Tag Archives: God is there

You Lack Nothing

Posted in Daily Devotions: Chapter by Chapter by

Excited Shopping Woman

Today’s Devotion: Deuteronomy 2

I love verse 7, “The LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.”

Yesterday we talked about taking an intentional look back on your life and weighing both good and bad experiences that have made you who you are today. Today, Moses is still looking back, but this time he’s saying, “God has been there and He has provided for all of your needs.”

Can you do the same? I can.

God does not guarantee happiness, but he does give us what we need. Yes, we live in a consumer driven society that never seems to have enough, but if you really think about it – if we have a bed to sleep on, food to eat, water to drink and clothes to wear – we’re livin’ the good life. I cringe when I hear how much I spend on groceries (weekly) and learn that a donation of that amount to a third world country could feed a child (maybe two) for a YEAR. Talk about humility. I am humbled when I see what the LORD has given to me when there are so many others with so much less. Impromptu prayer, “Thank You LORD.”

God takes care of us. His Word says that He takes care of His people (Matthew 6:26). If you are a believer in Jesus and declare Him to be the LORD of your life (Romans 10:9), you will never be in want (Psalm 23:1). The NIV says in Psalm 23:1, “The LORD is my Shepard, I lack nothing.”

It’s true! And God’s reminder to us today in Deuteronomy Chapter 2 is that we need to know that He has not only been there, but we lack nothing. With that perspective, I am so incredibly blessed.

Press On!

Posted in Daily Devotions: Chapter by Chapter by

Past Present Future

Today’s Devotion: Exodus 33

If I went on a trip to Europe and told you every city I visited, but didn’t tell you about my experience in each city, you would be bored. You likely wouldn’t care about the places I had been as much as you would like to hear about the sights I saw, food I ate, places I stayed or the attractions we took in. Reading Exodus 33 is like that. We get the recap of the whole wilderness march and no details.

Boring!

However. What I took away is that this journey expanded over 40 years. Moses and Aaron spent a big part of their lives putting up with whiny, rebellious, antagonistic, skeptical and downright disobedient Israelities. They even passed though several generations of Israelities that we learned yesterday only those who were under the age of 20 ever entered the land. This means the Isrealities who actually made it, weren’t even born when they first left Egypt.

So what does this boring passage say to us? It tells me that God is with us. God cares enough to put every camp that the Israelities camped. He records for us in His Word the entire journey [I believe] as a means to say, “Look where I’ve been, where you came from, how I’ve helped you, been faithful to you, delivered you and walked along side of you.”

Doesn’t this resemble the Christian life? I’m in my early forties and I can most certainly look back on my life, to this point, and see where I’ve been, where I came from, how God has helped me, how faithful (even though I don’t deserve it) he has been to me, how He delivered me and was, is, and will continue to walk along side of me.

I’m in awe. Are you? Is your life, whatever age you are, show you how God is with you? Even in those times when you didn’t feel Him, doubted Him, questioned Him and denied Him… He has been there and you know it now.

Just think about How differently our future can look when we take a minute to reflect on the past. It gives us certainty that He will be there. Yet, the world has a different story; the world gives us discouragement, loneliness, fatigue, guilt, regrets and hopelessness. That is why we have a different outlook on life. His Word tells us in 119:105 that His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Hebrews 13:5 says He will never leave us or forsake us and Philippians 3:14 says to press on toward the goal!

So there is our marching orders. Press on!

Girlfriends Wipe The Tears

Posted in Reflections From My Heart by
Just Being There

Just Being There

Luke 7:13

When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” (NIV)

I ran into a friend yesterday and in the moment decided to grab a spontaneous lunch. I had not talked with her in awhile so it was great to take the opportunity to catch up. We started with the usual question, but this time with well intended meaning, “How are you?” She immediately melted into tears.

I don’t know a woman alive who hasn’t experienced this situation. It amazes me how God puts people in your path at just the right time and those people are usually girlfriends, right? I had no idea (at the time) that she was anything but o.k. Upon our initial embrace she was smiling, her eyes were sparkling, she was genuinely grateful to see me and she looked happy. But that magic question, combined with a safe and honest environment, allowed her to stop the charade and let it all go.

What proceeded to come out of her mouth was a situation that I knew I could not fix. As my mind was striving to find the right words and the most comforting gestures, I found myself praying instead. I was praying that God would intervene. I prayed that God would be her comfort and be her source of peace; that he would love her and reveal Himself to her in and through these (horrible) circumstances that had her pouring out to me.

I didn’t have the right words to say and I most certainly didn’t have the answers that would make everything o.k. for her, but as we departed and she assured me  that “she’d be fine.” I left with a sense of confidence that she really will be more than fine. I trust that God will work in and through her situation. I’ve been in her shoes where I have needed a friend, sounding board, confidant, and shoulder to cry on. It is true that no one and nothing can fix us when we’re broken, but it sure is a gift from God when we have someone to walk alongside of us in those times of need and as much as prayer doesn’t seem like enough, I know she is not alone.