Running From God or With Him?

Do you remember playing chase when you were a child? I sure do. In fact it seems like we ran pretty much all day. Run downstairs. Run outside. Run to the neighbor’s house. Run to run, just for the fun of running.  My grandchildren run around my living room which is open floor space, almost like a huge indoor playground. Sometimes I try to catch them to get a quick hug but they’re busy running around having fun and they breathlessly breeze by in such a hurry.

The other day one of them got in trouble. Their mother was going after them so they kept running. She shouted out, “It’s just gonna be worse if you keep running!”  She was getting frustrated and he was fearful she would catch him!

As adults, we still run don’t we? We run to the store, we run to work, we run to church, we run to the laundry, we run to the bakery, we run to exercise. Run, run, run. Our lives can be like a marathon and we can get oh so tired, but we keep on running.  We run to get away from things: trouble at home and we run to work. Trouble at work and we run home. Running becomes less enjoyable as we get older because we enter what’s known as the “rat race”. We run away, run after and run for. 

Some folks are running from God.  They’ve decided it’s better to run than be caught. They think that God is after them and He is. But He’s not after them to punish. He’s after them to love.  

Maybe you’ve been running from God. You’ve heard His still small voice beckoning you to come to Him but you think you like your marathon life just the way it is. You keep running to ease the pain, stop the anxiety and thwart the reality. But God keeps pursuing you. He speaks through a preacher, the sunset, the movie, the song. You can’t get away from Him. Everywhere you look, wherever you go, whatever you are doing, God pursues. You run harder, but God is relentless in His pursuit of your heart.

It’s true – it will just get worse if you don’t stop. Oh God won’t get you. He won’t take you down. He won’t punish you. But the life of a believer is full of joy, peace, contentment, REST. And God wants you to live this way. God has no desire for you to work harder, run faster or do more. He just wants to catch you and hold you and speak His love words over your life. No one who’s ever stopped running and let God catch them has been disappointed. You won’t either.

Oh beloved, God knows everything you have to accomplish this day. He’s in pursuit of you because He loves you. He wants to have a little time with you each day to speak His blessings into your life.  Yes, He wants to change things. But nothing given to the Lord is ever missed. Because He changes your desires, your hopes, your dreams. He exchanges the marathon life of stuff for a walk in the garden with Him.  Others have told you to run. Others have said you can’t get ahead if you don’t keep running. Some of your most treasured acquaintances have run away, run on ahead or run off and left you. But God will go with you the rest of your days. 

Won’t you spend a moment with Him this morning, quietly, restfully, safe in His arms? He is running after you with love, He beckons you to rest in His love and He calls you to read of His love. Because He loves you and He’s for you the stop is worth the doing because He will make your life more enjoyable so that you can run without getting weary for the rest of your days.

Psalm 139:7 I can never escape from Your Spirit! I can never get away from Your presence!

Micah 6:8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Psalm 127:2 It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to His loved ones.

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

Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

In His Presence is Your Peace!

Decorating cakes is one of my favorite things to do, especially for my grandkids. Although I’m not really an artist, I do get artistic pleasure from creating a “masterpiece” of icing and cake mix. I admit sometimes I am “under the gun” as to time for getting this done.

Getting ready for Stella’s birthday party was an under the gun time in my life. Danny’s aunt was sick and we were preparing for a secular event to work. We were juggling our schedule, thinking ahead and hoping everything would land together in a good way.

Turns out of course that our plans don’t always go so smoothly. I baked the cake one night and finished decorating it the afternoon before Stella’s party, the same afternoon we left for West Texas and a family funeral. I was definitely under the gun!

The finishing touch on Peppa Pig (the cake) were her eyes. Danny got off work and ran by the store to pick up the tubed black icing.  They were out! I knew I had seen some candy eyes so I asked him to just pick a package of those up. They’d have to do.  I was also playing with grandkids, sweeping the kitchen floor (long overdue) and packing our clothes.  Are you starting to get the feeling that I was stressed?

As Danny ran in, handing me the eyes, I opened them and saw that they weren’t the candy eyes but rather plastic ones! I knew it was too late to do anything about it, so I told Stella’s mom to make sure nobody ate them! LOL   The jitter of juggling everything was starting to show and I could NOT get those plastic eyes in the right place on Peppa’s face! Danny got the tweezers for me and picked up Stella, who was now crying and wanting “cake, cake, cake”.  One little boy was climbing on the bar to look at the cake, another little boy had fever and was sitting in the recliner, one daughter was watching and Danny and Stella were right next to me.  Now as I look back at it all, I am laughing, but right then it was anything but funny.

I exclaimed to Danny, holding the crying granddaughter, “please take her somewhere else for a moment! I can’t get these eyes on the cake!” I had made everything on that cake just right, but those little eyes were going to be my undoing. I was worn slap out! I had had enough noise and help and attention and company.  I just needed a quiet moment to finish the embellishment. I just needed a little silence to concentrate. It wasn’t about the clatter – no one was doing anything wrong. I just needed a moment. A moment to block out the noise and concentrate so I could finish things up right.

Ever feel like that? Ever wonder how you started out a simple faith seeker and ended up a juggler in life’s circus? Is the noise of even the fun things becoming deafening to you as you try to concentrate on both your physical life and your spiritual life? Do you ever wonder if you’ll get things done right and make everyone happy and get to enjoy life again? Do you long for just a moment of quiet so you can think about what you’re doing and get it right?  

Oh beloved, maybe it’s time to get away with Jesus! God knows how stressful your life can be. He knows the demands of your work, your home, your family and your faith. He knows that you may wear 10 different hats and juggle 10 different tasks. He also knows the solution for stress is to let Him bless! Bless you with time alone with Him. Bless you with spiritual delights in your quiet time. Bless you with His help to get everything done.  Bless you with His joy and peace. Bless you with the knowledge that - while it’s impossible to have it all, make everyone happy and hold it all up by yourself – He will hold it all up for you as you let Him be there for you! Slip away into His loving arms. Rest in His loving Word. At the Name of Jesus, and in His presence, weariness must flee, worry must vanish and peace will reign.

He loves you, precious child, and He’s for you, beloved believer. And that’s all that really matters!

Luke 10:41 But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details!

I Chronicles 16:27 Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary. (Amplified)

Psalm 89:15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

Step into God's Presence and Enjoy His Love

With one daughter living right across the street, I get to say bye to Blake every morning before he heads to school.  Yesterday morning as I was watching for him to get in the truck with his dad, I saw a jeep driving by and slowing down. It dawned on me that it was my son! I got choked up because I hadn’t seen him in a quite a few days and we hadn’t had a chance to talk either. I just whispered to myself, “My son, my son”. He came in for just a moment with his buddy and I got a really good hug! Although it was only a quick visit, I was thankful for that little bit of time to see him in person.  I love my kids a lot, so seeing any one of them even for a bit is good to my heart.  I have high hopes and great desires for my adult children, but I love them just the way they are – unconditionally. I would never withhold my love from them even if I didn’t see them for long spells.  They are my children. 

As he and his buddy drove away, I thought to myself, is that how the Lord feels? When His kids spend weeks doing their own thing or being busy with life.  Then to take a moment to open His Word and feast at His table.  Does He get excited to fellowship with his children? You bet He does! He loves His “kids” more than I love my own and that’s something. 

I also wonder at how refreshed I feel when I step into the presence the One Who loves me unconditionally. When I take time to talk with the Lord, and get His perspective on my life and feel His loving and tender care surround me.  

I know how busy life can get, I know how the bills must be paid and the jobs have to get done. I know that it’s easy to fall into worry, fear, guilt, and more. We find ourselves worn out, done in and feeling low. We wonder how we got this way and so we down an energy drink or a power bar and try to hurry on.

Oh beloved, won’t you stop for a moment and bask in the presence of the One Who not only loves you completely and with no hesitation, but cares for you eternally - more than His own life? He went to the cross for you, He descended into the grave for you, He rolled the stone away for you and He’s coming again for you!  Step into His Word and feel His arms around you as the cares of this world melt away in the light of His glory and grace!

Psalm 123:1-2 I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.  We keep looking to the Lord our God for His mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.

Micah 7:7 As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.

Psalm 37:7 Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

Psalm 91:1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

He Speaks Blessings if You Take the Time

I enjoy getting up early. Before the sun begins to peak through the tops of the trees and all is quiet. Especially when it’s a work day – I enjoy the quiet time before the hustle and bustle of getting ready, driving to town and opening my office. 

Danny was off a few days during in December, since his work hours were used up. He did a lot of things around the house and I was excited to see the outcome. He also slept in. I’m reminded that when we were dating I was an early bird even then. Sometimes he’d sleep till noon on week-ends and I could hardly wait for him to wake up and call me.

As I left the house one morning, he slept in longer than usual. I hated to go to work without time with him.  I realized that I wanted and needed more time with my sweetheart! Sometimes his job will have him going at 4:00 in the morning! Other times we find that we may be going in opposite directions and time together is at a premium. Still I want time with him! It blesses me to watch him read his Bible and ponder God’s will. To share together God’s Word and what He’s saying to both of us is a real joy. It’s really special to sip coffee together and relish the silence of early morning. It’s also a great time to share personal tidbits from the previous day.  My day goes better when I’ve had time with the love of my life. No distractions, no phone calls, just the two of us. I find that spending time with him makes me more ready and willing to meet the day’s demands. He is a calming influence and a blessing to my heart. He’s my best friend.

Are your day’s events swirling around you like an out of tune band? Are you feeling out of sorts and unable or unwilling to cope with the goings on all around you? Are you meeting the same problems and still having the same issues? Feeling discouraged or unfulfilled? Even unappreciated or rejected? Maybe you’re working yourself into a rut, and wondering why you never feel rested and relaxed. Maybe others’ demands on your life put you at odds with your personal needs.

Oh beloved! Take a moment and rest in His Presence! He’s the One Who always has time for you. He’s the One Who never sleeps, never takes His eyes off of you and always has something wonderful to share with you, if you’ll just take the time. He is your calm before the storm, your peace in the midst of chaos and your staunchest ally. He truly is the very best Friend you could ever have. Take just a moment and sit quietly as you listen. Do you hear Him? He’s speaking love words over you, He’s speaking blessings into your heart and mind and He’s speaking love, joy, and peace into your life! Isn’t it wonderful to just rest in all that He is. Isn’t it wonderful to know that He loves you outrageously and He’s for you eternally. Now that’s worth stopping to enjoy!

John 15:5 Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

John 6:35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires.

Psalm 119:147 I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.

Living on a Hamster Wheel? Meet With Jesus First.

Yesterday I found myself thinking I was meeting myself coming and going. It’s just so important to me to have time to sit and ponder without feeling that I must be doing something. Yet often doing things takes over. I have plenty to do, don’t you? There’s rarely an end to laundry, dishes, cleanup, work, driving, shopping, talking, etc. Every single one of these things is important to a successful productive life. But if they take over, or if we find ourselves getting our worth from activity, we may find that we’re in the hamster’s wheel and about to lose our footing! Then you and I dear heart, may find ourselves flopping at the bottom or getting stick beneath the wheel!

The hamster wheel for a believer can be comprised of many things. “If I do more, I’m more valuable”. “If more people see me being busy, more people will think I’m worth more”. “Taking time to rest is wasteful, so my worth is lowered”. So we huff and puff and wear ourselves out. Many times we allow others to control our wheel and as long as they push, urge, cajole and banter, we try to do more, more, more.

Lord, help us! Help us to remember to take time to meet with You at the start of every day so that we don’t continually meet ourselves coming and going! Not only that, when we meet with You Lord, we find that our energy is renewed for all the things we must accomplish! And Lord, you give us the urgings of Your Holy Spirit so that we don’t try to fulfill others’ wishes for us at our own hurt. Help us to remember to go to you when we find ourselves flagging in strength and becoming agitated with ourselves.

Oh beloved, God loves your faithfulness and hard work. He knows your needs and your hopes and desires. He also knows that you and He need time together. Won’t you take a moment this morning and just rest in His arms? You’ll never hear Him snapping orders at you or telling you to hurry up! He just wants to speak His Truth into your heart and the only way to do that is to spend time with Him. The Creator of the Universe desires time with His creation and you are one of His favorites! Hear that still small voice above the clatter of the wheel? It’s the Prince of your Peace and He’s calling you to rest in His never ending love and His unimaginable care!

Luke 10:40-42 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Isaiah 33:2 O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited [expectantly] for You. Be the arm [of Your servants—their strength and defense] every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble. (AMP)

Psalm 91:1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Getting Ready for the Day? Don't Forget to Eat!

For many folks, today Is the first day back at school and work after the Christmas holidays. That means that you have to get up earlier, dress differently and prepare for more than what you find to do around the house. When we rush around and find ourselves behind, like I am this morning, we may accidentally leave something behind that we needed.  If I leave off earrings, it’s no big deal, but there are other things that are very important, especially in the life of a believer.  For God’s children, we just dress differently.

If we’re not prepared for the day, then we won’t know how to behave, how to respond or how to walk.  It’s really important for us to see what God says about us, what God says about our day and what God says about our value and our importance in this world we live in. 

Have you checked in the mirror of God’s Word? Are you about to run out of the house without getting fed? Are you thinking that there’s just not time to sit quietly a moment? He wants to be with you to fellowship and make your day start off right. He wants to guard your mind, watch over your day and keep you safe throughout the week so that you will be strong and courageous.  He knows you are thirsty and hungry and running on empty. And without spending time with Him you will remain that way.

Oh beloved, You are of such incredible value to the Lord! He is waiting to speak Truth and Love into your life.  He says to you this morning, Don’t forget to put on the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness!  Just take a moment to praise God that you woke up, got up and have somewhere to go to be a part of this great world He so graciously created.  He says to seek Him first, so that all  the things you need will be added to you.  He says to let Him love you and speak sweet words of spiritual nourishment into your life.  He knows that the days can be rough, the obstacles can be many, but for the believer, and that’s you beloved, you who have put your trust in His Holy Name, life can be wonderful no matter the circumstances.  It’s just that you can’t leave God out and expect to have the blessings of Him! Without time spend with the One Who loves you and knows you and has wonderful plans for you, you cannot make it in this world.

Run to the Word – take just a bite if that’s all you have time for! But know that that small morsel of spiritual food will help your day go smoother, your heart beat stronger and your life feel sweeter.  Not only that, but that small bite of the Word will cause you to desire a bigger helping tomorrow! And the more you feed on His Word, beloved, the more you will know Him. And the more you know Him the more you will love Him and live for the glory of His Name!  You are loved by the One Who makes the sun come up this morning! You are cared for by the One Who sets the stars in the skies! Now that’s worth praising His name!

Romans 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, NAS

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Psalm 63:5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise You with songs of joy.

Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ…

Worn Out Getting Ready for the Day? Rest in Him!

Wow, just a few more days till Christmas!  If you’re like me, there are still quite a few things to do to get ready for the day.  I keep thinking I need to add an arrangement to a table, an ornament to the tree, a package underneath or another string of lights outside.  Most of us, if truth be told, have lots more Christmas ideas than days left to accomplish them!  I find that right about now, I begin to lose ground between my ideas and plans and daylight hours. I also find that I am getting tired.  It’s a hustle bustle world out there and if we’re not careful, we can get too busy to remember what Christmas is really about.    

Mary and Joseph spent the night in the stable because there was no room in the inn. Because it was one of those hustle bustle times around Jerusalem, the big tax season, there were a lot of people in town. Everyone was busy, some were worrying about paying their taxes, others were worried about seeing the right people and having the right connections. Joseph was worried about Mary and Mary was thinking about her unborn child.

For us, we can scarcely imagine giving birth, delivering our baby, in a barn! The germs, the animals, the hay, the unsanitary conditions! We would be fretting to say the least. We’d be demanding something better. Yet Mary wasn’t fretting or worrying about the situation.  Why? How could she stand it?

Because Mary had already spent time with God, she knew He could be trusted. She knew that even if things looked dreary, dim and dark, that He would be there for her.  Not only had an Angel of the Lord, spoken with her, she had listened! The Word said, “she pondered all these things”. 

Oh beloved! This morning as you wipe the sleep from your eyes and your recount all the things yet to be done, won’t you stop a moment and listen? Listen closely, for amid the sounds of so much rushing and doing and planning there is Someone trying to speak songs of love and truth to your heart! He is the way and as you put your trust in Him, you will find favor! The Lord Himself says to you this morning, Rest in My promises, for each one of them are for your good and My glory! Rest in My care for I AM the one who brought you this far and will care for you all the way to heaven. You cannot trust circumstances, but you can trust Me. You cannot trust yourself, but you can believe that I AM all you need for this holiday, for the holy occasion. As you celebrate so busily, don’t forget to celebrate Me! For I AM the fount of living water, the Redeemer of your heart, the Restorer of your soul and the One Who loves you beyond your wildest hopes and dreams! And if I love you, I will surely be for you always.

Luke 1:30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!

Matthew 1:23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

Psalm 27:8  My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”

Psalm 31:16  Let your favor shine on your servant. In your unfailing love, rescue me.

Psalm 139:17-18 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!  I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me!

Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.

You are a Child of God! Rejoice in Anticipation!

Have you noticed how kids are always full of anticipation? They get excited about going outside, playing in the yard, taking a bath, going to school and more. At Christmas they generally don’t care so much about what they get as the anticipation of the gift itself – just watching a child open a gift is a wonder to behold. They anticipate Santa coming, grandparents visiting, and playing with cousins. Everything they do is covered by anticipation. Don’t believe me? Rake leaves with kids. Watch how they look with delight at the pile of leaves as they dive into it. As the saying goes, “Oh to be a kid again!”

Our adult lives are full of duties and plans. We really don’t have a lot of time to “waste”. We’re busy, busy, busy.  Get things done. Move on. Hurry, rush, and keep our minds on our tasks. If we’re not careful we’ll find ourselves no longer enjoying life, but simply going through the motions. Perhaps you’re thinking, what is there to enjoy? What is there to look forward to? What is good about this life with all its problems, troubles and sorrows? How do I celebrate when there’s nothing about my life worth celebrating!

Oh beloved! It’s time to take a moment to remember - you are a child – you are His child if you have given your heart to Him. Just like Christmas, life itself is about the heart! Let Him give you a fresh look at everyday life. Let Him put the sparkle back in your eyes. Let Him become Everything for you! With Christ, every day should be anticipated for His Word, for His Spirit, for His incredible care. His desire is that you deck the halls of your heart with His Joy! Hang the tinsel of His Blessings! His Love and Peace is yours by birthright as a child of the King! No matter what your day looks like, no matter the sorrow in your world or the world around you, there is Strength for today and bright Hope for tomorrow. He loves you Extravagantly and He’s with you Eternally! What else really matters?

 

I John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.

2 Peter 3:13  But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.

2 Corinthians 6:10  Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Nehemiah 8:10b … Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”

2 Peter 2:2-3 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,  now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

Psalm 21:6  You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of your presence.

John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”