Remembering

The thing about trusting in God is that it is sometimes hard to remember His promises when you're in the midst of tough times and hardships. I guess that is why it is important to have memory verses and fellowship and good friends. We often have to go to those things to remind ourselves that God is good. God is loving. God's plans will not fail, even when the people making things happen are not Godly people.

I am a child of God.

I know that God's plan will come to fruition even when it seems like nothing is going right.

I know that God loves me.

I know that God will use trials and difficulties in my life to make me stronger, to give me opportunities to serve in new ways, and to bring me back to Him.


Why, though, does it have to be so hard sometimes?

Memory verses, wk 2

I neglected to post the memory verses from week 2, so I'll post them now.

Isaiah 26: 3-4
The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in thee. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord we have an everlasting Rock.

Trust - it is hard sometimes. I've heard people say - if you can't trust the one who made you, who can you trust? But here's my roadblock . . . I'm not overly impressed with the functioning of my body, ya know? It doesn't hold together well, it has a lot of flaws (heart, gall bladder, hearing, legs diff lengths, etc), and frankly, I have some issues.

So faith takes more than some kind of blind trust in some kind of sugar daddy in the sky. I have to keep my mind steadfast. I have to CHOOSE to trust Him because He has kept his promises . .. on the larger scale. I have to remember that when I am living for Him, things work out better overall than when I'm living for comfort, or ease, or work, or myself.

I have an everlasting (eternal) Rock.

Promises

Studying Isaiah, I am overwhelmed by some of the promises that God made to Isreal and Judah, and consequently to us today. This book has a lot of horrible consequences for the unbelievers, but of course, wanting to stay positive, I'm looking harder at the promises. Here are a few I've found today in my reading:

45:22
Turn to me and be saves, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

46: 4
Even to your old age, i shall be the same, and even to your graying years I shall bear you. I have done it, and I shall carry you and I shall bear you and I shall deliver you.


I love the clear and direct language in some of these verses . . .
46:12-13
Listen to me, you stubborn-minded, (who, me?) who are far from righteousness. I bring near my righteousness, it is not far off; and my salvation will not delay,
and I will grant salvation in Zion,
and my glory for Israel.

49:13
Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, and will have compassion on His afflicted.

But this one really struck me this morning, for I often hold my tongue when I fear that I will face ridicule or judgement because I am a Christian:
50:4-7
The Lord God has given me the tonue of disciples, that I man know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens me morning yb morning. He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not disobedient. Nor did I turn back. I gave my back to those who strike me, and my cheeks to those who pluck out the beard. I did not cover my face from humiliation and spitting. for the Lord God helps me. Therefore, I am not disgraces' therefore, I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

I don't think there is anyone who knows me who would say that I am timid or shy, yet when faced with sharing my faith in God, I hesitate. I keep my mouth closed when I know that I have words of life. What have I to fear? Nothing! I should not be ashamed to share God's word! So what holds me back? I think I might offend someone, I fear that someone will think that I'm vaccuous or vapid for believing, and I worry that people won't like me. Did you get that? I'm worried about receiving judgement from people, who have no power to judge (and, indeed, who would lambast me at the first sign of myself being judgmental, right?)

I am praying today for boldness to show the strong, real love of God to those around me by respecting them (and myself, and God) enough to these life-affirming words of love, hope and salvation.

I will remember this verse;
53:12
But you will not go out in haste, nor will you go as fugitives; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

How great is the Spring?

I'm sure everyone feels uplifted by the sunshine we've had lately, and hopeful from seeing daffodils and crocus' blooming. I get all caught up in watching the earth come back to life again.

Tonight, I'm reading Ps 89, vs 5-8:
The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of theholy ones.
For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
In the council of the hole ones god is greatly fears; he is more awesome than all who surround him.
O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are might, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you.


The Psalm goes on to talk about how God has power over all of creation. Pretty cool stuff, really. I like the image of him stilling the waves and creating things. It makes me feel peaceful and full of awe.

I'm starting a class next week on Isaiah, so that's going to occupy my studying for a while. It's been a long (very long) time since I've taken a class, so if you're praying, offer up a line to help me have a clear head!

Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming . . .

Watching Finding Nemo tonight, and it seems so appropriate for recovery/rehab. Talk about a great message of keeping on!

I'm reading Romans 5 today, about our position in Christ. We can rejoice in suffering, because of our position. Verses 3-5 include:

because suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us.

Hope.

Just think about what you can accomplish if you have those things: perseverance, character and hope. It's like the triumverate of success! If you can keep hopeful, if you can persevere, and if you can stay strong in your character, you can do just about anything.

You can swim through the ocean, against all odds, and find your lost fish-son, you can recover from painful injury, you can survive terrible loss and sadness . . . and you can deal with disappointments in life.

Now, add in the amazing strength you can find in partnering with God, the creator of the universe. Relying on that relationship we have (or can have) with God through the gift of grace in Christ's sacrifice can add to your strength, build up your hope on a dreary day, and help you see the possibilities of hope.

Here's the rest of this incredible verse:

hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

So, in the words of Dory, the fish with short-term memory loss, I will just keep swimming, swimming, swimming . . .

(Thanks to Maggie for sharing this verse with me on gtalk today)