Moving to a new home and community can be daunting. So during a recent transition, I was grateful when my friend’s seven-year-old daughter, Maria, offered to help.
Maria couldn’t assist much in a physical way, but her presence and thoughtful gestures turned an otherwise dreary experience into a delightful one. In the midst of my “moving daze,” Maria’s happy words and acts of kindness created reasons to smile and give thanks. She created a lighthearted mood in what would have otherwise been a gloomy day.
To me, Maria sweetly reflected the joy and beauty of the God who brought light and life into darkness. It’s astonishing to ponder what transpired when “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2).
Into an unformed, bare earth, God spoke light into existence and distinguished day from night (Genesis 1:3-4). He made the sky by establishing the atmosphere and the oceans (Genesis 1:6-8) and land that sprouted vegetation (Genesis 1:9-13). He made the sun, moon, and stars (Genesis 1:14-19) and filled the earth and sky with creatures and birds (Genesis 1:20-23).
After filling the earth with “all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals” (Genesis 1:25), “God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). And as He looked over all that He had made, God declared that it was “very good!” (Genesis 1:31).
God continues to create light and life where there’s darkness. As we draw near to Him, may we experience His joy and beauty wherever we are!
After Abraham and Sarah use Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant, to conceive a son, it doesn’t take long before conflict arises. One day, it went too far. In response to Hagar’s disrespect, “Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.” (Genesis 16:6 NLT)
Poor Hagar. Taken into a man’s chamber, but never into his heart; released by her mistress, but never set free. When Hagar realized her attempt to gain the upper hand did not work, she ran away. I imagine that Hagar never felt so alone. Perhaps she ran away thinking, “No one will miss me.” Or, “If I run away, then they’ll miss me.”
When Hagar was treated as chattel, she reacted with contempt. When Sarah was treated with contempt, she responded by bullying. When Hagar was bullied, she ran away. Just as in the Garden of Eden, all the enemy needs is one person to take the first bite to set in motion a tragic chain reaction.
For Hagar, running away likely offered her the temporary illusion of being in control. Even if she did not know where she was going, at least she could feel she was the one deciding which direction to take. It is not difficult to sympathize with Hagar’s identity crisis. She was likely acquired by Sarah at a young age. By now, her homeland is a distant memory, along with its pagan gods. She has no real relationship with the father of her child, and her mistress would probably love for Hagar to simply disappear. With no real home of her own, it is no surprise that Hagar does not know how to fully answer the Angel of the Lord’s question in Genesis 16:8, “…Where have you come from and where are you going?” (Genesis 16:8a ESV)
While God does not always call us to an easy road, His ways can always be trusted. Despite how Hagar may have felt, Scripture assures us that she was never alone. God not only saw Hagar in her affliction, but He comforted her with an amazing promise. “The angel of the Lord also said to her, ‘I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.’” (Genesis 16:10 ESV)
Hagar is the only woman in the Bible to whom God personally promised a multitude of offspring. Whereas Sarah will certainly be blessed with similar and more far-reaching promises, God bestows upon Hagar His personal blessing of “a multitude” that cannot be counted. Hagar is also the only person in the entire Bible to give God a name, “You are the God who sees me”(Gen. 16:13 NIV).
How precious! In the midst of the wilderness and her woundedness, Hagar discovered she was known and she was loved. Her encounter with God gave her the courage to surrender control, obey His command, and return to her mistress - but she did not return the same. She had a voice. And she had a place. While she would remain the servant of Sarah, Hagar would also be known as the mother of Abraham’s son, whom God Himself gave the tender name Ishmael, meaning, “God hears” (Genesis 16:11). One minute we see an oppressed runaway slave; the next minute, we see a bold and courageous servant of God. No one can encounter the living God and remain unchanged.
Throughout our lives, you and I will face challenges whereby we are tempted to go our own way. It may seem like we are in control, but the reality is that control is an illusion. We are all dependent on God for everything; even our very breath comes from Him (Genesis 2:7). The truth is that when you and I resist God’s sovereignty, we hinder our own ability to experience His peace – the very thing our hearts long for the most. But praise God that He does not leave us in the midst of the wilderness and our woundedness - but willingly pursues us there!
“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7 ESV)
How about you? Are there any areas in your life where you struggle for control? How can your perception of being able to take care of your problems yourself lessen your awareness of your dependence on God?
It is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16
My father’s dusty, heeled-over, cowboy boots rest on the floor of my study, daily reminders of the kind of man he was.
Among other things, he raised and trained cutting horses—equine athletes that move like quicksilver. I loved to watch him at work, marveling that he could stay astride.
As a boy, growing up, I wanted to be just like him. I’m in my eighties, and his boots are still too large for me to fill.
My father’s in heaven now, but I have another Father to emulate. I want to be just like Him—filled with His goodness, fragrant with His love. I’m not there and never will be in this life; His boots are much too large for me to fill.
But the apostle Peter said this: “The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ . . . will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10). He has the wisdom and power to do that, you know (v. 11).
Our lack of likeness to our heavenly Father will not last forever. God has called us to share the beauty of character that is His. In this life we reflect Him poorly, but in heaven our sin and sorrow will be no more and we’ll reflect Him more fully! This is the “true grace of God” (v. 12).
Father God, we want to be just like You. Help us to grow more and more like You each day!
Through the cross, believers are made perfect in His sight.
January 4, 2018 How Can I Grow Closer to God? LYSA TERKEURST
From: Crosswalk.com
“Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’” Luke 9:23 (NIV)
I would love to tell you that I have a long and impressive list of goals for 2018. But I’m not really into writing out my goals for the new year. Honestly, I just want to follow hard after the Lord every day and let Him renew me and shape me into the woman I need to be this year.
I want to grow ever closer to God — pressing into Him so He makes the deepest impression on me.
So that’s my goal. Maybe it’s one of your goals too. Growing closer to God.
But how do we do that? How can we position ourselves to grow closer to God this year?
In Luke 9:23b, Jesus tells His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
His words seem surprising at first. The disciples had already given up everything to follow Jesus. Or so it seemed …
Family. Friends. Jobs. The comforts of home.
Yet, in our key verse today, we find Jesus telling them the cost is going to be even higher than they had originally anticipated. The disciples aren’t being asked to lay down some things. They are going to need to lay down everything. Their plans. Their agendas. Maybe even their own lives.
And while it may sound like a lot to ask, because of their willingness to continue following hard after Jesus they will get to experience a level of closeness with Him unlike anyone else.
Closeness when He bends low to wash their feet. (John 13:1-17)
Closeness when He eats with them after His resurrection. (Luke 24:36-43)
Closeness when they are among the first to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1-4)
So not only did they have the promise of eternity with Him in heaven, they also had the privilege of experiencing unparalleled intimacy with Him on earth.
Could they have received any sweeter gift?
This is what my heart hungers for when it comes to the Lord. I want connection. I want communion. I want closeness. Not only in a distant heavenly future but right here. Right now.
That’s why I’m so thankful Jesus’ invitation to the disciples in Luke 9:23 is for us, too. We are also invited close. Which means we are also called to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him.
I realize “taking up our cross” may sound strange or vague at first, but for me it’s meant breaking old habits to create space in my heart for new growth. It’s meant moving beyond a plastic Christian checklist … Go to church. Read the Bible. Don’t cuss. Be nice. Pray. Give to the poor … and letting God mess with any and everyarea of my life.
It has meant things like offering Him my willingness to step away from TV for a season, fixing my eyes on Him first in the morning, instead of my phone and allowing Him to call me to a new level of discipline in my eating habits. Things I have said “yes” to because I long for an ever-closer walk with Him.
I don’t know exactly what following wholeheartedly after God will look like for you. But I do know that if we want to grow closer to God this year, we’ll have to distance ourselves from whatever is distracting us. We’ll have to lay aside whatever we are prone to delight in more than Him.
Let’s ask God which distraction we need to distance ourselves from in order to grow closer to Him, and then let’s do the hard and holy work of denying ourselves. Because a deeper level of intimacy with Him will always be worth the cost.
Lord, show me what stands in the way of intimacy with You, and give me the strength to lay it down — for a season or maybe even forever. I long to be closer to You. No matter the cost. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor. 1 Chronicles 29:11
One of the pleasures of a trip to Europe is visiting the grand cathedrals that dot the landscape. They are breathtakingly beautiful as they soar toward the heavens. The architecture, art, and symbolism found in these amazing buildings present a spellbinding experience of wonder and magnificence.
As I thought about the fact that these structures were built to reflect God’s magnificence and His all-surpassing splendor, I wondered how we could possibly recapture in our hearts and minds a similar feeling of God’s grandeur and be reminded again of His greatness.
One way we can do that is to look beyond man’s grand, regal structures and contemplate the greatness of what God Himself has created. Take one look at a starry night sky and think of God’s power as He spoke the universe into existence. Hold a newborn baby in your arms and thank God for the miracle of life itself. Look at the snow-covered mountains of Alaska or the majestic Atlantic Ocean teeming with millions of God-designed creatures and imagine the power that makes that ecosystem work.
Mankind is not wrong to reach for the sky with structures that are intended to point us to God. But our truest admiration should be reserved for God Himself as we say to Him, “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor” (1 Chronicles 29:11).
Lord, You do take our breath away with Your greatness. Thank You for reminding us of Your grandeur in Your world and in Your Word.
“You know the way to the place where I am going” John 14:4
The classic World War II movie The Longest Day portrays one of the clever military strategies of the German army. After the Allies had taken the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, their orders were to assemble in the town of St. Mere-Eglise in France. When they saw the sign for St. Mere-Eglise, naturally they proceeded in that direction. There was only one problem: The Germans had turned the sign to point in the opposite direction.
Unknowingly, the Allied forces confidently followed the sign and started marching toward the German trap. The hero of the Allied forces, played by John Wayne, showed up just in time to rescue them from certain destruction. One glance at his compass told him they were heading for disaster. “Hey, where’s everybody going?” he shouted. “Am I the only one here with a compass? It’s east; it’s east. Somebody moved the sign!”
It’s an old trick, but in our spiritual lives Satan continues to use it against us with great success. He turns the signs pointing to ultimate victory and a great final destiny toward the defeating attitudes of fear, despair, and hopelessness. Jesus, on the eve of His death, wanted to prepare His friends for the battle ahead. He knew that the disciples would be confused and disoriented by the enemy, so He lovingly assured them of victory and pointed them toward their final destination, heaven. He’s done the same for us. He assures us that regardless of the forces that might come against us today, heaven is just ahead and the victory is ours!
Jesus won the victory on “D-Day” when He died on the cross for you! At that point it was His intention to set your heart on heaven. Keeping our eyes on heaven means that regardless of what we face, we know where we are headed. Heavenward travelers proceed with the confidence that all the difficulties of the journey are merely temporary and well worth the pain in light of the ultimate and eternal joy of our destination. But beware! Satan wants nothing more than to distract and disorient your heart. He craftily points the sign toward feelings of inadequacy and defeat. He masks the signs pointing to guilt and regret with slick invitations to seduction and compromise. In fact, many of his distractions claim that heaven is really the here and now if only you will engage in a little out-of-bounds pleasure or in living to increase your stacks of stuff. When we think we’ve got heaven here, the enemy has won the day. But it’s not too late to get back on track. Jesus holds the compass, and He knows that to follow Satan’s clever shifting of the sign is to walk right into the trap of Satan’s destruction. He knows the territory well and is calling us to follow Him all the way to heaven—the ultimate destination of eternal fulfillment and joy!
Hear Him shouting to your heart: “Hey, you’re going the wrong way! Follow me!”
While listening to the radio I heard Barry Manilow sing a song I had not heard before. It was "It's Just Another New Year's Eve." Immediately my spirit questioned that statement. You see, in just a few days it will be New Year's Day. Perhaps there are many people who look at each year as "just another year." Not me.
It is good to look back at the previous year to see the many experiences, good and bad, we have faced. We must believe they are stepping stones in our lives that help us grow. Certainly, it is important for us to learn from our past and to incorporate the wisdom we have obtained to help us in the future. No matter the situation, the Lord is with us. He will lead and guide us as we seek Him.
Isaiah 58:11 (NIV) teaches us:
"The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."
Now as we look into the New Year we can look with fresh eyes filled with faith, trust, and hope.
Psalm 39:7 (NIV) states:
"But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you."
Also, the Word says in Psalm 25:5 (NIV):
"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."
Barry Manilow may feel that New Year is just another day or each New Year is the same as the previous one, but our thoughts should be of expectation for what the Lord has for us. Whether it is a need for a better job, increase in finances, healing in our bodies, salvation of loved ones, a new home or car, or whatever your need may be.
I remember as a single parent having great needs to care for myself and my son. I did have a job and a car, but I was living with my parents. There weren't the finances to afford a house of my own to raise my son. One time, as I was crying out to the Lord for help, I heard His words to me, "Who have you blessed lately?"
This was a clear message for me to give to others even with my lack so I too could be blessed. It's a kingdom principle to give and it will be given to you.
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38 (NIV)
Our lives will be full of blessings in the New Year as we trust God, share His love with those around us, and walk into each new day with great confidence of God's faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:23 (NLT):
"Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."
