a popular lie

Posted on by Grace Day

Probably because I am pondering my last post about being tired or maybe because I am tired, I find myself thinking about this age-old and very common saying – “no rest for the weary.” Sounds true enough, feels true enough, BUT – I don’t have to accept this as true. Mainly because it’s not true. God’s word tells me something different and that gives me hope. There is rest for the weary. Jesus made this clear when He issued this invitation –

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

This invitation suggests rest is available for me and for you. God’s offer of rest has been extended to one and all. And not just physical rest, but God offers “rest for our souls” – the best kind of rest and what we most need. The question is – do I want to take advantage of this opportunity? This call to come away and find rest is not something new. King David understood that God was the provider of the rest that he needed when he was battle weary and worn out. It was then that He wrote these words-

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1–3)

There it is again. God not only provides for my physical needs, with the nourishment of green pastures and the refreshment of quiet waters and a safe place to lie down, but God also “restores my soul” – which is much more important. It is essential for sustaining my life. Nobody else can do that for me. The world certainly can’t do it. Other people don’t have the power to grant me the kind of rest that restores my soul. This is something King David had figured out I guess because he wrote these words –

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” (Psalm 62:1-2)

God says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” It’s an open, ongoing invitation. Why don’t I take God up on His generous offer more often? Why do I just keep on going instead of coming to Him with my weariness as He invites me to do? Why don’t I follow where He leads? He wants to lead me into green pastures and beside still waters for the rest and restoration that He knows I need and that only He can give me. Isaiah’s words confirm God’s provision of rest and care for us –

“The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:11)

In Jeremiah I read this – “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘ . . . I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.’ ” (Jeremiah 31:25)

Today, I will not believe the lie that there is no rest, no restoration available to me. Instead, I will believe the truth. God’s word is truth. “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) And God’s word says –

“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31)

God, Himself, does not grow weary BUT – He gives rest and strength to those of us who, like me, do grow tired and weary. My hope is in God and He says He will renew, refresh, restore and revive me through the rest that only He can give my body, mind and spirit. Time to follow my Heavenly Father to some green pastures and still waters. Be back soon.

sincerely, Grace Day

I’m tired

Posted on by Grace Day

Can you relate? Maybe you’re tired too? Maybe for you fatigue has become a constant companion. My tiredness is a weariness not just of body, but more often of mind and of spirit. It is a tiredness that leads me into discouragement and then into despair. And despair leads me into hopelessness. Hopelessness leads me to give up. Sound familiar?

Nothing new under the sun. Our human struggle continues unchanged at its core from the beginning of time. Must be why over two thousand years ago the apostle Paul wrote these words to the churches in Galatia –

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:9-10)

“not become weary”? Seems impossible as I, and many I know, are already plenty weary. Paul’s admonition is a bit belated if you ask me. But it does come with an instruction. The instruction? Don’t give up! Keep on going! More specifically, I am to keep on doing good. The promise? I will reap a harvest! Something good will result if I don’t give up hope, if I don’t stop doing what I’m called to do.

BUT – I’m tired. So was Diana Nyad. So was Florence Chadwick. They were tired. Utterly exhausted actually. Let me tell you their stories. Diana Nyad is a swimmer who swam from Cuba to Florida successfully in 2013. However, that was her fifth attempt. Her previous four attempts failed. With each swim she faced many obstacles – the danger of sharks, the stings of jellyfish, ocean currents, adverse weather conditions, physical exhaustion, mental fatigue – the list is long. Nevertheless, Diana persevered. She did not give up and in the end she did reap her harvest. She accomplished her lifelong goal of swimming from Cuba to Florida at the age of sixty-four.

Florence Chadwick was also a swimmer. On July 4th, 1952 she set out to swim the twenty-six miles from Catalina Island to California’s coastline. Fifteen hours into her swim, a heavy fog set in. Florence couldn’t see the land ahead of her. As the fog grew ever more dense, Florence despaired, feeling success was too far away from where she was currently. Florence lost hope and asked to be pulled into the boat.

Although she didn’t know it at the time she made her decision because of the fog, Florence was only a half mile from shore! She had swum twenty-five and a half miles! Due to the fog, she had no idea how close she actually was to land. She was so close to completing her task and reaching her goal when she gave up. If only she had known! If she had known how close she really was, she would have persevered despite her tiredness and she would have received her reward. But she lost sight of her destination and consequently, she lost hope.

That’s me. Is that you, too, dear readers? Tired. Discouraged. Losing hope. BUT – God’s word tells me and you not to give up. The thing is – I don’t know how close to or how far I currently am from land. I don’t know when my breakthrough or my harvest is coming. I don’t know how close or how far I am from seeing long prayed prayers answered. Life is too often filled with fog, obscuring my vision of the future. I am swimming upstream in dangerous waters, waters filled with sharks and jellyfish and swift currents that constantly try to take me off course. That’s life. It’s exhausting. No wonder I’m tired.

BUT – God tells me, don’t give up. Trust Him. Keep going. Keep going and I will “reap a harvest” if I don’t give up. He also says, “at the proper time” I will reap that harvest. Only my Heavenly Father knows when that “proper time” is. Like the swimmers, I can’t see the land. I just have to trust that it is there and keep on going, not knowing how much longer I will need to persevere on this path to which God has called me. Only God knows the end from the beginning. I will trust Him even when I am tired – especially when I am tired. I have this encouragement –

“standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Peter 5:9-10)

” . . . now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)

It will all be worth it if you and I don’t give up, dear readers. God will make you and me “strong, firm and steadfast.” Today I may be exhausted, weary with the weight of the world on my shoulders BUT – Jesus said –

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

This is good news! Great news! My Heavenly Father wants to give me rest. And not just physical or mental rest, BUT – rest for my tired soul. The best kind of rest. Isaiah wrote these words regarding what God does for those of us who find ourselves tired –

“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; (ok, I feel a little better about my tiredness) but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Reading those words, I’m feeling less tired and ready for a little soaring above the fog – care to join me?

sincerely, Grace Day

P. S. fun fact – the rest of the story – swimmer Florence Chadwick did try her swim again two months later in September and did succeed in completing it despite the same conditions of dense fog. The difference? This time she didn’t give up. She set a new record, besting the men’s time by two hours. She later did this swim two more times. Thank You God, for not giving up on us and for giving us multiple second chances!

you are more

Posted on by Grace Day

It was Aristotle who said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” While mathematicians might disagree with this sentiment, in most other areas this statement rings true. This is particularly true of human beings, namely you and me, dear readers. You and I are infinitely more than the sum of our individual parts. We are more than just a collection of bones and blood, of a brain and a heart and a stomach.

We are created in the image of a triune God. We are triune beings. We are body, mind and spirit. We are more than the sum of our parts. Exponentially more.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,’ . . . So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27)

So why do I often feel worthless when my Heavenly Father says I am priceless? Could it be because I listen to what the world says about me instead of what my Creator says about me? In Psalms I read this –

“what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of Your hands; You put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.” (Psalm 8:4-8)

“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)

It is clear that you and I, dear readers, have been created with care in God’s eternal, triune image. Each one of us bear the imprint of the divine nature upon us, making each one of us unique, each one of us of immeasurable value in our Heavenly Father’s eyes. Instinctively we know this. We know whose we are – BUT – the deceit of the devil and the lies of our culture convince us otherwise. We know that –

“He (God) has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

You and I are “fearfully and wonderfully made” with “eternity in our hearts” and yet we don’t always remember in our day to day experiences that we are indeed so much more than the sum of our parts. And in this culture it’s not surprising given that we are constantly bombarded with labels meant to define and divide us from each other and even from ourselves. We become so fragmented with all the different labels put on us – we lose our identity, even as we are constantly being told what that identity is.

The culture wants to define us by things such as sex, age, income, skin color, religious beliefs, nationality, occupation, education – the list seems endless. But these things don’t define us or determine who we are or what we are worth. Only our Creator can do that. And He already has done this. Our price? The life of His only Son, Jesus. That’s the price He paid to redeem you and me for His own and give us eternal life with Him .

God doesn’t look at me or at you through the lens of all our manmade divisions such as sex or religious denomination or nationality or skin color. This is made clear with these words from Galatians and Colossians –

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26-28)

“Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” (Colossians 3:11)

God is the author of diversity in all He has created, but we turn the beauty of that diversity into divisions that separate us from each other and from our Creator. Seems as though the people in Paul’s day did the same thing. Perhaps that’s what prompted Paul to write the above words to the Galatians and the Colossians. Paul was pointing out our unity in Christ, who transcends all the things we use to build walls between us. He said neither circumcision nor uncircumcision mattered nor whether one was Jew or Greek, which was a big racial divide in that day.

Today we still label ourselves and others with many different labels, allowing those labels to define us, when in reality our true identity is found in knowing that we are created in God’s image and are made to reflect His glory and His goodness. But somehow that truth gets buried beneath the lies of the world. We then spend our days trying to figure out who we are and where we fit in. The world may not place much value on us or on life in general. We are deemed expendable. BUT – God says otherwise.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” (Matthew 18:12-14)

Each one of us matters to God. You are not invisible. I am not invisible. God knows you and me completely, even down to the number of hairs on our heads! We are His children – that is our true identity. We are not defined by our ethnicity, fame, fortune, accomplishments (or lack of them), our earthly status, church denomination, occupation, skin color or any physical conditions or handicaps we might have. These are not the things God sees when He looks at you and me. Instead, I read this in Samuel –

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ ” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Sometimes it is easier to let the world define me, dismiss me, devalue me (or others) than to believe the truth that I matter so much to my Creator that He left His home in glory and came here to give His life for me. You and I are more. We are more than the sum of our parts. We are more than the sum of all our labels. You and I are priceless. We are of infinite value in the eyes of our infinite Creator. That’s why He paid the ultimate price for each one of us.

“For God so loved the world (you and me) that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

No more labels. No more divisions.

“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)

Something to look forward to . . .

sincerely, Grace Day

why pray?

Posted on by Grace Day

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)

Why pray? Because it’s all true – every word – every living Word!

And that Word tells me to pray – commands me to pray – gives me (and you, too) the privilege of praying – the privilege of praying for others – for those I know and for those I will never meet on this earth. But still I pray. Because?

Because Jesus is my role model and Jesus prayed.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)

Because my Heavenly Father invites me to come to Him in prayer.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

“Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Why do I pray? Because I know God hears me –

“In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears.” (Psalm 18:6)

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15)

Why pray? Because my Heavenly Father’s promises are true and He has promised this –

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

and He has promised this –

“This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it – the Lord is His name: ‘Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ ” (Jeremiah 33:2-3)

Why pray? Because I am not only invited but instructed to pray –

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Why do I pray? Because of who He is –

“I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from Me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged Me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I the Lord, do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:5-7)

Why pray? Because I know this is true –

“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved;” (Joel 2:32)

and this is true –

“He is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

So, I will pray without ceasing, knowing that my Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers in His perfect timing.

sincerely, Grace Day

today’s prayer

Posted on by Grace Day

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

Lord, the world is full of crushed and broken people, people left full of empty spaces after tragedy comes like the thief in the night, robbing them of their loved ones, robbing them of their peace and of their joy – leaving them with gaping holes in their hearts and in their lives – spaces that need to be filled – spaces that only You are able to fill.

There are many in Texas right now in desperate need of You, Heavenly Father. Their hearts have been broken wide open and their spirits crushed by the loss of their loved ones who were swept away by the flood waters which most certainly came as the thief in the night, leaving behind destruction, devastation – raw pain, open wounds – everything laid bare – all the cracks and holes in our hearts and our souls exposed for all to see.

Who will enter in to such overwhelming grief and sorrow? You, Heavenly Father, have said that You will enter in and that You will stay with us through whatever we encounter. We have Your promise –

“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Lord, I pray that Your Presence enter in and fill all the empty spaces, all the open wounds, fill every crack and crevice currently filled with pain, with Your comfort and hope and love – You alone must fill these spaces if the people are to continue on after so great a loss. Please be the Lifter of every head, the Healer of every broken heart and the Mender of every crushed spirit. Lord Jesus, may those suffering loss know that You truly experience and carry their pain right now in these unbearable moments and days. We know You do because Isaiah said this about You –

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. . . . Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:3-5)

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19)

Lord Jesus, You Yourself are described as a man of sorrows. You know what it is to grieve and You too, have been crushed in spirit. We know You cried when Lazarus died, even though You knew You were going to bring him back to life in just a few moments. Yet still, You cried. You understand our grief. And You grieve right along with us.

Let Your Presence fill, sustain and protect all those left wounded and defenseless in the wake of the floods. Let them remember the promise of Your words –

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. . . . For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:10 & 13)

Lord, those who are grieving need Your help now as never before. May they experience today this reality, described in Your Living Word –

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

Heavenly Father, enter in to all these shattered lives, fill all the empty spaces with Your restoring, redeeming, life-giving Presence which “fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:23) Be mighty to save. Quiet their mourning spirits with the infinite, unfailing love You have for each one of us. May they know with assurance that just as “not a sparrow falls to the ground without Your knowing it” – You hold in Your hands each one that the flood waters took from our hands. As they grieve, may it not be as those without hope – BUT –

“May the God of hope fill them with all joy and peace as they trust in You, Lord, so that they may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Lord God, let Your love, stronger and deeper than any flood waters, surround those who are mourning, let Your love fill all their empty spaces, may Your love sustain them and carry them. Heavenly Father, we pray for all impacted by this flood, the same thing the apostle Paul prayed so many centuries ago,

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Heavenly Father, heal every hole in every heart, create a new spirit in the crushed and fill every empty space with Your abiding love.

sincerely, Grace Day

good nutrition – divine dining

Posted on by Grace Day

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:8)

“taste”? – isn’t that an odd thing for the psalmist to say about God – to taste Him? Perhaps it’s metaphorical. Maybe it implies giving God a chance, trying Him out to see who He really is or maybe testing Him before trusting Him. In other words, taste before swallowing whole or devouring. Good advice. But how do I taste God? I propose that I can do this through reading God’s Word. After all, Jesus said –

“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

So God’s Word is like food to me, God’s Word sustains me just as food does. In fact, in Deuteronomy I read –

“They are not just idle words for you – they are your life.” (Deuteronomy 32:47)

Interesting that Jesus is the Word that gives life –

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

and Jesus is also the bread that gives life –

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)

So I can taste Him and see if He indeed is good. I can partake of The Bread – the bread broken for me that I might live. Jesus’s own words explain this –

“And He (Jesus) took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ ” (Luke 22:19)

Jesus is the Bread of Heaven, like the manna God gave the Israelites every morning during their days in the desert. The Israelites were able to “taste and see that God is good” new every morning. You and I can too. We can read His word, new every morning, and let it fill us up with the strength, wisdom and love we will need to meet the challenges of the day. Jesus is the bread that satisfies my soul. Jesus told His disciples as much when He said this to them –

“Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. . . . I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:32-33 & 51)

The psalmist knew what it was to “taste” God through His word. Must be why he wrote these words in Psalm 119 –

“How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)

God’s Living Word – “sharper than any double-edged sword” – the daily bread that sustains me and gives me life – also satisfies my sweet tooth! Who knew? Thank You, Heavenly Father for Your Living Word. Your words truly are life to me. All I have to do is to taste them, to know that You are good!

sincerely, Grace Day

set free

Posted on by Grace Day

The walls are high, the dungeon deep, the bars unbreakable, the gate impenetrable, the darkness constant – who can rescue me from such a place? Who is able to set me free? King David answered the question with these words –

“I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” (Psalm 40:1-3)

Isaiah too, testified that it is God who sets those of us held captive free.

“to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” (Isaiah 42:7)

the prophet Isaiah also said –

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,” (Isaiah 61:1)

Ever feel like something or someone is holding you hostage? Do you feel like a prisoner in your own home, in your own skin, in your job or in your relationships? There are so many things that can hold us in bondage. Of course there is literal, physical incarceration. But there are other kinds of captivity that are just as real, things that hold us in bondage as surely as any prison does. Alcohol and drug addictions keep their victims captive indefinitely, sometimes it’s a life sentence. Fear, worry and anxiety are relentless captors, holding a very tight grip on their prisoners. And lies – lies enslave us so easily – keeping us bound for as long as we believe them. Must be why Jesus said –

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Sin is another relentless captor. I am a prisoner of my own sin. We all are. I need a Savior to rescue me from myself, from my sin, and to set me free. I need a Savior who is willing and able to forgive my sin. Sin separates me from my Creator and puts me in a place that is dark without His light. Sin’s hold is strong, like iron chains. Sin keeps me captive, isolated. Sin’s hold on me is like being held prisoner behind gates of bronze and bars of iron. BUT – God’s forgiveness is stronger than all sin. Must be why Isaiah said this –

“Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, . . . Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.” (Isaiah 107:10-16)

God’s unfailing love for each of us, those He created in His image, is so powerful that He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. God’s love sets me free. God’s forgiveness sets me free from my sin. God’s truth sets me free from the devil’s lies. Jesus’s death on the cross sets each one of us free from sin and death. In Galatians, Paul reminds us –

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

I have been set free from the captivity of constant worry. Jesus was clear about this when He told His disciples –

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. . . . Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? . . . But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34)

I have been set free from fear and from having to live in fear. I have His word on that!

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:18-19)

I have been set free from all anxiety which if allowed free reign, would paralyze me, making me a permanent prisoner. BUT – I can follow these instructions, which lead to peace and freedom –

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

How wonderful! I have been set free. I say this with the psalmist –

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them – the Lord, who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free,” (Psalm 146:5-7)

thank You, Heavenly Father, for setting me free!

sincerely, Grace Day

don’t leave home without it

Posted on by Grace Day

Now what would “it” be? According to one ad from years ago “it” was a credit card. You and I, as the prospective consumers, were advised not to leave home without this particular credit card. Why? Because it’s a dangerous, unpredictable world out there. We can’t possibly anticipate what circumstances and events we will encounter when we leave home and walk out into the world, BUT – apparently, possessing this credit card will provide us with protection, provision and peace of mind. I guess the underlying premise being that money can buy you and me those three essential p’s – protection, provision and peace of mind. If only!

So what do I need to take with me every day, if not a trusted credit card? I usually dress for both the current weather and the weather forecast for the day, meaning even if it’s not currently raining or snowing, if that’s the prediction for later in the day, I take my umbrella or snow boots, gloves etc. and scraper for the car in anticipation of what I might encounter later and of what I might need in order to deal with whatever unexpected challenges might arise. Still, it’s impossible for me to be fully prepared to face every contingency, every day.

While most of us aren’t military, we may feel like we are walking into a war zone every day as we enter our workplaces or just the places we go in general as shoppers, patients, clients, spectators, classmates, fans, friends – anyplace can be a potential battlefield. No wonder we’re tired, maybe not so much physically as emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I find myself wondering, “is it just me? am I imagining this or is it real?” Ephesians 6 gives me a clear answer to my questions –

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Ok, so there is a battle going on. It’s not my imagination after all. But it’s a spiritual battle. So, how do I prepare for this battle? What protection and provision are available to me? I think it’s going to take more than a credit card to equip me to live victoriously while facing and fighting this spiritual battle. It’s not as simple as bringing an umbrella or wearing snow boots and a heavy coat. I need more protection than that. Fortunately, Ephesians 6 outlines in detail exactly what I need to put on and take with me.

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, (I think it’s already here) you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:13-17)

These things then, are the things I shouldn’t leave home without. It is imperative I actively put them on in order to be prepared to face the challenges the day will bring and in order to be protected from things like “the flaming arrows of the evil one.” My instructions not only include what I am to wear, but also what I am to do. The words are clear –

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. . . . And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:10-11, 18)

“Be strong”, “put on the full armor of God”, “stand” and “pray” – this is not a plan for survival. This is a plan for victory! My circumstances may seem overwhelming, but God’s armor provides me the protection and the peace that I need and that He wants me to have. I dare not leave home without it! My Heavenly Father has made all of it available to me, I just have to put it on! When I do, I will be able to “take my stand against the devil’s schemes” because God’s armor contains everything I need, as long as I put on all of it (the full armor) and not just some of it.

God’s truth defeats satan’s lies. God provides His righteousness to cover me. Jesus is the Prince of peace and it is His gospel of peace that fits my feet and enables me to stand. It is His shield of faith that extinguishes all the flaming arrows of doubt before they can even reach their target (me), take root and destroy my faith. My helmet is God’s salvation, sealing me for the day of redemption, assuring that the enemy cannot rob me of the gift God has already given me. And God provides me a weapon, His Sword of the Spirit, which is His living Word. And word has it (pun intended) that this particular Sword is a pretty good weapon. Hebrews says this about it –

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)

I think that’s a pretty sharp sword indeed! And it’s a weapon I can wield in this spiritual battle I face every day. I don’t have to be afraid, discouraged, daunted or deterred in any way. I may not have today’s most prestigious or preferred credit card with me when I leave home every day BUT – I have something infinitely better. I have God’s full armor covering me and I have His presence. I have my Heavenly Father’s protection, His provision, His peace and His twenty-four/seven Presence. I have His promise –

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

“The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:7-8)

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

We think life is full of hardship and heartache today, but there is “nothing new under the sun.” Jesus told His disciples this –

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

And so He has! But while in this world, I will have trouble. I am so thankful God has given me His full armor, to protect and equip me for the battle that rages all around us. Better than any credit card, the full armor of God allows me to stand firm in any and every circumstance and to always keep on praying.

sincerely, Grace Day

wanderlust

Posted on by Grace Day

Ever feel like you’re missing out on something big, something important, something that everyone around you seems to know about and participate in except for you? I think this feeling even has a name – FOMO – fear of missing out. Yes, there is an acronym for everything. I wonder if FOMO is common enough these days that it has now risen to the level of a recognized malady, a malady that warrants some form of treatment, whether therapy or medicine.

The reason I bring this up is because I think I may be suffering from a form of FOMO, albeit a very specific subcategory – wanderlust. Wanderlust – “an irresistible urge to explore the world.” If I am honest, I must admit that I have suffered from wanderlust all my life. There is no cure, except perhaps travel. And that is what everyone except me seems to be talking about and doing these days – traveling. I am surrounded by people talking about their upcoming trips and those recounting the adventures from which they have just returned. I love to hear their stories, but this only increases my longing to see the world for myself, to experience its beauty and meet its people.

My being afflicted with wanderlust may explain my uncommon reaction to the classic Christmas movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The first time I saw it, I spent the entire time rooting for George Bailey to get out of town and go on his long awaited, long planned, travel the world adventure. But circumstances would intervene and George would always stay to help out his family, his business and his town. I was frustrated. I felt for George. George never got to realize his life-long dream of traveling the world.

Years ago, I affixed a beautiful picture to a wooden plaque with these words on it, “though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it within us, or we will find it not.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) Emerson considered wanderlust a vice, not a virtue, although he did take into consideration the reason for one’s travel. He approved of travel to improve one’s character but said travel to escape one’s sadness or boredom was pointless, because these things stay with us no matter where we travel.

The apostle Paul was always wanting to travel. He had plans to visit many different places as his letters to various churches reveal. But Paul’s travel plans were often interrupted and put on hold when he was repeatedly thrown into prison for preaching the gospel. Of course, this was also the very reason Paul was wanting to travel. He was wanting to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to the gentiles, to those who had not yet heard because they lived in other lands. Paul didn’t have wanderlust. He had God’s call upon him to go and share the gospel with others.

Jonah was another person who did some traveling. However, unlike Paul, Jonah’s travel wasn’t towards something but was actually travel away from something. That’s right. Jonah was running away from God and from the assignment God had given him to go to the city of Ninevah and deliver a message from God to the people living there. Jonah’s travels took him to sea on a ship that was caught up in a storm and Jonah ended up in the belly of a big fish. I guess Jonah thought he could outrun God. But God’s word says differently. King David wrote these words –

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:7-10)

Whether my wanderlust is a search for God or an attempt to get away from Him, it is unnecessary and futile. God is omnipresent. I don’t have to travel to find Him and no matter where I travel, there is no where I can go where He is not present. I can enjoy God’s presence wherever I am. I don’t have to travel to some exotic place in order to feel close to Him. He’s already here with me. I don’t have to suffer from FOMO. I am not missing anything. God will use me for His good purposes wherever I am, if I am willing and obedient.

Paul fulfilled God’s good and eternal purposes from a prison cell. Jonah called upon God while inside a fish in the depths of the sea and promised to obey God’s instruction to him, this time. (talk about your second chances) Jesus told Peter to follow Him but told John to remain. I know many who are missionaries overseas, but we each are called to minister right where we are. It took an encounter with an angel to show George Bailey all the good that had happened because he had stayed and done what was needed to help his family and his friends.

You and I may not get the movie encounter with an angel, we just have to trust in faith that God is working out His perfect will in each of our lives. Paul wrote this in his letter to the church at Rome –

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“In all things”. Ok. I guess that means “in all places, at all times” also? In spite of my wanderlust, I can know that what I long for, I already possess. I don’t need to go in search of an elusive “it.” My Heavenly Father’s glorious, sustaining Presence is the same everywhere and it is more than enough!

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)

I don’t have to travel far, I don’t have to travel at all in order to experience the wonder of God’s creation or of His presence. The wonder of the universe that is mine today far outweighs the wanderlust of the world. One lasts while the other fades. The former is eternal, the latter temporal.

sincerely, Grace Day

the woman in the wheelchair

Posted on by Grace Day

She is always there on Sunday mornings, the woman in the wheelchair. I don’t remember when I first noticed her, but eventually I took note if she wasn’t there in her usual spot behind the last pew in the sanctuary. To me, she was somewhat of a mysterious figure, bundled up and hunched over in her wheelchair, her gray head bowed a bit and a mask (maybe a vestige of the recent covid era) covering most of her face. She didn’t appear to be with anyone or to have any family with her. I found myself wondering who was she? Had she always been in a wheelchair? How had she ended up here?

We each have a story and I was curious to learn hers – the unique story belonging to her alone, the life story of the woman I knew only as the woman in the wheelchair. In time, I introduced myself and learned her name. That changed things. She is no longer just the woman in the wheelchair, she has a name and a face. She is Ginger. (I wonder if her hair was red when she was young? I haven’t asked her that yet)

We now greet each other every Sunday, but my curiosity has remained about the long life she has obviously already lived and about the events that have transpired to bring her here to this church at this time in her life. Everyone has a story that runs much deeper than meets the eye and I wanted to know hers. Bits and pieces of her story have been revealed over time and like any good story, hers contains both triumph and tragedy, hardship and heartbreak, success and failure, doubt and faith.

Not so different from my story nor yours, dear reader, I suspect – Ginger’s is a story of endurance. She is still showing up on Sunday mornings to worship God, despite her past hardships, despite her present situation and the obstacle her wheelchair presents in this very old, unmodernized, church building. She continues to show up in faith and hold onto hope. (while some of us let less than perfect weather or any small thing dissuade us from going to church on a Sunday morning) Just her presence in church, the presence of the woman in the wheelchair, is inspiration and conviction enough for me and perhaps for others, too. God continues to use us in each and every season of our lives.

I use the word endurance because my friend’s life has not been easy. (notice I now call her my friend, instead of the woman in the wheelchair) She’s been married and divorced, employed and unemployed, lived in affluence and been homeless. She did share with me some stories from her panhandling days. Begging on the streets is not only difficult but downright dangerous, especially for a woman. God has brought her through those years to the relative safety of where she is today. This is a testament to God’s faithfulness to her and to each of us, reminding me of these words –

“if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.” (Deuteronomy 7:9)

Perhaps my friend has learned the secret that Paul learned and shared in his letter to the church at Philippi –

” . . . I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Ginger continues to need the strength God gives, as life continues to be full of challenges to overcome. But of course, that is true for me and for you as well. Life is challenging, wheelchair or no wheelchair. Although alone in the world by all appearances, she now has a church family to love her. It brings me joy to see some of the grade school age children come up to her and give her big hugs after church. In her wheelchair, she is just the right height to receive their embraces and converse with them face to face. Reminds me of these words from Psalms –

“God sets the lonely in families,” (Psalm 68:6)

as I write this, I am thinking that to God, Ginger has never been, nor is she now, simply the woman in the wheelchair. She is so much more. She is His dearly loved daughter, and He has never left her nor forsaken her. He knows her by name (as do I now) and He knows every hair on her head. Ginger, like Job, can say with confidence these words –

“But He (God) knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)

She has certainly endured a lot in her lifetime and continues to do so. BUT – in the end I hope my friend can say these words along with Paul –

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

fun fact – a small, jeweled, crown-shaped hair ornament always adorns my friend’s gray topknot hairstyle and her nickname is “Queenie” – perhaps a foreshadowing of things to come . . .

sincerely, Grace Day