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He is Risen Indeed!
I pray that today you will experience and celebrate the One who satisfied the demands of a Just God by His death, who defeated the fear of death by His resurrection, and who equips us to live even now by His intercession. He was. He is. He is to come. Hallelujah! Amen!
Happy Easter, my friends!
When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17
I believe with all my heart that one of the activities in Heaven is going to be for God to show us “behind the scenes” what was going on throughout our life. And then we will get to see how God protected us, guided us, and provided for us through His Heavenly messengers. That is going to be so very exciting! I sort of imagine that I might sit down with Jesus with a Heavenly bowl of popcorn in front of a screen stretched out across Eternity and watch with Heavenly eyes how the events of my life played out. And I’ll not only be able to see things I’ve never seen before but I also will view them through the lens of Eternity…I’ll be able to see what God was up to, how He was accomplishing His plan for me and through me. What a truly incredible showing that is going to be!
When I think about that, about what is going on around me that I cannot see, I find encouragement. Instead of feeling defeated by the battle I am in or discouraged by the attack I am under, I am strengthened by the assurance that God is fighting for me. And His warriors are stronger than those of the enemy.
Is there a battle going on in your life that has you scared, or at least worried? Maybe you feel panicked or even hopeless as a result of the attack. Maybe the enemy seems not only to outnumber you but also to be racking up victories at your expense. But the truth is, there is more that’s for you than against you. You just can’t see it when you’re in the midst of the attack unless God opens your eyes.
Like Elisha, we just need to ask. And then God will open our eyes to see that He is at work on our behalf in a thousand different ways. He is preserving us, He is unfolding His plan…He is not absent nor unwilling or unable to help. His warriors are all around us…ask Him to let you see with spiritual eyes what He is doing…how He is fighting for you…and the help He has provided.
And like the young servant, let that assuage your fear. Do not dismay. Do not give up. Help is here!
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Read moreIt has been my experience that God will gently and graciously repeat Himself when something in my heart needs attention. Not that He speaks in an audible voice (although He can do that, too!) but rather I will notice sort of a theme in devotionals I read or sermons I hear or conversations I have with friends. When the same verse “pops up” several times over a few days, I have learned to give it my attention. It usually means the lover of my soul has a message for me.
Such it was recently with Psalm 86:11. Teach me Your way, Lord; I will walk in Your Truth. Unite my heart to fear Your name. Today that verse was repeated in a devotional I read for what seems like the umpteenth time. So I opened my Bible to Psalm 86 and asked God what He wanted me to hear.
Here’s what I see:
First, context. In reading the entire Psalm, verse 11 appears to be dropped in the midst of expressions of praise and pleadings for answered prayer. It’s as though those heart-cries opened his eyes to the reality of his need: for God to teach him, help him, and fix him.
Working backwards in verse 11, the psalmist realizes that the goal is to fear His name. That doesn’t mean to be afraid of God - rather it is an awareness that God is holy…and we are not. It is a recognition that our greatest need and the greatest possible blessing is to know that this awareness effects right living. Having the proper view of God changes how we live.
So that’s the goal. But the psalmist realizes he faces an obstacle to reaching that goal: his own heart. Specifically, a divided heart. That’s why he uses the phrase “unite my heart”. The one God kept bringing to my attention. This is not a longing to be in unity with other believers (although that is certainly a good thing!). No, this is an awareness that the biggest problem we will ever face is not a set of challenging circumstances, other people, or even spiritual warfare. The biggest problem we have to face is much closer: our own heart. For believers, the problem is not so much that our heart is wretched but rather that our heart is divided.
Divided into parts that war against each other. The conflict between our new self and our old nature. Flesh vs spirit. Longings that are in opposition to one another. Like wanting to be fit but also wanting to eat the cookies I just baked for someone else. Longing for the willingness to die to myself yet also craving the comfort of relaxation. Having the desire to open my heart to everyone but still smarting from recent hurts that sprout a sense of self-protectiveness. Wanting for God to receive all the glory and yet longing to be thought valuable and significant myself. Striving towards obedience in the area of forgiveness but still tempted to nurse a grudge against those who hurt the ones I love. And on and on. A divided heart. One that needs to be united. United to fear His Name.
So what are we to do?
I think the answer is in that chapter, in that one verse even. First, as we realize that our heart needs uniting, we cry out to the only one Who can remedy it. God alone can cure the divided heart. Thus, we ask Him to do what only He can do so that we will fear His name and arrange our lives accordingly.
What else are we to do?
The first part of the verse instructs us:
Plead with God not only to unite our heart but first to teach us His way. The Hebrew word for “teach” there means not only provide instruction but especially to “lay the foundation”. We need more than mere knowledge - we need for God to build wisdom into us, to lay the groundwork for our lives, to actually be the rock on which our lives are built. Yes, Lord, teach us Your way!
As we look to Him to unite our heart, to build us on the Rock, we see a great truth in the middle phrase. I will walk in Your truth. At first glance, it seems like a simple declaration of how I intend to live: walking with integrity and obedience. But a deeper dive reveals much more. Much much more. The word “truth” carries with it the meaning of steadfast faithfulness. THAT is what I walk in. The truth that God is ever faithful. Even though I am not! He is steadfast to provide what I need. Which means I don’t have to fight for my own comfort or satisfaction or significance. He will provide that. I am free to forgive and risk being wounded again, free to entrust those I love to the One who loves them more because I can be secure in HIS faithfulness, HIS trustworthiness. I can walk in that - goodness gracious, I can RUN in that!
Lord Jesus, I cry out to You to unite my heart! I acknowledge the divisions that are there and I cast myself on Your goodness, Your power, Your faithfulness to heal them. To build into me the character of Christ, the sure and strong foundation of Your Word. Oh, my Savior, how I long to fear Your name and praise you forever! Thank you for teaching me with persistence <3 Oh, how I love Jesus!
