2 Corinthians 4:8-9 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
This week has not gone as planned. Yes, has not gone according to MY plans… I know…It’s just not about me!
I have a grandmother dying in the hospital. She is 99. In 14 days she will turn 100. The doctors however have only given her 5-6 days to live. The family is making arrangements for those days to be filled with love, care, comfort and peace, but I know that as a faithful servant of Christ, she is ready to see face to face The One she has loved and served all these years. After all, we are talking about a woman who taught adult ladies Sunday School until she was 92 and quit then because she said “they had to be tired of listening to her by now”. I doubt it. I’m not. My one regret is that I have only known her a few years, and do not know her more, but what I do know is her Lord has never forsaken her.
I was to go on a mission trip to Paraguay in September, and due to some health issues, that is not going to be able to happen at this time. I must take some time to get my health under control before flying to a third world country to have a heart attack! I even tried to manipulate it by going to a doctor (before my appointment with the heart specialist later this month) who I knew was big on missions to see if he would tell me I could postpone this whole heart doctor thing for a while and go. After he told me no…I knew it matched the still small voice in my head I was trying to ignore, but praise His Holy Name, even when I don’t listen the first time, He has never forsaken me.
Both of these got me to thinking. In this summer of my plans giving way to God’s timing, and this week of it just not being about me…neither is the issue of never being forsaken...it just not about me.
It is not because of me that I have never been forsaken, or because of Miss Norma either. She is a great lady, and has loved and served the Lord a LONG time, but it is still not by anything she has done that the Lord has never forsaken her. Why? All over the Old Testament the Lord DID forsake his people, because they forsook Him in disobedience, idols, pride, and sin. I’m quite sure she and I both have waded into those ourselves, yet the last time we see God forsaking anyone is in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark as Jesus hung on the cross. Matthew 27:46 says, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Christ took on our sin, and suffered the worst death He could experience, separation from God, being forsaken, so that you and I will never have to.
What an incredible blessing. How precious to know that a Savior came and was forsaken so that by trusting in Him for our eternal salvation, we might never know what it was.
That is why Miss Norma, you, and I can all know that even when things do not go the way we had them planned, when they are just plain hard to understand and harder still to endure, those of us who have trusted Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives can live with the promise that we are NEVER FORSAKEN.
Do you have that assurance?
Monday, August 1, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
One Way - July 19th
The balcony of my room looks out over the lake …a big lake…the joke of the week is that it is a GREAT lake…Lake Michigan. Our motel faces the road, and just passed that is a bike trail, and then a short grassy drop to the lakeshore. As I look out over the lake ahead of me, I see water stretched out as far as the eye can see on the horizon…beautiful blue glistening water. So vast you could get lost in it.
That was my thought as I looked out over it. No roads, no set paths, no guides to show you the way, just vast and blue as far as the eye can see. Someone could get lost out there. Then my eyes focus one small sign , ok, a road sign, on the side of the road heading down to the lake which read, “one way” with the lake as its backdrop.
As I sat there thinking about that signs simple direction in contrast to the waters just behind it, I thought how funny the contrast and how simple it is to miss the signs. God is so much like that. Despite the vast world we are a part of today, all the options, the choices, the careers, religions, educations and possibilities, His directions are still simple. There is only one way.
Jesus is THE way, THE truth, and THE life, and no one comes to the Father but by Him. How simple it is.
And then, just to make sure I did not miss the point, He sent a cloud cover to darken the opposite side of the lake as to the way the sign was pointing. I just could not help but take a picture. Reminds me of the verses in Deut. 30:19 “behold I set before you this day life and death, blessings and cursings,” and just like the clouds rolling in to make his point, in His Word you can almost hear the “and in case you didn’t get it” second part of His CHOOSE LIFE. In case you missed it before let me draw you a picture….choose life…. Pick me. Follow me. Watch for My signs and seek after My ways. Don’t get overwhelmed or lost in this world of choices….choose me. I will be your way. I will be your truth. I will give you life. There is only one way….His name is Jesus. Talk about an incredible compass!!!
That was my thought as I looked out over it. No roads, no set paths, no guides to show you the way, just vast and blue as far as the eye can see. Someone could get lost out there. Then my eyes focus one small sign , ok, a road sign, on the side of the road heading down to the lake which read, “one way” with the lake as its backdrop.
As I sat there thinking about that signs simple direction in contrast to the waters just behind it, I thought how funny the contrast and how simple it is to miss the signs. God is so much like that. Despite the vast world we are a part of today, all the options, the choices, the careers, religions, educations and possibilities, His directions are still simple. There is only one way.
Jesus is THE way, THE truth, and THE life, and no one comes to the Father but by Him. How simple it is.
And then, just to make sure I did not miss the point, He sent a cloud cover to darken the opposite side of the lake as to the way the sign was pointing. I just could not help but take a picture. Reminds me of the verses in Deut. 30:19 “behold I set before you this day life and death, blessings and cursings,” and just like the clouds rolling in to make his point, in His Word you can almost hear the “and in case you didn’t get it” second part of His CHOOSE LIFE. In case you missed it before let me draw you a picture….choose life…. Pick me. Follow me. Watch for My signs and seek after My ways. Don’t get overwhelmed or lost in this world of choices….choose me. I will be your way. I will be your truth. I will give you life. There is only one way….His name is Jesus. Talk about an incredible compass!!!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
4th of July Freedoms
As I sit outside watching the fireworks, my senses are almost overwhelming me. The sizzle and colors of sparklers and the beautiful children faces in laughter as the glow lights up their joyful expressions. The sounds of different conversations as people talk and laugh in sweet fellowship. The bright flashes against the dark and starry sky as the bang of fireworks demands your attention. The smell of the grass around us, and the sulphur smoke blowing past. Feeling a light breeze sweep gently past giving a brief reprise to the heat of the summer night.
As I sit here, almost alone in the crowd of people and fireworks, it is a strange paradox. So much going on around me, and yet Lord my mind is calm and stilled on You. I am thankful Lord for friends and family, for country, for this opportunity, but Lord may I please never take for granted the sacrifices that made it all possible. My heart is full rejoicing in the love you've shown, in the grace you've shown. Lord, for my freedom to serve You I give you thanks. Galatians 5:1 says that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free so we should not be entangled again by the yoke of slavery. May that be our hearts cry both individually and as a nation. May our gratitude carry over to our actions. May we guard our God gifted freedom with all diligence and live our lives out of allegiance and honor to The One who lived and died and rose again to grant our freedom.
As I sit here, almost alone in the crowd of people and fireworks, it is a strange paradox. So much going on around me, and yet Lord my mind is calm and stilled on You. I am thankful Lord for friends and family, for country, for this opportunity, but Lord may I please never take for granted the sacrifices that made it all possible. My heart is full rejoicing in the love you've shown, in the grace you've shown. Lord, for my freedom to serve You I give you thanks. Galatians 5:1 says that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free so we should not be entangled again by the yoke of slavery. May that be our hearts cry both individually and as a nation. May our gratitude carry over to our actions. May we guard our God gifted freedom with all diligence and live our lives out of allegiance and honor to The One who lived and died and rose again to grant our freedom.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Joshua in Manitowoc
As I was journaling and praying about our upcoming trip this morning, God gave me an incredible picture. He is so amazingly faithful.
My prayer, was this: Father, prepare me for the trip ahead. Prepare my heart and my mind to only speak those things that You would have for me to speak. Let it be all about You Lord. Let our trip honor You and bring glory to You. I pray that You draw people to Your loving side. I pray for 15 salvations, and twice that added to the body of Your church. Go before us Lord. Prepare the lives to be ripe. Prepare the hearts to be tender. Prepare the minds for understanding the things of You. Prepare Your children to meet their Father face to face and give them willingness to act on the drawing of Your Holy Spirit. May they run into Your open arms. May they come to know You as both Savior and Lord. Bless me, my girls and our team with a fresh fire, a fresh anointing; fill us to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit. Change us forever to never want to live our lives a single day without telling others of Your all-sufficient Grace, and the miracle of salvation in our own lives. Amen.
Then, a little later as I was looking for something different, He gave me Joshua 3:7-13. I had studied this earlier in the week, and he revealed something to me, but first, the application.
*God goes before His people and prepares the way, even when there seems to be no way.
*We are fixing to act as the priests here, in that we will be called to stand in the gap (the river) by the measure of faith He has given us, for the people we come in contact with in Manitowoc. (Symbolically speaking, not saying I am a priest, but priesthood of believers.)
*God will drive out excuses, religions, habits and wrong beliefs just as He promised to drive out all the “-ites” from before His people crossing the Jordan river in faith, from before the people He is calling us to go to.
*God will hold back the flood of words and conflicting thoughts in order for us to proclaim His truth by the blood of the lamb and the words of our testimonies, to His called children.
*He will deliver His people in Manitowoc to the salvation (Gilgal) that He alone is able to offer and complete.
If you jump ahead to Joshua 4:3-9, it talks of setting up stones. This is where I have been pondering the last couple of weeks that He just made so clear. Some of the men were to take stones out of the river as they crossed to set up at Gilgal as an altar, spiritual marker, to the Lord. Joshua, however set up 12 stones in the river before the priests left that place and the presence of the Lord was still staying the rivers. Why 2 different sets? What was the significance? For this application, there will be spiritual markers set up for both us and those we are going to serve. Those in Manitowoc who will meet Him when they get to the place of coming full circle with God (meaning of name Gilgal), and some spiritual markers will be set up in our remembrance before we leave that place by God Himself, to serve as spiritual markers in our lives and for the rest of our lives. Two sets of spiritual markers. One God giving His spirit and revelation to all. All lives changed forever.
Thank you Lord for Your promises to us.
My prayer, was this: Father, prepare me for the trip ahead. Prepare my heart and my mind to only speak those things that You would have for me to speak. Let it be all about You Lord. Let our trip honor You and bring glory to You. I pray that You draw people to Your loving side. I pray for 15 salvations, and twice that added to the body of Your church. Go before us Lord. Prepare the lives to be ripe. Prepare the hearts to be tender. Prepare the minds for understanding the things of You. Prepare Your children to meet their Father face to face and give them willingness to act on the drawing of Your Holy Spirit. May they run into Your open arms. May they come to know You as both Savior and Lord. Bless me, my girls and our team with a fresh fire, a fresh anointing; fill us to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit. Change us forever to never want to live our lives a single day without telling others of Your all-sufficient Grace, and the miracle of salvation in our own lives. Amen.
Then, a little later as I was looking for something different, He gave me Joshua 3:7-13. I had studied this earlier in the week, and he revealed something to me, but first, the application.
*God goes before His people and prepares the way, even when there seems to be no way.
*We are fixing to act as the priests here, in that we will be called to stand in the gap (the river) by the measure of faith He has given us, for the people we come in contact with in Manitowoc. (Symbolically speaking, not saying I am a priest, but priesthood of believers.)
*God will drive out excuses, religions, habits and wrong beliefs just as He promised to drive out all the “-ites” from before His people crossing the Jordan river in faith, from before the people He is calling us to go to.
*God will hold back the flood of words and conflicting thoughts in order for us to proclaim His truth by the blood of the lamb and the words of our testimonies, to His called children.
*He will deliver His people in Manitowoc to the salvation (Gilgal) that He alone is able to offer and complete.
If you jump ahead to Joshua 4:3-9, it talks of setting up stones. This is where I have been pondering the last couple of weeks that He just made so clear. Some of the men were to take stones out of the river as they crossed to set up at Gilgal as an altar, spiritual marker, to the Lord. Joshua, however set up 12 stones in the river before the priests left that place and the presence of the Lord was still staying the rivers. Why 2 different sets? What was the significance? For this application, there will be spiritual markers set up for both us and those we are going to serve. Those in Manitowoc who will meet Him when they get to the place of coming full circle with God (meaning of name Gilgal), and some spiritual markers will be set up in our remembrance before we leave that place by God Himself, to serve as spiritual markers in our lives and for the rest of our lives. Two sets of spiritual markers. One God giving His spirit and revelation to all. All lives changed forever.
Thank you Lord for Your promises to us.
Friday, June 17, 2011
What are we willing to fight for?
May I just say there is a right way and a wrong way to fight as a Christian, and just as importantly, there are right things and wrong things to fight over. Just this morning I read a headline about people actually BRAWLING to get into a courtroom to be a part of the hype of a murder trial. Really? Thankfully, no one in the crowd claimed to be acting out of a Holy duty or a Christian obligation!
There is one thing that I can say without hesitation we must fight for…our faith. We are so carnally predisposed to fighting against others, when what we truly need to be on guard and fight against is our very nature to act and react in ways that are not consistent with a living FAITH in Christ. In Romans 14:23 we read, “…and everything that does not come from faith is sin.” That lays the importance of fighting for our faith right at our feet. When we are asked what is sin the simple answer is anything not done in faith, not what our neighbor is doing, not what I am going to battle to correct, not what the other person said about me, not what I think of someone else’s spiritual maturity or lack thereof. What sin is … anytime you or I do or say anything that is not coming from faith.
2 Corinthians Chapter 10 reads, “3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” Doctrinal fights? No need. I in faith seek what the Word and the Holy Spirit reveal to me and act accordingly. Power struggles? No need. I through faith go where He leads me to and leave the results to Him. Evangelism? Sew the Seed in faith, and leave the responsibility for watering and harvesting to Him. Do not argue with the waterer as to your individual roles. If you are called to harvesting, harvest in faith, and do not worry about the responsibilities of the sewer and the waterer. Do what God calls you to do in faith, and leave the rest to Him.
I must keep my faith strong in order to be useful to my Lord and Savior, and that is one fight I am willing to battle with all due diligence, and it truly takes it. Negative thought? By faith I take it captive and speak the truth of the Word over it. Improper scene in move? By faith I turn it off claiming it is not needful for me to watch the rest. Improper language being spoken in your presence? Kindness to the person to please respect your desire not to listen, but mostly, prayer by faith that the Lord take that hearing of that filth out of my mind so that it does not remain in my mind and pop back out. Tough day ahead? Pray the armor of God on in the morning and continue to pray it over yourself throughout the day. Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
My prayer for myself today, as well as others, is that I will fight the fight of faith within myself, and against the strongholds that Satan attempts to set up against me, and with every word or deed claim it done in faith that the Lord has directed it, the Lord with multiply it, and the Lord will give His results to it. As for others? I will fight the fight of faith with and for them on my knees. I will speak into their lives as the Lord directs, I will be a willing vessel to be used of Him, and I will leave revelation and change up to Him. My job is simply to point my life toward Him in faith, and let Him use that as He wishes. I will not waste my God given time, talent, and strength on battles that are not mine to fight. I will however, fight for my faith in the everyday moments of life to live each one in Him, and draw on His strength in order to be able to stay in the faith He provides. You see, He does not expect us to have anything that He does not give to us first! If He requires it, He supplies it.
Go and fight for your faith in the power He supplies.
There is one thing that I can say without hesitation we must fight for…our faith. We are so carnally predisposed to fighting against others, when what we truly need to be on guard and fight against is our very nature to act and react in ways that are not consistent with a living FAITH in Christ. In Romans 14:23 we read, “…and everything that does not come from faith is sin.” That lays the importance of fighting for our faith right at our feet. When we are asked what is sin the simple answer is anything not done in faith, not what our neighbor is doing, not what I am going to battle to correct, not what the other person said about me, not what I think of someone else’s spiritual maturity or lack thereof. What sin is … anytime you or I do or say anything that is not coming from faith.
2 Corinthians Chapter 10 reads, “3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” Doctrinal fights? No need. I in faith seek what the Word and the Holy Spirit reveal to me and act accordingly. Power struggles? No need. I through faith go where He leads me to and leave the results to Him. Evangelism? Sew the Seed in faith, and leave the responsibility for watering and harvesting to Him. Do not argue with the waterer as to your individual roles. If you are called to harvesting, harvest in faith, and do not worry about the responsibilities of the sewer and the waterer. Do what God calls you to do in faith, and leave the rest to Him.
I must keep my faith strong in order to be useful to my Lord and Savior, and that is one fight I am willing to battle with all due diligence, and it truly takes it. Negative thought? By faith I take it captive and speak the truth of the Word over it. Improper scene in move? By faith I turn it off claiming it is not needful for me to watch the rest. Improper language being spoken in your presence? Kindness to the person to please respect your desire not to listen, but mostly, prayer by faith that the Lord take that hearing of that filth out of my mind so that it does not remain in my mind and pop back out. Tough day ahead? Pray the armor of God on in the morning and continue to pray it over yourself throughout the day. Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
My prayer for myself today, as well as others, is that I will fight the fight of faith within myself, and against the strongholds that Satan attempts to set up against me, and with every word or deed claim it done in faith that the Lord has directed it, the Lord with multiply it, and the Lord will give His results to it. As for others? I will fight the fight of faith with and for them on my knees. I will speak into their lives as the Lord directs, I will be a willing vessel to be used of Him, and I will leave revelation and change up to Him. My job is simply to point my life toward Him in faith, and let Him use that as He wishes. I will not waste my God given time, talent, and strength on battles that are not mine to fight. I will however, fight for my faith in the everyday moments of life to live each one in Him, and draw on His strength in order to be able to stay in the faith He provides. You see, He does not expect us to have anything that He does not give to us first! If He requires it, He supplies it.
Go and fight for your faith in the power He supplies.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
A Prayer to The Director of our Lives and Our Worship
Isaiah 48:17
This is what the LORD says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the LORD your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.
Lord Jesus,
Please orchestrate this day according to Your Will.
Show me how my instrument needs tuning first. Take all my pitchiness; take where my attitude is sharp, or where my perspective is flat. Make me an instrument in tune with You, the One who is the truest tone.
Let all of us that gather to worship in our churches this morning do the same so that all we hear today is our instruments playing in harmony to Your music. Let us only play the notes You have written for us. Direct us. Show us when to turn the page. Keep us playing in accordance with Your timing. Let the ending bring a standing ovation to Your Glory alone.
Amen.
This is what the LORD says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the LORD your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.
Lord Jesus,
Please orchestrate this day according to Your Will.
Show me how my instrument needs tuning first. Take all my pitchiness; take where my attitude is sharp, or where my perspective is flat. Make me an instrument in tune with You, the One who is the truest tone.
Let all of us that gather to worship in our churches this morning do the same so that all we hear today is our instruments playing in harmony to Your music. Let us only play the notes You have written for us. Direct us. Show us when to turn the page. Keep us playing in accordance with Your timing. Let the ending bring a standing ovation to Your Glory alone.
Amen.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
When the Tomb of Our Hope Is Still Occupied
Luke 23:54
And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
Friday, had been the day of preparation…
I cannot even imagine what the believers of Christ were going through. Friday had been an unimaginable chain of events. The last 12 hours of our Saviors life must have seemed like a nightmare flashing before their eyes. Trials, tortures, hopes dashed, hatred, the road to Golgotha, and the scene at the cross. Their Savior, and ours, beaten and bruised despite His innocence. It must have seemed as in an instant the heartache of a lifetime had taken place.
As you and I know, there are some days, those awful days none of us care to relive, that the stress and happenings of that day just rush together; our adrenaline pumping is the only thing that truly energizes us as everything comes together so quickly that our mind does not have time to truly process all of it. We simply sleepwalk through the day blank, empty, horrified at what we are dealing with, but unable to get our minds around it.
As I watched the Passion of the Christ last night, I certainly would not describe that Friday’s events as the day of preparation, but as I read the word today, I get it. Friday’s events truly were the preparation for what the Lord was to do. Friday, Jesus prepared His heart to carry the burdens we put on Him, Friday, the soldiers prepared to carry out their sentence, Friday, the Jewish leaders prepared to rid themselves of their thorn, Friday, God prepared Himself to turn His face on His own Son, and Friday, the followers of Christ prepared themselves for the faith it would take, because “the Sabbath drew on”.
Today, Saturday, would have been their Sabbath. The day they dispensed with work to honor their God. This day, the work was done on Friday, but the Sabbath would be more critical than ever. The day after the trial, the day after the stress, the day after the horror, the Sabbath, is when the followers of Christ would fight for their faith. Their minds would begin to kick in. Their hearts would be broken. Their hopes and beliefs about what the Lord was going to do would be challenged by a tomb that held the body of their Lord, and faith that He would be their salvation.
Today is the same. In the middle of the fight, we are strong. But are we just as strong the day in the middle? The Sabbath day when there is no battle to fight, no distractions, and no busy-work, there is only our faith and a Lord we cannot see. We do not understand what He is up to. We do not know why things are the way they are. We are at the Sabbath day as the book of Luke tells us, they ”rested the Sabbath day”.
Is our faith strong enough for the sabbath? The day between our battle and the answer we have prayed for. Will our faith carry us through in the quiet days when Satan wants so desperately for our hearts to doubt our Savior? Will our faith be strong enough when the tomb of our hope is still occupied? Will we be able to rest in the sabbath knowing our Lord is still in control no matter what our eyes see, our ears hear, or our fears scream?
My prayer is that our faith will allow us to rest in the sabbath of our lives; that your faith will carry you through the quiet times when God has yet to answer; that my faith will quiet my fears, and carry me through until the Lord once again, in a show of His glory and might in my life, rises from the tomb and brings new life to that which I thought was dead. And on Sunday, after faith through the sabbath, when I go back to that tomb of a problem or doubt or heartbreak, that when I arrive back there, I will also hear the words spoken to those who came back to the tomb,
“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
Go and rest in your sabbath knowing that our Savior lives. Worship Him as the risen Savior of your life, even on the days you do not understand. Praise Him for the resurrection of His life, and through that, the promise of your life's resurrection as well. Have faith in what He has promised, in who He is, and in His Words of life. Live your life in the power of the risen Savior, and stop looking for His presence in the tomb...He is not there, He is risen as He said.
And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
Friday, had been the day of preparation…
I cannot even imagine what the believers of Christ were going through. Friday had been an unimaginable chain of events. The last 12 hours of our Saviors life must have seemed like a nightmare flashing before their eyes. Trials, tortures, hopes dashed, hatred, the road to Golgotha, and the scene at the cross. Their Savior, and ours, beaten and bruised despite His innocence. It must have seemed as in an instant the heartache of a lifetime had taken place.
As you and I know, there are some days, those awful days none of us care to relive, that the stress and happenings of that day just rush together; our adrenaline pumping is the only thing that truly energizes us as everything comes together so quickly that our mind does not have time to truly process all of it. We simply sleepwalk through the day blank, empty, horrified at what we are dealing with, but unable to get our minds around it.
As I watched the Passion of the Christ last night, I certainly would not describe that Friday’s events as the day of preparation, but as I read the word today, I get it. Friday’s events truly were the preparation for what the Lord was to do. Friday, Jesus prepared His heart to carry the burdens we put on Him, Friday, the soldiers prepared to carry out their sentence, Friday, the Jewish leaders prepared to rid themselves of their thorn, Friday, God prepared Himself to turn His face on His own Son, and Friday, the followers of Christ prepared themselves for the faith it would take, because “the Sabbath drew on”.
Today, Saturday, would have been their Sabbath. The day they dispensed with work to honor their God. This day, the work was done on Friday, but the Sabbath would be more critical than ever. The day after the trial, the day after the stress, the day after the horror, the Sabbath, is when the followers of Christ would fight for their faith. Their minds would begin to kick in. Their hearts would be broken. Their hopes and beliefs about what the Lord was going to do would be challenged by a tomb that held the body of their Lord, and faith that He would be their salvation.
Today is the same. In the middle of the fight, we are strong. But are we just as strong the day in the middle? The Sabbath day when there is no battle to fight, no distractions, and no busy-work, there is only our faith and a Lord we cannot see. We do not understand what He is up to. We do not know why things are the way they are. We are at the Sabbath day as the book of Luke tells us, they ”rested the Sabbath day”.
Is our faith strong enough for the sabbath? The day between our battle and the answer we have prayed for. Will our faith carry us through in the quiet days when Satan wants so desperately for our hearts to doubt our Savior? Will our faith be strong enough when the tomb of our hope is still occupied? Will we be able to rest in the sabbath knowing our Lord is still in control no matter what our eyes see, our ears hear, or our fears scream?
My prayer is that our faith will allow us to rest in the sabbath of our lives; that your faith will carry you through the quiet times when God has yet to answer; that my faith will quiet my fears, and carry me through until the Lord once again, in a show of His glory and might in my life, rises from the tomb and brings new life to that which I thought was dead. And on Sunday, after faith through the sabbath, when I go back to that tomb of a problem or doubt or heartbreak, that when I arrive back there, I will also hear the words spoken to those who came back to the tomb,
“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
Go and rest in your sabbath knowing that our Savior lives. Worship Him as the risen Savior of your life, even on the days you do not understand. Praise Him for the resurrection of His life, and through that, the promise of your life's resurrection as well. Have faith in what He has promised, in who He is, and in His Words of life. Live your life in the power of the risen Savior, and stop looking for His presence in the tomb...He is not there, He is risen as He said.
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