I Never Knew

I never knew when I’d be born, take my first steps, or my first fall…

I never knew when I’d have my first crush, my first heartbreak, and then my next crush…

I never knew if I’d get married, let alone want to…

I never knew if I’d want babies or if I’d enjoy feeling them growing and moving inside of me…

I never knew how hard and how long the enemy would attack me…

I never knew how deep I’d have to dig, firm I’d have to stand, or how many times I’d be on my knees before my Father’s throne…

But God knew. 

And He knew that He’d walk through it with me, giving me the strength and power to overcome.

Long before the creation of the world, God saw me and He smiled.  He called my name and it made Him laugh.  He created me in His image and it filled Him with delight.

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty…If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. ~ Psalm 91:1, 9, 10

Stork Song

Carry each other's burdens. ~ Galatians 6:2

I've heard many pastors use storks as an example to us as to how we should live life together: by caring for each other and carrying one another's burdens.  There are many interesting things about storks, such as their nesting habits--the way stork mothers take care of their stork babies--and the fact that storks are mute, but use bill-clattering as their way of communicating with each other.  However, it was their flight habits that most of the stories I've heard centered around.  It's said that storks fly in flocks, as most birds do, but the thing that makes storks stand out is the way they take care of each other in flight.

These birds are flying several hundred miles together.  Because storks spend a lot of time gliding, if one stork is injured, it can rest its wing on some of the others and still be able to travel with the rest of the flock.  There's another unique quality to storks and it's in the way they take care of their sick and hurting.  If one stork falls away from the flock, two other storks will also leave the flock--allowing the rest of the flock to move on--and go to be with the stork who fell away.  They will remain with that stork until he either recovers and the three can rejoin another flock, or until he dies and then the pair will rejoin another flock.

There are a lot of hurting people in our world right now, and I don't just mean those you've never seen the faces of, but those you see everyday, whom you know and talk to quite often.  When we see people hurting around us, do we act like storks, offering to take them a meal, to pray with them, to hold them when they cry, to stand with them until they recover?  Or do we just keep walking, thinking someone else has got it?  Perhaps we offer words like, "Call if you need anything," and somehow feel put-out when they don't call, or say the words, but just keep moving on with our busy lives and packed schedules.

In a family or tribe or flock of people, we need to take the time to listen to one another, love on one another in a personal way, with a personal touch.  We are all busy, living our packed schedules, but perhaps there's something we can learn from a flock of storks.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers. ~ Galatians 6:10

Expectant or Pregnant

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. ~ Isaiah 40:31 AMP

Because we use the terms “expectant” and “pregnant” so interchangeably, their significance and meaning have gotten lost.  To be “pregnant” could mean “with child; fertile; full of meaning; of great importance or potential,” (dictionary.com).  But expectation is so much more.  Expectation is a constant and persevering state of looking forward to and anticipating something will happen.  So if expectation is anticipation—a knowing, if you will—that something will happen and pregnancy is having the potential that something will happen, which would you rather be?

In the middle of the night, an angel of the Lord went to Mary and said that she would carry and deliver the Son of the Most High God.  Upon hearing the news, she became filled with expectation and said, “May it be to me as you have said,” (see Luke 1:28-38).  You don’t have to be pregnant to be filled with expectation.  If expectation is looking for God to show up and knowing that He will, then we can and should all be expectant.

My prayer is that as challenges come, I would continue to look with expectation for the Lord, knowing that it will renew my strength and power and I will be able to mount up close to God as an eagle; and that I will run and not become weary, and walk and not become faint or tired.  Thank you, Father.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Never Leave Nor Forsake You

I will never leave you nor forsake you ~ Joshua 1:5

For the longest time, I thought those two words, “leave” and “forsake” were the same thing, but the truth is, it’s much deeper than that.  The word “leave” here means “fail.”  God is telling us that the promises He’s made to us, He will not fail to fulfill.  He won’t change His mind and He won’t forget.  God is making us a promise that He will not fail us; He will not fail to bring forth the promises He’s made to us.  The promises He's made to you, individually, He won't fail to fulfill.

The word “forsake” means to abandon.  God will not abandon you.  If you’ve ever been hurt, perhaps by a parent, a spouse, a friend, you may understand what it feels like to be abandoned.  Perhaps no one’s ever physically abandoned you, but you feel cut off and emotionally alone.  God promises that He will not abandon you.  In the middle of the night or the wee hours of the morning, you are never alone because God is always with you.  He cares about and for you.  He will never fail you and He will never abandon you.  God promises to be with you, always.

He Chose the Wood

"Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering...These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen…acacia wood…” ~ Exodus 25:2-5

I was recently doing a study on the details with which God designed His Tabernacle, Ark, etc. and I realized I didn’t understand the point of the wood.  I understand His choosing of the precious metals, beautiful yarn, and fine linens, but not the wood.  What was the significance of His choosing acacia wood for making His Holy things? 

When I began looking into it, I discovered that acacia wood is beautiful, light-weight, and practically indestructible.  In realizing this, I began to consider how God has created each of us.  To God, we are beautiful and perfect for every calling He has placed upon each one of us.  Just like in choosing this wood, our purpose may not be obvious to the world, but God knew exactly how He was going to design us and the work for which He would call us.  Without Christ, we are not like this wood at all, but when Christ is in us, we reveal His glory and are able to lean upon His indestructible strength.

No matter where you are today, God will meet you how and where you are.  Your walk is not about being “Super-Christian” and conquering the mysteries of the Bible in a single bound.  Instead, your walk is constant, continuous, tailored to fit the way God designed you.  Just like God first designed this amazing wood and then chose it for His Holy things, He’s done that with you.  He’s designed you just the way He wants and needs you to be—beautiful and amazing in His sight—and then called you for His Holy things.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. ~ 2 Corinthians 3:18