Just some guy.

Remember Barak? The one in the Bible, whom Deborah told to fight Sisera?
Just some guy. With doubts and fears.

A few decades later, God calls Gideon.
Just some guy. With doubts and fears.

God works in and through the lives of common, broken "just a guy" (and "just a gal").
I don't know about you, but I needed that reminder! 

Father God, thank You for giving us the training and tools to do the work You call us to do! I am "just a guy/gal" and I am so thankful that You are with me in my daily training, as well as the big battles. Increase my faith in You, in Jesus. Greater is He who is in me, than he that is in the world. You are at work in us and You are reconciling others to Jesus through us. Love and speak through us, Father. Show me what You want me to do today. In Jesus' name.

Barak's story can be read in Judges 4-5.  

He meets us!!!

I've been reading through the Gospels chronologically. Following Jesus' resurrection, I have been captivated by the reactions of the followers of Jesus.

Wanna know what hit me today, in John 20?  

We ALL struggle with doubt. We ALL need God's help to believe. 

...and...

HE meets us all in different ways. 

Lord, we don't understand!

The crowd then answered Him, "We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?" So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light." These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. (John 12:34-36 NASB)

Lord, we have heard...

How can this be?

We don't understand,

Didn't You say...

Where did You go? 

Did we misunderstand?

Your reply doesn't make sense to us.

What do we do now?

Abba God, just like those in John 12, we have heard Scripture and we understand it a certain way. When what we learned doesn't fit Your plans, give us strength to endure the waiting, standing firm in our faith. Change our perspective and increase our faith. We know You are all wise, good, kind. We believe You are faithful to finish what You began! In us. In this world. Help us encourage each other in The Body. Thank You for Your written Word, for promising to come for us, and for promising that the trials we endure and the good works You give us are useful in Your hands - never in vain. In Jesus' name.

Temptation. Behaviors. Deeper

"Every temptation to sin is, in the moment, a temptation to disbelieve the gospel-
the temptation to secure for ourselves in that moment
something we think we need
in order to be happy,
something we don’t yet have: meaning, freedom, validation, and so on.

Bad behavior happens
when we fail to believe
that everything we need,
in Christ we already have...
when we fail to believe
in the rich provisional resources
that are already ours in the gospel.

Conversely, good behavior happens when we
daily rest in and receive
the finished work of Christ
in deeper and deeper ways,
smashing any sense of need to secure for ourselves
anything beyond what Christ has already secured for us."
-Tullian Tchividjian, Jesus + Nothing = Everything

(Thanks to Katie Orr, for sharing this quote on Do Not Depart!)

Abba God, thank You for always providing all that we need in Christ Jesus. I ask that You convict me each time I'm tempted to doubt. I often get tired of waiting on You to do what only You can. However, You do know best. You love me more than I have loved myself. I know Jesus has called me to choose DAILY to trust You for all my needs. Thank You for continually training me and directing my paths... reminding me of truth. May others see You in me & may all the glory go to You! In Jesus' name...

Sigh...

I hunch forward in desperation when I think of my lack, but then I remember that Jesus is my adequacy. 

I tire of the fight, but I remember I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

I fear that hope might disappoint, but I remember Jesus' powerful act on the cross which showed his resolve to trust God with everything. 

I struggle to lay down fears and worries, as if I can control anything by them, but I remember God's commands. Do not fear... Do not worry... 

All day long, I have these logical talks with myself... then a mountain of frustration grows as I realize I don't know where I am, what I'm doing, or why I'm here. 

I don't know what I'm supposed to be learning - or do I? 

Abba God, my head agrees with You, but my heart is so filled with turmoil. I want to believe You, to fully trust You, and to be content with You. Oh, Lord, increase my faith and cause me to love you above all else! I want so much for You to be my everything. Cause me to stand firm in You alone & to not “mind” the other stuff of life. I want nothing to matter besides You. In Jesus' name... 

I find hope... in ordinary lives

I find hope when I consider

all the ordinary lives woven by grace into God’s Story.

• A carpenter named Joseph, and Mary, a common young girl (probably only 12).
• John Mark. Barnabas. Philemon & Onesimus.
• Many of the disciples were common fishermen. They weren’t stellar in Hebraic religious schools, so it they were sent home to learn their father’s occupation. Rabbis didn’t see anything special in them. They didn’t make the cut. They missed their one chance…Then Jesus spoke into their lives and everything changed.
• Abraham was just another man from a big city. 
• The widow who didn’t have another penny to spare, but gave it to her El Shaddai anyway.

Common people, living common lives, make perfect conduits for Jehovah's strong, merciful arm. 

Truly, it was common people scattered throughout the world who changed culture simply by following Jesus’ commands to love God and people. They prayed, listened to Scripture, and learned to live lives that were above reproach, honoring others above themselves. They had phobias, struggles, insecurities, relational problems, felt alone, and wondered when Jesus would return.

God chose them and they responded to His call. Same's true for you and me.

So, what makes me think I’m so special, so unique, so beyond His ability? I don’t give Jehovah enough credit. I don’t use my imagination to try to grasp His capabilities. He’s beyond everything I could think or imagine. Didn’t He create this world for me because He wants relationship with me? Won’t He create the next one to spend eternity with me, because He longs to be face-to-face with me? Didn’t He promise to finish what He began? Why do I think that His work in me would be any different than all those written about in Scripture?

God is the one who makes Extraordinary happen. He chooses people much like the ones you see every day. Even the woman in the mirror. Even me. 

Abba God, I stand amazed. Truly, there is no one other than You. Your arm reaches further, your love is deeper, and your ability is so much more than I imagine or give You credit for. Thank You for patiently teaching me and for continuing the work You started in me. Train me to focus on You and to fully grasp how extraordinary You are. May others see Jesus through me as I go about my common day. Let me remember that You are way beyond ordinary - You are my hope! In Jesus’ name…  

My response in the presence of a holy God

In the presence of a Holy God, the great hold that Fear and Doubt had on Moses’ life was evident. (Which strikes me as odd, because who thinks of themselves while looking at a burning bush that won't burn up???)

Remember? The Lord was angered while telling Moses that he WAS the man for the job. In His anger, He still showered grace and mercy on the man. Before Moses was done giving excuses, Aaron was already on his way to meet Moses (Exodus 4:14).

How much more is God gracious to us, who have received the cleansing of Christ Jesus' blood? We are called into fellowship - COMPLETE UNITY - with our Prince Jesus. We are made one. God sees us as He views Jesus. And He is gracious. He gives us the strength we need, and sometimes allows us crutches as we learn what it means to have faith. 

God’s plans will be accomplished. He understands we are weak. If we doubt, God raises up a way.

All that said, I can't help but think that the same lack of faith Moses had in the beginning of his journey also caused him to miss out on added blessings. He didn’t need any helper but God Himself.

God calls us to do more than we think we can. In each doubt we exercise, we miss out on God’s large plans in some way. We miss seeing just how big of a God we serve.

Yes, Moses was faithful in much. He praised and followed God even though he was surrounded by 600 thousand unbelieving men and their families, the very people rescued out of Egypt. For 40 years. It wasn’t easy. And I am encouraged that a man can endure so much.

However, I must remember, too, that doubt cost him. Moses had great opportunities to know God more fully, but that lack of faith was still there in the end. He whacked a rock twice instead of only speaking to it to release water. And it cost him entrance into the Promised Land. Even in this, God was gracious enough to allow him to see the Promised Land.

I don’t want to just SEE the promised  land in my life. I don’t want to settle for knowing that I’ll be in heaven and have fullness of Christ Jesus in me THEN…

I want to know JESUS as fully as humanly possible on this earth, before I die. To know him so fully that nothing can change my countenance; that others would stop and ask each other, “What was she drinking? Must be something in the Water…” And I can reply, “Yep. Sure is. I’ll tell you all about that water if you’d like.”

Abba, thank You for the living water You are giving me. Give me the resolve to focus only on YOU. In your presence, I want to be so fully enveloped in YOU that I don't think of my lack, only Christ's fullness. In Jesus' name and for Your glory...

Identifying with a murderer

Moses’ life intrigues and inspires me. I wish I could interview him.

Remember his story? Raised in Pharaoh's household, he must have acquired great academic and political savvy. Seeing the unfair plight of his people must have kept him up at night as he pondered how to fix the situation. As solutions evaded him, it must have been too much to see that Egyptian slave driver beating a helpless brother. Without forethought to the consequences, Moses acted in anger and found himself fleeing in fear. 

In the desert, Fear and Doubt must have been constant companions as he tended sheep, daily mocking his great knowledge and abilities. He had learned so much in a great ruler's house, had been given everything needed to rise to great leadership, and yet he lost everything because of his foolish actions. 

I can relate somewhat. I've royally messed up and hurt others. Trying to solve problems, I’ve stepped in where I should not have (or in the wrong timing) and caused more trouble than there was to begin with. Yes, there have been times I've been allowed to intervene, but many times when God's been clear. “Hands off, girl! Leave this one to me.” It’s extremely hard to wait for God to change a situation – or to watch injustice unfold where it’s not in your power to do something (beyond prayer, of course).

  

Yet in Moses’ story, I find hope.

God still called him. God used him anyway.

My failings, my imperfections… they are nothing compared to the power and creativity of my Abba.

Abba, thank you for choosing to include us in your story. HIS*tory is all about you, but in my daily life I fall prey to thinking everything’s about me. May my thoughts be focused on YOU – your power, glory, creativity, goodness, hope, love, grace, mercy – today. May my heart be encouraged to know that you are working in, and through, my life in spite of my past and present condition. May your will be done in my heart and mind, and your will is done in heaven. I love you so much. In Jesus’ name… 

If you have time this weekend, I encourage you to read Moses' story. We'll be identifying with him more over the next several weekdays.