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Kneel Day 2 Restored Relationship: 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 Restored Relationship!

The Questions

1) Where is Ezra traveling to and who is going with him?

2) What prompted Ezra to pray for a “safe journey”?

3) Why did Ezra fast and pray?

Ezra 8:21-23

21 I proclaimed a fast by the Ahava River, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions. 22 I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his fierce anger is against all who abandon him.” 23 So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and he was receptive to our prayer.

Original Intent

1) Where is Ezra traveling to and who is going with him?
This passage is full of plural pronouns which tell us there are more travelers than Ezra alone. If we back up to Ezra 7:11-26, it is clear these verses are referring to any Israelites in captivity in Persia who desire to return to Jerusalem. King Artaxerxes declared, “Any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.” (Ezra 7:13) The Israelites were being released from captivity to travel back to their homeland of Jerusalem. The Israelites, who choose to return, are headed back to the Promised Land, their inheritance from God as His chosen people. An inheritance they had been removed from because of their rebellion against the Lord God 70+ years prior.

2) What prompted Ezra to pray for a “safe journey”?
The journey the Israelites are embarking on is 900 miles as it stretches from ancient Babylon to Jerusalem. The trek would largely be made on foot, making it incredibly long with plenty of danger along the way. Ezra is fully aware of the risks he and his fellow Israelites will face, but, interestingly enough, he chooses not to ask the king for armed protection. (verse 22) Instead, he turns to the Almighty God, seeking protection for their journey. Ezra confidently knows God is more than able to provide exactly what they need and the challenges they will face.

3) Why did Ezra fast and pray?
Ezra knows God is the One allowing Israel’s return to their homeland of Jerusalem. God’s sovereignty supersedes all human rule and authority. He also is confident God will protect His people, but through his action of humble prayer and fasting, he also demonstrates his understanding that God desires His people to ask for their needs to be supplied through faith. As a result of Ezra’s leadership, the Israelites commit to fasting and prayer. This time of setting aside their physical desires through fasting allows them to spend uninterrupted time petitioning God to accomplish what only He can for His people. Through this act of intentional humility, the Israelites demonstrate faith in the God who provides, and they acknowledge God for Who He is and His all-powerful ability. Then, they choose to actively trust God to fulfill their requests.

Everyday Application

1) Where is Ezra traveling to and who is going with him?
The Israelites were provided the opportunity to go back home, but first, they must accept the invitation the king was offering. If they decided not to return with Ezra, they were actively choosing to remain in the same circumstances of exile they had been living in for most, if not all, of their lives. While our circumstances are much different than those of the Israelites, we are given a similar invitation. Jesus came to earth, died on the cross for our sins, and rose from the tomb, taking our punishment so we could have the opportunity to go Home with Him for eternity. However, we must choose to either accept the invitation provided in Jesus’ sacrifice or reject it. Rejection of Christ relegates us to the same status we already live with, active rebellion against God whose wrath we rightly incur because of our sin. Acceptance of His offer to forgive our sin completely and give us new life through His Spirit opens the door for us to go Home with Him just as Israel was free to go home to Jerusalem. Acceptance of this gift necessitates our true repentance and turning away from our sin.

2) What prompted Ezra to pray for a “safe journey”?
Ezra prays publicly for a safe journey after he makes the choice not to ask King Artaxerxes for armed protection. Verse 22 tells us he was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry because he had already told the king God would provide for them. Ezra’s confidence in God’s provision was sure and certain. We each face our own set of challenging journeys throughout our lives, and while ours likely won’t look anything like Ezra’s, we should look with confidence to the same God Ezra did. Only the One True God can provide safety for us along the journey we are walking. The dangers and temptations of this world bombard us on a daily basis and we have access to the One who can provide the safety we so desperately need; all we need to do is ask!

3)Why did Ezra fast and pray?
We face difficult times and situations in life just as the Israelites. When we do we should turn to the Creator of the Universe who holds everything in His sovereign hands. One effective way we can demonstrate this is through fasting and prayer. Jesus Himself spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness and praying to His Father. (Matthew 4) As there is no better example to follow than Jesus’, surely, we would not be so arrogant as to think we have no need for the humble disciplines of prayer and fasting. As Jesus fasted, He was tempted by Satan and His tactic for combatting temptation and fleeing sin was to wisely wield the truth of Scripture. When we fast, we are actively demonstrating a complete dependence on God and are provided with time and space to fill with prayer and meditating on His Word. We can follow Jesus’ example and use this time in Scripture and prayer to fight against the schemes of Satan. Instead of taking time to eat, we can spend those minutes in the presence of the Lord, denying ourselves physically and instead feasting on His Word and asking Him to accomplish what only He is able to do. As we face difficult times, sisters, let’s be challenged to turn to the God of the Universe through fasting and prayer, bringing our needs before the Only One able to provide all we will ever need.

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

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 Kneel Week One!
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.

Sketched VIII Day 9 Naaman: 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 Naaman!

The Questions

1) Why was Naaman so angry when Elisha sent a messenger telling him to wash himself in the Jordan River? (verse 11)

2) Was Elisha afraid to see or touch Naaman before he was cured? If not, why did he send a messenger instead of going himself? (verse 10)

3) Was Naaman surprised that washing in the Jordan River actually worked?

4) In verse 18 it appears Naaman is asking for forgiveness in advance to the sin of bowing to another god. What does Elisha’s response “go in peace” mean?

2 Kings 5:1-27

Naaman, commander of the army for the king of Aram, was a man important to his master and highly regarded because through him, the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was a valiant warrior, but he had a skin disease. 2 Aram had gone on raids and brought back from the land of Israel a young girl who served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his skin disease.” 4 So Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5 Therefore, the king of Aram said, “Go, and I will send a letter with you to the king of Israel.” So he went and took with him 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, and it read:

When this letter comes to you, note that I have sent you my servant Naaman for you to cure him of his skin disease.

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life that this man expects me to cure a man of his skin disease? Recognize that he is only picking a fight with me.” 8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Have him come to me, and he will know there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go wash seven times in the Jordan and your skin will be restored and you will be clean.” 11 But Naaman got angry and left, saying, “I was telling myself: He will surely come out, stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the skin disease. 12 Aren’t Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and left in a rage. 13 But his servants approached and said to him, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more should you do it when he only tells you, ‘Wash and be clean’?” 14 So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the command of the man of God. Then his skin was restored and became like the skin of a small boy, and he was clean. 15 Then Naaman and his whole company went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, “I know there’s no God in the whole world except in Israel. Therefore, please accept a gift from your servant.” 16 But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, in whose presence I stand, I will not accept it.” Naaman urged him to accept it, but he refused. 17 Naaman responded, “If not, please let your servant be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other god but the Lord. 18 However, in a particular matter may the Lord pardon your servant: When my master, the king of Aram, goes into the temple of Rimmon to bow in worship while he is leaning on my arm, and I have to bow in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.” 19 So he said to him, “Go in peace.” After Naaman had traveled a short distance from Elisha, 20 Gehazi, the attendant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “My master has let this Aramean Naaman off lightly by not accepting from him what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?” 22 Gehazi said, “It’s all right. My master has sent me to say, ‘I have just now discovered that two young men from the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them seventy-five pounds of silver and two sets of clothing.’ ” 23 But Naaman insisted, “Please, accept one hundred fifty pounds.” He urged Gehazi and then packed one hundred fifty pounds of silver in two bags with two sets of clothing. Naaman gave them to two of his attendants who carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the gifts from them and deposited them in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they left. 25 Gehazi came and stood by his master. “Where did you go, Gehazi?” Elisha asked him. He replied, “Your servant didn’t go anywhere.” 26 “And my heart didn’t go when the man got down from his chariot to meet you,” Elisha said. “Is this a time to accept silver and clothing, olive orchards and vineyards, flocks and herds, and male and female slaves? 27 Therefore, Naaman’s skin disease will cling to you and your descendants forever.” So Gehazi went out from his presence diseased, resembling snow.

Original Intent

1) Why was Naaman so angry when Elisha sent a messenger telling him to wash himself in the Jordan River? (verse 11)
Naaman’s anger is fueled by his pride. He expected, and wanted, more than to be told to go and wash himself in the Jordan River. The fact that Elisha wasn’t even the one delivering the message made the insult to his price much worse. Naaman was humiliated not only because he needed to ask for help, but also because he had traveled quite a distance and brought many expensive gifts as payment. Naaman was a great man in his country. Verse 1 notes how he was the commander of the Arminian army and was “highly regarded” by the King of Aram. Quite frankly, he was familiar with receiving the best and, therefore, expected to be treated in a similar fashion by everyone he met. Naaman was looking for a great story to tell upon his return to Aram, not simply that he bathed himself in the filthy Jordan River. He felt foolish, mocked, and demeaned by the order to wash in the river. He was a great man, after all. Surely, if it were that simple to be cured of this disease, he could have washed in one of his country’s rivers, which clearly were superior to the Jordan, which was known for being dirty.

2) Was Elisha afraid to see or touch Naaman before he was cured? If not, why did he send a messenger instead of going himself? (verse 10)
No. It’s a simple answer, but it is the truth. Elisha knew it was not him providing this cure, but God. The cure was God’s and the means by which God chose to heal was His alone. By choosing to send a messenger, there would be no mistake the healing was in fact God and not a man who had cured Naaman.

3) Was Naaman surprised that washing in the Jordan River actually worked?
We know from Scripture it was Naaman’s servants who confronted him about not even attempting to wash in the Jordan, and we already know he was expecting better treatment. I would even venture to guess he went back to the Jordan begrudgingly, expecting nothing.  So, yes he was undoubtedly surprised when he came up clean and healed. This is where we can see Naaman’s eyes truly being opened; his heart is humbled before the all-powerful God as his skin was made whole. Naaman was not only cured from leprosy, but also from his pride, which is worse by far.

4) In verse 18 it appears Naaman is asking for forgiveness in advance to the sin of bowing to another god. What does Elisha’s response “go in peace” mean?
This is a tough question to answer. Honestly, I almost changed the question because I’m not at all sure I can accurately and fairly answer. But that would have been taking the easy way out. If we want to really learn, sometimes we have to dig deep and try hard. So, I will share what I learned from my research and you can draw your own conclusions. It appears that Naaman is convicted in his own heart and mind that it would be wrong to bow to Rimmon now, something he knows he will be asked to do in his occupation with his king. The Pulpit Commentary says it best, “Naaman knows refusing to bow may cost him his life; it will certainly cost him his court favor. For such a sacrifice he is not prepared. Yet his conscience tells him that he will be acting wrongly. He therefore expresses a hope, or a prayer, that his fault, for a fault he feels that it will be, may be forgiven him.” It is safe to say God is the One doing that convicting in Naaman! Secondly, Elisha doesn’t really answer the question, instead he simply says by God’s Spirit, “go in peace”. Elisha is a prophet, he knows and understands how God works, and is trusting Him to continue the work he has started in Naaman. We don’t know from this specific Scripture what becomes of Naaman when he returns to Aram. We, like Elisha, have only to trust that God did the work He began.

Everyday Application

1) Why was Naaman so angry when Elisha sent a messenger telling him to wash himself in the Jordan River? (verse 11)
So many people avoid reading and studying the Old Testament because it can be difficult to understand at times. While that is true, it is also rich and full in lessons and modern day applications. In this case, it all comes down to pride. We, much like our friend Naaman, often expect God, and others, to do certain things for us simply because of who we are, the position we hold, or the things we have done. It is so easy for us to become angry when things don’t go exactly as we expect. Five years ago, my husband was laid off from his employer of 28 years. This was a devastating blow that drastically changed our lives, much like the disease of leprosy had affected Naaman. We prayed and assumed God would provide another job quickly and easily. A job much like the one he had, comfortable pay, good benefits, etc.. Boy howdy were we wrong! What happened instead? Little by little, God broke down, and destroyed, our pride. He showed us time after time that we were to depend on Him and Him alone. While we continue to pray and wait for restoration, God continues to show us He is working, and He is always faithful. God has not, nor will He ever, work in the way we expect. He is God and we are not. We deserve nothing, yet He has given us everything! Like Naaman, there will be times when life deals us a devastating blow and we will be faced with a choice. Do we lay down our pride and ask for help, taking a risk to follow God’s instructions, which may seem foolish? Or, do we remain stuck in our pride, acting as our own god?

2) Was Elisha afraid to see or touch Naaman before he was cured? If not, why did he send a messenger instead of going himself? (verse 10)
The everyday application answer to this question depends on which person you identify with most in this story. Are you “Naaman”, in need of help and healing or “Elisha”, a man or woman of God, trying their best to live a life for God, or are you simply the “messenger” tasked with delivering instruction. I want to start with those of us who might identify most with Elisha. We are women trying our best to follow God and live our lives in a way that points to Him. We must not be afraid to help those who come to us for help. While we may not fear physically touching another person, we may fear getting involved, or not having the right answers, or not being smart enough, strong enough, whatever enough. We cannot let fear stop us from doing what God directs! The reality is, our world and community are full of “Naamans” trying to get up enough courage to ask for help. We must be ready when they come. To my “Naaman” friends, please come and ask an “Elisha” for help. Believers are ready and willing to take you to our Savior who is more than enough for whatever you bring. Lastly, to those of us who may feel like we are simply “messengers” in a story, don’t undersell your worth or your role. Just like the story in 2 Kings, there would be no healing without the message of instruction being delivered. So, go ahead and deliver the message, follow the Lord’s leading through His Spirit, trust your relationship with Him, and point the way to someone who can help. Who knows, it might be as simple as introducing someone new to this website or inviting them to church. You may very well be the messenger who brings someone to the feet of Jesus!

3) Was Naaman surprised that washing in the Jordan River actually worked?
Sometimes we ignore or rush past simple solutions because, like Naaman, we are looking for the “great God story” to share with our friends and family. What we truly need is to have the childlike faith Jesus speaks of in Matthew 18:3. ““Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.””
We need to look past what we want or expect, and simply do what God is asking. Let me take you back to the story I shared about my husband’s job. Five year later, we are still surviving on less income than we ever thought imaginable. God continues to provide for every single one of our needs and we continue to pray and wait on His timing and His restoration. So, yes, I can honestly say from very personal experience I am surprised how God really works in the ways He does.

4) In verse 18 it appears Naaman is asking for forgiveness in advance to the sin of bowing to another god. What does Elisha’s response “go in peace” mean?
Let’s be honest here, don’t we all do this?! It’s a bit different for us today, since Jesus did come and die to pay for our sins. But the truth is, we are no better when we make the choice to knowingly sin, because we know we are already forgiven. Some of you may be thinking, “Ok, but I’m not bowing down to another god, so is it really that bad?” Yes!  All sin is equally sinful to God as it goes against His holiness. I would contend that we all bow down to “other gods” more often than we’d like to admit. The gods we bow down today may look different, the god of money, sports, success, appearance, etc., but they are gods nonetheless. Just as in Naaman’s case, the conviction that comes from the Lord is the first step towards real and lasting change. Every single one of us is on a journey. God will lead us and convict us in different ways and different times. We may even ask a fellow believer if they think it’s ok, or if we will be forgiven. When it comes down to it, no one but God can convict or forgive. I’m not saying we shouldn’t ask our brothers and sisters for help or guidance. They can be a huge help by praying for us, and with us, leading us to God, the only One who can truly forgive our sins. Our responsibility is to trust and follow as God leads, stepping out in faith and obedience.

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

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 Sketched VIII 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.

Treasure Day 15 Treasure, Found!

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 13:44-46
Philippians 3:7-11
Hebrews 11:23-28

Treasure, Day 15


The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field,
which a man found and covered up.
Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Matthew 13:44

Ellie* checks out my groceries at the local store almost every time, despite the size of the store and the many aisles to choose from. Truthfully, I tended to avoid her aisle about 3 years ago. She’s a bit rough around the edges and a little sharp with her demeanor. Ellie is older than me and one would think we have almost nothing in common, except being in the same store at the same time.

But three years ago, God began using Ellie to show me how rough my own edges were.
The edges of my heart.

It was lent, the 6 weeks before Easter, when God pressed on me to pray for total strangers.
Not just pray for them, but actually ask them how I could pray for them.
Verbally ask total strangers.
Whoever God’s Spirit told me to ask.

It was a hard request for me to receive, and follow through in obedience.
I love random, but that kind of random was r e a l l y stretching me.
But I said yes, having no idea where God would lead.

He lead me to Ellie.
I balked, but I spit out the words with what was hopefully coming across as a smile. I glanced at her name tag while I loaded up the conveyor belt with shredded cheese and tortillas, took a big breath, and said, “How can I pray for you, Ellie?”

My heart was pounding, but that’s pretty much what big-step-obedience feels like for me. Step into what God was already doing beforehand, and trust His plans are wiser than my own.

She threw in some colorful words, but she also fervently asked me for a genuine prayer request. I don’t remember what her specific request was now, but she did say something that stuck out to me, “I can always use prayer!”.

In that moment, I realized how sharp my own edges were. So sharp, I was willing to keep others at arms’ length (or longer) all because I had deemed them without value of my time or investment.
Ouch.
I had deeper heart issues than I realized.

Was I valuing my own view of being God’s treasure, without also extending that same view of treasure to others?
Yes.

Had I decided I was more of a treasure than Ellie?
Yes.

Those words aren’t easy to write, ladies.
Because they are painfully true.

Something else stuck out to me in our brief, but forever transformative encounter, Ellie recognized her need for God-sized intervention in her life, and she wanted it. She took all she knew of God and all she knew of herself, and said yes.

Sisters, I found treasure that day, and it changed my life forever.

As believers, we get scared pretty quick when it comes to telling other people about Jesus, don’t we? Come on, raise your hand with me, both of them. J
But when we come face to face with the crazy, amazing reality that we ourselves are the beloved of God, the treasure of Christ transforms us.

Remember the dude’s random story at the beginning of this Journey Study? The guy who discovered treasure and sold all he had in his joy to buy that field?
That guy is us!

We are called to give away the entirety of ourselves to hold unswervingly to the treasure of Jesus and abundantly share Him with everyone.

When I’m at the gas station, when I’m getting coffee, when I’m waiting in line at the check-out, when I’m talking with the gal who does my hair, when I chat with the neighbor down the street, I’m thinking about Ellie. I’m wondering what other treasure God has waiting for me to find as I intentionally invest in another life, by shifting my perspective and seeing them as Treasures instead of just faces.

As we obediently take one big breath of obedience after another, we eventually find ourselves on the brink of one breath away from sharing the full story of Jesus with our own “Ellie” because Jesus Himself has led us there, prepared the way behind and before, and is just waiting for us to step into obedience.

Now, I choose Ellie’s aisle on purpose. I know about her son, the way she likes her coffee, and what she did over the holidays. I pray for Ellie regularly that she would one day understand the fullness of what a precious treasure she is. When the day comes for me to fully tell the story of Jesus lavish love for her, I’m confident His Spirit will empower me to take a big breath and speak in obedience, just as He has been doing.

The last time I was in the store, Ellie chased me through the store unbeknownst to me, until she finally caught up to me, called my name, gave me a big hug, and said, “my favorite part about you is that you pray for me.”

In that moment, as I looked in Ellie’s eyes, I saw diamonds.
Treasure, Found!

*Ellie’s name has been changed and some details modified to protect her story

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Anchored Day 11 The Lord’s Gym

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 3:12-4:1
Proverbs 27:17-19
Titus 2

Anchored, Day 11

“You are doing it so incredibly wrong.”
I whispered this to myself as I watched.
The beginning of the year had arrived and with it, the social media broadcasts of New Year’s resolutions.

A friend had posted a video of an individual working out at the gym in a bit of an…um…unorthodox fashion. His limbs flailed about, and it looked like he was trying to unsuccessfully unhook his feet from the elastic band rather than using it to actually work out.

I recognize I’m not known for faithful gym attendance, so my insight on exercise machines is limited. That being said, I knew this individual danced on the edge of seriously hurting himself and, more than likely, wasn’t actually working out successfully.

However, the images in the video and my immediate reaction replayed in my mind long after I’d scrolled past it. He was clearly failing miserably at his desire to improve and succeed at working out. The more I considered this, the more I wondered at what could have helped him effectively reach his goal.

This list began to formulate in my mind:
Observe: I knew the gentleman used the machine incorrectly because I had seen others use that machine correctly in the past. Even though I had never used it before myself, I knew his muscles were not being challenged by his floundering performance.

Ask: Since I do not have large degrees of experiential wisdom on various weight machines in a gym, before using one, I would ask a more seasoned professional to show me how to use the machine and what using it effectively would feel like.

Trust: The man’s movements were grandiose and eye-catching, while inconsistent and uncontrolled. Effectively using the equipment requires dependable, controlled, and, often times, humble moves repeatedly done over time. It is through this process dramatic change is eventually seen.
Interestingly, the gym isn’t the only place this list can be implemented. As I read through the last half of Colossians 3, I pictured myself working spiritual muscles. These fourteen verses (3:12-4:1) are an intense spiritual workout when regularly implemented in life. Their impact can literally change the world on the grand scale, while, on an individual scale, they will shape the sphere of influence a person has. These verses are not for the faint of heart nor are they to be used like the gentleman in the video: inappropriately, without wisdom, and lacking discipline.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
compassionate hearts,
kindness,
humility,
meekness,
patience,
bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another,
forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
And above all these put on love,
which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
(Colossians 3:12-14)

Observe: Who around you demonstrates the love of the Lord well? How do they show His love? Who knows the Word of the Lord and how have you seen them growing in their wisdom and knowledge? Which marriages around you encourage and challenge you to live out Colossians 3? What do you observe about their interactions?
Take the observations you see and present them to the Lord. Ask Him to speak to you regarding those and how He may want those to be reflected in your life, through your personality, and within your sphere of influence.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior,
not slanderers or slaves to much wine.
They are to teach what is good,
and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,
to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind,
and submissive to their own husbands,
that the word of God may not be reviled.
(Titus 2:3-5)

Ask: Titus calls generations to learn from one another. Maybe the Lord is calling you to step out and ask for wisdom from someone who has already walked the path ahead of you. Who around you is the Lord highlighting from whom you may learn and grow in your walk with Him? Take a step beyond simply observing and learn from those around you by asking to intentionally engage with them. We are called to live in unity and these interactions are a key component of unity.

Set your minds on things that are above,
not on things that are on earth.
For you have died, and your life is
hidden with Christ in God.
(Colossians 3:2-3)

Trust: Being obedient to the call to “put on Christ” in Colossians and all of Scripture, requires consistent humility, self-control, and repetitive strength-training for our spiritual muscles. It requires a dying to oneself and a living for Christ; a willingness to serve where He directs and stretching that results in growth.
Time will be required and changes may seem minute until hindsight reveals the treasures produced by the process.

As I ponder and pray and ask myself these questions,
I find my heart’s cry to be deep.

I recognize I cannot live a Colossians 3 lifestyle
without the help of the Holy Spirit living within me.
Therefore, I leave you with this prayer as I spend time with Jesus on this topic regarding my own time in the gym with the Lord.
May you be blessed in your conversations with Him!

“Oh Lord, please pour out Your wisdom and mercy.
Help me know I am loved by You and teach me to love as You have loved.
Convict my heart of its shortcomings, so when people see me the words “you are doing it so incredibly wrong” never cross their minds.
Not by my strength, but by Yours!
For Your glory, Lord Jesus.”

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Prayer Day 15 Here Is My Amen!

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Chronicles 29:10-15
2 Kings 19:14-19
Matthew 7:9-11

Prayer, Day 15

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen. Amen.

I still remember the sound of my mother’s strong voice carrying each note of this ancient doxology and the way everyone stood in solemnity as the final strains from the organ hung in the air on Sundays.

“World without end…Amen, Amen.” (want to listen to the song in my head?! Here’s a link!)

The doxology itself is a plea to the Lord, beseeching Him to act for the sake of His Name. It’s an insistence on being heard  regarding the aforementioned petitions based on His character.

King Hezekiah, of the Old Testament, knew how to apply this better than anyone. When he found an entire army of blood-thirsty Assyrians headed straight for his small, ill-equipped nation, he could have tried to find a way out in his own power…but his response was neither to flee nor ask a neighboring nation for aid. Instead, he stood boldly before the God of the Universe, and pleaded with the Sovereign to save them because of His power, dominion, and authority over all. (2 Kings 19:14-19)

Job’s prayer was equally as bold:
I would lay my case before Him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know what He would answer me
and understand what He would say to me.
Would He contend (or fight) against me in the greatness of His power?
No; He would pay attention to me.
There (at His throne) an upright man could argue with Him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my Judge. (Job 23:4-7)

Job wasn’t saying he would come against God with literal negative “arguments”, rather, like King Hezekiah, that he would lay before the Almighty his brokenness, his wounds, his petitions, and he would be confident that because of God’s character, Job would be heard and welcomed into God’s presence.

Neither man’s confidence was hinged on their own power.
Neither man’s confidence was even dependent on God delivering them,
but instead on the fact that they knew their God would listen to them.

They knew they would be heard because, while the Kingdom is His, the power is His, and the glory is His, their personal experience told them that His heart is love.

That His Abba heart was theirs.

Because God is the Father who loves, and who knows how to give good gifts.
Because He holds all power and authority.
Because all glory belongs to Him.
And knowing He hears and listens to us, is enough for us, too.

We don’t have to know He will answer like we want Him to.
We don’t need to have all the answers of how prayer works.
We simply need to know that the God of Love who holds all power, not only hears us, but listens to us, and invites us to call Him ‘Daddy’.

It’s His eternal, un-ending love that gives us the safety and confidence to lay our needs before Him, knowing He is good.
It’s the doxology at the end of our prayers that reminds us of both His character, and the absolutely certain hope we hold fast to: a coming world that will never end.
It’s what allows us to echo all the saints before us by adding our hearty “Amen.”

“So Be It” is the literal meaning of the word Amen, but it’s so much more than those three little words.
It’s not a magical end mark to our prayers which guarantees a response in our favor.
It doesn’t bind God to do our bidding.
It’s our whole heart, whole mind, whole soul nodding in a somehow both solemn, yet enthusiastic YES, Abba.
Your will be done, Abba.
We are Yours, Abba.
And You are ours.

May Your will be done…so be it.
May Your kingdom come in us and through us…so be it.
Fulfill our needs for today, physical and spiritual, as You see fit….so be it.
Forgive us, and teach us to forgive….so be it.
Sanctify us, teach us to flee sin and become like You….so be it.
Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever….So. Be. It.

As I was considering all of these aspects, the image of my own children asking for something came to mind. When they beg and beg and insist and insist and whine and whine…. (I know you mamas know exactly what I mean!), I’m pressed to my limits of “good and generous”. Rather, it’s more the “annoyed and exasperated” that comes out. But, when my kids ask for something genuinely, with full confidence that if I say yes, it’s good, and if I say no, it’s still good; that is gold!!

One of my daughters absolutely loves to write me notes. She would rather handwrite her communication than verbalize it every time. Recently, her note read, “Could we get ice cream tonight? I would please you to say yes, but if you don’t, it’s okay because you give me so many good gifts. But I would really like ice cream.”

For. Real.

That’s the heart behind doxologies!

You, Oh God, are good and no matter what, that will not change, but based on your goodness and what I know of your character, I know you listen to me because I know our relationship matters to You; and that is enough. I choose to trust You with the rest!

“So Be It”, Lord, because You are good.

Here is my whole heart, whole mind, whole soul nodding in agreement with You, Amen.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Safe Day 15
Faith Over Fear

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Hebrews 11:1-16
Psalm 139:1-12
Psalm 46:1-3

Attachment-1 (3)I’ve walked a lot of “close calls” as a mom of 8, and I’ve pleaded for safety in each of them.
A screwdriver to my son’s eye.
A knife blade to the same son’s knee. (boys…what can I say?!)
Toilet seat slammed on special parts with lots of blood. (uhh, boys…)
Choking on pizza rolls.
Waking up to my daughter’s throat and neck the size of a cantaloupe.
A fall that nearly broke a rib and caused strained breathing in a toddler.
In each instance, I prayed desperately for safe healing, and the Father was gracious, they all recovered.

In this theme of Safe, we have focused intently on how God hasn’t promised us safety or even called us to it. Rather, He wants our eyes to look with faith on the unseen, the eternal safety of our souls and the perseverant, faithful love of a God who will never let go. This emphasis can make us wonder, should I even ask for earthly safety? Does God even care about my physical safety and the ones I loved?

Let’s ask Jesus by peering into His earthly life…..

“Rise and walk!” – Jesus speaking to a lame man, after the persistent faith and love delivered the man directly in front of Jesus, lowered through a rooftop by his friends. (Luke 5:17-26)

“Child, arise!” – Jesus speaking to a dead girl, after the girls’ father pleaded for her healing. (Luke 8:49-56)

“I am willing. Be clean!” – Jesus speaking to a leper, after the man fell on his knees before Christ for healing. (Luke 5:12-16)

“Peace! Be Still!” – Jesus speaking to the wind and waves after His disciples begged for their lives (mark 4:35-41)

“Get up. Take your mat, and walk!” – Jesus speaking to the lame man, after he had acknowledged his wanting to be healed. (John 5:6-8)

Christ himself instructs us in the Lord’s Prayer to ask Him to “…give us this day, our daily bread.” He longs for us to ask. Notice that in every above scenario, Jesus generously gives after He was asked.

Does God care about our earthly safety? YES!
Should we ask for healing and safety? YES!

But in the same breath, ask for the strength to walk through loss.

Walk with me for a moment in a long-ago garden, late at night, when life and death for all humanity hung in the balance. The fullness of God wrapped in very human flesh, begged and pleaded for His safety. In gut-wrenching agony that we will never be able to fully comprehend, Jesus Christ begged the Father, “Please, let this cup pass from me.” The “cup”, of course, referring the full wrath of God poured out on Christ for the redemption of mankind. Extreme physical suffering and humiliation would pale in comparison to estrangement from perfect oneness with His Father, as He would bear our sins on the cross.
Jesus knew the price, He knew the pain, and He beseeched God for safety.
And yet….. as the plea left his lips and bloody sweat dripped off his furrowed brow, Jesus submitted to the unfathomable “un-safety”, “Yet, not my will, but Yours be done.”

Christ submitted to the will of the Father because He trusted that God’s plan was better than His own fleshly desires.

Beautifully, an angel appeared and strengthened Him.

In Christian circles, easily misunderstood phrases like “rejoice always” can lead us to think that God is up there cheering for our trials and expecting us to do the same. As a result, we end up with a twisted, sadistic view of God.
Cancer? Yay! Death? Oh be glad! Abuse? Rejoice!
None of these reflect God’s good heart!

Like the picture of Christ in Gethsemane, God didn’t jump for joy at Christ’s suffering, gleefully rejoicing over our Savior’s agony. Rather, the love of the Father supplied Jesus with everything He would need to drink the cup before Him.
That is God’s goodness!!

Next time you find yourself praying for safety and protection, remember that God is gracious and good, longing to hear you and waiting for you to ask Him! But just as fervently, ask the Father for His powerful strength to work in you as you choose faith over fear.

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Safe Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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