Monday Morning Memo: A Desert of Excruciating Detail

It wasn’t a stellar morning.  I woke up with a headache and just wanted to pull the covers over my head.  But I had to get up to take medicine so the pounding in my head would go away…so I decided to proceed to my library to attempt my devotions.

What a sight I was.  Puffy eyes from my headache…no makeup…hair a mess…and in my PJ’s.  I opened my Bible and my reading for the day was in Numbers.  If you know anything about that book…it’s not what I would call an exciting read.   It contains many statistics, population counts, tribal and priestly figures, and other numerical data.  I read where Numbers takes the reader on a “long and winding path through a desert of excruciating detail”...and that pretty much sums it up.  It can be rather boring to say the least.

So, I’m sure I didn’t approach my reading with an open heart and listening ear that morning…I just wanted to be able to mark off that my reading was done for the day.  I began reading in Numbers 28:

“The Lord said to Moses, “Give these instructions to the people of Israel: The offerings you present as special gifts are a pleasing aroma to me; they are my food. See to it that they are brought at the appointed times and offered according to my instructions.

“Say to the people: This is the special gift you must present to the Lord as your daily burnt offering. You must offer two one-year-old male lambs with no defects. Sacrifice one lamb in the morning and the other in the evening. With each lamb you must offer a grain offering of two quarts of choice flour mixed with one quart of pure oil of pressed olives. This is the regular burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Along with it you must present the proper liquid offering of one quart of alcoholic drink with each lamb, poured out in the Holy Place as an offering to the Lord.  Offer the second lamb in the evening with the same grain offering and liquid offering. It, too, is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

That’s as far as I got in my reading…before my eyes filled with tears.  I felt so overwhelmed that I couldn’t go on.  Why?  Because it hit me how blessed I am.  Because of my Jesus, who was willing to be beat…spit on…laughed at…tortured…and then hung on a tree and crucified….I don’t have to do all those things that were required back in Moses’ day.  Jesus became my sacrifice for my sins…so I don’t have to bring a lamb…or a grain offering…or pure oil…to be in His presence.  I could come to Him just like I was…with a headache…puffy eyes and no makeup…hair a mess…and yes, even in my PJ’s.  

This time in Numbers also made me ask myself if my time spent with Him was a “pleasing aroma”.  Did it please Him that my goal was just to mark off that day’s assigned reading?  Did it smell good to Him that I approached His Word rather grudgingly…just wanting to skim through the “desert of excruciating detail”?  I knew what His answer would be…and I felt so ashamed.

Fast forward a couple of days and I attended a basketball game for our 6-year-old grandson.  I walked over to hang up my coat and as I looked down the hallway, our 4-year-old grandson was running as fast as he could towards me and I heard him yell, “Grandma…I missed you!”  Oh, what joy that brought my heart and I felt so loved.  

As I thought about this later…this devotional time came flooding back to my mind.  Am I as eager to spend time with my Jesus…as my grandson was to spend time with me?  Do I look forward to reading His Word…spending time in prayer…listening for His direction in my life?  Do I run to Him with eager anticipation of basking in His presence?  Does my attitude bring joy to His heart and make Him feel loved?

I should have been the one on that tree instead of Jesus.  I am the one who has sinned over and over again and has, I’m sure, caused Him so much pain and sorrow.  But He did it anyway because He loves me that much and do you know what?  He loves you that much too.  He loves us so deeply that He was willing to do whatever it took to give us the opportunity for eternal life.  Jesus became our sacrifice so we could walk with Him each and every day and then spend eternity with Him.  That is something I can’t even fathom or comprehend.

If you aren’t spending time with Jesus every day…I want to urge you to begin doing so.  Trust me…you don’t have to clean yourself up inside or outside beforehand…He wants you to come as you are…and allow Him to speak to you.  You just never know what He will use to fill you to the brim and overflowing.  If He can use a “long and winding path through a desert of excruciating detail” to speak to me…I know He can speak to you too 😊

Monday Morning Memo: BINGO

Have you ever noticed how often we tend to use the word “but” in our day?  I know it’s time to get up…but I’m just too tired.  I love my job…but my boss is just too hard on me.  I’m so thankful for my kids…but they sure drive me crazy sometimes.  I know the person who works next to me needs the Lord…but I’m sure I’m not the one to tell him.  We say one thing…but we often feel the need to clarify what we said.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the word “but”.  The reason is I’ve heard myself say it over and over again.  I know I just need to trust…but…and then I give an excuse as to why it’s too hard.  I know I need to trust God for my loved one’s health or life situation…but…I love them so much and I want to “fix” them.  I know I need to trust God with my health…but…I’ve been through so much and what if I get worse?    I know I need to trust God for whatever happens today and tomorrow…but…I’m so scared of what might occur that will be out of my control.

BINGO.  I have a hard time trusting God…because I want to be in control.  To completely trust Him, means that I take my hands off any situation I am facing, and allow Him to be the One with the steering wheel.  It means that I don’t just say that I trust Him, and then keep taking the reins back over, trying to manipulate Him to do what I think is best.  It means I trust Him to work out every detail…in His timing…and for His honor and glory.

When I look at this logically, I have to ask myself, Why?

1.      Why wouldn’t I trust Him with my health, since He is the One who “made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.”  (Psalm 139:13)

  

2.    Why wouldn’t I trust Him with my loved ones since He, believe it or not, loves them even more than I do.  Not only did He create me, He created them too, and knows everything about them and nothing that happens to them is a surprise to my Jesus.

 

3.    Why wouldn’t I trust Him with my today and my tomorrow, since His Word tells me to,“Trust in the Lord with all my heart; do not depend on my own understanding.  Seek his will in all I do, and he will show me which path to take.”  (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

So today… I. Will. Trust. God.  Period.  No ands, ifs or buts.  No excuses, no rationalizations, no manipulation.  He alone is worthy of my complete trust, and honestly, He really doesn’t need any help from me 😊

What about you?  Do you find yourself saying that you trust God…but…your actions show something entirely different?  Why not leave the driving to Him today.  Your path may not take you where you think you should go…but…I’m confident your destination will put you exactly where He wants you to be. 

Monday Morning Memo: Fixed On You!

Oh, I remember it well.  I don’t think it happened often…but then again maybe it did, and it’s just a part of my past which I have conveniently forgotten.  I’m guessing it took place at some point in your years of growing up also because, more than likely, all of us at some point were the recipients of “the look”.

Yep, we’ve all been there.  Maybe it was when we were sitting in church and whispering and giggling with our friends took precedence over listening to the sermon.  Maybe it was when we were out in public with our parents and our behavior looked more like we were raised by wolves instead of by hard-working parents.  Regardless of the situation, many of us can remember those times when all our parent had to do was give us “the look”…and we knew we better straighten up or sitting down might be rather painful for a while 😊

Memories of those days come flooding back to me when I read the story in the Bible of Peter denying that he knew Jesus three different times.  We can pick up the story starting in Luke 22:59 when someone recognizes Peter for the final time, “About an hour later someone else insisted, ‘This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.’  But Peter said, ‘Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.’  And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.  At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: ‘Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.’”

What stands out to me when I read this is the fact that the Lord gave Peter “the look”.  I just can’t imagine the despair that went through Peter at that moment.  Jesus had forewarned him…but I doubt Peter thought he was capable of doing such a thing.  But he did…and as a result, all Jesus could do was look into his eyes.  Immediately, Peter felt shame like he had never known before.  Jesus didn’t scream or yell...all He did was look.

I wonder what Jesus was thinking as He looked at Peter.  Peter’s actions weren’t a surprise to Him, so we know He wasn’t shocked.  And, I have a hard time believing that Jesus was thinking, “I told you so, Peter.  I told you that you would fail me.  Way to go Peter…can’t you do anything right?”  I just don’t think His thoughts were condemning.  If I had to guess, I’m thinking that maybe the words that were going through His mind were, “Peter, even though you denied me…I will never deny you.  My grace and love are sufficient, even when you choose to turn away from Me.”

I’m so thankful that those same thoughts are true for me too.  Just like Peter, there have been times when I have let Jesus down by either doing things which aren’t pleasing in His sight or neglecting to stand up for Him when given the opportunity.  I’m sure in those moments, He has given me His look…a look not filled with revenge but with grace and love…a look that I don’t deserve…but He’s freely given.

Maybe you are struggling today because you feel like you have done things that can’t be forgiven. Maybe your past continues to haunt you and you picture Jesus giving you a look of disgust and rejection.  Take time to look into His eyes once again…His grace and forgiveness are sufficient to cover your transgressions.

After he denied His Lord three times, Peter was the one chosen to give the first sermon, explaining from Scripture who Jesus really was and why he had died.  Many were saved because of his words.  If the Lord could continue to use Peter in mighty ways even after his failings…He can surely use you and me for His glory.  So, look up my friend…His loving eyes are fixed on you!

“I will instruct you and teach you 

in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Psalm 32:8

Monday Morning Memo: He Won't!

We survived!  I wasn’t sure we would, but since this is February 6^th and I am able to write this and you are able to read this, it proves it.  What did we survive?  January!  It is always such a long month and I’m often positive it has more than 31 days in it.  I can’t tell you how much joy it brings me each year to turn our calendar from January to February...and even more joy when I am able to flip it to March 😊  

Why does it seem like winter drags on and on…but then spring, summer and fall just fly by?  Winter can be such a hard time on our emotional health, especially if you live in a colder climate.  To see the sun in the sky is often a real treat and having to stay inside can become depressing.  

Unfortunately, though, I have talked to quite a few people lately who are really discouraged, and the source of their despair has very little to do with the season.  Life has become almost more than they can handle, and they are asking quite a few “why’s?”.  It is all they can do to put one foot in front of another and they are wondering when the sun is going to shine again in their lives.  They are wonderful children of the King who have just been dealt some hard blows and right now they are reeling from what they feel has been a sucker punch in the gut.

I recently read this quote, “The Christian life is not a constant high.   I have my moments of deep discouragement.  I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes and say, ‘O God, forgive me, or help me.”   Do you have any idea who said that?  You might be surprised to know it was Billy Graham.  Yes, even Billy Graham had times of despair, but he knew to Whom he needed to turn during those times.

The exciting thing is that the same God who Billy Graham turned to, is waiting for us to turn to Him also.  Wherever we are in our life…God is there.  Just because we are in a valley doesn’t mean that God is standing on the sidelines waiting for us to pull ourselves out.  He is there.  He is in the trenches with us and loves us more than we can even imagine.  He loves us with all our faults, sins, attitudes and failures.  There is no way He would have sent His Son to die for you and me…if He didn’t love us beyond measure.

Yesterday in church, we sang the song, “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)”, and some of the lyrics are:

Christ is my firm foundation

The Rock on which I stand

When everything around me is shaken

I’ve never been more glad

That I put my faith in Jesus

‘Cause He’s never let me down

He’s faithful through generations

So why would He fail now?

 

He won’t

He won’t

I’ve still got joy in chaos

I’ve got peace that makes no sense

So I won’t be going under

I’m not held by my own strength

‘Cause I’ve built my life on Jesus

He’s never let me down

He’s faithful in every season

So why would He fail now?

 

He won’t

He won’t

Are you struggling today?   Are you wondering why your view right now is from the valley instead of from a mountaintop?  Please know that you are not alone…everyone has times in their life when troubles seem to build up and detours and potholes are at every turn.  We live in a broken world where Satan wants nothing more than to keep you discouraged and feeling like there isn’t any hope.  Don’t listen to him.  Instead, remember that Christ is your firm foundation…the Rock on which you can stand and He will never fail you. He is there, right where you are, and able to do far more than you can even imagine.  With Him…the Son is always shining and He wants to fill your life with His warmth.  Look up to Him today…because He is faithful in every season and will never let you down.  Trust me...HE WON'T!