Believe that He Is...

Do you ever ask tons of questions? There's not really an expectancy of an answer on some of them,is there? I can usually get past all the questions but then sometimes they pop up so quick I can't even think about a real answer. There are tons of whys...at least for me. My mind gets foggy after awhile and I know He is not really going to rain down answers or miracles. Knowing that He can totally heal - but He doesn't - has been one of the most frustrating parts of my journey as a caregiver.

 Once the questions start it is easy to get sucked under by all the surrounding emotions. (of course that doesn't take much most days anyway! lol) And as I am looking for some of the answers in the Word - or just an answer I always come back to the same thing. I cannot not believe in Him. 

There's something in the core of my being that screams out There is a God! And even though there are no substantial answers to my many questions I can grab hold of Hebrews 11:6 - Without faith it is impossible to please Him. Those who come to Him must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. And that's such a good place to start. Just believing that He is.

when all of our theology is shattered - believe that He is. 

When we don't get any of our answers - believe that He is.

When the storm seems to last forever - believe that He is.

Today this will be my primary focus - believing that He is there for me today. We must trust that He is there and He is very aware of what is going on in our hearts and lives...today - just believe He is...

Covenant Renewals

Josiah has always been an intriguing OT character to me. He became king as such an early age and then the Bible says he did what was right in the sight of the Lord.(2 Kings22) It also says in the NLT that he followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn aside from doing what was right.

The young man vehemently followed God's law as it was revealed to him. And in chapter 23 this young king read the entire Book of the Covenant  to the people. And then he (in his place of authority) renewed the covenant in the Lord's presence.

Can you imagine if any nation's leader would actually take the time to read the entire covenant to the people of the land? I will admit that we are only talking about Genesis to Deuteronomy. But even that would be amazing. And then to have such leaders who would stand and say This is our covenant with the Lord and we will keep our end of it and serve Him alone....sorry for the skepticism but it is a nice dream...

 Let's just enjoy the picture from 2 Kings. Here is the king reading the word of God and then reaffirming that it was the nation's covenant with Him.While I don't see any nation doing any such thing today - we can each act as "king" in our homes and renew our covenant with Him. It's a covenant of peace and soul prosperity. We must remind ourselves that it is not a pact that ensures us we will get what we want when we want it every time we want it...But it is a covenant that says our God will (somehow) work it all out for His and our good in the end. It is a promise that He will walk with us through the storm...It is a promise that no matter what this or any day looks like - we will win the final battle and spend all of eternity with Him..

 Take a moment today to stand on His word one more time. Remind yourself that nothing in His promise changes because you are a caregiver. Your circumstance does not negate His promises or His covenant! Take a moment to say that His word is our eternal covenant with Him that cannot be broken. Let Him be our God one more day!

Puffed up Know-it-alls

Don't you just love the conversations that you have with people who act like they know it all? Usually the conversation doesn't get very far because the who know it all can't see past their limited knowledge to hold a true challenging conversation!

 Well, as I was studying this morning this short passage jumped out at me for a couple of reasons. It's actually in the context of Paul's instructions about eating meat that is sacrificed to idols. And then it seems he takes a little rabbit trail when he says the words in these three verses:

 Now let's talk about food that has been sacrificed to idols

You think that everyone should agree with your perfect knowledge.

While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church

 Anyone who claims to know all the answers really doesn't know very much.

 But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for. 

 (1 Corinthians 8:1-3 NLT)

I found the first part about the know-it-all to be pretty amusing. I have met people like that. And I am sure I've come off as being that way myself at times. Thank God for life's tempering - it is indeed what helps us come to grips with the fact that we really don't know it all! lol!

But there are two other things that stand out to me in this passage. The first thing is that it is not knowledge which builds up the church. Listening to endless sermons may give us a lot of  information about God but that's not how the church is encouraged. Later in this same book, Paul will say that knowledge puffs up. But it is love that builds up the church. But then again we have to see the church not as a building - how can we love a building? But we must see it as us. We are the church and when we love one another and help carry one another's burdens it will build and encourage the church. (Ah! the missing link to modern Christianity!)

 And then the next part that grabbed me was verse 3 - the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for. Wow! I so want to love Him...and not let my knowledge of Him surpass basking in His intimate love. Just some thoughts for today..

Side Note - I did start some video devotionals for caregivers. There is one up and I will be doing one later today. You can view them at www.livestream.com/reallysimpleafterall.

Renewal Sounds Good

2 Corinthians 4:16 is on the when I get in trouble list of first scriptures. It's easy to find ourselves facing situations that press us to give up. For the caregiver this can be many times throughout one day! It can be so tempting to lose heart...Even our "good" days can be full of trials and it the loneliness experienced by many can push us into a corner of despair.

 But Paul is instructing the Corinthian church here to not lose heart...even if the outer man is decaying, or seems to be losing strength.The book of 2 Corinthians (is really the fourth letter to the church in Corinth) was written during one of the toughest times in the apostle's life. He has been through the ringer (check it out in chapter 11) and yet he still picked up his pen and wrote to them that it was no time to lose heart! Wow, what spiritual stamina the man must have had. Or perhaps it was just  a genuine loving care for the church there at Corinth. This helps me see a softer side of this great spiritual warrior; a fathering side..he loved the Christians so much that he laid down his own situation, his own discomfort...to write them and encourage them to continue in their walk of faith!

 I hope it's okay if I say this (of course it is - it's my blog! lol)...but haven't we done the same? Do we not lay down our own lives every day to see our loved one cared for properly? Have we not turned out sites from our own discomforts to ensure another's comfort? Yes, we have.

So do not give up, and don't lose heart. You are full of God's wonderful compassion just like Paul was. God will renew our inner man day by day as we continue to take care of His people. He will give us the strength to carry on this journey (He knows we cannot  do it on our own!) So smile. He is renewing you today. Remember Isaiah 40:39 - as we wait on Him (for our strength) our strength is indeed renewed.

Renew can mean several things:

• to begin again or to take up again
• to make effective for  a longer period of time
• to restore/re-fill
• to make again
• revive or re-establish
• to make as if it is new again

 

EXPAND

He is renewing our inner man while our outer man is on this troublesome journey called life!

Unique Connections

Did you ever feel like your prayers were being said in vain? Like the heavens are brass or something and they really aren't getting through? (maybe it's just me!) Sometimes it's easy to just stop praying at all; when we don't get what we want. But I am not sure that for the true believer that is really ever possible. See we are connected to God in a very unique way and I have yet to figure out a proper analogy to help my understanding. (and as a reminder - caregivers still have every promise in the book too! There are no scriptures that we are exempt from. There are no exclusionary statements in my Bible that say unless you are a caregiver...and this holds true for promises as well as discipline and the expectations He has of all Christians - caregivers or not!)

 John 14:23 tells us that when we love God we will keep His word. And when that happens God will in return meet our level of intimacy and He will dwell in us. I got that - He is in us...no problem. Back in verse 20 of the same chapter though, Jesus says that He is in us and we are in Him. What a concept! First of all that He is in us and secondly that we are in Him.. all at the same time!! I can picture one or the other - but this type of unique connection escapes the creative power of my imagination.

 But what does that have to do with the topic of prayer? Basically, that they don't really go anywhere. He is right here and so my thoughts are always in Him...and His thoughts are always in me. I just have to stop and listen. Sometimes my praying is loud, lengthy and desperate! I don't even stop to take a breath let alone stop to tune in to what He has to say...and He does still speak to us through Holy Spirit you know! He did not cease communication with us because our hearing is hampered by caregiving! lol! It simply takes a tiny effort (okay sometimes it's a huge one!) on my part to stop and just listen to Him. And somehow it helps me when I realize that my prayers are not having to travel through all 7 atmospheric layers and beyond to reach His ears! He is here...in me...now. He knows my every breath, action, thought and prayer! Take time to listen for Him today.

Oh! Those Emotions!!

You know how easily the caregiver's emotions can jump around! (or is it just me?) It's like we live on the edge and any tiny little thing can tip us right on off. Frustrations can build and there can seem to be no quick way to reel it all back in. And for me - I get just plain mad...at the situation, at the church, at other people, and yes...at God. (not that this is very profitable - but at least it's honest!)

 I really think He understands though. He created us to have emotions and His love (which is an emotion and an action) is what drove Him to make sure that man had a way to get back to Him. He knows that we are just flesh...He created us! He realizes that we are only dust...but made in His image. And according to Psalm 139 He is very intimately acquainted with all of our ways to the point that He knows our words before they were thoughts.That's just amazing to me...that God is so vast - and yet took such care with the intricate details of our makeup.

 It's funny to me how when I can turn my thoughts to the greatness of God all the cares are washed away...and in my pursuit of Him I find all the other things that used to be so important to me have fallen away. Paul said that He wanted to be found in Him.(Philippians 3:9) Let us make that our pursuit on those days that are most overwhelming...days the emotions want to run away with us - let us be found in Him...and there is peace.

Practicing Thankfulness

It's funny how people who honestly don't know can think that because we are home all day things don't get busy or hectic for the caregiver! It's like they expect that since we are home all day we don't have a thing to do! lol! Ever heard that one?

 The truth is that it can go from slow to hectic in the matter of a couple of seconds! (..or less! lol!) Let one little thing on our daily schedule get out of sync and BAM! It's like the familiar picture of the dominoes once the chain reaction starts... and it only escalates from there...or is that a limited thing - does it only happen to me?

 Sometimes what makes my day so hectic is actually a blessing. That's when it's important to take time to be thankful for the blessing and not let the hectic scene have our attention...instead of complaining to God about all the things I need to get done before going to bed at night - I'm learning to stop and change my perspective into a thankfulness for the blessing.

 Psalms 100:4 says that giving thanks is exactly how we are to enter His gates...and Psalm 95:2 tells us to come before Him with thanksgiving...and Paul told the Philippians to make all your requests known to Him with thanksgiving. I am thinking that there should be no requests without some sort of giving of thanks...giving thanks prepares our heart for His next provision...so today - Let us simply give Him thanks!!