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Worship X Day 9 Faithful Redeemer: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Faithful Redeemer!

The Questions

1) “Be anxious for nothing”? Really? (verse 6)

2) What is true peace? How does it guard our hearts? (verse 7)

3) Why meditate on “these things”? (verse 8)

Philippians 4:6-8

6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable–if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy–dwell on these things.

Original Intent

1) “Be anxious for nothing”? Really? (verse 6)
These sound like words from someone who has never faced a problem in their life. It makes you want to ask, “What gives you the right to tell me, “Be anxious for nothing“? Until we see the writer is none other than the Apostle Paul, who suffered significantly for preaching Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:23-30) He had many things he could worry about. As a matter of fact, even as he wrote to the Christians in Philippi, he was on house arrest at Rome waiting for a decision on his execution. Paul had plenty for which to be anxious, but he confidently held fast to what he had come to whole-heartedly believe, “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) Tensions and hardships spoken of within his letter may reflect social tensions and economic difficulties within the larger community of Philippi or even in the broader church. These issues could have been a source of anxiety for the Philippian believers along with many other potential worries. Since this instruction comes at the close of his letter perhaps it was an encouragement to not be worried about him. Throughout his letter, Paul reiterates that “joy is an essential outgrowth of union with Christ in the gospel.” Paul stresses the idea of joy or rejoicing in a number of ways throughout the letter: (Philippians 1:18;2:28-29;3:1, and 4:4 to name only a few) (Jason C, Meyer, The Lexham Bible Dictionary, Logos)

2) What is true peace? How does it guard our hearts? (verse 7)
In a previous Digging Deeper Study, we studied how peace is one of the many gifts the Holy Spirit cultivates in the heart of a believer! This peace of God surpasses all understanding. (Philippians 4:7-9) God’s peace remains, EVEN when the world storms around us. The Bible is filled with God-followers who found peace in relationship with Him despite their circumstances. Daniel’s daily relationship with God provided him peace and increased his faith that God would protect him from being consumed by lions. (Daniel 6) Peter walked out on stormy waters at Jesus’ invitation based on what he knew to be true of Jesus. (Matthew 14:22-33) As long as he remained focused on Jesus, Peter walked peacefully amidst a literal storm. We can find this same supernatural peace by continually turning our minds and hearts to Jesus in prayer, worship, and reading His Word. (Isaiah 26:3) Jesus told the disciples (and us) that in this world we would have suffering, but He came to give us peace. (John 16:33) We have this peace because Jesus has already conquered the world, so why worry? We, with Him, have conquered this world and all its troubles!

3) Why meditate on “these things”? (verse 8)
True… honorable… just… pure… lovely… commendable… excellence… praiseworthy. These, Paul would say, are the fruit and the food of the mind that is guarded by the peace of God. When we put these good things into our mind, they stay in our mind and then come forth from us. (Enduring Word Bible Commentary) Have you heard the children’s sermon where the pastor puts water into a glass and then has a child shake his arm? Of course, the water spills out. Then he asks the children “why did water spill out of the glass?” They respond, “Because we shook your arm”, but he replies, “No, because water was in the glass”. What is in your heart comes out when the world shakes you. Paul tells us through his letters that what we put in our minds makes all the difference. Romans 12:2 talks of transforming our minds and 2 Corinthians 10:4-7 speaks of “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself.” Meditating on “good things” that reflect God and His character is key. It’s a practical way to bring every thought into captivity under Christ’s rule in us. (2 Corinthians 10:5) Negative thoughts come, but we don’t need to allow them to stay or mull them over in our minds. Just “cast them down“, and ask the Lord to renew our minds in Him!

Everyday Application

1) “Be anxious for nothing”? Really? (verse 6)
Yesterday, Christine encouraged us that “There is always hope when God is in our story.” David exhibited this kind of confident hope in Psalm 71:5, “For you are my hope, Lord God, my confidence from my youth.” David often began his psalms with worries, but he always gave them to God; Paul instructs us to do the same. Paul doesn’t leave us with a blank statement “not to worry”, but tags on “how to do that” by prescribing praise, “but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) If we remember what God has done in the past it gives us hope for the future. We can confidently know that God will come through with whatever is best for us. (Romans 8:28) He absolutely will work it out. In Psalm 71:14-19, David wrote about the faithfulness of God. Christine challenged us to look at our own journals. Do we ever praise him for what He has done or is it all about our worries and concerns? I am impressed that it is not only once in the Psalms that the works of God are listed but over and over again. Don’t ever stop praising Him! Yes, make your requests to Him. But then, praise Him for what He WILL do, then wait in faith and watch what happens! The faithful God gives us His gift of peace when we choose praise over fear. “Peace. Wonderful Peace flowing down from the Father above.” (Wonderful Peace by Warren D. Cornell)

2) What is true peace? How does it guard our hearts? (verse 7)
We tend to believe that peace comes in the absence of storms and trials. When blessings are flowing, then I can have peace. Consider with me, how would we define blessings? Family? Financial gain? Health? If so, then, what hope is there for the one with no husband, no children, no money, or bad health? I always felt at peace with life. My husband and I had our ups and downs, but we were “at peace” serving God. But then, I lost my health. After which, my husband lost his job and subsequently our home. Just before the job loss, our son introduced me to Laura Story and her song, Blessings. She proposes through song that blessings aren’t tangible things but divine things. Through our difficult trials, my husband and I truly found Christ’s “peace that passes all understanding“. His providence for every need, and His grace to walk through the valley of the shadow of death were constant. This peace was discovered through a much deeper relationship with the God of the ages. Now, God was truly “guarding our hearts” for all the ‘stuff’ had been stripped away and we could really be at peace with Him. Everything else was just icing on the cake.

3) Why meditate on “these things”? (verse 8)
Not long after my illness began, my sister sent me a “joy box” inspired by the writings of Ann Voskamp. This got me started in reading her book, One Thousand Gifts. Ann tells her story of a life of depression until a friend challenged her to start a gratitude journal. The goal was to list one thousand things for which she was thankful. By writing down three things every day, she had one thousand gifts within a year! In the process, she discovered joy! Thinking on the good things instead of the negative made all the difference. While I haven’t suffered depression over my health, making a gratitude journal keeps everything on a high note. I even went to the next level and brought my whole church into the practice. Every Sunday, I placed an assignment in the bulletin for each person or family to create their own lists. It became “a fragrant offering, and acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:18) Meditating on the good things brings us right back to the whole theme of Philippians – JOY! I pray you will begin to “think on these things” in life and in this act of worship, increase your joy!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Faithful Redeemer!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship X Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Worship X Day 7 Just Be Still And Know Already: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Just Be Still And Know Already!

The Questions

1) What characteristics of God’s heart is Paul highlighting?

2) How is the Christ-follower to cultivate these characteristics in their own lives and why is this important?

3) How can we practically love our enemies? (verses 19-21)

Romans 12:9-21

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another. 11 Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.

20 But if your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
For in so doing
you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.
21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

Original Intent

1) What characteristics of God’s heart is Paul highlighting?
The Greeks maintained a strong focus on character. For the Greek, right relationships among people were supremely important because this evidenced justice. They viewed justice as the result of people who demonstrated prudence, temperance, and fortitude. In today’s language we label these characteristics as discernment, balance, and courage. Understanding how these virtues played a large role in ancient culture helps us appreciate Paul’s perspective in teaching on similar virtues in this passage such as love (verse 9), hope (verse 12), peace (verses 16-17), and goodness (verse 21). These concepts would have been familiar territory for the culture of his first audience, but Paul took their common understanding and moved it much deeper as He related these characteristics to an outpouring of God’s Spirit at work in the believer’s everyday life. Christians weren’t meant to live as good citizens because of Greek culture, but because the heart of God moved within them by the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:16) If we reference Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, we see that sacrificial, divine love is the cornerstone for all other virtues. (1 Corinthians 13:13) In his letter to the Galatians, Paul emphasized that even though all virtues are tied to love, we cannot love, or consistently reflect God’s holy character without the work of the Spirit in us. When we surrender to Him, however, He cultivates His good fruit in us, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) In his letter to the Philippian believers, Paul writes, “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

2) How is the Christ-follower to cultivate these characteristics in their own lives and why is this important?
Paul’s original recipients of this letter were Christians living in Rome who suffered persecution from ruling authorities. This context is important to remember as it highlights the intense cost of loving one’s enemies as Christ loved us. These instructions were not “good ideas” Paul crafted, these were attributes lived out by the Lord Jesus Christ. His followers were called to live in a way that honored Him.

  1. Love must be authentic. (verse 9) No Hypocrisy. No Play acting. Christ loved us by giving Himself up without shadow of deception.
  2. Detest evil; cling to good. (verse 9) Christ died because of evil, yet for the joy set before Him, He sacrificed Himself. (Hebrews 12:2)
  3. Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. (verse 10) The Greek word Paul used for love is “philadelphia” meaning “family love”. As believers, we are brothers and sisters because we have the one Father, God.
  4. Take the lead in honoring one another. (verse 10) Christ did not hold onto His rights, but surrendered them for our good. (Philippians 2:3-6)
  5. Don’t be sluggish in zeal. (verse 11) Following Jesus holds no room for lethargy; Christ deserves our everything!
  6. Fervently serve the Lord in the Spirit. (verse 11) We cannot follow Jesus on our own strength, but only in surrendering to His Spirit at work in us!
  7. Rejoice in hope, even when we may feel hopeless. (verse 12) Because of Jesus, our Hope is sure and certain.
  8. Meet tribulation with triumphant fortitude. (verse 12)
  9. Persevere in prayer, ceaselessly bringing all things to the Lord.
  10. In generosity, open your door to others. (verse 13) (Hebrews 13:2)

3) How can we practically love our enemies? (verses 19-21)
Loving one’s enemies was a teaching that landed in Paul’s listeners in ways many of us cannot fathom. Roman citizens who chose to follow Christ put their life, and the lives of their family members, at risk. Loving their enemies and blessing those who persecuted them would easily have been an instruction to be reviled. But Christ did not give this instruction in a vacuum for He said, “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you.” (John 15:18) Early in His ministry, Jesus laid the groundwork for how to respond to those who reviled the Christ-follower. (Matthew 5:10-12) How does one love those who are intent on carrying out a death threat to yourself, your spouse, parent, or child? Humble. Worship. If it were not for the Spirit of God working in them, the believers in Rome, and you and I, would have no hope of loving our enemies. But Christ loved us when we hated Him (Romans 5:8), and because of His humble example and because of the sure Hope we have in Him for eternity where every injustice will be righted, we are fueled to worship in the face of suffering. “Rejoice” (verse 12), “live in harmony” (verse 16), “bless and do not curse the persecutors” (verse 14), live lowly (verse 16), these are the ways we worship the One who sacrificed Himself for us. Our fervent prayer and zealous love for our persecutors can be the hinge God will use to bring someone to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. God wastes nothing in bringing glory to His Name!

Everyday Application

1) What characteristics of God’s heart is Paul highlighting?
Personal values drive our decisions in everyday life. If we value honesty, we will seek to be honest and we’ll have a sense of injustice when others are dishonest. Christ-followers are instructed to build our value system from the Word of God because it reflects God’s heart and His character, which has never changed. (Hebrews 13:8) When we cling to biblical values, not because they build a strong culture (though they do!), but because they reflect the heart of the God who gave Himself for us, we have entered into a lifestyle of worship. Read Paul’s words again in this passage through the lens of practical-lived-out-worship. What new insights do you gain? Does it seem less like a “to do” and more like a “get to”? When we live out God’s heart for us in real, everyday life, we are fighting against a culture that says, “me first”. Living out worship points others to Jesus in a world where immorality and self-love reign supreme. Read Paul’s words again and make a list of virtues and actions that flow from those virtues. How can we put these into practice? By asking the Holy Spirit to build and strengthen these within us as we commit to surrendering to His work in us! When we are honest, kind-hearted, compassionate, patient, and love the “hard to love”, Christ’s love shines through us into the dark world around us. Instead of loudly debating for the sake of being right, our choice to speak, serve and care with gentleness voices Jesus’ love far louder than “winning” an argument. (REF due so with gentleness and respect) Let’s be people who exhibit God’s character by fleeing sexual sin (1 Corinthians 6:18-20), acting kindly (Galatians 6:10), and carrying one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:20) that others might see Jesus in us!

2) How is the Christ-follower to cultivate these characteristics in their own lives and why is this important?
Because the world is a battlefield between good and evil and our time here is short, our lives must be lived with an eye on eternity. The Christian must not waste time tied down to the patterns of this world that run counter to the heart of God. (Romans 12:2) We must not choose to worship what isn’t worthy of our praise simply because it is easy or comfortable. Our everyday choices evidence the objects of our worship, and Paul’s practical list provides us with simple metrics to observe whether we are worshipping the Lord or not. The battle is intense and wearisome, but God exhorts us to “come away (…) and rest” (Mark 6:31). In so doing, we arm ourselves with His protection and prepare to stand firm against a culture screaming, “I could care less about spiritual things”. Zealously pursue the heart of God, study the Scriptures to know Him deeply, and then surrender your everyday moments to the work of the Spirit as He cultivates His fruit in us. Watch for the daily opportunities the Lord provides to reflect His character to those around you. Stand for justice, act with patience, love authentically, offer encouragement, extend comfort, and share generously, knowing the Lord’s return is certain and the best is yet to come because He has won our eternity! Hallelujah AMEN! We can meet any circumstance when we meet it with Christ. Though we live in a world bent on getting, as imitators of Christ, we must be bent on giving. Following Jesus in everyday life is an act of worship expressed through open hands of generosity, hearts of authenticity, and doors of hospitality. We are NOT to be conquered by evil but CONQUER evil with GOOD!

3) How can we practically love our enemies? (verses 19-21)
Is it possible to practically love our enemies? Yes! Yes! Yes! Fervently, zealously through God’s Spirit working in us, we are empowered to pray for our persecutors. More so, to offer them our hospitality, and live out Jesus’ love in practical, humble ways in real life! Don’t miss an opportunity to be the hands, feet, mouth, and embracing arms of Jesus. Be bold in sharing the gospel with your lips, your open door, your warm food, and your fervent love! Don’t worry about having all the right words, just trust the Lord to do His work in you by His Spirit. He will be faithful to build His kingdom through you as you surrender to Him. Is this a tough assignment in the face of pain and persecution? YES! But it is nothing our Lord has not already accomplished for our benefit. Whatever your painful woe, come to the Father, surrendering your tears and anguish, and be fueled by Him as you feast on His Word, speaking with Him in prayer. Do not shy away from praying even when you don’t know what to pray or have the words for He says, “The Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.” (Romans 8:26) As His adopted daughters, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” (2 Timothy 1:7) The intense JOY of drawing close to the Father is beyond words. The closer we walk with Him, the more we hunger and thirst for more of Him. Circumstances, loss, pain, all begin to fade as we gaze on the face of the Savior God! In loving Christ, He shapes us to love others, even our enemies! Yes and AMEN!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Just Be Still And Know Already!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship X Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Worship X Day 1 Proclaiming Praise

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 9
Psalm 37:27-29
Proverbs 21:30
Romans 2:1-11

Worship X, Day 1

We don’t need to look far in the world to see injustice.
Every day the news is filled with stories of people being mistreated or discriminated against because of race, religion, or social status. In many situations, evil seems to triumph. Maybe you can think of examples closer to home from your own experience, too.

This isn’t a new problem. In fact, it was something David was very conscious of as he wrote Psalm 9, in which he celebrated the God of justice.

Though he writes from a situation where he is facing injustice, David praises God boldly. He remembers God’s past faithfulness in bringing justice, and he reflects on justice as an integral part of God’s character.

For David, God’s justice is good news, worthy of praise. His whole-hearted thankfulness to God is expressed by telling others, by “boasting” about God, and by singing of all God has done.

As I read this Psalm, I find it both comforting and slightly unnerving. I suppose our view of justice often depends on which side of it we fall. To the defendant appearing in court, knowing they have done wrong and are about to face the consequences, justice is something to fear, while for the victim, it’s a source of hope, and we see this contrast reflected in the Psalm.

For those who are on the wrong side of God’s justice, the consequences are severe. We read of a God who rebukes the nations, destroys the wicked, and brings eternal ruin. (Psalm 9:5-6) God’s enemies retreat, stumbling and perishing (Psalm 9:3), caught in traps they have set themselves. (Psalm 9:15)

There are many examples of this throughout Scripture:

  •     When the Midianites oppress the people of Israel, God confuses them, causing them to fight one another, and grants the Israelites victory as they simply stand and watch. (Judges 7:19-22)
  •     When Daniel’s fellow-workers in Babylon trick the king into throwing Daniel into the lions’ den, God miraculously rescues Daniel, and it is his enemies who are eaten by the lions. (Daniel 6:21-24)
  •     When Haman plots to destroy God’s people, he is brought to justice and hung on the gallows he built himself. (Esther 7:6-10)

A contrast is drawn between God’s eternal reign (Psalm 9:7) and the fact that the names of the wicked will be erased forever. (Psalm 9:5)

Lest we be too quick to cast our enemies in the roles of the wicked and align ourselves with the righteous, it’s worth noting that Psalm 9:17 describes the heart of wickedness as forgetting God.

Paul’s words in Romans 2 provide a sobering reminder that, without Jesus, we are all deserving of God’s judgement and “there is no favoritism with God.” (Romans 2:11) Rather than assuming God is on our side, we must be careful to make sure we are on His.

For those of us who have put our faith in Jesus and turned to God, there need be no fear of His judgement, and in situations where we are seeking or lacking justice, God’s justice truly is good news!

God is a refuge in times of trouble, He never abandons those who seek Him, He remembers the needy, and He restores the hope of the oppressed.

These are truths that bring deep security.

“For the LORD loves justice and will not abandon His faithful ones. They are kept safe forever.” (Psalm 37:28)

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all.” (John 10:28)

In a world where injustice is rife, this psalm provides encouragement that, in the end, God’s justice will prevail. The plans of the wicked may seem to succeed for a time, but ultimately, “no wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel will prevail against the Lord.” (Proverbs 21:30)

As David considers all of this, he asks God for help in his current situation for two reasons, to rejoice in God’s salvation and to tell others.

Surely our response should be the same!
Let’s bring our situations to God, knowing He cares and He can bring justice.
Let’s run to Him for refuge, rejoicing in the promise that God’s justice will ultimately prevail.
Let’s praise Him and proclaim the Good News to others who need to hear it!

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Sacrifice Day 10 The Great Rebellion

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 95
Exodus 19
Exodus 32:1-10
Luke 23:44-24:12
Romans 5:6-11

Sacrifice, Day 10

Familiar ground.
Holy ground, actually.

As Moses’ eyes caught glimpses of familiar land shapes, jutting rocks, and craggy mountain trees, memories flooded back.

He’d spent three months leading thousands of misfit Hebrews far from the impotent threat of a now-desolated Egyptian army. (Exodus 19:1-2)

The Lord was leading them out of slavery, never to return.
He would be their God and they would be His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Sheep.
The word made him grin as he plodded one 80-year old sandaled foot after the other into the warm sand. The irony of the Lord’s ways brought a chuckle inside of Moses. Just days ago, he’d led the people through Midian, home of his father-in-law, Jethro, and the stomping grounds of his first wilderness experience when he’d first fled from Egypt. Back then, a murderer on the run, he was certain he’d never return to Egypt. He’d lost himself on the hills of Midian, shepherding Jethro’s flocks, and fading into oblivion. He cast a glance behind him to the masses stretching back as far as his eye could see, listening to the cacophony of bleating goats, sheep, children’s cries, and teenage squabbles.
These were his sheep now.

This terrain was becoming more familiar; he was so close.
Close to where it happened nearly six years ago.
As he dared pull up the holy image in his mind’s eye, it was as if the sounds around him dimmed to nothing and the weight of the sacred pressed upon his soul. The bush had burned and crackled in the crags near Mt. Sinai, while its leaves remained green and its branches untouched.

“The place where you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5),
the I AM’s voice had seemed to fill the whole earth.

Moses breathed in, willing his mind to hold onto the precious scene. A rush of wind seemed to fill his senses, “Holy! Holy! Holy!” his heart sang within him. How could the I AM speak to him, tasking him with freeing the Hebrews from slavery?!

The moment ended, and as he lifted his head, sweat slipping around his eyes to mix with unexpected tears, he saw it in the distance, Mount Sinai.

He called the people to camp at Sinai’s base and then, with awe-filled trepidation, dared draw near. The Lord’s voice filled the space around Moses and his heart leapt for unspeakable joy. “Yahweh,” his soul breathed.

“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians
and how I carried you on eagles’ wings
and brought you to myself.

Now if you will carefully listen to me
and keep my covenant,
you will be my own possession out of all the peoples,
although the whole earth is mine,
and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.” (Exodus 19:4-6)

Moses quaked inside, the power of the Divine washing over him.
He knew, like Abraham, neither he nor the Hebrews he led, had done anything to deserve such a grand invitation from I AM. Yet, His embrace opened wide, urging them to welcome Him as their God, to love and serve Him, for He would make them His Own People.

“I am going to come to you in a dense cloud so the people will hear[…] and believe. […]
Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow.
They must wash their clothes
and be prepared by the third day,
for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai
in the sight of all the people.” (Exodus 19:9-11)

As dawn’s pink light tinged Mt Sinai on the third day, thunder bellowed, and lightning flashed across the sunrise. Yahweh’s thick cloud descended, and a ram’s horn blasted, announcing the Almighty’s presence.

For forty days, Moses was enveloped in the glory of the Lord recording His Law on scrolls, except for the Ten Commandments, which the Lord inscribed on stone with His hand. (Exodus 31:18)

A holy God.
His righteous rules.
A people intended to be set apart reflecting His holiness.
But a people carousing before an idol of their making.
(Exodus 32:1-6)

For forty-days the All-Knowing God knew His people were demonstrating the wickedness of their hearts in acts of wretched rebellion.
Yet, He continued to be present with Moses.
He still gave His Law, allowing access to Him.
Perhaps most significantly, He didn’t destroy them as they deserved.

Instead, He gave mercy.
Just as He had when Adam and Eve disobeyed and when Cain killed his brother.

Centuries later, on a hill outside Jerusalem, the sky would again blacken unexpectedly. Thunder would clamor, and the Father would turn His back on His Son as the earth shook.
With arms outstretched in an embrace grand enough to enfold the people of the world, Christ would die instead of the rebels who deserved eternal death.

Silence would fall, for death would seem to win, but three days later, Victory would rise from Death’s grave.

The Holy One who should have destroyed humanity for their sinfulness mercifully gave His life as their ransom.

Sisters, we are all at the foot of Mt. Sinai, dancing wildly around our idols while the Lord has made restitution for us through the spilled blood of His Son.
The Lord has been merciful!
Let’s crush our idols and embrace His sacrifice for us as He welcomes us Home as a people for His own possession, the sheep of His pasture!

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Sacrifice Day 8 Singular Love

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 22:1-13
Deuteronomy 7:6-8
Isaiah 53:7-10
Matthew 22:34-38
Ephesians 5:1-2 

Sacrifice, Day 8

After a long wait, at the ripe old age of 100, Abraham was finally blessed with the arrival of Isaac, the son God promised him years earlier. (Genesis 21:1-5) One cannot imagine the celebration of the birth of this long-awaited son; Abraham’s joy must have known no bounds!

But it appears the joy was cut short; a few years later, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his precious, promised son to God. (Genesis 22:1-2) We imagine Abraham must have been confused; God’s promise of offspring more numerous than the stars in the sky was to be fulfilled through Isaac. Yet Abraham heeded the voice of God, though he could not understand God’s plan.

Nowhere do we learn Abraham consulted with his wife, Sarah, or procrastinated as he grappled with this heartbreaking command. Instead, “he got up early in the morning” (Genesis 22:3) and went with his son to Mount Moriah, the location God specified for the sacrifice. After arranging everything, he tied his son and laid him on the altar; as Abraham raised his knife to slaughter Isaac, God called out to him not to harm his son, and provided a lamb in place of Isaac for the sacrifice. (Genesis 22:9-14)

For God to ask Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, does not mean He delights in human sacrifice. In fact, He had no intention of allowing Isaac to die. He tested Abraham to know the measure of his love for Him. To His delight, Abraham’s love for God was in full measure; nothing shared a space in Abraham’s heart with God, even his only son Isaac. By that act of obedience on the part of Abraham, God confirmed Abraham’s love for Him.

Centuries later, Jesus (whose earthly father was descended from Abraham through Isaac) would succinctly encapsulate the devotion Abraham lived before God:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command.” (Matthew 22:37-38)

Do we love God this way as “first” and “most”? We proclaim our love for God in prayers and songs, but does it sink deep into our hearts? It is one thing to nod assent, another to live in the place of willingness to sacrifice all else for this love of ONE.

How could God ask us to love Him so singularly?

Because He singularly set His own love upon us.

He loves, not because of anything we do, but because He chose to love us and be faithful to us.

Centuries later, Father God sacrificed His own Son on another hill outside of Jerusalem (visible from Mt. Moriah!). There was no voice to stop the slaying on that day; in fact, “the Lord was pleased to crush him severely.” (Isaiah 53:10)

Ephesians 5:2 describes Jesus’ sacrificial death.

“Christ also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.”

Amazing! It pleased God the Father to crush His only Son, in whom He is well-pleased, because of the love He has for you and me. I can imagine a scenario where the Son was agonizing on the cross and the Father smiling, not because He enjoyed the scene, but celebrating our liberation and restoration into His family.
He chose to forsake His Son on the cross, and offered us a gracious welcome into His family. Oh, what love!

His act of love changed our status and our destiny.

“So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household[.]” (Ephesians 2:19)

So we see God deserves our singular love; the question is, how do we show Him we love Him first and best and most?

First, we demonstrate our love by obeying Him. Jesus said,

“The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me.” (John 14:21)

We can’t say we love God if we fail to obey His instructions, even when His instructions are hard to follow. This is the type of obedience Abraham lived out.

Another way we demonstrate we love God is by trusting Him. (Hebrews 11:6) Trusting God means believing His words, whether they make sense to us or not, because His ways are higher than our ways. (Isaiah 55:9) I imagine God’s command to sacrifice Isaac made little sense to Abraham, yet he trusted in “the One who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.” (Romans 4:17)

God gave Abraham an opportunity to sort out which love would come first in his heart, either his love for Isaac, or his love for His God, from whom Isaac was a miraculous gift?

Sisters, He extends to us the same opportunity to sort which love will reign in our hearts. If God’s love for us compelled Him to crush His only begotten Son in order to restore us to Himself, is there anything too hard for us to do for Him?

We must each decide; will we love Him first and best and most?

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Sacrifice Day 1 Eden’s Sacrifice

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 2
Genesis 3
Ephesians 2:1-10
John 18:1-12

Sacrifice, Day 1

Sovereign.

The supreme or highest in power, superior to all others. 

Scripture often portrays God as the One who rules over all things. His most common proper name, Yahweh, is regularly translated Lord in English, and found thousands of times in the Bible. So, to discuss the sovereignty of God is to discuss His lordship.

When we consider the Biblical concept of divine sovereignty or lordship, the components of God’s control, authority, and presence stand out (John Frame, The Doctrine of God). God is absolutely sovereign. The Bible starts with God, “In the beginning, God [. . .]” (Genesis 1:1) There could be no glorious gospel of Jesus bearing our sins, without the glorious sovereignty of God.

In His sovereignty, God foresaw Adam and Eve’s sin.
He created them anyway, in His own image, to bring glory to Himself.
Just as humankind’s choice to pursue self over God was foreknown by God, Jesus’ crucifixion, and resulting atonement for our sin, was foreordained by God as well.
The crucifixion of Christ is the greatest sacrifice of the greatest love in the history of the world. (John 15:13)

God’s glory is displayed in the way He chose to create humanity, including allowing for our sinful nature. God weaves the allowable reality of sin with His perfect plan and uses it all for good.

Hundreds of years before Jesus would walk the the earth, the prophet Isaiah revealed how He would endure the cross for the joy of restored relationship with His creation.

“When you make [Jesus] a guilt offering,
[. . . ]the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.
After His anguish, He will see light and be satisfied.” (Isaiah 53:10-11)

The ultimate exhibition of God’s glory was at the cross, where His justice and mercy met.
As I ponder the weight of sin, I am looking at my own life. Just in the past forty-eight hours, I chose to put my wants over submission to my spouse; I usurped his God-given place as head of our family. In another situation, I am struggling with harboring unforgiveness in my heart against a sister in Christ. I know this is not pleasing to God.

I am not alone in these battles against sin.
Scripture reveals how the pattern of sin established in Eden pervades every single life.

“In this way, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)
Yet in His sovereignty, God decided the story wouldn’t end in a world lost to sin.
Instead, He wrote sacrifice into the story of His creation.
In Eden, as Adam and Eve stood awash in shame before their Creator God,
He made the very first sacrifice.

“The Lord God made clothing from skins for the man and his wife, and He clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)

One of His own wonderful creatures was sacrificed to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness.
And so sacrifice became a major theme of the salvation story, showing up throughout the Bible’s narrative, both in the Old Testament (Leviticus 1, for example) and New Testament.

“But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

We understand Christ’s death on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice, and as recipients of such lavish love, we are compelled to emulate Him in our everyday lives. God desires us to be living sacrifices.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.” (Romans 12:1)

A biblical sacrifice pleases God.
It is sacrifice of self, with a heart of surrender to God’s ways, that prioritizes the advancement of God’s kingdom, welcoming God’s purpose over our own wants or plans.
It is life, lived in conjunction with God’s will.

Today, we have taken a brief look at sacrifice from its origin in Eden, to Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on our behalf, to our own living sacrifices of true worship to our sovereign, glorious, loving God. My hope is we come away with a deeper gratitude for, and devotion to our God, who overcame the power of sin and death by sacrificing Himself for His beloved!

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Wilderness Day 11 Lost, Alone, Forgotten

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 37:1-11
Genesis 39:21-23
Genesis 50:21-23
Psalm 94:17-19
Matthew 28:16-20

Wilderness, Day 11

Lost, alone, and forgotten.
Discouraged, hurt, and betrayed.
We all experience these along our journeys.

These feelings were all too familiar to another wilderness wanderer, Joseph. Great-grandson of the Hebrew patriarch, Abraham, Joseph was one of 12 sons. More specifically, Joseph was his father’s favorite son, a fact which did little to endear him to his brothers.

Joseph was further divided against his brothers by his special gift of dreams.
Dreams centering on his older brothers, and even parents, serving him. (Genesis 37:1-11) Dreams he enthusiastically shared with his family, without forethought, wisdom, or humility. You see, Joseph wasn’t perfect. Today, we would call him immature or even a brat. Finally, the family dysfunction reached a point where, embittered with hatred against Joseph, his brothers sold him as a slave. (Genesis 37:12-36)

Purchased by a rich Egyptian, Joseph was betrayed, alone, and forgotten. I’m sure Joseph wondered, “Why?” Why the dreams? Why the hatred? Why the pain? Similarly, when we are in our own wilderness, we may ask God, “Why?”

Sometimes, there may be an obvious answer, and we can use that understanding to help us learn, or navigate our way through the trial.

Other times, however, our “why”s are met with silence.
Wrestling with the unknown becomes a part of our wilderness story.

For Joseph, no clear answer was forthcoming.
Yet he continued to cling to God.

In Egypt, “The Lord was with Joseph [. . . and] Joseph found favor with his master.” (Genesis 39:2-4) Unfortunately, this same master would ultimately imprison Joseph for a crime he didn’t commit. (Genesis 39:3-20)

Even in prison, “the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor with the prison warden” (Genesis 39:21), and soon, all prisoners were under Joseph’s authority. Still, this wasn’t enough to earn his release; he was trapped, with no way out.

Ironically, the same supernatural gift that first thrust Joseph into the wilderness would be the means of his freedom. While in prison, a series of God-empowered dream interpretations took Joseph from the lowest position in Egypt to second-in-command. (Genesis 40, 41) In his new role, Joseph was tasked with storing enough crops to feed the entire country during a subsequent famine. (Genesis 41:46-57)

The famine was the final step in the fulfillment of Joseph’s boyhood dreams, as his brothers found themselves bowing before him with requests for food to sustain their families. (Genesis 42:5-6)

In this moment, possessing all the power to exact revenge and presented with the perfect opportunity to wield it, we see the work of wilderness time in Joseph’s heart.

He extended forgiveness to his family.

“But Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result–the salvation of many people. Therefore, don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.’ And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” (Genesis 50:19-21)

At last, Joseph understood the answer to all the “why”s.

Why the dreams?
Why the slavery?
Why the prison?
So Joseph would be in the right place, at the appointed time. God crafted every step to position Joseph in Egypt, at the palace, before the famine, to save many lives.

The nice thing about Joseph’s story is we already know the ending. But, when Joseph was bound to other slaves, stumbling through desert sands on the way to Egypt, he didn’t understand what was happening, or why. He was deep in the wilderness of the unknown.

Our future is unknown to us. We will have wilderness seasons like Joseph. We may not be sold into slavery or tossed in prison, but we will feel lost, alone, and forgotten.
Yet Joseph’s story reminds us God has not forgotten us.

Psalm 94:17-19 declares God’s love is unfailing and He brings us joy. Our circumstances do not define us. We are God’s, and He has not left us alone.

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus concludes the Great Commission by promising, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” We may feel left alone in this world by those around us, but the Lord is always with us.

We are not lost; He is leading us.
We are not alone; He is with us.
We are not forgotten; He is working in us and through us.

Wilderness Wanderer, though we may not understand all the “why”s right now, we can hear Joseph’s heart echo across the generations . . . cling to faith . . . find joy . . . embrace hope . . . for God is with us, and He is working out His plan. Even in the wilderness.

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Wilderness Day 9 The Empty Undoing: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

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The Questions

1) What had the Lord promised? (verse 1)

2) Why was the name Isaac significant? (verse 3)

3) What does Sarah’s declaration tell us? (verse 7)

Genesis 21:1-7

21 The Lord came to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him. 3 Abraham named his son who was born to him—the one Sarah bore to him—Isaac. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.”7 She also said, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne a son for him in his old age.”

Original Intent

1) What had the Lord promised? (verse 1)
Back in Genesis 17 God and Abraham were having a conversation. God was changing Sarai’s name to Sarah and Abram’s name to Abraham. The name changes were significant because they spoke directly to God’s plan for the couple and for all humanity. Abram meant “exalted father” (Blue Letter Bible), but Abraham means “ the father of many nations”. (Genesis 17:5) Sarai meant Princess (Blue Letter Bible), but Sarah means “noble woman” (Bible Study Tools) This aligned with God’s plan for her, which He laid out in Genesis 17:16, “I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her.  I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” Not only did God promise a son, but He gave a timeframe. He told Abraham of His plan to confirm the covenant through this son, to be named Isaac, which Sarah would birth “at this same time next year.” (Genesis 17:21) Even before this exchange, however, God had promised Abraham a son. When we read the passages in our Bibles, it appears God spoke to Abraham practically back to back, in reality, “It took a long time (25 years) for this promise to come to pass”. (Enduring Word) In Genesis 21:2 we see the culmination of that long awaited promise with the birth of Isaac.

2) Why was the name Isaac significant? (verse 3)
Isaac in Hebrew is “yitschâq”, which means laughter. (Study Bible) This is significant for several reasons. “The first time God said, “Hey, I’m going to give Sarah a son”; Abraham just laughed.” (Chuck Smith Commentary) It seemed improbable and I dare say impossible to Abraham since he was one hundred years old. (Genesis 17:17) When the Lord reiterated the promise within Sarah’s hearing, she also laughed, but to herself. (Genesis 18:9) Again, this promise seemed impossible because Sarah was well past child bearing years. Aside from laughter of his parents, there was another reason Isaac’s name was significant. David Guzik explains, “Originally, the name Isaac was meant as somewhat of a rebuke of the laughter of Abraham and Sarah, but God turned a gentle rebuke into an occasion for joy.” (Genesis 17:19) God was proving He could turn any situation around. A childless couple could bear the child who would begin the bloodline of the Messiah. (Matthew 1:1) A rebuke for unbelief could become a reason for praising and rejoicing.

3) What does Sarah’s declaration tell us? (verse 7)
Sarah’s declaration shows us God is faithful. While Sarah and Abraham had waited a long time for this promise, and even tried to “help” God achieve it, He was always going to fulfill what He promised. That is His character as the Faithful One. Isaac’s “birth meant the fulfillment of God’s promise.” (Warren Wiersbe) Sarah’s laughter would echo through the generations to the fields in Bethlehem when the angels would sing of the Messiah’s birth. (Luke 2:13-14) The Messiah, born to a young virgin who, like Sarah, wondered at “Who” would announce such a shocking birth to her as well. (Luke 1:29-38) Sarah’s joy, wonder and praise shows us that what we think impossible is entirely possible for God. Matthew Henry puts it this way, “The thing was so highly improbable, so near to impossible, that if anyone but God had said it we could not have believed it.”. This foreshadows the unlikelihood of complete forgiveness of sins at no cost to us. But praise be to God for Jesus who accomplished this “impossible” work! (John 3:16-17)

Everyday Application

1) What had the Lord promised? (verse 1)
God had promised both Abraham and Sarah numerous offspring, but He specifically gave a promise that Sarah, who was barren, would bear Abraham a son. With both being very old and Sarah beyond child bearing years, this seemed impossible until the impossible arrived in the form of baby boy Isaac. After waiting for a long time and even making a misstep (Genesis 16:1-4), God kept His promise. We frequently become impatient waiting for the Lord. We think our situation is impossible to change. Yet, just like God’s timing for Isaac’s birth was perfect, based on God’s timing, so is everything in our life. I love the way Matthew Henry says it: “God is always punctual to His time; though His promised mercies come not at the time we set, they will certainly come at the time He sets, and that is the best time.” What God has decided for us will come at the perfect time. We hope in the Lord as a promise keeper, because He is faithful to His Word. He promises to be with us and never leave us. (Deuteronomy 31:6) He promises to complete the work He began in us. (Philippians 1:6) Let’s trust Him and wait patiently for Him to show Himself faithful, just as He did with Sarah. 

2) Why was the name Isaac significant? (verse 3)
Isaac means laughter, but the first hint of laughter in this story was one of disbelief and cynicism from Sarah. Despite her unbelief, God knew His plan. He knew what Sarah thought impossible was absolutely possible for Him. (Luke 18:27) He turned that cynical laughter to joyful laughter. When we think of the things we are waiting for God on, and we get an inkling He will give it to us, do we respond with trust or cynicism like Sarah? We should be more like Mary when she got news that she’d have a virgin birth. She said, “See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38) Just think back to all the other times God has shown His faithfulness, mercy, and lovingkindness. He is unchanging. If He has provided laughter, joy and relief before, He will again. 

3) What does Sarah’s declaration tell us? (verse 7)
One of the biggest takeaways from Sarah’s declaration is the reliability of God. Revelation 19:11 tells us Jesus is called “Faithful and True”. He always has been and always will be that. “The name Faithful and True expresses the total trustworthiness, reliability, and constancy of Jesus Christ. The title reveals His character and makes known His words and works.” (Got Questions) We can take God at His word when we read His promises. When we place our faith in Him as faithful, true, reliable, and dependable, He empowers us to hold on and wait for Him. Even if what we get looks different from what we imagined, or we only see the beginning of it, we can still trust Him. After all, Abraham did not live to see all his descendants, namely all generations since Isaac, but he saw the seed of the Promise. Just as Abraham trusted that God would still ultimately fulfill His promise, so must we. We can be joyous and praise the Lord for what we do see, knowing that He is the Promise Keeper for what we cannot yet see.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Wilderness Day 8 The Empty Undoing

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 17:15-21
Genesis 18:9-15
Genesis 21:1-7
Hebrews 11:11-16

Wilderness, Day 8

Longing. Waiting. Aching. Barren.

These are not words we think of when we begin following Jesus. We hear about new life, joy, and abundant life, and we are eager to experience them! Yet, in times of wilderness suffering God meets us, reminding us He is faithful and He keeps His promises. 

Imagine you lived in the time of Abraham. You are a wife and expected by everyone in society to take care of your home, bearing and raising children. You wait, year after year, but your womb remains empty. How would you feel?

This is the condition in which we find Sarai in Genesis 11:30. In her culture, a woman who was unable to conceive was subject to shame and disgrace. Children were considered a blessing from God, as well as heirs to their father’s possessions.

In addition, God promised Abram his offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. (Genesis 15:5) For Abram, with no street lights to dull the brightness of all the stars, this visual of God’s promise must have been stunning!

. . . And confounding.
How was this possible for a couple who were beyond child-bearing age?

Faced with this apparent impossibility, Sarai attempted to “help” God fulfill His promise by offering her slave girl, Hagar, to Abram, in order to build a family through her, which was a common practice at the time. (Genesis 16) However, Sarai’s plan only created more pain.

But God’s promise was still in place! He met again with Abram, reminding him that He would multiply his offspring through Sarai. As symbols of His promise, He changed their names to Abraham and Sarah. (Genesis 17:15-21) God promised He would bless her!

Overhearing God’s words, Sarah laughed. (Genesis 18:9-15) I imagine her muttering, “Yeah, like that’ll happen.” Yet, just as He promised, she conceived and gave birth to Isaac, who became the father of Jacob, later named Israel, who would become the father of a great nation. (Genesis 21:1-7)

Can you relate to Sarai’s story?
I’m sure we all can, as we experience difficult, wilderness seasons.
Maybe like Sarah, we long for a child.
Perhaps we’re in a situation where we thought God was giving a direction, but it sure isn’t working out like we planned.

I don’t know what you may be experiencing, but through my own wilderness wanderings, I have learned God is faithful and He keeps His promises.

After giving birth to our first daughter, I knew I wanted more children. I was sure I was made for motherhood, and enjoyed most moments (just being real here, moms!). But I had no idea how difficult it would be to conceive again.

After two years, and multiple negative pregnancy tests, I became discouraged. What was wrong with me? I thought I was a good mom with a happy child, and didn’t the Bible say children are a blessing? I prayed and prayed. I saw the doctor, and tried some medication, praying and hoping it would work.

It did not. The despair I felt was unlike any I’ve felt before, but in my wilderness, God met me. He reminded me that while it seemed He was far away, He was present with me in my excruciating pain. I did not get pregnant in the years following. But that moment of wilderness meeting will always stand out to me.

It would be several years before I would experience motherhood again with the adoption of our youngest daughter. We happily welcomed her into our family, and yet, I’ve also had some pretty sad moments, wishing we could grow our family more. I know the ache. But I also know the joy! In the midst of the struggle, God is so good to comfort and to show me how He has loved me through the years.

In my longing for a baby, I felt barren. Forgotten. However, the Holy Spirit reminded me I am not barren! In fact, God has given us an amazing legacy. Recently, my husband completed nearly 20 years of ministry in our church, and we spent some time in reflection. The Lord brought to mind the faces and names of so many students we have had the honor of knowing over the years.

I have had the privilege of walking through some really hard times with students, parents, and even leaders.
I have had the honor of listening to stories, both of pain and of celebration!

God is good! He knows our hearts and will accomplish His purposes. He is with us in wilderness seasons of sadness and doubt, walking beside us in comfort. Even if life doesn’t look exactly as I imagined, God has blessed me with an abundant life. He can be trusted to bring good out of suffering.

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Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Wilderness Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Wilderness!