God’s Wedding Plans: Part 3 – The Plans

Reading for today: Revelation 19:6-9

“And I will betroth you to me forever…” ~ Hosea 2:19

I worked my college summers at a camp, spending evenings around the campfire, singing songs like Shout to the Lord, Shine Jesus Shine, Light the Fire, and Awesome God.

One of my favorites was Jesus, Lover of My Soul. It’s a beautiful song by Hillsong based on Psalm 40. It’s an easy song to learn, with repeating lyrics, so I brought it with me to Taiwan to teach my English Bible study students.

One of the pastors heard the song and asked me not to teach it to the students. He argued that calling Jesus a “lover” was racy and irreverent.

There is no doubt that the word “lover” has some baggage. But the Bible clearly depicts God as a relentless, pursuing lover. Excluding this kind of intimate, covenantal love, limits our understanding of the depth and multidimensionality of God’s love for us.

Through the 15 years of marriage to my lover, God has graciously taught me more about His unbelievable steadfast love and faithfulness. And I am still learning.

In love, God pursues us, He proposes to us an everlasting covenant, and He promises us the ultimate wedding feast to come.

On that great day, when we stand like a bride in front of the church, we will no longer rely on faith to carry us through to God’s kingdom. On that day, we will see, we will feel, and we will experience the full measure of God’s perfect love for us…forever.

Dear God, Give me the faith to believe your great love for me. Give me the strength to love You and others as You have first and always loved me. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Toby and I at our wedding feast (Aug 2002)

There is nothing like a good piece of wedding cake (or in my case, good wedding pie), shared at a happy, wedding feast.

God is preparing the ultimate wedding cake and feast for us. He promises that Jesus will one day come again to sweep His bride (the church) off her worn and weary feet and bring her to the greatest wedding feast ever.

Read through some of God’s wedding plans this week.

Day 2 – John 14:1-6

Day 3 – Hosea 2:16,18-20; Isaiah 25:6-9

Day 4 – Luke 14:15-24

Day 5 – Psalm 23

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Something for Nothing: Lent Series – Week 2

For these weeks leading up to Easter, we are studying how God works miracles out of nothing.

Reading for this week: Hebrews 11:8-11

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” ~Genesis 18:14

Out of an unbelieving family, God called Abraham to be the father of all believers. Out of the old, barren womb of Abraham’s wife, Sarah, God promised a child. Out of nothing came generations, nations, kings, and blessings upon blessings.

Even though God promised to work a miracle through Abraham and Sarah, they laughed because they believed what God had promised was impossible. But their laughter was not from joy. It was from cynicism and doubt.

Abraham laughed and said, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old?” Sarah also laughed and asked, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure [in a child]?”

Retrieved from – http://dohlesdevos.blogspot.com/

But God replied to their laughter with his own laughter, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

God forgave their mistakes, he worked through their limited understanding, and he brought forth a son from the empty womb of Sarah.

As she looked in amazement at the baby boy in her arms, she said, “God has made laughter for me.”

Praise God that when he chooses to work his greatest miracles, he does not require our understanding. He can work through our cynicism and doubt. And in his mercy, he can bring joyful laughter into a life that otherwise had nothing.

Dear God, I am able to do nothing, yet you have chosen to work through me, even when I get in the way or stumble. Thank you for your forgiveness and steadfast love. Amen.

God called forth a nation out of an empty womb. From that nation would come a Savior for all nations. Let’s read about Abraham and Sarah’s story this week.

Day 2 – Genesis 12:1-4; Genesis 15:1-6

Day 3 – Genesis 16:1-3; 15-16

Day 4 – Genesis 17:15-21

Day 5 – Genesis 18:9-14; Genesis 21:1-7

 

 

 

 

 

 

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a heart after You: week 2

Reading for today: Psalm 32:8

“And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him.” ~I Samuel 18:14

These past few months, I have been considering a career move. The thought of it has kept me up at nights, it has woken me up early in the mornings, and it has turned my stomach for days. Basically, I don’t know what to do.

This week’s passages about David speak directly to those “I-don’t-know-what-to-do” moments. When David was unsure of what move to make, he inquired after God. And after each prayer for guidance, God guided.

God’s guidance is varied and never promises to be the same each time, but it is always available to the one who asks.

The first lesson on having a heart like God’s own heart is quite simple: Seek God. In every situation, ask for His wisdom, seek His counsel, and pray for His guidance.

*Hint: Seeking God’s help doesn’t mean that you will know how it ends. But God knows how it will end, and He promises to get you there.

Dear God, I want to have a heart like yours. Guide me in ___________________. Give me your counsel and wisdom. Lead me in the path marked out for me. Amen.

David’s prayers for guidance to God:

Day 2 – 1 Samuel 22:3-5; 23:1-5

Day 3 – 1 Samuel 23:9-14

Day 4 – 1 Samuel 30:7-19

Day 5 – 2 Samuel 2:1-7

 

 

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“Hey! You Denied My Miracle”: 3 Studies on God’s Timing – Part 3

Reading for today: Luke 22:39-53

How many times have you asked God for a miracle? And how many times have you been denied? In our first two studies, Jairus and Lazarus’ sisters all asked for a miracle and got it. They struggled with God’s timing, but in the end, they all received a miracle, even better than they had expected.

What about when you, in faith, ask for a miracle but you don’t get it. What about when God chooses to deny your request? God answers your patient waiting, not with a “yes”, or a “maybe”, or a “later”, but with a cold, unexplainable “no”. When God says no and His timing seems to work against you, you have all the ingredients for despair.

So what better way to end a series on God’s timing, then with an example of Jesus’ own denied request. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus begged God to take away the coming cross and his death. And the answer he received was an unmistakable “no”.

Jesus denied? Up until this point, Jesus hadn’t been denied anything. He had asked for healing and got it. He had asked for understanding and received it. He had asked for miracles, and they came. He asked for the Spirit, and the Spirit was granted. But then one of his last requests was denied. Why? Because God’s timing for our salvation was right on track and Jesus’ request would have derailed God’s plan for us.

In his heart, Jesus knew this, so attached to his desperate prayer were 7 of the most important words ever uttered. “Not my will, but yours be done.” And thank God, that prayer was answered.

When you grapple with God’s timing in your life or in the lives of those around you, know that, like Jesus, you can ask God for wisdom, for clarity, for answers, and for a miracle. But also pray those 7 important words from Jesus, “Not my will, but yours be done.” It may not feel good, but God’s will being done is always best. Trust Him.

Dear God, Right now, I am asking for ___________________________. Not my will, but Yours be done. Amen.

Day 2 – Romans 5:6; Galatians 4:4-7

Day 3 – 2 Peter 3:8-9; James 1:5

Day 4 – Proverbs 3:5-6; Jeremiah 29:11-14

Day 5 – Matthew 6:9-13

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Hey! You Stole My Miracle: 3 Lessons on God’s Timing – Lesson 1

Read for today: Luke 8:40-56

“Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any more.” Luke 8:49

 

Lesson 1: God’s timing is never too late.

Jairus knew Jesus could heal his dying daughter. If he could find Jesus, then there might be a chance.

As if God had heard his desperate prayer, there was Jesus! Pushing through the crowd, Jairus threw himself at Jesus’s feet. Please come, heal my daughter. Desperation gave way to hope as Jairus led Jesus through the masses. Oh God, let us make it in time.

And then, out of nowhere, Jesus stopped. He began to search the crowd for something or someone else. Who touched me? Jesus asked. Nobody responded. Jesus continued to wait, looking around. Precious time ticked by.

There are hundreds of people all around, why are you stopping to ask “who touched me?” Then a woman stepped out of the crowd, revealing that she had touched Jesus and because of it, was healed from a twelve-year-old disease.

Twelve-year-old. The age of Jairus’s daughter. The daughter who also needed Jesus to touch her with his healing powers. But now it was too late. Men from Jairus’s house came and said, Your daughter is dead. Don’t trouble the teacher any more. It’s over. This hemorrhaging woman had stolen Jairus’s miracle! While Jesus had stood there commending her on her faith, Jairus’s daughter had died. Her life was over. They were too late.

But God’s timing is never too late. In fact, it is perfect every time. However, our response to His perfect timing is usually one of four reactions: fear (as in Jairus), annoyance (as in the disciples), cynicism (as in Jairus’s household), or faith (as in the hemorrhaging woman).

God’s timing is about getting us to that place of faith. His seeming delay afforded one woman another chance in life, healing her body and strengthening her faith. To a scared family, their cynical household, and a frustrated group of disciples who all wanted a healing, God’s timing allowed for a bigger miracle: a resurrection.

As you go through this week, what are you waiting on God for? Instead of responding with worry or fear or frustration, ask God to give you faith. Remember, God loves you and He has a plan for you. He will bless you abundantly and make you a blessing to others. Trust His way. Trust His timing.

Dear God, It is so hard to wait for you. Make me fearless and give me the strength to believe that you have everything perfectly timed. Amen.

This week read about the blessings of waiting on God’s timing.

Day 2 – Jeremiah 29:11-12; Psalm 27:14

Day 3 – Romans 8:28-32

Day 4 – Isaiah 30:18; Lamentations 3:22-26

Day 5 – Psalm 130

 

 

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God’s Inverted Economy

The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics. Thomas Sowell

God has an economic plan, but it’s not like the economy we are used to or even comfortable with. For a general description of God’s economic plan read: Proverbs 11:24-28.

 

God’s system of economics seems backwards. Supply has nothing to do with demand. Yet, He promises that for those who seek Him first, His righteousness, and His way, that all the things we need will be there (Matthew 6:33).

God is rich in all things good and He is completely generous. He has modeled His own system for us. We know this because He gave us Jesus. And Jesus gave up everything, He gave it all away – He made himself nothing, He completely emptied Himself. He took on the plight of humanity, and ultimately our death. The result of this undeserved generosity?  God exalted Him to the highest place and at His name we bow (Philippians 2:5-11). And because of Jesus, we have access to everything good. Because of His emptying out, we have God’s blessing, and we have life to the full (John 10:10).

God’s acting on His own economic principles has graciously afforded us salvation, hope, and life to the full. In faith, we receive these incredible blessings. Why not, in faith, also entrust our meager resources to God. Not simply to receive the promised blessings. But also so that we might be a blessing to someone else.

Here are some principles of God’s economy to ponder over this week.

1. God’s economy is not a capitalistic one.
2. God’s economy is based on abundance, not on scarcity.
3. God’s economy is counterintuitive and illogical.
4. A spending freeze will not fix the problem of consumerism. Generosity is the only cure for consumption.
5. Generosity generates blessing.
6. In God’s economy, giving is not a loss, it is always a gain.
7. In God’s economy, expect God’s help. That is honoring to God.
8. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

“Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”  Malachi 3:10

Dear God, Help us to live in the light of your “inverted” economy. Help us to trust that your economy is best. Amen.

Readings for this week:

Day 2 – Philippians 2:5-11

Day 3 – Matthew 6:19-24

Day 4 – Matthew 6:25-33

Day 5 – 1 Timothy 6:9-11, 17-19; Hebrews 13:5-6

 

*Thank you Pastors Steve, Ryan, and Dion, as well as Emily and my father for their collective insights that made up this study.

 

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Best Laid Plans

@anormanwalker

Reading for today: Acts 16:6-15

In general, our plans don’t always go as intended. Yet God is always directing us to the people, places, and circumstances he has planned for us.

For Paul, Silas, and Timothy, their plans to work in Asia were stopped more than once by the Holy Spirit. Not because their plans were bad, but because God’s plans were better. God had a very special woman and her family in mind. Lydia and her family were waiting to hear and ready to accept the amazing words that Paul and his friends had dedicated their lives to share.

Lydia and her purple cloth, “Purple Girl” photograph by Barry Perks

Some of us, like Paul and his friends, may be fortunate enough to glimpse God’s reasoning behind an unexpected or unwanted life-turn. Others of us can only trust that God has his best, our best, and others’ best in mind with each turn in the road.

My favorite moments, though, are the ones when I get to see the blessing. Every time that happens, I thank God for directing me when I would have otherwise walked away.

Recognize God’s directing. Life will become deeper and fuller as you learn to see the people, places, and circumstances around you as strategically positioned in time and space by God himself and for his better will.

Oh God, I want to want your will to be done. Give me trust. Give me wisdom. Give me strength. Guide me according to your best plans. Amen.

Day 2: Psalm 139

Day 3: Jeremiah 29:11-14; Psalm 138:8; Psalm 143:8

Day 4: Proverbs 19:21; Psalm 33:10-12

Day 5: John 10:3-4; James 1:5; Proverbs 3:5-6

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My Comfort Zone

Reading for today: Matthew 28:1-20

I was nine-years-old. I was looking forward to unlimited pancakes and wearing my brand-new Easter dress. But nothing can spoil an Easter Sunday pancake stack like the chicken pox.

Completely uncomfortable, I spent the morning quarantined in the church office. The only person who saw my new dress was the poor, immune soul who quickly dropped off an anticlimactic, styrofoam plate of cold pancakes.

I could faintly hear happy voices declaring, “He is risen! He is risen indeed!” Then the hymn, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, lifted up out of the old electric organ. Just a hallway down from the celebration though, little third-grade me felt only boredom, disappointment, and little red irritations.

Easter is supposed to be the great victory, the great celebration of new life through Christ’s death and resurrection. Easter is the culminating event of the church year. It’s bigger than Christmas. He is risen! …But so what?

It’s hard to feel celebratory when you have the chicken pox. It’s hard to feel festive when you’re sick. Or when your mother has cancer. Or when your spouse has hurt you, again. Or when your coworker has died. Or when you deal with chronic pain. Or when you realize your child has special needs. Or when you live in the fear of terrorism. Or when you’re hungry, persecuted, imprisoned, lonely, in need of help, anxious, lost, broken, or dwelling in deep darkness.

He is risen! So what? What does this mean for us right now?

First of all, Jesus’ death and resurrection was a part of God’s plan. God’s plan to save us from sin and every uncomfortable thing mentioned above. Likewise, Jesus coming again one day to establish the new heaven and the new earth is also a part of that redemptive plan.

But, more to the question – so what? This tough, in-between time is also part of the plan. Not because God wants us to suffer a bit longer, but because he is in the business of creating and redeeming. He is creating the new heavens and the new earth, creating clean hearts. He is creating new life within us and is redeeming creation, his creation, back to himself. No one knows when this in-between time will be over. But we’ve been promised it will end and we will have comfort in the meantime.

Comfort in the original Latin means, “with strength.” God’s comfort does not mean we will always be comfortable. Free from pain or anxiety or constraint. Instead, God’s comfort is his strength freely given to help us deal with everything uncomfortable in this world.

You see, we were not created for this broken, uncomfortable world and we desperately need God’s strength to endure it. So when we cry out “He is risen!” it is because we know the same strength that brought Jesus back to life is the very strength that gives us comfort as we wait for his return. He is risen! And he is coming again! Allelujah!

Dear God, Thank you for your comfort and your strength. I need your comfort as I struggle with _________________________. Please help me to bring comfort and strength to others in my life. Amen.

God has promised his comfort. Ask for it.

Day 2 – Isaiah 40:1-5; 27-31

Day 3 – Psalm 23

Day 4 – 2 Corinthians 1:3-10

Day 5 – 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; John 16:32-33

*Special thanks to Pastor Pat Simmons. Your sermon this past Sunday morning wrote this devotional.

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