Tag: Trust

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Despising our own designs.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This moment, recorded in history, was a highly celebrated moment. Not just for Sarah and Abraham, but for all of us as well. Why would we need to celebrate a miracle of overcoming infertility and God coming through on His promise to this antique couple? Because, God’s promise to Abram, wasn’t just for this random, ancient bedouin leader. It was for all the human beings and all the promises thereafter! If nothing else, history teaches us the facts about God’s ability and trustworthiness to keep his promises to all humankind.

Yet, in this brief moment of celebration, there is also this disturbingly deep moment of human frailty, of weakness, of bitterness. When we force God’s promise by making something happen by pure human will and desire – the consequences are devastating. Abraham and Sarah had already made their own “child of promise” because they did not trust God’s timing! Note that Moses wrote about Isaac’s birth, “this happened at just the time God had said it would.” But God’s time is NOT our time! We get itchy, impatient, and impulsive. Thus, we scheme and create our own plan… “just in case,” we tell ourselves. What a mess we make of things.

Sarah harassing Abraham to get busy with making a baby with Hagar, was just supposed to be a backup plan. Because, obviously, God was running out of womb-time with Sarah? Abraham too easily complied! No sex puns necessary here. As soon as the “deed” was done, Sarah was immediately torn. “She” had given themselves an heir, but knowing that her husband had known this other woman, this young servant in their family was more bitter than expected. Sarah knew it, but so did Hagar. It’s recorded, in ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭16‬:‭4‬-‭5‬, “So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!” Sarah & Abraham’s plan started deteriorating immediately.

Here in this celebratory moment of Isaac being born, Abraham throws a massive party. And at this party, things go sideways for the family. The moment is captured in this one little verse, ”But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.“ Genesis‬ ‭21‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬. But wait! There is a critical note that some versions capture. The Hebrew word her is “tsachaq,” to laugh. But it is often translated as “mocking,” or “scoffing.” Was Hagar mocking Sarah and her newborn baby? Yeah, it’s absolutely possible. Did Sarah see Hagar laughing and just interpret her levity as some kind of leverage of power in the family dynamic? That’s possible as well. All I know is these moments clearly tell me that there was deep jealousy mixed with remorse for the decisions that were made fourteen years earlier. Now, here at the party, all that conniving and convincing Abraham to “go into,” (euphemism for sex) “my servant,” no longer seemed like a good plan.

How many times have we decided to help God out by designing our own plans, “just in case” God didn’t come through on a promise? And, how many times have we completely regretted, even despised those plans when they turned out to be a disaster or a massive disappointment? When will we learn to trust God, not just with His plans, but also His timing. It’s tough! Wisdom tells us to make plans, but let God direct our steps. Our plans must not only be prayerfully made, but held lightly! For God will lead. God will direct. If we would be patient with both His fulfillment and timing.

Prayer

Dad,
Normally, this would be just a great lesson on decision making, and trust, in how and when You direct our lives. But this is more than just a lesson! I have seen many friends wreck their own lives by trying to get what they want, or even impatiently try to get what you have promised. Life seems to be filled with chasing dreams and opportunities, but sometimes having disastrous results. It’s not just with friends though. I have personally experienced these moments to grasp an opportunity, only to discover it was NOT your will or your way. I have often felt the pressure to give up on faith in a promise when things looked difficult or impossible! Of course, I am thankful for your mercy and your supernatural ability to work out all things for good, even when I have botched it, or missed it. I would rather trust you on the front end, rather than trusting you after looking at all the calamity I had caused. Your ways are always good because You are good. Amen.

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Assuming God Intent.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. “You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Awhile back Robin and I had dinner with another couple and one of them used to work for Apple retail. She said that Apple’s training emphasized that when in doubt, one should assume positive intent when seeing another employee or even a customer behaving suspiciously. The whole idea is to trust that people are doing the RIGHT thing even though we don’t fully understand what we see at the time. What a brilliant concept!

There are so many examples in the Bible where God was totally involved, and had specifically told people what they needed to do. Jesus himself was criticized for eating with sinners! Like people’s sin might accidentally rub off on him and make him unholy? Mary, was pregnant with God’s only son and it was the only way God could save humanity – but people suspected that she was unfaithful to Joseph!

Here in Peter’s story, he is questioned for eating with Gentiles, not knowing that God had orchestrated the whole thing. When will we get it? Oftentimes God has directed people to do something that may appear suspicious, but it is completely within His plan. We should practice assuming God intent.

We have so much social media criticism flying around, quoting and misquoting preachers or “catching” Christian celebs in what we think are compromising positions. Have we considered that they may be doing exactly what God told them to do? Word got back to Jerusalem and the Jewish believers criticized Peter! So yeah, Peter had a great God story to tell, but how far would the gossip have gone? Luke made sure the truth, the God intent, was written down for all to see.

I think it’s helpful to assume positive intent when working with people. But, I think it is far more important to assume God intent in the community of faith. Next time I see a suspicious behavior in a believer, I’m going to hold my criticism, assuming God intent, until I get a chance to hear their big God story!

Prayer

Dad,
You are doing BIG stuff in our dark and dangerous world. You are always at work, bringing light and justice to the shadiest situations that we will never even know about. And, you are involving us in your grand story – the redemption of humanity! I am positive that you know what you’re doing. And, I trust that you have people doing good work in areas and with individuals that I will never see. Help me in my negative and critical thinking, assuming the worst in other believers. I would rather think well of them and that you have a plan and a reason behind the scenes. Help me believe in you working through others!

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Just knowing God listens.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭28‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It is interesting, when you are talking to someone, telling them about yourself or what you are going through, there is a connection. That moment where you feel seen and heard. It should go likewise when I hear someone telling me about their life, their struggles or joys. To think that although God knows us throughly, intimately, and still wants to hear us talk with Him, is just mind blowing. The Psalmist has recorded the content of his conversations with God for us! For us to know God, trust Him and hopefully, do the same in our relationship – talk to God and allow Him to speak and encourage us back. In those personal moments David writes a truth he has learned through experiences of walking with God. David had seen devastating lows, in depression and exalted highs in triumphs and celebrations. It is said that this Psalm was inserted into the collection towards the end of David’s life. And towards the end there is still a confidence – God hears his cries for mercy. God has and will be his strength and shield. And, these memories and moments all give David the confidence of trusting God all the way through to the end.

Can I count on God to see me, hear me and help me – all the way through to the end of my life here on this planet? I am determined to say YES all the way through. As a complete beginner, I trusted God in my teens. I tenaciously held on through my twenties and even thirties. In my forties and fifties I saw massive change and growth in my life, with tremendous highs and devastating lows. And now in my sixties, I am still talking to God and He is still listening. I am still crying out for mercy for myself and others, and He is still my strength and shield. I still trust Him with all my heart and know that He will continue to help me! Now, years down the road, my heart is still filled with Joy and I can burst out with my own songs of thanksgiving. His Word, His promises, His care is real and I am grateful.

Prayer

Dad,
I have seen your wonderful works in my life and I am thankful. I have seen enormous change in my world and in Your Church, yet I still believe. My experiences nowhere near matches the extraordinary drama of David, but I can appreciate the words recorded in these Psalms to learn from them and be comforted by them. Thank you for your Word as it continues to light my path!

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The simplicity of rhythm together.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭46‬-‭47‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Yes, the beginning of the Church started with a big event! The powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit and Peter finding his voice and the converging of his purpose brought thousands to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior. Then the Church got to work doing what? Running outreach events and evangelistic campaigns? No, the Church got down to creating simple rhythms of gathering together and doing life together. Of course there will always be opportunities for big events where hundreds, maybe thousands come to follow Jesus. But the Church’s most powerful witness is found in the members being like Jesus and living in unity.

In the very next chapter, Luke shows us that Peter and the other Apostles began doing the same miraculous works that Jesus did. And, the Church continued to meet in simplicity.

The Church today finds itself in a disruptive, disunited state. Trust in all sectors of society has plummeted and the Church is no different. People have lost confidence in leaders because of too many lies, too many broken promises and too much social news-spin to make reality and themselves look to good to be true. And with that the Church has lost its foundational simplicity of gathering to worship, meeting in homes for communion and meals and being in the Word of God together.

God is still at work to bring about the same endgame that Peter spoke of verses 17-21. Today, we too must be at work to return to what is healthy for us as followers of Jesus. To be resilient in our faith, restorative in our reconciliation with one another and un-offendable to focus on Jesus and not our faults.

Prayer

Dad,
Wow! What a day that must have been. Amidst all the social and political chaos of those days, your Word went out in power and transformed people’s lives as you launched the Church. We have similar local and global problems today. And we need you to pour out your Spirit on all people once again. But we also need help, as your Church, to be who we were destined to be; your bride without spot or wrinkle. Help us come home, returning to the original plan of simple gatherings and doing life together.

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Confidence without cockiness.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“One day as Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?” Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus was teaching and preaching IN the Temple. This is the pro league if religion were a sport (and to the religious leaders, it was). It was written elsewhere that Jesus spoke with authority and the common folk noticed and liked it. The religious leaders, comparatively, had the authority to speak, given by long-standing rights and privileges passed down to them and conveniently given the stamp of approval by their mentors.

The religious leaders, of which three power-groups are mentioned, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law and the elders approached Jesus. Sounds intimidating right? What were they asking? And why were they asking? There were systems and steps that one had to go through to gain the right to speak in the temple, or even a local synagogue for that matter. Those steps were incremental and had the guidance and blessing of a “master” Rabbi so to speak. That master Rabbi would have been well known and approved by others himself. Ray Vander Laan writes, “Jesus seems to be a type of rabbi believed to have s’mikhah or authority to make new interpretations. Most of the teachers were Torah teachers (teachers of the law) who could only teach accepted interpretations.”

I can almost see these powerbrokers of the temple getting together and trying to figure out who was Jesus’ master Rabbi. Was it Nicodemus? Was it Gamaliel? These religious leaders could not connect Jesus with any known Rabbi, yet he spoke with “authority.” Jesus not only quoted other Rabbi’s from time to time, he also did something extraordinarily rare, he interpreted the law and the prophets making application from the entire Old Testament passages. Who gave Jesus that authority? Who gave Jesus this right to interpret? God himself!

Jesus answered their own question with a brilliant question. He said, “Let me ask you a question first,” he replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” Ah, yes! There was another Rabbi who spoke with authority and interpreted scriptures as well – John the Baptist. Jesus knew how much religious leaders STILL couldn’t stand God’s spokespersons (Prophets). And Jesus knew how the locals, the “people” loved hearing the pure truth of God spoken with power.

This power group, approached Jesus to shut him down and ended up being scolded for not recognizing the Spirit of the one they were supposed to be working for! Jesus flat out told them, “I’m not telling you who gave me my credentials.” Most of them ended up referring to Jesus as Rabbi from that point on.

I understand that leaders can start out being protective, like a good shepherd should. Knowing who is speaking on behalf of and leading others in the ways of God. But when it twists and turns into controlling others, this is where it goes badly. Power and authority is to protect NOT to control!

Prayer

Dad,
Help us, as leaders, as “religious” Rabbi’s so to speak, always lean towards protecting and not controlling others. Help us to be servants, humble and meek, taking every opportunity to love and give and reflect the true nature of a shepherd to those who believe. Help those in positions of influence be careful to lead, only reflecting Jesus and not themselves. Help us gain back the trust we squandered in the past.

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The MOST reliable, stable, true and enduring thing I can know

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven. Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created. Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans.” Psalms‬ ‭119:89-91‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We now know that God’s eternal word, as referred to here in the Psalms, wasn’t just commands written in ink on scrolls or finger-lasered by God on stone. It was Jesus, the son of God. The word is a person not just ideas, concepts or even doctrines. And Jesus does stand firm in heaven.

His faithfulness is extending to THIS generation, whether that be Millennials, Z’s or Alpha’s. It’s kinda sad that we’ve given human age groupings names like bad storms. Plus, His regulations or ways remain true today and everything does serve Jesus’ plans. In other translations vs 91 says “they” referring to heaven and the earth. The word “regulations” are Jesus’ judgements (מִשְׁפָט mishpat: judgment).

Three things I observe from these passages:

  • One, God’s word is eternal.
  • Two: God’s word is thankfully extended (endures and abides/stands) to each one of the generations that are passing through time. The way generations are counted, it is possible that there have only been about 100 or so generations from Adam until today – just a hundred!
  • Three: God’s word remains true through all of our entire human history (and beyond). It is THE most true, most enduring, unchanging entity (person) we have known or will ever know. It’s also the most real entity in our existence!

Ahhh, the Word is more real, true and trustworthy than even the laws that govern our universe. The laws of gravity, energy or matter are LESS trustworthy than God’s Word! The Psalmist declares an ancient truth here that defies our understanding of reality. We can’t imagine “doubting” gravity, but we have no problem doubting what God says? Geez, that’s heavier than Uranium (a little element joke there)!

As a follower of Jesus, I should have ZERO doubt in God’s Word and also have ultimate TRUST in His plans. The psalmist adds, “everything serves God’s plans.” Whew. I can sleep better and rest from trying to control people or running the world. God’s got this!

PRAYER:

​Dad,
I don’t purposely TRY to worry or doubt, it just seems to creep up and grab me when I am going through difficult times or, I don’t know, like our world going through a multi-year pandemic!

I read your Psalms, your sacred songs and I can breath a little easier realizing how BIG you are and how very small I am. I can learn to trust in your Word because it IS the most reliable, stable, true and enduring thing I can know. I am learning so much of your character through your Word. Thank you.