Of Pillows and Plans

Sleep is good. The right pillow can make a big difference. After using the same Tempur-Pedic pillows for years, my husband and I decided it was time to invest in some new ones. (I know what you're thinking - using the same pillows for years? Ewwww! But really, they're designed to resist dust mites and allergens, and are too pricey to replace every year...)We decided to go with the same style - neck pillows. According to the company, "The contoured design helps align your head, neck and shoulders for more relaxing and restful sleep." Exactly what we were looking for. We placed our order.

The pillows arrived two days later. Before bed, I slipped them into pillowcases, realizing how worn and flat our old pillows had gotten. But after lying down, we both realized that the new pillows would take some getting used to - they were so much thicker than the old ones, and they were super firm. We both had full schedules the next day, and didn't want to risk a poor night's sleep getting used to new pillows. We peeled off the pillowslips, and welcomed back our old, worn friends. We'd give the new pillows a chance the next night.

I was just as skeptical the next night. But we put the pillowcases back on the new pillows, and laid down. I kept my old pillow by my bedside - just in case. Although the new ones seemed too firm at first, my husband said that the material in them is sensitive to body temperature and after just a few minutes it would adjust to the shape of our heads, while providing the individual support each of us needed. He was right. As I rolled over onto my side, I was amazed that the added height of the pillow took the pressure off my neck and shoulder, allowing my muscles to relax completely. The next morning, I was thrilled I had been willing to give the new pillow another chance. Not only had I slept great, but I felt more refreshed than I had in a long time.

Funny how I get set in my ways. I'm so used to doing things the same way, that when God offers me something different, I hesitate. It seems safer to stick with the familiar, even when God is reaching out His hand, assuring me He's got something far better for me. I just need to trust Him, step forward in faith, and follow His plan.

Remember Gideon? He had grown up under tough circumstances. The Israelites were slaves to the Midianites. Conditions were so bad, that Gideon had to thresh his family's grain in secret, or the Midianites would take it. Because of these extreme difficulties, Gideon doubted the Lord even cared about him. Imagine his shock when the angel of the Lord appeared to him, speaking words full of hope, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour," (Judges 6:12; KJV).

Gideon's skepticism was clear, "Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites," (Judges 6:13). He wasn't convinced that the Lord had big plans for him!

The Lord's words were reassuring and meant to encourage, "...Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?" (Judges 6:14). Gideon remained skeptical, reminding God that his family was poor and he was a nobody. Although he had endured tough times, Gideon wasn't quite ready to trust a God who was offering he and his people deliverance. He wasn't ready to step out in faith.

Twice, Gideon requested that God prove His deliverance. Twice, God obliged. The rest of the story is nothing short of a miracle. Gideon left his old life behind, finally trusting that God would provide deliverance through him. The Lord used Gideon and his three hundred men, armed with only trumpets, pitchers and lamps, to completely route out the enemy!

It's easy to stick with the familiar. It's comfortable. But just think about the possibilities. God is offering you the adventure of a lifetime. Are you willing to take Him up on it? Take that first step of faith, and seek the Father's best for your life!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I confess that I often fall into a comfortable routine where I'm no longer looking for Your direction. Help me to trust You and move forward in the plan You have for me. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Overcoming Fear with Faith

Several hundred feet above the desert floor, the aerial tram crawls up the face of Mt. San Jacinto. A true engineering marvel, the tramway has been dubbed the eighth wonder of the world.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not fond of heights. In fact, to be totally honest, I’m afraid of heights. As we prepared to board the tram car, it was comforting to know that “more than 12 million people have been safely transported by the Tramway into the majestic mountains overlooking the Coachella Valley since the attraction opened in September 1963.” (http://www.pstramway.com/)

Although the rotating tram car was a bit unnerving, I found that if I focused on a spot above the horizon, I could actually appreciate the eleven minute ride up to the top of the mountain. I can’t say I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t as nerve-wracking as I’d originally anticipated.

Once we arrived at the top of the mountain, the discomfort I had experienced as we traveled the 8500-feet was well worth it! The views were breath-taking. The temperatures a full forty degrees cooler than those we had left behind. It was as if we had been transported to a different part of the country. Where there had been sparse vegetation on the desert floor, different varieties of pines and flowering plants covered the ground as far as the eye could see. A true oasis.

Oftentimes the Savior desires for me to face my fears, the things I dread, in order for me to arrive at the ‘oasis’ He has for me. Much like the safety information printed about the tram cars helped to quell my initial fear, the Bible spells out countless reasons why I can put absolute faith in my God.

I think about the many heroes of the Old Testament, ordinary men and women who overcame fear with faith and did extraordinary things for God. Remember Joshua, the leader who had brought the children of Israel successfully into the promised land? After an unsuccessful attempt to overtake the city of Ai, the Lord appeared to him with the words, “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:” (Joshua 8:1; KJV). I imagine Joshua was more than a little afraid! Yet he trusted God, faced his fear, and was rewarded with a spectacular victory over the people of Ai.

Do you recall Gideon, the Israelite who hid by the winepress to thresh wheat, in order to keep it from the Midianites? The angel of the Lord appeared to him with the words, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour” (Judges 6:12) You might wonder what the Lord saw in a man who was hiding in fear from the enemy. The answer is one simple word, faith. Gideon believed the Lord when He said to him, “Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man” (Judges 6:16). Because he chose to overcome his fear and trust God, we see the mighty way God was able to use him, “Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more, And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon” (Judges 8:28).

What about Ruth, the Moabitess? After her husband died, she made the choice to return with her mother-in-law, Naomi, to the city of Bethlehem. This might seem like an insignificant decision, until you realize that the Moabites were hated by the Israelites. Don’t you suppose Ruth feared the possibility of rejection from Naomi’s people? Yet she saw something different in the God of Naomi and put her life into His hands. Because of her obedience, she ended up marrying a godly man named Boaz, and having a child who became the grand-father of King David!

Is fear holding you back? Take a fresh look at the many times God’s word challenges you to ‘fear not.’ He is a God who can be fully trusted! Talk to Him about your fear, lay it at His feet, and then choose faith in Him to transport you to the oasis He has for you!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I stand amazed at Your goodness. I praise You for the opportunity to overcome my fears through faith in You. Help me to remember that You will never leave me nor forsake me. I’m placing my trust in You. Use me today for Your honor and glory. Amen.