Look a Little Deeper

The kids and I joined a family we know for a day at the beach. We had loads of fun enjoying the ocean breezes, the waves, and the beautiful blue skies.

The water was fairly clear, so the kids had fun picking up shells that were being brought to shore by the waves. There were lots of interesting colors, shapes, and sizes, showing the wonderful creativity of the Lord.

Towards the end of our trip, some of the kids and I took a hike towards a cliffy section of the beach. We climbed over some rocks (a very tricky thing when you're barefoot) and got splashed by the pounding surf, but it was worth the effort for the treasure trove we found: a whole cache of even more beautiful shells, that included abalone, mussels, clams, scallops, oyster, and coral. If we hadn't taken the time to go a little further, we wouldn't have been blessed by such a find.

Sometimes we need to look a little deeper in life for the treasures that are hidden from us. We need to get out of our comfort zone and put some effort into finding what God has in store. You may be rewarded with blessings beyond your expectations.

Technical Difficulties

I'm having some internet connection problems, so I will not be posting much in the next few days. Hopefully the issue will be resolved shortly. In the meantime, I'll take this as a reminder that sometimes things don't work out my way for a reason. God is the One in control; not me!

Asking for Inspiration

Writing to most people is a solitary process. It's just you and the word processor. However, when I write, I ask the Lord for inspiration.

Years ago when I knew He was calling me to write, I basically said, "Okay, Lord. I will write. But you have to give me the ideas." And He has always come through. Of course, there are times when I have to wait a little longer for those little hints, but God has never failed me, and I know He never will.

What about you? Are you asking the Lord to give you inspiration for the things you do? Maybe you're a teacher, or in the medical profession, or a lawyer. God can always inspire. We just have to ask.

Into His Hands

As I get older I realize that there are many things in life that I cannot control, especially when it involves other people. In those cases, whether it’s a health concern or seeing the outcome of poor choices, I need to put these people into God’s hands. In His care I can trust the Lord to do all according to His will. He knows what they need or don’t need. He is aware of what circumstances will create a change in heart or health.

God is in the business of people. He cares for each of His creations, even if it means for them to go through trying events in their lives. For us on the sidelines, we need to lift them up in prayer. For it is only when we trust them into the hands of our Lord and King can anything truly beneficial come about.

Do You Believe?

Jesus was a magnet for sick people, and rightly so since being God, He had the power to heal. One day He was followed by two blind men who called out, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" Jesus asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" When they responded, "Yes, Lord," Jesus healed them. (See Matthew 9:28b)

When I read this the other week, I stopped and thought about its implications. Jesus asked if they believed He could heal them. Why would He do this? There are some groups out there that would claim that Jesus only heals if you have enough faith to be healed. I find their theology faulty since it is God, not us, who heals and controls the means of healing. There have been times when He has healed non-believers to show His glory and majesty. They lacked faith at first, yet God healed and often they developed a profession of faith.

So if it wasn't a matter of faith, then what? I wonder if these men had originally followed Jesus because of the crowds. Maybe they saw an opportunity for alms, but as they followed along, they realized that Jesus had something better to offer them. Maybe Jesus was asking them to confirm out loud what their hearts were beginning to tell them: that they were now truly believing Jesus was God and that He could heal their hearts as well as their eyes.

There are times when God has given us a promise; maybe it's a healing or an opportunity. But the promise is slow in coming. Have you checked the attitude of your heart? Is your lack of faith in the ability of God blocking your belief in what He can and has promised to do? Are we hindering God because we refuse to believe His Word? Jesus couldn't heal in Nazareth because of the people's lack of faith. He could have healed, but their hearts were too hard to accept the blessings He could have bestowed.

Do you believe God is able to do what He says? Check your heart and make sure you truly believe.

Coming Alongside

In 1990 or so I used to belong to a church bicycle group. We would bike Monday nights and Saturdays in the summer, preparing for the ultimate bicycle trip in September when we traveled from Anaheim to San Diego, California.

On one of our Saturday bike rides, we joined a bicycle tour around Temecula. I was a good rider, so a friend and I stayed together most of the trip, enjoying the scenery and the ride. But towards the middle of the route, we started getting into some hilly climbs. The nice ride was turning into a challenge.

I remember going up this one long hill. It was hot and my muscles were pounding. Even my friend was struggling. Then a Scripture popped into my head, Isaiah 40: 31, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." I started praying this in my head. I even shared it with my friend.

Then from behind we heard the sound of a bicycle approaching. It was one of the faster riders from our group making his way up the hill. He saw us struggling, and then he came alongside, grabbed the back of my bicycle seat, and used his momentum to push me up the hill. Then he went back for my friend and did the same.

What a wonderful help! And it was so applicable to the Scripture we had been praying. God renewed us and helped us up the hill in our tired condition through the assistance of one of our brothers in Christ (who I ended up marrying two years later).

Do you know someone who is struggling right now? We can't solve their problems; but we can come alongside and boost them up with prayer and kindness while we wait for the Lord's renewal.

A Faithful Reminder

I was reading from the Book of Acts yesterday for my morning devotions. I was at the part where the disciple Stephen had been brought before the Council and was giving a brief history of the Jewish patriarchs. When he came to the part about Joseph, who had been sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt, he said, "'But God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles..." (Acts 7:9b-10a).

What a wonderful reminder of God's faithfulness! Joseph suffered for many years. His trials were heavy for a young man so far from home. Yet he had hope in God, and that trust was eventually rewarded with being made second in command of all of Egypt.

Are you struggling with heavy trials in your life? Do you think your problems will never end? Turn to God. Trust in Him. He will carry you through until He showers you with His blessings.