Tag Archives: Christian

Invested

Oh, how blessed I am.

This has been a focus of my heart lately. I keep getting hit with such great realizations of how deeply I am loved by God. And the funny thing is, the times when I’m reminded of this the most are the times I’m feeling the least worthy of that love. It’s when I’m convicted of my sinfulness that I’m also reminded of His kindness towards me.

There’s so much selfishness in me, and bitterness, and pride. My decisions are often shaped by love for myself before love for others and for God. And yet, over and over again I find God seeking me out and walking alongside me. He’s faithful to me and patient with me, because He loves me.

I become aware of this truth when I see the amazing people and circumstances He’s blessed me with.

Or when He sits beside me through a hard situation, offering me the peace and strength that I would never find on my own.

Or when I look back in my life and see the connections between what God was doing in me then and what He’s calling me to now…when His purpose for me becomes just a little clearer.

Most of all, I recognize God’s desire for me when I read His Word. Whenever I feel him actively drawing my attention to the specific truth that I need in that exact moment, I see His consideration for me.

After all, if He didn’t love me, He wouldn’t bother to teach me in such a gently convicting way. But instead, God’s love is evidenced for me in the ways He intentionally grows me, challenges me, and pursues me. He is truly invested in me – how incredible is that?

But this is not just true in my life; God’s deep, inexhaustible love is for every single one of us. God has a purpose for each of us, if we will let Him work in our lives.

God desires you and is invested in you, and He has a good plan designed for you – do you believe that?

It can be hard at times to let this truth really take hold in our lives. We may feel worthless and unloved, anxious at the future, condemned by our sin, or held back by self-centered pride. Sometimes I lose my sense of joy at what God is doing, especially during the routine moments in my life. But regardless of where our hearts are, God is still our Father, and He is still full of love for us.

When we feel unworthy or unloved by others, we can remember that the holy, all-knowing God knows us fully and loves us fully. He took care to form us in the womb; He knew us before we were ever born. And He knows just who He wants us to become.

When we aren’t sure what’s next in our future, and we’re afraid of making a mistake, we can remember that God has a plan in store for us. He has set out good works for us to do and He will guide our paths; we must simply trust and submit to His will.

When we feel weighed down and controlled by our sin, we can remember that we’re forgiven and loved. Jesus knew every sin we’d ever commit, and He died for us anyway. He’s invested in us enough to not only give us eternal salvation, but to also give the daily grace and power we need to resist temptation and grow in godly character.

And when we fall into the trap of self-righteousness, we can remember the humbling truth that nothing we could ever do would make us worthy of God’s love. It is only because it’s in His very nature to love that we’re loved by Him. He loves each of us – not because of who we are, but because of who He is. And He commands us to cast aside our pride and to love others as unflinchingly as we’ve been loved.

When it’s hard for you to feel God’s love, I encourage you – and myself, while I’m at it – to think back on all the times God’s worked in your life (and to remember that He’s at work even when we don’t recognize it).

Any time He’s protected you from harm, given you the strength to endure a hard time, revealed His character to you through Scripture, blessed you with good, encouraging friends, or convicted you of sin – this is evidence of His love for you! This is proof that He looks at you with fatherly affection, and that He is invested in you.

So walk through today with the confidence of someone that is known and loved by God. Know that God is for you and not against you, and that He has a plan for you.

Related Scripture

Numbers 6:24-26

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.”

Psalm 31:19

“How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men!”

Psalm 34:8

“O taste and see that the Lord is good, how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

Psalm 56:9

“…This I know, that God is for me.”

Isaiah 54:10

“‘For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,’ says the Lord who has compassion on you.”

Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…”

Jeremiah 29:11

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future.’”

Matthew 6:26

“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?”

Romans 8:28

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:38-39

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us form the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ephesians 2:4-7

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:10

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

1 John 4:19

“We love, because He first loved us.”

Generous in Self

I’ve written before about being in a season of preparation and wanting to be intentional about learning and growth during this stage in my life.

I feel now that I’m beginning to move into a new season – a season in which I must step into what God has been preparing me to do. And I want to be just as intentional in this season as in the last. So, I’m considering the ways that God has taught and blessed me throughout this time, and how I can use what I’ve been given to serve Him.

I believe that God has blessed me in order to bless others. This is true financially, but also in other areas of my life. He’s given me stability, joy, spiritual gifts, and time and opportunities to serve. He’s placed specific callings on my heart and made me aware of needs that I can fill.

And in order to fill these needs, I am called to generosity. Not just generosity of my finances, or of my love and mercy, but generosity of self. I want to be generous with everything that I have and everything that I am.

In my last post I wrote about not being stingy with love or acting as if I’ll run out of it. This goes for my time and energy as well. I must be obedient with what I have and the ways God’s called me to serve, for the more of myself I give, the more of Himself He pours back into me. He will not fail to supply me with what I need to be faithful to His call.

So, in this coming season, I hope to be committed to generosity of self. To not simply be a consumer, receiving good things from God, from my church fellowship, from my relationships. Instead, I want to be filled by each these so that I can then pour into others.

So, I’ll be looking for the intersection of my God-given strengths and the needs of those around me. And I must no longer hesitate to pray for opportunities to serve; countless times my own fears and insecurities have caused me to shy away from this. So instead I will pray, in full assurance of God’s provision, and will be ready to obey when these opportunities arise.

Just as I wrote about “testing the limits” of God’s love, I want to “test the limits” of everything else that He provides.

This is not to say that I will ignore my own well-being and push myself to a place of burnout (“you can’t pour from an empty cup”, and all that), but that I will refuse to hold back out of fear of not being or having enough. When I hear God’s call to a particular person, action, or ministry, I will confidently and joyously give whatever it is He asks of me.

There’s a very short book by Bruce Wilkinson called The Prayer of Jabez. In it we read this concise and powerful prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”

This is one prayer I want to keep in my life moving forward. I want God to bless me – not in the selfish, earthly-focused ways that I often desire, but in the ways that align with God’s will. I want Him to bless me with whatever will equip me to become who He wants me to be in Him.

I want Him to “enlarge my territory”, to increase the opportunities around me in which I can serve Him. To make me aware of those in need and the ways that I can help.

I want Him to keep His hand with me, so that I never fall victim to the temptation to work in my own strength. I want to be entirely, utterly dependent on His power in my life.

And I want Him to keep me from evil, from the temptation of sin and the pain that it causes. To protect me from anything that threatens to separate me from God’s will for my life.

By trusting in God’s willingness to bless me, to provide opportunities to serve and grow, to do His work in me, and to guard me, I can move forward into this new season with confidence. I can live generously, knowing that all that I am is supplied and protected by the Lord.

Related Scripture

1 Chronicles 4:10

“Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” (NKJV)

2 Corinthians 9:7-8, 10

“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully with 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…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.”

1 John 3:17

“But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

1 Timothy 6:17-19

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”

Proverbs 11:25

“The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.”

Generous in Love

And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’

And He said to him, ‘You have answered correctly, do this and you will live.’

But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’

(Luke 10:27-29)

In Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan, He tells of a Samaritan man coming to the rescue of a man who had been beaten, robbed, and left for dead. The cultural norms of that day would have kept many Samaritans from showing compassion. Rampant prejudice between Samaritans and Jews had undoubtedly led to hurt and bitterness towards each other, and no one would have blamed him for crossing to the other side of the street. In fact, even the Jewish priest and Levite refrained from helping, unwilling to risk harm or inconvenience. 

But that’s not what the Samaritan did. This man had deep, heartfelt compassion, treating the one most would regard as his enemy with the kindness he’d use towards a friend. He went above and beyond, willing even to suffer personal loss as a result. And in doing so, he proved to be a true neighbor to this man.

I notice that Jesus told this story in response to one of listeners, who “wishing to justify himself, asked ‘And who is my neighbor?’” He had been commanded to love his neighbor as himself, and his first thought was to determine just who was deserving of this love.

But the story that followed highlights an important point: there is no place for us to make those kinds of distinctions. We are to love our neighbors – those who have hurt us, those we’re prejudiced against, those who are despised by our culture – and we are to love them generously.

Now, we all know this in theory, but how often do we do exactly the same as this listener?

How often do we seek to find loopholes in who, when, and how we are called to love? Maybe we justify speaking against someone because they’ve hurt us first. Or maybe we lack empathy towards others who have different views from our own, or to those we don’t deem worthy of our attention. Or maybe we prioritize our own desires over someone’s needs.

But we were called to put God and His kingdom first – above our pride, our wounded feelings, our comforts, and our rights. If we do not, we become like this man, asking ‘And who is our neighbor?’ We become people who act as though love is in short supply, as though we must guard it and spend it only when necessary.

But the love we’ve received from God, wholly undeserved and wholly infinite, is the well from which we draw. And if God grants us continual access to this love, and commands us to take from it and give to others, we have no reason to disobey.

We will never be able to love others too much or give too much of ourselves; whenever we think we’ve reached our limit, God pours His abundant love, power, and strength back into us and remedies our lack.

I’d encourage all of us – myself so much included – to start “testing the limits” of this love. To see just how much of it we can offer to others, and to watch God provide. Let’s be a people who give so generously, without any regard for ourselves, secure in the love that has been given to us.

Between this story and the countless mercies of God towards us, it seems that our blueprint for generosity is much more radical than we often allow it to be. There is no place for us to decide who is and isn’t deserving of our kindness; we are called to love and forgive sacrificially, and the only way to do so is by the power of God.

Related Scripture

Luke 10:30-37

“Jesus replied and said, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think provided to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?’ And he said, ‘The one who showed mercy toward him.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same.’”

Matthew 25:37

“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”

Psalm 86:15

“But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.”

Micah 6:8

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Generous in Mercy

I’ve been thinking a lot about mercy lately, and I feel like it’s something that God is telling me to pay attention to. I’ve been convicted of the ways I am often not very forgiving, and I’ve felt that He wants to grow me in this area.

On the one hand, I have always felt merciful to a fault, frequently making excuses for others’ behavior and unwilling to stand up for myself. But, after those friendships have either reconciled or ended, these hurts often find their way back into my mind, leaving me feeling a little bitter.

Of course, it’s important to set boundaries at times, and there are relationships in which you can forgive yet still put distance between yourself and the other person. But I do have to wonder if I’ve actually forgiven all those who have hurt me, or if I’ve just momentarily forgotten about their actions.

Many times I’ve let things slide simply because I fear the consequences of addressing an issue. On the outside this may resemble mercy. However, I’ve begun to wonder if my unwillingness to hold others accountable for their wrongs against me is less about showing mercy towards them, and more about my own weakness in simply fearing conflict.

So, I’ve been asking God to show me what biblical mercy looks like. Any solution I come up with on my own will only be a flawed, broken sort of mercy – I want the mercy that fills the character of God.

When I look at the picture of forgiveness as demonstrated by God, it definitely seems as though what I’ve been doing falls short. He forgives us so wholeheartedly that He crossed over heaven and earth, life and death, to be reconciled to us.

And it’s not as though He made excuses for our sin, pretending it wasn’t that bad – He recognized the depravity of our sin in ways that we can’t even fathom, and He still chose to make a way for our salvation. Who am I then to hold bitterness towards someone for some insignificant slight, some careless word?

I will never know the weight of the pain that Jesus carried; yet in even the minor hurts that I experience in life, I have access through Him to the power of God helping me to forgive. I cannot have mercy towards others in this radical, self-sacrificial way without the help of the One who did it first. So I must be honest with God, asking Him to overcome my weaknesses and to give me the ability – and the desire – to forgive. I will be abundantly supplied by God to do what He has called me to do, to show mercy.

When thinking about forgiveness, I’m reminded of Ephesians 4:26-32. We are told to “be angry and yet do not sin”. So, there is clearly a space for Christians to be angry and hurt by others’ actions, yet to be so in a godly way.

Our emotions should never give way to bitterness or malice, but should instead be used to recognize the depth of our hurts so that we can hand them over to God in conscious forgiveness. Aware of the unfair rejection we’ve withstood at the hands of others, we can better understand the magnitude of our sin against God – and the magnitude of His mercy towards us.

Mercy is so necessary, not only so that we can maintain healthy relationships, but because we cannot risk allowing our anger to “give the devil an opportunity” or to “grieve the Holy Spirit of God”. It’s clear that there are some very serious consequences resulting from our grudges. By holding bitterness in our hearts, we push God’s will out of the way and give sin a chance to break our relationships even more than they’ve already been broken.

So, when we are wronged, we must remember to view others through God’s eyes – as broken, sinful people in need of mercy – and to leave our bitterness behind, choosing instead to edify and give grace to one another. We must forgive each other as Christ forgave us – sacrificially, wholly, lovingly.

Tim Keller wrote in one of my favorite books, A Prodigal God, about how God’s redemption plan was not dependent on our feelings of remorse or repentance – Jesus chose to die on the cross for us while we were still sinners, knowing that we may choose to accept Him or not. And in the midst of His crucifixion, He asked God to forgive those who mocked Him. In the same way we must be willing to forgive others even when they show no remorse for the way they’ve treated us.

Keller also wrote about how we often find it easy to forgive others who we feel are on our level of “goodness” because we can relate to them and to the mistakes they’ve made, as we’ve probably done the same. But we struggle to give grace to those who commit sins we think we would never do. In a way, we feel that we are above forgiving them.

But we must remember that we are not above any sin, and that while we may not have done whatever it is that’s been done to us, our pride makes us guilty still. And any sin, whether an action or a prideful feeling, separates us from right relationship with others and with God. So we must ask ourselves, is it worth it? Is it worth creating a distance between ourselves and God simply to hold on to a grudge?

As I’ve prayed over these things, I’ve come to the knowledge that I don’t want a mercy that is born out of weakness – my unwillingness to be vulnerable, my aversion to conflict, my desire to please. I want a mercy that is born out of power – the power found in the Holy Spirit. This power comes from the security and salvation I have found in God and from the recognition that I have all things in Christ, which means I have everything to give and nothing to lose.

Because God is generous in mercy towards me, I can be generous in mercy towards others. I pray that God will help me to do so, to overcome my weakness and to give me the ability and desire to forgive.

Lord, please help me to forgive wholeheartedly, unreservedly, not needing anything in return. To forgive only by the strength You give me, not by my temporary feelings and human abilities. Do a work in me and help me to forgive, just as You continually forgive me.

Related Scripture

Ephesians 4:26-32

“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity…Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

1 Peter 2:21-23

“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”

James 1:20

“For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

Luke 6:36-37

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.”

1 John 4:11

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”

Matthew 5:7

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”

Repentance

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save…But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God…” (Isaiah 59:1-2)

God is the essence of holiness – He cannot approve of sin nor allow it into His presence. When we were dead in our sin, before salvation, we were by necessity separated from God. That’s why He chose to die in our place – so that we could be washed clean and made pure. And when we become saved, He makes us able to stand in His presence blameless with great joy (Jude 1:24-25).

But, there are going to be times when we fall short and do wrong, in spite of our saved state. Which is why repentance is so important. When we allow ourselves to live in sin, we begin to build up a wall between ourselves and God – not a permanent, eternal wall (that has been taken care of once and for all) – but a manmade structure. We disallow ourselves from walking in right relationship with Him because we know that we are doing what He hates. But the amazing thing is that in spite of our shortcomings God is still willing to hear our prayers of repentance, and to renew us and strengthen us by His power.

I know that I often struggle with accepting forgiveness from God; I can feel like my sin is just too big. And I think I am not alone in this. But when we hold back because we just can’t believe that God would forgive that sin, we are inadvertently minimizing who He is. Do we really think that He who went so far as to suffer and die for us will be inhibited by whatever mess is in our lives right now? Let’s not equate Him to sinful humans who are fickle in their forgiveness. He is an unchanging God, and He stands by what He says. So when He tells us that He will forgive us if only we repent, He means it! And once He’s forgiven our sin, He remembers it no longer (Hebrews 10:17). He doesn’t hold it over our heads, but casts it away as if it never happened. Let’s rejoice in that and bring our repentance to Him with gladness.

While our sin is often too great for us, it can never be too great for God. Even when we don’t know how to pray, when we are overwhelmed with our failures, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26). God has made Himself so accessible – we have no work to do except give ourselves to Him. Because of His great love for us, we have access to deep forgiveness and freedom. Repentance is a privilege, and we should welcome it as such.

Related Scripture

1 John 1:9

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Romans 8:1

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

Psalm 32:1-5

“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit! When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’, and You forgave the guilt of my sin.”

Jude 1:24-25

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

Romans 8:26

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Hebrews 10:17

“for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more”

Romans 4:7-8

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account”

Isaiah 30:18

“Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.”

1 John 2:1-2

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you do not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Psalm 103:8, 12

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy…As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our wrongdoings from us.”

2 Corinthians 7:10

“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

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.”