Stop and watch

God’s voice is glorious in the thunder. We can’t even imagine the greatness of his power. He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down. Then everyone stops working so they can watch his power. (Job 37:5-7)

If you have ever been in the midst of a thunderstorm, you might have just sat and listened as the drops of rain came down and the winds billowed a bit. The patter of the drops on the rooftop aren't all that threatening, but when the huge crack of thunder comes and the sky lights up with lightening, it is another thing. As a wee kid, I'd be outside playing when the winds would start, but they didn't faze me. As soon as I heard that first rumble of thunder, I bolted to the fence line and called to mom. Why? I wanted deliverance from the storm! Within a matter of minutes, mom's arms would be around me and we would be safe inside the protection of the house. The rains came, the winds blew, lightening crisscrossed the sky, and some of the louder thundering even shook the panes in the windows, but I was safe, no longer 'in the storm', but an observer of it all. 

In much the same manner, the storms of life will come, and we will call out for deliverance from the fright of it all. At first, the winds may not really faze us or change our course of action, but as the thunder begins to roll, we head for our place of safety. If that place of refuge is not in Christ, chances are we become a bit more fearful of the blustering storm than we should be. Without Christ, the storm doesn't just threaten us, it causes us to run for cover and then to fret about the outcome. As a kid, I didn't fret about the outcome of the worst of the storms because I was secure within the house and mom was there with me. As a child of God, I don't fret the worst of life's storms because I am secure in his presence and under his watchful care no matter how big the 'bluster' might become. How about you? Do you have that place of safety where you can just 'stop everything and watch his power'? 

Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds? Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill? (vs 15-16) We don't know how God moves as much as we know he is with us. We don't understand all he uses to control the storm, but we sense his movement even when we don't see any hope of it passing. He exercises such perfection and skill at navigating us through the storm, giving us peace in that place of refuge we find in him, and he allows us to simply observe his action on our behalf. We don't have to understand all that is happening around us - good, bad, or a mix of both. We just need to know who it is that is in control of the storm - God. 

We might want to attempt to control it ourselves with words that aren't all that powerful, actions that aren't all the effectual, or thoughts that don't change a thing we are experiencing. The more we try to control the storm, the worse the terror of it all becomes. To know peace in the midst of chaos, one must reach up for the security of his refuge, just like a little girl reaches for the security of her momma's arms and the strength of the walls that surround her on a stormy day. We only 'feel secure' when we 'are secure' - secure to stop and watch the glory of his majesty on display in our lives. Just sayin!

A bigger hole

Thomas Fuller reminds us: "One that would have the fruit must climb the tree." I would say the one that would have the fruit must first have a good root! Without proper rooting, the tree may grow for a while, but the fruit will be lacking. The tree will not withstand the winds that actually challenge its footing.

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7)

Fuller also reminds us it is possible to miss the mark simply by aiming too high or too low. Where is your aim today? At what (or may I ask at whom) are you aiming? If you are to have deep roots, you must aid them in growth. 

I have planted trees in my hard Arizona soil. Before I could sink those trees deep into the harder soil, they had to take root in rich, easily tended soil. They had to be grown, well-rooted, with roots ready to make their way in this hard soil.

I had to prepare the soil - digging a much bigger hole than the tree roots required right now. Then I added all manner of nutrients and rich mulch to the hole. Why? To give the roots the greatest chance to take hold. 

God does much the same with us. He lets us take root in 'safety' and 'security', then as he 'transplants' us into the place where we will one day flourish and bear fruit, he does so with absolute care to ensure our 'roots' grow deep and our footing is sure.

You may feel like being 'transplanted' is scary, but chances are when God is ready to bring forth great fruit in your life, it will require a 'bigger hole' for those roots to take hold! Just sayin!

Mounting a good defense begins here

I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, the perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic. (Psalm 27:4-5)

It is not always a certainty that we find 'comfort' in the place where we dwell. Sometimes our place of dwelling is far from 'comfortable' because of who else dwells there, or the events that transpire within that dwelling. A dwelling is meant to be more than a place of 'living' - it is a space for each of us to decompress, replenish ourselves, and prepare for whatever comes next in our lives. If our 'physical dwelling' is far from perfect, we can be assured of one thing - our 'spiritual dwelling' is one place we can find all these things.

The only quiet, secure place in a crazy, mixed up world is at the feet of Jesus. It is indeed the place where we can decompress because he allows us to express exactly what we are feeling, what it is that is weighing us down, and whatever it is we have encountered in our day that we just need to let go of for a while. It isn't a physical place, but the beauty of this place is that it can be found anywhere and at any time! It is indeed a 'secure' place - removed from everything else that causes us to feel unprotected, unguarded, and not defended. 

Damage awaits us in other dwelling places - defenses are hard to maintain on our own. We are not immune unless something creates that immunity within us. Isn't that the purpose of vaccines - they introduce enough of a 'stimulant' to cause our immune system to mount a defense and be prepared to ward off the disease should we encounter it ever again. We are not immune to the enemy's attacks against us if we are trying to maintain our defenses on our own - we haven't 'mounted our defenses' enough to ward off the assault. We need the defenses God provides and those are only found as we come into the place of his dwelling. Just sayin!

Kept from stumbling

Ever begin a day proclaiming God's grace and end it assured he has displayed his grace time and time again throughout that very day? I have and I know that it was God who set things right in that day, not me! It makes me want to 'repay' what I have received so generously, but there is not way to 'repay' God for his grace! The only thing we can do is to be grateful and strengthen our resolve to live obediently to all he commands.

What can I give back to God for the blessings he's poured out on me? I'll lift high the cup of salvation—a toast to God! I'll pray in the name of God; I'll complete what I promised God I'd do, and I'll do it together with his people. When they arrive at the gates of death, God welcomes those who love him. Oh, God, here I am, your servant, your faithful servant: set me free for your service! I'm ready to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice and pray in the name of God. I'll complete what I promised God I'd do, and I'll do it in company with his people, in the place of worship, in God's house, in Jerusalem, God's city. Hallelujah! (Psalm 116:12-19)

Lift high the cup of salvation! In other words, we need to put the grace of God on display in our lives. Be a living testimony of the deliverance of God. In so doing, we proclaim the greatness of God's love and the faithfulness of his provision. Pray in the name of God. That may seem like a "given" to you, but in the times these words were written by our psalmist the nation was surrounded by all kinds of false gods. Religions abounded, giving "choice" to man as to who deserved the "glory and honor" for what had occurred in their day. There were gods for the seasons, gods for fertility, gods for the weather, and even gods of war. To the psalmist - there is but ONE God - and to him he will pray! Today, we are afforded a whole lot of "other" sources for what occurs. We have the god of Wall Street to blame or thank for our financial status. We have the god of media to fashion our thoughts and frame our ways of acting. You name it, we've got a 'god' for it! It is the intention of the psalmist's heart to have no other God before his one true God! It should be the intention of our hearts, as well.

Complete what we promise God we will do - and do it alongside your brothers and sisters in the Lord. Our commitment to God should be "lived out" in our regular and ordinary daily life. In the moment of truth, will we step up to what we promised God we'd do? In our comfort, we seldom remember the promises we make in the times of our greatest distress. Whenever we make a promise (a vow), we are committing to a set course of conduct. We need to follow-up on that commitment - and we will not do it alone - we have our brothers and sisters alongside in the journey. When we are weak in our fulfillment of our vows, perhaps we'd do well to simply invite another to stand alongside as we take the steps toward faithfulness that we have promised! That relationship of another can go along way toward helping us be faithful! Desire to be of service to God. The outcome of our soul's deliverance is that we should desire to be of service to the one who has done so much in redeeming us and keeping us safe along the way. There is nothing more rewarding to God than to see his children lifting hands in praise to him. The heartfelt worship of our Lord stirs his heart as we lift him high in exultation. We connect with God through heartfelt worship.

We often forget the many blessings of our God. That is one reason that I journal my studies and why I share what God does through the written word we share in this blog. God has done much to transform this sinful soul and he deserves the honor due his name! Man cannot "repay" God for the many blessings in his life, but he can give two things in return: his heart and his commitment to fulfill his vows. The heart connects him with God - the desire to fulfill the vows he has made is a direct result of his gratitude toward his Lord. These next words suggest that we can be at peace and our soul can be at rest. This is not because of what we have done, but because of the faithfulness of what God continually does! Let this be our prayer of both meditation and praise on this day. See if it doesn't change your perspective a little today to "relax and rest" by remembering that it is God who is in control, who delivers, and who sets all things right! Just sayin!

I said to myself, "Relax and rest. God has showered you with blessings. Soul, you've been rescued from death; Eye, you've been rescued from tears; And you, Foot, were kept from stumbling."

Get fixed!

David spends a good deal of time in the Psalms addressing his enemies, those he considers to be his close friends, and even himself.  He is proclaiming his position in God - impregnable, immovable, solid.  When one finds that they are mobile - they are capable of being moved - changeable in mood, appearance, or purpose. When one is immobile - there is a fixed position in mind - incapable of being moved or not moving at all. The 'position' we find ourselves in at this moment, and even the next, will determine how well we are either moving according to plan, or immovable by the plans of those intent on changing God's plans for our lives!

God, the one and only— I'll wait as long as he says. Everything I need comes from him, so why not? He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, an impregnable castle: I'm set for life. (Psalm 62:1-2 MSG)

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2 NIV)

David was surrounded by enemies - the battle was totally ON for him.  Though surrounded on all sides, he declares that he is fixed on God and will not be moved as a result.  Sometimes the afflictions in our lives become so much like huge weights that serve the purpose of pulling us down, getting us bogged down and kind of immovable.  When we see them through the eyes of Jesus, we realize that they are meant to help us dig deeper into Christ, not to crush us or bury us alive in the mire of the pit - they are meant to help us keep moving, not to bog us down.

When affliction comes, we have many responses - one of the most common being that of fear.  Fear is an open door for Satan, the adversary of our soul and spirit, to enter.  Fear demonstrates a lack of confidence in our source of inner stability - we are admitting that we have the capacity of being moved or shaken. If we are grounded in Christ, why does fear enter in at all?  It comes because we have some forces at work in our life that want to make us believe that what we believe in, who we believe in, and the very foundation that provides in our lives is somehow faulty or unreliable.

Satan is constantly working to move upon our lives in an attempt to get us to DO wrong - he wants us saying wrong things, thinking wrong thoughts, demonstrating wrong actions.  He knows that if he can do this, he takes us out of step with God.  He places us on ground that is less secure and our movement in a forward direction is impaired.  If he gets us moving ahead of God's timing, or lagging behind when God is asking us to move forward, he gets us in a place where we are no longer on solid ground. Sin in our own lives affects our solid foundation - tempting us to move in ways that are not honoring to God. Whenever things like envy, anger, bitterness, revenge, lust or greed become the focus in our lives, we are on shaky ground.  These things pull us down faster than we realize.  We also have temptations that seek to destroy or damage our foothold that are more subtle, not always noticed for the effect they have. Things like wrong types of friendships, pressures to conform to a peer group's values, or the pressure mounted by the media to conform to the societal values of the time are also placing this undue pressure on us to question our position in Christ.

There are some key points in our passage that we need to latch onto in order to avoid the pitfalls that make us movable, less "fixed" in our position in Christ.  First, our soul MUST find rest in God and no other source.  When there is rest, there is a purposeful cessation of activity - we stop trying to do what God has already done for us in the work of salvation.  Second, we must come to a place where we trust him at ALL times.  Trust is a total, unwavering reliance in his character, ability, and strength in our lives - we become dependent on him, not ourselves.  Third, we must pour out our heart and soul to him.  God desires intimate communion with his children - allowing all that is within (even our fears) to be expressed freely in his presence.  Last, but certainly not least, we must find God as our REFUGE.  He is the shelter we need - the escape and protection from danger we long for.  He should be our resort in times of difficulty, just as he is to be our enjoyment in times of great joy. Get FIXED on God.  Get FIXED in God.  Then let God get FIXED in you.  You will find great safety, strength, and assurance in that foothold. Who knows...maybe we will finally get "FIXED" from all that brokenness that we have been carrying for such a long time! Just sayin!