It's Crazy Like That...

Psalm 100

Hey Everybody ~

I heard a guy say: Imagine everything you own and everyone you love being removed from you life (pause a minute to really imagine that devastation – all you own, all your relationships, freedoms, pleasures, comforts) …and then you received it all back. Just how thankful would you be?

Is there any part of that statement you can relate to? Boy, I can. I bet you can too. In reality, I can’t say I’ve lost everything, but I have experienced periods of enormous loss. And by God’s mercy I’ve received many things restored back into my life. Those reclaimed losses are usually the first things that come to mind when someone asks me what I’m grateful for: my eyesight, hot water, my own home, a husband who comes home at night…you get the point.

Do you remember the Bible story in Luke 17 of the ten lepers? All ten received complete healing, but only one came back to thank Jesus. I love to imagine the scene. This motely looking crew shouts from several feet away, “Master have mercy!” Jesus instructs them to make their way to the priest. I see them one by one look down at their hands and other limbs, then up to Jesus and then down at their hands again. They give each other a sly sideways expression as if to say, “Is it my imagination or are my hands as soft as a baby’s bottom?” As their new reality begins sinking in, from the guttural depths of their being they let out a long, loud “whoop!”. After slapping a few high fives and passing out a hug to the nearest comrade, one by one they turn to run toward the Temple. Soon the whole group’s back is to Jesus with dust billowing up behind them.

Then in the midst of the commotion it appears as if one of the pack has slowed and is falling behind. Soon he comes to a dead stop. While almost being trampled by those passing him by, the man turns back slowly as if some miraculous discovery has dawned on him. For a few seconds he seems frozen in time oblivious to the ruckus surrounding him. In the midst of his joy and relief he almost failed to thank the One who changed his life forever. Through the dust cloud he notices Jesus still standing there. It’s not too late! And then like a ball shot from a cannon, he sprints toward the feet of Jesus! His knees hit the earth first and the rest of his body follows suit. His words mingle with sand and dirt as his face bows as low to the ground as possible and spill out thanks to the One who restored what he thought he had lost. An amazing scene indeed.

God has done some pretty miraculous things in my life and yet like the other nine how easily I forget. I have a tendency to remember all the things I’ve lost – but today – I want to be the one who remembers what I’ve received. Granted, many people and things may have been removed from your life as well, but I’d venture to say that countless blessings have been added too. Thank him for all that you have! “Come into his presence with singing and into His courts with praise.” Psalm 100. God loves a thankful heart. He notices them.

Maybe you’ll find like I did, the more you thank God, the more you discover you have to be thankful for! Thankfulness; it’s crazy like that!

Hope & Glory! to You ~ Love

Rebecca

Courage

Song of Solomon 7:10

Hello Everyone ~

Several weeks ago a special speaker challenged a group of women with a statement I haven’t been able to forget. He said, “I pray God will grant you the courage to believe every single thing God says about you...(My heart cringed a little because I knew I needed the guts to take a good hard look at my heart and remove or add whatever didn’t match His words) - but then he continued, “…no matter how good it is”. What? Believe every single thing God says about me, no matter how good it is? Wow, I hadn’t thought of that before. I suppose believing the good things merits equal importance to believing the corrective words, right? So what exactly does God say about you & me? Here are just a few:

Zephaniah 3:17~ “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” Ever sang over someone or to someone? Can you just picture God singing over you? Wonder what it sounds like!

Jeremiah 31:3 ~ “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, [saying], Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Wish you felt worthy to be PURSED by someone important? The God of the universe loves you and wants you...that’s why He Draws you...don’t resist Him!

Isaiah 54:17 ~ “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me, saith the LORD.” Vulnerable & Alone? No! Your heritage, as a servant of God, is not destruction...no matter how it may look

Isaiah 49:15 &16 ~ “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me.” If you have no paper (or I-phone!) where you do write down something important? On the palm of your hand! You are engraved on God’s!
Your family may forget you, but God will NOT!

Psalm 138:8 ~ “The LORD will perfect [that which] concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, [endureth] forever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.” Perfection takes time and commitment. God will not leave you 1/2 done or unfinished! He is committed to you till the end.

Romans 8:26 ~ “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” When was the last time someone groaned out intercession on your behalf? Did you realize the Spirit does this for you?

Song of Solomon 7:10 ~ “I am beloved’s and his desire is toward me.” ‘ nough said!

May God give us the courage to believe every single thing He says about us...no matter how good it is.

Hope & Glory! to You ~ Love Rebecca

It’s So…Daily

II Corinthians 12:9

Hello All ~
Life is so...daily, isn’t it? I mean, just about the time you get all the laundry done, it’s time to mop the floor. When the floor is done the bushes need trimming. After the bushes are done, you discover there’s no food in the house so it’s a trip to the grocery store. (Why do I hate the grocery store so much? Anybody else?) You get the groceries put away just in time to iron that shirt. Then before you know it, the laundry basket is full again! And that’s just an example of homecare duties; it says nothing to all the other “hats” we wear.
Those burdens all sounds so trivial compared to the recent conversation I had with one of my dearest friends in world. She’s facing surgery, intense radiation and six weeks of chemotherapy. She will undoubtedly loose all her hair...again. Yes, she’s been through this before. But my friend has decided to depend on God. She’s been focused on a principle Corrie Ten Boom learned when she was a little girl.

As Corrie prepared to take a train ride with her father, she worried daily about not having her ticket in her possession. She nearly pestered her father to death. Finally, her dad had had enough. He sat her down and explained, “Corrie, stop fretting. I’ve got it covered. When you get ready to board the train, I will give you your ticket. I promise. You don’t need it till then.”

Sometimes, like Corrie, we get twanged out because we don’t have enough strength or resources for the future obstacles in our lives. (guilty)We can’t possibly see how we can make it through the week or the months ahead. But my friend reminded me that just as Corrie’s father would give her the train ticket at the essential moment, God would deliver the ticket of grace to her exactly when she needs it...and not one minute before.

So whether you’re conquering a full laundry basket, dealing with a difficult relationship, or loosing your hair, His ticket of grace is so... daily. Wait for it. He will not fail. He promised, “My grace is sufficient for you…” II Corinthians 12:9
Hope & Glory! to You ~ Love
Rebecca