Just As He Promised

Spring is arriving in my part of the world.

And with it, the promise of life. With a glorious burst of colour, the earth displays a beauty and vibrance that winter has done her shivering best to make us forget. Almost, she succeeds. Almost, we despair of spring's arrival.

Then she comes. At last. We feel her warm smile in the sunshine. Her loveliness is accented by the colourful clothing she wears.

She brings hope.

Sunshine is here. Better days are coming.

But, let us not alienate poor winter completely. She prepares for spring's arrival in a way summer never could. As strange as it seems, these colourful flowers need to experience winter's harsh, cold temperament in order to reach their potential. The richness of their beauty would not be possible without winter. She holds the seeds until spring arrives, and during her watch, they die.

But that's not the end of the story.

Seems like it is, doesn't it? Death seems pretty final. Those seeds are dead. But, in the mystery of His plan, the Father leaves those seeds for a while, dead. Until there seems to be no hope of beauty, of resurrection.

Then He brings them to life. Miraculous life. Kinda like He did with His Son on that Resurrection morning all those years ago.

Three days dead. Sealed in the tomb. Bound. Where was the hope for His disciples? Their Master, their Messiah, their Deliverer, their Friend... dead.

But wait.

There He was. He was alive!

Just as He promised.

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?
He is not here, but has risen.
Remember how He told you,
while He was still in Galilee,
that the Son of Man must be
delivered into the hands of sinful men
and be crucified
and on the third day rise."
—Luke 24:5b-7

Jesus Christ died so that we can live. The cross was my just punishment for my sin and self-worship, but He carried the full weight of it for me. As I gratefully accept His payment, like a spring flood He washes my wrongs off the record. I am clean and new. I have life!

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great High Priest whose name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me

Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me

But as He lives, I also share in His death. As I walk in His steps, seeking to become more like Him, He will ask countless "little" deaths of me. Yet as we walk on together, it becomes clearer that in that death, there is abundant life.

Just as He promised.

Behold Him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM
The King of Glory and of Grace
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God

Happy Resurrection Sunday to you all!

Unmarked quotations taken from the Hymn, "Before The Throne of God Above" by Charitie Bancroft, Public Domain

Why I Trust You Anyway

"No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, 

but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 

fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised."

—Romans 4:20-21

"As believers, we cannot always know why,
but we can always know why we trust God, who knows why.
A Christian does not say,
'I do not understand You at all, but I trust You anyway.'
Rather, he says,
'I do not understand You in this situation,
but I understand why I trust You anyway.'"

—Audio series: Suffering & Sovereignty, by C.J. Mahaney

That Which Concerns Me

Father, it hasn't been an easy road to walk lately. The road is awfully winding. I'm confused. It's a dead end in front of me, and it seems such a long way to have to back-track. The path back is all uphill, and, to top it all off, it's pouring rain. More clouds are rolling in so that I can hardly see where I'm going. There is no way I can make it without slipping again! I really can't see any way out... How can this be Your way? How can this be Your mercy?

That sounds embarrassingly like the cry of my heart much of the past few months... as I learn a little more of what it means to be helpless, humiliated, hurting.

But not hopeless.

Tempted so, yes; more than once. But I have watched in wonder and thankfulness as the Lord delivers a Hand-picked passage or verse in my quiet time just when it's most needed. A word, note or prayer from a friend. Encouragement and help from my family. Faithful sunbeams when the clouds are darkest.

In my devotions this morning, I was reading in the Psalms, again seeing God's power in ways He has led and rescued His people in the past, how "His mercy endureth forever," how He does not forsake His own. And as I read on, my eyes fell upon the summation of all of it: "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me."1

Isn't that the best reassurance I can have? The Creator of heaven and earth (of ME), Who is also the Redeemer of that creation, has a plan to enact through every thing in my life, both good and "bad." And not only that, but has promised to make it a perfect plan, that He will carry out!

“God sometimes allows people to treat us unjustly. Sometimes He even allows their actions to seriously affect our careers, or our futures viewed on a human plain. But God never allows people to make decision about us that undermine His plan for us. Never. Why do we struggle then with disappointment and resentment when someone else’s decision or action adversely affects us? Is it not because it is our plans that have been dashed or our pride that has been hurt? Trust His sovereignty, trust His wisdom, trust His love.”
—Jerry Bridges

Trust. Yes, that is what I must do. Trust Him for the daily strength He has promised... and wait.

1:Psalm 138:8

An Expected End

"I held something so precious in my hands. Many times I would offer it up on the altar for God, only to snatch it back soon afterwards. ...He gazed into my eyes and looked into the depths of my heart. 'My daughter, please give this to Me entirely. I want to give you that which is far above what you would expect. It may not happen how you want it to happen and it may not be that which you thought it would be, but I promise, My child, to give you nothing but My best for your life, so that you may in return glorify Me more fully. I am God alone. I can and will do that which is exceedingly, abundantly above all you could ever ask or think. This may cost you pain, but are you willing to endure even extreme pain for My sake and for My glory?" With tear stained eyes, I finally released and surrendered what I thought was so wonderful; and I got ALL of HIM in exchange."—Leah Cross

My dear friend posted that the other day, and it really struck a chord with me. Our lives seem to be strikingly parallel recently, and I am so encouraged by her sweet responses to what the Lord is bringing her through! I am so thankful for her support and inspiration as we walk this journey together. And yet, we never are alone. For even when our paths diverge... Jesus walks them both.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
And ye shall seek me, and find me,
when ye shall search for me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:11,13

Springs in the Wildernsss

I was listening to a message online titled Surviving the Desert, by Nancy Leigh DeMoss (a Christian speaker for women) of Revive Our Hearts Radio. A friend directed me to the message, and, since it was less than 25 minutes long, I listened to it right away!

I've appreciated what I've heard/read by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and this message was no exception. In it, she offers Biblical advice so you can not only survive the desert experiences, but actually thrive in them!

If you have a few minutes, I'd recommend you listen to it yourself, even if you don't feel you are going through a "desert time" in your life. If you don't have the time now, perhaps bookmark it and listen to/read it a little later!

When the poor and needy seek water,
and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst,
I the LORD will hear them,
I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

I will open rivers in high places,
and fountains in the midst of the valleys:
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water.

That they may see, and know,
and consider, and understand together,
that the hand of the LORD hath done this,
and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

(Isaiah 41:17-18, 20)