Promises that Bring Hope

“Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.  I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.  I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.  I will give it to you for a possession.  I am the LORD.’”  Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.  Exodus 6:6-9

God makes some amazing promises.  He made amazing promises to the people of Israel, and he makes amazing promises to us.  But what do we do with those promises?

When Moses brought the promises of God to the people of Israel who were enslaved in Egypt, the people didn’t believe them.  They didn’t listen.  They were so overcome by the harsh slavery they were in that their spirits were broken.  They were so broken in spirit, that even after calling out to God in their distress and getting an answer from him, that they did not believe it.  This shows us a truth about ourselves:  The harshness of what we are enslaved to can make it hard to hear or believe the words of the LORD. 

You may be thinking, “Yeah, but they were actual slaves.  Of course that was true for them.  I’m not a slave, so that doesn’t apply to me.”  Doesn’t it though?  True, you aren’t a slave like the people of Israel were to the Egyptians.  But what are you a slave to?  What is it in your life that has you enslaved…that has you trapped in such a way that you can’t get out or away from it?  Maybe it’s a sin of some kind, one that no one else knows about.  Maybe it’s a situation that seems to have no remedy or resolution.  Maybe it’s a relationship or a decision.  There are numerous things that can make us feel trapped or stuck and make us lose hope.

The things that we are stuck in or feel enslaved by can easily break our spirit, which makes it hard to hear or believe what the LORD has said or promised.  Feeling stuck, trapped, enslaved wears us down.  When day after day we think, ‘this is the day I will get out of this,’ and then it doesn’t happen, we start to lose hope.  The circumstances around us can often feel more real than the promises of God, and they can be overwhelming.  We see the reality of what is around us, and it overwhelms.  Even though we know of God’s promises, when we have not seen the reality of their fulfillment, they feel less real.  And the reality of our circumstances looms larger in our minds.  Our focus shifts to what we see, which seems hopeless, rather than remaining on God, our source of hope.  When this happens, our spirits are broken.

This is what happened to the people of Israel when Moses shared the promises God had made to them.  They heard the promises of God, but they were so focused on their hopeless situation that they couldn’t believe the promise of hope that God had given them.  It happened to them, and it happens to us.  So what do we do about it?

The good news is that God never breaks his promises.  He didn’t break his promises to the people of Israel, and he doesn’t break his promises to us. And that’s what we need to remember.  When that situation comes along that has us trapped and enslaved, we can’t focus on the situation.  We need to focus on God.  God is the one who sets the captive free.  God is the one redeems us.  God is the one who takes us to be his own.  When we focus on God, on his promises, on his power, on what he has done, our situation doesn’t seem so big.  And it is no problem for the God of the universe to break the chains of whatever has us trapped or enslaved. 

That is something that brings hope even to the most hopeless of situations.

Never Forget

"But watch out!  Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen.  Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live!  And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren."  Deuteronomy 4:9

Moses said these words to the Israelites as they were getting ready to enter the promised land.  He was reminding the people to remember all of the things they had seen the LORD do among them and for them.  Remember them.  Never forget them.  And take the time to pass them on to those who come after them.

What's the point of remembering all of those things?  And if Moses was telling this to the Israelites, what does that have to do with me?

The LORD had done amazing things in their lives!  He had done things that had never been done before.  He had showed them time after time that He would take care off them, that He would provide for them, that He would protect them...  The people were about to have a major life change.  They were about to go from wandering around in the wilderness to settling in their own land.  But settling in their own land wasn't going to be easy.  There were people living there.  The Israelites were going to face challenges to settle in the promised land.  Moses reminded them that they had already faced challenges, and God had taken care of them.  As they went into the promised land, they would face new challenges, and this time they would face them without Moses there to lead them.  So Moses encouraged them to remember.  He encouraged them to remember what God had done so that when they faced challenges again, they would also remember who God is and what He could do.  Knowing how God had helped them before would help them to be strong as they faced new challenges.

Just like the LORD was working in the lives of the Israelites, He is working in my life too.  He has encouraged, helped, comforted, provided...  But when I forget what He has done in my life in the past, I worry more about what will happen in the future.  What will happen in this situation?  How will I ever make it through this struggle?  How will we have what we need for this?  It is a rapid downward spiral because I'm worried about how I will get through whatever the struggle is.

But when I remember what God has done in my life in the past, I am reminded of how He works.  I am reminded of how great He is.  I am reminded of His power.  I am reminded that nothing is too hard for Him.  So when I face new challenges or struggles, they don't seem quite so big.  The struggle I face now is no problem for the God who has taken care of this and that and all those other things.  Remembering all those things God has done in the past reminds me that I am not alone.  He was with me in those struggles, and He has promised to never leave me.  That means He will be with me in the struggles I face now and all those others yet to come.

Remembering what God has done in the past helps me to trust Him right now and for the future.

All of those reminders of who God is and what He has done in the past is helpful not just to me but to others as well.  Hearing of how God has worked in my life in the past (and present) can encourage you to trust Him with what you're facing.  And hearing how God has worked in your life can encourage me to trust Him.

So remember.  Remember what God has done in your life.  And tell others what He has done.  Listen to what He has done in the lives of others.  And trust Him, the God with whom nothing is impossible, to walk with you in what you are facing now.

Even though...

" Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD!  I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
The Sovereign LORD is my strength!  He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights."  Habakkuk 3:17-19

There are always difficult things we go through in life.  There's always an illness, a disappointment, a frustration, a struggle, a time of wandering....you get the idea.  We all, at some point, go through times that are difficult.  But how many of us, when we go through these times, can say like Habakkuk, "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD!"

Rejoicing in the LORD doesn't mean that we don't have difficult times.  It doesn't mean that difficult things don't bother us.  Read the rest of Habakkuk and you'll see that the difficult times bothered Habakkuk.  But, he didn't give in to the difficulty.  He didn't give in to the circumstances and give up.  Instead, even though there were difficult times, he rejoiced in the LORD.  We can always rejoice in the LORD.  Even when something is difficult.  We can rejoice in the LORD through anything and everything because He is the God of our salvation.  He is our strength.  And, He helps us to stand, even though it is hard.

So what is your even though...?  Even though we struggle with illness...  Even though things are so busy that there is little time to do it all...  Even though my job may be stressful...  Even though I would rather be on the mission field but can't get there right now...  Even though I want a baby but haven't been able to have one...  Even though the kids I teach can be very unruly...  Even though it's hard for me to talk to people...  Even though...  Fill in the blank.

Remember, no matter what your even though is, you can rejoice in the LORD.  He is bigger than your even though.  He is bigger than any circumstance.  He is more powerful than anything that may come against you.  When those difficulties rear their ugly heads and try to discourage you and drag you down, remember the LORD.  Remember what He has done for you.  And choose to rejoice.  Rejoice in Him!  Rejoice in all that He has done for you!  Rejoice in who He is!

I know that is not always easy to do.  All too often, I give in to the even thoughs.  But not today.  Today, I choose to rejoice in the LORD!  No matter what struggles there may be in my life, the LORD is bigger!  And I will rejoice in Him!

Will you join me?

Through the Waiting

Have you ever had to wait for something that you really wanted? Of course you have. We all have. But, I'm not just talking about waiting for something that you know is coming, like your birthday or Christmas, the end of a school year, or a new movie coming out. Have you ever had to wait for something that you didn't know for sure if it would even happen or not? I waited for many years to get married. It was hard to wait all those years, wanting so much to get married, but not knowing for sure if it would ever happen. When I met Josh and got married, that wait was over. Being married to Josh was worth the wait, but that doesn't change the fact that it was still hard while I was in that period of waiting. There's a reason that God tells us many times in the Word to be strong and wait for the Lord. Waiting is hard, and we need strength to continue the wait without giving up.

Now, I find myself in another period of waiting. Soon, Josh and I will have been married for three years. For over half of that time, we have been wanting and trying to have a baby. Month after month has passed, and we continue to wait with nothing happening. Waiting is hard. Often, with each passing month, frustrations and disappointments increase. At times, it is difficult to hear of and see others who are having babies and celebrating new pregnancies, even when those people are friends. There are times when I want to be happy for them, but I just can't. Because they are receiving while I am not. They are celebrating, and I am stuck in the waiting. And waiting is hard.

Waiting is never fun. But the amazing thing about waiting is that we don't have to wait alone. There is One who is always there with us. God is there to comfort us, encourage us, help us, and give us strength. Last month, the children's program at church that I am involved in was focused on patience with the memory verse for the month being, "Wait for the Lord. Be strong and don't lose hope. Wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14. While I was there trying to teach kids about patience and waiting on the Lord, I was struggling through the waiting. When we wait for the Lord, we should be strong and not lose hope. He is the only One who will always come through for us. He will never let us down. He is worth waiting for, and so are His plans for my life.

There is so much more that God does for us through the waiting. In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul says, "Don't 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." Have I worried and stressed over how long it is taking us to have a baby? Yes. But then, I remembered to go to God about it. I remembered to pray and ask Him for what I need and even want. Now, I will confess that I have not done that as consistently as I should, and I have not always gone to Him in prayer with thanksgiving. But God has blessed me anyway. He has comforted me, and He has filled me with His peace. This peace, I cannot describe. It fills me when I should not be peaceful. For the last couple of months, when I have realized that there will be yet another month of waiting, God has filled me with His peace. He has helped me to be strong and not lose hope. He has reminded me that He loves me, that He is still in control, and that He is working things out according to His plan. He has allowed me to rest in that and be able to carry on.

The peace that I have found in the Lord doesn't make everything easy. Waiting is still hard. I still have days that are difficult, days that I struggle with wanting what I do not have. I still have some days that I don't want to hear about someone else who is pregnant. But those days are becoming fewer, and the pain of them is becoming less because the peace is becoming greater. Just yesterday, I found out that another friend of mine is pregnant. Though I am slightly saddened that it is not me, I am truly happy for her. I could not be happy for her if it were not for the peace of God. It is often a fight to hold on to that peace that passes understanding, but it is a fight that is worth it.

I write all of this, not for you to feel sorry for me for the struggles I am going through. I write all of this because I want you to know about the peace that I have. Without the story of the struggles and the waiting, the peace that I talk about would not be so amazing. The most amazing peace is the peace that comes in the middle of a storm. Without understanding the storm, you can't be amazed at the peace. I hope my story will be an encouragement to someone. When you find yourself in the waiting, be strong. Don't lose hope. Don't give up. Turn to the Lord. Talk to Him. Seek Him. And watch for His peace to fill you life.

Why does God keep on giving me a heart for the nations?

I read this quote the other day in the Missions Mosaic magazine. The quote is from missionary Annie Winslow.

"Why does God keep on giving me a heart for the nations? Because time is running out--their time--time to hear before they die and possibly leave this world without knowing Him. Because time is running out--my time to go and tell others about Jesus is now, while I still have the health, energy, and strength to do so. Because time is running out--Jesus'time--we don't know when Christ will return, and it's my responsibility to go tell the nations about Him, before He does!"

I have often asked myself the same question. Why does God keep on giving me a heart for the nations? I have a desire and love for missions that I cannot explain. But why does God keep giving me this desire? Why does He give me the desire for people to hear the truth about Jesus while at the same time I struggle with talking to people?

I love for people to hear about Jesus. I love for people, especially those from nations around the world, to find salvation and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. But when it comes to me opening my mouth, it feels like I have a 100 pound lock holding my mouth shut. It isn't that I don't know the Gospel or how to explain it. If someone came up to me and asked me to share the Gospel with them, I could do it. But no one asks me that. Instead, I fumble around in conversation, not knowing what to say or what to ask. I'm not very good at keeping a conversation going. I have trouble getting the conversation to spiritual things. Once the conversation gets there, I can talk about God. I can share the Gospel. But there are so many times that we have to direct the conversation toward God. People who don't know God or don't know anything about Him are not likely to start talking about Him on their own.

So why is it that I, with my trouble in talking, have such a desire for missions? Annie Winslow gives lots of good reasons why God gives me a heart for the nations. And I think they all apply to me and to you as well. They are universal reasons that apply to all of us. But I have also wondered if God has given me a heart for the nations so that He might display His glory and His strength in me. Because talking is certainly not my strength. But when I am weak, He is strong. My weakness is where He so greatly displays His strength. And when He does work in me, giving me the words to say, I can give Him all the credit without any hesitation...because I KNOW it wasn't because of my ability.

I am even amazed to see how God has worked through me in the past year in sharing the Gospel with others. Just in the last few months, I have had two friends from other nations who have accepted Christ as their Savior. Although I was not with them when they made the decision to follow Christ, I did have many opportunities to share the Gospel with them and explain who Jesus is and what He does in our lives. I know that I was a part of planting and watering in their lives. And God has brought the harvest.

Whatever the reason God has given me a heart for the nations, I'm very glad that He has done so.