Author: thischicksinpeace

It has been a while since I wrote about verse one. I would highly recommend going back to read my Blog about it-I just did for a refresher!

Psalm 23:1 reads

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

NIV

While studying deeply into that verse, we discussed at great lengths what a SHEPHERD is…and what a SHEPHERD does: provides, protects, and guides.

Psalm 23:2

He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters

NIV

You let me rest in fields of green grass, you lead me to streams of peaceful waters

CEV

In multiple commentaries on this verse, the word “REST” stands out to mean  repose: a state of tranquility in one particular place.

Think about that for a minute…being tranquil (free from disturbance; calm) in one place.

When was the last time you rested calmly- tranquilly- without thinking of what else needs to be done or where else you need to go?

Let’s be honest~ I can be on a beach while on vacation and relax entirely. HOWEVER, my mind is often wandering to what we will eat for dinner or what the plan will be for the next day.

If you have small children, this thinking is intensified no matter how relaxed you are in that moment of watching them play.

If you have teenagers- if we’re being honest- worrying if they are having as much fun as you are will also be on your mind in that moment.

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If you are a woman- utter transparency here- concern over how you look in your bathing suit may filter through your thoughts as well.

What would tranquil look like in that moment? Probably my husband-sound asleep on the beach with no care in the world to disrupt him…because I am thinking about enough things for the both of us!

And I would still say that I am relaxed in that moment.

But am I tranquil?

So, in this verse, when we read that He makes me rest ( be tranquil in one place), a new meaning of what that is suddenly surfaces. It looks different now, doesn’t it?

Where do we rest? In green pastures.

I read an article once that taught what we think of green pastures and what that means in Israel is not the same thing! I live in Michigan, so, when I picture pastures of green I am thinking of rolling hills with wild flowers beautifully canvasing the landscape.

Therefore, what this means biblically is a place of both delight and plenty. It refers to the tender shoots- young grass- that is different from “ripe” grass. Tender grass is delicate food for the flocks and yet they lie down tranquilly upon it.

The flock is able to lie down in perfect rest on the abundancy of tender grass usually enjoyed as their food because they already have all they need…all has been provided that they require.

WE are able to rest in tranquility, although surrounded by the MORE we usually crave, without any desire to enhance what we have already received: provision, protection, and guidance from our Shepherd.

Not only are we able to rest there…but He makes us rest fully satisfied.

And then, as if that is not enough,  He leads us beside quiet waters.

I love the beauty of the ocean as it crashes wave after wave onto the shoreline…but I doubt that turbulence is perceived as restful to a crew manning a ship out at sea as they fight the beautiful yet powerful gales thrusting them to and fro.

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The quiet, stillness of simple waves onto the beach is soothing. I can have a conversation with someone in that calmer space. I can hear the other sounds of nature and creation that surround me while I sit watching the water.

I also love a good waterfall: in Michigan, we boast of many to enjoy! The power of the water as it pours over the edge is massive as well as amazing. I stand in awe as the water erodes the landscape, changing the environment year after year.

But am I relaxed as I watch the frenzy of water falling? Am I calm when my husband and sons try to get closer and closer to the edge to feel the splashes as it rushes by?

No.

Now picture this: the trickling of a brook or stream as it bounces off rocks heading to a bigger body of water. Perhaps the sun is sparkling off it sending twinkles of light as the water flows by peacefully.

Resting beside quiet waters, still waters, provokes no fear, no anxiety or worry, no adrenaline rush…just calmness.

There is a time and place for power….for energy…for adrenaline. But this is a time provided by our Shepherd for tranquil enjoyment of having all we need right here and now.

That is what the Shepherd is giving us: respite, repose, rest, refreshment, relaxation, rejuvenation, restoration.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want .

It sounds wonderful.

So, we must ask the question,  how do we achieve that experience of fulfillment?

Through trusting in the Shepherd:  we MUST go where He leads.

These are wonderful verses (and we have only unpacked two of them!), but they MEAN NOTHING if we do not obey the guidance of our Shepherd…our Savior…our Father…our Lord.

Rebelling against the shepherd’s leading is actually rebelling against our own best interests. We must remember this the next time we are tempted to go our own way rather than the shepherd’s way…When we allow our Shepherd to guide us, we have contentment.

NIV Study Note

Jesus knows the green pastures and still waters that will restore you…just as He knows what is best for me. The Shepherd always knows what is best for His flock.

Our role is to trust in the Shepherd so we can be content exactly where we are in life…not where we think we should be or where we wish we were or where we used to be…exactly where we are right now.

What is your circumstance today?

Are you in pain- physically or emotionally?

Do you feel empty and without value?

Are you sick?

Are you scared?

Are you grieving?

Are you angry? Have you been hurt by someone?

My heart is aching today…my grief is real and fresh. The anticipation of that grief growing and multiplying into different directions is building. The idea of saying “goodbye” haunts my reality and torments my sleep. I do not write pithy statements of faith to only encourage you…I write to encourage me as well.

Therefore, JOIN ME in this~

Let the Good Shepherd lead you to green pastures and still waters today.

Psalm 23 could be called the best known Psalm due to its universal theme of trusting in God. It is written on plaques for decoration, sung in songs, read aloud liturgically, and even prayed. Its authorship is credited to King David- a man after God’s own heart.

I have read this Psalm for years and have found that the depth of each verse stands out collectively but also individually. To me, that is one trait to make this project an appealing challenge: to study each verse one at a time.

It has been on my heart to do this for a long time, so I will be curious to see where the Lord takes us as He reveals His message through our efforts in mediative reflection.

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

NIV

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The Amplified translation writes it this way:

The Lord is my Shepherd {to feed me, to guide and to shield me}, I shall not want.

I think to best analyze this verse, I need to understand what a shepherd is. Obviously, he is one who guards sheep…but, also, is one who guides or directs in a particular direction.

Biblically, especially Old Testement biblically, a shepherd’s role was to protect the flock while guiding them to pastures with plenty of food and slow-moving water to drink from easily. If the grass was of poor quality, the sheep would become malnourished and if the water was moving too quickly, the sheep would be fearful to drink from it.

Guiding the sheep to good pastures kept the flock healthy.

For the shepherd, providing nourishment was more than eating and drinking: it was eating and drinking what would be sustaining and edifying.

We sure can get lost in the shuffle of the day to day, can’t we? It can be too easy to get lost in the status quo and not be intentional in putting more purpose in our activities throughout our days. Being busy doesn’t make it any easier, does it?

I am a pretty busy person…For starters my work days, although I’m considered to be “part-time”, consist of random “stop times” depending on our staffing numbers at the hospital and the acuity of the patients we are caring for that day. This means I could end my work day earlier than planned (giving me extra time to accomplish things) or later than anticipated.

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My husband works very hard for a living as well. His job has him traveling out of state a few times a month with very little notice. Sometimes, his travel is just for one day and other times it is for almost a whole work week. Although the blessings of his traveling are apparent, it adds to the busyness of our weekly plans.

My son’s have their own things going on that require scheduling…thankfully, my oldest -although Navy bound- is home to assist me with chauffeuring the youngest son to wherever he needs to be. I am beyond grateful to have his help and that we have a vehicle for them to share when that time is needed!!

Let’s face it~ getting kids from Point A to Point B is a full-time job!!! Most parents do work for a living so getting kids to practice at all hours of the work day is difficult!!!

I also am in school again myself to finish my Ministry Preparation Program. In addition to homework, I have monthly meetings for monitoring my ministerial progress, I host Bible studies, and have friends I like to spend time with.

Did I mention that I must feed my family and buy groceries in order to do so??

I have teenage sons. Enough said.

Protecting my sheep (my son’s) and providing for them is a full-time job – and I already listed what else I am doing with my days so you are aware of the time constraints I am under.

I could easily feed them; but I more desire to nourish them.

Do you see the difference there?

Some days it is truly all I can do to put a frozen pizza in the oven or bring home take-out. They are also pretty savvy in making their own food from whatever is in the house (if I took the time to stock it). But, most days, I want to make sure that what they are eating will keep them healthy…a fairly well-balanced, mostly fresh made meal -with plenty of leftovers to get them through their evening snack hours!

I want them nourished from good pastures.

As for their calm waters to drink from? Let’s just say if I make it easy for them to stay nourished then they will do so…if I don’t have my kitchen stocked with what they can make for themselves, then I leave them to alternate options that will not meet their physical needs or minimal cooking abilities.

Does that make sense?

As a shepherd of my sheep, I need to take care of them in the best way I can to meet their needs- not my own. Frankly, I can come home from work and eat a bowl of cereal and be content. However, my weight-lifting, body building, football playing, growing 15 year old needs more than that.

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It is my job to provide it.

With that perspective and understanding of a shepherd as a provider in mind…let’s talk a little about the shepherd as the protector.

In biblical times, the sheep in a pasture were susceptible to attacks by predators. Remember when David went to fight Goliath?? He said he had been prepped for battle because he had fought against both a lion and a bear.

In order to protect, a shepherd must be alert to the possibility of an attack as well as aware of what would be necessary to fight.

Being ALERT and PREPARED are key factors.

Denying that trouble could be around the bend is a dangerous thing…we must not be naive to our surroundings.

Refusing to plan in advance for ways that we can be prepared against danger is also foolish. We must stay educated and diligent on how best manage or navigate certain circumstances.

David knew how to use a slingshot…I doubt using it to kill Goliath was his first attempt. I also doubt he first used it when killing a bear. I imagine he practiced using it while leading his sheep or watching over them as they ate.

David was also aware of his surroundings. This expectancy and alertness kept him in tune with the environment he was in.

As the protector, David could not prevent danger from coming to his flock, but he could certainly be prepared when it did come his way.

Can you think of the last time you felt safe? What was happening around you that aided you in feeling secure?

Was it the roof over your head in a storm?

Your spouse’s presence in the house?

The balance in your checkbook that covered your bills?

The medication you take that fights illness?

None of those things keeps danger from coming your way, but they do -in one way or another- keep you out of harm’s way.

Can you see how having a shepherd gives you all you need?

When it really comes down to it…if you are nourished and feel safe what more could you want?

If I am wearing a comfortable pair of shoes, could I desire to own a new pair? Yes. But could I recognize that I don’t need a new pair since my feet do not hurt? Yes.

Do you desire MORE? I am sure most of us do. Do we think having MORE will help us to be MORE content, MORE safe, MORE nourished? Probably.

But if I am full what more do I need? If I am full does it matter if my sustanence came from oatmeal or steak? My need had been met after all.

A good shepherd knows what I NEED and provides it: protection and nourishment and guidance.

Does he guide me where I think I should go? Not necessarily.

He guides me where he knows is best for me…where I am safest and better nourished.

THAT is what the Lord provides as our Shepherd…the One who guides and shields and feeds us.

With God in that role we truly have all we want.

Our role- as His sheep that He tenderly protects and provides for while guiding- is to trust in Him.

Can you do that?

It’s one step at time friends…one step of faith at a time.

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He who believes in Me {who trusts in, adheres to, and relies on Me}, as the Scripture has said, ‘from his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’

John 7:38 AMP

This passage is Jesus talking to a crowd near the Tabernacle at the end of the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem (one of 3 Jewish festivals where people lived in makeshift shelters for 7 days to commemorate the Israelites wandering in the wilderness and living in tents).

Can you imagine no longer being thirsty?

Before Jesus made this statement,He called out to the crowds telling them if they are thirsty to come to Him…

These dog days of summer have been so hot! Because of the heat, I have not gone too far without my water bottle!! The heat makes me thirsty and being thirsty makes me anxious if I don’t have an option to “wet my whistle”.

Jesus is declaring when we come to Him in belief of who He is, we will have streams of living water to refresh us.

The living water He provides will satisfy us as well as others.

It will never end.

Being replenished sure sounds good, doesn’t it?

What do you need replenishment from?

Grief?

Sickness?

Loneliness?

Work fatigue?

Raising a family fatigue?

Financial fatigue?

Pain?

Endless waiting?

Insomnia?

The list can be endless.

The day to day of life can also be as draining as a crisis, can’t it??

Wouldn’t you like to dip your cup into living water that continually flows?

Jesus says it’s pretty easy…but, easier said than done on our own effort:

We must believe in Him.

That belief means we trust Him and rely on Him…

When I take a drink of cold water on a hot day, the heat of the day doesn’t change…what is altered is the soothing inside of me as the water goes down.

Also, one drink is not enough…I will require another and another to satisfy the need to soothe what is dry and parched.

The same goes with our belief in Jesus: Saying I believe can quench the first part of my thirst.

Living for Jesus, leaning on Him, spending time with Him, growing in Him is the living water He offers…which continually flows.

It’s replenishing through the pain and illness, in the grief and loneliness, while the bills are being paid and the family is being raised…

The inside is being soothed as the outside weathers on.

Continually flowing living water sounds peaceful in its neverending provision…

Drink up.

Do you like to do what you want when you want?

I believe, here in the US, we call that our right, correct?

It is through my freedoms provided by my country, I am enabled to do what I want when I want to do it.

Most of us do that within reason, though,don’t we? I mean, if I am running late and I come to a red light I do stop at it even though I want to keep going.

We wait in lines (mostly patient) at stores or amusement parks even though we want to be the first in line.

We teach our children that dessert comes after dinner even though they want it NOW.

Those, and other examples aside, we still want what we want and when we want it.

These days, the word we use to describe that “feeling” is instant gratification.

Other words or phrases that can be applicable to this desire are entitled or privileged.

If we are being honest, this pull to have what we want has also corrupted our faith..we want the benefit of grace without accepting the accountability to God for extending it to us.

We want the gift without the occasion or thank you note.

My son just graduated from high and chose to have an Open House. My husband told him that other than a wedding, this is the primo time in life where people are incredibly generous with their gift giving whether they know you well or not.

The occasion is his high graduation celebration and entering into the phase of his life (US Navy bound🤗).

His “job” is now to say thank you for the generosity displayed toward him.

Let’s be real, NO ONE likes to write thank you notes, but they are a necessary “evil” aren’t they?

We MUST tell the gift-giver thank you for the gift.

We simply must.

If we don’t?

People notice.

Worse than that?

They remember.

I believe a lack of gratitude comes full circle…think of that person who did not say thank you~ I am going to imagine that was not the first time in their life they did not express thanks. I would go so far to assume they felt entitled to what was given to them so -in their mind- why be grateful?

That attitude catches up to folks. It turns into bitterness in them, NOT the gift giver. The Giver tends to keep on giving, but the ungrateful person becomes unable to appreciate what is been given.

That turns a heart cold.

The gift of God’s grace is no different.

The occasion of grace is twofold:

1) The mere fact that God CHOSE to create us in HIS image
2) Jesus came to ensure our welcome into the family of God

We didn’t do anything for this gift…the occasion is because GOD WANTED TO.

Isn’t that reason enough to be thankful?

Yet it has become too easy to take His grace for granted.

Saying you are thankful and showing your thankfulness are NOT the same thing.

For my son, his Open House thank you note will be sufficient…but that heartfelt hug he gives in gratitude and love will secure the meaning in his words.

With God, our words of thankfulness in prayer are heard…but HE sees our heart to know how much those words really mean.

God sees beyond the thank you note.

In the book of Isaiah, God gives a warning to His prophet. In Chapter 1 verse 15, Isaiah writes:

Even though you offer many prayers, I will not be listening.

AMP

Why would God say that?? His Word tells us:

Your hands are full of blood.

AMP

God goes on to say through Isaiah these words of instruction:

Wash your hands.

Get your evil deeds out of my sight.

Stop doing evil.

Learn to do good.

Seek justice.

Rebuke the ruthless.

Defend the fatherless.

Plead for the widow.

AMP vs 16-17

God sees the heart of His people who pray. He knows sincerity when He hears it.

And our gratitude for His grace will be evident in how we live our lives.

I am somewhat fascinated by the concept of Redemptive Suffering.

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Considering that the majority of what I write about and reflect upon is on the subject, I am sure that you-my readers- would agree with that analysis!

Another subject that captivates me is theodicy. This means vindication of God: its purpose is to answer the question of why a good God permits the manifestation of evil.

If there was one question that drove me into a grief counseling class after the death if my sister in law, it was this:

How could a good God allow us to make choices that have consequences that can destroy us??

Ever been there in your thinking?

In my opinion, you don’t get much deeper than that when searching for life’s meaning and where faith fits into it all.

Two words have come into my vocabulary since that question was first formulated, second asked, and third answered:

GRACE and MERCY.

These two words have come to mean a lot to me in my quest for understanding of why bad things happen and why do we suffer.

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However, my reflection for today is on another aspect of suffering: why do we admire those who have suffered “well” and yet complain so much about it when it is our turn?

Is there pride to be found in suffering?

Here is where my thought process began:

James 5:10-11

For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.

NIV

Can you think of a person, either in your life or one you have read about/seen in the news, that suffered greatly and seemed to come through it with grace and favor?

We do love the underdog who overcomes story, don’t we?

Those people who have experienced great pain or tragedy fascinate society ESPECIALLY when they seem to have a “happy ending” of sorts.

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This story of Job that James speaks of? He lost everything. At the end, though, he gained it all back: new wealth, new belongings, new children even.

I must ask this:

Do you really think that having NEW takes away the pain of what he lost???

When we watch those wonderful movies about people who have overcome great obstacles to achieve incredible things, do we really think they have forgotten their pain as they endured unspeakable horrors because they are now on New Yorks Best Seller’s list???

I would say not.

Then why do we admire their suffering?

Why do we despise our own?

If we admire them, we should find pride in our own…correct?

If only…

As James writes, we give great honor to those who endure under suffering.

We admire those who have suffered.

But we cannot feel the same for ourselves.

In our suffering, we feel weak. Useless. Hopeless. Scared.

Do we really think that those we admire and honor felt any different?

Do we admire them because they endured and we know the full story of redemption for them?

Or do we admire them for the redemption only?

Or do we admire them for the enduring?

If I focus on the end of the story for my judgment of approval, I am missing out on the important part: THE PROCESS.

In the midst of the circumstance is where the lesson is …not the outcome.

The reward is what is learned through the process…NOT what is gained after.

For a runner, winning a race would be very nice…but, in my novice opinion, the pride comes from the endurance learned so I can finish.

I think we admire and honor those who have suffered, when we really think about it, because of HOW they endured. We want to know HOW they did it.

And when we know HOW then we know we can do it too.

The HOW is a much better reward than the gains after.

Job called on the Lord and praised Him during his horrific time of suffering. For that, we honor him.

The apostle Stephen looked up to heaven and saw the face of Jesus as he was being stoned…For that, we honor him.

The prophets of the Old Testament were ridiculed, imprisoned, banished, isolated…and yet they continued to speak the Lord’s truth. For that, we honor them.

God provided strength to endure in their suffering as a testimony to us that He will provide the same.

Their life testimony of suffering gives witness to the faithfulness of God so we can be encouraged when it is our turn to endure our own time of suffering.

It is possible to emulate what it is we admire. We do so when we try to sing like our favorite singer, style our clothing like our favorite actor, work out and eat like our favorite athlete.

Why not do the same with those who have endured?

Discover their HOW…and do that.

And then discover the Lord’s tenderness and mercy for yourself.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake….

Colossians 1:24

What an interesting verse.

This passage is by the apostle Paul writing to the church in Colosse. He was writing to encourage them in their faith because they had issues swirling around them much like the Church still has today: syncretism (the tendency to regard other philosophies and religions as equally valued as Christianity).

The church in Colosse wanted to believe in the truth taught by Christ, but they also wanted to hang onto their own old beliefs by blending what they had previously lived into the gospel.

Paul reminds the church that God had reconciled them to Him through Christ even while they (and we) were estranged from Him.

It is because of this that Paul says:

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf.”

The suffering that Paul endured is being compared to the suffering that Jesus would still be enduring if He were walking in the flesh in this world today.

Jesus was persecuted repeatedly for calling out the hypocrites in the Church… the leaders that favored power and greed over love.

Jesus was persecuted for loving those unseen by society instead of preferring the company of the “popular crowd”.

Jesus was persecuted for His blatant refusal to judge and punish a person who had sinned based on man’s measurement of what sin looks worse.

Jesus was persecuted for seeing the real need of a person while still healing their infirmities.

Jesus was persecuted because He lived life by God’s Law (to love God and others) and NOT the law made by men to keep people in line and was to be kept no matter the outlying circumstances.

Jesus was persecuted because He showed grace and mercy.

What He died for caused many to be scared because His very existence rocked the boat of legalism and control.

This is the suffering that Paul speaks of that he can rejoice in.

When Paul is beaten for teaching the truth, he rejoices for He is like Christ.

When Paul is arrested for reaching out to those in need in ways that goes against the legalistic rules of society, he rejoices for he is like Christ.

When Paul is banished from a town, stoned to the point of near -death, starved and cold because he has no place to stay…he rejoices.

Why?

For he is like Christ.

Can I say that?

Paul says his suffering is for your sake…He means the church’s sake…those in Colosse…those who read his letters…us.

He suffers so they don’t have to…just like Christ.

His suffering paves a way for them so they don’t have to…just like Christ.

His suffering gives them an example to follow when their time of suffering is inevitable…just like Christ.

Again I ask~

Can I say that??

Through hindsight I can see where my suffering is for the greater good of others. The Lord has enabled me to see where His goodness surrounded me through the trials I was enduring.

Looking back I can see so clearly.

In the moment, however….it is a struggle.

I was once taught to draw a timeline of faith where I would pinpoint where God had sustained me throughout my years. This timeline, much like the commands given in Exodus to remember what the Lord has done, provides encouragement through my current struggles.

I need to choose to remember where the Lord has carried me through before though.

One way, to aid my memory, is to read my Bible daily. It seems a simple task…yet the discipline of reading every day is one of the most challenging things a Christian will face in their faith.

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By choosing to intentionally read my Bible, I see the notes in the margins I have made over the years and the passages I have highlighted.

I also receive new insight from the Lord as His Spirit opens my eyes to Scripture as I read it as if I had never seen those verses before.

But, by daily spending time in His Word, I am also in the habit to continue to do so when those times of suffering are upon me. Suddenly, I am in a position to remember the faithfulness of God.

When I am thankful for what He has done, I can find peace in knowing that He is still doing, and be hopeful for what He is yet to do and will do.

Thankfulness leads to peace which leads to hope.

Therefore I CAN rejoice in my suffering because it is not all about me anymore…My suffering, my struggle, my pain, my sickness, my insecurities, my fear, my sorrow are ALL for your sake.

I can say that because God will use every last little thing that I give Him for His good and His glory.

He will use my suffering on your behalf…to be an encouragement to you…to shine a light in the dark spaces…to offer HOPE in a hopeless place.

If there is a PURPOSE for my pain then my pain becomes worthwhile.

And because I desire to follow the command given by Jesus to love my neighbor as myself, I can be better prepared to say “USE MY SUFFERING, LORD, SO OTHERS DON’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT I DID.”

If others can learn from my example then so be it Lord.

Thy will be done.

I will rejoice.

Hebrews 13:5
Be content with what you have…

It may seem a silly analogy, but it is anything BUT silly to me.

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After almost 22 years of marriage, this ring has not been off of my finger. It was given to me almost 25 years ago near Old Mission Lighthouse on Grand Traverse Bay.

The center diamond fell out and is forever gone.

For a wife…a bride….this is devastating.

It can be replaced, but it will NOT be the same.

It could be made new, but then it would not LOOK the same.

In my life, I have known many things…but a realization about CONTENTMENT with what I HAD has now come flooding over me.

I don’t NEED new.
I don’t WANT an upgrade.

I was perfectly content with what I had and what I had is what I want.

It would have been “easy” to  be swayed by the other sparkling options…a different color setting more fitting for the times than my archaic gold…to jump on an opportunity for change due to the circumstances…

But I was content.
I AM content.

I am thankful to have been given what was given to me in a declaration of love.

I am thankful for the life that sprung out of our commitment of marriage.

Why ask for more when what I had been given was MORE THAN ENOUGH?

I have to make a change- I am forced to because of the loss…the reality is that my ring will not be the same…but I made a choice: I have chosen an option as close to the original that I possibly could.

It will be SIMILAR yet different.

Just like we are now after 22 years of marriage, with a son heading off to the Navy, and the other growing up quickly before our eyes.

It will be different just as my hands look different from the young woman’s hand that first recieved her ring from her beloved.

But… that’s ok.

I’m going to notice the difference and I will appreciate the difference.

Why is that?

Because I know I was content with what I had… therefore I can be thankful for what I have been given next.

The book of Genesis is full of incredible accounts of God visiting His chosen people! If you have not spent much time in Genesis, I would highly recommend a revisit sometime soon!

Abraham is considered the Father of the Israel people (as a child, I sang a song in Children’s Church called “Father Abraham had many sons” 🎵).

Abraham was quite up in his years when God told him that his wife (a woman who had never born a child) would give birth at the age of near 100.

Slight digression: my high school prom date just delivered his first child (a set of twins actually!) at the ripe age of 45…the mere thought left me exhausted!! Happy for him,but exhausted!! I thought 45 sounded old to begin parenting…and here Sarah is in her 90’s!!!

Back on track:

So…needless to say when the promise God gave to Sarah and Abraham was not fulfilled in their timeline➡️ Sarah took measures into her own hands and told her husband to go procreate with her maid so she could have a son that way.

Times were different then folks….this was an acceptable custom🤷

Hagar (the maid) gave birth to a son and named him Ishmael. This, in and of itself, is a whole story that won’t be unpacked here today.

God reminded Abraham and Sarah that it would be through Sarah that Abraham’s legacy would be given and not through their micromanaging that resulted in the birth of Ishmael.

Sarah becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son.

She names him Isaac~ which means laughter. Can you imagine the joy he must have given her???

Genesis 21:9-10

As time went on, Sarah saw Ishmael -the son of Hagar- mocking Isaac. Therefore, she said to Abraham, “Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.

AMP

This seems harsh, doesn’t it? Drive them out…

Abraham was, of course, distressed over this request. Ishmael was his son…no matter how or why he was conceived, Ishmael was his child- his firstborn even.

Sarah’s point was clear- Ishmael will not be an heir with my son.

God’s response to Abraham was pretty brutal in its honesty…

Genesis 21:12

Do not let it distress you because of Ishmael and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her and do what she asks, for your descendants will be named through Isaac.

AMP

God also informs Abraham, as a form of comfort perhaps, that a nation will be named through Ishmael as well. But that nation is not, and never was going to be, the nation that God had chosen to be His people.

Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away.

Talk about a mess of a situation.

This was the second time Sarah had cast aside Hagar- the first was told to us in Genesis 16. Sarah had told Abraham to lie with her maid and after he did….she got jealous because the maid got an attitude of superiority over achieving what Sarah could not.

Sarah got angry because Hagar had what Sarah had willingly given to her.

Here we are again with Ishmael and Isaac where the older brother picks on the younger… A repeat of a superiority complex maybe?

Regardless… the mother bear in Sarah wakes up and sees that Ishmael has got to go. Picking on her son was not going to happen…especially by someone who would ultimately feel entitled to receive all that would be given to Isaac. For Sarah- that would never happen.

In all honesty, that would never happen for God either.

God had a plan. He told Abraham (and Sarah) the plan. They chose a different route to bring that plan to fruition.

THEY changed the way the plan would occur…not God.

Their involvement led to a sticky situation.

If they would have KEPT THEIR HANDS OUT OF IT things would have been far less complicated.

“This complicated situation was part of the price Abraham had to pay for trying to bring about God’s promises in his own time”.

AMP Study Note

Wow.

Do you have difficulties in your life? If you are willing to be 100% honest could admit that there is a chance some of the complications are due to your own choices?

Ouch.

It is easy to blame God for the difficulties in our lives…He is sovereign after all. He is the Alpha and Omega.

But, like with Hagar, He didn’t make you choose certain behaviors that led to the place where you are right now.

He isn’t that kind of God.

A loving God lets His people choose to follow His wisdom and counsel.

A dictator makes puppets out of his followers- giving them no choice to make without a threat of punishment.

Every choice we make has a consequence~ either good or bad.

Every choice.

I ask again, is there a difficulty in your life that you are trying to entangle due to the complication you may have created on your own efforts?

Some complications are created by the efforts of others that we pay a price for…that we have either accept or work very hard to disentangle ourselves from.

I can’t help but think of the environment issues…I highly doubt the person who invented plastic bottles, pesticides, or exhaust fumes to ever dreamt they could impact our earth so negatively…Yet, here we are.

The important thing to remember is how God handled the “complication” (named Hagar and Ishmael): with mercy.

God always provided for them.

Did they receive the inheritance of Isaac? No…because that was never the plan. However, their role in that situation was not their fault either so God gave them a life in Egypt.

God continues to provide for us even as we create our own complications or begin to entangle ourselves from our self imposed complications.

God provides wisdom… medication…comfort…mercy…grace…forgiveness…LOVE.

If you find yourself in a place that you believe God did not intend for you to go, He WILL provide a way out and back to Him.

It may be painful…it may require humbling yourself in admittance that you made a mistake…it may take a sacrifice on your part to return to the pathway of peace…it might mean paying the penalty of the choice that had been made…

All the while~

You are still LOVED.

You are freed from shame.

You are made new.

You can be restored.

You are never alone.

David also said to Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.”

NIV

King David had come to the end of his days and was commissioning his son, Solomon, to use the plans to build the temple that he had made.

1 Chronicles 28:2-3

King David said, “I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. But God said to me, “You are not to build a house for My Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.”

NIV

Solomon was the appointed next king of Israel after the death of King David and was obligated to fulfill God’s will for the nation. King David had instructed that the temple was not for man but for the Lord and was to be a visible witness for God to all other nations.

Following in the footsteps of David would have been no small feat for Solomon. He already was opposed by his brothers for his place on the throne as he was not the first born son to the king. He was, however, appointed by God to rule.

Solomon’s heritage is that he was the second born son to Bathsheba and King David- his infant brother died as a consequence to the sin of David’s affair with Bathsheba and subsequent murder of her husband as a means for cover-up.

1 Chronicles 28:5-7

Of all my sons- and the Lord has given me many- He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. He said to me, “Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son and I will be his Father. I will establish his kingdom forever if he is unswerving in carrying out my commands and laws, as is being done at this time.”

NIV

Talk about pressure.

Have you ever felt the pressure to either begin a task that was really important or to finish a task that another person -who you believed to be more capable -had started?

Have you ever felt the weight of the world on your shoulders as you were trying to make a decision about something?

Using that context, I can’t help but to think about high school seniors. They have been following all the rules set before them for years; they have been going where they were told to go and to stand where they were told to stand. They wear what is “allowed” to be worn according to school dress codes, they eat when they are told to eat, and they even study what they are told they need to study in order to graduate.

AND NOW THEY ARE ON THE CUSP OF HAVING TO MAKE ALL THOSE DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES UPON GRADUATION.

It sounds exciting to them, doesn’t it? To be able to go where I want, study what I want, not study if I want, eat what I want and when I want, and to wear whatever feels comfortable or strikes my fancy.

Suddenly, every decision for their future is now in their own hands.

Do I want to go to college? Which one? For what?? How do I pay for it???

Do I follow in the career path of my parents? Do I have to take over the family business?? When do I take it over since the folks are still working at it???

Do I get a job? What kind of job??

Do I go into the military? Which branch?? And to do what???

In an instant there are a multitude of choices waiting to be chosen…

It can be overwhelming.

Especially if you do not have a specific plan and feel like you need one.

Solomon was taking over the kingdom from a well-loved, widely respected, completely capable, warrior king that was rumored to have been described by GOD to be a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).

David was leaving Solomon with strict, well-thought out instructions on how to rule and if Solomon followed those instructions then the prosperity of Israel and the continuation of David’s descendants on the throne would be ensured.

All Solomon had to do was what he was told.

There it is again… Can you feel that pressure?

Imagine there is something that is being asked of you to do…

Do you feel you are capable of accomplishing it?

Do you feel you are equipped to get it done?

Do you feel confident in your life-skills as a person?

I think it would be easy to initially answer with a “yes…sure…I could do it” once we knew what it was that was being asked of us and that thing was within our “toolshed” of experience.

But what if it is something you have never done before? What if it is something that takes you out of your comfort zone? What if it is something that requires a lot of your time and money or resources? What if it goes against the grain or the plan that was set out before you for many years?

You would KNOW it needs to be done and you have a feeling that you ARE the one to do it…yet, the hesitation to say “yes” is quite strong.

The desire to settle for the answer of “I don’t think I can” is soon taking shape on your lips.

Solomon does not have that luxury to say no or to hesitate. If he says “no thanks- I’ll pass” or does not do things the way he is told to do them, then the consequences are very grave for him, his people, and his legacy.

That pressure starts pushing heavier…

You can’t say no…You have to do it…You have to do it well…You have to do it right.

I would be very afraid to make a move with that kind of pressure looming over me when I realize that there is a lot at stake here.

Is there something that you KNOW you should be doing but you are not?

Is God calling to you do something, go somewhere, say something and you are wondering if He has asked the wrong person because there is something not matching up with His request and you?

What holds you back from being obedient?

That’s what it is, you know…being obedient to the Lord…

Does doing what the Lord has called you to do make you feel afraid?

• will you have to give up something to do it?
• will you lose something to do it?
• will it cost you something to do it?
• will you be embarrassed if you do it?
• what if you don’t do it perfectly and stumble in your efforts?
• what if it changes you if you do it?
• what will people think if you do it?

David had clear words of wisdom for his son:

1. Be strong (tough, fit, hardy, mighty)
2. Be courageous (fearless, adventurous, spirited, audacious, daring)
3. AND DO THE WORK.

As a good father, David says to JUST DO THE WORK.

DO the job.

DO the task set before you.

DO what God has called you to do.

Then, David gives this encouragement for Solomon:

DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISCOURAGED.

How could David say that when the task set before his son is almost unattainable??

Because…

The Lord -MY God (remember David is a man after God’s own heart) will be with you.

He will not fail you.

He will not forsake you with the work not completed.

David would know best that God is faithful to complete what He has started…God was not going to go against His promises now.

“David advised Solomon not to be frightened about the size of his task as king and builder of the temple. Fear can immobilize us. The size of the job, its risks, or the pressure of the situation can cause us to freeze and do nothing. One remedy for fear is found here-do not focus on the fear; instead, get to work. Getting started is often the most difficult and frightening part of a job”.

NIV Life Application Study Bible Note

Don’t be immobilized by your fear of the risk, the job, or the pressure of the situation. JUST DO THE WORK. Get started. Trust that God has equipped those He has called and never leaves us until His job is completed.

BE UNAFRAID and do the work.

Revelations 21:3-4

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

NIV

Have you ever read the end of the book so you know the conclusion of the story as you work your way through a piece of literature?

Do you read the reviews of movies or TV shows and watch the previews before watching that show or movie for yourself?

Do you look at the faces of those walking off of a rollercoaster ride to search for a sense of an extreme thrill with fun or to see if they have misery written all over them?

Do you look at the plates of others at a restaurant to see what they order before deciding what you want to eat?

Knowing the conclusion of an experience helps to determine our perception of an experience either while still in the middle of it or standing at the beginning.

Knowing the conclusion INFLUENCES the entire storyline as we maneuver through the book or movie- doesn’t it?

Knowing the conclusion IMPACTS our own level of excitement while waiting to ride a rollercoaster.

Knowing the conclusion ALTERS our menu choices when we see how desirable a meal looks on another’s plate.

Remember the movie the Sixth Sense? Imagine watching it for the first time and knowing the ending because someone had spoiled the surprise by sharing it with you! The movie would suddenly take on a whole new meaning because the ending is known.

On the other hand, have you ever been in line for a ride, but you could not see much of where the ride was going to take you (perhaps it is in the dark) and you were not positioned to see anyone get off the ride so you could not see what their reactions were? All you could hear was their scream as the ride commenced and then nothing else.

With the movie? I’d be ticked! Half the entertainment is watching the characters find the resolution created by the writers. There is nothing like that “AHA!” moment!

With the rollercoaster? My anxiety would shoot through the roof as I waited for my turn! My excitement is enhanced when I see the thrill on others faces as they exit the ride I am waiting to go on. When my excitement overrides my anxiety I can enjoy myself all the more fully!

It is no different for us when we think about the conclusion of our own lives…our own stories.

When I think about what it is I am afraid of one of the first things I try to do is figure out what the outcome is going to be and how I will react in that scenario.

-THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST WAY TO SPEND MY TIME AS IT TENDS TO WORSEN MY FEELINGS OF FEAR-

However…it is a natural way to process big deal issues that we are working through or facing that make us afraid.

Let’s be real for a moment-

What is it that I am afraid of?

My friend dying of her cancer.

Why does that cause fear for me?

Because I do not want to feel that depth of pain associated with grief. I do not want to miss her. I do not want to feel the depth of agony that is inevitable when I watch her family learn to cope with her gone. I am scared of living the rest of my life without talking to anyone else the way I can talk to her.

How about another~

What is it that I am afraid of?

My son graduating from high school and leaving for the Navy.

Why does that make me afraid?

I am scared of what will happen to him: will he be hurt? will he quit following the Lord? will we not be able to see him for a very long time? will our family ever be the same with him coming and going as an adult who does not “need” his mom anymore in the way I am accustomed to providing? what if he does not want the same relationship with us, his parents, as we desire to have with him as an adult?

Ugh….This sharing hurts, but I can do another-

What is it that I am afraid of?

Illness and suffering within myself.

Why does that cause me fear?

I have dreams that I want to accomplish, a life I want to live…what if I can’t due to illness? What if my Crohn’s disease changes again and brings tremendous pain or debilitating fatigue that keeps me from functioning in the simplest of activities let alone in some of the more strenuous ones? What if Covid overtakes us again? What if these vaccines do not work? What if there are crippling post-Covid illnesses that we have yet to uncover that causes mass illnesses in those who have contracted it?

Last one-

What makes me afraid?

Insignificance.

Why would that cause fear?

The voice in my head that tells me I am not “good enough” would be right.

Do you have your own list?

When I try to figure out the conclusion on my own efforts, I find that I circle the pit of possibilities that enslave me to fear. In my effort to seek for control of a situation to alter the outcome I am desperate to achieve, my anxiety begins to cripple and oppress me while I start to crush relationships between my fingers that are squeezing too tight in an effort to hang on.

In one of the Lord’s many revealed ironies, the conclusion He provides rarely gives me a direct answer for any of the issues that I am waging war against. The revelations He gives does not tell me that:

my son will be ok

the pain of losing my friend will not hurt or severely impact me

my illness will not overcome me

Covid will disappear

Then what does God’s conclusion tell me?

FOREVER MORE THERE WILL BE NO MORE DEATH, PAIN, SORROW ,OR CRYING.

“No matter what you are going through, it is not the last word- God has written the final chapter, and it is about true fulfillment and eternal joy for those who love Him.”

Life Application Study Bible NIV

This verse tells me…AT SOME POINT…all that we suffer through, that causes us pain and fear, will be no more.

Yes, I will experience loss in this lifetime.

Yes, I will experience sickness and death in others and, most likely, myself someday.

Yes, I will experience disappointments and failures mixed in with achievements.

Yes, I will lose control over the things I foolishly thought I owned and managed, but were never mine in the first place as they were gifts entrusted to me by God.

Yes, there will be and are already legitimate reasons for me, and you, to become afraid.

But, in the face of all that, we have an even larger reason to be UNAFRAID:

WE KNOW THE CONCLUSION OF GOD’S STORY…A STORY WE HAVE BEEN WELCOMED TO BE A PART OF THROUGH OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST!

His conclusion has always been to wipe away the tears from our eyes as we come to live life eternally with Him in a place that there will never be darkness and will need no light for He IS the only light that will be shining.

This side of eternity hurts. I cannot downplay that…it is what it is. With sin in this world and an enemy doing everything he can to keep us from spending our eternity in freedom, brokenness is prevalent. With sin and brokenness comes death, dying, illness, and pain.

But through the work done on the Cross by Jesus, comes REDEMPTION for that sin, HEALING for that brokenness, HOPE through the death, dying, illnesses, and pain.

One day it will all be no more…and therein lies our hope.

Until that day of final victory~

We wait.

We endure.

We perservere.

We share the Good News to others that they have something to hope for too.

We trust in the Lord to provide for us in our need.

We believe in the promises of God that tell us

• we are more than conquerors,
• that all things all possible,
• that we can do all things,
• that He works all things for good,
• that He will never leave us alone,
• that we are blessed and loved and chosen,
• that He will equip us to do what is before us.

We remember the conclusion of the story.

We determine to become UNAFRAID.