September 30, 2018

The Lord is near . . .


The oddest prayer Christians make is, “God be with us.” It is odd because where else is He? God is omnipresent, a big word meaning He is everywhere. It took me awhile to realize that what people really mean when they pray that way is, “God, may we sense or realize Your presence with us.”

How does that sense become lost? It happened to Adam in the garden after he sinned . . .

“And they (Adam and Eve) heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’” (Genesis 3:8–9)

Hiding from God might happen because of sin but hiding from God is like trying to hide from the air around us. David pondered this impossible task and wrote:

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” (Psalm 139:7–12)

Yet he knew, as do all of God’s people, that the sense of God’s presence can be lost. We sin and turn our backs. We resist the voice of the Holy Spirit. We get so busy with this life that we neglect the life of Christ within us. Yet, as Tozer says, God is here even when we are unaware of Him. No matter how dark our life might feel or how devoid of His being, He said He would never leave us or forsake us. He is here.

A man known as Brother Lawrence wrote a classic book around 1895 called, “Practicing the Presence of God” giving advice that might seem simple to some. He wrote: “He does not ask much of us, merely a thought of Him from time to time, a little act of adoration, sometimes to ask for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, at other times to thank Him for the graces, past and present, He has bestowed on you, in the midst of your troubles to take solace in Him as often as you can. Lift up your heart to Him during your meals and in company; the least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think.”

However simple this might seem, those who do it discover the value of this practice. At times, God’s presence is so obvious His breath can be felt on our cheeks, His laughter heard in our ears, His hugs touching our heart.

I’ve tried to make those things happen — by my imagination I suppose, but it doesn’t happen because I have a creative mind. Sometimes His presence is suddenly with me when I least expect it. This is a God-thing and when He comes with, “Where are you?” the important response must be, “Here I am!”

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Lord Jesus, I am blessed by Your presence, even at those times when it seems You are not here. Since You have promised to be with me always, paying no attention to those feelings is easier, as is being glad that I can say, “God, thank You that You are here with me, now and always.”

NOTE: Lots of bruising, wound like I've been stabbed, but blessed that I can sleep, and that movement becomes easier each day. Thankful for my hubby who has remarkable care-giving skills and thankful that the Lord lightened my load and developed muscles (a few weeks with a personal trainer) so I have some that take over for the others that are not working very well. Large pressure bandages are off, but left blisters. Nasty.

September 29, 2018

Know the truth — Say the truth


A young friend called today asking how I am feeling after pacemaker insertion. One of her questions deeply touched me, “Is God giving you comfort?” She knows me, and she knows God. She wanted to hear me say it.

Sometimes this is the way God works; I don’t hear Him until I say He is speaking, I don’ realize His blessing until the moment I declare that He is blessing me. I feel His saving power as soon as I verbally affirm that He is my Savior.

He did this a few times today. Feeling tired and beat up and old, I opened my laptop and the lock screen came on with this verse:

“Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.” (Isaiah 46:4)

Oh Lord, how gracious of You to speak exactly what I needed to hear. This is one of the reasons why I praise You and am so thankful that I know You.

A few minutes later He did it again, this time from Tozer’s devotional with this verse:

“And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.” (Exodus 29:46)

This foundational truth counters a foundational human issue — a ‘poor me’ response to pain or other unwanted situations. Knowing that I am a child of God is wonderful — focusing on that blessing is easier when I feel good, and an extraordinary blessing when I feel terrible.

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Jesus, You said to know the truth and the truth will set us free. This is true on so many levels. I’m grateful. I do not deserve even the least of Your blessings, yet You continue to pour them out. Thank You.

September 28, 2018

Christian Giants?


God set me up for today’s devotional with a dream last night. Someone I love was with me and a few of my Christian friends. As we were about ready to go to our separate homes, this person asked, “Can we pray?” I was surprised because he was not a Christian.

I asked someone to begin and while the prayer time was a bit odd (dreams are like that) this person stood up to pray also. He became very emotional and it was obvious that he had something important to say. I stood beside him and found out his news. He was too emotional to say it and gave me permission to make the announcement: God had touched his life and he was now a Christian.

I woke up, hoping the dream was a prophecy. Then I read Tozer’s story about Pascal. This man wrote on a piece of paper a brief account of his experience, folded the paper and kept it in a pocket close to his heart, apparently as a reminder of what he had felt. Those who attended him at his death found the worn, creased paper. In Pascal’s own writing it said: “From about half-past ten at night to about half-after midnight — fire! O God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob — not the God of the philosophers and the wise. The God of Jesus Christ who can be known only in the ways of the gospel. Security — feeling — peace — joy — tears of joy. Amen.”

Pascal is known for his mind. He was a mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, philosopher and theologian. However, the Holy Spirit broke through and beyond all that was human and intellectual and philosophical and left him with such emotion that he could only say it was fire.

Was this a repeat of what happened to Jeremiah? Perhaps not exactly the same but it describes a visitation from the Holy Spirit that changed everything:

“Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.” (Jeremiah 1:8–9)

Jeremiah was a changed man after this visitation of the Spirit. God used him in a powerful way even though his ministry was excessively difficult.

Sometimes I’ve wanted to be like Jeremiah or other spiritual giants but realize such tasks requires tests, and I’m not sure I want the tests. Today I’m whining over the pain of a small surgical procedure. What would I do if God wanted me to experience more of His power and put me to the test to see if I could handle it? I can imagine Him saying to me:

“If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5)

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Lord, I understand. High ambition requires high requirements. While me trusting You depends on knowing You and that You are all powerful, You trusting me is about You knowing me — much more than I know myself. I’m not as powerful or as godly as I would like to be! May I have the heart and attitude of David who said,  

“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.” (Psalm 131:1)