Riding in the Dark

I was riding my bike home tonight in the dark, and the thought crossed my mind that how I ride should be a reflection of how I "maneuver" through difficult circumstances in my life. It was dark and I couldn't see street signs, yet I'd been down those roads so many times before that I knew exactly where to go. I knew that house, that car, that patch of grass, and hundreds of other details that allowed me to ride home and arrive safely at my own doorstep without even having to think much about it.  

Do I know the Word that well? Do I know God so intimately that when difficult times come I know exactly what to do? When I first moved to this town I didn't know one street from another. But as I drove the streets, making mistakes and backtracking until I found something familiar, I eventually became comfortable with my surroundings and could even give directions to others who were lost. I lose track of my surroundings sometimes as I walk with the Lord (more often than I'd like to admit), but His Word remains a "lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105)

"Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them You have given me life." Psalm 119:92,93

On Building an Ark

There are many lessons to be learned from the life of Noah, but I never thought of “how to build an ark” as one of them. But I’ve recently being paying more attention to how building a boat applies to me.  

In 2 Peter we read about the incredible circumstances, in their day, that both Noah (Genesis 6 & 7) and Lot (further on in Genesis 19) found themselves in, and, condensed, it says, “if God…saved Noah...and delivered righteous Lot...then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations.” 

The reminder is encouraging that God has the ability to be (and promises to be) my deliverer in whatever I’m facing, but how do the accounts of a flood destroying the earth and a man being saved from a wicked city have anything to do with the temptations and trials in my own life?  I went back to Genesis 6 and started listing out a few things that stood out to me.

~ In the face of a society that was so wicked and evil that God would destroy it with a flood, Noah chose to walk with God (6:9) and remain obedient to him. “According to all God commanded him so he did.” (6:22)

~ God’s instructions for building the ark were not meant to pick and choose from…Noah couldn’t skip a step and expect his boat to float

~ God provided the ark’s master plan, but Noah had to build it

~ Although God eventually wiped out the entire world to save Noah, Noah still had to live with integrity and obedience to God amidst the evil for as many years as it took to build the ark

~ God “shut them in” to the ark (7:16) and protected Noah and his family before the flood could harm them

~ After going through 40 days and nights of rain, they still drifted for over 3 months before grounding again

After looking at Noah's account I wondered what kind of boat I was building in my own life. What could I learn from Noah? Without a doubt God delivered Noah and his family from the flood, yet He required faith on their part to believe what He said, to trust that He knew what He was leading them into and what He was asking of them, and to act on His instructions. Noah’s faith was one of practice, not just belief. Our faith, like Noah’s, must be active in order to grow.  In Noah’s case, his faith was stretched by building a boat.  God would require Noah to build the ark that would protect them. 

What kind of boat are we building to prepare for the coming storms in our own lives (and we know they’ll come - God’s word assures us that “every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2)? I am “building an ark” each day when I choose to use the blueprints God has given me (His word) and believe in His promises for me and act on them.  As the waves come, I, like Noah, may not see God doing much delivering (in the way that I expected), but I am building an ark when I continue to walk with God, being obedient to all that He is asking of me and believing His promises to be true despite what my circumstances are telling me.  When the storm is at its worst around us we may not sense God “shutting us in” to safety like Noah and his family, but this is the faith that gives us victory (1 John 5:4) – trusting and waiting until the water subsides (will we wait, as Noah did, not knowing for how long?) and we stand on solid ground again. 

Am I a woman who will choose to walk with God in the midst of a million things that could distract me from Him and His purposes for me?  Daily temptations?  My many shortfalls?  A heart that’s “every intent (apart from Christ’s blood that covers it!) is evil continually” (Genesis 6:5)? At any time Noah could have chosen to give up on the ark.  I, too, can choose at any time to stop pressing on.  I can stop taking the time to get to know God and His word. Noah's faithfulness and attention to all the details God laid out for him resulted in his safely being shut in while a storm raged on around him and his family.

We’ve been given the tools.  Let’s build an ark. 

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God." 

(2 Corinthians 10:4)

He Had No Rights. And I?

I didn't ask for it, I didn't pray for it, but God decided that He wanted to teach me about being grateful. Not for the things that I have, but for the things that others have.  Particularly the things others have that I want.  Romans 12:15 encourages us to "rejoice with those who rejoice," and I haven't been doing that so well.  So God keeps giving me plenty of opportunities to put it into practice, not only by teaching me to be grateful for the things He's blessed others with (to be happy for them and not think "I wish I had that!"), but to even be grateful for the things that He's blessed others with that I've specifically prayed for.  For any one of us, that could mean anything from a duvet cover or a bouquet of flowers to a child or a spouse.  The root of the problem is the same, and that's the idea that we deserve certain things in life - we are entitled to them.  Someone else has it, so why shouldn't I?  Why not me?

I was reminded the other day that God alone gives us life, breath and all things (Acts 17:25). He is responsible for us, and He's good at it. So when jealousy strikes, I'm essentially telling God, "You haven't done enough for me." Ouch. Gratefulness, on the other hand, says, "You have done ALL for me. Thank you!" 

I was introduced several years back to the following excerpt from an amazing little book by Mabel Williamson called Have We No Rights? (no copyright so you can download it free online...try this link Have We No Rights?).  In the last chapter she writes:

   He had no rights:
   No right to a soft bed, and a well-laid table;
   No right to a home of His own, a place where His own pleasure might be sought;
   No right to choose pleasant, congenial companions, those who could understand Him and sympathize with Him; 
   No right to shrink away from filth and sin, to pull His garments closer around Him and turn aside to walk in cleaner paths;
   No right to be understood and appreciated; no not by those upon whom He had poured out a double portion of His love;
   No right even never to be forsaken by His Father, the one who meant more than all to Him.
   His only right was silently to endure shame, spitting, blows; to take His place as a sinner at the docks; to bear my sins in anguish on the cross.
   He had no rights. And I?

   A right to the "comforts" of life?  No, but a right to the love of God for my pillow.
   A right to physical safety? No, but a right to the security of being in His will.
   A right to love and sympathy from those around me? No, but a right to the friendship of the One who understands me better than I do myself.
   A right to be a leader among men? No, but the right to be led by the One to whom I have given my all, led as is a little child, with its hand in the hand of its father.
   A right to a home, and dear ones? No, not necessarily; but a right to dwell in the heart of God.
   A right to myself? No, but, oh, I have a right to Christ.

All that He takes I will give;
All that He gives I will take;
He, my only right!
He, the one right before which all other rights fade into nothingness.
I have full right to Him;
Oh, may He have full right to me!

"Those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing." Psalm 34:10  

Rogue Waves

Rogue Wave n. also known as freak waves, monster waves, killer waves, extreme waves and abnormal waves. They are relatively large, spontaneous and unpredictable ocean surface waves that occur far out at sea and are even a threat to large ships and sea vessels.

I was watching a documentary the other night about a young girl attempting to sail the globe solo. Almost four months out of Mexico she was hit by a rogue wave in the Indian Ocean, her boat was destroyed, and she was forced to activate her emergency rescue beacon. I came home thinking about the termrogue wave and realized that it was the perfect term to describe where I've found myself at times over the years - struck by a freak wave that seemingly comes out of nowhere, left to cling to my boat and send out an emergency beacon hoping someone will find me. Hoping Someone will find me.

When all is said and done, God has always found me. And I am so grateful. He has pursued me with His truth. And although it seems like I've been "found" and "rescued," I was never really lost in the first place. I was safe in the circumstances that He designed for me.

BUT..let's be realistic. The truth is, it doesn't really feel that way at all when we're lost at sea, clinging to the boat (hurt, bruised, hungry and exhausted) and waiting for a rescue that we're not sure will really come. I have been there.

My hope with this blog is that you will be encouraged to KEEP CLINGING. Some days I might share from my personal experiences, other times I might re-post a blog from someone who has inspired me, or maybe just a picture or quote that has somehow made an impact on me.

As a good friend posted in her blog recently, although each of our circumstances are unique, we, who are redeemed by Christ, are anchored by "the same God who hears us and seeks after us. The same Spirit who makes even the the groanings and longings of our hearts intelligible to Him when words fail us and we don't know how to pray anymore."

Hold on, and know that you are anchored!

A New Protocol

Bold adj. showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous.

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On July 5th I wrote a note to myself saying,

TODAY I WILL:

> Lay aside the sin which so easily entangles (Heb. 12:1)

> Acknowledge God in all my ways (Prov. 3:6)

> Remember that God has, through Jesus, torn the veil and I can enter in boldness before Him (Heb. 10:19-23)  

I was reading a letter recently where a missionary was sharing how she thinks Satan must snicker under his breath as we believers softly tap our swords about.  Ephesians 6 encourages us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might; to "take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."  His word is rich with promises and truths for us to hold to...a powerful and living sword (Heb. 4:12) that we can wield BOLDLY.   

Proverbs 25:6,7 tells us to "not exalt yourself in the presence of the King, and do not stand in the place of the great; for it is better that he say to you, "come up here," than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince." 

It was a huge (and potentially life-threatening) risk at the time to come before a King without the proper protocol, and this was a reminder to remember your place and not give those in authority a reason to humble you in front of others.   We deserve to be placed in the lowest position before God...who are we in comparison?  Yet God has called us to come before Him, and to come with BOLDNESS.  

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16)

There is often a feeling of risk involved when stepping out in faith and trusting God to be all He says He is.  But let's be confident and courageous with the promises He's given us.  

"Having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus...let us draw near...in full assurance of faith." (Heb. 10:19,22)