David knew before what we know now. . . .

For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 
Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:25–38)

If anyone doubts the power of God to reveal truth and the future, this is one fine example that He knew then and that He gave David that certainty — hundreds of years before Jesus came, was crucified, and rose again.

Yesterday I read the story of a woman recently widowed. She had three children. Her only inheritance was $20,000 and all she had. However, hearing of God's promises to take care of those who trust Him, particularly with their care when in need, she gave the entire sum to Him. Her pastor, although he told her to trust God, was a bit horrified. Yet within a few months, the woman received a call about a relative she didn’t know she had. He died and left her enough to take care of her and family for the rest of their lives.

I have a similar story about not having any money. An annual rental was due and I could not pay it. God surprised me with an order for a pet portrait from a person I’d never met and she sent the money with her order — just a few dollars more than the rental bill! I painted the portrait of her dog, mailed it to her, and have never worried about money since then. God has taken care of me.

This is the power of God. He meets our needs even before we experience them. And it also builds faith in Him. As the words above say, my sin is the reason He died and yet His love makes me safe from all threats and the recipient of His greatest gift — Himself and the incredible care of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, You are always with me, assuring me and putting my needs on Your calendar so that they are met when they come up. Forgive me for ever worrying or fretting about anything. You already know what the future holds and You have already provided whatever I will need. You are amazing!

Whatever it takes…

The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention. Therefore the Lord brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon. And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God. (2 Chronicles 33:10–13)

Yesterday two Christian friends complained they had no patience. I said, “The Bible says we get patience through tribulation so we spend much of our lives trying to avoid trials and then complain we have no patience.” Both of them laughed at that truth.

Manasseh and his people didn’t pay attention to God so he put him in bondage and distress — tribulation. He humbled himself and confessed as Hezekiah had done before him (2 Chronicles 32:6) and he was restored. Even more, he knew God.

Much of my grumbling is the result of forgetting who God is, and forgetting that He wants the best for me. If a trial comes, I want to fix I, revealing that my doubt and impatience are based on forgetting that He is for me, not against me, even in trials.

Another friend was complaining about her lot in life. She always complains. She fails to see how God can use all things that happen to her for her good. Also, she doesn’t realize that if she, and all of us, got what we deserved for our sin and self-centeredness, our lives would be far worse.

A small thing happened this morning. I wanted to be here in the word before a certain time, and was just about to do that when someone interrupted my plan and we looked for a lost item for several minutes. Patience required. I missed my self-imposed deadline. Since I believe God is in the details and has reasons for every trial, big or small, it is not a surprise to be reminded to listen, do what He says, don’t grumble about not getting my i-wants, and to be glad to have a tiny patience-builder. It could have been much greater. 

This is why this blog is called “Practical Faith.” Trusting God is for everyday events. He wants me to stay calm with too many emails, the phone ringing when I am in the shower, and all other interruptions seen as opportunities, and seeing bigger stuff like bad news on the telly or government leaders making what looks like big mistakes is part of His plan.

Manasseh experienced the reality that God is in charge. If this man would not listen, God knew how to get his attention and even how to change his life. It was through an extreme trial and answered prayer that he knew that the Lord was God.

Jesus, You walk with me every day and in every circumstance. You want me to be like You and as I study Your word and experience Your kindness and answers to my prayers, both big and small, You show me over and over that You are God and You are making my faith in You practical for all of life. What a wonder each day to know You deeper!  

 

God does not require my permission

Today’s reading is another ‘finger shaking’ admonishment to let the Lord take care of me, as if He does not do this without my permission. Three examples from this week alone are related to problems regarding our new home that needed fixing. The first was with a furnace and the ‘expert’ said we needed to get a new one or spend several hundred dollars to fix it. The next person came to do something else, looked at the furnace and fixed it, adding it was a superior model and should last for another decade.

The second was a tap that ran only cold water, nothing on the hot side. The plumber wanted over $300 to fix it. The same worker who fixed the furnace fixed that problem too — without charge and in less than five minutes. I said, “You don’t have wings but you are an angel.”

The third issue was a crooked appliance we could not fix. My love of geometry felt annoyance every time I looked at it. A bathroom renovator came to make an estimate on another project and I asked him to add “straighten this fixture” to the list. He laughed, and immediately did it, no charge.

Since I believe God is involved in all things, I called him an angel too and thanked the Lord for being in the details and looking out for us — without a prayer for help or even thinking “I must turn to God with this issue.” So when someone tells me “we are very slow to learn this. When temptations come, instead of handing the battle over to the Lord we summon all our forces to fight them ourselves. We believe, perhaps, that the Lord is somewhere near, and if the worst comes to worst, He will step in to help us. But for the most part we feel that we ourselves and we only must do all the fighting” I feel a bit insulted, yet mostly that God is being insulted. He promises to take care of us, knows all things, knows our needs, and is not standing over me with baited breath waiting for my “Go for it” as if I am in charge of His life and He needs my permission for anything.

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:14)

I began life with Him by the power of His Spirit, yet like the church in Galatia, this is not to say that I’ve never tried to fight my own battles without thought that God would help me or that I must now rely on the flesh, as if I’m saved by grace but now must live by works. This is the posture of many Christians. We have a proud streak and like children we think, “I can do this myself.” Or we don’t know much about God and His care so assume we need to take care of all problems ourselves.

However, when someone else is trying to change that fleshy thinking, a finger-shaking accusation is seldom appropriate or helpful. Some need a gentle reminder of God’s love and trustworthiness. Most need encouragement rather than a strong rebuke. Not every Christian is so full of themselves and their own ability that they will turn down God’s help.

The other issue is being blamed that God is not helping because I won’t let Him. Really? How long does it take to learn that I don’t rule God? Not long. My will be done not Your will? Do any Christians pray that way? Maybe telling God what to do rather than accepting what He is doing borders on such thinking, yet only when He allows strong calamities to teach me that I cannot run my own life. I want to be comfortable, but He knows what I need.

Refusals to yield to His care suggest that such resistance is coming from someone who does not know Him at all. How can we think that the One who died for all our sin before we even knew He cared, is now unable to care about any other problem we have so we must take care of them ourselves?

PRAY: Jesus, human pride has to be at the root of such ideas, and thinking everyone struggles in resistance to Your help seems to be rooted in some idea that we control what You do for us, as if You have buttons we can push. This spells an ignorance of who we are, but even more, an oblivion to who You are. You are God and I am not. I don’t keep all my promises and I don’t control much of anything. I get involved in the world, sometimes find an appeal in Satan’s lies, and my old human nature is wrong all the time. None of that is true of You. You, like a parent, help me when I am dragging my childish heels in resistance. You died for me while I was still a sinner and You live for me every moment, every day doing things to help me know You and live for You. Whether I am being ornery or being obedient — You are God.

From first thing in the morning . . .

 

READ Psalm 146–150

The first two verses of this reading are a rebuke. I woke up in a bad mood. This often happens. I didn’t want to get up, do the regular tasks of the day, or any tasks at all. I’d slept nine hours but felt as if I could sleep all day. It was with effort that I tossed back the covers and sat up. Only habit had me walking and singing praise songs for 10-15 minutes. Then this . . .

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. (Psalm 146:1–2)

The psalmist says not to put my trust in people but in God who created and cared for me, who set me free from sin, who opens my eyes and lifts me up, who loves me and watches over me. The Lord, my God, reigns forever. I should wake up and rejoice — not wake up and grumble.

The next psalm also is a rebuke to my morning attitude. It begins with:

Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. (147:1)

This time, praise because He builds me up, heals my brokenness, binds my wounds. This is the God who numbers and names all the stars. That new telescope reveals how awesome is that task! “Great is our Lord and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure” (147:5)

I should sing to Him with thanksgiving. He not only takes care of the earth and all that is in it, He also gives me another day. As I walked, I realized that I’m asking for a long and productive life and belly-aching about it at the same time. As my husband often says, every day I wake up by the grace of God. The Lord takes care of me so well, and my family, and the world. He does not deal everyone with this amazing care I enjoy. I am ashamed of my first-thing-in-the-morning attitude.

Psalm 148 bids praise from angels, sun and moon, stars, heavens and waters, sea creatures, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind, mountain and hills, fruit trees and cedars, beasts, all livestock, creeping things, birds, kings of the earth, all people young and old, men and women and children. He says:

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. (148:13)

Am I so dense that my name is not included so I can consider myself left out? Psalm 149 includes all who belong to Him and even gets specific about where this should happen:

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly . . . . Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds. (149:1; 5)

Ouch. At church is one thing, but in bed? As if that is not pointed enough, Psalm 150 covers it:

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (150:1–6)

While I am still breathing, I’ve one major task in life. It has no time limit, no specified location, no limits. When I open my eyes and am alive, whenever and wherever, I’m to glorify and praise the One who gave me this day, every day, and life itself! Amen.