Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that God makes everything work out for good as we trust Him. But it's interesting that this concept is throughout the Old Testament, too. When I find a passage that is really speaking to my heart, I camp there. So, since yesterday, I've been camped out in Isaiah 51 and 52. I've read these two chapters several times and even read them out loud a time or two...
Yesterday, I thought a lot about verse 2, which says, "Abraham was alone when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation." Since we can feel alone and be alone so much of the time, this verse was encouraging to me. But this morning, I've been sitting on verse 3, which says, "The Lord will comfort Israel (Jakob) again and make her deserts blossom. Her barren wilderness will become as beautiful as Eden - the garden of the Lord."
The caregiving journey can feel so very barren at times. We can wonder if God can bring anything good out of the dry and barren experiences. This verse encourages me and reminds us that He sees right where we are and will cause the desert experience to bloom and become beautiful. It made me think of Hosea 2:15, which reminds us God makes our valleys of pain or trouble into gateways of hope.
No matter what our caregiving days look like, how "easy" they may be or how difficult - God is a florist, always causing goodness, grace, and mercy to bloom beautifully in our lives. Even if it feels like the desert, it doesn't mean there's no life - God is the source of our life. He waters our parched souls. One of my favorite songwriters is Dennis Jernigan. There's a line in one of his songs that says, "The drier the land, the sweeter the rain." We can appreciate the rain of heaven as it falls on our parched souls and brings refreshing we can't even explain. Fellowshiping with God always brings birth and growth. We can trust Him for that!
Today, I am determined to soak in some of the rain of heaven on my soul. My prayer will be that God will show me the growth in this desert. I'll wait for His grace, mercy, and strength for today as I trust that He is indeed working all things out for good - even in this place. I'll look for the door of hope - and when I find it - I'll walk right through it into thanksgiving. I'm thankful He has not abandoned my soul - He keeps it close to His heart, where I can grow in Him! I can trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?
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Book of the Week!
1 John Study Guide
· What does it mean to be loved by God?
· What happens when God lives in us?
· Are you ready for a deep dive into God’s love?
· What does God really think about you?
· How is it possible to be a child of God?
Grab a copy of the 1 John Bible Study Guide! It’s like John decided to write an expository letter about John 3:16. Oh, how He loves us! Until we get that – we won’t get much else! Take a walk through this powerful, life-changing epistle written to the early Christians.
Take the journey through these five chapters and learn more about your heart and God's heart. Find your own answers and new insights as you work through the series of thought-provoking questions that lead you to God's heart.
eBook: Dove's Fire Ministries Bookstore
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