We Are His!

Traveling as a VIP makes one feel extra special, right?! That's exactly how Mister Bill and I will be jet-setting in a few days, and we are excited. As children of God, we should know how very special, uniquely made and loved: from 139, "O LORD, You have searched me and known me ... when I sit down and when I rise up ... You understand my thought from afar ... are intimately acquainted with all my ways ... even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all ... You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me ... such knowledge is too wonderful for me." There is no greater nor more perfect expression of love than how The Father loves His children; and, to acknowledge Him and be immersed in His love is way beyond the most luxurious accommodations or pampering we experience in this world. "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand ... I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well." Oh, yes, we're going to enjoy all the fussin' over us during this celebration trip, but absolutely nothing can compare with how deeply and perfectly God loves us ... we are His!

Best Plan

Many of us may recall our mother's weekly appointment at the "beauty parlor," where she had her hair "set." That sounds very foreign to what we do today; most of us go every four or six weeks, and we "set" our hair ourselves at home. One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is Ezra 7:10, "Ezra had prepared and set his heart to seek the Law of the Lord [to inquire for it and of it, to require and yearn for it], and to do and teach in Israel its statues and its ordinances." Ezra made a plan, strategized what he would do ... he set his heart to seek God through the Scriptures. I like this Ezra ... he set an example for every Child of God! His plan began in The Word because, quite simply, that's God's words spoken to His people. Oh, but Ezra set his heart to do what The Word commands and to teach it as he lived it out day by day. You know what makes Ezra's plan so great? It is God's plan for every one who loves Him! Today is a great day to adopt God's plan as Ezra did. It's the ... best plan.

Remember What You Know

It's quite funny [to me] the reasons we call a party: who would have imagined there would be eclipse parties! Likewise, many are consigned to pity-parties such as this: "Will the Lord reject forever? And will He never be favorable again? Has His lovingkindness ceased forever? Has His promise come to an end forever? Has God forgotten to be gracious, or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion?" (Psalm 77:7-9, NASB). However true and faithful we are in devotion to God, we are not guaranteed immunity from the troubles of life here on earth. There are and will be seasons when it seems God is eclipsed from us. Our tendency is to fall into questioning Him and a weariness to persevere! "I shall remember the deeds of the LORD" (V11) ... "I will meditate on all Your work" (V12) ... "Your way, O God, is holy" (V13) ... "You are the God Who works wonders" (V14) ... "You have by Your power redeemed Your people" (V15). When God's Goodness seems partially or completely obscured (eclipsed), it is absolutely not as it appears! The psalmist counsels us to remember [as He does], to call to mind the knowledge (what we know) of The Most High: "For I the LORD do not change" (Malachi 3:6). If there was ever a reason to party, to celebrate and rejoice or a call worthy of devotion this is it ... remember what you know!

Simply Surrendered

The actor, Jim Nabors, gave us lots of laughs as Gomer Pyle but no one laughed when Jim Nabors sang!  His singing voice in no way resembled his speaking voice.  God cares deeply how I match-up. That is, am I in private what I am in public?  Oh, that we all were real through-and-through, never a need to weigh real against pretense. Unfortunately, it’s not quite that … simple.  Paul wrote, “For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.”  (2 Corinthians 1:12)  Devout & pure motives, simple godly sincerity – what a state-of-being!  In front of our local high school once stood a sign with these words: do the right thing.  Simple and profound - a whisper of The Father to my own oft fickle heart. O Lord, give me a humble heart ... simply surrendered.

Do The Math

Math was not my best subject, Hand me paper and pencil and I just want to put words together – not numbers! I am grateful, however, for those who do-the-math and are good at it! In Jesus’ final days, there was that moment in the Garden when He surrendered fully to The Father’s will, “…not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42). I have found my most healthy condition is to be always empty of myself, however, I don’t find myself in that “healthy condition” often enough! When I am full-of-me, my selfish hinders God from doing what-He-wills in and through me. At that point, there’s a real need for math in my life: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) It’s simple addition by subtraction – less of me, more of Him. What better, more perfect example do we have than Jesus’ own words to His Father ... not Mine but Yours. I’m no mathematician, not even on my best day, but by His grace I know the spiritual math – the REAL math that leads to a Spirit-filled life and obedient surrender. Submit to Him ... do the math!