Now is the time ....... To Wait

Ten days later the Lord gave his reply to Jeremiah. Jeremiah 42:7

In this day of instant gratification, emails, sms and all things fast, we have lost the art of waiting. I confess that I need to learn patience with wait-staff in cafes after years of fast and great service in Asian restaurants. I am so thankful that God is patient with me.

The people of Judah were in crisis at this point in their history (read Jeremiah 42 & 43). Babylon had captured and now ruled their land. At yet another low point in their lives they cried out to the prophet Jeremiah to "Beg the Lord your God to show us what to do and where to go" (42:3). (Isn't it interesting that they weren't taking ownership of God but were wanting his help!) "All right," Jeremiah replied, "I will pray to the Lord your God and I will tell you everything he says..... " (42:4). (Jeremiah reminds them that God is indeed still their God in spite of their disobedience.)

It took 10 days for the answer to come from God - that's slower than most 'snail mail! Sometimes we just need to wait awhile and be patient for God to answer us. Those times are a little dark, like this picture I chose, but we need to be sure that God will answer us as he did the Judeans. I'm sure he doesn't have to think about the answer but he probably knows it's a good thing for us to have to wait sometimes.

The answer that came was not what the people wanted to hear. They were unhappy under Babylonian rule and they feared their captors - in a nutshell, they wanted out, but God said, "Stay in the land.... I am with you. Do not fear the king of Babylon any more.... I will rescue you from his power and make him kind so he will let you stay in your land." (vs 10-12).To me that was a very clear and reassuring answer from God yet the people were angry and accused Jeremiah of lying. Amazingly the people refused to believe the answer and set off to 'rescue themselves' by going to Egypt (vs 43). This turned out to be the death of all but a few.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a difficult and uncomfortable situation and we just want to run away, hide or find some other way of escape to make us feel better. It is good in those times to remember that God is with us - he's promised that he will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). We need to wait and allow him to do whatever work of character-building he wants to do, or perhaps he just wants us to realise in a fresh way how good he is in every situation.

Prayer: Father God, thank you that you are faithful and all wise; that you know about every situation and detail of my life. Help me to trust you in the uncomfortable times as well as in the good times. Amen

Now is the time..... To Hang On

God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted too. Matthew 5:11-12 NLT

A few months ago I came into my den and noticed this big beetle hanging onto the fly screen. Of course I had to take a photo, I knew there was a Daydrops just waiting to be written!

Recently I have been reading in Jeremiah and wonder again at the obedience and tenacity of Jeremiah, sometimes known as the weeping prophet because of the great anguish he felt knowing the destruction that was coming upon the disobedient and rebellious people he was sent to bring God's warning to.

During his time in prison God told him to write the prophecies from the past and send them to the king which he and Baruch his friend and scribe faithfully did. The king just cut up the scroll and burned it, showing no repentance at all. Again God told Jeremiah to write and again he was obedient. Later he was reported by the officials for telling people to surrender to the enemy and so save their lives (Jeremiah 38). With the king's permission Jeremiah was imprisoned but not just in the normal prison. They lowered him into an empty cistern in the prison yard where his feet stood in a layer of mud. They wanted Jeremiah to die of hunger, because as far as they were concerned he was a trouble-maker. But God provided someone to be an advocate for Jeremiah. Ebed-melech pleaded for Jeremiah's life and was allowed to rescue him from the well.

I expect that Jeremiah also expected that his task was finished and his end had come. He probably wondered why God would allow him to be in such a horrible place, but in that ghastly cistern he was not forgotten, God made a way of escape.

Perhaps you feel that you are trapped in a hole at the moment. You feel a prisoner of circumstances, persecution, sickness or adversity. Perhaps you feel that God won't or can't help you. You may even be so discouraged that you've stopped talking to God because you think he's forgotten you. Fear not, His love never fails (Lamentations 3:22), keep hanging on and keep expecting Him to rescue you. Remind yourself of His faithfulness and hold onto your faith. Remember that his promise is "He knows where I am... and when he has tested me I will come forth as gold". (Job 23:10) Job trusted God and knew how to hang on in difficulty.

It is so important for us to store up the word of God in our hearts so that it rises up in us when we most need to be encouraged by it. Sometimes when we read we think we have forgotten what we read, but the Holy Spirit can bring all things to our remembrance. We just need to do the work of sowing it into our hearts by regular study. We won't always understand why God allows us to go through some difficult things but we can be sure that through it all he is with us and working to deepen and strengthen our faith.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for the truth of your word that you will never leave me nor forsake me. Help me to always believe and trust in you no matter how hard my circumstances appear to be for a time. Amen

Now is the time..... To Clean Up

All his life Joash did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. Yet even so, he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. 2 Kings 12:2-3

Some years ago during one of our many lakeside walks Col was irked by an old vinyl covered mattress that had obviously fallen off a boat years before and become water-logged near the water's edge. Finally one day he couldn't bear it any longer and he decided to try and move it. It was quite a mission and took a few days of gradually pulling it clear of the water and then squeezing and rolling it till it was finally light enough for him to dispose of. What a man!!

As I am reading through the book of 2nd Kings right now and the story of good king Joash who began his reign at the age of 6 under the watchful eye of Jehoiada the priest, I was taken by these verses above. It is interesting to me that Jehoiada did not advise that these shrines be taken away. We don't know the reason but even so, they were obviously displeasing to the Lord. Perhaps Jehoiada had a mind to compromise just a little to keep the people happy. We don't know.

What we do know is that it is quite possible for us to follow the Lord and yet still allow things in our lives that are not entirely pleasing to Him. It may be our attitude towards our spouse or a family member, it may be dishonesty in business or paying taxes. Perhaps it is spending time with people who are not helpful to our walk with God; gossip, unforgiveness, pornography, spiritual laziness..... it could be any number of things. So why should we do a clean up?

I was watching a Youtube clip of a plane crash at an airshow with my pilot husband recently and he pointed out where the guy went wrong.... actually this 'cowboy pilot' did a lot of things wrong before he finally died. But what Col pointed out was how low and steep his angle was and that the aircraft was 'dirty'. In other words he had lots of flap hanging out which causes drag so the aircraft doesn't fly properly. This time his sloppy ways caused this pilot's death and the crew with him.

The things that we allow in our lives which are 'dirty' have the same effect in the final result as the flaps hanging out on an aircraft. They cause drag and so we lose momentum and at worst we can crash. They may not even be particularly sinful things but if they are not helpful then let's get rid of them. Paul said "All things are permissable for me but not everything is beneficial." 1 Corinthians 6:12. The writer in Hebrews exhorts us to ".....let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress." Hebrews 12:1 NLT.

It is time to find out what is holding us down, dragging us down and slowing down our spiritual progress. These things affect our functioning in the Kingdom of God and it's time to wake up and be active for God. He has gifted us and called us for such a time as this. Find out where you are supposed to fit in the Kingdom and be effective. One day we will all stand before the Lord and be called to give an account of how we have lived our lives for him. (Romans 14:12 and 1 Corinthians 3:12-15). Let's be ready for that time.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the gifts that you have given to me. Help me to clean up my life so that I can be more effective in my service to you. Help me to count each day as my last so that I will not be ashamed to stand before your judgment seat. Thank you for your grace and mercy to help me on this journey. Amen

Now is the time.... To Do Your Best

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed....
2 Timothy 2:15

Every now and again something just touches me in a way that inspires me to be more than just mediocre. This time it was watching a cellist in an orchestra play her heart out in an amazing solo item on stage. Her eyes were closed in concentration and she just went for it. We all knew that this didn't just happen, it was the culmination of years of practice and no doubt, at times, frustration and pain. But what she gave me that night was a gift that delighted my senses and inspired me to be the best that I can be.

This past weekend at our church, Olympic Gold medallist swimmer Duncan Armstrong delighted us with stories of his career including his 1988 world record win in Seoul, Korea. He spoke of weeks, months, in fact 4 years of intense training which led up to that 1 minute and 47 second swim which took him to fame overnight.

We may never be performing on a world stage of any kind, but for each of us God has a purpose, a time in history (his story) that He has purposed for us to fulfil in a way that no one else can. Not one of us knows when that time is. Some of us may have some idea about God's destiny for us but usually we do not know the timing. Ours is but to work, train and prepare and be ready for God's time. Training involves hard work, pain, dedication, time and commitment. Those who train for their passion give up their sleep, time and comfort in order to become the best that they can be.

Our life as a Christian should be our passion. We will reap a far greater reward than '10 minutes of fame' on earth. Our reward is eternal. What are we willing to endure for our passion? The apostle Paul endured great hardship and persecutions for his faith, but he looked to the future glory and so should we. Sometimes we forget our destiny in the day to day drudgery. Let us look with anticipation and let us train well for our part in God's Kingdom. In doing so we will be found well pleasing to God and maybe we will even inspire others to be the best that they can be just as that musician did for me !

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for calling me into your kingdom and preparing me for your purposes. Help me to cooperate with your Holy Spirit to train and be ready to fulfil all that you have planned for me to do. Amen

Now is the Time.... to Give Thanks

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

In Australia, May 28 has been designated National Thanksgiving Day. The idea is to send messages to people who have been a help, encouragement or blessing to you in the past year. It's not a bad idea to be reminded to be thankful to those we may otherwise take for granted and bless them back.

However God's will for us is that we maintain a thankful spirit. there are many, many scriptures which encourage the giving of thanks to God, and after all it is "in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28); every breath we take is a gift and worthy of our thanks.

People often have a problem with the idea of being thankful for everything and I can understand that. In the past I have been quick to point out that this verse in Thessalonians does say "IN everything" and not FOR everything, but as I searched for this verse I came across Ephesians 5:20 which does indeed say "giving thanks always FOR all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ". Mmmmm, I had to reconsider my thoughts and modify my 'theology' because it can be very difficult to give thanks FOR everything; so why would we do it? How do you give thanks for impossible life situations, tough times, trouble, persecution, tragedy and so on?

In Thessalonians it states clearly that thankfulness is God's will for us. His will is always for our benefit. The benefit of thankfulness is that it takes our eyes off our situation and turns them towards God - that's always beneficial for us. When we turn towards God and look into his word we find comfort, strength and hope for a future that will be better. After all doesn't his word tell us that his plans for us are to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11)? His will is to bless us; just the same as we want to bless our children and see them do well in this world. So how does that work?

I don't believe that God sends us trials to make us miserable, but he allows them to come in order to develop our character and to grow us in areas of patience, perseverance and faith; to give us life experiences in which we learn to lean on him and receive comfort from him so that we can be a comfort to others who experience similar trials (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). there is nothing like receiving encouragement from someone who knows what you are going through because they have been there themselves.

To see that God can use trials for our benefit and blessing is to enable us to give thanks in and for everything. When we can do that we are growing in trust and faith and God is pleased with us. Keep trust that the end will come, darkness will turn to dawn, mourning into dancing, weeping to joy. Relief is on its way and thanksgiving will make our burdens lighter as we trust our God.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for your promise of a future filled with hope. Thank you for your faithfulness to me which is constant in spite of my weakness. Amen

Now is the time...... To Check for Holes!

Then Moses told them, "Do not keep any [manna] overnight." But, of course, some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning. By then it was full of worms and had a terrible smell. Exodus 16:19-20

Last week I made the mistake of picking a small rose from the tub on my front deck because I really wanted a flower on the counter in front of my kitchen sink. I had been watching this little rose for a while and I noticed that some insect had been chewing at it but I thought that it would be okay - I was desperate!

The first mistake I made with this rose was that I hadn’t cared for it properly, that is, I hadn’t been diligent in spraying it to protect it from the insects. The second mistake I made was trying to use it to decorate my kitchen. Why was that you ask? Because as the bud began to open it became apparent that there was a hole right near the centre of my rose (see picture), and a mess began to appear on the counter. You see the little worm was still at work feeding on this beautiful flower and ‘recycling’ the waste. I felt a bit like Jonah when he got angry at a worm eating his shade plant!

So why am I writing about this? Because the thought that came to me is that we often have worms ‘eating at us’ and sometimes we don’t realise the mess we make, which other people then have to suffer or perhaps even clean up. If we are holey and not holy we cause a lot of problems in the body of Christ, or with family, friends and colleagues.

We need to have the courage to examine ourselves and see if there are areas that need cleaning up. There can be holes of hurt from past abuse, (verbal and emotional abuse can be just as damaging as sexual abuse). You may have holes from disappointments suffered in broken relationships or there may be bitterness, anger or unforgiveness from situations that you have either faced in the past or are facing right now. I promise you that if you do have these, they will be eating away at you just as that little (unseen) worm was eating away at my rose. You may think these things are well hidden but I can assure you that our insecurities and ‘issues’ do show up….. sometimes to everyone but us! If you are very brave you could ask a wise and trusted, loving friend to suggest any area of weakness that is obvious to them.

We need to do ourselves, (and those around us), a favour and face the worms and find healing at the cross of Jesus Christ. We can bring our ‘baggage’ and leave it with Jesus; and we need to if we are to live lives that will demonstrate the love, grace and power of God. If we refuse to deal with our stuff then our lives will be like the manna that the Israelites held onto overnight when they were told not to. We will be full of worms and have an unpleasant smell. There, I’m kind to you…. I didn’t say you would stink as the King James version says! Our lives are to be a sweet-smelling aroma of Christ to all we meet. Is yours?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me to honestly face my issues and bring them to you for healing. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Now is the time.... To Be Renewed

…….arrayed in holy garments, your vigour will be renewed each day like the morning dew. Psalm 110:3 (NLT)

There is no better time to be reminded that there is renewal of strength available to us than right now. As I write we are already into the second month of a new year that will bring new challenges.

After the Christmas holidays (which last for a few weeks here in Australia) I am finding it a little difficult to get my mind and body geared up for what is proving to be a busy and challenging first half of this year. Though not so challenging and heartbreaking as thousands of people in our land who are dealing with severe floods in the north and south and fires in the west. Many have lost everything but their lives and our heartfelt prayers go heavenward for them.

What a comfort the word of God is just when we need it; “As your days, so shall your strength be….” (Deuteronomy 33:25); “those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength;” (Isaiah 40:31); “The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;” (Psalm 28:7). There are so many passages of comfort and encouragement for us as believers to grab a hold of and walk in.

The scripture at the top of this devotional grabbed my attention late last year. The full verse reads “In that day of battle, your people will serve you willingly. Arrayed in holy garments, your vigor will be renewed each day like the morning dew.” What a promise to have. There will be battles this year, maybe not severe ones for you personally, but you will know people who face battles; sickness, loss, loneliness, fear and so on. For those times, the word of God gives us clear promises to believe. You will see that there is almost a condition here. It says “arrayed in holy garments…..” . What does that mean for us? I think it means that we put on the garment of salvation and the robe of righteousness that Jesus has given to us (Isaiah 61:10), we put on the garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3) and we put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:11). If we array ourselves in these garments the promise is that our strength will be renewed each day for whatever we face. Hallelujah!

Not only that we will be in a position to take up the challenge that Jesus gave Peter before he realised that he wasn’t as strong as he thought he was…. “But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you are converted, strengthen thy brethren.” (Luke 22:32). We need to realise that we need to walk in His strength, His power, His righteousness, His holiness. We do not rely on ourselves because without Him we are nothing. Then we can strengthen those around us.

Prayer: Jesus, my Saviour and my friend, help me to walk through this year strengthened in the knowledge that I can do nothing without you, but with you I can do all things with you. Amen