There is a future, a time to come that will reach beyond all we see today. Our hope is for that day. We live this Christian pilgrimage for that time. Our promises were never to be completely fulfilled or satisfied in our natural life. But in eternity, more than we could ever conceive with our human intellect will be ours as we lay down the burdens of these days forever and step into glory the natural man cannot fully comprehend. Watch for that day. Be ready for that day.
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” Matthew 24:42
“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” Mark 13:33
“Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
“And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” Luke 12:37-40
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:4
“Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joyΒ shall beΒ upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy;Β andΒ sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” Isaiah 51:11
βAnd it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.β 2 Samuel 5:24, NKJV
Have you ever seen one of those action movies where the characters involved in a grand scheme or plan must synchronize their watches to ensure everyone is moving at the right time?
When a big feat is to take place, it is good to make sure everyone is on the same page and moving at the proper time.
Thatβs what proper planning does. It views the many angles of the story, not just the present or temporary moments, but all the moments included, and it determines when the best time is to do A, B, or C.
On the opposite end of this spectrum is impulsiveness. It doesnβt always take every matter into account and consider all the possibilities. It tends to move forward hastily, and sometimes prematurely.
Sometimes it is hard to determine the difference between impulsiveness, instincts, and zeal, but there is a difference.
When David finally became king, not just recognized as king in Hebron, but over all Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-3), there were still yet contentions he faced, including their long-time enemy, the Philistines.
If you will remember, David had great success as a youth in slaying their most prominent warrior, Goliath (1 Samuel 17). But during the time between that battle and the one facing the Philistines here in 2 Samuel 5, David experienced many other inner and outer battles along the way.
In that, he grew not only in stature but in ability.Β Through his fearlessness, faith, and fervor, he became a much-feared warrior and king.
But David didnβt allow his previous accomplishments to cause him to rest on his laurels.
There were still battles to fight and enemies to conquer, so David pursued and engaged β but not without Godβs guidance.
He could have chalked up his previous victories as the all-encompassing plan to win all his battles, but he didnβt.
And thatβs a good thing because, with each battle he faced God gave him different directions on how to gain a successful ending.
Here in chapter 5, in one battle David was instructed to βgo upβ (v. 19), and in the other, he was told to βcircle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.Β And it shall be, when youΒ hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For thenΒ theΒ LordΒ will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistinesβ (Vv. 23, 24, NKJV; emphasis added).
This was going to be the battle of battles with the Philistines. After this event, they would no longer be a threat to Israel. But to get there, David had to wait for the right time.
Back to our opening illustration of synchronization, time is everything.Β But the caveat to that is, that the way we view time and the way God views time is vastly different (2 Peter 3:8).
Twice in verse 24, you see the word βthen,β with God giving specific instructions on when David is to make his move. Any time outside the premise of that βthen,β was not his moment to advance.
If David wanted to ensure success, he had to synchronize his move with Godβs βthen,β with Godβs timing.
While zeal, fervor, and experience are great, if itβs out of alignment with Godβs moment to progress, it wonβt work.
Our God works specifically and in order. And more often than not, His design will not be on our timetable.
As infinite as He is, so are His plans and abilities, and through it all, taking the omniscient view of our lives, He knows when, where, and how something should be done.
But it is when we fight with impatience and frustration, when we canβt see it moving or how it will turn out, we find ourselves in precarious situations or wanting to give up altogether.
We donβt want βthen,β we want now!
Instant victory. Instant gratification. And instant applause and promotion.
But when we pause at the βthenβ moments, we are simultaneously taking that occasion to learn how God is leading and giving Him room to work.
Listen for the sound of God’s moving.
This was Davidβs experience.Β Not until he heard the marching in the tops of the mulberry trees was it safe for him to proceed regardless of his personal abilities or how he previously won battles.
My friend, God has a specific plan for you. One drawn up and orchestrated out of His divine love. Do not rush ahead of God. He has an appointed time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1; Habakkuk 2:3).
Learning to wait for your βthenβ moments requires trust which is why Proverbs famously reminds us to βTrust in theΒ LordΒ with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy pathsβ (Proverbs 3:5,6).
We will never have the full understanding God does for our lives (Isaiah 55:8,9), but what we can have is our trust and belief that He is perfect, His ways are perfect, and God knows what He is doing.
I donβt know what marching in the tops of mulberry trees audibly sounds like, but I do know what it sounds like in our lives of faith: waiting.
Waiting, patience, and being still when everything says go is hard. But if that going is not marked by Godβs stamp of approval, it will all be for nothing.
And if you are longing for me to give you specifics or signs or systems to find out how to know when your βthenβ moment is, I canβt.
Our Heavenly Father has a perfect timeline for everyoneβs life, and He only can tell you when itβs your time to advance.
In the meantime, you may have to do one of the hardest things β continue to wait, continue to have patience, and continue to be still.
In these moments of not going, let them be filled with the activity of seeking God, seeking His face and His perfect will for your life. Let them be filled with drawing ever nearer to His presence and learning to recognize and become more familiar with His moving in your own life.
Then, when you figuratively hear the marching in the tops of the mulberry trees (or by whatever means that you beyond a shadow of a doubt know itβs Godβs prompting and leading you), you will know that your time has come, and you can advance forward successfully.
That second βthenβ assured David that by following Godβs way, He was the one going before him.Β And whatever we are doing, above all else, this is how we should want to win our victories: following Godβs ways and Him going with us.
βBut they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.β Isaiah 40:31
βFor 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.β Jeremiah 29:11
“Behold… be it unto me according to thy word,” (Luke 1:38) are the words Mary spoke when she willingly accepted God’s plan for her life. She said yes to a future unknown. She got into agreement with God and allowed His mission to become her mission, and her life was changed forever.
I believe that God wants to move mightily in many lives, but many are not willing to say yes. It’s not because they don’t want God to do a fantastic thing in them and through them, but when they preview all the ideas that could happen, the balance of all the what-ifs seems too much to bear. Yet, it is most often in those extremely unbearable moments where God works the most wonderful of wonderfuls.
Yes, comes with sacrifice. Yes, refutes the idea of the impossible. Yes says, “I don’t know where this journey is leading me, but Lord, I accept the challenge. I choose Your cause and I choose this day to order my life according to that cause.”
Mary’s yes could’ve ended in her death. Surely there must’ve been shame and ridicule hurled at her. Never once, not even when her eldest Son, Jesus Christ, hung on the cross to redeem man, did we ever hear of her recoiling from that original yes. There had to have been troubling times and days of confusion – yet, her yes remained yes, and to Him, she surrendered all.
Yes, it can be glorious and lead one on the wildest journey they could ever experience.Β But, yes can also be the hardest and most selfless decisive act one can take on.Β Nevertheless, God’s invitation has gone out to many.Β How will you respond today?Β Will you recoil in fear, or through faith, say, “All aboard!”Β I choose to ride with God through this journey by saying yes today!
What to do with this day when things aren’t clicking and time keeps ticking?Β When things refuse to fall into the designated places you had for them?Β When it feels like it’s completely squashed before it starts?Β So many plans lay ahead but the weight, the feeling, and the pressure of it all leaves one with a sense of having things unaccomplished and unfulfilled.Β To look on the outside, it seems that everyone else is getting on with this day and their doings, but the fight in here, right now, and the press that comes with it, it just doesn’t seem to want to work out.Β All the gears for all the mechanics of this day are present, in place, and spinning, but they are just not grabbing correctly to move what we are trying to achieve successfully.
What to do with this day when there seems to be conflict and strain with one another?Β When relationships don’t hug the way you want them to hug or love in a way you want to be loved?Β When misunderstandings, assuming, and yes, even one’s own personal views on a matter put barriers between the spirit of fellowship and love.Β When hurts cause one’s steps to move ever so fragile as if on eggshells, fearing the disappointment and disapproval of someone else?
What to do with this day when rogue feelings break away from the pack you had planned for the day and invade and try to rob you of the potential joy that lay ahead in the hours to come?Β Thieves of insecurity.Β Thieves of shame.Β Thieves of feeling woefully torn.Β These thieves come with many hideous and damaging names.Β The day was brand new and fresh at the start, but that didn’t stop these unwanted parasitic nuisances from latching on and tainting it with the feelings of mess-ups, adversity, pain, and disappointments from your yesterdays.
So, what to do with these kinds of days when our plans, people, or feelings just don’t want to cooperate with the vision you had set for it?
Give it to God!Β That one answer tells us how to deal with it, the proper response to it, and what to do with the rest of it.Β This is not some Christian rhetoric or cliche.Β It is a solid truth that we can stand on and base our faith upon.Β We give it to God.
The real truth is that at any given time on any given day, we will all or have all experienced one or many of the daily upsets listed above (and sometimes even more than these).Β It is all a part of life, a part that can really throw us off-kilter if we don’t process it right and deal with it in the right way.
Therefore, when everything is going absolutely bonkers, sometimes without rhymeΒ or reason; when nothing within our power or control is working, we give it all to Him who has all power and control.Β Not as a mythical genie creature whose bottle we rub to have things or people turn out how we want them to.Β But, as releasing it to His majesty and sovereign will.Β It’s saying, “I trust you, God.”Β Whether this day turns out how I configured it or not, my plans, my people, my times, my heart, and my feelings are all in Your hands.
God is not only the Creator of all the universe and the Author of all mankind, but He is concerned about your daily needs for each individual day also.Β All the areas that need filling, all the upsets that need dealing with, all the plans that need to be taken care of, and all the worries that bog us down – He’s concerned about it all.
But, as we release the day to Him we must also realize His best answer for us may be to not move everything or anything into the places where we see fit.Β Sometimes, His best answer for what we are going through with this day is to let us learn from it, experience it, and still maintain trust in Him.Β Regardless of how it goes forward, despite what we feel in the process, no matter who we are dealing with and how we are dealing with them – He still sees it all, knows it all, and has it all in His loving and powerful hands.
So, when days like this come, we give it to God, step back, and just trust Him for every part of it.
Here are some verses and prayers to hold in your heart when the days just aren’t going right for you:
Proverbs 3:5-6 “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.”
Father God, I acknowledgeΒ that I don’t know everything about this day, my future, or even how to properly respond to it all.Β I pray for Your leading to show me the right path to walk so that my life might be pleasing in Your sight.Β In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Jeremiah 29:11 “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.”
Father God, the end of all things may be vague to me or even remain a mystery.Β Help my heart hold on to the very real fact that You knew me from the beginning and You know how my story ends; and that if I am in Your hands, then I am in Your plan.Β In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Psalm 126:6 “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
Father God, my tears and confusion for the day, You see it all.Β Help me to know that it is not all in vain.Β Let my confidence be in You and Your love for me above all else, knowing that for every sadness, there will be joy.Β When You restore, for every sorrow sown there will be a reaping of happiness and peace.Β In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I am more in love with Jesus today, and each day that follows, than when I first started out.Β Through experiences and growth in this spiritual journey, I have come to recognize the sweetness I have found in my Savior.Β The more I have gone through, and the more He has brought me through, the more I appreciate Him for holding my hand every step of the way.
In human relationships, there seems to be more excitement at the beginning of this adventure called love.Β We canβt wait to see what happens next or cannot wait for the next visit or phone call.Β But as I have come to know my Savior over these years, my excitement in Him builds more and more.Β Every day brings new revelations of how awesome His love is for me – and as one who sits back in the sun just to hear the birds sing β I sit in the splendor of His radiant presence and enjoy His love that sings over me.
His awesome love story with us is not like any other.Β It is complete yet renewing every day.Β As a fountain that never runs dry, it is full, yet it is constantly βpouringβ into our lives (Romans 5:5, NKJV), uncontainable and overflowing, giving us more and more of Him each day.Β His love is not a one-shot deal.Β But itβs our covering, our reliance, our safety blanket, the cradle in which we rest in the comfort and care of the one who loves us best.
The awesomeness of His love story toward us was solidified when He was nailed to the cross.Β But can I tell you, itβs so much more than that?Β He didnβt stop there but chose every day of our lives to be there for us wherever we go β fully caring, fully involved, and fully in love with each of us.
Why?
Because He has a βsteadfast loveβ for us (Psalm 86:15, ESV). His love is faithful, present, and enduring. It is not easily swayed or moved from where we are, no matter how ugly it may appear at times.
When people would have given up on us in those ugly moments, He still moves toward us.
Why does He do that? Because He chooses to.
In most relationships, people come to a mutual understanding of love before they move forward.Β Jesus is different.Β His love for us was never dependent on what we did or didnβt do (remember those He prayed for while suffering on the cross).Β He never waited for us to make the first move or come to some mutual understanding of what this love would be all about.Β But in the awesomeness of His love, Jesus moved forward in loving us while we were still βsinnersβ (Romans 5:8).
He has never waited for us to get it right or come out of those ugly shadows before we were counted worthy of His love. As a matter of fact, He showed us love before we showed signs of loving Him back.Β In His passion for us, He always made the first move.Β The Bible tells us, βWe love him, because he first loved us,β (1 John 4:19).
So, if you are in doubt today about the awesomeness of His love story over you, no matter what voices are telling you, I am here to tell you differently.Β You and me are all unequivocally loved by Jesus and thereβs nothing we can do about it because He already did it all.Β His love is constantly pouring into us, never giving up on us, and has already made the first move toward us.Β All we can do is accept His love and sit back and bask in the awesomeness of it.Β Now, thatβs something to get excited about!
If you haven’t already, give Jesus your heart today and accept what He is already willing to give you. Find a good Bible-based church and experience His awesome love story up close and personal. He’s waiting for you.
When it doesn’t fall into place as you imagined… be patient.
When it doesn’t seem fair… be patient.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
Everything that is not like God will fade away, but you who endure to the end and remain patiently in hope, will see the reward of your perseverance. “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.” James 5:7
As I write these articles and begin the editing process, it will sometimes require me to go through old photos to post with the article. Often, I come across times of family events, vacations, and the like and in my mind, I am allowed to momentarily relive and remember those precious moments.
Today is a good day for reflection.Β It may be Monday and the beginning of the week, or it may be a Wednesday, a Friday, or a Sunday, but if we just take a moment to think about God’s goodness and where He has brought us from, oh, the impact that would have for this day!Β The remembrance of His holy protection and love that has carried us this far could ignite a fire of passion inside us to do more, to be more, and to come up to where He wants us more.
The status quo goes into these given days’ business as usual.Β We can enter with a refreshed spirit and a new mindset because we remember, and our past has already testified that God has been there for us.Β So far, we have survived everything we have been through, and it is because of His power, His grace, and His mercy that has been directing and covering us.Β No, the path hasn’t always been easy.Β But we are here today because of the love of God at work in our lives and the belief that He has so much more in store for us.
Remembering and reflecting on the old days would reassure our hearts and souls that no matter what I am facing today, God is still faithful.Β Looking back reminds us, that He didn’t bring us this far to leave us.Β Recalling His goodness tells us, that if He did it once, He’ll do it again.Β The mindset is our God is able, He has before, and He will again be there for us through it all.
Today has just started, but because of the God in our lives, we can already see a victorious end.Β This day might be brand new, but it’s not new to Him.Β He hasΒ our days numbered.Β We are in His thoughts.Β He knows all about us, and it is in Him we rest and believe for so much more.Β The journey of our soul will keep pushing ahead because we believe God has held us thus far, and He will hold us through today as well.
“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Have you ever witnessed the taffy-making process? It is a very interesting process to watch for sure. After mixing sugar and other ingredients together, you are left with this massive blob of sweet goodness lying on the work table.
What can one possibly do with such a non-conformative mess? You can stretch it and pull it until it becomes a pliable consistency to be used for the sweet creation you had in mind. Whether by hand or through the use of a machine, eventually the blob will yield to the purpose and intended design, becoming something very useful and delicious to the one who created it.
My friend, you and I are the sweetness of Godβs Creation. So much so, in the beginning, He said, βLet us make man in our image, after our likenessβ¦β Genesis 1:26. There is something genuinely sweet and uniquely beautiful in the reality that the God of all creation wanted a special creature in His βlikeness.β
Sadly, this beautiful, sweet creation has been tainted, corrupted, and susceptible to the dregs of sin this world produces. But that doesnβt stop the story. Thank God!
There is something more in the eyes and in the heart of the Father for this lowly being. He still sees the possibility of all they can become and with His holy hands, He begins His own process of pulling and stretching. And like the taffy maker, Heβs watching, and working, and drawing hearts near for the end result β a sweetness we can never feel, experience, or imagine on this side of glory.
But as with the blob of candy turned treat, there must be a willingness to yield to the pulling and stretching work God wants to perform in you and through you.
The question is, will you truly let God have His way in your life. Oh, I know the sentiments we say, the songs we sing, and the prayers we pray β but when itβs all said and done, as uncomfortable and sometimes painful, will we yield our all I holy surrender to become those sweet creations?
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1
“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.” Jeremiah 29:11
“There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” Proverbs 19:21
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” 1 Peter 2:9
“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, and it istruly a sweet thing.
“The works of the LORD are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them,” Psalm 111:2, NKJV
Why such doubt? Why such confusion? Have you studied Him? Have you studied the works of our God?
Open your understanding to the truth of who He is. Open, and expand your knowledge of our Heavenly Father. Seek Him, and search Him out. As the greatest treasure that is to be found, don’t stop digging till you have unearthed His glorious truths.
“His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever,” (Psalm 111:3, NKJV). So, dig deep, my friends, and find Him for yourself.
Look through His holy pages and see Him. See what He has done. See the testimonies of the lives that have walked in those written lines. See the things He performed in them and through them. See what He continues to do even in this day. See, and believe.
For where the truth of this treasure is, it leaves no room for doubt and confusion. Truth eats up the empty spaces that make room for lies.
Therefore, study Him. Let not your appetite be quenched by the false junk and ideologies of this age. Take your fill of God, our Father. Learn of Him. Explore Him, and you will not only be satisfied with that which nourishes for all eternity, but you will enter an abundant adventure of a lifetime today (John 10:10).
It’s there, in those pages of the Bible. Seek Him. He’s not hiding from you. Study Him, and enrich your own life further and deeper than you could have ever imagined.
“He has made His wonderful works to be remembered . . .” Psalm 111:4, NKJV
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” For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:27
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Coming to Jesus with all our wrongs and trusting Him to heal and forgive is a walk of faith: βFor by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God,β (Ephesians 2:8).Β Now, that one has received that gift of God; that gift of salvation, they are now“the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” Galatians 3:26.Β
When Jesus transforms lives with His saving blood, we are renewed, changed, and adopted into the family of God.Β The old garments of self and sin have been shed and put off, and havingΒ βput on Christ,β a new life arises.Β Β A great exchange takes place when in Jesus we place our faith, and it is in Him, we want to stay covered. Now, let us press forward and not lessen the steps of righteousness in our lives. Let’s continue onwards and upwards, through struggles and toil, for at the end of life and the things we see, eternity’s gates are waiting for you and me.
Word For Life Says... 