Category: Easter/Lent Page 3 of 6

“This is love: not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
I John 4:10, NIV

My cat thinks she’s queen of the household and lets me know in no uncertain terms any time of day or night.  If she wants attention, I hear about it, and she doesn’t give up until she gets it.  If she’s out of food, I have to refill her dish so she quiets down.  She has her favorite places to take naps and doesn’t give up easily when I try to move her.  If she’s asleep and I need peace and quiet, I sacrifice my favorite chair for a different one, but other times I let her know who’s boss and make her move so I can sit in my chair.

Sacrificial.  To sacrifice is to give up something that’s important or precious to you for the sake of something or someone else.  God is definitely a sacrificial person because He gave His own Son’s life for mine.  Jesus is also definitely a sacrificial person because He was the One giving His life. 

I often hear parents say they sacrificed a lot to put their kids through college, for example.  Business owners have said they sacrificed a lot of time and money to get their business off the ground or stabilized.  Can you think of something you’ve sacrificed for the sake of another?  Does it even come close to what Jesus sacrificed for us?

Offering.  For us to be sacrificial in our giving, we need to offer ourselves wholeheartedly, living for Him with every part of our being just as He did for us.  Jesus gave His LIFE!  How much more sacrificial and offertory can that be?  This reminds us that Jesus died for our sins and that God loved us so much that He sent Christ for us.

Example.  Jesus often taught about things we can learn from sheep and shepherds.  The shepherd would lay down his life for the sheep in his care.  He sacrificed comfort, sleep, safety, and sometimes his life to care for the flock that was entrusted to him.  Jesus told us He was the Good Shepherd and was willing to sacrifice His life for His sheep. 

Symbol.  The cross has become the symbol within the Christian faith which represents the sacrificial love of God.  The next time you look at a cross, don’t just see its shape nor just think about the fact that Someone died on that cross.  Meditate on the fact that the cross is symbolic of the biggest sacrifice anyone could ever make for another.

One time.  In the Old Testament animal sacrifices were made over and over to atone for their sins, but that was before Jesus came.  “So also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people.” (Hebrews 9:28, NLT)  “The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.  If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.” (Hebrews 10:1b-2, NLT)

Greater love.  “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13, KJV)  This is the best example of sacrificial love.  Would you be willing to give your life for another?  I’ve heard of many examples where soldiers risked their own lives to save their friends or the men in their charge, or teachers who wanted to protect the students entrusted to their care, or adults who risked their own lives to rescue another’s child from drowning, and on and on the stories go.  Do you have that kind of sacrificial love that will prompt you to take risks, put yourself in harm’s way, or step up to the plate for another?

Next we turn to the subjects of waiting, anxiety, and trust next week.  I’ll have lots to share on those topics which I hope will be helpful and encouraging.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, give me the love, the selflessness, and the courage to stand up and act as needed for the good of others. Thank You for the example of Your sacrificial love.

• Week 1 – temptation
• Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
• Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
• Week 4 – God’s love for us
• Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
• Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles

“Praise be to the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and
the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles,
so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
II Corinthians 1:3-4

It was so long ago that I don’t remember all the circumstances of this picture which I forgot I had until I was looking through my photos.  I was babysitting for a friend and I think he was crying about something and snuggled up to my dog.  My dog turned and rested his chin on the boy’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.  That’s what God does to us.  There’s a signed artist painting on a plate hanging in my den that I’ve treasured for many years.  It’s a picture by Frances Hook of Jesus and little children.  The part that I especially find comforting is that He is holding a child on His shoulder with His arms wrapped around the child.  That’s my God!  He not only looks at me and talks to me, but He enfolds me in His love and comfort and holds me close. 

God of all comfort.  God is not only the creator of the world, but He also created all our emotions and understands each one.  God is the source of all comfort and when I need comfort and there’s no one around to comfort me, I know I can reach out to Him and He will envelop me in His loving, comforting arms.  A friend who was like a second father to me was a big strong man, and when he gave a hug, it was a huge bear hug that almost crushed me.  That’s the kind of comforting hug I picture from Jesus—one that you felt and couldn’t miss, not some wimpy hug from a fragile older person.

Pass it on.  Jesus gives the best comfort for each situation whether it’s in joy or sadness, pain or trouble.  Jesus had received comfort from His Father and was passing it on to others which is what we are to do as well.  I can’t begin to tell you how many times something has happened in my life that later on I was able to turn around and use to help someone else in the same situation.  Here are a few examples from Jesus’ life how He comforted others:

• In John 11 when His friend Lazarus died, He went to be with Martha and Mary to comfort them in their sorrow and cried with them.
• All Jesus had to do in John 20 to comfort Mary at the empty tomb was call her name and she recognized His voice and was comforted.
• The Disciples were comforted by Jesus when He told them in John 14 that He would not leave them alone, but would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.
• Matthew 5 in the Sermon on the Mount tells us that Jesus said those who mourn will be comforted.
• Jesus brought comfort to many people and their families when healing was granted.

Comforting others.  How can we comfort others?  I know from experience, it’s more about what you don’t say than what you do say.  Telling someone platitudes like it will get better or they’re in a better place will NOT help someone who is grieving.  Just listen to them and offer to be there without telling stories of when something similar happened to you.  There’s time for that later.  Yes, there’s a reason this happened, but now is not the time to speculate what the reason could be.  At my Mom’s funeral, the most helpful thing anyone did for me was her brother/my uncle who I was close to just holding me while I cried without saying a word.  In the weeks following the funeral, he would call me just to chat which I appreciated so much.

Perfect peace.  Here we are full circle back to God’s perfect peace again.  His comfort brings us the peace that only He can give.  His comfort is the conduit that allows His perfect peace to flow in and through us.  When we seek comfort from others, I believe it is the peace that we are really looking for.  When we receive that comfort, we relax and can feel that calming, perfect peace permeate our being.

Tomorrow we’ll discuss one more characteristic of God’s love for us as we close out this Lent week before we head into a new week.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit as my Comforter when You left this earth. Please use me to be a comforter for others who need Your presence known in their lives.

• Week 1 – temptation
• Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
• Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
• Week 4 – God’s love for us
• Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
• Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”
Jeremiah 31:3, NASB

God’s love is eternal.  It started in eternity past and continues into eternity future.  Eternity has no beginning and no end and neither does God.  I’m not into scientific explanations nor understanding of ones, but I know there is a scientific explanation for an eternal flame.  (You can do your own research on that. 😊)  A flame is widely accepted as a symbol of eternal life so I’m sure there is a huge connection there.  According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, “the meaning of ETERNAL FLAME is a small fire that is kept burning as a symbol to show that something will never end.”  God’s love is eternal and will never end.  It is something that cannot be seen with the naked eye like the flame of a fire, but it is just as real.

Unconditional.  He loves us with an everlasting love that is unconditional.  It’s not just any old love like the love we have for chocolate or sports or music.  Those kinds of love fade away and die eventually, but God’s love never fades and never dies.  Human love sometimes puts limits and requirements on whether they will love a certain person or not, but God’s love is unconditional.

God has loved us since the beginning of the world.  He loved us when He made Adam and Eve and gave them and us a world fashioned by His hands, full of everything we need for life—food, clothing, shelter.  He loves us throughout life and never stops loving us which is why God sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.  It was the only way that we could be set free from our sin.  God cannot tolerate sin and He wants us to spend eternity with Him, so He provided for the payment of our sin through His Son.

Endures.  God’s love is everlasting because it endures man’s tests and attempts to snuff out its purposes and eternity.  It’s not a flimsy, spineless thing that can be squashed, killed, blown out, thrown out, buried, nor stolen.  God’s love is firm, steady, sure, and totally different from the world’s definition of love.  Man’s love often fluctuates, is fickle, dies, gives up, and is short-lived.  How different from God’s love!  God’s love is a faithful love that cannot waiver due to our unfaithfulness!  He will always love us no matter what we do, but cannot let us into Heaven unless we have settled our account with Him.  God kept loving His people in the Old Testament no matter how many times they turned against Him, disobeyed, or walked away.  He’s there for us, too.

Secure.  God’s love is secure in that it is and always has been His choice to protect, keep and eternally bless those who are in Christ Jesus.  Security is a very important aspect for most of us in today’s world.  We want to know and feel that we are safe where we live, work, shop, attend church, etc.  Knowing that God’s love is secure brings a great measure of comfort for us, knowing that His love will always be there for us no matter what.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39

No separation.  Do you remember the first time you and your parent OR you and your child got separated in a crowd?  Panic probably set in, not knowing where the other person was nor if/when you would see them again.  Absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God.  He always has His eyes on us and knows right where we are and watches out for us.  The verse above lists all kinds of things that could separate us from other people but none of that can ever separate us from God and His love.  He has overcome all of that and made sure that none of it stands in the way of His love for us.

Another characteristic of God’s love for us coming up in the next post.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, thank You that Your love is eternal, that I don’t have to worry about it disappearing or ending. Thank You for Your love for me and Your provision of Your only Son that made eternal life possible for all who come to You.

• Week 1 – temptation
• Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
• Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
• Week 4 – God’s love for us
• Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
• Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

“When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.”
Isaiah 43:2, NLT

God’s love is ever present.  No matter where we go or what happens to us, God is ever present with us, even in pain, suffering, and loss.   A thunderstorm isn’t one of my favorite things, but hurricane and tornado alerts are definitely NOT what I want to see flash across my cell phone.  Especially when I lived in a mobile home, tornado watches and warnings put me on high alert.  With no basement to go to and knowing that a mobile home could be destroyed in minutes, it was always a tense time for me.  Even later living in an apartment building didn’t offer much more protection or comfort because there was still no place to honker down during a bad storm.  The comfort comes in knowing that God is always present with me no matter what I’m going through.

After one particular storm, a resultant hurricane having passed through, I carefully started inspecting the outside of my home and property.  When I got to the front, I was so thankful that a downed pine tree went the direction it did.  Had it toppled the other way, it would have crushed my little car and caused damage.  As it fell, nothing was damaged.  I believe God guided that tree carefully to the ground.  Obviously it doesn’t happen that way for everyone in every storm of life, but when it does, we can rejoice with Isaiah knowing that God is with us in the midst of the storm.

Deep waters.  What are your deep waters?  A mountain of debt with seemingly no way of digging out from under it?  God sees it and will provide in His time in His way.  Is it a difficult family situation that’s been going on far too long and is pulling everyone down?  God sees and knows all about it.  Hang in there and let Him teach you through it.  I know that’s hard to hear because I’ve been there, but the lessons I’ve learned were worth it.  Maybe you’ve been looking for a job and found none.  Keep looking and praying.  As long as you have a roof over your head, food on the table, and clothing to wear, thank Him for what you have AND for what He’s going to give you in the way of a new job.

I read a quote on Pinterest, but I don’t know who said it:  “God sometimes takes us into troubled waters not to drown us but to cleanse us.”  That’s something to think about as you contemplate your own deep waters.  What are God’s reasons for taking us through deep waters?

Rivers of difficulty.  Aren’t we all familiar with the saying when it rains, it pours?!  Rain is what causes rivers to overflow.  One problem after another is what causes rivers of difficulty that we think we’ll never be able to cross.  It takes time to build a boat.  The bigger the river, the bigger the boat needed, and the more time it takes.

What did Jesus say to the storm when His disciples were out on the boat?  PEACE BE STILL!  If there had been no storm, the disciples wouldn’t have been afraid.  If there wasn’t a storm in progress that was threatening their safety, they wouldn’t have needed a rescue.  If it had already been still and calm, Jesus wouldn’t have been able to display His power and rescuing miracle on a storm-tossed sea.

Fire of oppression.  Commentaries tell us that God is telling the Jewish people (who were in captivity in Babylon) that He will be with them in troubling times, helping them through them, giving them the strength to move beyond them, and delivering them out of danger without harm.  Christians around the world today are experiencing the fires of oppression from other religions and armies and people who oppose them.  But be assured:  No one ever gets away with any sin! 

Flames will not consume.  Your deep waters, difficulty, or oppression may put you in the heat of the battle, and it will get hot, but the Lord will not allow you to be burned.  I’ve always questioned that part of the verse because flames from a fire do burn, but remember, they can only burn the body but not the soul.  Satan can do everything possible to destroy a person, but he cannot destroy the soul that is anchored in Jesus.  He is ever present and will not desert us no matter how hot the battle gets. Another characteristic of God’s love for us coming up in the next post.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, keep my eyes fixed on You so they won’t be distracted by the deep waters, difficulties, oppression, and flames all around me. Thank You for protecting my soul for all eternity.

• Week 1 – temptation
• Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
• Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
• Week 4 – God’s love for us
• Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
• Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

“Be kind and helpful to one another,
tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding],
forgiving one another [readily and freely],
just as God in Christ also forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32, AMP

God’s love is compassionate.  God knows what we need when we need it.  I was away from home and missing my cat so when I entered the guest room, I had to smile to see this huge stuffed bear sitting next to the bed.  As I sat on the bed reading, I didn’t realize it was starting to tip over towards me.  The next thing I knew it was leaning against me as if to comfort me.  That made me smile and made my day!

Tenderhearted.  The word compassionate has many synonyms or words that mean the same thing.  Tenderhearted is one of them which is defined as having a kind and gentle spirit.  A person with a tender heart will quickly and freely be evident when they see a need that they can meet.  They are sensitive to the heart and emotions of other people and come alongside them gently so as not to cause them more hurt, but instead bring them the love and comfort of Jesus.

Caring and Concerned.  Compassionate people are ones who care about people and are concerned for their well-being.  They not only say they are concerned, but show it with their words and actions.  Jesus had compassion for all kinds of people—the sick, the disabled, those who were hungry, the outcasts of society, and the oppressed.  If He had compassion on people with those descriptors, surely He has compassion for you and I as well.  His compassion is unconditional and complete.  There was and is no end to His compassion for all of creation (including our pets).  His care and concern prompted Him to act—feeding, healing, comforting, encouraging, and lifting up the fallen.

Understanding.  Jesus understands us better than any other person can or ever will.  He knows things we humans don’t and can better assess our whole situation.  Some people say they understand, but really they don’t if they’ve never been in your shoes.  Others who have had similar situations in life do understand to a point.  But No One Understands Like Jesus…listen to this great old hymn that has always comforted me when I had moments when I felt like no one cared about me.

Sympathetic and Empathetic.  These two words are related and yet different, but with Jesus, they’re one and the same.  Sympathy has a pity aspect to it while empathy displays our understanding and compassion.  A quote on the internet best describes it:  “Empathy is our ability to understand how someone feels while sympathy is our relief in not having the same problems.”  Which do you lean more towards when you see or learn of another in trouble or in a tough situation?  I believe Jesus leaned more towards empathy.

Showing.  “To be compassionate is to feel deeply for another person as they experience the ups and downs associated with life. To be compassionate is to not just tell someone that you care, but also to show them that you care by being there before they even ask for it.” says Brenna Smith in a composition.  It’s easy to show someone we care when life is good and we’re on the same page, but what about when our friend goes down a path they should never be on or walks away and lets us clueless as to what happened.  Be there for them regardless what happens.

Forgiving.  We’ve talked about forgiveness in this Lent series, so just to remind us, in this verse forgiving freely and readily is part of being compassionate.  Without forgiveness, compassion doesn’t hold water, so to speak.  God forgave and still forgives us, and so we need to forgive others if we are going to be compassionate as He is.  How can one show compassion to someone they haven’t forgiven?  I’d like to see that!

What will you do?  Now that you have a slightly broader view of compassion, what will you do with it?  There are tons of individuals and groups of people in this world who need tenderhearted, caring, concerned, understanding, sympathy, empathy, and forgiving compassion demonstrated for them.  Take a few moments and think about how you could demonstrate compassion to those you come in contact with and even those you don’t know.  There are many organizations who deliver medical, physical, mental, and emotional care to those in need.  Could you go and help?  Or could you support one of these organizations? 

Are you compassionate?  Do you want people to be compassionate to you?  It works both ways.

Another characteristic of God’s love for us coming up in the next post.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, You are so compassionate and show me a great example to follow. Help me to be willing to step out and show that compassion to others.

• Week 1 –temptation
• Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
• Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
• Week 4 – God’s love for us
• Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
• Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

“Because of the Lord’s great love
we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV

God’s love is merciful.  Mama rabbit was merciful to her baby bunnies.  She burrowed a hole through the ground and underneath a window well against our church’s basement.  She wanted to protect them from other animals that would prey on them because she loves them.

What is mercy?  One article I read calls it “God’s patience in action.”  I like that definition.  I think of patience as stillness, like being patient while waiting for your turn at the store or the doctor’s office.  But this definition indicates patience as an action.  God in His mercy gives us what we don’t deserve.

What does mercy look like?  God’s mercy is evident in salvation, forgiveness, protection, provision, warnings, conviction, discipline, calling, worship, transformation, and in so many other ways.  Remember, mercy shows up when we least deserve it. 

What do we deserve?  We are sinful people through and through.  Even the best of us is still sinful at times.  For me, it’s usually the things I think and sometimes let slip out—not horrible bad things, but thoughts that if certain people knew what I was thinking, they would be surprised.  I deserve God’s judgement and chastisement, but He is a loving, compassionate, and merciful God who listens to my heart and hears my confession when those thoughts come.

Is it too late?  It’s never too late to go to God as long as we have life and breath in us.  The writer of Lamentations tells us that we are not consumed.  When I think of being consumed, one picture is of a fire consuming everything in its path, gone, destroyed, blackened, never to come back to life again.  But there is another picture of being consumed.  Many people are consumed with worry, debt, and all kinds of temporal things that we were never meant to be consumed with.  Why not?  God’s love never fails.  He won’t fail us in our time of need.

Jeremiah, the writer of Lamentations, experienced God’s faithfulness firsthand.  God tells His people over and over again that if they don’t obey, punishment will follow.  But God also promises future restoration and blessing when we repent.  Jeremiah knew that his God would keep His promises because He is faithful.

When do we need mercy?  This verse was the favorite of a good friend of mine, and he’d quote it almost every time I saw him.  We need God’s mercy every single day, no exception.  Do you know the best part?  His mercy is not like yesterday’s stale bread.  It is new every morning!  There’s nothing like fresh homemade bread slathered with creamy butter and if you’re predisposed to sweet things, a little jelly or jam.  God’s mercy is like that, fresh and new every day.  He doesn’t remember what happened yesterday once it’s forgiven or that He already gave us mercy.  He gives us more mercy fresh from His stockpile in Heaven, and He doesn’t just give us a small scoop—He shovels it onto us!

He is faithful!  My absolute favorite hymn is Great is Thy Faithfulness and has been for many, many years!  God is faithful in so many ways.  Think today about how He has been faithful to you as you click on the link and listen to the hymn.  He has never abandoned me.   He loves me.  He forgives me.  He protects me.  He provides for me.  …just to name a few.  Can you say the same?  What would your list of ways God has been faithful to you look like?  Let a comment so we can rejoice together in God’s mercy and faithfulness.

Another new day.  I am so thankful to have a fresh new day every morning.  Sometimes when I go to bed at night I’m really tired or I’ve had a frustrating day or know I’m going to be busy the next day.  Arising to a fresh new day and remembering God’s new mercies for the day gives me strength to get up and get going to serve Him one more day.

In the next post we’ll talk about yet another characteristic of God’s love for us. 

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, You are so merciful to Your children and to me. I do not deserve Your love and mercy, but You give it freely. Thank You so much. I am so blessed.

• Week 1 – temptation
• Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
• Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
• Week 4 – God’s love for us
• Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
• Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-29, NIV

God’s love is gentle.  In the first part of an online version of Psychology Today, they list numerous ways that gentleness shows itself—more than I would have ever thought of on my own.  Take time to read the first part of the article for more thoughts, but I want to focus on the first one they give:  “Gentleness is seen in the handling of adversity with a calm, even-handedness.”  I believe that is the best example or description of God’s gentleness displayed for the world, especially in the Old Testament when He got exasperated with the Israelites more than once due to their lack of trust and their disobedience to Him. 

When do you need gentleness?  You might want to say all the time, but that wouldn’t be a true statement.  There are times that gentleness might not be the best thing for us.  When kids are in danger by running out into the path of a vehicle, you wouldn’t think of quietly saying now, Johnny, you shouldn’t do that.  You’d be shouting and running to grab Johnny and pull him out of the path of the vehicle.  God has to do that with us sometimes.  Gentleness is not always the best way of protecting and caring for us.

The verse above shows us when we need gentleness.  Jesus tells us to come to Him.  Who is to come?  All who are weary and burdened.  Who of us isn’t tired—from work, from play, from dealing with situations and people, from caring for others…?!  In this mixed up world, who isn’t burdened?  If not, we should be, but we don’t have to carry our burdens alone. 

I will give you rest.  Jesus tells us to come and He will give us rest.  Oh how I need rest some days more than others.  Being retired and home most of the time, I’m usually full of energy, but on those days when I am out running errands or helping someone else, I look forward to coming home, putting my feet up, and spending time with the Lord.  He gives not just the physical rest, but the emotional and spiritual rest from stress and cares of this world.  Do you need rest today?  Slow down, stop, and go to Jesus.  If you’re constantly on the go and never stop, you’re like a train that zooms on by but doesn’t stop at the station for people to get off.  Jesus wants us to get off at the station and meet with Him, but it won’t happen if we never stop long enough to do so.

When is a person gentle?  The first thing that comes to my mind is when a friend is sensitive and caring towards their friend who is hurting in some way.  It could be a physical pain, an emotional situation, stress, or loss of someone close to them.  At such times we all want someone who understands and isn’t going to belittle us or tell us things we don’t need to hear at that time (maybe later in a gentle spirit, but not in the midst of suffering or loss).  Jesus is definitely sensitive and caring.  In John 4 when Jesus spoke with the woman at the well, He did not berate her for her sin, but was sensitive and caring in His conversation with her.

A gentle person is calm and thinks rationally in the midst of life’s tragedies and day-to-day situations.  When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus in Gethsemane, He was calm and did not fight them.  He knew what He had to do and stayed focus.

Strength.  Do you think of gentleness and strength being a pair, a matching set, or complimentary to each other?  They actually are all of that.  It takes emotional strength to be gentle in the midst of a volatile situation.  It also takes gentleness to be strong for another person who is experiencing heartbreak or physical pain. 

Isaiah 41:10 has become one of my favorite go-to verses:  “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  God gives us strength and helps us.  The picture of Him holding us up with His right hand displays gentleness to me.  When I am weak, He is strong with gentleness not force.

Peacefulness.  Since this blog is called Perfect Peace, I would be remiss to not mention the fact that gentleness and peacefulness go together as well.  They are both the opposite of violence and arguments.  Jesus lived a gentle, quiet, and peaceful life.  He didn’t cause problems.  It was others who caused problems for Him.

In the next post we’ll talk about another characteristic of God’s love for us. 

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, thank You for Your gentleness of strength. Some days I need that gentleness to flow through me both for myself and so I can be that for others.

• Week 1 –temptation
• Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
• Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
• Week 4 – God’s love for us
• Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
• Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8, NASB

Do you ever feel like you’re not good enough?  Not for certain people in your life nor for yourself nor even for God for that matter?  Isaiah knew what that was like.  He knew he wasn’t perfect.  He knew he had sin in his life and he had to confess it.  He didn’t feel up to the task that God was calling him to perform.  He was afraid the people wouldn’t listen to him.  He didn’t feel worthy of the task God was putting before him.

Then Isaiah had a vision and saw the Lord and the angels high and lifted up.  Seeing this made him feel even more unworthy and not good enough.  He realized how sinful he was with no hope of measuring up to God’s holiness.  But then the Lord brought forgiveness and cleansing to Isaiah and he submitted to God.  That’s where today’s verse comes in.

Heard.  He heard the voice of the Lord speaking to him.

Message.  What was the message the Lord spoke to Isaiah?  The Lord needed someone to go and be a messenger to His people.  He asked what appears to be a rhetorical question:  Who will go for Us?  Who was “Us”?  Most likely the Trinity—God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Timing.  We don’t know how long it took Isaiah to respond, but the question and the answer are in the same verse, and I’ve always pictured it as an immediate response on Isaiah’s part.  He had the vision; then the Lord asked the question; and Isaiah was willing and anxious to go.

Level of commitment.  Most of us have a level of commitment in mind when we consent to a task.  We tell ourselves we will go so far and that’s it.  For some when things get tough, they quit.  Isaiah was not one of those.  No matter how difficult the task was that God was asking, he was willing to be God’s messenger.  He knew that God would meet his needs and he knew that he was powerless and not good enough to be worthy of God’s calling on his life on his own merit. 

Volunteer.  Isaiah didn’t hesitate to volunteer for the messenger position the Lord posted on the prayer board.  He said, “Here am I. Send me!”  Are you and I just as willing to raise our hand and volunteer?  It may be to help in children’s ministry, lead a missions trip, clean the building, visit sick and shut-ins, or folding the bulletins.  You may not be qualified for the task, but God qualifies the called.  If He has called you, He will provide what is needed to complete the task.  You never have to worry if you are enough.  With God, you are always enough because His strength will support you, and He is always enough.

Follow.  All we need to do is follow Him wherever He leads us.  He will never leave us nor forsake us.  He will be our strength, our encouragement, our guide.  He will provide for our needs.

Results.  Isaiah soon learned that the people would listen but their hearts would not change.  God’s patience with His rebellious people was about exhausted.  Isaiah must have wondered, why even bother?!  There’s always a few people who don’t follow the crowd, and so there were some people who did repent and change, though the majority did not at that time.  They were like some of us.  We have to get down to the last penny, the last straw, the last glimpse of hope before we turn to God and give our problems and lives to Him.

Waiting.  God is waiting with open arms to receive His children.  Become like a child and go running into His arms.

In the next post we’ll begin talking about God’s love for us.  We’ve already talked about love during Valentine’s Day week, but here we’ll talk more about what God’s love for us is like—its characteristics.  Stay tuned as we begin the fourth week of the season of Lent.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, as I listen for Your voice and respond, give me the desire, strength, and willingness to take the first step and then the next and the next as I follow where You are sending me.

• Week 1 – temptation
• Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
• Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
• Week 4 – God’s love for us
• Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
• Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

“And the Lord came, and stood,
and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel.
Then Samuel answered,
Speak; for thy servant heareth.”
I Samuel 3:10, KJV

I Samuel 3:1-10 is a familiar story about the time Samuel was being called by the Lord.  At first Samuel didn’t realize it was the Lord calling him.  He thought it was Eli so he went to see what he wanted, but Eli said he didn’t call him.  This happened three times.  Finally Eli realized the Lord must have been calling Samuel and told him to answer Speak, for thy servant heareth”.

Surroundings.  Take a look at the entire chapter of I Samuel 3.  What were the surroundings like for Samuel when he heard the voice?  Our surroundings have bearing (and influence) on what we are hearing.

• Temple.  Verse 3 tells us that Samuel was living and serving in the temple.  The temple (or church) is a good place where God is likely to speak to someone.
• Lamp.  Verse 3 also tells us that the Lamp of God lit the temple.  Jesus is the Light of the World so a lamp could be symbolic of God speaking to us, but be careful because Satan can make any light look like the Light to trick us.
• Bed.  Again in verse 3, we also learn that Samuel had laid down to sleep.  So there must have been a bed or a mat for him to sleep on.  God sometimes speaks through dreams while we’re sleeping or in stillness while we are lying down resting.
• Distance.  In verse 5 we see that Samuel ran to Eli, so there must have been a significant distance between the places they each slept.  Samuel thought he heard Eli calling to him and since Eli was very old and Samuel was there to serve, he ran to Eli to see what he needed.

Action.  The verse says the Lord came and stood.  Remember we talked about how standing precedes action and prepares us to be on the move.  The Lord was standing because He had an important message for Samuel and ultimately for Eli and his sons, and He wanted to make sure it was heard and carried out.  The Lord spoke to Samuel which is also action.

Sometimes siblings like to play tricks on each other and say mom (or dad) is calling you so they go find the parent and knew they’d been tricked when the parent said they didn’t call for them.  This was no trick for Samuel.  The Lord was really calling Samuel.

Repetition.  You know what they say about remembering a new name, right?  Repeating the name a couple of times will help you remember it.  The first time Samuel heard the voice, he thought it was Eli, so he went to him, but Eli told him he didn’t call him.  The second time Samuel heard the voice, he again thought it was Eli, but it wasn’t.  The third time Eli caught on that it was the Lord calling Samuel and told him to say Speak; for thy servant heareth.  Sometimes we don’t recognize God’s voice the first time or think it’s Him but we’re not sure.  So God is gracious and repeats Himself until we hear Him.

Acknowledge.  Once you hear God’s voice, you must decide if you’re going to acknowledge it.  Have you ever had this conversation?  The trash needs to go out.  A period of time goes by so you repeat it, The trash needs to go out.  Still no response.  So you say, Did you hear what I said?  The trash needs to go out.  The person you were talking to did not acknowledge what you said to them.  No doubt they heard you but didn’t chose to acknowledge it, listen to the statement, nor respond with the appropriate action.

When Samuel heard the voice, he responded immediately and went to Eli the three times, and then responded to the Lord.  When you hear God’s voice telling you to do something, will you acknowledge it and take appropriate action?  If you keep hearing the same voice telling you the same thing over and over, it’s likely God is trying to get your attention.  If you also hear it from other people and places, it could be a confirmation that the Lord is speaking to you.  Listen closely, confirm it against God’s Word, pray about it, and pay attention for further instructions.

Obedience.  The timing of obedience is different for different situations.  There are times when the act of obedience doesn’t have a specific time as long as it’s completed such as visiting a shut-in.  Other times it is time sensitive or even an urgent matter perhaps akin to a sickness or emergency situation.  Obedience could even include planning and preparation such as prior to going on a missions trip or changing jobs or moving.  So obedience may look a little different in each of those situations, but obedience is required nonetheless.

In the next post we’ll learn about Isaiah’s response to God.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, please give me a discerning ear to know for sure that it is You speaking to me so that I may respond to what I hear.

• Week 1 – temptation
• Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
• Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
• Week 4 – God’s love for us
• Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
• Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

“Look! I stand at the door and knock.
If you hear my voice and open the door,
I will come in,
and we will share a meal together as friends.”
Revelation 3:20, NLT

I don’t know about you, but I get excited when someone knocks or rings my doorbell!  That means someone has come to see me, and if they are family or friends, they are always welcome.  I love to visit, share a meal or a snack, play games, and just enjoy each other’s company.

Posture.  How is your posture?  When you’re sitting, do you slouch or sit up straight?  When standing, are your shoulders bent over with the weight of the world or are your shoulders squared back with confidence in the Lord?  In this verse Jesus is the one talking and He says He is standing.  When we’re sitting, if we want to take a step, we have to stand first which requires action.  Standing indicates that we are ready to move.  Jesus was ready to move, knocking, and ready to step through the door when it opened.

Action.  Jesus stands at the heart’s door and is ready to raise His hand to knock.  I have one friend who never rings the doorbell but always knocks, so I know by that simple action who it is at my door.  I had some relatives who never knocked nor rang the doorbell; they just walked right in.  They could do that because there was a doorknob and they had a key.

One day I noticed some salesmen canvassing my neighborhood and I wasn’t interested in what they had to sell.  So I locked my storm door and closed all the curtains so they couldn’t look in to see if anyone was home.  I’m glad I did because they knocked, but when I didn’t answer, they jiggled the door. 

Jesus can’t walk right in like my relatives nor force His way in like the salesmen were attempting to do.  Why?  Because for one, He’s a gentleman and doesn’t force anyone to do anything.  He wants our love and commitment willingly.  Second, there is no handle on the door to our heart.  It must be opened from the inside.

Response.  When a person hears Him knocking at their heart’s door, they must respond to let Him in just like we must open the door for a guest when our door is locked.  Just as I did not respond to the salesmen jiggling my door, many people do not respond to Jesus when He knocks or tries to get their attention.  He wants us to come to Him of our own accord.  We need to open the door wide and let Him into our heart so He can do His work in us.  If you shoo Him away, He will go away sad that you didn’t allow Him in.

Jesus doesn’t just knock at the door.  He also calls out to you by name.  He wants you to hear His voice so you’ll know it is Him.  Do you recognize it?

Invitation.  Jesus invites us to have a relationship with Him, but you need to RSVP to that invitation with your own invitation to come in.  When a guest comes to your door, do you invite them inside and keep them at the door, or do you invite them into the living room or the kitchen?  If you stand just inside the door and don’t move any further, it would be like saying, OK, you can come in, but only this far.  But if you invite them into your living area, you are saying, you’re welcome to make yourself at home here.  Let me put on some coffee and let’s talk and share.

Sharing.  Jesus tells us in this verse that when we invite Him in, we can share a meal together as friends.  It’s so much nicer to eat with someone than it is eating alone.  Even if I am the one cooking, it’s still fun to have someone eat with me and enjoy my service.  If I am invited to go out or to someone’s home, it’s even better because I can relax and enjoy the fellowship without the work.

Hearing.  It all starts with hearing the knock at the door.  If we ignore that knock we heard and the voice that calls out to us, and don’t respond by opening the door, we will not have the fellowship with the Lord that is so necessary for our spiritual lives.  Do you hear?  Are you listening?  Then have you responded?

In the next post we’ll learn what Samuel did when he heard a voice.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, when I hear Your voice, give me Your strength to be willing to answer Your call and do what You ask.

• Week 1 – temptation
• Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
• Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
• Week 4 – God’s love for us
• Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
• Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
• Easter – resurrection and salvation