God's Got This!

^“ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Rom. 8:26-27

     I’m relying on the truth of this promise right now. A friend called to say that she has no hope for living and isn’t even certain that she’s a child of God. She’s lost the will to go on. Her reason? God doesn’t seem present or real and has allowed her to repeatedly go through humiliating and difficult situations. She cries out for deliverance, but he seems silent and she can’t feel his presence.
     We can all relate to some degree. We enter into a relationship with our creator and expect him to take charge of our lives in a way that we can understand. But he works in mysterious ways which are often beyond our comprehension. We hit an impasse and don’t know how to pray or what to pray for in our struggle. But he assures us that the Spirit, who lives within our earthen vessels, knows everything about us and is able to pray for us “in accordance with the will of God.”
     At this very moment, if we’re children of God, the Spirit of Life is interceding for us. He knows the perfect will of God for our lives and is able to pray effectively toward that end. As my sister-in-law likes to say, “God’s got this!” He’s in control even when we feel out of control, confused and don’t know how to pray. Jesus, our great high priest, is also interceding for us as he sits at the right hand of the Father.
     I’ve been so anxious lately about our future, what we’ll do when we leave Korea, how God will provide for our family’s needs. As I sit down each morning to pray I find it increasingly difficult to voice my burdens to God. I know they’re present because I feel the weight of them, but I’ve buried them so deep I’m not sure exactly what’s wrong.
     Reading over this verse again today reminds me that I don’t have to understand all that I’m thinking and feeling. My comfort lies in the fact that God knows, and the Spirit has been interceding for me all along. He’s not surprised or overwhelmed. He’s aware of everything that I’m experiencing, of all I want and need and of everything he intends to accomplish in my life. And he knows and understands all that my friend is going through as well. He's not forgotten her or left her to fin for herself.
     I could sit for hours and “navel gaze”, trying to figure out why God is or isn't doing this or that and what I can possibly do or not do to change it. Instead I’ve decided to be at rest in my unrest, relying on the finished work of Christ and his guarantee that he’s not only called me out of darkness and declared me righteous, but that he’s able to sanctify me and one day bring me to glory. The Spirit and the Son are interceding on my behalf, praying that God’s Kingdom come in my life, that his will be done. Just as the clouds don’t diminish the authenticity and power of the sun, my circumstances and feelings have nothing to do with the reality of his presence and the certainty that his promises will prevail. I may not feel it, sense it or even see it, but God’s at work and he’s got this…..guaranteed.

"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" Num 23:19

He's Greater Than All Our Struggles

     Trials are a part of daily life that we can’t avoid in spite of ingenuity and planning. They’re intertwined with those things we consider blessings and connected in such a way that there’s no way to remove them. The only way out is through them.

     God says that when we pass through fiery trials we'll not be burned. And when we walk through deep waters they won't overtake us. "I will be with you," he says (Is 43:3). He's in no way indifferent toward us, but perfectly loves us, saying that we're "precious and honored in his sight." He’s jealously upholding us with his "righteous right hand" so that no one and nothing can come between us.
     The great God of the universe who spoke every molecule and atom into existence said that he will fulfill everything in his word. Because of his character, he’s unable to break even one of his promises, no matter how small. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the grave, he became the "Amen" to every single one of the promises of God. As we come to God in Christ we have absolute certainty that God will fulfill all he’s said he will do.

     The enemy of our souls enters the scene and tries to destroy all that God has accomplished, to discourage and defeat us with fear. But God says that we’re not defeated, we’re “more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.” The enemy says that we’re alone, but God says that he’s with us forever, “even to the end of the age.” The enemy lies and tries to get us to give up on God’s deliverance and power, but God says that "no weapon formed against us will prevail.” He wants to keep us from praying and engage us in constant fretting, but God says, “do not be anxious about anything. Instead pray about everything.”

     Satan tries to convince us to that we’re orphans, not sons and daughters of the king. He wants us to envision ourselves as helpless wanderers, not warriors who’ve been given all the riches in Christ Jesus. He sends forth storms, lies, sickness, mockers – anything and anyone he can use to undermine the work of the Spirit in our lives. Because once he’s convinced us that we’re useless, powerless, alone and defeated he can immobilize us and stop us from living our lives to the glory of God.

     Our God will (not may or might) but most certainly will supply everything we need. He’s not ever going to leave us, even for a millisecond. He’s placed his Spirit within our hearts to help us, to guide us, to forever unite us with himself. Nothing can separate us from this love.

      Remaining focused on Christ instead of difficulties is essential to walking by faith. This doesn't mean living in denial or trying to wish away our struggles. God calls us to face hardships head on, to  acknowledge their existence, to ask for wisdom about how to respond and then through his power and grace to take action. Sometimes the action he requires is patient waiting as he resolves problems that no one else can comprehend. Regardless of our situation, he wants us to know that he delights in rescuing and delivering us from the fowler’s snare and the deadly pestilence. He’s our Father and our King. Our Savior and our Lord. He'll continue watching over us and, with unimaginable generosity, supply in abundance all the courage, strength, wisdom and resources that we need. How can we be certain? Because his promises are all guaranteed.

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God." 2 Cor 1:20

God and the "Small Stuff"

   I’m sitting in bed looking at four panels of pinned together curtains that not only need to be sewn together but desperately need hemming. In America, I’d have solved this problem quickly. But in Korea, it’s not that simple.  I’ve considered taking them to the seamstress down the road, except for the fact that we can’t communicate and she determines when she’ll have my items ready. If I’m lucky it’s the next day. If not, it’s over a week. I need them immediately in order to sleep and have privacy in our bedroom, so I’ve left them the way they are hoping I’ll come up with a better solution.

     It may seem that I don’t have anything important to pray about since I’ve asked God to help me figure out my curtain dilemma. But, it’s part of bigger issue in my life that I’m learning to lean on him for the simple and seemingly irrelevant things. In fact, it’s the “small stuff” that consumes most of my mental energy as I find myself mulling over solutions.  “Dear Lord, will you please give me wisdom about what to do with these curtains?” That was my prayer last week.
     Three days later I received a promised sewing machine from a friend. This wasn't so unusual since she’d offered it to me months ago. But the amazing part was that she included an industrial sized spool of chocolate brown thread with the comment, “I don’t know what you’re ever going to do with this, but I decided at the last minute to throw it in.” What she didn’t know was that my curtains were the same color, and I’d been wondering where on earth around here to find thread, much less brown. God had answered my prayers.
     My husband is the more logical one in the family. He enjoys using deductive reasoning to move from one argument to the next. I’m not so great at it. But I do like the idea of seeing God’s faithfulness in the small things and applying logic to larger issues of life. If he knows when a hair falls from my head then he certainly knows when I have a severe illness. If he cares that I’m burdened with unsightly curtains, then he’s all the more concerned when I have a huge burden.
     Today, I’m reminded that the God who made me and upholds the world is a God of detail – a God who sees a sparrow when it dies (Mt 10:29) and stores my teardrops in a bottle (Ps 56:8). I’m thankful for his acts of kindness as he takes care of every single aspect of my life – even the “stuff” others consider insignificant.

“And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.” (Lk 12:7)