Tag Archives: praise

Peace in Trials

Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?” Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:6-8, NIV*

Reading these verses in 2009, it occurs to me that troubled times are hardly a new thing. Personally and globally, they come and go. Just as they did for King David and the people of Israel.

David found peace in the midst of fearful situations by trusting God. He couldn’t change what was going on, but he anchored his faith in the One who could.

It reminds me of the little girl I read about, who was afraid of water but trusted her mother to carry her safely through it.

Michael Hyatt shares a quote from Max Lucado, taken from his new book, Fearless. Max writes,

Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, and doubt, what would remain? Envision the day when you can trust more and fear less. Can you imagine your life without fear?

This one’s on my to-read list for sure!

Fear steals our peace, and makes us feel helpless. Fear is not from God, but faith is.

The Apostle Paul says “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV* ). God gave us a spirit of confidence in Him.

Father, as I look around at the fighting, the economy, the sickness…help me remember I’m not alone. You’ve given me Your Spirit. Help me—teach me—to live confident in You. You are more powerful than anything the world or the evil one can dish out, and nothing can separate me from Your love.

Let’s sing to God, “You Are My Strong Tower,” done here by Kutless.

Jesus is in My Boat

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But the disciples forgot to pack a lunch. Except for a single loaf of bread, there wasn’t a crumb in the boat… the disciples were finding fault with each other because they had forgotten to bring bread. Jesus overheard and said, “Why are you fussing because you forgot bread? Don’t you see the point of all this? Don’t you get it at all? Remember the five loaves I broke for the five thousand? How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”
They said, “Twelve.”
“And the seven loaves for the four thousand—how many bags full of leftovers did you get?”
“Seven.”
He said, “Do you still not get it?”
Mark 8:13-21, MSG*

The disciples have a loaf of bread. Jesus has recently demonstrated that He can multiply a little food to feed a lot of people. Yet they’re hung up on not having enough.

But Jesus is in the boat with them! If they stop to think, they’ll realize He’s all they need.

Many times I feel inadequate or uncertain about situations, afraid I’ll mess up or won’t do well. That fear can freeze me up and become self-fulfilling. I feel alone.

These verses tell me something precious: Jesus is in my boat, and He’ll be all I need.

Whether it’s energy, love, ideas: whatever’s needed, no matter how small my loaf, I need to offer it to Jesus, and to remember what He can do.

Father, I know You promised to never leave us, and You’ve given us the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. Forgive me for the times I panic and believe the enemy’s lies. Thank You for using these verses to finally help me see I’m never alone. Help me remember and be confident in the truth that Jesus is in my boat, and that He is enough.

Our song this week is my prayer: “Presence (My Heart’s Desire)” by the newsboys, from their Devotion CD.

I Spy… God at Work

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Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
Psalm 105:1-4, NIV*

I dreamed I had a really bad day. I’d been out of sorts through it all, and things kept going wrong.

In my dream, I suddenly noticed the good things that had threaded through the day. They’d been there all along and I’d been too grumpy to notice.

When I woke, the last bit I remembered was telling a friend “God was blessing me all day, despite the bad stuff.”

And I’d almost missed seeing the blessings.

Years ago I tried something called a “God hunt,” where the idea was to keep alert for sightings of God’s presence in the day. Once you start looking, it’s amazing what you see. We stopped talking about it at church, and I forgot to keep it up. I think it’s time to start again. Anyone want to play too?

God, You are good. Your presence satisfies. Forgive me for all the times I get caught up in the negatives and miss what You’re doing. Open my spirit to recognize Your touch in my day and to embrace You. Thank You for loving me.

∞

Our song this week is “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” sung here by Michael W. Smith.

Seeing… and Responding

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Then [Jesus] turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.”
Luke 7:45, NIV*

Simon the Pharisee certainly does see the woman, and he’s offended that someone “of that sort” would invade his righteous household. But he doesn’t see her at all: drawn to Jesus, hoping, trusting, desperately needing a miracle.

I remember Mark Buchanan reading this story a few years ago at Write! Canada. “Do you see this woman?” He challenged us with this: do we see an individual’s heart, or just skim over the surface?

Do we see?

Are we free to make a difference, or do we hold back in fear? What if we’re rebuffed? What would the onlookers say?

The Gospel of Luke also tells how Jesus interrupts a mission to heal a dying child. Someone in the crowd has sneaked a healing by touching His robe. As the desperate father is nearing wits’ end, Jesus looks around and asks “Who touched Me?”

He knows full well which of the many bumps and jostles made the difference, and He knows the woman’s story: the 12 years’ incurable bleeding, the physicians’ helplessness, the woman’s despair. Under the Jewish law, she would have been considered unclean for all this time, outcast, feeling defeated and unworthy.

Jesus could let her slip away, healed and filled with wondrous hope. But He stops the whole progression and singles her out. Not to chastise her as she might fear, but to acknowledge her worth. He’s not about to let her go whole in body but wounded in soul.

Who will we meet today who needs some kindness?

Lord, grant us to really see the people you bring our way.

∞

We’ve had this song before, but I don’t think there’s a better one for this topic than Brandon Heath’s “Give me Your Eyes”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mhpLjPslbM

Satisfied by God’s Goodness

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Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Isaiah 55:2, NIV*

At Whatever He Says, Susan wrote, “I can only imagine what it would mean to [God] that we his children, the objects of his love, would be satisfied with his goodness alone. Not running to and fro and here and there looking for satisfaction or fulfillment in anything else.” You can read the full post here: Short and Sweet.

I wonder if this latent sense of dissatisfaction, this always reaching for something more, is a root of the vague fear that many of us carry. Or maybe that fear is what breeds the never-ending quest for “something more”.

Maybe deep down we’re afraid that God isn’t really good, isn’t really enough?

It’s easy to say God is good. To affirm His love for us. But sometimes if we’d listen closely we’d hear our hearts telling a different story.

We make contingency plans on top of backup plans, we try to cover all the angles, as if we’re facing the future alone. But as I said last week, God will be with us when we get to the future. We won’t have to face anything without Him.

The Psalmist says “The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” (Psalm 145:13b, NIV*)

Father, as Your children we believe You are good. We believe You love us and are mighty to save. Please trickle this head knowledge into our hearts and help our unbelief. Help us develop a spirit of gratitude, and to be truly satisfied with Your goodness. You are enough.

What better song than one of praise? This week it’s “Sing to the King” done here by the Passion Worship Band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpGk6ugV90A

God’s Presence with Us

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The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you;
he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV*

I’m rarely beset by nightmares, but the other night I had a scare right at bedtime. I was already overtired and a bit stressed, and now I was afraid of what I might see in my sleep.

Then I remembered one of the questions raised in The Shack: When we think of the future—of possible dangers and things that could go wrong—why do we see ourselves facing it alone?

I’d never thought of it before reading the novel, but it’s true. At least for me.

It’s also kind of silly. God is with us in the present. He sees what’s coming, and will be with us each step of the way. Nothing will catch Him by surprise.

With that reassurance, I decided to lie in bed and pray quietly, committing my sleep to Him. “You’ll be with me. You are good.” I repeated it as I relaxed into sleep. Next morning I woke thankful—and nightmare-free.

Today, tomorrow, He’ll be with us. And He is good.

Father, help me fully trust in your promise to never leave nor forsake me. You know the end from the beginning. You are good, and You are all I need.

∞

I chose this week’s song because it speaks of God being there after everything, and about how He repairs, forgives and makes us new. Here’s “The Glory of it All” from the David Crowder*Band.

Praise God in the Now

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I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.
Psalm 104:33-34 NIV*

I’ve been asking God to renew my heart, and trusting He’s at work although there’s no visible evidence yet. Wondering when I’d start to see some change.

Like the child who digs up a seed every day to see if it’s sprouted yet.

This morning these verses from Psalm 104 changed my focus: Forget what’s seen or unseen, present or future. Praise God in the now.

Sure, I’ll praise Him when He’s renewed my heart. But why wait until then?

It’s not just about praising God for what He’s done. It’s about praising Him for who He is: God, majestic and powerful, loving and compassionate, Creator and Restorer. What He does only shows glimpses of who He is.

There’s plenty to praise Him for now, while I’m waiting, and His praise is to be the song of my life.

Father, help me be confident in who You are – Your character – not in what You do. Thank You for what You’re doing in my heart. Whether that goes fast or slow, help me live each day in praise to You because You are good, and because You love me.

∞

This week’s song has meant a lot to me over the past couple months: “Glorious,” by the Newsboys.

Waiting, Hoping… and Walking

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…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31, NIV*

In one of his books, Mark Buchanan points out the progression in these verses: The eagle rides the wind currents, the runner has a limited distance expectation (even if it’s marathon length) but the walker might be expected to carry on for a long time.

He said it better than that, and it sounded more logical, but the idea is that the walking is both the least glamorous and perhaps the hardest because it’s such a long, slow slog.

I’m back in a quiet state again. It comes every so often, when I’m empty of the usual plans and enthusiasm. I used to try to psych myself back into action, but now I think it’s a necessary part of the rhythm of my life with God.

It’s not so much low energy as a holy hush. A call to wait. To hope in God.

Today I’m embracing the quiet. With my inner clamour stilled, I feel like I’m waiting… in hope… for God. There’s nothing big going on in my life right now, and I’m not expecting some great gust of Spirit wind to set me soaring, but a greater sense of His presence would definitely renew my strength for the next steps of the walk.

Maybe that’s why they call it “walking with God”?

Father God, thank You that You don’t set us on the road and leave us alone. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, with us to comfort and to guide. Thank You that anytime, anywhere, we can quiet our own spirits and rest in You. Please help us learn to do this more and more, so we can grow strong in relationship with You and follow You without growing weary or fainting.

Our song this week is “You Raise Me Up,” performed here by the group Selah.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hArAHVWps70&feature=related

Time with the Father

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Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Psalm 103:2, NIV*

I was thinking in last week’s post, “Missing the Inheritance,” about how as Christians we often don’t realize what we have in God’s Kingdom. Peter says we have everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and sometimes we live like miserable creatures with little hope and less resources or joy.

That’s a sad truth, and we do need to learn to appreciate and accept all that our Father lavishes on us when He adopts us as His own, but as Jenny from Captured by God commented last week, that’s not the ultimate focus.

The best gift God gives us is relationship with Himself. If we can’t delight in Him, we won’t gain much from the other benefits of being His children. We probably won’t even notice many of them.

God… the God of the universe, Creator, Sustainer, Rescuer… loves us and longs to spend time with us. And we come asking for endless lists of things, or complaining, or fretting. Or we’re like the prodigal son’s elder brother, too busy working for his father to spend time with him.

Father God, I’m so thankful You’ve made a way for us to be reconciled to You, to be Your children. Thank You for caring for us and inviting us to bring You our concerns and needs. Please forgive us for the times we stop there, or we don’t leave our work long enough to talk with You. Please quiet our spirits and teach us the delight of abiding in You. Help us learn to recognize and rest in Your presence as we go about our days. Help us delight in You.

Our song for the week is “Divine Romance,” by Phil Wickham.

Missing the Inheritance

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Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’

Luke 15:25-32, NIV*

This is the tail end of the Prodigal Son story. The stray son has come home repentant, and the father has thrown a party. Enter the older brother, wondering what the commotion is about. When he finds out, he’s angry. It’s not fair.

And it isn’t.

It’s merciful, extravagant… love. It’s a perfect picture of the God who shatters the boundaries we like to put up, who doesn’t write people off the way we do. The God of second chances.

Over the years I’ve come to appreciate grace enough to delight in the younger son’s reconciliation with his father. But I still felt the responsible son hadn’t been treated well. Not even one measly goat for a pot-luck with his buddies!

It hit me the other day – did he ever ask?

Listen to him: “All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.” Is that what the father truly wanted?

Hard work, sure, but how about partnership? Working for the good of the family farm (and fortune). It would be his someday, as firstborn, but he wasn’t seeing his inheritance. Only his obligation.

Maybe I ought to give the black sheep son more credit. Sure, he made stupid choices, but at least he understood he had an inheritance.

I hear great sadness in the father’s response to his elder son’s anger. Maybe it’s not only sadness that his firstborn can’t see the joy of restoration. Maybe it’s also for a young man who’s missed the joy of sonship and settled for a servant’s role.

Father, we’re to hold You in holy awe because You are God. But You’ve also adopted us as Your children. Please open me to understand and receive the full benefits of intimacy with You. Forgive me for the times I’ve seen only responsibility when You longed for relationship. How great is the love You have lavished upon us, that we may be called the sons and daughters of God!

Our song for the week is “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us,” sung here by Selah.

Janet Sketchley

Writing Christian Mysteries & Suspense

Tag Archives: praise

Peace in Trials

Jesus is in My Boat

I Spy… God at Work

Seeing… and Responding

Satisfied by God’s Goodness

God’s Presence with Us

Praise God in the Now

Waiting, Hoping… and Walking

Time with the Father

Missing the Inheritance