Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

This past Christmas went by in a blur for me! With the church’s kids program being such an important part of my life, my focus was on “The Grinch” until the day after December 15. It was well worth the energy, time, and hard work that the whole team put into it, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it, but…reality came down fast on Monday, the 16^th, when I looked around and saw that I didn’t have a decorated Christmas tree, not even half of the presents bought that I’d envisioned for my family and friends, and my house was a MESS!

So…needless to say, I got busy. I ended up buying my last Christmas present on the 23^rd and finished what little decorating I did on the morning of the 24^th. Phew. It was hectic!

As I sat on Christmas day, opening presents from my family and watching them open theirs, I thought about a devotional I had heard earlier in the month. It went like this: you know how kids open presents and sometimes don’t get what they want? and you hear phrases like “(moan)…I didn’t get _________ (whatever-wished-for-toy-of-the-current-season),” or “(frowning face)…thanks for the socks, Mom.” And we, as good parents, tell our kids to be thankful for what they have…that having warm socks is wonderful, and not everyone gets everything they want, and that it wouldn’t even be good for them to get everything because then they would be spoiled…you know those sentiments, right?

The devotional went on to run right over my toes with “But aren’t we like that with God? Don’t we open up some of our presents and think, ‘Aw, this isn’t what I wanted’?” (The vision that comes to my mind here is a fast car putting on brakes that screech.)

This verse in Ephesians tells me He can do more than I can even ASK or IMAGINE, so it’s not like He CAN’T give me everything I want, so I’m forced to think it through—if He’s not giving it to me, it must be for a greater good, a bigger plan, and once again I’m reminded to trust that HE knows exactly what is good for me.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Isaiah 43:19

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

I love surprises! Don’t you? Well, at least the good surprises! For instance, when someone buys me a coffee. Anyone who really knows me knows how much I love coffee and what a gift that means to me! But when a bad surprise hits me, such as a flat tire on my truck when I have places to go and things to get done, it really stinks. 

But God knows every situation and every surprise that happens to us. Whether good or bad, it’s no surprise to God. 

In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, we see that whether we go through good times or bad times, God is still with us and will NEVER abandon us. He sees the successes that we achieve, and He celebrates them with us. But He also understands the failures and setbacks that we go through, and He even mourns with us and shows us extra love through those times. 

The amazing thing is God said in Isaiah 43:19 to listen carefully to Him because He is about to do a new thing in our lives and it will even happen where it seems like it can’t happen, like a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. He can make a way where there seems to be no way! 

Today let’s focus on trusting God to take care of us when good surprises happen as well as when bad surprises happen in our lives. When we have done great things and even when we have had failures. He wants to bless us and provide for us if we will fully trust in Him and follow His will for our lives!

Lamentations 3:22-23

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

I woke up at 1:00am and made the mistake of checking my phone. With four kids of our own and two exchange students for this school year, I don't think a day goes by that something isn't going on with at least one of them. 

There was a text on my phone that started to create turmoil in my heart. My immediate response was to start praying, but instead of peace wrapping around me, I felt silence. Then my mind started to wander to myself. How much time did I spend in the Word the last few days? How much time have I spent in prayer? I was wishing both had been more as I started to question whether God was hearing my prayer for this child. I realized sleep wasn't going to happen, so I went downstairs, opened my Bible and decided to read the scriptures for this blog. 

I had a few great choices from Romans, Isaiah and Psalms, but since God likes to surprise me, Lamentations leapt out at me. "His compassions never fail. They are new every morning." This meant a fresh start for that morning. He wasn't holding the previous day against me. It was the enemy making me doubt whether the Lord would hear my prayer. Just like every day I love my kids and forgive them, my compassion is there when they need it and when they come to me, I'm not holding yesterday against them. How much more does God do the same for me? 

His compassions are new every morning. I can cry out to God, knowing He hears me. I don 't have to question my "performance" from the previous day. So even when I don't "feel" like He's hearing me, the word reminds me that His love is so great, that His compassions are new every morning. I started praying again for my kids with a renewed confidence that the Lord was hearing every word. It was early morning and I had all of His compassions for the new day!

Psalm 62:11

God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.

While meditating on this Psalm I can’t help but personalize it. There have been seasons in my own life when the years were very difficult. But the details of those times aren’t what’s important today.

What I relate to with David as he shares his heart in this Psalm are the hard times and those feelings and questions of who am I? Where is God? What is my purpose? Does God really love me? Where do I go from here? Is He really close by?  . . . Or is He a distant God expecting me to “man up” and figure out life for myself?

David uses words like, “God alone,” “my salvation,” and “ I shall not be moved.”

Sometimes I catch myself actually trying to figure life out. Oh, I can make plans or strategies for solving the hard times. But the truth is (as I believe David wants us to know) his faith wasn’t in God plus something else. His faith wasn’t in God and his own plan or strategies. And David didn’t even argue with the enemy! He didn’t help God by providing the solution. He simply prayed, trusted, and waited.

I believe that David believed God would give him the kingdom when the time was right.  David knew God had anointed him. And I also believe that David’s faith dictated that if God said, “No, I’ve decided to give the kingdom to some else,” David would be able to say, “It is well with my soul. God has other plans for me.”

For David, the greater the realization that God was his fortress, the greater the calm was in his heart. David was not depending on himself or his own resources. His dependence was on his God. His throne, his reputation, his very life depended only on the faithfulness of his God. For David, God was his God, personally and intimately.

So Lord, what am I going to face in this season of my life? Help me to leave the plans, the details, the results of whatever I must face to You. In times needed, help me be able to say, “it is well with my soul, God has other plans for me.” Today I simply pray, trust, and wait.

Because . . .“God has spoken once, twice I have heard this:

That power belongs to God.” 

Psalm 27:1,7,&8

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me.

When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”

Lately I’ve been noticing that God tends to teach me a concept using my relationships with other people, but then He turns it around and tells me to apply it to my relationship with Him. One of those concepts we were working on for most of 2019 (I’m a slow learner) came up again when I read Psalm 27:8; the concept of responding.

This idea that I, as a wife, am divinely designed to respond to my husband is one that has come up over and over again in books and devotions. As soon as I started to feel like I’d wrapped my brain around that, I started seeing references to responding to God in much the same way.

I don’t have to initiate that relationship. I am created to respond.

When God told David to seek Him, worship Him, come and talk to Him, David’s response was beautiful: “My whole being replied ‘I’m seeking Him!’ (The Message)”; “Your face, O Lord, I will seek [on the authority of Your word](Amplified Bible).”  David didn't push his own agenda on God, he responded to God's call to pursue a relationship.

This year, especially these first few weeks, I want to create a habit of intentionally responding. I want to seek Him first. Rather than filling up my life with everything I think I want or need, my goal is to come and talk with Him, and respond to what He has.

Psalm 73: 23-26

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

If you’re like me then asking others for help may be difficult. I can’t do everything on my own, nor do I want to. But, the reality is, I’ve been let down and at times decided I don’t need anything from anybody. Well, that attitude won’t work for long. 

One great thing about God is that He is always here to help. I read words like “you hold me” and “you guide me”. I realize He has my back at all times. He has the absolute best and path forward for my life. He has a “leave no man behind” type of attitude. This encourages me. It spurs me on to keep asking others for help so I can build relationships, having His great example in mind.

2 Chronicles 20:2-3, 15-17, 21-22

Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.

He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ”

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,

for His love endures forever.”

As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 

Is anyone surprised that as I read these scriptures I began to cry? Haha! I am continually amazed at how God shows Himself to us.  The Lord promises the people of Judah and Jerusalem that He will be with them in battle. It’s not their fight, but His fight! 

So often, more times than not, when I come up against something difficult, I spend most of the day trying to figure out what I did wrong in the situation. Even if it wasn’t anything I did wrong and was out of my hands completely, I consume myself with the right steps in “fixing it.” Making the battle my own. I think inward.  

But the Lord says, “Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.” It seems so simple. To hang on to truth, to stand on what I know to be true, to hold fast to Him and His promises. I don’t have to figure it out, I don’t even have to fight the battle because He’s with me fighting for me.

In fact, and this is my favorite part, our part in the battle is to sing! When I begin to get drawn into the enemy’s schemes of separation, anxiety, and loneliness I can feel my spirit start to long for the closeness of my Father.  I can feel myself longing to sing praises to Him. And if/when I choose to take that step of action, I see the “salvation of the Lord on my behalf.” Every time.

The most beautiful part to me of this set of scriptures is the beginning where King Jehoshaphat was given bad news and his first action was to “set his face to seek the Lord.”

Lord, help me be ready to act when I’m confronted with bad news, with negative emotions, with rough decisions. Help me be quick to set my face to seek You, Lord! You fight for us, promising to never leave us. You see my now and you know my battle. I’m giving it to You. I’m standing firm on Your truth. I’m singing Your praises. The battle belongs to you! 

Mathew 4:2

After fasting for 40 days and 40 nights, He was hungry.

Fasting is denying something physical to glorify God and go deeper with Him in spirit. I believe it is important for believers to fast from time to time.

Growing up in the 80s and 90s I watched a lot of change to technology. I can remember at about 10 o’clock at night my television turning into static and I remember having a pager where my code was 23 so people knew it was me. We actually had to talk on the phone.

In today’s society technology plays a big part in our day-to-day. It has become one of the biggest distractions unfortunately pulling us away from people and our personal relationship with Christ. In no way am I saying technology is bad, so much lifesaving technology has been created. But fasting from the distraction of technology can help us deepen our relationships with God and get a better, clear understanding of what God has in store for us. This also allows us to see what’s truly important.

Psalm 144:2

He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.

I love the way David says that my Jesus is so many things all at once. This verse is meaningful to me because it’s a very good reminder and encouragement of how I should rely on God. I love how this verse tells us who God is and what He can do.

There will be seasons in life that can bring me down, but when I give it to Him and let Him take control, my life is so much better. I recently became so caught up in my schoolwork that I started to forget how I can rely on Him. Then I realized what was happening, asked for forgiveness, and saw how awesome God is to me and for me! We have to remember that no matter what, God is there and He cares!

Whispering that prayer to give you peace as you take a test or tell someone something important can do wonders! God also loves hearing from His children!! Knowing this truth is incredibly useful in hard times. I know that no matter where I go, whether school or work, or even grocery shopping, He will be there for me and alongside me the whole time.

I encourage you as you go through today, pray about your circumstances, whether good or bad, and trust God’s plan and timing. It always helps me because I already know for a fact that He is my loving ally, fortress, strong tower, rescuer, shield, my refuge, and so much more! 

Psalm 16:7-11

I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Each of the verses for today really spoke to my heart. Some key words that stand out are counsel, instructs, not shaken, glad, rejoices, rest, secure, not abandon, faithful, life, fill, joy, presence, eternal, pleasures…all of those in just five short verses! David was feeling good, I’m thinking.

Two of the verses that I’m thinking about right now are 7 and 11. Verse 7 says, “even at night my heart instructs me.” It makes me wonder why I have bad dreams so much of the time! My heart isn’t instructing me at night, so I’m going to make this a prayer—Lord, help me to surrender my heart to You more fully so You can instruct me as I go to sleep. Teach me in my dreams, give me insight into who You are in some incredible, supernatural way.

Verse 11 is just pure joy! God Himself shows me the path of life! He fills me with joy and I get to be in His presence! And He gives me eternal pleasures! I always feel great when I am immersed in His presence, but what I noticed about this verse is that it’s ALL HIM. HE makes know the path of life and HE fills me with joy—I can surrender, obey, seek, worship, whatever—but HE is the One who does the work inside of me. HE makes the good stuff happen!