Remembering and Waiting

Remembering and Waiting

Carolyn

 

I love finding little notes in my Bible–like nuggets of gold, or better, stones of remembrance–reminding me of God’s faithfulness during certain periods of life. I came upon this yesterday, March 16, 2016, that pointed back to this date in 2011, 5 years ago.

In November 2010, I had been approached about a potential job at our church. Though I already had a job I loved as Director of Admissions and Marketing at a small classical school that my husband and I had been involved with from its start in 2006, we didn’t want to dismiss the opportunity without prayer. Over the next four months, we prayed and took each next step of a lengthy interview process. Somewhere along that path, I withdrew my name, but I didn’t have peace.

As I continued to pray, the Lord continued to speak and lead, and through a variety of circumstances, I re-entered the process. I knew that by putting my name back in, I was saying to myself if they offered me the job, I would accept it. That was a huge step, to be able to let go of something I loved, not knowing what the new job would really end up being.

Though I re-entered the process, it had been a few weeks, and they had moved on, and it was possible it was too late. I became stressed about the situation–that I might not be offered the job now that I felt it was so clearly from the Lord, and also that I would have to leave something that, through God’s grace and strength, I helped start and had invested my life in for 5 years. I would be giving up something that had almost become synonomous with who I was–part of my identity, even an idol to me.

As I went through those days of waiting, I came upon these two verses which God used to give me peace:

Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! Psalm 27:14

The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped. Psalm 28:7

These verses caused me to stop and reflect on all the reasons I believed this new job was from the Lord and right for me and my family. As I remembered each step of those four months He had brought me through, I was absolutely convinced this was the call He had for me. And so in that moment, I believed God. I trusted what He had shown me. And I decided that I would wait patiently for the church to come back to me with the job offer, recognizing and believing that would indeed happen.

It gave me total peace as only God’s Word and His Spirit can do. It was two days later that I was called and offered the job. I was told I could take time to think about it and pray. I remember replying that wouldn’t be necessary. I had prayed for four months, and I was confident this was from the Lord. I accepted on the spot, so convinced of God’s plan.

I guess a rather humorous point was that I was then asked if I would like to know how much money I would make! Oh, yes, forgot about that. That would be good to know! But when the call of the Lord becomes so certain, you know all the parts of it will work themselves out. And it’s been a great joy to have been serving in our church now for the last almost 5 years, seeing evidence over and over why it was from the Lord and the right thing. I love records like this that bring it back to mind, and I thank the Lord again for His gracious provision and clear leading.

Sing Praises

Sing Praises

Carolyn

Psalm 47 is part of my daily Bible reading today, part of the plan for reading through the Bible in a year. As I read, “Sing praises to God, sing praises; Sing praises to our King, sing praises” (v.6), it reminded me of learning this verse one summer with a 6th grade Sunday school class that I taught. It was easy to learn and stuck with me.

Singing praises reminded me of the story in Acts 16 where Paul and Silas had been beaten and imprisoned, their feet fastened in the stocks (v. 22-24). In the midst of these circumstances, they were praying and singing hymns of praise to God (v. 25)! The prisoners were listening to them (v. 25). (Who is it that hears our praise? Might others also be impacted?)

Suddenly there was an earthquake and the prison was shaken, all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were unfastened (v. 26). The jailer, roused from sleep, seeing the open doors, was preparing to kill himself thinking the prisoners had escaped (v. 27). But Paul cried out to let him know they were all there (v. 28). Trembling with fear, the jailer fell down before Paul and Silas, brought them out, and asked, “What must I do to be saved?” (v. 29-30).

Acts 16:31, Paul tells the jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.” Paul and Silas then spoke the word of the Lord to him and all who were in his house (v. 32). The jailer washed their wounds, and he and his household were immediately baptized, having believed in God (v. 33-34).

I love this story, partly because it began with prayers and singing praise to God in a prison cell. Where do we find ourselves? In our situation, can we sing praise to God? As they prayed and sang hymns to God, “suddenly” the earthquake came and opened the doors and broke their chains, setting them free physically. And ultimately, the dramatic event was used by God to set the jailer and his household free spiritually as they believed in God. And I wonder, what might prayer and praise set me free of?

It’s not that it will automatically change my circumstances, but it might just change my heart in the midst of the circumstances as I focus my eyes on God and pray and praise Him. Do I ever really consistently do this to see what might happen? And not just to receive something, but first and primarily to give honor and glory to God, my King and Savior, the One whom I can trust no matter where I find myself.

I’m dropping in some songs below, ones that God has used to speak to me over the last couple of weeks, songs of encouragement and hope during my current season. They remind me that my present circumstances come from a loving God whom I can praise, even during difficult days, for He is worthy and has good plans for my life.

A New Year’s Resolution

A New Year’s Resolution

Carolyn

For the coming year, our church is encouraging us to all read the entire Bible together. They have provided a wonderful resource to guide us through it, based on the Discipleship Journal’s plan.

Two years ago, I wrote about my first experience of reading through the Bible in a year as I considered my new year’s resolution. (You can read that here.)

This past year, I started again to read the whole Bible in a year, taking a different approach than chronological. This time I read four different parts of the Bible each day, using the M’Cheyne Bible reading plan, and reading For the Love of God by D.A. Carson, daily devotions to accompany that plan. I invited a friend to do the same.

It was absolutely one of the most beautiful studies of the Bible I had ever done. I was fascinated with seeing the big picture of the Bible, the ways things from the Old Testament were tying into the New Testament. It gave me a place to go each morning when otherwise I would have wondered where to read.

Sometime during the year, though, I started a Bible study and stopped my daily reading plan, thinking I couldn’t do both. I have missed it. And I had long forgotten starting the year reading my Bible with my friend and talking about that with her — until I got an email from my friend this morning. She told me she had just finished reading her Bible all the way through for the first time, thanking me for that encouragement to do this.

It surprised me. I hadn’t thought about it in months. She is reaping the reward of that diligent reading of God’s Word that I missed. And it struck me that with a little encouragement and support, this is something we can all do together.

The reading and study of God’s Word, which is living and active (Hebrews 4:12), has so many benefits (Psalm 119, to name a few) and will not return void (Isaiah 55:11). It is so worthwhile and can literally change our lives. As Bible teacher Nancy Guthrie once said, “Day by day, as I was in the Word, the Word did a work in me.”

I’m looking forward to reading the Bible this year with my church and invite you to join me in this, too!

Happy New Year!

Letters to My Children: Treasure God’s Word

Letters to My Children: Treasure God’s Word

Carolyn

My children are growing up quickly. There aren’t many more days for me to try to instill in them key truths that could shape their lives. I thought I’d begin a series of posts that point them to different things I want them to know, things that matter.

Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. (Psalm 119:11)

Dear children,

Treasure God’s Word. Psalm 119 details in its 176 verses the many reasons why this is of such value. This is God’s Word to us, Him speaking. The God who created us, made us, loves us, knows us, died to redeem us—He has given us this personal Word.

It is different from anything else you will ever read. This is because it is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). These are His words to us. We dare not ignore this Word because it brings life and truth and direction.

Let’s let the Word itself speak for us as to what it brings: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16). Just one verse before (2 Tim. 3:15), we see that from childhood, Timothy has “known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.”

This Word brings wisdom, salvation, faith, training, teaching, correction, reproof, things that make us complete and adequate, equipping us for every good work. It will guard us from sin and help keep our way pure (Psalm 119:9, 11). That’s just to name a very few things!

What else does this? If you have any doubt, test it. Read it every day. Pray. Ask God by His Spirit to speak to you. Record what it tells you, things you see about God and yourself. Act on what it teaches you. Let it be the lamp unto your feet and the light to your path (Psalm 119:105). Nothing and no one else can deliver on these promises given to us in God’s Word, so take Him at his Word and treasure it.

There’s much more I could say, but go to the Word and let the Word tell you. Start in Psalm 119.

Then, from another angle, treasure this Word, your Bible, your physical, actual Bible. Read it, note in it, wear it out from use. Do you know how many people in the world do not have a Bible written in their own language or available to them, who do not have the freedom to own one and read one, who may not have the money to purchase one, who would be persecuted if they had one? We have multiple copies in various translations and versions all over our house. We are given free ones regularly. With so much access and abundance, it’s easy to take it for granted, underestimate its value, or set it aside. Treasure it because it is a treasure! Be thankful!

I was given my first study Bible when I went to college at our state’s big university. I took that Bible to church, but also took it in my backpack to every Campus Crusade or RUF meeting, to every Bible study, to sorority meetings when I was chaplain, to every place where God’s Word would be discussed or read. I wrote in it. I underlined. I wore it out. I still have it today. Though at some point I got a new study Bible and started all over again, I can pick up that first study Bible and see and feel and remember and taste all that God was doing in my life during those years. And it’s something I can share with you.

Take your Bible with you where you go. Display its worth to yourself and to others. Value it and treasure it. Read it, study it, and let God through His Word mold and make you into the man or woman of God He desires you to be. You won’t regret it! Give it time. Be persistent. Keep seeking God. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him in faith (Hebrews 11:6).

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

Merry Christmas 2015!

Merry Christmas 2015!

Carolyn

It’s 9:00 a.m. Christmas morning. My kids are still sleeping. I guess that’s how it is with high schoolers. What has your Christmas season been like this year?

As usual, mine has been a bit hectic. I tend to have to take things one day at a time to get through each day and whatever is planned. Christmas is a busy season at church where I work; it’s a busy season at home when the kids get to exams and Christmas break; it’s a busy season as my husband finishes teaching and his semester. I again forego getting out family Christmas cards this year and race around shopping in the last week or two. And somehow it all comes together.

Yesterday, as I did some last minute shopping, this song came on the radio:

That’s what I felt: “I need a silent night, a holy night.” Time to be still and ponder.

We ended Christmas Eve at our church’s annual candlelight service. It’s a beautiful service that closed with all of us holding our lit candles and singing the traditional Christmas carol “Silent Night, Holy Night,” further reminder of the silence my heart has needed to focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

And what is that?

I love Chris Tomlin’s new Christmas song, “He Shall Reign Forevermore.” The first thing I loved about the song was hearing the echo of the words from the poem “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rosetti. That was a poem my children learned in school when they were young, and I learned along with them. But I was struck by these words in this new song: “This baby born to sacrifice, Christ the Messiah.”

Christ was born to die. That would be part of His mission, doing the will of His Father. He, who would come and live a perfect life, would die. He would be our atoning sacrifice, paying the price for our sins. Christ, our Creator God (Genesis 1-2), the Word made flesh (John 1), became our perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 10). Why was that necessary?

Sin separates and divides. It’s been the ongoing reality of life for all humans since the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve first sinned (Genesis 3). We are all now separated from God by our sin (Romans 3:23), with no way to have access to God again of our own ability. And we are due the just consequences of that sin – death and separation (Romans 6:23a).

But Christ restores and redeems. This was accomplished through his life, death, and resurrection. He was willing to do this (to be born to die – and not just any death, but a brutal one reserved for the worst of criminals) (Philippians 2:8) to restore our relationship with God (Colossians 1:19-22), to give us eternal life (John 3:16), to give us hope (1 Peter 1:3). This is great, great love (John 15:13, 1 John 3:16).

What is our response? If Christ has accomplished this great work on our behalf, I guess the question is what is our response to that?

Faith. Simple faith, childlike trust, in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved (Romans 10:9-10).

I think back to Rosetti’s poem:

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb.
If I were a wise man, I would do my part.
Yet what can I give him? Give him my heart.

We can respond with faith in Jesus, giving him our hearts. If you have not done that, what is stopping you? Ask in faith that God would help you and reveal Himself to you. Sometimes it’s that first step of faith that begins to open the door to much more truth, and step by step, He will lead us to Himself. I pray that for each one of us today and in the coming new year.