Hope

On Wings Like Eagles

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

The image conjured by Isaiah 40:31 is of one rising always rising, caught in the wind of the Holy Spirit, fearless, courageous and trusting. When I see the people of Newtown, Conn. standing firmly with their sisters and brothers as they heal day-by-day, moment-by-moment I see God at work. When I walk into a store and see collection boxes giving me the opportunity to help out in some way with the recovery efforts in Oklahoma following the brutal forces of nature, I am lifted up. When I hear tolerance spoken in word and deed I am changed. I read somewhere that scary events do happen, that is a fact of life. Fear is a choice. We can let circumstances defeat us or make us stronger. I choose this day to soar like an eagle, to run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint lifted and sustained by the Holy Spirit, God with us.

Faith

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Life's little surprises

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 

Trying to make sense of life is a waste of time. Really. Who knows when a sinkhole will open up and swallow you? That is not a defeatist outlook; it’s a realistic view of life. You do not know from one minute to the next when that crest of success, power and self-satisfaction will drop right out from under you. Maybe you’ll survive it; probably you will, but not without a few bruises along the way. That’s when faith comes in. You no longer have what you had before, but you have something new, different, unexpected and sometimes in your mind unmanageable. That’s when God does his best work. It’s not like you can make a list of what you want God to do. He has his own list and it’s way better than yours. Trust. Have faith, not that you will get your way, but that God has a way ahead.

Lord, in all ways help me to be steadfast in faith. I trust you because I know I cannot trust myself to always do the right thing for the right reasons. Amen  

God With Us

Challenged

Joshua 1:9 – Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

What is your challenge today? There will be one, probably several. What will your attitude be, one of despair or one of faith? Will you bemoan every trouble and cry over every slight, or will you give it up to God and allow his Spirit to get you through whatever the crisis might be? It is normal to slide into panic when life surprises you in negative ways, but it is not in your best interest to stay there. Panic overload causes us to make decisions we regret, say things we can never take back, and generally keeps us in a state of uncertainty bordering on fear. God is present in the moment. He can find us, even when we can’t seem to find him. His promise is to never leave us come what may. I don’t see anywhere in that promise that life will be easy, but that He will be with us, giving us strength, sharing – and sometimes fully bearing – our burdens, and giving us hope. Each day brings opportunity, and yes, challenges. The challenges create opportunities to get closer to God and to each other, and often prove to be the very thing that leads us to understanding and enrichment.

Witness

Bold faith

The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. Psalm 118:14

My relationship with God is individual. My response to that relationship tells the story of who I am in that relationship. If I am a bold witness, I have a bold relationship. If I am a timid witness, well it’s pretty clear how I regard God’s power and it is not a pretty sight. I fall into that category way too often. Yes, I’m a strong believer, but I don’t want to make other people uncomfortable so I’ll keep that to myself. Or I have serious issues within my family, and yes, I know God is at work, but really doesn’t He expect me to solve my own problems (read “their” problems) and not be a whiney cat? Bold faith isn’t about sitting on a log and waiting for God to provide you sustenance; it’s about knowing he gives you the wit and wisdom to make the most of who you are. Look at the last three words ­– who YOU are. We get into trouble when we start thinking it’s our job to fix everyone else. 

God's Love

God so loved the world...

God is a jealous God. God is a wrathful God. God is a loving God. God is God. When I was a child the idea of God was frightening to me. I saw Him as a bearded guy who could stomp his foot and shake the universe. A Spirit so all-encompassing I couldn’t take in His magnitude and it scared me to think some One knew everything about me. The story in Genesis about the flood is a reminder that God did run out of patience and stomp his foot. Only Noah and his family were spared. How much of this story can be put into an historical context? What can we learn from this horrific event? Is it that God so loved the world He wanted to purge it of selfish behavior and destructive choices? In time He would take a different approach to alter the course of human affairs. God so loved the world that He gave His son that we might be saved. A babe in a manger. A man on a Cross. Christ arisen. Grace unlimited.

Trust

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Stronger than you think

 In Genesis 37 we read the story of family treachery. The coat of many colors was tainted with blood. Jacob was convinced it was the blood of his beloved son, Joseph. Though much loved by his father Joseph was resented by his brothers. Relationships sink or swim on as little as this. None of the family could predict what God could and would do with this act of betrayal. The story is a reminder of how important it is to be absolutely certain God’s plan is greater and more intricately connected to end results than anything we can do. Trust in the Lord. Be strong under fire. Make the most of who you are. God has promised to be with you, even when those around you sell you out, life hands you bitter gall instead of ambrosia, health fails, and trouble bubbles. You are stronger than you think, not because of who you are, but because of who God is.

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This message of inspiration will also appear in the One-February issue of Happenstance, a digital magazine available by subscription. For a look at past issues go to http://issuu.com/vandermeerbooks. Your comments will be appreciated.