Broken, but not forsaken

I heard a sermon on Sunday night that reminded us that a lot of times before we go into a season of being given out to be used by the Lord we go through a season of being broken, like bread.

I keep thinking about that, and what I love about God is that during that time when we are broken, He doesn’t allow us to be broken into crumbs and spread out in such a way that we cannot be whole again.  If we are like bread, He continues to hold the 2 pieces in His 2 capable hands the entire time, ensuring that we are well and cared-for, never alone, or truly crumbled; and we are never crushed!  Sometimes we feel that way, but all the while, He is holding us.  We are in his hands.  We are safe, and when it passes, He will use that time of brokenness as a way for us to minster to the people in our lives.

He never lets go!

“He makes me whole again, steering me off worn, hard paths to roads where truth and righteousness echo His name.”  Ps. 23:3

You are held,

jamie

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“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”  Heb. 10:25

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.  In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.  For an angel went down at a certain time in to the pool and stirred up the water then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.  Now a certain man was there had an infirmity thirty-eight years.  When Jesus saw him lying there, an knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”  The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”  Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.”  John 5:2-8

The man had no one to put him in the water.  And yet he was there.  He was present in the place where the miracles happened.

I recently heard about a woman who was avoiding her church because she is going through a hard time in her life right now and when she goes to church it makes her cry.  I’ve felt that way before.  Sometimes, when times are the toughest, we feel the most like avoiding the house of God.

Friends, it is during those tough times, that we need to be in the house of God the most.  We need to show up and be present in the place of miracles.  We cannot expect a breakthrough if we avoid the place where they happen.  We cannot get the peace that passes understanding if we do not seek out the Peace Giver.  The shadow of death will loom so much larger on the outside, but when we enter into God’s presence, we find Him with us.  His rod and His staff ever ready to comfort us.  His green pastures and restoration of the soul can only be found where He is.

We may cry when we get in church.  It’s ok.  Church is not a place for perfect people.  It is a place for the broken.  Like this infirmed man, when we show up at the place where there is healing, restoration, deliverance, comfort, then there are emotions we will naturally go through.  But when we hear the Lord tell us to, “Rise, take up our bed, and walk,” it will be so worth it!

Go to church.  Cry if you must, but Go!  Seek the Lord.  Seek your miracle.  Just show up and do not give up.  God will meet you there.

Thankful I showed up,

jamie

The King of mercy

Pr. 20:8:  “A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his eyes.”  

Obviously not all kings are or have been the same.  The character of the king would certainly determine his judgments.

This verse brings to mind my current situation.  From my seat on the couch, where I have positioned myself while my leg heals, I can see a lot of different things.

This morning, as the sun has been streaming so beautifully through the door, I can see every speck of dust on my floor.  I can see things outside that need to be taken care of.  I can see dvd’s out of place, things in the floor that don’t belong, and decorations positioned in ways I don’t prefer.

I certainly have the option to use my seat as a place of corrupt judgment, tyrannically demanding that every little thing be exactly to my specifications and liking.  However, I also have the option of using wise judgment and understanding, ruling out what is truly imperative and what is not.

When we make judgments based on self-interests alone, we are doing an injustice to those around us.  When we count everything as “evil,” then nothing truly is.  We must wisely discriminate which infringements require us to rule in a negative way and which do not.

It’s amazing that The Lord, our God, sits on a throne of grace where we are offered mercy time after time.  God sees into our hearts.  He may see things out of place, He may notice specks of dirt or brokenness, but He rightly judges.

God does not look on us through eyes of anger, but through eyes of love.  He does not rule in His own self-interest, but in ours.  He  sent His own Son to take our punishment, offering us reward through accepting that sacrifice.  He even offers help anytime we ask.

What a mighty a God we truly serve!  God cannot tolerate sin, but He can see into our hearts, and when we are truly broken before Him, grace through the blood of Jesus covers and frees us.

God isn’t sitting around looking for the debris or disorganization in our lives so that He can judge us harshly.  Our King, is gazing lovingly at those who choose to call Him Father, with arms outstretched, grace and mercy pouring from His throne.

Yes, those who do not turn from Him will be judged, as well, but it is not His desire.  His character is proven by His love.  His judgments are pure and we can trust in Him.

Considerately,

jamie

 

 

Will He direct our paths?

Pr. 3:6:  “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Like we talked about yesterday, how can we know that God makes the path clear for us?  The Bible tells us so.  There are countless scriptures that tell us this and I am listing a few today so that our confidence can be in this truth.

Isaiah 30:21:  “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Isaiah 48:17:  Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.”

Psalm 25:8-10:  “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way, the humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way.  All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.”

Psalm 32:8: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”

James 1:5:  “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Not only has the Lord given practical wisdom and direction in the Word, He has also reminded us over and over that He will direct us, teach us, and faithfully guide us.  How incredible that we have a Savior that isn’t dead and done, but is faithfully guiding us in all things!  What a privilege that we have the Holy Spirit to guide us, as it says in Isaiah 30:21, telling us which way is right.

Lord, I thank you today for Your Word that guides us.  I thank you that you have never given up on us, but that you continue to guide us daily.  Just as you guided the Israelites in the wilderness, your Holy Spirit guides us day by day to walk in right paths.  Lord, forgive us for the times we trudge on down the wrong paths, willfully choosing our own path, sinning against you, making a mess of things, and expecting You to clean it all up.  Lord, You are faithful, and when we cry out in our brokenness, You are there to guide us back towards You.  Your faithfulness is unimaginable and Your mercy is astonishing!  Help us to acknowledge You in our decision-making and to stay on the paths You have made straight.  Lord, in You there is freedom and life everlasting.  Give us courage to trust wholly in You, Lord.  In Jesus holy name I pray.  Amen.

Acknowledging Him,

jamie

 

How do I get a merry heart?

Pr. 17: 22:  “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”

Have you ever had a broken spirit?  I certainly have.  Last year my spirit was so broken that most days I didn’t want to get out of my bed.  As I was losing hope, everything seemed like a struggle and couldn’t see a way out.  I almost felt like I withering away.  I knew that God was the answer, but I couldn’t seem to get to Him.

Then last fall I made a choice.  To have a real relationship with someone you have to spend time with them, listen to them talk, share pieces of your self with them, and invest time and energy in to them.  My broken spirit had dried my bones to the point where I felt that I had no energy to invest in my relationship with God.  I didn’t want to get out of bed in the mornings, so I didn’t spend time with God in the mornings.  I had no joy inside, so I felt like I didn’t have enough joy to offer praise to God with my whole heart.  I didn’t have the energy to listen, so I felt like I didn’t have the energy to truly understand the Word as I was reading, and so I quit reading.

The choice I made last fall was set on fire by a statement my Pastor made from the pulpit.  He said that there are consequences to being a Christian.  For me that meant that one of the consequences to being a Christian was that I had to read the Word every day.  I still didn’t FEEL like it, but I no longer made it an option.  If God was truly the Lord of my life, then I needed to act as though He was.  So, I started.  Day by day a healing balm was being spread over my heart and my spirit.  Day by day my bones became stronger.  Day by day life was breathed back into my body and into my spirit and I became a new creation in Christ.

We know we cannot have a relationship with our spouse or our friends if we aren’t “present” in their lives.  Those relationships will suffer or possibly die away if we put nothing into them .  Our relationship with God is no different.  The Word IS God.  When we stay in the Word, God can truly sustain our lives like He cannot when we pull away.  I know this from experience.

I hope that my experience will motivate you not to leave the Word, or to make the decision to no longer allow reading the Word to be an option.  It is necessary to sustain our lives and our spirits.  Sure, we can ‘live’ without it, but not to our fullest.  The Word is the truth we need to fully function and to be our healthiest.

Praising Him with a merry heart,

jamie