Tag: Sovereignty of God

Of Prime Rib and Bruised Kneecaps

My sister works for a multi-national corporation. Her division won a competition, and she invited me to the celebration event last weekend. It was a fabulous opportunity to spend time with my sister, meet many of her colleagues, and enjoy being “spoiled” as a guest. We flew to the world headquarters in Atlanta, took a tour, got dressed up and attended the “event.” They had prime rib, chicken wings with peach barbecue sauce, shrimp, a variety of pasta dishes and vegetable sides, desserts, beverages, and tons of “bling.” They gave out hats, patches, pins, bandanas, light-up bracelets, rings, and glasses, leather bookmarks, robot-drawn caricatures, photos, bags, and more. There was a private concert with a major musical artist, as well as a drum corps, trampoline artists, people walking around on stilts, and ladies in LED costumes dancing. It was like a Circus and a visit to Disneyworld all wrapped up together.

What does any of this have to do with prayer (or bruised kneecaps)? I’m getting to that…

My description of this weekend may not seem to include God, but He was definitely there every step of the way. We made it to the airport with plenty of time on Friday. This was important because my sister had mobility issues and cannot walk quickly through the airport. Right at the entrance, there was a lady from our airline who confirmed that a porter would be able to take my sister in a wheelchair directly to our gate, saving us both time and stress. He was amazing, helping us feel comfortable and even festive as we waited to board. At our gate, we were informed that our seat assignments had changed– we were right behind first class and had extra leg room!

The flight was terrific. I had not flown in a few years, and I always like to fly– to see clouds from the top, to see whole farms and villages rolling out below; to see rivers and hills and mountains from a distance and to realize just how big the world really is. It also reminds me that I am incredibly small and weak, but that God is bigger, more powerful, and more wonderful than anything I can see (or even imagine) from the airplane. Mary and I were able to chat, “catch up,” and reminisce as we sailed through cloudy skies and bumped pleasantly along with minor turbulence.

Then, mid-flight, we were told that our plane might have to divert to Montgomery or Birmingham due to a storm front in Atlanta. All or our arrangements had been carefully planned, and while we might not miss the event entirely, a delay for refueling or worse, having to change planes, would make us late and leave us with no time to check in at the hotel or change into our dress clothes! Yet, minutes later, our pilot informed us that all the details “had been worked out” so that we would land in Atlanta on time! Coincidence? I don’t think so!

We arrived at the Atlanta airport and were immediately surprised to learn that the wheelchair my sister requested was not only not there, all her information about the flight we just deboarded had been lost– they had no record that she had ordered a wheelchair, or even that she had been on the plane! But within less than ten minutes, all those details had been worked out, and we were escorted through the airport and taken directly and safely (by a very pleasant man from Senegal) to the area where we got an Uber to our hotel. The hotel had snacks and an event station where we were welcomed and made comfortable, and we were warmly greeted, not only by the hotel staff, but by many of my sister’s co-workers, including her boss’s boss’s boss! We had plenty of time, not only to change, but to take the tour we had planned earlier!

Returning to our hotel from the afternoon’s activities, we changed and went down to the lobby, where we were informed that, in spite of a last-minute cancellation, someone had been found to drive us (and another pair of sisters with mobility issues) to the event, instead of having to walk two or three blocks and several hundred yards through the gates and walkways at the stadium. More wheelchairs were provided for my sister and the other woman once we arrived at the venue, and my sister was warmly greeted (as was I) by more of her colleagues. This event could have been a nightmare of people pushing and shoving, jockeying for the best seats or the best food based on their seniority or title, chugging down free alcoholic drinks and becoming obnoxious, and generally behaving at their worst. Instead, it was civil, friendly, celebratory, and filled with people from all over North America, from all stations and positions within the corporation, enjoying a night of being together in one place and enjoying a well-earned celebration. One of the special guests of the night was the chairman of another large corporation– one known for His Christian values, which he spoke of freely!

We went back to the hotel, exhausted but strangely energized by the whole thing, and eager to enjoy the luxury of our hotel room. We had to wait several minutes for an elevator (due to the crowds returning from the event), which allowed us to meet yet another wonderful couple who were enjoying their anniversary. It has sometimes been my experience that when strangers have to wait in lines or ride through busy city streets, they can either get on one another’s last nerve, or they can become new friends. We made a lot of new friends in less than 24 hours!

The next day, we went to the Atlanta airport to get our flight home. Once again, we had a great porter who got us through security and even helped another couple who were struggling with her motorized wheelchair. The porter made sure we all stayed together until we had to split up at Concourse D. More new friends! We had plenty of time, so we walked down the long concourse (our gate was nearly the last one!) And that’s when disaster struck!

Have you ever had one of those moments when you know you are going to fall– you try to regain your balance, but you see yourself falling in a series of awkward stumbles and jerks, and the floor is rising rapidly to meet your face? Well, I ended up falling on my purse, which did a great job of protecting my rib cage. And I landed at such an angle that I did not hit my head or shoulder. I did not break or dislocate any of my bones. I did, however, land on my left knee and my right hand. Several people immediately came to see if I was ok. My knee and leg were throbbing, as was my hand near my thumb. But I was able to get up and walk, albeit painfully. I limped the rest of the way to our gate, waiting to see if I could hobble onto the plane and into my seat. We still had over an hour before our plane left, so I managed to hobble as far as a restroom and a snack bar (both within a few yards, thankfully) and back to the gate area, proving I could do so.

Yet God was there, too! My tumble could have been so very much worse. I could have required hospitalization in Atlanta (or even when I got home). I might have been concussed or suffered a sprain that would have kept us from making our final flight. Instead, I am sore, but able to recuperate at home, and write about my experience from the comfort of my own chair. And I have a much greater understanding of what my sister goes through each time she has to travel. My injuries are temporary and sharp– her pain is deep and chronic. I got to see how many wonderful people work to make it possible and even enjoyable for people with mobility issues to travel safely, and I was humbled to experience what it means to rely on the goodness of strangers.

They say that “the devil is in the details.” But this weekend, I was reminded over and over again that it is really God who shows up in the details. When God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6), it covers everything and everywhere from 35,000 feet in the air, to staring at the parquet flooring of an airport concourse– from being in a long line waiting for an elevator to being guided through a tunnel underneath a huge stadium–from help with reservations and transportation to meeting needs for companionship and connection, and yes, even recuperation. God was there in every (even painful) step of the way!

This weekend saw blessings– from prime rib at dinner, to bruised kneecaps (not normally considered a blessing), and I’m grateful, knowing God saw all of this in advance and provided just the right help in His time!

We may not always see God’s hand at work in the moment, but rest assured that He is in control, that He is right by our side every moment, and that we can trust Him to work out the details!

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I Can’t Do All Things

 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13 KJV)

I remember memorizing this Bible verse (in the King James version above) as a child. It is one of the most quoted (and, I think, misunderstood) verses I know. Taken out of context, it seems to promise unlimited potential for the Christian. I can… perform miracles, do six impossible things before breakfast, leap over a tall building, bring about world peace, and finish folding the laundry from last week!

The reality is that I can’t do ALL things. There are many things I simply cannot do– even as a Christian. I cannot grow six inches taller or shed 45 pounds overnight. I cannot cure cancer. I cannot bring about world peace. Christ CAN do any of that and more; and He can work through me to accomplish great things– more than I can do in my own power. But if I expect to do whatever I imagine or aspire to– I will be disappointed. Even with God’s Power working in my life.

But God is not only a source of power– He is the source of wisdom and love. And in His wisdom and love, he often limits what He will allow me to do. So, there are supernatural things I cannot do without God’s help and power, and there are seemingly ordinary things I cannot do without God’s permission and grace, because doing those things will go against God’s perfect plan.

I was speaking recently with a friend of mine from church. We were speaking of infertility– a problem we have both experienced. Most of the women I know who experience infertility, barrenness, multiple miscarriages, etc., have to come to terms with the ache of being “abnormal.” We assume that “normal” women can become pregnant and have children. We accept that sometimes a woman will lose a child in the womb. But when it happens over and over again, or when a woman can’t seem to get pregnant, it causes a woman to question her identity and worth. “Am I even a ‘real’ woman?” “What kind of woman can’t do the most basic “womanly” thing– give life?” We also have to come to terms with the fact that God has chosen to allow this in our lives. Does God still love me, or is He angry with me or punishing me for being “not enough”? How can God love me and let me suffer such emptiness?

And we’ve all heard stories– amazing stories in the Bible and elsewhere– of women who DID get pregnant through a miracle. Sarah, Mary, Elizabeth, Rachel, Hannah…In fact, we hear nothing of women who are barren in the old Bible stories…or do we? Anna in Luke chapter 2 is an old widow who lives in the temple. There is no mention of any children, only of her devotion to the Temple and to her God. Dorcas, who was raised from the dead by the Apostle Peter in Acts 9, is praised, not for her motherhood, but for her charitable deeds among her neighbors. Deborah, the prophetess and judge who led the Israelites into battle along with their general Barak, is mentioned as a wife, but not a mother. In ancient societies, very few women were singled out for praise outside of their roles as wives and mothers.

As women, we may question many aspects of our “role” in society. Some of us chafe at the traditional roles we are expected to perform, while others question why their traditional roles seem to be denied. I spent decades questioning why I remained “on the sidelines”– unmarried, lackluster dating opportunities, out of step with other women my age. When I first was diagnosed with Stein-Levinthal syndrome and told that it would almost eliminate any chance that I could become a mother, it was almost a relief. At least I could “congratulate” myself for not disappointing a husband I didn’t have, or go through the pain of watching him question his manhood when no children came, not knowing if the “problem” was his or mine. Other friends of mine question their role as “the weaker sex,” going to great lengths to prove that they don’t need a man in their life, or that they can compete with men for jobs, status, wealth, and power.

But God didn’t just create me to “DO” things. God created me to BE. And He created me to be in relationship with Him. And my experience gives me the opportunity to speak into the lives of other women who are hurting. I have found purpose and comfort, love and abundant joy, challenge and opportunity in the midst of infertility. And now that I’m in my sixties, I find it easier to reconnect with women my age who are empty-nesters, grandmas, widows, and “maiden aunts.” God has allowed us to DO many things.

I am struck by the fact that Philippians 4:13 was written by the Apostle Paul. Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter. “I can do all things” did not mean that Paul was able to escape prison walls or the sentence he was under. It didn’t mean that he could compel his friends to stay and attend to his needs. It didn’t mean that he could escape this “thorn in the flesh” that he wrote about in 2 Corinthians or defy the aging process. Paul didn’t mean that he could literally do “all” things. But he was reminding the Philippian believers of all the amazing things that he could and did do in his work as a missionary. He didn’t cheat death altogether, but he cheated it several times, living through beatings and shipwrecks and snakebites. He didn’t escape the thorn in the flesh, but he persevered in spite of it. And remarkably, though Paul never married or had biological children, he built relationships with people like Timothy, whom he considered a son. And He accomplished amazing things for the Kingdom of God!

So, no, I cannot do ALL things– I cannot do some of the miraculous things I want to do. Sometimes, it is even God’s will that I should be prevented from doing such things– even good and “normal” things– in order that God can mold me into a shape and for a purpose that is just right for HIS perfect plan. I may not see it in my lifetime or understand it perfectly. I will still grieve for what “might have been” in my life. But I will continue to experience joy in the journey the God has mapped out for me. And whatever He asks– well, I CAN do that! Not on my own, but beyond what I can imagine!

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Perfect Peace

3 You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.
Isaiah 26:3-4 (NKJV)

We spent last weekend saying goodbye to my sister-in-law. NOT a final goodbye– more of a “see you later!” Wendy had suffered for years from both rheumatoid arthritis and stage four cancer. Many of her days were spent in agony, back and forth from hospital to home. In the middle of her battle, she had to say goodbye to her husband and navigate widowhood.

“Peace” would not seem to be a word connected in any way to Wendy’s struggles. Yet, the verses above from Isaiah kept speaking to me throughout last weekend. Not because Wendy ‘finally’ found peace and rest. But because she had a sustaining peace that “passes all understanding.” She lived with peace, trust, hope, and even joy, even while she suffered.

 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9 (NKJV)

Perfect peace does not come from perfect circumstances. It does not come from willpower, or even positive thinking (notice that verse 7 precedes verse 8 in the passage above!) It comes from having your mind “stayed” on the great I AM. Not just thinking about Him in passing, or knowing a vast amount about Him, but keeping your focus and thoughts directed to Him. Peace is a by-product of a close and constant relationship with the one who is the “Prince of Peace” and the author of “shalom.”

We cannot generate perfect peace within ourselves because we are not perfect. We are not Holy, Righteous, or complete. But God is! And Paul’s advice to the Philippian believers above was written, not from peaceful surroundings, but from prison! His advice begins with prayer! Pray about everything! We can pray prayers of supplication (asking for healing, help, wisdom, direction, etc.) WITH thanksgiving– not because our circumstances are wonderful, or even because we expect God to work miracles to change our circumstances. We can thank and praise God from prison, from hospital beds or homeless shelters, refugee camps, storm shelters, blizzards, hurricane-battered houses, or sinking ships. Because God’s promises are faithful and true. They may not look like what we expect, imagine, or even hope for. They will involve pain and suffering because we still live in a broken world. God may bring us out of suffering, or help us avoid suffering, or He may settle in with us through the suffering. In every case, we can fix our eyes on the one who loves us perfectly, the one who has perfect power over every circumstance, perfect wisdom and vision to lead us through, and perfect plans for redemption, healing, hope, and eternal joy!

Wendy wasn’t perfect in this life. Suffering hurts. Pain ravages the body, and preys on the mind. Sleepless nights, loss of appetite, and nausea when one eats– such things cause us to cry out, to lament, and to ask “Why?!” Wendy did all that. But when we choose to focus less on the temporary trials of this life and look beyond to the greater story of redemption and ultimate glory, there is a peace that revives us, refreshes us, and strengthens us beyond what we can imagine. God is trustworthy– We can depend on Him when all around us is chaos and suffering. We can have hope and strength and blessed peace!

And that same peace is available to all of us who grieved for Wendy during her long illness. It sustains us with hope and strength that rises above the questions or doubts, beyond the tears and the memories of the past. We will have the joy of seeing Wendy (and many of our other family and loved ones) perfected. No more suffering; no more questions; no more separation. Perfect. Peace.

My challenge today is to stay focused on what really matters– on WHO is really in control. I pray that whatever you may be going through, that you will also find God’s perfect peace as you look to Him!

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Praying and Waiting

I write a lot about praying. I believe in the power of prayer. But I am often challenged by people who say, “God helps those who help themselves.” The power of prayer is not found in the people who pray but in the God who answers. And sometimes, those answers take time and require patience.

I’ve had prayers that were answered almost before I finished saying, “Amen!” But there are other prayers that tested my patience and my faith; prayers for which I’m still waiting for a definite answer; prayers that were answered with a final and unexplained, “NO!”

But some of the most amazing moments in my life have been the ones where God “showed up” at just the right (and seemingly last) moment. The time that we needed a certain amount of money to pay bills– and it showed up almost to the penny! Or that time I prayed about the teaching position. I lost out to another, more experienced candidate and spent much of the year doing substitute teaching in another county. And then, without warning, the school called to ask if I would consider coming back on probation for the same position I had lost out on– the teacher they had hired had developed significant health issues, and they needed a permanent sub for the end of the year. I was able to prove my worth, restoring order and bringing the classes back on track– I stayed for seven more years!

Waiting is not easy or pleasant. When I was almost five, I had a chance to go to kindergarten– My birthday is in November, and the school would allow “young fives”– students who would turn five before December 1st could interview for a chance to be accepted in the current year’s kindergarten. My parents considered it. I desperately wanted to go to school. But I had some lingering health issues from early childhood, and my parents worried that I would be susceptible to viruses and injuries. So, they held me back. I can still remember the ache of watching the school bus pass by my house– the humiliation of having adults ask if I was in school and having to answer, “not yet. I got held back.” It was like a badge of failure in my mind. “Not ready. Not healthy enough. Not good enough.” Years later, I can say that my parents made the best choice they knew how, and it worked out just fine for me. I loved school. I loved my classmates and teachers. And I had more time to be with my baby sister before I spent every day at school. I was older when I made decisions about college and career. I was more mature.

I waited a long time for a husband. I prayed for decades about marriage. And always, the answer seemed to be, “Not yet!” No explanation. No insight into whether I ever would be married. But in the waiting, I grew as a teacher and librarian. I found out that I could not have children of my own. I learned to manage on my own, and also how to reach out for help when needed. And I developed habits of Bible Study and Prayer that have become precious to me. My marriage is a fulfillment of patient waiting and listening to God’s voice, instead of making impatient and rash choices and shutting out the lessons along the way. Oh, and those children I could never have? I never had them. But I ended up with stepchildren and grandchildren who bless my life with love, laughter, and excitement.

God’s best is worth waiting for! I can testify to this on many levels. God doesn’t help “those who help themselves.” They literally “help themselves!” But God blesses those who wait patiently for Him. He doesn’t just show up at the last minute. He stays beside us in the waiting, He encourages us along the way, and He rejoices with us when we see the end from the beginning.

For more, see the following verses (and their context!):
Isaiah 40:31, Lamentations 3:25, Micah 7:7, Psalm 130:5, Romans 8:25, Psalm 40:1, Isaiah 49:23, 2 Peter 3:9, Psalm 27:13…

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My Next Breath

Wildfires have been raging in Ontario, our neighbor to the north. Hundreds of thousands of acres of forest, land, homes, and towns have been destroyed. And the smoke from those fires is also causing damage hundreds of miles away. My husband and I woke up last week to bits of ash on our flowers and thick, smoky air causing visibility to shrink drastically, and breathing to become difficult– especially for those with lung damage or asthma, like my husband.

I was reminded of the time, in 1980, when Mount Saint Helens erupted in Washington State. Even though it is hundreds of miles away, some of the ash from the eruption made it to Michigan and coated our cars and plants. The smoke and ash caused many breathing problems and killed plants across the nation. Smoke doesn’t just “get in your eyes” as the old song claims. It gets into your lungs, it chokes out fresh air and light, hijacks rainwater, and settles in a coating on vulnerable plants, cloths, animals’ coats, standing water, and much more.

I normally don’t spend much time thinking about my next breath. I take it for granted that I will fill my lungs with fresh air and breathe out again. The carbon dioxide I produce will be absorbed by plants and fresh oxygen will be replenished into the air. I don’t have to “decide” to breathe– it happens automatically unless I choose to “hold my breath” and NOT breathe. But I also don’t think about WHAT I am breathing in. I take for granted that the air contains the appropriate amount oxygen to keep my body energized and working properly, and that it doesn’t contain noxious gases, carbon monoxide, tar, ash, etc.

I read somewhere once that God’s name (Yahweh) actually mimics the breathing process. Yahweh is two syllables– the first requires you to inhale in order to produce the right sound. The second allows you to exhale for the exact same reason. You cannot say “Yah-weh” without breathing! (Actually, you can, but you have to make a conscious effort to do so– breathing comes naturally in the two syllables otherwise.) The Bible never actually suggests this, and some religions and sects have misused this idea to suggest that God is somehow IN our breath or in the way we breathe. But I think there is something else to be pondered here.

My next breath depends absolutely on God’s sovereignty. I assume that the air I breathe is pure, healthful, and life-giving. And even when it isn’t– like the past week or so– I assume that air filters, breathing masks, or other mitigations will make the air “safe” to breathe. My husband is a little more aware of his breathing, because he has suffered from asthma attacks, apnea, bronchitis, and lung damage from COVID. Still, he doesn’t spend most of his waking hours in fear of his next breath. And even if we both spent time thinking about it, we have no way to control Earth’s atmosphere, no way to create our next clean breath and guarantee that it will be pure and good. We can buy tanks of oxygen, but even that requires that we trust what is in the tank. Our lives, and every function that sustains it– breathing, blood circulating, brainwaves, digestion, nerves, etc., are in God’s hands. And that’s an amazing and comforting thing, indeed!

Imagine a world where God was NOT in control; where the very air around us might quietly morph into noxious fumes with no warning– no smoke or clouds, no smell–just instantly shutting down our lungs, brains, heart, and life. Such things have been known to happen, in isolated incidents or in the deadly gas chambers of World War 2. We know that we could not breathe the air on other planets, such as Venus or Jupiter. But our Earth was created and is sustained by an abundant life-giving God, who cares about every aspect of our life, including our next breath.

“Father, I am so grateful for your Sovereignty and your compassion. I will fill my lungs with your gift of breath today, and I will use it to pour out praise to You!”

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I Am..

There are many ways to describe who I am (or who you are). I can describe myself in terms of my appearance, my social status, my occupation, age, familial role, or any number of other labels. These labels help distinguish me from other people around me, while also grouping me in with still others. Even my name functions in this way. My surname connects me with my current family; my maiden name with my birth family–my first name distinguishes me from my siblings within the family. However, there are many others in the world with either the same first name, surname, or both!

I know that I am a unique person, but I am not singular. That is to say that while I am a unique combination of genetic materials, with unique hopes and dreams, I still belong to the human race, to my family group, and to the culture and time in which I live.

Only God can say “I AM!” and not have to add any modifier. God is..God. There is no one like God–no label that can be applied to Him and to anyone or anything else. We use words like “King”, “Father”, “Lord”, “He” even “God”, but none of them convey the fullness, the enormity, the eternity of the great “I AM.” Many ancient cultures worshiped gods; supernatural beings who ate and drank, married and had families, ruled the skies or waters or land or underworld, fought, loved– some even died. But none of them could say they were “I AM”. I AM stands in the face of doubt and unbelief; I AM remains unchanged and unchanging in the face of progress and technology; I AM defeats our attempts to shrink Him into our own limited understanding and our own limited lifespan; I AM is ever present, ever aware, everlasting.

And this I AM created each of us to BE. Because of I AM, I can say that I am, too! And my purpose is to be, and to become more like He is, to the glory of I AM, and the fulfillment of what I am in Him.

Lord, Father, and the great I AM– help me to see you more clearly for who you are. Help me to become more like you, and more like the person you created me to be. Help me to reflect your glory in the words I speak and the actions I take today.

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Time Flies

Yesterday had 24 hours, the same as every other day. Yet it seemed to zoom past, leaving me “behind” in getting my blog ready for today. So here I am, writing “under the gun” so that I can publish today.

Blogs like this don’t have “deadlines” in the sense of print publications or broadcasts. I don’t have advertisers or managers demanding that I have content by a certain time or date. There are no editors to determine the length of any particular blog post. This one is likely to be shorter than most, in fact. And God isn’t standing by waiting to scold me for being late today. It is my own sense of expectation that gives me grief.

But God has placed all of us in time and space with a purpose. We do not have the power to “stretch” time, to reclaim it, or to bargain for more of it. Time “flies”–and what we do in the time we have flies, too. And He wants us to give our time to Him first of all.

Falling behind on a blog entry is not a life-or-death matter. Falling behind in life is another matter.

I pray that today will be a productive day, a restful day, even a challenging day– and that, as it flies by, we will fulfill God’s purpose in it. And He’ll take care of the timing!

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He’s Already There (and Here, and Everywhere!)

Sometimes, when I pray for a particular person, I say, “God, please BE with …..” But I’ve had to rethink that wording. Because God is already with ….. Instead, what I really mean to pray is that God’s presence will be felt and acknowledged by the other person; that God will move and act in such a way that the focus will shift to HIS almighty power and provision in a certain situation.

God is omnipresent. There is no place in Heaven or on Earth where God is NOT. In fact, the only place where we could be removed from God’s presence is in Hell. In fact, the most horrifying aspect of Hell is that it is the complete absence of God’s presence. The misery, torture, and fear of Hell is a direct consequence of God’s absence.

There are many situations in our lives when it may seem that God is absent, or that God has turned His back on us. Sometimes, this is really because WE have chosen to turn our backs on God. He is right there, but we are deliberately looking the other way. Other times, God is there, but He chooses not to remove an obstacle or circumstance that is causing us pain or grief. We don’t always know why He seems silent or inactive. But He is there, inviting us to trust His timing and wisdom in every situation. He delights with us, and He grieves with us. He may not give an instant answer to our questions or doubts, but he sits with us, ready to hold our hand and wrap us in His loving care. He doesn’t give up and leave us when the going gets rough. He is closer than a whisper, and He sees and hears everything. No matter what darkness we face, His light can guide us through.

The Psalmist, King David spoke of this with wonder:

7 I can never be lost to your Spirit! I can never get away from my God! 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. 9 If I ride the morning winds to the farthest oceans, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your strength will support me. 11 If I try to hide in the darkness, the night becomes light around me. 12 For even darkness cannot hide from God; to you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you. (Psalm 139:7-12 The Living Bible)

The Apostle Paul also spoke of God’s abiding presence, through Jesus Christ:

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39 ESV)

Jesus Himself promised His eternal presence as well:

Matthew 28:20–“…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Hebrews 13:5 (quoting Jesus)…’for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”’
John 14:18– “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

No matter where you are today, God’s already there! No matter what difficult road you have to travel; no matter how long it takes you; no matter what other obstacles you will face, God’s already there! Whether you are resting in green pastures or walking through the valley of the shadow of death (see Psalm 23), God is with you– He’s already there!

And as we pray, God is already there– He already sees the future. He’s already redeemed the past. He has already seen the end from the beginning, and yet He patiently sits with us in the present, offering comfort and hope.

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Of Stubbed Toes, Pet Cats, and Lost Coins

Prayer doesn’t have to be BIG to catch God’s ear or His heart. God cares about the “big” things– war, cancer, broken relationships. And we must be persistent in our prayers about such things. But God also cares about stubbed toes. He cares about the illness of pets and the pop quiz at school and “that noise” the car has been making lately. And we are not just encouraged; we are commanded to come to Him about the ordinary and “little” things in life.

I was challenged in this a few weeks ago when someone disparaged the prayer group I belong to. We meet every Wednesday morning to pray. And we have a running list of concerns that have been brought to our attention– some requests come from our members, some from prayer cards and requests that have been turned in after Sunday Services at our church. Some of our requests are about “big” things– social issues, wars, the persecuted Church around the world, etc… And some of our requests stay on the list for months. We don’t give up– we rejoice in God’s timing. For instance, we were praying for several months for a dear sister who was having housing issues. She was in assisted living because of her many health issues. But she wanted to live independently. So, we prayed. Miraculously, many of her health issues disappeared, and it seemed that she would be able to move out of the facility, but she didn’t know where she could go on her limited budget, and she still had some issues with mobility. So, we prayed. We got updates– it seemed that a situation would be opening soon, only to find that she had been denied. And denied again! Still, we prayed. Then, a couple of weeks ago, God acted by taking her Home to Heaven unexpectedly. It wasn’t the answer we imagined, but it was God’s perfect timing to answer her greatest needs.

Often, the stories are much smaller. One of the children in our church filled out a prayer card asking for us to pray for their pet cat, who was ill. So, we prayed. There was more to this request than just an animal feeling sick. This child had just lost a grandparent. The family was already dealing with loss, and this child did exactly what Faith tells us to do– call on the LORD in our distress. Bring “everything” to God in prayer (“Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7)And as brothers and sisters in Christ, we were encouraged by this child’s faith and willingness to share. We pray for twisted ankles and hip surgeries. We pray for broken-down cars and those who are struggling to buy groceries this week.

And when someone seemed to disparage our group’s efforts, I was confused and a bit hurt. The other person wasn’t saying that the requests themselves were wrong, but they felt that we might be “wasting” time on such requests at the expense of “more important” issues. Instead of praying for “uncle Joe’s stubbed toe,” we could be praying for social change in our community. “Uncle Joe” was on our list, but world peace was not. Their approach was that such “small” requests might be dealt with in a more personal and immediate way. And that shows another marvelous aspect of prayer. We don’t need to wait for Wednesday, or Sunday, or for a particular group to pray for our needs. In fact, on the strength of their suggestion, our church now announces that there is a “prayer team” at each Sunday service who will take time to offer immediate and personal prayer for those who want it. And both the weekly prayer group and the weekly prayer team can joyfully bring prayers before the Throne of Grace– no matter how big or small, dire or fleeting, personal or corporate.

Our group still offers to pray for “Uncle Joe’s stubbed toe” or Wendy’s car trouble, or Alice, who would like someone to help with yard work. Some of these requests also get passed on to or from our “Help” team, connecting them with practical help from volunteers in our congregation AND prayer support. Because it is our privilege to pray for others– to share their sorrows, struggles, and joys as we travel life together. And we also pray for war-torn areas, our persecuted churches around the world, and spiritual battles taking place in our congregation– addictions, ruptured families, stroke victims and their families, and much more.

Jesus told the three stories of people facing “loss” in Luke, chapter 15. The first story is of the lost sheep and the shepherd who is willing to abandon 99 sheep in order to look for one sheep that is lost. The third, and most famous of the three stories, is of the Prodigal Son, who runs away, spends all of his inheritance, and returns home to find that his father not only forgives him, but celebrates his return. Tucked in between is the story of a woman who loses one silver coin and sweeps through her entire house looking for it. When she finds it, she wants to celebrate with all her neighbors. THAT is what prayer can be–we don’t pray for lost coins or stubbed toes because they are earth-shaking events–we pray because that is how we share life with our neighbors, our brothers and sisters around the world, and the God who Loves each and every one with boundless, eternal, extravagant Love!

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He Knows My Name

I was reading in the Bible the other day in the first chapters of 1 Chronicles. I must admit I did a lot of skimming, rather than reading everything word for word. There were lists and more lists of names and genealogies, and my eyes started to cross after the first hundred or so– and I like genealogies! Some of the names are familiar ones– Abraham, Judah, David, Saul, Jonathan. Other names meant nothing to me– Malkishua, Ram, Othniel. Most were names of fathers and sons, but there were a few scattered women– Tamar, Zeruiah…And there were references to other books of names about all the Kings of Israel and Judah, listing their deeds and accomplishments–books that might be more interesting than what I was reading!

I felt like I was wasting my morning, reading nothing but names. There was no story here– no spiritual lesson to be gleaned. And yet…

There were hundreds of names in the lists I read. Each one carefully recorded for posterity. The names are in the Biblical account because they MEAN something. Each one represents someone God created. Each one was loved by God, watched over and blessed by God. And even if their stories are not all recorded, or their stories are not all interesting or instructive, they all HAD a story, just like each of us. I get excited when I come across information about one of my ancestral families– the maiden name of a seventh great-grandmother, the birth record of a sibling of one of my ancestors, confirming the names of the parents who are also my ancestors, the death certificate that reveals the date and cause of death for someone I’ve been trying to prove existed. Imagine the size of a book that could contain all the life stories of every person who ever lived!

Everyone has a name. And after 40 years of pursuing the hobby of genealogy, I know that there are some names and stories that history has forgotten– names that I cannot find–families that seem to come to a dead end. But that can never be the case with God. He KNOWS ME by name. More than that, He knows every hair on my head (Luke 12:7). He knows my every thought (Psalm 139: 2-4). More than even THAT, He has my name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (see Revelation 13:8 and 21:27). My name is not just whispered or even on God’s mind– He has kept an eternal, written record with my name in it. It can’t be erased or burned up or lost on a back shelf somewhere.

Earlier today, our prayer group met, and we prayed for several people on our prayer list. The list is only four pages long and covers only a few people. Some names will be added to the list; other will be subtracted in the coming weeks. But there are several names and concerns we each have that don’t end up on our list. We forget, or we don’t think the concern is “worth” the ink to print, or the request is meant to be private and not printed. And that’s just one small church in our community.

God knows EVERY name! He knows EVERY concern or request, every confession, every praise, every question, every whispered cry for help! Every one, everywhere, through all time!

There is nothing too small, too “boring” or too fleeting in our prayer life. Someday, we may find that all or our prayers have been written on a scroll or in a book in Heaven. Not because God would ever forget, but because God will always remember!

Billions of names, billions of stories. And God will not skip over or omit mine– or yours. He KNOWS your name!

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