrow and night, give me the name Naphtali,
        “satisfied with favour,”
        help me to love you as your child,
                and to walk worthy of my heavenly pedigree.

 

Through God’s Word and prayer, may you find that He hears, answers, delivers, and is for You!  Knowing this can “sweeten every fear” and bring you out of darkness, into His clearing and marvelous, comforting Light!

And please come back every Friday when we seek God’s Word to remind us that we are to Fear Not!

~~~

Titus 2’sday

I wonder why I thought I could write for TWO blogs when I have a difficult time maintaining one? Some of you may know from my New Year’s goals, that I wanted to invest time into another blog, specifically for women, to encourage, train, and minister according to Titus 2:3-5:

Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. 

With honesty and personal candor, I realize that I can’t maintain two blogs.  I’d rather do ONE thing well, instead of two things mediocre! 

Therefore, I’m closing up shop on Titus2U, and instead, designating every Tuesday at this site as Titus 2’sdays [groan], where we can discuss and encourage one another on how to love our husbands, love our children, be kind, sensible, responsible at home, and bring glory to the Lord and His Word! 

For starters, here is my first, and only, post from Titus2U:

Contrary Mary:

 

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?

 

I always think of this nursery rhyme when I find myself being argumentative with my husband.  You know, it’s those days when he might say the sky is blue, and I say it’s gray. He wants to wait, I want to move forward, etc.  Have you ever found yourself being ‘contrary Mary’?

Maybe some cues of what contrary ‘looks like’ will help out:

From Webster:
“being so different as to be at opposite extremes : also,
being opposite to or in conflict with each other;  unwilling to accept control or advice

From Rogets:
Anti-  [anything!]
hostile
unfriendly
opponent
adverse
repugnant
negative
opposite
conflictive
alien
uncooperative
obstinate
clashing
discordant
competitive
hindering
disagreeable

From Vine’s:
against
accuser
antagonistic
adversary
set against
oppose
resist

This is convicting!  And now I know I don’t want to be Contrary Mary…standing there, with hoe in hand, pointing out why I am right, my husband is wrong, and “what’s more…yaddi yaddi yah”.

How can I keep from being this little controlling, contrary, anti-everything woman in my home?

1.   PRAY!!  Ask the Lord to change ME….not my spouse.

2.   Seek the Lord’s righteousness and kingdom, not My own kingdom of one.

3.   Take my cues from God’s Word.  Ephesians 4:30-32:

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice

                   Be kind to one another

                   tender-hearted

                   forgiving each other,

                  just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

4.  Remember, I am a sinner saved by grace, married to another sinner saved by grace. *

 

A little prayer for today:

Dear Lord, I don’t want to be a contrary Mary, but something rises up in me, seeking control, and wanting things to go my way.  Grant me the strength and grace this day to seek first Your will and your kingdom.  Help me to think first before I speak, to weigh my words against Your Word, and to be submitted to your Holy Spirit.  I need you and trust you, Lord.  Thank you, in Jesus’ name.  Amen

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Taken from Paul D. Tripp’s book on marriage, What Did You Expect?    We will discuss more from this book in the future.

Still Praying for Kate

 

Will you please join me today, and pray for Kate and her family?  Learn their story HERE.

I blogged about Kate’s battles and victories with brain cancer, Here and Here.

Now, it seems the cancer is back.  This is devastating for a 7 year-old and her parents.  So, please remember them, pray for them, and even sign into Caring Bridge and share a prayer, thought, or Scripture. 

I thank you.  But more than that, they will be encouraged, and the Lord will hear your prayers!

Resolved, more or less

 

Have you ever noticed that most resolutions fit into these two categories, more or less?

MORE                       LESS

$$ Saved                   $$ Spent
Family Time             TV Watching
Reading                     Stress
Exercise                    Weight

We rarely resolve to maintain the status quo in our lives.  Improvement usually means change, and that means doing things better, more or less.  I saw a humble example of this recently, when Billy Graham was a guest on FOX’s Greta Van Sustern program.  Greta asked the 92-year-old spiritual leader what, if anything, he would do differently in his life.  He answered, without hesitation, “Pray More.  Study Scriptures More.  Meditate on Jesus and tell Him I love Him more.  And travel less.”

Like the apostle Paul, Dr. Graham wants to “know him and the power of his resurrection, and share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” (Philippians 3:10) 

So, for this year, and many more to come, by God’s grace, I resolve to:

Pray More

Spend more time in God’s Word

and worship Jesus more!

Let us remember with any goal, that “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  (Romans 10:31)  Are my resolutions, desires, or to-do lists, built on this foundation?  Daily decisions, let alone yearly aspirations, can all be applied against this:

“Whatever we do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Col. 3:17) 

So, with these Scriptures in mind, I commit my year and goals to Him.  With His strength and grace, I expect to complete them…more or less 🙂

Weigh less (started diet already)

Read more (2011 reading list will be posted this week)

Begin my M.Ed at Regent’s U (working on app for school and financial support)

Learn to make herbal soaps for gifts, hopefully from TNFarmGirl.

Blog more often with encouragement in view, particularly to younger women, through my new blog, Titus2U.

 

Earlier, I noted that we often have a very short list of things we’d do the same this year as the last.  But I did think of a couple:   

Lord willing, may we continue our involvement and fellowship with Calvary Chapel Ottawa, Jericho Road, and Celebrate Recovery this year, always keeping in mind, “it is the Lord Christ whom we serve.” (Col 3:24) 

I jealously desire to hold on to the precious morning devotional time my husband and I have together!

 

How about you?  Is there anything you aspire to continue this year as you did last?  Or, is there anything in particular you’d like to resolve, more or less?

Home is a Person

“So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.” 2 Cor. 15:9

Home is a confusing word for me.

I grew up in Denver, Colorado, but moved away when I was 20.  My husband and I both served in the US Navy a total of 30 years, living in at least 18 different homes, on and off base, around the world, and back again.  The only house we ever owned, and that, only recently, is on a little plot in the Appalachian Mountains.  Our three daughters and their families live in as many places on the East Coast. My mom’s in Arizona, and my husband’s family is scattered here and there, including the town where we live.  And, our hearts are deeply knit with friends and fellowship in Ottawa, Ontario.

Each place was/is like home to me!?

Yes.  Upbringing, family, work, life, property, and fellowship; each set the stage for all that home means and feels. 

And no.  Each place leaves me with a sense of wanting.  Isn’t there something more? I feel like that little bird in the Dr. Seuss book who goes around to every living creature asking, “Are you my mother?” Is this my home? Where do I belong? 

Through this search, I’m discovering that home is not so much a place, as it is a Person.  God is my Home.  He is my refuge and shelter, upheld by His arms, carried on His shoulders, healed by His stripes.  He is the only lasting home I have.

I refer to Spurgeon’s devotional quite often in my posts, but that’s because he speaks to me in so many areas of my life.  And to this need for home, belonging and attachment, he speaks clearly:

“You have made the Lord your dwelling place, the Most High, who is my refuge.”  Psalm 91:9

The Israelites in the wilderness were continually exposed to change.  Wherever the pillar of cloud stopped, the tents were pitched; but the next day the morning sun arose, the trumpet sounded, the ark was in motion, and the fiery, cloudy pillar was leading the way through the narrow mountain passes, up the hillsides, or along the arid wastes of the wilderness. [Sound familiar?]

They never stayed for long in one place.  Even wells and palm trees could not detain them.  They had an abiding home in their God; His cloudy pillar was their roof, and its flame by night their fireplace.  They must go onward from place to place, continually changing, never having time to settle or to say, “now we are secure; we will stay in this place.” [I’ve said that!]

Instead, Moses says, “Though we are always changing, Lord, you have been our dwelling-place throughout all generations.”  Psalm 90:1

The Christian know no change with regard to God.  He may be rich today and poor tomorrow; he may be sick today and well tomorrow; he may be happy today and sad tomorrow–but there’s no change regarding his relationship to God.  If He loved me yesterday, He loves me today.  My unmoving mansion of rest is my blessed Lord.  Even when prospects are few and hopes are squashed and joy is waning, I have lost nothing of what I have in God.

He is my refuge to which I continually return.  I am a pilgrim in the world, but at home in my God.  In the earth I wander, but in God I dwell in a quiet dwelling place.”

 

Teach me Lord, to find my rest in you, to be at home anywhere, and everywhere, because You are there.

You are my Home…now, and forever!

Veiled Voyage

“He stilled the storm to a whisper, the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:29, 30

 

I’m already behind this year! 

For several years, I’ve begun the New Year by writing two prayers to the Lord:  one of thankfulness for His supreme mercy and grace for the past; the other, a prayer of dedication, commitment, and a few requests for the year ahead.  This morning, I re-read several of these and was awestruck, all over again, by God’s faithfulness in my life.  So much so, that words escape me and I cant’ compose any new thoughts!

       Or, in other words, I haven’t written my 2011 prayers…

But I love the following from The Valley of Vision [1], because it expresses an utter dependency on the Lord that I long to foster with each passing day.  Perhaps you may take this with you on the journey through 2011.  A journey, or voyage, presently veiled from our eyes by a gracious and understanding Lord.

 

 

Voyage

O Lord of the oceans,
My little bark sails on a restless sea,
Grant that Jesus may sit at the helm and steer me safely,
Suffer no adverse currents to divert my heavenward course,
Let not my faith be wrecked amid storms and shoals,
Bring me to harbour with flying pennants, hull unbreached, cargo unspoiled.

My little bark sails..

I ask great things,
     expect great things,
         shall receive great things.
I venture on Thee wholly, fully,
          my wind, sunshine, anchor, defence.

The voyage is long, the waves high, the storms pitiless,
but my helm is held steady,
the Word secures safe passage,
Thy grace wafts me onward,
my haven is guaranteed.

My haven is guaranteed

This day will bring me nearer home,
Grant me holy consistency in every transaction,
            my peace flowing as a running tide,
            my righteousness as every chasing wave.
Help me to live circumspectly,
with skill to convert every care into prayer.

Halo my path with gentleness and love,
smooth every asperity of temper,
let me not forget how easy it is to occasion grief,
may I strive to bind up every wound,
            and pour oil on all troubled waters.

Halo my path with gentleness and love

May the world this day be happier and better because I live,
Let my mast before me be the Saviour’s cross,
and every oncoming wave the fountain in His side.

My Mast, the Saviour's Cross

Help me, protect me in the moving sea,
until I reach the shore of unceasing praise.

 

…with unceasing praise!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lord, help me to turn every care into prayer, and give thanks for Your unfailing love!

From Psalm 107…

Some went out on the sea in ships;
   they were merchants on the mighty waters.
They saw the works of the LORD,
   his wonderful deeds in the deep.
For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
   that lifted high the waves.
They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
   in their peril their courage melted away.
They reeled and staggered like drunkards;
   they were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
   and He brought them out of their distress. 
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
   the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
   and he guided them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

 

 

[1] Arthur Bennett, Ed.  The Valley of Vision:  A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions.  Banner of Truth Trust, Carlisle, PA.  2003

Hitherto…and beyond

 

“Hitherto has the Lord helped us.”  I Samuel 7:12

 

As we close out one year of Grace and head into another, Spurgeon encourages us that our faithful Lord, who carried us through 2010, will be with us each and every step of our journey into 2011:

The word “hitherto” seems like a hand pointing in the direction of the past.  Whether for twenty years or seventy, “hitherto has the Lord helped us!”  Through poverty, wealth, sickness, health, at home, abroad, on the land, on the sea, in honour, in dishonour, in perplexity, in joy, in trial, in triumph, in prayer, in temptation–hitherto has the Lord helped us!

We delight to look down a long avenue of trees.  It is delightful to gaze from end to end of the long vista, a sort of verdant temple, with its branching pillars and its arches of leaves, In the same way, look down the long aisles of your years, at the green boughs of mercy overhead, and the strong pillars of lovingkindness and faithfulness that bear up your joys.  The birds in the boughs all sing of mercy received hitherto.

But the word also point forward.  For when one gets up to a certain mark and writes “hitherto,” he is not yet at the end; there is still distance to be traversed. 

More trials, more joys;

more temptations, more triumphs;

more prayers, more answers;

more toils, more strength;

more fights, more victories; 

and then comes sickness, old age, disease, and death. [!]  Is it over now?

No!

There is still more awakening in Jesus’ likeness, thrones, songs, psalms, the face of Jesus, the fellowship of believers, the glory of God, the fullness of eternity, the infinity of bliss.

Be of good courage, believer, and with grateful confidence know that,

 He who has helped you hitherto, will help you all your journey through!    [1]

 

[1]  In Spurgeon’s discussion above, the older English word, hitherto, means “thus far” or ‘until now.”  

 

A Christmas Prayer

The best of times…and the worst of times.  The Christmas season.  In so many ways, it is the best of times, as Scrooge’s nephew says, “a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely…” [1]

But if bad, even awful, things happen during this “festive season of the year,” including loss, sickness, loneliness, unemployment or unmet expectations, Christmas can easily turn dark, and feel like the worst time of the year.  

Our friend, Colin Bernard, who sings the song in the YouTube video below, puts it this way:  

“For some people, Christmas is the loneliest time of the year and I think we’ve all had a chance to experience a bit of sadness at one Christmas or another. But Christmas being what it is, reminds us that the future is loaded with Hope….  As secular and as commercial as Christmas has become, there is always that underlying yearning and thirst for the hope that Christ offers. Everyone feels it but most don’t realize what [Who] the source of that yearning is.”

  

 

A CHRISTMAS PRAYER
by Joel Bernard

Well the music is sweet and the snow it is white
And I’m surrounded by strangers
On this frozen Christmas night
O Angel of Mercy, Angel of Light
Won’t you be a lamp at my feet
Lead me through this restless night

And I’d give anything to feel Christmas in my heart
And I’d give everything to sing songs of this holy night
And I’d give anything to feel Christmas in my heart tonight

Now I find myself on this empty street
Four o’clock in the morning, such a deafening silence
The snow it is gentle, falling light and sweet
Softly resting on me, just a token of Your love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you know the Hope of Christmas, be thankful! Share with others, humbly, gently, yet passionately.

If your Christmas feels like the worst of times, you’re not alone.  Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Your burdens are very real, but thankfully, He offers comfort that’s even more real.  He isn’t just a Babe in a manger.  He is a loving Redeemer who is only a prayer away.

 

 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

 

[1] Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843.  Pg. 9.

Wordless Wish

 

Does God hear my wishes as prayers?
I breathe a little sigh
         wish a wish without words
               barely aware of a passing desire
                     and wonder if something may be, or could be…
then it vanishes like the flame on a birthday candle
blown out, fading, the wordless wish is nearly forgotten.

Yet, God heard a prayer
He felt the weight of that sigh
          captured a tear in His bottle,
                  and the wordless wish
He wrote in His book.

Then He answered..
       He fulfilled the unspoken,
              made a silent wish come true.

 

“He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.” Psalm 145:19

The Todd for whom we Prayed

“Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.  The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here.  But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children.” 
Psalm 103:15-17

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the joyous news of Kate McRae’s present progress in her battle with cancer. And we continue to pray she will remain cancer-free, so every day of her life will glorify the Lord. 

Well, another precious one we’ve been praying for is cancer-free too, except his pathway to healing was a little different.  Todd passed away Saturday night and is now present with the Lord. His life and faith truly brought glory to the Lord, and his faith has become sight!

If you’ve been praying for Todd, or want to know more about someone who demonstrated joy in sorrow, hope through despair, and unfailing love in His God and Saviour, even when obstacles became bigger than life–then please go to Beth’s Blog, HERE.  

Please remember to keep Todd’s family, his wife and two children, parents, and many dear friends, in prayer as they face the future without him, but never without our loving Lord.  Thank you!

In honour of Todd, here is an encouraging excerpt from The Pilgrim’s Progress, as Christian enters the Celestial City:

The Shining Ones answered, “You must receive the comforts of all your toil and have joy for all your sorrow; you must reap what you have sown, even the fruit of all your prayers, tears, and sufferings in your journey for the King….”

“These are the men who have loved our Lord when they were in the world and who have left all for His holy name….”

O by what tongue or pen can their glorious joy be expressed!! 

 

Remember to visit Beth Stone’s Blog  to learn more about Todd.  Additionally, you can read about his testimony and funeral service details HERE.