Things That Matter Most

A new year has begun. Time to reflect on the past year, has helped me identify the things I’ll continue in 2013, and recognize the things I need to eliminate. Each new beginning offers an opportunity to focus on what really matters:

Keeping Him first.

This is a daily challenge for me. When I think about who He is, I’m humbled.

“For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens,” (1 Chronicles 16:25-26; KJV).  

He is the Creator. I am His creation.

My to-do list doesn’t end, and it’s easy to plunge into the day with my plans in place. It’s when I take time to talk to God and identify His will for the day that I’m able to accomplish the most.

His Word reminds me: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths,” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Developing quality relationships and serving others.

I have to admit, I’m selfish. I typically think of my needs first. God’s Word points out a better way – I’m to put others ahead of myself. In the book of Philippians Paul writes: “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves,” (2:3).

Taking the attitude of a servant goes a long way toward pointing others to Christ. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” (Galatians 5:13-14).

Doing what He’s given me to do one step at a time.

God has a plan for my life. It’s up to me to use the abilities He’s given me, and rely on His strength to help me accomplish that plan. He won’t force me to fulfill His plan, but He’s given me the incredible opportunity to partner with Him in something that will bring Him glory. It’s His hope that I’ll join Him to fulfill His will for my life: “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling . . .” (Ephesians 1:18).

The Lord shares a marvelous promise: “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass,” (Psalm 37:5). And His presence goes with me: “. . . I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” (Hebrews 13:5b)

What decisions have you made for 2013? Will you focus on what really matters? Take steps today to put God first, serve others, and fulfill the plan God has for your life.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of a new year. Help me grow in grace and in the knowledge of you every day. I want to put you first today and serve those you’ve brought into my life. Help me fulfill the plan you have for my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

*I'm hosting over at Living by Grace today. Happy New Year!

Preconceived Ideas

Have you ever prayed about a situation with a preconceived idea of how God should answer? I have. When He doesn't answer my prayer the way I think He should, I have to admit I'm not thrilled. Flesh and spirit wrestle - engaged in a battle that has been fought throughout the ages.

Remember Naaman? He was the captain of the host of the king of Syria. He held this impressive position in spite of his physical condition - he was a leper. Several forms of leprosy were highly contagious and, for the most part, incurable. Naaman's prognosis was not good.

But there was hope. Naaman's wife had a young servant girl who knew someone who could help Naaman. The prophet, Elisha. Naaman wasted no time travelling to Elisha's house. I'm sure he knocked on the door in anticipation - eager to stand before the prophet and receive healing. But Elisha didn't open the door, a messenger stood in his place.

The messenger issued instructions for Naaman to go wash in the Jordan River seven times, and he would be cured of his leprosy. Naaman's response? "But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean?" (2 Kings 5:11; KJV).

Pride got the best of Naaman. A man of his rank bathing in the Jordan River? Surely there was a better way! As he stalked back to his chariot in a rage, his servants tried to get him to see reason, "My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?" (2 Kings 5:13).

The instructions WERE simple. Dipping seven times in the Jordan River couldn't hurt. Maybe he WOULD give it a try. Each time he disappeared below the muddy waters, his hope grew. The seventh time he came up from the water, his eyes grew large with amazement - he was healed!

If Naaman had persisted in his pride, he would still be a leper without hope. Instead, he made the decision to humble himself, follow the simple instructions, and be cured of his disease. Most importantly, he put his faith in the God of Israel (2 Kings 5:15).  

I can be just like Naaman, thinking I know the best way for the God of heaven to answer my prayers. My pride can get the best of me. But when I recall that He is the Creator and I'm His creation, humility follows. I remember that His ways are higher than my ways and his thoughts are higher than my thoughts (Isaiah 55:9).

Do you struggle with God's answers to your prayers? What step will you take today to walk in humility and not allow pride to get the best of you?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me that your answers to my prayers are best. Forgive me when I respond in pride. Help me remember the story of Naaman and humble myself and truly seek your will for my life. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

*I'm hosting over at Living by Grace today. Come join in the discussion!

Prepare for Growth

The sultry days of summer loom ahead, full of promise and potential. For our yard, this means a number of things. The work of planting is done. Time to make the transition to fertilizing what has been planted.

Beautiful fuchsia and white flowers have graced our azaleas and camellias this year, their nearly perfect blooms reminding us that it is time for their June feeding. To ensure hearty annuals, we apply fertilizer monthly during their growing season. Our perennials follow a different schedule, requiring us to apply fertilizer only once during the summer. Although the needs of each plant-type vary somewhat, each is in need of fertilizer which provides necessary nutrients so each plant can make its own food through photosynthesis.

Surprisingly, we're very similar to these plants. Following salvation, each of us is in need of 'fertilizer' in order to guarantee our proper growth. God gives us the Bible as a guide book to provide the 'nutrients' we need in order to make good life choices.  The Apostle Paul encourages us, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV). 

Just as plants have unique requirements, the Lord knows our needs may differ from the needs of others. This poses no obstacle for our Creator. His word is able to meet every need, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

As we allow Christ to fertilize our heart's soil, we will become more and more like the tree described by the prophet Jeremiah, "For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit" (Jeremiah 17:8).

As you care for your garden this summer, choose to allow the Master Gardener to have access to the soil of your heart. Submitting to His will and way will yield fruit beyond compare!

Worth What?

The low interest rates got my attention. A simple calculation confirmed my assumption - by moving from a 30-year to a 15-year fixed loan, and adding a few more dollars to our monthly payment, we could save twelve years worth of payments. Now that's my kind of savings!

The catch? With the downward spiral of the housing market, our home/property value may not appraise for what it had years ago. Why is that such a big deal? We don't want to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI). Wikipedia defines PMI, "This type of insurance is usually only required if the downpayment is less than 20% of the sales price or appraised value (in other words, if the loan-to-value ratio (LTV)is 80% or more)." Translation? We'd have to add more money to an already increased monthly payment to cover PMI. Would re-financing be worth it?

With everything riding on the appraisal, I cleaned the house, while making mental notes of all the home improvements we've done over the last few years. The appraiser was friendly and very thorough in her documentations. Our appraisal will arrive within a few days. Time to settle in and wait.

A foreclosure in our neighborhood caused home values to be skewed. Funny to think that just a few years ago, our home was appraised tens of thousands of dollars higher than we expect it will be today. Although we've continued to make upgrades and home improvements, our home has not continued to go up in value.

It's encouraging to know that my value as a human being is not at the mercy of a fluctuating economy. The Psalmist, David, offers reassuring words, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well," (Psalm 139:14; KJV). The Lord's love for me, His creation, is evident in the first book of the Bible, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them," (Genesis 1:26a, 27). And he was very pleased with His creation!

Sometimes I'm tempted to find my value in what others think of me. Never a wise move. Just like the fluctuating economy, others opinion of me may change based on what I do or don't do. God loves me unconditionally. His Word tells me so, "But God commendeth (showed) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," (Romans 5:8; word in italics mine).

As I give the Holy Spirit access to all the areas of my life, I don't have to face rejection - I've got God's Word on it, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ," (Philippians 1:6). Wow! What a wonderful truth to bask in today. In the big scheme of things, it really doesn't matter what my home is worth. It's enough to know that I'm of immense value to the One who created me.

How do you measure your self-worth? Will you agree with Your Creator, that you are fearfully and wonderfully made?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your great love for me. Help me not to look to others for my value. I know that I am fearfully and wonderfully made and that You love me. Help me to live like the person of value You've made me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

Who Knows Best?

He stares at me. Tail wagging, tongue hanging out of his mouth. It's almost as if he believes he can cause me to do his bidding if he uses the charm factor. Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Joe, IS adorable. And he's hard to resist when he cocks his head just so, and puts on a big 'smile.' Yet sometimes he forgets we're his owners and not the other way around.

Just a couple days ago, he tried pouring on the charm. I went out to spend a few minutes with both dogs. Our Golden Retriever, Precious, just wanted to cuddle. Joe, on the other hand, was ready to play. I grabbed a tennis ball and headed out to indulge him with a game of fetch. But Joe wanted to make up the rules. Instead of retrieving the ball, Joe caught it and stood looking at me expectantly. The more I coaxed him to bring me the ball, the more determined he was to get me to come get the ball from him. He wasn't interested in playing our usual game of fetch.

Much to Joe's chagrin, I stood up and headed back in the direction of his doghouse. Realizing his opportunity to play was disappearing rapidly, he streaked by me and stood in the middle of the path, tennis ball on the ground in front of him. Stooping down to scratch his head, I gave his ball a final toss. He brought it back in seconds flat. Next time I went out to play, he resembled a boomerang. We both enjoyed an invigorating game of fetch.

Joe's antics are surprisingly familiar. If I'm honest, I have to admit that sometimes I do the same thing - with God. Knowing that I'm His beloved child, sometimes I forget that He's also my Creator, and I expect Him to do my bidding. Although what He expects of me is clearly laid out in His Word, I minimize who He is, and get caught up in a 'buddy' mentality. Since He's my friend, surely He'll do ______(fill in the blank) for me! Or, since He wants what's best for me, He definitely won't allow ________(fill in the blank) to happen! I temporarily forget that God's plan for me is not to make me happy - it's to conform me to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

The prophet Isaiah gently reminds me, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts," (Isaiah 55:8-9; KJV). As the holy Creator and sustainer of everything, including me, my responsibility is to acknowledge God for who He is, and follow the instruction manual He's so graciously given me.

How could I possibly think I know what's best? Time and time again, when I've tried to bargain with God and do things my way, the results have been disastrous. Acknowledging His authority and submitting to His will for me bring wonderful blessings. The Psalmist, David, writes, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy ways unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass," (Psalm 37:4-5). God's desire IS to bless me. My problem is that far too often I think of God's blessings in terms of material things rather than spiritual things.

God's plan for me is to, "...grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, " (2 Peter 3:18a). My prayer today, echoes that of the Apostle Paul for the believers at Colosse, "...that ye (I) might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye (I) might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father..." (Colossians 1:9-12a; words in italics mine).

What about you? Do you try to charm God into doing things your way? Realize His plan is so much better than anything you could come up with - and let Him be in charge!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me when I minimize You and think I know what's best for me. Help me to remember that my life consists of so much more than things. You are what's most important. I desire to grow in my knowledge of You. Thank You for Your Word. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Different Is Good

I had been forewarned, but it was still shocking. The landscape could only be described as desolate and barren. Something that vaguely resembled pictures I'd seen of the moon. Vast, blackened lava fields stretched for miles in every direction. In sharp contrast, the beauty of the ocean reminded me that this really was Hawaii.

From the moment we stepped off the plane, I was aware of the fact that the same God who created the mainland, had created this island with its diverse landscape. A truly unique place, the Big Island boasts varied weather and vegetation depending on your location. Sunshine is plentiful on the west side of the island, with only 10 inches of rainfall a year. Compare that to the 140 inches of rainfall on the east side of the island, and you've just discovered the reason for the huge contrast in landscape!

The lava fields were unlike anything we'd seen before. With a strange beauty all its own, the hardened lava flow reminded me of the leathery hide of an elephant, or the growth rings of an ancient tree. After navigating a portion of unpaved road, simply referred to as 'Nasty' Road by our guide book, we had a deep appreciation for all the work that goes into developing this land and making it habitable.

The landscape wasn't the only thing that stood in sharp contrast to our state of Georgia, the wildlife also served as a constant reminder. From beautiful birds, to ocean animals, the photo opportunities were incredible. Colorful sea creatures and adorable geckos pointed to a Master Designer with limitless creativity.

The same is true of humankind. Each of us is created by that same Master Designer. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them," (Genesis 1:26-27; KJV).

Each one of us is unique. Created for a purpose. The words of the Apostle John verify that purpose, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are created," (Revelation 4:11). When we use the talents and abilities God has given to us to draw attention to Him, we fulfill our purpose.

It's common to desire someone else's ability. But God gifted each one of us a bit differently for a reason. The Apostle Paul spells it out, "For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him," (1 Corinthians 12:14-18).

God's creation is diverse. Rejoice in the way He created you, using your talents and abilities to make much of Him!

Are you satisfied with who God created you to be? Will you use your gifts to magnify Him today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I praise You today, for the awesome Creator You are! Thank You for the beauty and diversity of your creation. I'm thankful for the way You created me. Forgive me when I desire to have someone else's abilities. Help me to use the unique gifts You've given me, to bring You honor and glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Amazing Love

He spoke the world into existence. Plants and animals appeared at His command. He created man in His own image. Man chose to disobey his Creator. But God made a way for fellowship to be restored. A sinless sacrifice was required. Only Jesus Christ could pay the price. He, "...made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:7-8; KJV). Amazing love!

Over and over, throughout the Bible, God demonstrates His power and love. Only an all-powerful God could deliver the Israelites from the Egyptian ruler, Pharaoh. The children of Israel had been slaves to the Egyptians for four hundred, long years. Using His servant Moses, God freed the people and brought them to the banks of the Red Sea. All seemed hopeless, until the mighty hand of God, "...caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left" (Exodus 14:21b-22). God cared for His people.

Remember the walls of Jericho? Only a mighty God could cause the walls of a fortified city to fall down flat, using only trumpets and the shouts of people. An amazing feat? Not so much, when you consider an amazing God who is, "long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9b). Before Jericho's walls came tumbling down, one of the cities' residents and her family was rescued: Rahab, her dad, mom, and brethren. Rahab had chosen to believe in the God of the Israelites to the saving of her family. She was convinced of God's love and experienced His provision.

I'm sure the orphan, Esther, never dreamt of being in a beauty pageant, let alone being chosen as the queen of Persia. When she realized the role for which she had been chosen by God, she saw His mighty hand at work. In spite of King Ahasuerus' edict that called for the execution of all the Jews on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, Esther approached him, risking her life to beg for the life of her people. It wasn't that easy, though. You see, what was put into law by the King, could not be revoked under any circumstance. But the King of Kings triumphed. King Ahasuerus issued a decree that the Jews would be able to defend themselves on Adar 13th. God's plan prevailed and as a result, "many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them" (Esther 8:17).

What are you facing today? Remember that the God of the universe is all-powerful. Whatever you think He's capable of, He's capable of more! His love for you is vast and beyond measure. "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). Praise Him today, for His amazing love!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the all-powerful God who loves me. No matter the challenges I face, help me to turn to Your Word that I may re-discover Your greatness. Praise You Lord for who You are!