madisonmorelock99

Where Are We?

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. (John 12:26)

When I read this verse, it often makes me wonder if I’m where I’m supposed to be. Jesus says that whoever serves Him must be where He is. Am I where Jesus is? Or am I somewhere else, living out my own desires?

So, I’d like to start this post by asking, Where are we, the believers?

Are we caught up in the middle of strife with those around us, forgetting that our struggle is not against flesh and blood? Are our days filled with anger, division, bitterness? Do we feel so exhausted and burnt out by our frustration with the ways others let us down?

Or maybe we’re living a life centered solely on the here and now. Are we so focused on our earthly comforts and pursuits that we forget to love others well? Do we remember that our kingdom is not of this world, that the things of this earth are but small and temporary?

Are we simply trying to make it through life unscathed? Are we concentrated on avoiding the things that are outside of our comfort zone, to the point that we leave no room to let God work in our lives?

Or are we stuck in a place of insecurity, constantly striving to prove our worth to those around us? Are we spending all of our energy simply trying to stay on top of our responsibilities, our plans, our hopes for the future, yet still falling behind?

Or are we somewhere else? Somewhere that was well-intended, but that ultimately has pulled us further from God’s will?

I have certainly found myself in each of these places, found myself losing sight of Who I serve. In John 12:26, Jesus says, “where I am, there My servant will be also”. So, this leads us to ask not only where are we? But where should we be? Jesus wants us to be where He is, but what does that mean?

Looking throughout Scripture, I’ve pinpointed just a few of the places where we see Jesus consistently place Himself.

We see Him caring for the less fortunate, extending His promise of rest and peace to the poor and the oppressed, the widows and the orphans. We see Him offering grace to those that society and religion had rejected. He tells the woman caught in adultery to Go, and sin no more and the thief on the cross Today you will be with Me in Paradise. He dines with the sinners, unashamed of the love He has for them.

We see Him serving those around Him in deep humility and grace. As the Son of God, Jesus had every right to wield His power and authority over His disciples. And yet, He humbled Himself and took a position of servanthood towards them all, washing their feet and dying for them. This great sacrifice is extended toward the rest of humanity as well; He is patient with us and offers us so much love, despite our unworthiness.

We see Him showing powerful forgiveness. In the midst of His crucifixion, He prayed for His accusers – Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And His work doesn’t end with grace. Over and over He calls His followers towards holiness – a holiness that is empowered by the forgiveness we’ve received in Him. He does not condone our sin, but instead guides us into a higher calling.

We also see Jesus spending time in the presence of God. Throughout the Gospels He consistently makes time to be alone with God, to pray and seek His will. And His constant focus is on carrying out this will; it is not pulled away by others’ misperceptions or demands, the temptations of Satan, or the agony of the cross. He doesn’t shy away from the truth, but preaches the word of God with boldness, unapologetically drawing attention to the message of the kingdom. We see Him in perfect obedience to the Father, willing to lay down His very life for the world while we were yet sinners.

So, let’s ask ourselves again, Where should we be?

We must be where the Lord was, caring for those in need as the hands and feet of Christ. We must show mercy and grace to those who are lost and wrestling with sin. We must be willing to love others with a servant’s heart – not putting our own desires above theirs, but seeking their welfare, bearing their burdens. We must forgive one another and encourage each other to live lives of holiness, empowered by God’s grace. And most of all we must spend intentional, prayerful time with God, seeking His will. We must not be carried away by the expectations of those around us, but must step confidently and obediently into the plans that God has set for us.

At the end of John 12:26, Jesus says that whoever follows and serves Him in this way will be honored by the Father. So let’s be faithful to God’s call, intentionally placing ourselves where we know that our Savior is.

Related Scripture

John 17:24

“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”

Luke 12:34

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

Matthew 7:16-20

“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.”

John 13:35

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jeremiah 17

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

The tree described in these verses, which has been planted by a stream of water, has no reason to fear when outside circumstances get difficult. Despite the drought and heat, this tree still has access to what it needs not just to survive, but to thrive. Its leaves are green and healthy, and it doesn’t stop bearing fruit.

In the same way, when we take our root in God, deriving nourishment from and relying completely on Him, we have nothing to fear. During periods of dryness and insecurity, when we’re just trying to make it through, we can still thrive. Even when growth is slow or invisible, if we place our security in God and act faithfully to Him He will certainly work in our lives, yielding fruit from our trusting obedience.

It’s important to note that the tree planted by the water does not avoid the years of heat and drought; rather, it continues to exist in a threatening environment. But because it has abundant access to water, it has no reason to wilt or to become stagnant. This is vital for us to recognize: putting our trust in God is by no means a shortcut to avoid all the pain in the world. We still live in a broken, earthly environment, and we will face hardships that threaten to overturn our peace. But, when our hope is where it should be – in the God who is our life, our nourishment, our refreshment – we have no cause for despair. The weight of our crises is nothing but a fraction of the abundant power of our God.

Seasons of drought will come, but they don’t have to shake us. I believe that God can cause us to grow in spite of, and often because of, these times of insecurity. So, we can rest assured that all we need to survive – and to thrive – is found in the hands of our God.

Related Scripture

Isaiah 41:10

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 43:1-2

“But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.”

Psalm 9:10

“And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”

Psalm 56:8-11

“You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; this I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

Psalm 112:7-8

“He will not fear evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is upheld, he will not fear, until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries.”

Nahum 1:7

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.”

Matthew 6:26-27

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”

John 16:33

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:18

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Romans 8:37-39

“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Philippians 4:6-7

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:19

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

This is the Generation that Seeks the Lord

“Who may ascend onto the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? One who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to deceit, and has not sworn deceitfully. He will receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face – even Jacob.” (Psalm 24:3-6)

I’m drawn towards this idea of being part of a generation that is completely characterized by its desperation for the Lord. This generation is not defined by its accomplishments, its personality traits, its political stance. It is defined only by how deeply it values fellowship with the Lord. And as a result, this generation is blessed with the righteousness of God.

We cannot achieve any level of holiness in our own power; it is gained through God’s grace alone. But there is one thing we must do in order to receive holiness: we must want it. We must seek God and in so doing seek the righteousness to which He calls us. In all circumstances we must look to Him for guidance, understanding, and peace. We must be willing to lay aside our own desires and take up whatever He asks of us. Instead of lifting up our souls to deceit, idolizing ourselves above Him, we must humbly offer ourselves as living sacrifices to His will (Romans 12:1). He can make our hands clean, our hearts pure. He can make us righteous, as He is our salvation.

It’s hard when I see how negatively the world often views Christians – as arrogant, uncaring, hypocritical. It’s even harder when I understand why they see us that way. So often I become frustrated with how we (myself included) present Christ to the world. With the ways we selfishly hurt those who need His love the most, or the ways we try to live by our own strength instead of His. The ways we define Christianity by manmade standards, or the ways we become so enamored by worldly pursuits. The ways we live without hope or assurance, forgetting to view life in light of the power and freedom we have in Him.

But I don’t want the Church to be seen this way any longer. I want the believers of my generation to be so full of desire for the Lord, so focused on seeking His face, that the world notices a change. What would it be like to break the cycles of sin, complacency, injustice, division, hate, and selfishness in the body of Christ? To take back the radical power that is rightfully ours in Christ, to take back our testimony from the schemes of the devil? Don’t we want to be this, the generation that seeks the Lord? I want that, and I know that God wants it even more. Let this be a reminder to us to not lose faith, to not settle for a powerless life, to not pursue worldly goals. Let us become the generation that seeks the Lord.

Related Scripture

Romans 12:1-2

“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Psalm 27:8

“When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ my heart said to You, ‘Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.’”

Deuteronomy 4:29

“But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.”

Luke 11:9-10

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.”

Jeremiah 29:13

“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Hebrews 11:6

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

2 Timothy 2:22

“Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

Ephesians 4:22-24

“that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

James 4:7-10

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

The Lord Will Provide

Earlier this week I was thinking about the ways that God provides for His people. He led the Israelites out of Egypt; He rescued Daniel from the lions’ den; He fed the five thousand.

When He called upon Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son – the son that had been promised to him – He provided a substitute in his place. At this moment, Abraham named the place where they stood The Lord will provide. Not only did God provide a substitute in this moment, but He has provided one for all of us as well. By sending His Son to die in our place, we have been set free from the death that we deserved.

All throughout Scripture we see this theme of provision; God is constantly taking care of His people. And He does the same for us today. In particular, I’ve been thinking of two distinct ways that He does so: in our weakness, and in our obedience.

Provider in our weakness

He is our provider during seasons of weakness, of suffering, of trials. In spite of whatever we face, we have a God who did not even spare His Son for our benefit; as Romans 8:31-32 says, how will the God who sacrificed His Son for us not also give us everything we need? Nothing that we face will require more of God than what He has already given to us.

When doors are closed in our lives, it can be hard to see why. When we ask God for an answer, or an opportunity, or a miracle, and He does not respond how we’d like, it’s easy to despair and feel that God has forgotten us. But if we truly believe that He knows what is best for us, then when He closes a door, directs us away from what we wanted, or does not give us what we prayed for, it’s because what He has planned is so much better than what we’re asking. He will never give us an inadequate substitute.

That isn’t to say that it will always be easy, or that we will be quick to recognize the purpose behind His plans. But we can rest assured that no matter the circumstances, our idea of how our lives should go is nothing but a shadow of the goodness that God has in store for us. And it’s not that God will always provide us with something earthly to take the place of what we lost – if, say, we lose a job that we loved, it may not be that the next week we’re offered an even better one. Sometimes, from worldly standards, things are undeniably not good, and they remain that way for some time. But those are the moments in which He provides the spiritual strength to endure. During various hard circumstances in my life, the blessing that God provided was not Him “fixing” the situation from my perspective. Instead, what He offered was the strength, the peace, and the growth that made me able to endure. And this blessing was so worth it, to the point that I wouldn’t have it any other way. There was never a time when God wasn’t working both in me and for me. So, no matter how prolonged a season of suffering, no matter the desperate nature of my circumstances, I know that I have only to wait and see what God will do.

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul spoke of having a thorn in his flesh that tormented him. He asked God to take away this hardship, and God actually said no – by our standards, that would be a huge blow. If we are living righteously and seeking God, why can’t He take away the thing that is causing us pain? But look at the outcome – instead of removing the struggle from Paul’s life, the Lord taught him what it meant to truly rely on Him for his strength. And in God’s power, Paul was able to be so much stronger with his suffering than he ever would have been without it. He goes on to rejoice, content in any circumstance because of this power working in his weakness. Thus, even when the Lord does not give us the answer that we hope for, we know that He is providing in ways we have yet to imagine.

Provider in our obedience

Just as God is our provider in our times of suffering and weakness, He is also our provider in seasons of growth and obedience. No matter what God calls us to, He is faithful to carry out the work in our lives and to make it fruitful if we let Him. 2 Corinthians 8:12 says “For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have”. In other words, if we are willing to obey God, that will be enough; God will make our offering acceptable, no matter what we bring to the table. We can never have too little for Him. Even if He calls us to something outside of our comfort zones or outside of what we view as our personal strengths, our human limits are irrelevant when God is at work. Think of the poor widow in Mark 12 – unlike those who put large offerings into the temple treasury, this woman had only two coins to present. Yet Jesus said that she donated more than the rest of them; she gave all that she had, humble as it was. And humble as our offerings are – whether of talent, or time, or money – they are more than enough in the hands of our God.

I think about God’s calling of Moses to rescue the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. He tells him to confront the Pharaoh and to lead the people from their captivity. Moses’ automatic response is to repeatedly question God’s plan. Who am I to do this? What shall I say to them about what You’ve asked me to do? What if they won’t believe me? He even goes so far as to ask God to send someone else, someone more eloquent and better prepared.

When I read this, I’m tempted to wonder how Moses could hear the voice of God calling him toward this amazing purpose and still be willing to doubt and argue with Him. And yet, how often have I done this exact thing? How many times have I felt God leading me to reach out to someone, and yet in fear of rejection or embarrassment I let the moment pass? What about the times I’ve felt God’s calling on my life and later convinced myself that I must have misunderstood, that I would never be good enough to do what He is asking of me? Even recently I caught myself thinking this. So, I suppose I’m right there with Moses, standing before a burning bush and somehow still unbelieving.

But God is not asking us to be “good enough” to carry out His will. He’s not asking us to have it all figured out, to map out every possible scenario and plan accordingly. He’s not asking us to be sure of ourselves. He is only asking us to be sure of Him. To be faithful in our response, to be obedient even without knowing the outcome. This is the God who “is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed”, the God who “will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:8,10). If He has called us to something, He will provide what we need to make it fruitful.

Let’s go back to Moses for a minute. God knew what He was doing; He knew His plan to rescue His people. Moses was called not because of his adequacy, but because of God’s. Yet due to Moses’ fear and reluctance, God allowed him to lessen his role and to use his brother as a spokesperson. I wonder what work we could have seen God do in Moses if he had not protested so much? I imagine that Moses’ insecurities and limitations would have been beautifully overcome by the power of the God he served, if he had only surrendered to the opportunity. In the same way, when we feel a calling from God but later begin to feel inadequate, let’s ask ourselves if this insecurity is from God, or from the devil. Because if it matters enough to Satan to try to disrupt our obedience and diminish our participation in God’s will, then what amazing things must be in store for us if we obey? God will never call us to something that He is not prepared to completely effect in our lives. So when we are overcome with feelings of inadequacy, we must remember that it is not by our power that we are working, but by God’s. Because of this, we can have complete security in His plans; released from our fear we are free to get excited about the work we’re going to see Him do!

In conclusion: we serve a God who provides. He provided the ultimate substitute for our sin, in the sacrifice of His perfect Son. He provides for us in our daily routines and in our life-altering crises. He provides in ways seen and unseen, recognized and hidden. He provides in our weakness and in our obedience. God is our provider in all things.

Related Scripture

2 Corinthians 8:12

“For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.”

Romans 8:31-32

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”

2 Corinthians 9:6-12

“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, ‘He scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever’. Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.”

Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:19

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:24

“Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”

Luke 18:27

“The things that are impossible with men are possible with God.”

Psalm 84:11-12

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You!”

Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

Matthew 6:25-33

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on…But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!…But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Preparation – In The Waiting

As some of you know, lately I’ve been in a kind of waiting period in my life. I went from having busy, filled-to-the-top days of school and work and social life, to slowing down and moving home, to slowing almost to a stop because of the pandemic. An outsider might conclude that I’m living the most boring, uneventful life on the planet (haha).

But that’s not the case. The last year or so has been filled-to-the-top in a very different way. I’m no longer rushing from one commitment to another, cramming as much in as I can. This year I have learned the value of rest and stillness, of obedient growth, of passion, and of intentionality.

Rest and stillness

I’ve learned that my peace and assurance is found in God alone. I’ve learned to be comfortable being still, no longer feeling the need to keep myself too busy to be alone with my insecurities. I’m making peace with my faults, not justifying them nor hiding from them. I’ve learned to be kinder to myself, to accept and prioritize my needs physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and to seek God’s power in my weakness.

Obedient growth

I’ve learned that my first goal needs to be growth – specifically, growth along the path that God has set out for me. I will simply waste my time striving to accomplish my own goals along my own timetable. The only lasting growth that I can achieve is that which is rooted in Christ and surrendered to His will. Because of this, I’ve learned the necessity of deep humility, of knowing that His ways are higher than my own. I want to be obedient, letting God’s power work in my life unhindered by fear, doubt, selfishness, or pride.

Passion

And I’ve learned that I want to be bold in my faith. To be passionate, confident, and unapologetic about what God is doing in my life. I want to be so filled with and consumed by love for God. I want my desires, my plans, and my actions to be shaped by Him, unaltered by the world or by my own temptations.

Intentionality

I’ve learned that an intentional life is what I desire. I want to be intentional in my relationships – to love others deeply, to extend mercy to them freely, and to bear their burdens. And I want to be intentional in my actions. I don’t want to look back at my life over the years and wonder why I actually chose to do what I did. I don’t want to overload myself with aimless goals that hold little meaning for my life. I don’t want to simply react to my circumstances or the expectations of others (or, for that matter, the expectations of myself). I want instead to exercise a more biblical autonomy over my life – to possess enough autonomy to take my life into my own hands and to promptly give it over to God.

The last year and a half have been an incredible blessing. If you had told me beforehand everything that would happen in the world and in my life, I would have said, Nope, I’ll pass on that, thanks though. But without this year, I would never have seen God work in the ways that He has. Even when my prayers are answered differently than I hope for, God’s grace is more than sufficient for me. He knows and longs to bless me even in (and maybe especially in) the situations that seem like anything but a blessing.

As I’ve made my way through this season, I’ve felt that God has been developing my faith for a purpose; my season of waiting has also been a season of preparation. I don’t yet know what it is that God is calling me towards. It may be that He calls me to a major, life-altering decision. More likely, He may call me simply to live in the knowledge of what He has taught me this year, to live an abundant life in Him. Maybe that’s the kind of life-altering decision God wants from me – the decision to seek Him first and to go forward, putting everything I have in His hands. Either way, I pray that He continues to prepare and equip me for what’s in store. As I anticipate moving out of this season and into a new one, I want to be intentional about maintaining a spirit of waiting on the Lord, a spirit of continually preparing myself for His will.

Lord, I am so humbled by Your faithfulness and presence in my life, and I am so excited for what You have planned for the future. Thank You for making a place for me within Your will. Help me to always hold a spirit of waiting on You, of preparing for the work You have for me to do. I commit myself to You; please do Your work in me.

Related Scripture

1 Peter 5:10

“After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

Philippians 1:6

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 2:13

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

Lamentations 3:24-25

“‘The Lord is my portion’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I have hope in Him’. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.”

Psalm 25:4-5

“Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day.”

You Know My Heart

One day a while back I was trying to spend time in prayer, but I couldn’t seem to focus. I was overwhelmed with questions, anxieties, and future plans. I had so many thoughts running through my head and was struggling to sit and rest in the presence of God. My prayers were scattered and distracted, and I was frustrated with myself for the way I was feeling.

But the phrase that kept coming to me was this: God, you know my heart. I was so tired, so unable to verbalize to God what I was feeling. All I knew was that it was just too much. But God knew my heart. I didn’t have to explain anything to Him, didn’t have to try to make Him understand. He just knew.

This thought put me at peace. I was assured that despite the chaos going on in my head, God was still able to make sense of what I was feeling. God knew the depth of my frustration, my confusion, my exhaustion. He knew that I was overwhelmed. And as I was released from the burden of having to explain myself to Him, I could simply sit in the peace that He was giving me. My time of prayer didn’t have to add to the fatigue; instead I was able to find rest in the Lord.

It feels so good to be known by someone. I’m sure we’ve all had times in which we felt that no one knew what we were going through; those moments can feel so lonely. And even in our most intimate relationships, there will always be some level of distance between ourselves and our loved ones. No one will ever know us entirely.

Except God.

He knows us – the good along with the bad – and He loves us. The darkest parts of ourselves, our sins and insecurities, do not scare Him away. And the pain, fear, and exhaustion that we feel, that can be so hard to express to others, He already knows and is already taking care of.

I feel so secure and so loved when I think about how deeply my God knows me. He is “intimately acquainted with all my ways” and He “understands my thought from afar”. He knows my heart – my anxious heart, my troubled heart, my weary heart – and I am blessed to be known and loved so deeply.

Related Scripture

Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…”

Psalm 139:1-6

“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful to me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it.”

Psalm 139:23

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts.”

1 Corinthians 13:12

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”

Go, and Sin No More

John chapter 8 contains one of the strongest, most moving depictions of God’s forgiveness. In it, the Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in the act of adultery, intending to stone her for her sin. Jesus, in an act of radical, countercultural forgiveness, replied, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her”. At this, the Pharisees walked away one by one, leaving only Jesus and the woman. He then told her, “I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more”.

Jesus’ first statement was that only one without sin had the right to condemn this woman. And yet, despite His perfect, sinless nature, He chose not to do so either. He is the only one who completely possesses the authority to condemn us for our sins, and yet He chose instead to sacrifice Himself for us, to take on the full weight of our sins, to cleanse us from them. This is the forgiveness of all forgiveness; it’s hard to even wrap my head around.

But, Jesus’s commands did not stop there. When left alone with this newly forgiven woman, He told her to go and sin no longer. He is the essence of love – hence, the magnitude of His forgiveness – and yet He is also the essence of holiness. Thus, He could not condone her sin. He commanded her to take the forgiveness that she’d been given and to make good use of it by turning away from her sin for good and living a life of righteousness. By Jesus’ overwhelming forgiveness the adulterous woman was made new, and she was empowered to go, free of shame and condemnation, and to sin no more.

The same is true for us. We are able to live as holy, sanctified creatures by the power of the freedom given to us by God. Because of His actions, we are no longer separated from God but instead are separated from the death brought on by our sin. Our spirits have been approved of by God, and our mistakes are cast aside. And this salvation is what empowers us to daily turn away from sin and to walk freely in the purified life that He has given us.

Related Scripture

John 8:1-11

“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?’ They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And He said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more’.”

Romans 6:6-7

“Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for the one who has died is freed from sin.”

Galatians 5:1

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

Satisfied

There is one statement in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount that always inspires me. In Matthew 5:6, He says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied”.

First, this verse causes me to ask myself, Do I truly hunger and thirst for righteousness? This is not just a casual, passive waiting for righteousness – it is a consuming, focused, daily desire. It reminds me to set my priorities straight, to crave and seek after righteousness as if I need it desperately – which, coincidentally, I do.

Secondly, I notice the latter part of the statement: “for they will be satisfied”. If we are truly seeking and praying for righteousness, God will not leave us empty-handed. We have this promise that we will be satisfied. Other translations read, “for they will be filled” (NIV). So, not only will God direct us to the righteousness that’s found in Him – He will cause us to be wholly, abundantly, overflowingly filled with it. There will be no room left for worldly desires. We will be truly satisfied.

This is such a good promise! How amazing would it feel to know that our desires are aligned with God’s, that we are filled with the very essence of His character? If we truly crave this, He will not withhold it from us. So let’s listen to this verse and be motivated to hunger and thirst for righteousness; we know that if we do, we will be satisfied.

Related Scripture

Matthew 5:6

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”

Matthew 7:7

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

O Taste And See

Today I want to write about my favorite passage in Scripture. Psalm 34 is rich, lovely, and powerful. So I’ve walked through the chapter and written my thoughts on the verses it contains.

Verse 1: I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Imagine what it would be like to be in a constant state of worship – at all times, continually. To have our minds set on praising God nonstop. I expect that we would see a change in the ways that we view not only God, but also others and ourselves. When we are continually focused on the goodness of our Creator, how can we not also value and care for His creation? And I believe that this overwhelming level of praise would be noticeable to those around us. As unbelievers make their way through a painfully exhausting world, surely people characterized by so much optimism, joy, and thankfulness would catch their attention. And what better way to properly introduce others to the love of God than by expressing gratitude for that very love?

Verse 2-3: My soul will make its boast in the Lord; the humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.

One of the most amazing characteristics that God designed us with is our desire to be relational. We were intended to have a relationship both with the Lord and with those around us. As believers, it is so important to be joined with others in worshipping the Lord. It allows us to be encouraged and strengthened by our fellow believers when our own faith is weak. And when we are strong, we can do the same for those who are struggling. Worshipping the Lord with other Christians also helps keep us accountable as it reorients our hearts to focus on the peace of God and the unity He commands instead of the worldly divisions that often take root within churches. There is something so precious about communal worship, and I hope to never take it for granted.

Verse 4: I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that the Lord hears us when we seek Him? There are plenty of causes for fear in the world, and sometimes it can become overwhelming. We don’t have to deny that we have fear; we just have to surrender it to the peace of God. When we begin to experience the fear that cripples us, we must relinquish control and give it all over to Him, reminding ourselves of the assurance that God hears us, answers us, and delivers us.

Verse 5: They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed

In the Old Testament, Moses used to speak with God on the mountain; he was allowed to see the Lord in ways no one else could. And as a result of this physical closeness, his entire face shone with light – to the point that the Israelites were terrified to look directly at him. Being in the physical presence of God changed his very appearance – how much more should the Lord’s indwelling within our hearts change us! No longer do we have to hide because of our shame, for we are cleansed. We are made radiant and confident in the Lord. This is the effect of communing with a holy God.

Verse 8: O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

I love this phrase, O taste and see, because it reminds me that God is real and tangibly good. We can see and experience it for ourselves. He doesn’t hide Himself from us or try to keep us in the dark – instead, He delights in making His character known to us. Just as we understand God’s goodness, we can tangibly experience His blessing. When we take refuge in Him, we are blessed in countless ways – blessed with the security and protection He provides, blessed with the forgiveness of our sins, blessed with a deeper relationship with Him.

Verses 14-15: Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.

Think about the words used here. This verse tells us to depart from evil, to completely leave its presence, to not be willing to dwell anywhere near it nor have any part in it. Then, it tells us to seek peace and pursue it. We are not to passively wait for peace, hoping it crosses our paths. Instead we must intentionally, passionately chase peace and righteousness. When we do so, we know that the Lord’s eyes and ears are attentive towards us.

Verse 18: The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Regardless of how far away God may seem at times, He is always present. Often, in the midst of unimaginable pain, we’re not looking for anyone to offer advice or to run around trying to fix things. All we want is someone to walk alongside us through our suffering. This nearness of a friend is what brings comfort. And we know that when we are brokenhearted, the Lord is so near to us, walking beside us and caring for us. It may be quiet, but His presence is with us nonetheless. So when we face troubles, we can bring our fatigue and weariness, our discouragement and pain, to the One who saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Verse 19-20: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken.

How wonderful it feels to know that we are precious to God. He keeps us. He delivers us. In this world we are not guaranteed an easy life – in fact we know without a doubt that we will face difficulties. In spite of all this, we are held in love by the One who holds all things. This description, He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken is so beautiful to me. In it I witness the tender, nurturing love of God, who cares so deeply for us and for our welfare. Our God nurtures us and wants good for us. Who better to entrust our lives to?

Verse 22: The Lord redeems the soul of his servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Let’s take refuge in the Lord, knowing that we are secure and safe from all condemnation when we’re found in Him. He can do all things, and He is so willing to save us. We must only give ourselves fully to Him, entrusting our lives, our desires, our plans, our entire beings into His care.

Related Scripture

Psalm 34

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; the humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! O fear the Lord, you His saints, for to those who fear Him there is no want. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing. Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Expectant and Victorious

“But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me.” (Micah 7:7-8)

What does it mean to be expectant?

The first thing that comes to my mind is the ability to have full confidence in the Lord’s provision. When I expect something, I’m not hoping for a chance that it might happen. I’m not doubting it or making backup plans just in case it doesn’t work out. Instead, I put my full trust in and center all of my plans around it, due to my absolute certainty that it will take place.

We know that God has good in store for those who love Him, and we know that He hears us. So when we pray, we can do so expectantly, waiting with the assurance that He will take care of us.

Things will not always happen the way we want them to, but this doesn’t have to lessen our faith in God. He knows what we need, even when it makes zero sense to us. The other day I was thinking about some events in my life that, if you had told me about them ahead of time, I would have thought that there was no way anything good could come of them. When praying “Your will be done”, I would have wanted to add “except that, of course”. I wouldn’t have been able to imagine any way where they could possibly be in God’s will.

And yet, God has surprised me. He has worked in my life in amazing ways that I never would have expected. So, I can say that no matter what, we absolutely can trust God’s will for us, because even if the worst-case scenario happens, no circumstance can stop God from redeeming our situation for His glory and our good. Because of this I can wait for His will expectantly, joyfully, and assuredly.

When we come before God expectantly, it means that regardless of our doubts or fears, we’re posturing ourselves before Him in a way that says that we believe wholeheartedly. That we are putting it all on the line for Him, because we are just that sure that we can trust Him.

I believe that when we do this, despite our human weaknesses, God will meet us where we are and help us to trust Him, to see His goodness. So, I’ve been working on committing myself to expectancy, to acting and speaking and praying in a way that says that I have no reason to doubt my God’s goodness and His plans to do amazing things both in my life and in the lives of those around me.

What does it mean to be victorious?

There will be failures in this life – but those failures will never have the final word. The enemy cannot rejoice over us; while we may fall, we know that we will rise. Even when everything around us is wrong, and scary, and troubling – when we are dwelling in darkness – we can be confident the Lord hears us, protects us, and provides us with victory.

I’m not talking about barely making it out alive, or about a bittersweet ending. I’m talking about victory. It’s going to be difficult, and there will be days where it’s hard to feel victorious. But those moments don’t have to fill us with hopelessness. We can still watch expectantly for the Lord, excited and joyful at the victory that we know is to come.

No matter how many times Satan tries to lead us astray, no matter how many times we make mistakes, this victory is ours. Although we still live in a world that is burdened by sin, pain, and struggle, we know that Satan has already been defeated by Jesus’ sacrifice and by the Holy Spirit’s indwelling within us. Because of this we can wait for the Lord’s return confidently, fully assured that we will – and already do – have the victory in Him.