Are You Encountering Locked Doors?

I stayed up late by myself the other night. I discovered the Ya Ya Sisterhood movie was on so of course I had to watch it. One of my favorite scenes, though it is quite sorrowful, is where the wife tries to go in at night to see her husband and finds the door to his room locked.  Hope springs in my heart that she tries the door, every single time I watch it. And then sorrow leaps to my throat as I remember he has locked it.

Last night we had the three little visitors staying over with us. You may remember that this means we must well lock all exits so our wanderer, Caleb, will not leave for home if he wakes up in the middle of the night. 

Every night, even if Danny and I are alone, one or the other of us goes through the house to make sure all doors are locked. Sometimes I even lock our bedroom door when I go to bed. Even though I know I am safe with my husband I like knowing we are securely sequestered.

God speaks to my heart and maybe He is speaking to yours as well. Precious one. You have encountered locked doors you did not choose. They often appeared to be a source of sorrow and rejection to you. Yet when you look back over the years, you see that My hand was at every door.  Think back to the times when you wanted to go through a door and could not. Where would you be had I not stood in the way? For you see, I AM the doorkeeper. No other is able to open or close doors.  People will reject you, disappoint you and overlook you. Circumstances will seem to work against you, cause you pain and give you grief. But I AM in charge. I AM the one who walks through the hallways of your life and keeps it all secure. While you may feel you have been denied, it is actually that you have been saved from harm every single time. It’s true, not everyone is trustworthy and not everyone is walking in a Christlike way, but I AM the One who decides your fate every single time.  

Oh beloved, as you stand at the end of one year and the threshold of another, don’t you think it’s time to quit trying to jimmy the deadbolts of life?  Quit standing at the locked doors trying to force your way through. You may not be able to trust another single soul, but you can always trust God. He knows what you need, He knows what’s ahead and He knows that His will is your only open door. Walk freely into His blessings, His plans and His source of joy. You may not know right now the reason or purpose for the locks, but you are securely sequestered in God’s unfailing love and incredible care. He loves you and He’s for you so you can rest in His promises knowing that every door you need to go through will be wide open for you and no one, absolutely no one, will be able to shut you away from those open doors that are ordained by God Most High.

 Colossians 4:2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ.

Revelation 3:8 I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

Psalm 37:23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He delights in his way.

Psalm 138:8 The Lord will work out His plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.  Don’t abandon me, for you made me.

Psalm 57:2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.

Have You Had a Near Death Experience?

Danny does a lot of driving. Between the motorcycle trips and the work trips, he’s on the road a lot. A few days ago he was headed to Little Rock on I30 and had a near death experience. He had gone over a hill and was in the far left lane (of 3 lanes) when a large pickup came into traffic from the on ramp on the right. The driver proceeded to keep going until she was coming into the same lane as Danny. He had nowhere to go, so he jammed on the brakes. It sent his car careening and he went off on the shoulder and the car shuddered back into the highway. As she drove by she nonchalantly waved her hand as he was still trying to gain control of the situation.  She drove on, content with herself.

Thankfully God provided the way out and Danny was able to get the car under control and back onto the highway. He did pull off on the nearest exit and catch his breath to settle his nerves.  He was worn out and shook up - partly because he had to work so hard not to wreck but also because the driver of the truck was so uncaring.

Some of us are like the pickup driver.  We are intent on going where we want to go; we’ve decided what we want and how we’re going to get it. So we just don’t care what happens to anyone else.  We are truly an accident waiting to happen, but as long as we get our way and drive on, we don’t care.

Others of us are in Danny’s situation. We are driving along, having a good trip, enjoying the ride and viewing the blessings when out of nowhere along comes someone or something barreling toward us.  We have nowhere to go, the impact is imminent and the outcome is certain. 

If we are the pickup driver in life, we need to slow down and ask God to make us more aware of those around us. We need to ask Him to teach us to love like He loves and travel with grace in the traffic of life.  If we only look out for Number 1, we’ll cause accidents and leave people wounded and dying in the ditch.  Even if we only look ahead, wave them off and go on, there’s a payday someday.

If we're the one who's the victim of the careless driver, we have two things we can do.  We can become bitter, refuse to drive again and stay home, lick our wounds and complain about the culprit. Bitterness breeds bitterness.  Or we can call the wrecker service, God's Holy Spirit and ask Him to help us look beyond the incident.  We have to know that regardless of what the mess looks like, we too will have a payday someday.  Our rewards don't come from the hand of man, but rather from the heart of God. It's like Charles Spurgeon once said, "I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages."

Oh beloved, God knows the near death experiences you’ve had. Someone has pronounced death to your marriage, your family, your job, your future, your ministry. They’ve driven into your lane and are intent on removing you from the roadway.  They’ve been careless with God’s love, God’s will and God’s Word. It’s a scene from a horror movie.

Except that the King of the Universe is your EMT.  He was on the scene before you got onto the highway. He was on the scene before the other vehicle entered the lane of your life. He’s staying on the scene with you for the rest of your days.

And if you will trust Him, He will take the hurtful wrecks of life and use them for His Glory and your good.  Never forget beloved that it’s not about you or the other person, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Just hang tightly to the Lord and let Him make provision for you. Your life is in His hands and that means your entire life. No one can swipe you out of God’s will because He loves you and He’s for you and it’s His will to keep you going and give you a life worth living for Him.

Isaiah 46:4 I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.

1 Peter 2:15 It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.

Isaiah 50:7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do His will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.

Romans 8:28 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

Romans 8:31 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Are You Straining at the Fence?

One of my mother’s favorite authors is Erma Bombeck. She was hilarious! She was a great laugher, a lot like Barbara Johnson.  One of Erma’s books was “The Grass is Always Greener ---Over the Septic Tank!”

I can see in my mind the horses and cattle who strain against the barbed wire fences to get that blade of grass that looks so enticing when what they’re standing knee deep in is the same grass! Same health benefits, same minerals and vitamins. In fact the grass closest to the road may have stuff you can’t see with the naked eye – road film, grim, dirt, herbicides.

I am often reminded that I have to be careful. If I spend too much time “pinning” ideas and plans I might find myself wishing for greener pastures so to speak.  It’s real easy to go from looking at ideas to obsessing because you can’t do everything you see with your eyes.  We taste a little idea and before you know it we find ourselves hungering for that which we don’t need and that which might even harm us.

Have you been looking at the other side of the fence? Are you thinking the grass “over there” is greener?  Are you longing for something different, better, more? You may be thinking you want what someone else has and you’re straining to get where they are, but it might not be where God wants you. Maybe you’ve already gone over the fence and you realize now it’s just a septic tank – full of junk you never really wanted. You think it’s too late to go back, return or regain what you realize you have lost. You feasted your eyes on things the world tells you is important and now you feel hopeless, helpless and disappointed.

Oh beloved, it’s not too late! Run to the Lord this morning and begin feasting on His perfect will, His perfect ways and His perfect Word! Every lavish, lush Scripture is for you to take in completely, overfilling and overflowing! You can never feed too long or too much on His Word! As you give yourself back to His ways, God’s will is always your best pasture – the very best place to dwell in safety. He will begin to show you new and fresh insights. He will give you all that you can handle and oh so much more!  The greener pastures are in fact the very one you stand in with the Lord!  

Rejoice that God has provided the lushest everlasting feast for you because He loves you and He’s for you and that will keep you fed spiritually and blessed in every way all the days of your life!

Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. (NAS)

Nehemiah 9:20 You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst. (NAS)

Isaiah 49:9 I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’ They will be My sheep, grazing in green pastures and on hills that were previously bare.

Psalm 119:10-11 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.

Psalm 23:2 He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.

Job 23:12 I have esteemed and treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. (Amplified)