Friends refused to be moved. Refuse to allow the tempestuous seas of life to toss you about. Refuse the swaying of this way and that, but make a stand to stay. Stay in the realm of your faith. Stay on this holy course of action. Stay where your hope is sure and secured. Stay anchored in the care and belief of who Jesus Christ is in your life. Though some days may seem overwhelmingand the tug of life gets hard, blessed are the ones who know “We might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hopeset before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…” (Hebrews 6:18b-19a).
Friends, billions of hearts, minds, arms, and legs have walked the face of this earth. But none are you. The intricacies that consist of the makeup of your person areuniquely designed by the Creator. When He fashioned you, He saw the beauty of who you are and would become. You are a designer original who can say with King David, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Psalm 139:14). Yes, you are.
Friends, sometimes it is hard to keep doing good. Sometimes, life does not play fair. But when I think about the goodness of Jesus, when I consider and meditate on His grace and mercy towards me, how can I dare not share the same goodness with my fellow man? Know this: Nothing we do for Christ will ever go unnoticed by the Father, and “Whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:8).
Friends, some days it seems as if peace surrounds our very life, and others it feels like war. Regardless of the circumstances we face today, the war we face daily, knowingly or unknowingly, is real, and to keep our standing sure and steadfast we are encouraged to suit up against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness (Eph. 6:12). Our Heavenly Father has supplied the means for daily victory, armament to help amid these spiritual contentions. Still, we are the ones that must “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11; for more encouragement, click here).
Heavenly Father,
take my hand,
and lead me through
this desert land.
Where hope seems dismal
and love fades.
But, You are my shelter.
Your heart is my shade.
Each step I walk,
I am found with You.
You hold me, You guide me.
You carry me through.
No matter the dreariness
of the land ahead.
I have no reason
to fret or dread.
My hand in Yours,
we keeping walking through.
Til I arrive in that City
whose destination is true.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalm 23:4
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.”
Friend, what a beautiful word “ended” shall be. It signals rest, completion, ceasing, and finishing. It is forever putting to bed contentions, strife, fighting, and hurting; reasons for tears and upsets, knowing in our Lord it is all finally over. The reward ahead is sure for God is our sure foundation. It will not slip through the fingers of faith. The days of toiling have an expiration date and we will lay ahold of that glorious promise: “For the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended” (Isaiah 60:20).
Friends, there may be days when we feel like a disassembled puzzle with pieces scattered here and there. But nothing can be further from the truth. In Christ, you are complete. You are wholly beautiful. While our lives and spaces may get disorganized at times, we are well put together and held by our completeness in Christ: “And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” Colossians 2:10, NKJV
Returning to the familiar can be like a warm hug. Its embrace is comfortable and welcoming and can give you a sense of belonging.
But what if you don’t belong in the familiar? What if the place you are trying to return to is not the best for you? What if you are trading the comfort of familiarity for the hard choice to move on to something new?
This time of year, many people seek to add new routines to their lives, new regimens to their health, and pursue fresh ideas about what they want out of life. At the same time, many resolutions fall through because going after the new is not always the easiest thing to do. The steps forward can be uncomfortable rather than exciting, and truthfully, it can be downright overwhelming.
In the Bible, God knew what was best for His people, but how often did we see that the children of Israel wanted to go back to what was not best, back to the familiar (Numbers 14:4)? In Egypt, although it was hard, they knew what to expect. Their routines were predictable, and they knew which course of action would produce which results.
God wanted better for them. He desired to take them on a life-changing expedition.
But when God wanted them to journey through the wilderness toward their Promised Land, many became apprehensive and disillusioned with the many challenges they faced in order to reach that goal. And even though Egypt wasn’t good for them and caused them great pain, when times got hard in going toward their place of promise, they wanted to return to the familiar.
With rose-colored glasses on, they talked themselves into believing that the old place where they had come from was not that bad (Exodus 16:3; Numbers 11:5). They convinced themselves that things were okay with the way they were and to be content with a life that was less than ideal because the prospect of the new brought too many challenges.
In pursuing change, we too must be careful not to romanticize where we have come from or where we are going. We must remind ourselves there was a reason for wanting change in the first place. To continually look back and want to throw oneself into that familiar embrace can sabotage where you are trying to go and what you are trying to do (Proverbs 4:25-27; Luke 9:62).
At the same time, to look ahead as if everything is going to be peaches and cream, as if moving forward is going to produce automatic results without hurdles to overcome, is setting oneself up for a fairy-tale ending without experiencing the tragedy of the plot in the middle. It just does not happen that way.
Although this is just the beginning of the year, as it progresses, there will be a few times, if not many, when the pull to the familiar will seek to lure you back (Isaiah 43:18-19).
The familiar, when used correctly, can be an incredibly beautiful thing. But, if you are after real change this year, and the familiar place is not what was producing it, challenge yourself to stay the course, to keep looking ahead (Philippians 3:12-14).
Prayerfully, seek God’s wisdom and guidance, and as with the children of Israel, He will gladly show you the way (Exodus 13:21; Psalm 25:4-5).
Yes, this year, the new may have its challenging moments, but when you reach your place of promise, think of the beauty there to behold.
Friends, without even realizing it we are on the wheel today. There is a final destination awaiting us in glory and progress is being made on that final product. While the end goal is heaven, here we are formed to be vessels fit for the Master’s use (2 Timothy 2:21). Some days we may feel all right, others our imperfections may seem more pronounced, but take heart for even that great apostle once declared, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect…” (Philippians 3:12). It may be we are still in the process. It may be that the Father’s loving and careful hands are still at the wheel shaping us: “Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand…” (Jeremiah 18:6). By faith, allow yourself to be shaped.
You have welcomed us into Your throne room. You have welcomed us into Your grace. You have welcomed us into Your pleasure. You have welcomed us before Your face.
No scepter for Esther needs to extend. For the cross has bought the passage within.
In the courts of the King, we are invited to come. Favor has blessed us through His dear Son.
To approach and pray without fear or doubt. Worries, burdens, and troubles are there, cast out.
Queen Esther, taking her life in her hands, went before the king not knowing if she would find favor to enter the courts for him to hear her petition (Esther 4:16; 5:2).
Not so with our Heavenly Father. Through Jesus Christ, we have obtained a welcome invitation to come: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” Hebrews 4:16.
With no fear in your heart, come, for you are welcomed before the King of all Kings.
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