“O” is for “O, give thanks unto the Lord.”

by BetsyFaithPosted on No Comments

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endures for ever.” –Psalm 118:1

Why do we thank God? This verse tells us simply, “for He is good.” The Bible doesn’t tell us to thank Him when things are going well or the way we expect. There are several verses that direct us to thank Him regardless of the circumstances. There are also many verses and songs about the goodness of God. The difficulties arise when the awful circumstances arrive in our lives. Clinging to the fact that God is good when everything seems to be falling apart is no simple undertaking. People often ask questions like, “How can a good God allow this?” or “Why would this happen if God is truly good?” 

There’s never a hard and fast response in such situations; the many intricacies of life are all working together in ways that we typically will never see, let alone comprehend. Isaiah 55:9 says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Even when it seems that God is doing nothing in these circumstances, we know that He isn’t a God who stands by doing nothing; He is always at work, even when we can’t see it. No one likes to be caught up in the folds of discouragement or grief or loss; these aspects of life are merely a matter of when, not if. Eventually, we all face these hard scenarios, and then we learn about faith. We are driven into the arms of our Savior. 

Often in the midst of betrayal or tragedy or other life-altering events, the only safe place is in a refuge–a place where we can express all of our pain and disappointment and hopelessness. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” What is a refuge? It is a place that provides shelter or protection from danger or distress. We have to choose to enter a refuge, to seek shelter, and God will do what He says–even when the storms of life roll in relentlessly. The following verses in Psalm 46 say, “So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge.” 

Life will throw us into challenges we don’t want to face–crumbling mountains, roaring oceans, quaking ground. Like the man who built his house on the rock, we defer to our foundation, our refuge who is always with us and for us and working behind the scenes for our good, even when life doesn’t look good. Because He is always good. 

“N” is for “Now is Christ risen from the dead…”

by BetsyFaithPosted on No Comments

It’s been about eight months since I last wrote–much has taken place in this time. When I look back at the last post I’d written in June of last year, I am particularly smitten by the remarks regarding the potter and the clay–how sometimes the potter has to crush the clay because of some flaw and rework it from scratch. Little did I know of the crushing that was about to take place.

I struggle to secure the right words to adequately express what I need to say–I typically resort to analogies and the like, but I’m at a significant loss this time. The unexpected loss of my sweet infant granddaughter has left an indelible mark on me, and I’m still wending my way along life’s path. As a parent, and specifically a mother, I have always strived to fix things in my child’s life. When fixing is not an option, I spiral into places that have no visible exit sign, and all I can do is fall down in expectant silence before God. 

It’s been about eight months since I last wrote–much has taken place in this time. When I look back at the last post I’d written in June of last year, I am particularly smitten by the remarks regarding the potter and the clay–how sometimes the potter has to crush the clay because of some flaw and rework it from scratch. Little did I know of the crushing that was about to take place.

When I look back over these last eight months, I see God’s transforming power revealed in my son’s life. I’ve prayed, somewhat hesitantly, over the years that He will do whatever He must to draw my child closer to Him. I think every parent who has prayed this prayer does so with reservation because we know that it may require circumstances that we don’t want to see in our children’s lives, but nevertheless are necessary to the revelation of God’s will. 

I’ve seen a miraculous alteration in my son since this ordeal last summer. He has chosen to embrace his faith rather than bitterness at the loss of his infant daughter. I can’t even type these words without choking back the tears. God has taken ahold of my son’s life in ways I couldn’t even have imagined. My heart has broken for his pain and his wife’s pain and all of the hopes and desires tied into the entrance of a newborn life into this world only to have it wrenched abruptly away. 

I held my sweet baby granddaughter only once, the night before she went into the arms of Jesus at just two weeks old. When I think about those precious moments, I can’t articulate the emotions that flood over my soul. I still keenly feel the pain, and I know my children must deal with it daily, and likely every moment of every day. There’s a powerlessness that overwhelms me, leaving no option but to continue to fall down at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to continue to carry them (and me) forward. 

They are now expecting another baby girl. I long to feel the exhilaration of expectancy and anticipation of last year at this time, but it’s tainted, of course. I can’t articulate an analogy to what I feel because there’s nothing parallel to which to compare these mixed emotions. I am resolved to embrace the excitement of a new life joining us once again, however, consciously choosing to be elated rather than wallowing in worry. I must accept that God’s love is constant regardless of the circumstances of this life, and observing how my son has so dramatically changed through this time fuels my faith to keep moving forward. So I’m continuing to write to my expected granddaughter; she will need to know about her family’s faith amidst the most devastating events in life. 

I’d left off at “N” in the children’s book of Bible verses. 1 Corinthians 15:20 says, “(Now) Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” This verse expresses the basics of our faith–all of it depends on the fact that Christ rose from the dead. The second half of this verse refers to those who have already “fallen asleep.” Because God raised Jesus from the dead, He has paved the way for us to join Him in Heaven forever. I know I will see my precious Ariella again when I step over Heaven’s threshold one day, and I look forward with the greatest anticipation of meeting my next grandbaby in a few months.

“M” is for “My sheep hear my voice”

by BetsyFaithPosted on 2 Comments

“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” –John 10:27

I raised sheep for about ten years. Whenever I would approach the barn, I’d call out their names, and they would come running and bleating toward me. Sometimes I’d be singing or talking to myself as I approached, and they would still come running and bleating. They knew my voice. They would follow me if I was walking across the pasture or along the fence or into the barn, whether I was there to feed them or not.

It’s challenging for me to think about this verse from the speaker’s perspective. I have a tendency to get distracted by what it is I’m listening to or whom I am following. That is why I find it helpful to revisit what I’d learned from raising sheep. Those animals would hear me and follow, no questions asked–that is, of course, if they could ask. Throughout the Bible, we are often compared to sheep, and often it is not for flattering reasons. But when I think of how this verse is phrased, it is more about our role as followers of Christ and our relationship with Him. 

There are times I feel like I’m struggling to figure out what I’m supposed to do, what path to take, what decision to make–I’m struggling to hear His voice. I’m in a season like that right now. I’ve often tried to decipher the big picture, to understand the purpose of what is happening. Most of the time I have no resolution, and I have to continue forward in faith that God is the master of my journey in this world though I’m stumbling along blindly. I’ve allowed my mind to descend into the depths of discouragement and heard my own voice taunting me with accusations that I’ve made irrevocable mistakes, and anything I believed was the goodness of God was really only a coincidence.  It’s truly exhausting.

The concept of hearing His voice and knowing Him used to seem so straightforward to me, but I’ve allowed myself to become jaded on many levels. I’ve struggled with bitterness. I’ve come to the end of myself, which is where He is able to make the most progress in my life. When a potter molds clay, he applies significant pressure. Jeremiah 18:4 says, “But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.” Some versions use the phrase that the jar “developed a flaw” or was “spoiled” in the hands of the potter. Whatever the cause, the idea of being crushed to be reshaped cannot be without a significant level of discomfort. 

I tend to operate on the premise that everything has to be status quo in order for me to move forward. I’ve been stuck in a state of limbo for so long now, I don’t recall what the old status quo looked like. People often say enjoy the journey and don’t let circumstances dictate your contentment or lack thereof. Of course, it’s easier said than done. Though a resolution isn’t in sight and I’m nearing the end of myself, I have no choice but to cast all of the cares, anxiety, disappointment, and whatever else is in the pile on the Lord. This is faith; sometimes the testing really pushes me to acknowledge the basics of my faith. I have to believe it’s for a purpose and walk on even when I can’t hear His voice, following Him because He loves me, He knows me, and He is my shepherd.

“L” is for “Look to Me…”

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“Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” –Isaiah 45:22

I have just come through yet another time of transition in my life–for nearly three months I have been “homeless” as I’ve had to rely on the generosity of friends and family for the roof over my head. After conceding to the fact that my renovated home was not ready when my apartment lease ran out, I initially approached this time with energy and optimism thinking that I’d be in my house in a couple of weeks…but as the weeks wore on, my momentum wore out. If I’d known in the beginning that I still wouldn’t be settled three months later, I don’t know how I would have survived. Sometimes it’s better not to know what lies ahead.

Isaiah 45:22–This verse reminds me of when Moses erected the bronze snake on the pole in Numbers 21. The Israelites had been murmuring against the Lord, and consequently had been smitten with a plague of poisonous serpents. They eventually confessed their sin and begged Moses to intercede with the Lord on their behalf. “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.’ So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live” (Numbers 21:8-9). The Lord is righteous; He demands justice for sin. He also is merciful; He provides a way through the consequences of sin–but we first have to repent.

This Old Testament event must have been momentous to say the least. Imagine a plague of snakes overtaking society as we know it, with no reprieve, and knowing that we had brought it on ourselves…hmmm–could that happen in modern times? Maybe not snakes, but contemplate the metaphor. Back to the point I’m trying to make: we often do not see a problem transformed instantaneously like this moment when God provided a means of remedy for the horrible situation; it is enough to know that He can. Most of the time, we are plagued by problems that drag on for days, weeks, months, or even years. If there is no bronze snake to look to, how do we cope? How do we wake up every morning and press on?

This question brings me to the principle upon which I have been meditating over the past three months. “Give us this day our daily bread” has been on the lips of my mind nearly every day. I am reminded of how God provided manna for His people in the wilderness–just enough for the day at hand (Exodus 16:11-21). This concept has been difficult for me to accept as I’m sure it is for many others. I want to be prepared for the future; I want to know what to expect and not to be surprised by unanticipated problems. Yet, for 40 years the Lord provided for His people on a daily basis, and they came to expect His provision. I would hope that I wouldn’t take 40 years to learn to trust, but as I’m approaching 50, I realize that there are plenty of lessons with which I’m still wrestling. I’m still persevering to “Look to [the Lord]” as the verse states, and how not only to survive on His daily “manna,” but also how to hunger for it and thrive on it.

“K” is for “Keep your tongue…”

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“Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.” –Psalm 34:13

Words are powerful. When people wield these weapons, they can use words to tear others apart or build them up to do great things. When I was a child, I remember hearing others say, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This is probably one of the most blatant misconceptions in existence. Words can leave some of the deepest scars known to mankind.

Predictably, it is the people we love the most who wield the most power when it comes to words. If someone we don’t know says something hateful to us, it’s much easier to ignore or overlook the comment rather than take it to heart. What do they know anyway? People who spew toxicity from their mouths obviously have much deeper wounds themselves that they are evading. On the other hand, when someone we care about deeply berates us or otherwise tears us down verbally, they inflict intense pain that can’t be easily remedied, and the receiver’s heart becomes an open wound. Conversely, a kind word or sincere encouragement can propel a person to a place of stability, peace, or even confidence to achieve the most in life.

Withstanding verbal abuse, particularly for children, is not easy; it is often coupled with emotional and mental abuse, and in very toxic situations, various levels of physical abuse. Speaking evil is connected to what is in our hearts. Matthew 15:18 states, “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.” Another saying is, “Hurt people hurt people.” In other words, those who have been hurt tend to inflict hurt on others. This corresponds with the sentiment that “Misery loves company.” People often lash out verbally as a defense mechanism to protect themselves or to hurt someone else before someone else can hurt them. Sin begets sin; the hurt lives on and multiplies. 

In order to “Keep your tongue from evil,” whether generated from someone else’s words or your own thoughts, you may have to address a deep-rooted problem in your life. Maybe you have been able to suppress those hateful words from escaping your lips, but you are inundated with the corresponding thoughts. I tend to reflect on the origin of such thoughts, like “Why is this making me so upset?” or “Why does this person’s comment have such power over me?” Focusing on the truth of the Word of God is the only foundation for finding not necessarily answers, but peace. 

Please don’t mistake my meaning; I am not saying I’m exempt from this vice. I have wielded my own broken, hurtful shards at others on occasion throughout my life. In the process, however, I’ve learned I don’t ever want others to feel that pain if I can help it, and definitely not at my hand. I can’t protect all the people I care about from ever experiencing hateful words, but I endeavor to do all I can in adhering to this verse.

“I” is for “If you ask anything…”

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“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” –John 14:14

This verse has always seemed so simplistic, yet the most complex to understand. God is not a genie in a lamp granting wishes; there are heavily interwoven factors regarding His will and purpose, as well as the direction and intention of my desires. The bottom line is this: prayer is powerful. When we go to God with our struggles and corresponding requests, we don’t typically see an instant response from Him, but regardless of what we “see,” He is always working toward an end–bringing about an objective. 

I am struggling as I write this week; I am facing challenges mentally, physically, financially, and relationally. Under the weight of these circumstances, I am prone to start listening to the lies of the evil one, but I won’t give credence to those lies by even acknowledging them in words here. I feel like Peter when he was walking on the water and took his eyes off of Jesus (Matthew 14:29-31). “Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’” Matthew doesn’t record Peter’s response, if he gave one. For myself, my response comes back to those lies I referenced. At least, Peter instantly turned to Jesus and said, “Lord, save me!” For some reason, I revert to trying to fix problems myself and don’t always turn to Him as a first response.

More times than I care to revisit, I can relate to floundering about, struggling to keep my head above water–by myself, though Jesus is standing right there. Lately, I’ve faced many “winds” that leave me off-balance and unable to stand with stability…on my own. I can’t see how any of these issues are going to be resolved, and that has always been difficult for me to accept; I want answers. I want to know the plan. I don’t even know what words to pray, but I can take a cue from Peter and pray, “Lord, save me,” and allude to John 14:14, “in Your name.” 

“E” is for “Even a child…”

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“Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.” –Proverbs 20:11

I remember learning this verse when I was very little; I particularly recall thinking the term “doings” was a funny word. Again, I didn’t have any problem accepting the truth of these verses in the ABC book when I was young. I understood that I was supposed to behave, and people would know I knew Jesus because of how I acted–this was another truth that I believe helped shape my childlike faith and establish its foundation in the Word of God.

This verse reminds me of other verses that allude to our bearing fruit if we are abiding in Christ. John 15:4 states, “Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.” In other words, adults, too, are known by their “doings.” I have struggled at times with what “remaining” in Him looks like, but in reality, when I revisit the simple origins of my faith, it is clear that I just have to take Him at His word. He says to read His Word and pray–sounds simple enough. Of course, life presents a thousand ways of distracting from this all-important focus.

Just prior to this verse in John, Jesus said, “Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit.” Pruning has never been a desirable experience for me; He allows this often painful ordeal in order to bring about an ultimately valuable result. None of us like painful experiences, but they are a fact of life. I cling to the credence that there is a purpose for it all, regardless of whether I get to see the outcome or not.

I have gardened most of my adult life, and therefore, have pruned many types of plants, shrubs, and trees. Sometimes I didn’t know what on earth I was doing, but I typically learned from my mistakes, though sometimes the plants didn’t survive my ignorance. Thankfully, I know I can trust that when God does His pruning, He knows what He is doing and has a plan for my good (Jeremiah 29:11). He doesn’t waste any of the pain He’s allowed in my life, and though I’ve struggled through so many times of pruning and may not get to see the ultimate results, I still believe He is good. Life would be a dismal prospect indeed without the foundation of His goodness.

Psalm 30:5b says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” I love this verse; it reminds me that not only is He with me through the hard times, but He will also restore me when the time is right. This is a lifelong learning curve; sometimes in the midst of the “weeping,” I’ve had to give the pain back to Him as often as every five minutes. From the physical pain of an abscessed tooth to the emotional pain of losing someone I thought I couldn’t live without and every type of “pruning” in between, God is faithful. I take comfort in 1 Corinthians 10:13 as well: “But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.” I pray, little one, that you, too, will know God’s goodness from a young age and unwaveringly trust in Him.

“D” is for “Draw near…”

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“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” –James 4:8

This verse seemed so attainable to me as a child; I remember having such a simple faith that allowed me to just accept that I could pray anytime, anywhere, and He would hear me. I had no doubt that I had His complete and unwavering attention. As I got older, though, and life began to reveal its undesirable potential, I often found myself drawing closer to other things–not to my loving, sovereign God.

Several years ago when I was studying to become a teacher, I remember being introduced to a graphic organizer for learning about analogies, and one of the concepts for students to consider about an idea was “what it is not.” In other words, exploring the concepts that may seem to correspond with the chosen idea, but in reality are anything from a close misconception to a complete opposite of the desired concept. I have since pondered applying this idea of “what it is not” to walking by faith. If I’m not drawing near to God, then I’m drawing near to something He is not–either something I don’t perceive as bad and often unintentionally replacing Him in my life, or something completely wrong that is counterproductive to everything He wants for me in my life. 

This idea also corresponds with being grateful–when I focus on what I have and the many blessings I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy and look forward to enjoying, I experience a peace and contentment that is not common in this life, though it is always there if I just choose it. When I focus on what is not there, i.e. what I don’t have and continually long for, I am miserable and prone to live in a perpetual state of dissatisfaction. It seems a basic concept, yet I’ve struggled with keeping the priorities of my focus in order! My challenge to you, my sweet blessing of a grandchild, is to cling to your childlike faith throughout life. Be encouraged that we all struggle, yet God is always near, whether we “feel” it or not.

Now for a real-life example: I pray every week for guidance in what to write to you, and this morning prior to the church service, there was the usual scrolling of pictures on the screens while people were getting seated. One of those pictures was of a group of preschoolers in a classroom, some of them with their arms raised and all with smiles on their faces. I immediately was transported back about ten years to a time when I was helping out in a nursery at a church I’d attended for many years. A little boy about three years old was chatting up a storm in the next room over, and his voice sounded so much like my little boy had sounded at that age that I suddenly found myself overwhelmed, and unwelcomed hot tears streamed down my cheeks. I withdrew to the restroom to pull myself together because I didn’t want people to know how much I had yearned for more babies, to experience family in all of its wonderfulness. I’d struggled so long to accept that this long-held desire was apparently not God’s plan for me. It was easy to traipse down this road toward self-pity and wallow in my pain. 

But God (there’s that phrase again…) had given me this incredible son to raise, and though I couldn’t always see it at the time, raising him brought me such contentment and fulfillment in my life that I didn’t always appreciate my situation as much as I wish I had back then. Looking back now, I can see the blessing he was to me, and God knew what He was doing. God always knows what He is doing. I constantly try to get back to that place of childlike faith and draw near to God–letting go of how I think things should be and accepting how He has orchestrated them. It’s a journey; I am grateful that He has brought me through that vulnerability to a stability that only He can give. That is only one of the many long-term shifts in perspective through which He has guided me; I hope to share many more with you in the months and years to come. 

“B” is for “But God…”

by BetsyFaithPosted on 5 Comments

“But he was wounded for our transgressions…” Isaiah 53:5

“B” could stand for many things; I opted to go with “But God” because regardless of the BURDEN I carry, the BITTERNESS with which I struggle, or the BROKENNESS that afflicts me daily, the BATTLE is the Lord’s. He is sovereign over all of the circumstances in my life; the greatest burden is that of sin. The picture next to the verse in the “ABC” book shows the child kneeling at the cross and his burden falling from his back. One of the first things I need to remember is that He loves me with an unfathomable love that led Him to pay the price for all of my burdens, my transgressions–my sins. This verse actually comes before the “A” verse that stated we all have gone astray–we all have sinned. 

Sin manifests a wide variety of consequences, bitterness being one of them. I have temporarily lost battles with bitterness, but God has always provided victory overall. Without going into detail, I would say my most difficult struggles with bitterness involve the failure of my life to go the way I’d always imagined. I’d tried being “good” when I was young, naively believing that my expectations for life would work out how I’d planned because I “did the right thing.” Some people preach that you can obtain whatever you go after if you just apply yourself–that may work out in some cases when it aligns with God’s purpose, but our goals sometimes don’t, and we may seek after selfish pursuits. Sometimes, it’s the actions of others that result in bitter effects for ourselves as well. In any case, Ephesians 4:31 admonishes us to “get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger.” This is a task that requires more than our own strength; even in gaining victory over bitterness, there’s usually unavoidable brokenness left in its wake.

Proverbs 17:22 states, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Brokenness is an unavoidable result of sin. Again, even if we attempt to walk the straight and narrow, we all fall down, and the sins of others will also inevitably affect us. Unfortunately, the people who are closest to us are the ones with the power to inflict the deepest wounds that can cause us to be broken and even succumb to bitterness. But God Who works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28)–not just good things–uses the broken pieces of our lives for a much greater purpose. The pain and the sorrow of this world drains us, as the verse says, but it also begins with the beneficial advantage of a cheerful heart. What is the key to a cheerful heart? I’d have to say gratefulness–shifting the focus from what is wrong or missing to what is good and in place. This is a conscious act, a choice I must make. Proverbs 15:15 provides this encouragement: “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”

The bottom line is this: yes, there will always be struggles in this world, but God knows what He’s doing. He’s never surprised by the circumstances in our lives; His plan is more vast than anything we can comprehend. We can trust Him. One of my favorite verses is John 16:33 when Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” I still wrestle with putting the trials of this life in their proper perspective, and probably will for all my days. It’s human nature to try to handle it ourselves, but God has already made a way. Even when the people we love hurt us or fail us or let us down in some way, God is the only One to fill that void and mend that broken place. He loved us so much that He took our burdens, our bitterness, our brokenness, and our battles upon Himself. We have only to choose to accept Him.

“A” is for All

by BetsyFaithPosted on No Comments

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.” Isaiah 53:6

We have all wandered like sheep; I understand this clause better today than as a youngster because as an adult I have raised sheep for nearly a decade and witnessed how downright stupid these animals can be. I have been frustrated by some–having spent hours chasing escapees all over the mountainside only to find them eventually back at the fence waiting to enter the pasture. I have been heartbroken by others–-holding a sickly newborn in my arms as it took its last breath. And so much in between…I can understand why we are compared to these animals–the frustration we must cause our Creator, but He still gently holds us in His arms with the tender love of the good Father that He is.

I remember reading the second clause of this verse as “We have turned every one to his own way,” as opposed to, “We have each turned to his own way.” I thought that we were responsible for turning others away from the desired path, which was still a wrong thing to do, but I later realized that the phrasing was intended to emphasize the initial word “all” at the beginning of the verse. 

All of us are in the same sinking boat; each one of us has tried to follow his own destructive path. Of course, the message would be a sad one if it ended there. The surrounding verses expound on Christ’s sacrifice to save us all from our own destructive ends. This verse establishes the basic concept of understanding that we are all lost without Him–the foundation of my faith and appropriately the first in the ABC Memory Book.