Perfect Peace

Which came first—the chicken or the egg???  For the next two days this week we’ll talk about faith and trust.  Which comes first or do they go together?  I’m going to let you decide.  Many people use these two words interchangeably and in some cases that is perfectly fine, but in other scenarios, there is a slight difference in meaning.  Here we go…

Defining faith.  Faith has an object.  Faith is based on convictions for which we may not necessarily have proof.  A friend who lives hundreds of miles away calls you and tells you a story about an experience he had.  Will you believe him?  If he is a trustworthy person and you have no reason to doubt that his story is true, you will most likely not even think about whether to believe him or not.  You have faith that even though you weren’t there that what he said is true. 

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for
and assurance about what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1, NIV

An old standby illustration for faith is sitting in a chair by faith that it is going to hold you up.  But you also have to act on that faith by sitting in the chair and trusting that you won’t fall to the ground when you sit down.

Defining trust.  Trust is the object in which confidence is placed.  The dictionary defines trust as firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.  Who or what are you trusting in? 

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
But we will remember and trust
in the name of the Lord our God.”
Psalm 20:7, AMP

When you go out to purchase a new vehicle, do you just look at one, admire its color or shape, and give a thumbs up for the gas mileage?  Then go in and sign the paperwork?  Whoa!  Not me!  I sit in the car, get in and out a few times to see how easy it is to access, check out the features, and most importantly turn the ignition and take it for a test drive.  Just as I don’t take face value but test out my tentative purchase, in this verse above I believe that the Psalmist is saying that while some people think their chariots and horses are going to help them win the battles, he and his men remembered what God had done for them in the past and would trust God to win their battles for them. 

Preface.  We cannot trust someone we don’t know.  Trust needs to be backed by proof.  Blindly trusting strangers is never a good idea.  Trusting people does not come naturally to me.  I am always hesitant and stay my distance until I get to know someone.  Our relationship with Jesus starts out the same way.  We need to learn about Him, get to know Him better, and as time goes on we trust Him more and more.  The best part is He never changes.  He’s not like cranky Uncle Joe one day and like caring Mr. Smith the next.  He’s the same today (eternity present) as He was yesterday (eternity past) and will be tomorrow (eternity future).

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
and to day, and for ever.”
Hebrews 13:8, KJV

In a day of changing values, broken promises, and lost laws, it is comforting to know that we can have faith in and trust Someone who never changes.

Proof.  When someone has come through for us in the past, we trust them to do so again in the future.  I’ve had both good and bad experiences with customer service in different businesses.  When they’ve helped me before, I tend to trust them to help me again, but if it was a frustrating, time-consuming effort, and the outcome was not as I’d hoped, I tend to not trust them again.  Jesus knew there would be people who would not have faith in Him and would not trust Him even after His death and resurrection.  So He appeared to people after His death as proof that He was alive and that everything He said was true.

“To these He also presented Himself
alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs,
appearing to them over a period of forty days and
speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.”
Acts 1:3, NASB

I have this little quirk, if you will.  If anyone says something can’t be done, I immediately think to myself, I’ll show you.  I’ll prove it can be done.  I am a bit of a problem solver and like to dig in and find a way to solve a problem.  Some of that comes from my younger years being told a certain thing couldn’t be done but I knew different and found a way.  Faith and trust are like that.  Like the saying The proof is in the pudding, but you have to taste it and experience it.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, show me the way of faith and help me trust You for everything in life. Thank You that You are my one “true north”, unchangeable, and forever the same.

• 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 (W), pain (T), and struggles (F-S), rejoicing (Palm Sunday), Trials (M-T-W), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Silent Saturday
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

There are some positive aspects of anxiety and that’s what I’m going to write about today.  Anxiety appears when your mind, body and soul are out of balance; it’s your spirit’s way of speaking to you and helping you to sort out what’s going on.  If you’re anxious today, chill out, and allow God to apply His soothing balm of peace as you read today’s post.

Motivation.  When my dog was young, he needed things to keep him occupied so I got him one of those toys that holds treats.  It was too easy for him and he had it emptied in no time and then ignored the empty toy. ☹ I need motivation, too, sometimes to get me moving.  Rewarding myself with a piece of candy, a good book, or something tangible can motivate me to go take that walk, get exercise in, or whatever it is that I really don’t feel like doing.  Motivation can also work to help reduce anxiety.  You may be facing a problem that has you anxious and on edge, but it may also be the very reason to motivate you to look for a solution.  Don’t let anxiety weigh you down and keep you from moving forward.  Let it be a motivator to look for answers.

“Whom have I in Heaven but You?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.”
Psalm 73:25-26, NIV

Where does your motivation come from?  It usually comes from within yourself but can come from external sources as well such as a friend or something you read or heard.  This Psalm portion says the reason or motivation for life—whether it’s anxiety, failure, loss, or something else—comes from God.  No matter what happens to us or around us, our anchor, our hope, our desire, our strength needs to be in Jesus.

Cautiousness.  When people get anxious about something, they usually do one of two things.  Either they throw caution to the wind and act out carelessly OR they are extra cautious to protect themselves.  Being careless is not helpful in any situation, but being cautious and protecting yourself is a good thing, especially when experiencing anxiety. 

“The wise are cautious and avoid danger;
fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.”
Proverbs 14:16, NLT

In Daniel 1:8-17, we learn that Daniel did not make any decisions immediately.  He may have been anxious and certainly cautious, not knowing what would happen to him and his friends if they chose to not eat the king’s food.  But he prayed and reasoned with his attendants, and God gave favor with the attendants and the king.  I think what we can learn from Daniel is to not make any snap decisions, especially in the midst of anxiety, and think things through cautiously.

State of mind.  In the midst of anxiety, the state of mind can play tricks on you.  When the Disciples were out on the sea and the storm came up, Jesus came to them on the water but they thought He was a ghost.  They were anxious about the storm and didn’t think about the fact that Jesus could walk on water.  Perhaps they didn’t realize that before that time or in their anxiety they momentarily forgot.  That was something they learned through this time of anxiety.

“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and,
beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.
“You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Matthew 14:30-31, NIV

Doubt plays a big part in our anxiety because of our state of mind.  Even though we know the truth of a situation, fear and anxiety distort it and play on our minds.  Peter is a perfect example.  He was walking along on the water to Jesus just fine until he looked down and saw the waves.  I imagine his thoughts went something like this:  Oh my, what am I doing?  I can’t walk on water.  I’ll drown.  What was I thinking asking Jesus to bid me come?!  He was second guessing himself and doubting that Jesus would see him safely back to the boat.  But no matter the doubts, he learned a lesson that day. 

I can’t remember if read this quote a long time ago that has stuck with me or if it was my own thoughts, but I’ve written it inside the front cover of my Bible.  “Jesus has power over my restless thoughts.  He can rebuke the storm in my soul and still its raging waters.”  There’s no time when restless thoughts are more prevalent than in the midst of anxiety.  Look for the good things that can come out of the situation causing the anxiety, and allow Jesus to calm the storm.

For the next two days this week we’ll talk about faith and trust.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, thank You for being right here with me, calming me, and showing me the path to take when my vision dims and I’m tired and ready to give up. You alone have the power and strength that I need in the midst of my anxiety.

• 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 (W), pain (T), and struggles (F-S), rejoicing (Palm Sunday), Trials (M-T-W), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Silent Saturday
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

Anxiety most often has a negative connotation and viewed as a bad characteristic.  Today we’ll look at the negative side, and tomorrow we’ll look at some positive aspects of anxiety.

We’ve all heard about body language and what some of it shows to others.  It is said that if a person crosses their arms, it is telling others that you are closed off, don’t want to hear what they have to say, and are shutting them out.  Personally I feel very comfortable crossing my arms and legs but ever since I heard about what that portrays to others, I’m self-conscious about doing that in public.  Let it be known that if I do that to you, that is not the case.  It’s just a comfortable position for me, especially if I’m cold.  I think the rest of the body language such as facial expression can either confirm or negate that posture.  I can cross my arms but be smiling.  The body language of this baby bunny hiding in my flower garden told me it was afraid and hoping not to be discovered and removed from its nest.

Worry.  Will we have enough money to last through retirement?  Can we provide for our family?  What happens if banks go under… the stock market plunges… STOP!  God created the world.  He is our provider and protector.  These are only two of His names.   He has taken care of me and I trust Him to continue taking care of me all the days of my life and into eternity.  So why worry about tomorrow?  It doesn’t help.  Besides, there’s enough to do today.  Whatever God brings into our lives tomorrow will also be met by His loving care and provision.  Sure I’m concerned about these things just like everyone else, but I do not let it worry me or lose sleep over it.  God’s got it and there’s no better hands it could be in than His.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will bring its own worries.
Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Matthew 6:34, NLT

Uncertainty.  That is certainly an all-inclusive word for today, isn’t it?  Our world is full of chaos, war, famine, natural disasters, and other negative events that can destroy our sense of peace.  These times of uncertainty make us anxious.  What kinds of uncertainties send you into a spiral?  A pending storm?  Politics?  A lawsuit?  When those uncertainties pop up and shake their fists at you, remember that God gets the final say.  Nothing gets by Him before it gets to us.  God tells us we don’t have to be afraid of what’s going to happen.  He has it all under control.

“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night;
nor for the arrow that flieth by day.”
Psalm 91:5, KJV

Doubt.  Oh ye of little faith, right?  That is the response given by many people to an expression of doubt or uncertainty.  It is meant to help us realize that we don’t have as much faith as we thought we did.  If we did, we wouldn’t be doubting and anxious.  Way back in Genesis even Sarah lacked faith and doubted when it came to being told she was going to have a baby at her old age.  Nothing is too hard for my God, but if I see something through my own eyes instead of through His, it would be easy to give in to doubts.  I’ve seen God provide in so many ways.  One time I remember getting a check in the mail for a story I wrote and I needed it to take my son to the doctor that day.  The next time a check came, I jokingly said, OK, what do I need it for this time?  Sometimes God provides in advance, and sometimes after the fact, but nonetheless He does provide.

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?
I will return to you at the appointed time next year,
and Sarah will have a son.”
Genesis 18:14, NIV

Anxiety.  Anxiety can be a bigger problem that affects people’s lives physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  I am in no way diminishing that.  I’ve known people who would get so anxious that they would end up in a panic attack.  If you or someone you know deals with this kind of anxiety, please seek help from a pastor, doctor, or counselor.  God’s peace can be yours as you work through issues that cause your anxiety. 

Tomorrow we’ll continue to talk about anxiety—the kind that is helpful and good.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, as I face uncertain times, things that worry me, make me doubt, and cause anxiety, please help me to hold onto You and trust You to lead me through it to the other side.

• 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 (W), pain (T), and struggles (F-S), rejoicing (Palm Sunday), Trials (M-T-W), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Silent Saturday
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

Most if not all people have to wait for something or someone at some point in their lives.  Thinking about people in the Bible, who might stick out to you as someone who had to wait and how long?  You might say the Israelites wondering for 40 years in the wilderness, waiting to arrive in the Promised Land, and you’d be correct—that definitely was a long wait.  Maybe you said Martha and Mary as they waited for Jesus to come and heal their brother Lazarus—Jesus waited three days before going to them.  Then there was the whole scenario at the well when Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman—then He waited for her to go to the city and return.  Have I whet your appetite?  Grab your Bible and go searching for others who waited.

“So they took away the stone.
Then Jesus looked up and said,
“Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
I knew that you always hear me,
but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,
that they may believe that you sent me.”
John 11:41-42, NIV

Purpose.  What can we learn from those who waited?  Let’s take the wondering Israelites first.  Why did they have to wait to enter the Promised Land?  Well, we see they complained (We do that, too, right?  Look out!), argued (Us, too?), disobeyed (gulp), and eventually God had enough and caused them to wonder for 40 years until that generation died out.  What was God’s purpose with that?  We don’t know the total mind of God, but it looks like He wanted to clean house of all the bad attitudes and actions before they arrived in the Promised Land.  Sometimes our time of waiting is also to make sure we are on the right track and free of sin before He shows us the next step.

A friend and I had climbed a mountain trail and almost got lost because we came upon a meadow of tall grass and didn’t see where the path went from there.  When we first found where the trail picked up again, it looked like it was straight down and we both looked at each other, not sure if we wanted to try it or go back the way we came which had its own challenges.  We were running out of time so I finally started down to see how it was and quickly discovered that it zig-zagged back and forth going down the mountain and wasn’t that bad except for loose gravel that made it easy to lose footing.  I waited for my friend to catch up with me and we traversed the trail downward together.

The obvious delay in the story of Lazarus was so that Jesus could perform the miracle of resurrection.  If Jesus had merely healed Lazarus, the people would have only thought of Jesus as a healer.  Jesus had a plan, and His plan could only be completed if Lazarus had died.  The resurrection of Lazarus from the dead was a much bigger deal that got people’s attention. 

The woman at the well listened to Jesus who was waiting for His disciples to return with food.  After speaking with her, Jesus could have disappeared as at other times, but He waited.  Why?  Besides waiting for the return of His disciples, I think He was waiting to see what she would do with what she heard.  Would she go back and tell the others what happened and Who she met?  Then would she return with them to the well?

Preparation.  We have mentioned some things we can do during waiting times that will help the time to be productive, but now let’s look at some of the ways that God can use times of waiting.  Preparation is a big one.  We may not be ready for the next step in His plan for us and so we find ourselves still waiting.  Pray and prepare for what God might be showing you or where you think the next step might be leading you.  If we pray and prepare, it will get us a lot further along than wasting the time on insignificant things.

Pressure.  Don’t strive to do things your own way.  Don’t put pressure on God to hurry things along.  Forcing things to happen often boomerangs and fails.  It’s kind of like shaking up a soda bottle and then trying to open it without fizz going all over everything.  On the other hand a certain amount of pressure is sometimes helpful like putting pressure on a wound that is bleeding.  It stops the bleeding from getting worse.  Use a good kind of pressure called prayer!

Prayer.  Don’t give up praying when you don’t see answers.  Pray faithfully by bringing your request to God, but let the response to Him.  He knows better than any suggestion we could give Him what the best answer is.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about the anxiety that comes along with waiting.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, show me how to best make use of my time of waiting until You bring the answer to my prayers.

• 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 (W), pain (T), and struggles (F-S), rejoicing (Palm Sunday), Trials (M-T-W), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Silent Saturday
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

My cat has always been an indoor only cat.  When I had a house, there was a screened-in porch she could go out on and we both loved to be out there.  But when I moved into an apartment, we didn’t have that luxury.  So she would sit on the windowsill when I went out on the deck, watching me, and waiting for me to come inside to her.  She didn’t think it was fair that I could go outside but she couldn’t…a matter of perspective.  LOL

Yesterday we talked about some things we wait for in this life.  Today we’ll refocus on waiting from God’s perspective.  His timeline isn’t the same as ours (see 2 Peter 3:8–9).  Waiting is difficult and not our favorite thing to do, but it is a necessary part of God’s plan.  Let’s take a look.

Wait on the Lord.

“Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
Psalm 27:14, NLT

When you’re waiting for someone to get ready to go somewhere, what is the usual prompt?  Hurry up!  Waiting on the Lord involves a patient, confident trust, and sometimes bravery and courage.  It can’t be hurried.  It’s easier to wait when it’s quiet and comfortable and we have someone to keep us company, but that isn’t always the case. 

As I sat alone last week too sick to get up and go to the store for meds, I reminded myself it could be worse, and that I needed to wait until someone could help me.  I must admit, though, that at other times I’m saying Lord, could You please move a little faster on my request?!  As I said, patience is not one of my best qualities, but I constantly work on it and reign it in when needed.

Wait on God to act.

“Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.”
Psalm 37:7, NLT

We get impatient and frustrated when we see wrongdoing and people getting away with it.  But justice will prevail.  We just need to wait and let God work out the details.  Don’t worry!  He won’t let evil prosper forever.  David often wrote and reminded God that he was being chased for no fault of his own at times, and that his enemies were catching up with him.  God told him to be still and let Him take care of things.  He tells us that, too.  If we push ahead and try to speed up the process, God might very well put the brakes on and delay our answers even further.  God doesn’t do this out of vengeance or to be cruel, but if we try to get our answer too quickly, it may not be best for us.

Wait for answered prayer.

“I was patient while I waited for the Lord.
He turned to me and heard my cry for help.”
Psalm 40:1, NiRV

How long do you wait after you pray before you expect an answer?  God hears us as soon as we pray but sometimes delays His answers.  If you expect an instant answer and don’t get it, don’t give up.  I read a quote one time that I’ve never forgotten.  Don’t give up praying.  You never know when your answer might be just around the corner.  If your answer is around the corner, you won’t see it from afar if there are buildings or other things in the path, but when you get to the corner and look, it might be there waiting for you if you don’t give up.  God’s timing is always best.

Wait for Jesus’ return.

“Dear brothers and sisters,
be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return.
Consider the farmers who patiently wait
for the rains in the fall and in the spring.
They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.
You, too, must be patient.
Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.”
James 5:7–8, NLT

Just as today, in the early church there were many who were persecuted and martyred and they were anxious for the Lord to come back again quickly and save them from the pain and torture they found themselves in.  This world is a mess even more so today, and I often pray, Lord Jesus, please come quickly.  James uses farmers as an example here.  They wait for rain and the right conditions for their crops to grow.  So we need to be patient and wait for the Lord’s return.  He has a lot to do before He returns and the timing and conditions must not be ready yet or He would have already returned.

Tomorrow we’ll transition to talking about the anxiety that comes along with waiting.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, as I wait on You, help me to learn the lessons You are trying to teach me in the waiting. Help me look for the promises and blessings that come with waiting on 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 (W), pain (T), and struggles (F-S), rejoicing (Palm Sunday), Trials (M-T-W), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Silent Saturday
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

There’s excitement in waiting when it’s waiting for something that you know is definitely going to happen, like waiting for visitors to arrive or a party to begin or a special day to arrive.

Waiting.  If anyone out there actually likes to WAIT for anything, do share!  Most of us do not like waiting in this day of instant gratification.  I’m certainly no exception.  I often say that I feel like my life is in a holding pattern like airplanes waiting to get permission to land at an airport. 

What are some things we wait for in life?

• A date
• Engagement
• Marriage
• Children
• Graduation
• Jobs
• Empty nest
• Retirement
• Grandchildren

What about the daily things we wait for?

• The coffeemaker
• Water to boil
• Supper to get done
• Time to leave for school or work
• Time to go home
• Traffic!!!
• Lines at the store or gas station
• Someone to come home
• Bedtime
• A special event

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.”
Lamentations 3:25, NASB

While waiting.  What do you do while waiting?  It depends what time of day, what or who you’re waiting for, what comes next, and a whole plethora of other specific reasons you are waiting.  No matter the reason for waiting, I try to make good use of the time. 

Before having a smartphone with a Kindle app, I use to kick myself for forgetting to take along a book when I was going somewhere like the doctor’s office where I’d have to sit and wait.  Sorry, doctors, but you have that reputation of being late according to the scheduled time you would have us arrive…our time is just as important as yours!  Then I’d get aggravated because I was wasting time that I could have been reading or doing something important.  When you are a mother who works full time, free time is precious.  Now I never have that problem because there’s always a number of things at my fingertips to keep me occupied and redeem the time.

On my previous blog, I wrote a post about being on hold—probably my least favorite form of waiting.  In that post I suggested some ways of making use of the time while you’re on hold with that tech support person.  You can use that as a springboard for coming up with your own ideas of how to make best use of other waiting times. 

Testing our patience.  Waiting for anything or anyone is definitely a test of patience.  But if we never had to wait, there would be a lot of blessings and lessons in life that we would miss because we’re always on the go.  I remember one year when I sprained my ankle on a Sunday afternoon and ended up spending several hours in the ER, totally missing a cantata I had spent weeks practicing with the choir to sing.  I obviously was not a happy camper about missing the opportunity to sing, but the Lord had a much more important job for me to do that day.  A young family was also in the ER with a sick child and I had an opportunity to talk with them while we all waited.  On the way out, the husband leaned over to me and thanked me for encouraging his wife who was upset about the child’s sickness. 

All of life involves waiting. We wait at traffic lights, get caught in traffic jams, wait for test results. We look forward to a long-awaited vacation.  We wait to finish a project, make a new friend, or open ourselves up to see what God has for us.  We need to use the waiting in our lives to grow spiritually. Why does God make you wait and how is He speaking to you in those waiting times when nothing seems to be happening?

Nothing happening.  That’s exactly the problem with waiting.  Nothing is happening.  If it was, it wouldn’t be waiting.  So waiting is a down time and we should take that time to slow down, take a breath, and look around.  If that short stop at the traffic light is the only chance in your day to look up into the sky and marvel at the sun and clouds or moon and stars, then take it!  Every moment in time was given us by our Creator and He wants us to enjoy it.

Lent is a time of waiting.  Advent and Lent are both seasons of waiting.  A special day is coming and we anticipate the arrival of that day for 4 weeks during Advent and 6 weeks during Lent.  I hope you’ve been using this time of waiting during the Lent season to spend extra time with the Lord and prepare for the special time of celebration just days before His life appears to be over but then an even greater day of celebration takes place.  Stick around to the end for the celebration on Easter.

Tomorrow we’ll continue to talk about waiting.

PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, You know that patience which waiting requires is not my strong point, so I ask that You help me to make better use of the time You’ve given me in this life.

• 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 (W), pain (T), and struggles (F-S), rejoicing (Palm Sunday), Trials (M-T-W), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Silent Saturday
• Easter – resurrection and salvation

“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