Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

I have all, and abound (Phil. 4:18).

In one of my garden books there is a chapter with a very interesting heading, "Flowers that Grow in the Gloom." It deals with those patches in a garden which never catch the sunlight. And my guide tells me the sort of flowers which are not afraid of these dingy corners--may rather like them and flourish in them.

And there are similar things in the world of the spirit. They come out when material circumstances become stern and severe. They grow in the gloom. How can we otherwise explain some of the experiences of the Apostle Paul?

Here he is in captivity at Rome. The supreme mission of his life appears to be broken. But it is just in this besetting dinginess that flowers begin to show their faces in bright and fascinating glory. He may have seen them before, growing in the open road, but never as they now appeared in incomparable strength and beauty. Words of promise opened out their treasures as he had never seen them before.

Among those treasures were such wonderful things as the grace of Christ, the love of Christ, the joy and peace of Christ; and it seemed as though they needed an "encircling gloom" to draw out their secret and their inner glory. At any rate the realm of gloom became the home of revelation, and Paul began to realize as never before the range and wealth of his spiritual inheritance.

Who has not known men and women who, when they arrive at seasons of gloom and solitude, put on strength and hopefulness like a robe? You may imprison such folk where you please; but you shut up their treasure with them. You cannot shut it out. You may make their material lot a desert, but "the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose."
--Dr. Jowett

"Every flower, even the fairest, has its shadow beneath it as it basks in the sunlight."

Where there is much light there is also much shade.

Another Divine Helper..... Dr. Charles Stanley

Another Divine Helper

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 14:16-18

Have you ever wished you had a 911 number that rang in heaven whenever you had a need? Well, I have good news for believers. We all have divine assistance that’s even closer than a phone call: our Helper dwells within us. But if we are unaware of Him, we’ll miss many opportunities to benefit from the greatest asset in our Christian life—the Holy Spirit’s presence.

Christ knew that when He left the earth, His disciples would be totally inadequate for the task He was giving them—to evangelize the world. Though they’d spent three years with Jesus, all they had seen and learned would still not sufficiently equip them for what lay ahead. They needed supernatural help, and so do we—someone who will come to our aid, empower our service, and transform us from the inside out.

The Holy Spirit is the only one who can achieve all this. Consider His qualifications:

1. He is a personal Helper, not some inanimate force. God’s Spirit is a member of the Trinity and coequal with both the Father and Jesus Christ.

2. He is a practical Helper who involves Himself in every aspect of our lives.

3. He is an adequate Helper because He’s omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.

4. He is an available Helper who permanently lives within us.

Do you have any need that requires more power than omnipotence? Are you facing a decision that requires more knowledge than omniscience? Nothing we encounter is bigger than the omnipresent One who lives within us. Be calm and confident. No matter what challenges you face, He can help.

Putting Life in Portrait Mode .....KAREN EHMAN

Putting Life in Portrait Mode
KAREN EHMAN 

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b-14 (CSB)

I often have trouble focusing. Not my eyes, but my mind.

My thoughts love to wander. They trip me up, reminding me of a past mistake, habitual weakness or possible future scenario that might go horribly wrong. No matter how I try to boss my brain around, I can’t seem to make it concentrate.

My phone, however, has a great feature for bringing focus.

Recently, while taking a picture on my phone of my budding geraniums, I used a camera element called portrait mode. This feature makes the main subject of a photograph stay in focus while the rest of the background blurs. My geraniums seemed to leap off the screen, becoming the clear center of attention when up against the haziness of the rest of the backyard.

If only my brain came equipped with a portrait mode!

As we navigate our days, sometimes our past mistakes, wrong choices or long-held habits threaten to steal our attention away from what we should be focusing on — what matters most.

Today’s key passage from Philippians 3:13b-14 gives us encouragement as to where our attention should lie. The Apostle Paul states, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” 

Paul is referring to athletes who run a race, emphasizing the importance of keeping one’s eyes looking forward, not turning to glance behind. Looking back would slow the runner, causing a loss of focus of the path ahead. However, when Paul fixes his gaze forward, he isn’t tripped up but pursues as his goal, “the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.”

The image is even more powerful when we study the Greek meaning of the word “forgetting.” The word translated in its original form doesn’t mean simply a failure to remember — such as when you forget a dentist appointment in a brain blip. It means calculated and purposeful neglect, a realization that you no longer care. This intentional abandonment encompasses forgetting things, events, times and places.

This deliberate ignoring of the past permits Paul to run unimpeded and with clear focus toward the goal. What is this goal he is racing toward? The word “goal” in the English language is never used anywhere else in the New Testament. It signifies an end-marker of a foot race. Paul is using it to mark the end of our race of faith in this earthly life.

As we grow in our relationship with God through faith in Jesus, may we run the race well and with clear focus — eyes square ahead, not staring or even peeking at the past. Jesus was there when the race began, and He’ll be the one greeting us at the finish line … Jesus our Savior, the one who is both the founder and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

Will you fix your gaze ahead today rather than letting the past distract you from where God would have you to go? When we purpose to focus solely on Jesus, the past fades, distractions blur, and we find our faith renewed.

Father, please help me fix my gaze forward, riveting my eyes only upon You. May the past and all other distractions fade away into the background. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Proverbs 4:25, “Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.” (CSB)

God is So Much More..... by Debbie Holloway

God is So Much More
by Debbie Holloway

For your Maker is your husband--the LORD Almighty is his name--the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth - (Isaiah 54:5).

It is natural and good for us to turn to God for comfort when we are overwhelmed by life. Scripture, prayer, and meditation can help us through anxiety, loneliness, divorce, the death of a loved one, and depression. Divorce rates continue to skyrocket, and many women (including single mothers) struggle to fill the hole in their lives with promises of God’s faithfulness. Many women use Scripture to remind themselves that, like Hosea married Gomer, the LORD said:

“I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy” (Hosea 2:19).

As I have been pondering this notion of God acting as husband to an aging single, a neglected wife, a grieving widow, or a lonely divorcee, something interesting came to mind. Something that maybe changes the way we think about God as a husband figure.

Marriage today is not what it was for biblical authors. Today, in the Western world at least, marriage is a union based on commitment, love, and common interest. We marry someone who shares our worldview, so we can journey through life together. We marry someone to whom we are physically attracted, so that we can enjoy them to the fullest. We marry for romance; we marry for personal fulfillment. Mostly, we marry because we want to – not because we have to. Women who remain single are fully capable of earning a living, doing good works for the Kingdom, and enjoying life.

Women in the ancient near east had a much more complex understanding of marriage. Yes, in Genesis 2, the Song of Solomon, and other places, we see that God’s plan was for marriage to create emotional and physical fulfillment and pleasure. But marriage for ancient Israelite women was more than emotional and physical partnership. It was – literally – a lifesaver. A woman who married gained the chance to have her own home. A woman who married gained the chance to have sons (essentially the life-goal of any ancient near-eastern woman). A woman who married would be provided for, fed, and cared for. If anyone hurt her, she had a legal protector and a place to find safety in much greater measure than if she still lived in her father’s household (or, God forbid, had no father or family).

Kind of makes looking to God as “husband” to fulfill emotional needs seem… pretty shallow, doesn’t it? Check out this passage in Isaiah that really elaborates on the significance of the metaphor:

"Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD. "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband-- the LORD Almighty is his name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth” (Isaiah 54:1-5, emphasis mine).

To ancient Israel, saying "God is your husband" meant that God was their redeemer, God was their savior from captivity, their savior from barrenness.

An important realization comes with this fuller understanding of the God-as-husband metaphor. We can realize that, while God is protector and ultimate satisfaction, he is not a cure-all for our momentary pain. God never promises that his relationship with us can –or should– eliminate every negative emotion that we feel. We must have grace for ourselves, and grace for each other, to mourn and work through pain, without guilt or shame for doing so.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Have you been trying to dismiss your own heartache (or the heartache of a friend) by saying, “The Lord is your husband!”? Take a moment to consider the full extent of what that means, and what it does not mean.

Further Reading
Hosea
Jeremiah 31
“Jesus is not my Boyfriend”

Managing Marriage During COVID-19..... By: Lynette Kittle

Managing Marriage During COVID-19By: Lynette Kittle

There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work - 1 Corinthians 12:6

As COVID-19 has been mandating couples stay together 24/7, it’s been shedding light on the true condition of countless marriages. The stress and tension of being together is bringing issues in their relationships to the surface.

For some couples, it’s causing them to consider where reconnection needs to occur and what efforts are needed to prioritize and improve their relationships. Unfortunately for others, it’s leading many husbands and wives to consider divorce.

At our house, my husband and I have had our own unique response to the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. In expressing my delight of having him home all the time, I thought he would be glad to know how much I love having him here. But he didn’t return my enthusiasm or feel the same about being home 24/7.

While I enjoy having him work at home where we can interact all day long, as a hospice chaplain with a pastor’s heart, he has been greatly missing ministering face-to-face with patients and families.

Although he has been making visits via phone calls, it just isn’t the same for him as having in-person visits. It’s also not the same for the patients and caregivers who are feeling alone and isolated during this outbreak.

However, as soon as I picked up on his hesitancy in agreeing with me, the enemy went to work to try and make me feel hurt by his response. It turns out my husband doesn’t enjoy being at home 24/7 as much as I like him being here.

Of course, the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10) started pointing fingers at me and at him, trying to convince me that my spouse would rather be away from home working than at home spending time with me.

Like John 8:44 reveals his deceptive tactics, I had to reject the enemy’s lies and take my concerns to the Lord, casting all my anxiety about it on Him (1 Peter 5:7).

As I did, God calmed my heart and redirected my thoughts, reminding me how He gives us varying gifts. He helped me understand how my husband does like spending time with me but he also is called to reach out and minister to people. Like Romans 12:4 explains, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function.”

During this time of couples reconnecting, it’s important for husbands and wives to realize even in marriage, we probably don’t have the same ministry functions. Like 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 explains, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

Reaching out to God led me to see my spouse’s quarantine discontentment was not a reflection on his love for me. He helped me consider how although I thrive working at home writing words, my husband thrives out among people speaking words.

As well, God helped me to realize the abilities he’s given to my husband function differently than the ones He’s given to me. Also, to see how my spouse was missing using his God’s given gifts to reach out and help others in spiritual and practical ways.

A Prayer for the Peace of Christ..... By Andrea Herzer

A Prayer for the Peace of ChristBy Andrea Herzer

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ - John 20:19

After Jesus’ death, his disciples were taking shelter together in a locked home. Fearing for their lives, they were hiding from those who had just helped to execute Jesus. I cannot imagine the distress they faced, but as someone who is high-risk for COVID-19, I am also locked inside my home. Like the disciples, I also fear potential harm from the outside world. But I have been at home with my fears for far too long. Have you been living in fear lately? I have deep compassion for you, friend. You are the reason I am writing today. 

Have you ever noticed that fear often travels hand-in-hand with other emotions? Jesus’ followers were afraid, but they were also grieving the violent death of their friend and Savior. Their dreams had been shattered. They had left everything to follow Jesus, but now their work as his disciples seemed to be at an end. And to top it off, they were afraid that if they ventured outdoors, they could face the same death Jesus suffered. Are you, like the disciples, grieving the death of a loved one? Have you also lost your job or the dreams you had for your future? Read on to learn what Jesus gave his frightened and worried followers. If you are his follower, he gives the same thing to you today.

In Jesus’ first appearance to the disciples after his resurrection, a door that fear had locked could not keep him out. Jesus came and stood among them. He had compassion for their suffering, as evidenced by his first words, “Peace be with you!” After he showed them his hands and side, he said it again, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:20-21) Peace. The word, in Greek, is eiréné and it implies complete wholeness, tranquility, and rest. Jesus gave them exactly what they needed. Their difficult circumstances had not changed, but Jesus in their midst meant that everything had changed. His presence and peace unlocked their courage and restored their faith. If you need courage and faith right now, then invite Jesus into your midst and accept the peace he gives to all who believe in him.

Let us pray this together:

Dear Jesus, I need your peace. I believe that you died for my sins, and that God raised you from the dead so that by believing in you I can have peace with God and life in your Name. Forgive me for allowing the cares of this world to obscure my spiritual vision. 

I confess that I have not been trusting your plan for my life and the lives of my loved ones. You have given me peace that brings restoration, wholeness, and rest to my soul. I have allowed the trials of this life to lock me into a spirit of fear, robbing me of the peace that is mine in Christ. 

Forgive me, Lord. Right now, I confess my fears and my worries to you. I declare that you did not give me a spirit of fear or cowardice! You gave me a spirit of power, and of love, and of soundness of mind and judgement. (2 Timothy 1:7) 

I know that rejoicing and delighting in you is a safeguard for my spirit. (Philippians 3:1) Please help me to practice the discipline of thanksgiving every day, so that I will be filled with your peace. (Now, give God thanks, allowing thanksgiving to give way to rejoicing and praise.) Thank you, Lord, that I can come to you with prayers and thanksgiving; in return you give me peace that is supreme over my worries. 

I ask for that peace to fill me now, let it watch over and protect my heart. (Philippians 4:6-7) Let your peace have authority in my heart, because that is your calling for me. (Colossians 3:15) Give me the courage I need to tell others about you, so that they may also have peace with God and peace from God. 

In Jesus’ Precious Name. Amen.