Moments of Quiet Truth

     I am currently reading Deuteronomy. Chapter 8 speaks of God putting Israel in a place of need and dependence on Him so that He could make it plain to them that they had to depend on Him. He put them in the position of needy dependence and then He provided for them in ways that they did not expect.      I was recently freaking out to a friend about how big my financial need is for my trip and how impossible it is for me to meet it on my own. She reminded me, brought to my attention, a passage with a similar theme to the story above in Deuteronomy, only this one was in Isaiah:      " When the poor and needy seek water,            and there is none,        and their tongue is parched with thirst,         ( an impossible to meet on their own need )                 I the LORD will answer them;       ...

      "The heart of a man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his step." Proverbs 16:9       I have found this to be a reality in my life. I usually don't see it until I'm looking back on a situation or circumstance. There are certain vistas that the Lord gives us as we progress on the Christian journey. They allow us a clearer perspective on where we came from and what we walked through. They're like a break in the clouds viewing the terrain from the top of a mountain - you can see the valley and terrain you've come through to get where you are. You gain an appreciation for what you've walked through and it can cause gratitude to well up within you that you have survived the terrain and reached the 'scenic overlook' from which you view the landscape.        One thing about overlooks in the mountains, you can't always see very far up above and ahead of you. The road before you twists and turns out of sight. Life keeps going. As R...

" There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' He said, 'I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.' And he said, 'Go out and stand on the the mount before the LORD.' And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper [a sound, a thin silence]. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there ...

     As I consider the costs involved with my 6 month internship overseas next summer, I become overwhelmed. The costs are soo far beyond what I am able to cover on my own. The need before me is not something I can muster up enough will power to meet.      My trust in the God I serve is being tested. Behaving as if I truly believed His promises is something I am being asked to do. And I am struggling. Doubt in my abilities can plague my thinking. Meditating on my limitations compared with the seemingly insurmountable need can create an anxious heart.      But, what is true? How does that truth affect the way I think and respond to life's seeming impossibilities? Are His promises just nice platitudes or do they actually hold weight when tested against human limitations and needs? Is my heavenly Father one who will keep His word or is He distant and uninterested? Does He come through every single time, or just some of the time? Does He care...

      "Therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy, and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." Colossians 3:12       "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved,  . . . " 1 Peter 2:9-10      "And in that day I will answer, declares the LORD, I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth, and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil, and they shall answer Jezreel, and I will sow her for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, 'You are my people'; and he shall say, 'You are my God.'" Hosea 2:21-23 (speaking of Israel)     ...

     This holiday season has been soo much harder for reasons I don't fully understand.      When the beginning of December rolled around and I was reminded how many more days until Christmas I groaned. Christmas in retail becomes (or can) a thing to be dreaded. I couldn't wait until it was over and now it almost is.      The time has not been taken to stop, to ponder, to revel in the miracle of Christmas and now that it's almost here, if feels soo rushed. It's just another day to get through, or so it feels. There has been so much to do and you get in a rut of just doing the next thing so that you can survive the next day with something of your sanity intact.      This has been a season of change and of preparation for change and I think that reality has had a part to play in the difficulty of the season. For the first time in years, I'm anticipating the opportunity to spend significant time overseas next year in pursuit...

     Hope has been the theme of posts and passages that I’ve been reading the past few weeks.      Hope can seem impossible or it can feel as if the object hoped in or answer to a long-term prayer can seem impossible.Romans eight speaks to the reality that hope is anchored in things yet invisible. “For who hopes for what he sees?” (8:24). The hope mentioned is that of the redemption of the creation and of the children of a God - redeemed bodies for the saints and freedom from corruption for the created order.      Hope can seem foolish. When you persevere in prayer, month after month, with no visible answer, (especially when others are aware of the needs as well and the anticipated outcome), it’s tempting to shut your mouth about it. There is, lurking in the shadows, whispers of shame and guilt for holding out hope, confident expectation in what appears to be an impossible end. The lie goes, ‘If you haven’t seen fruit for your labors yet,...