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Sketched VIII Day 10 Tamar & Judah

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 38
Matthew 1:1-16
Isaiah 30:18-22

Sketched VIII, Day 10

“Judah has chosen you to marry his son, Er!”

“Papa!” my disgust was as thick as the outrage in my voice.

I’d always been too outspoken, and Mama’s quick glare reminded me I’d spoken out of turn, again.

“Tamar!” My mother clicked her tongue and added reprovingly, “Judah is one of the twelve sons of Jacob; you should be honored! Covenant promises with Yahweh surround his family.”

I whirled to face her. My family was well-accustomed to my vigorous debates, and this was one I would not lose. “You know Judah’s reputation! I don’t care a whit whether he’s Jacob’s son, that man has a wandering eye for any woman with a pulse!”

“Well, Tamar, you’re marrying Er, not Judah. That’s final!”

“Papa! No! It’s not fair!” My shrill voice drew the glances of passersby.

Papa responded with tender grace, “Tamar, I love you. You are important and precious, and Yahweh will use you for His work.” He reached out to touch my cheek. “My fiery girl, I adore you. Er has no idea what he’s in for.” He winked and took his seat to bless our meal.

I smiled at the memory. I loved Papa dearly, and he had loved me for who I was. I grieved every day he was gone, but also breathed a prayer of thanks he never had to witness the obscenity that was my marriage to Er.

Er was spiteful and addicted to many things: alcohol, women, and anger . . . but mostly, himself. Whatever Er wanted, he got, until finally, the Lord mercifully answered my pleas for safety. Er was killed by the Lord’s hand.
Truly, the Lord is a God of justice.

In accordance with the Lord’s law, Judah gave me to his next son, Onan.

“Onan.” I spat out his name like a curse. Onan was devious, passive aggressive, and manipulative. Where Er had beaten me with his fists, Onan cut my heart with his words and insidious deception. The death trap of marriage to Judah’s sons was stifling.

My only hope was to bear a child. Even one son would bring purpose to my suffering. Please, Lord, please, I whispered all day and through the watches of the night, grant your daughter redemption.

My situation felt hopeless. Onan only had sex with me for his own pleasure, pulling out at the last moment so I couldn’t conceive. Yet, I knew Yahweh saw all. I clung to my God of justice, waiting.

Mercifully, the Lord did see Onan’s treachery, and He hated it. By Yahweh’s hand, Onan was also put to death. Two dead husbands, a heart damaged enough for a lifetime, and all hope was dashed.

Still, Yahweh was and always would be just, even if I couldn’t see it. There remained Judah’s youngest son, Shelah. I would be close to the end of my child-bearing years by the time Shelah was old enough to marry, but Judah, with some semblance of honor, promised me Shelah if I returned home and waited for him.

Mama. Sweet mama. I nestled my head against her aging shoulder, wrapping my arms around her. “Tamar, my girl, I love you. You are important and precious. Yahweh will use you for His work.” Despite my pride, tears flowed down my cheeks into my mother’s silvery hair. Such faith! Lord, look upon Your daughter! Extend Your just arm!

Shelah’s coming of age came and went. Weeks turned to months as I waited, sure the Lord heard my pleas, but Judah never fulfilled his promise. Word had it, he blamed me for the deaths of his other two sons.

Angry, I cried out to the Lord. Where is your justice, Yahweh?! Have you not seen me waiting, oppressed, and broken all these years?! I have trusted You, haven’t I?!

“Tamar, Judah is heading to Timnah to shear his sheep.” My friend’s bit of information lit a match within me and hope sparked to life. My plan was devious, yes, but I was too angry to care. Yahweh had given Judah the responsibility of protecting and caring for me, yet he shirked his duties. Now was the time for action.

My heart raced as I removed my widow’s clothing, and hurried to the outskirts of Timnah where Judah would pass. Dressed as a prostitute, I was counting on old Judah to be as scandalous as always. I was not disappointed, for moments later, he asked for my services.

I would not be taken advantage of this time. “Give me your signet, your cord, and your staff from your hand as pledge of your payment.” Greedy Judah readily agreed and the deed was done. We both went on our way, Judah to shear his sheep, and me to plead with Yahweh for mercy.

Three months later, Judah’s baby was 12 weeks along.
The Lord had heard! Evidence of His justice fluttered in my womb.

Proof of His abundant kindness washed over me when I safely delivered two sons a few months later. As I held their tiny bodies close, tears streamed from my eyes. The Lord was righteous! Perez and Zerah were proof!

But when the community heard of my sons’ birth, they cried out for my death as an adulteress. As they dragged me to the place of judgement, I clenched Judah’s signet, cord, and staff, calling out for their owner to claim his items, and his sons.

The blood drained from Judah’s face as he put the fragmented pieces together.
I held my breath.

Would the Lord bring justice?

Judah stepped forward, raising a shaking voice,
“She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her my son, Shelah.”

I trembled, in shock at Judah’s confession and in awe of the Lord’s justice.
I would live and raise my boys in peace!

Hundreds of years later, Yahweh further unfolded a plan Tamar wouldn’t know until she reached Heaven: Perez and Zerah are listed in the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord is faithful and just; His righteousness knows no limits. God used a woman of fierce bravery, fighting through difficult circumstances, to usher in the One who would bring justice and righteousness to all people through His death and resurrection. Never doubt, dear sister, the Lord sees, and knows, and fights for you!

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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 Sketched VIII Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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See all past studies in Sketched VIII!

Sketched Day 13 Laura

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:9-13
Galatians 3:23-4:7
Psalm 27:7-14
Psalm 138:7-8

Sketched VI, Day 13

My life is a reflection of the grace of God.
I can’t look at any season I’ve walked through when Jesus hasn’t been faithful to provide.
It may not look like how I wanted, but He is faithful.

I was born to a mother who was addicted to drugs; I was a drug baby.
Those who knew my mother said if I were to think of any terrible action, my mother had done worse to get her hands on drugs. It was common for her to make drug deals in front of my sister and I, and prostitute in front of us.  I’m sure there was more, but it was never told to me – maybe to protect my mind – but I think I get the picture without any more stories.

My parents were foster parents when they welcomed my sister and I, which already gives you a glimpse of their hearts and lives, as they cared for children who weren’t their own. Later in life, I asked my mother why she’d never had her own kids. She told me about giving birth to a stillborn baby, which affected her more than anyone wanted to admit. She said she never wanted to experience that pain again.

So, my parents adopted both my sister and I, along with my brother who was born from another family. We lived in California, close to my biological family and siblings. We would visit often, usually weekly. I loved knowing my grandparents, it was like knowing I came from somewhere.

I remember one night packing up and leaving our home. We didn’t say goodbye to anyone, we just left. Our neighbor, who we were best friends with, saw us moving and came over to say goodbye. Later in life, that same neighbor told me she thinks my parents were trying to protect us from my siblings and biological mother in California. They saw the hurt and destruction the relationships were causing with my biological siblings being so close to my mom. My parents didn’t want to that environment for us too.

I remember being embarrassed telling people I was adopted when I entered elementary school. My cousin, Racheal, however, was so proud to know me and told EVERYONE we were related and I was adopted.
But for me, I always hated people knowing this part of my story.

Perhaps it was because my parents were older or a different ethnicity than me.
Or maybe adoption gave off the idea of being unwanted.
Regardless of how I felt about adoption, my parents loved me unconditionally.
Isn’t that strange for someone to love you SO well and SO deeply without being a biological parent?!

In middle school, we took our annual trip to California to visit friends and family where I had the opportunity to meet my biological aunts and uncles.
I had never met them, and I was so excited to meet people who were like me!
Maybe we had the same eye color, or nose, or the texture of our hair was the same. There was something about being adopted; for me, I just wanted to know who I was.

My aunts looked just like me, especially my aunt Vera.
When I met her, I felt like I had a connection with someone who looked like me. I asked my mom if we could move closer to them so I could know them better.
It crushed her, because she had spent the last 14 years of her life caring for us and raising us. To her, I seemed willing to throw that love away on someone I didn’t even know. While my aunt and I are still very close to this day, I think the idea of my mom losing someone she loved – again –  was terrifying.

The deep love the Lord has for us is much like this.
When I gave my life to Jesus at church camp in the summer of 2007, I began understanding His love. I began to take in the truth of the Lord having a plan for me and being for me, not against me.
Jesus had rescued me from a drugged-out woman who told my parents she never wanted me. He was there in the moments of abandonment as a child, comforting me through my earthly father’s love. That’s how good He is, that’s how good His plan is!

The Lord has taught me so much of His grace and what adoption looks like through His eyes. He is our Adopted Father!
I don’t think I really got this picture until I was in my twenties as I began realizing how much my parents sacrificed for our family; all for love.

There is something so sweet about adoption and the way it correlates with Scripture and God’s love for us.
When Jesus adopts us into His family,
He doesn’t give up on us when we do something wrong.
He doesn’t shame us when we fall short.

MY parents would NEVER do that to me, because they loved me like Jesus.
I partied in high school and they never once told me I was rejected from their family.
They chose love.
The same unconditional love our Father gives us surpasses anything I will ever experience.

I was abandoned. I was rejected, but I have been beautifully accepted, loved, and adopted. I know what it’s like to be loved, wanted, valued, heard, and a daughter to someone who said yes to you first!

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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 Sketched VI Week Three! 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 Sketched VI!

Kaleidoscope Day 10 Un-Annoyed

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 50:15-21
Matthew 5:43-48
I Peter 1:3-4

Kaleidoscope, Day 10

“Is it just me, or is it loud in here?”
I find myself saying this when my students’ noise is louder than usual.
But sometimes, it really is just me.

“I can’t believe he did that!”
“I can’t believe she said that!”
I’ve heard myself say this too.
Maybe my feelings were hurt by another’s actions, but sometimes, if I’m honest, I’m looking for a reason to be upset.

Irritations, annoyances, and hurtful actions are often found staring us in the face. Maybe they show up as a family member pushes our buttons.  Or perhaps it’s a constantly nagging voice, seemingly relentless to attack you.

But the Lord’s voice rises above them, “Love is not irritable or resentful”.
His is a precious voice to me because I know I’ve lived in the land of Irritable and Resentful.
I took up residency there for several years.

Looking back, I was a grouch with a sour disposition.
Anything could set me off.
I could “hold it” until I was alone, but catch me at a bad time, and you might get an earful.

The Lord’s voice whispered this passage, and my heart knew I needed His truth to move me out of Irritable and Resentful.

Other translations say, “Love is not easily provoked” or “Love is not easily angered.”  
That isn’t to say we don’t have hurt feelings, however, it’s a call to consider our response to those feelings.  How quickly do we pick up anger, harsh tones, or sharp words?

I know I’ve regretted my harsh choices; Moses did too.
In Numbers 20:2-13, Moses was a little, well, maybe a lot, irritated.
The people were fighting and complaining (again). There was no water in Maribah.
God, their constant Provider, instructed Moses to speak to the rock and water would come.
But Moses didn’t choose his response well and gave his feelings full reign.
Instead of speaking to the rock, Moses hit it with his staff, choosing his way over the Lord’s.

We may say it wasn’t Moses’ fault, it was the Israelites’ complaining.
But the Israelites didn’t hit the rock, Moses did.
Moses had a choice.
And he chose to live and act from the land of Irritated and Resentful.

When it comes to resentment, other translations say,
“Thinks no evil”, “Does not hold a grudge”, or “Keeps no record of wrong”.
What does this look like in real life?
Do you dwell on the hurt that happened, repeating every detail over and over until YOU have decided what the other person was thinking/saying/doing?
It’s easy to find fault, judge from our perspective, and look for the bad.
I’m guilty.

So was Esau.
Genesis 27 tells the story of Esau and his grudge towards Jacob for stealing his Birthright and tricking him out of his Blessing.  A birthright, usually given to the firstborn son, is our modern-day family inheritance. A blessing could be given to any son, but the oldest, holder of the birthright, usually received a greater blessing.
Jacob, the younger son, had finagled his way to win both of these.
Esau despised his brother for stealing what was intended for him.
Esau held onto resentment, had evil thoughts toward Jacob, and nurtured hatred towards his brother with a desire to kill him. Justified or not, Esau chose to live in the land of Irritable and Resentful for much of his life.

I Corinthians 13:1-3 beautifully defines love, but it also provides a definition of the opposite of love by replacing “love” with “irritable and resentful”.
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, and am irritable and resentful,
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and I have all faith,
so as to remove mountains, but I am irritable and resentful, I am nothing.
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but I am irritable and resentful,
 I gain nothing.”

Ouch, when I read it like that, it makes me want to love others better!

Both irritation and resentment grow over time. When someone says or does something a little irritating or a little hurtful, we might easily let it go.
But if the offense repeats again and again, it becomes easier to dwell on it for longer periods.
We might even gossip about it.
Before we know it, we get snappy and mad.
Like Esau and Moses, when we allow resentment and irritation to grow, it becomes easy to let our feelings control our actions.

Love is the opposite of allowing life’s irritations and hurts to control our lives.
Love calls us out of the land of Irritable and Resentful.

Hannah had good reason to be irritated as someone in her life constantly provoked her. (I Samuel 1:6)
The Lord calls out, “Love is not easily irritated….love is patient.”
While our insides may scream frustration, Hannah modeled an example for us we can all learn from.
She prayed in the middle of her distress. (1 Samuel 1:10)

Joseph had every reason to hold a grudge as his brothers hated him, plotting to kill him.  (Genesis 37:18-20) Eventually, as God moved in Joseph’s life, Joseph chose forgiveness for his brothers instead of retaliation. God’s love changed Joseph because His love doesn’t live in the land of Irritable and Resentful. If God’s love lived there, none of us could stand before Him as we have all sinned against Him!

God calls us to love just as He loves when He laid down His life for us, even while we were His enemies.
His love abides in the land of Gentle, Kind, and Good.
His love forgives, even in the face of irritation.
His love intentionally chooses un-annoyed.

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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!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Kaleidoscope Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Prayer Day 6 Hmmm, Daily Bread

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 16:1-35
1 Kings 17:8-16
John 6:25-59 

Prayer, Day 6 

Carbs. 
I like them. 
Especially those found in baked goods. This is a fact of which my family is well aware, and they have been known to plan meals with that in mind. I distinctly remember my aunt winking at me when referencing the rolls she brought to Thanksgiving each year.

While my love for bread has now been partnered with a moderation I did not employ as a lanky teenager (metabolism changes are real!), I still enjoy my carbs in many forms. Can anyone else relate to the love of bread? Or are most of you just curious to know why I have spent several sentences talking about it?

In the Lord’s Prayer, we are taught to ask for our daily bread.
Now, I’ve already discussed my love for bread and appreciate being able to eat some form of bread daily; however, I recognize that praying, “Lord, please give me that flaky croissant” is not what this verse is encouraging me to do. In order to gain insights into what “asking for my daily bread” looks like, I dug deeper and broader into the Word.

My first thought of daily bread immediately took me to Exodus as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. There, they truly did ask the Lord for bread and He provided! That provision came in the form of manna, which appeared like dew on the ground. (Exodus 16:12) The Lord gave specific parameters for collecting the manna each morning as the manna would not last until the next day. The only exception to that occurred on the Sabbath, as the Israelites were to collect the manna for that day along with what was collected the previous day.

My second thought traveled to Elijah, an Old Testament prophet, as he knocked on the door of a widow who only had a jar of oil and jar of flour with which to make but 1 small loaf of bread. This story took place in days of famine. For a season, the Lord had directed Elijah to live by a water source and had ravens bring him bread and meat. Eventually that water dried up, and the Lord sent him to the widow’s home promising that the oil and flour for bread would not run out. Once again, the Lord miraculously provided a source of bread to keep His people alive.

We have these great examples of the Lord’s provision of physical bread from the Old Testament. The New Testament challenges us to move beyond the physical. Enter Matthew 4:4: “He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”” 

Move to John 6:35 where Jesus describes Himself as the Bread of Life. Verse 33 says, “For the bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Jesus came to give us life and for it to be life more abundant.
We are able to partake of this life and eat the Bread of Life,
by believing in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

I made this choice at an early age and have discovered His faithfulness ever since.
He has been my provision and nourishment in sweetly blessed seasons as well as some of my darkest days. I am so thankful to be able to experience the bread referenced in the New Testament, and not just the literal bread I love to eat!

However, I find that the Old Testament references to bread still have some applications to my life.  

In the wilderness, the Israelites gathered the manna the Lord provided.
Elijah relied on the ravens to supply his food.
In neither story does the bread magically appear on a plate ready to eat.

The same is quite often true in my walk with the Lord where Jesus Himself is the Bread of Life. In John 1:1, Jesus is also referred to as the Word.
Just like the Israelites, I must gather the food the Lord provides.
This means digging into the Word of God for my everyday nourishment and sustenance.

I have discovered that my world is much more peaceful when I consistently and daily spend time in the Word. Additionally, I look forward to Sunday mornings and spending time seeking the Lord and worshipping Him corporately.
Thankfully I attend a church where the pastor teaches the Word and, through the sermons, my understanding increases.

As I look to the future, I recognize that my physical taste buds may change, but I pray my passion for the Word of God and my relationship with Jesus only increases. Please, Lord, give me my daily bread! 

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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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Shepherd Day 13 In Pursuit

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 23:6
Psalm 142:6
Ezekiel 34:11-15

Shepherd, Day 13

I have a two-year-old daughter who enjoys following me around the house. She pretends to cook and clean, and is always eager to “help” me with things that need to be done. Most of the time, it is amusing and delightful to have her tag along behind me; however, she is so close that she usually bumps into me when I stop moving. I turn and look at her in amazement that she isn’t bothered by the lack of space or that she isn’t clamoring for me to slow down.
I hope she never loses her desire to be close, or follow in my footsteps,
although I’m sure one day the situation will be completely different. 

To pursue is to:
–       to follow close upon
–       to follow in order to overtake, to chase 

God’s goodness and faithful love are just like my daughter. They chase us with the sole purpose of overtaking us, following us relentlessly, day in and day out. They are personified characteristics of God, examples of His heart and intention toward us. Just like the shepherd who chases down a stray sheep with the intent to overtake it, and brings it back to a place of safety and assurance, our Shepherd does the same.  He wants His character to completely overtake ours, so that we are no longer naive in our sin, but fully aware of Whose we are. 

David, the author of many psalms wrote passionately about his relationship with God.
He was well acquainted with being pursued. 

In Psalm 142:6, David cried out for God to rescue him from those who were pursuing him, stating that they were too strong for him. King Saul despised David. He recognized the calling on David’s life long before he ever reached the throne. Although David wasn’t in competition with Saul (it was God who made David king and nothing would change that), it was Saul’s intent to overcome David and take his life in an attempt to hold tightly to something that God has already removed from his grasp. We too have an enemy that is set on our destruction, but God has ordained us for a purpose as well, and we will not be undone.

In vast contrast to this story, we have the good Shepherd changing the narrative for us. While the enemy of our hearts may be stalking and seeking to devour us, God’s goodness and faithful love are formidable opponents and are in even greater pursuit. 

In John 10:14 Jesus calls Himself the good shepherd. He knows His sheep and His sheep know Him. He laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:15).
His faithful love and goodness follow us just as a good shepherd would chase after his sheep.

What does it look like to have the goodness and faithful love of God following you?
Let’s allow God’s Word to answer for us: 

I myself will search for my flock and look for them. As a shepherd looks for his sheep…so I will look for my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and total darkness. Ezekiel 34:11-12
His rescue knows no bounds, Sisters; 
His pursuit to free us from the darkness of sin is relentless.

 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Psalm 81:10
He is good and will provide for us. His provision is both something we receive and something we experience. 

Give thanks to the Lord because he is good. His love continues forever. Psalm 136:1
His outpouring of faithful love has no expiration date; it extends beyond what our minds can comprehend.   

Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Psalm 100:3) 
We belong to our Creator. Our Good Shepherd will always save us, his beloved sheep. 

As I think back on the determination my daughter had to keep up with me, I can now visualize in my mind’s eye the goodness and faithful love of God as two friends, chasing me down with joy.
I am their intended mark,
the beneficiary of their obedience.

That makes me feel valued, protected, cared for.
Whatever you may be facing, remember that you too have a Good Shepherd.
One who is well acquainted with your story,
and is faithfully pursuing you with His faithful love and goodness! 

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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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Shepherd Day 10 In the Presence of My Enemies

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 23:5
2 Samuel 22
1 Samuel 21:1-9
Mark 6:30-44 

Shepherd, Day 10

As an extrovert, nothing sounds better after a long and difficult week than a dinner party surrounded by dear friends. I look around the table at my friends laughing and swapping stories, and I forget about the “enemies” I’m facing:
stress from work, family drama, unexpected expenses, and all of the other weights of life. God has prepared a table for me and my heart overflows.  David knew all about enemies, but in a very different way than me.
He had a long list of people chasing after him, including the king and his own son! He faced many hardships in his life, but he always sought refuge in the Lord and praised Him for his success (2 Samuel 22).

Before David was a great warrior, he was a shepherd.
He knew how to take care of his sheep.
He kept them from danger, he provided food and water for them, and he made sure they found rest. It’s no surprise that when David was in danger, when he needed food and water, and when he needed rest, he called upon the Lord as his Good Shepherd.

David knew that God would provide his every need.
After learning of the king’s plot to kill him, David fled and sought out a priest. The priest provided holy bread for sustenance and the sword of Goliath for protection for David on his way (1 Samuel 21:1-9). In the face of his enemies, God provided just what David needed.  

During Jesus’ ministry, He lived out David’s comparison of God to a Good Shepherd. He provided for people in all kinds of ways.
Like a shepherd, Jesus protected the disciples when they were in danger (Mark 4:35-41),
He made sure they found rest (Mark 6:31),
and He ultimately sacrificed His own life for all people.  

One of my favorite examples of Jesus as a shepherd was when He fed 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Mark says,
“when He went ashore, He saw a large crowd and had compassion  on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34)
Jesus and His disciples were in pursuit of rest, but the crowds found them anyway. Instead of brushing them off and sending them along their way, He had compassion on them.
He saw their need.

He saw that they were looking for someone to care for them.
First, He fed their souls with his teaching.
Then he met their physical need with fishes and loaves.
Jesus prepared a table for the people that day. 
Like David’s cup that overflowed, baskets were literally overflowing with extra food!  

What I love about Psalm 23:5, and each of these stories, is how they demonstrate that God not only prepares a table for us, but He does it in the presence of our enemies.
David’s psalm doesn’t say that we won’t have enemies.
He doesn’t say that God will make our enemies disappear.
And he doesn’t say that facing our enemies won’t be hard.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

Even when life is hard, even when things are confusing,
even when it feels like nothing is going right,
God provides.
God is not just a shepherd, but a Good Shepherd.
Do you trust that He is truly good and will provide, even in the presence of difficulty?  

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Shepherd Day 3 Green Pastures

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 23
John 6:27-35
James 1:2-4 

Shepherd, Day 3

I had to sit and meditate on this verse for a long time.
I read every commentary you could imagine.
I read and reread the entire 23th Psalm.
I thought about it all throughout the week, and still, I hadn’t had that, “AHA!” moment.
But I think I’ve started to figure out why.  

As I sit at my favorite table at my favorite cafe just a few blocks from my house, the Spirit pokes at my heart… “when have you felt the Lord make you lie down in green pastures?”
What moments in my life can I look back, and without a doubt, say there, He made me lie down? As those moments begin to flash in my memory, I realize that for some of those, I didn’t want to lie down. He literally had to make me.  

When my twin daughters were born, six weeks premature, and spent two weeks in the NICU, it was one of the most trying times of my life. If you’d told me God was making me lie down in green pastures, I would’ve snickered and rolled my eyes.
But, almost three years removed, I can look back and say that He was there,
holding me, making me lay down and rest.
Providing for me.
Being my sufficiency.
I had hours upon hours to sit and hold my sweet girls, without being interrupted by the daily demands of trying to keep a house clean, prepare meals, or follow a newborn schedule. And while God never wants to His children hurting or suffering, sometimes He allows it.
The very good God allowed my babes to spend time in the NICU, and in it, He showed His goodness by making me lie down.  

When my youngest daughter was hospitalized twice last year, again, I was forced to rest and be in the moment. Jesus was making me lie down in green pastures. I wouldn’t have seen it then. I’m not sure I would’ve seen it a week ago. But I see it now. Had I been offered those chances of rest, I wouldn’t have taken them. Which is why He had to MAKE me lie down. 

But the other part of that verse is just as crucial as the first… “in green pastures”. 

He wanted to feed me, good and nutrient-rich food. 
The Bread of Life. 
Jesus.
Who is essential for life.  

God was giving me that time to be fed, to learn to fully rely and trust in HIM, to take Him in, and soak in His promises of love and protection.  

It reminds me of one of my favorite songs, “Blessings” by Laura Story. 
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family
Protection while we sleep
We pray for healing
For prosperity,
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering. 
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much, to give us lesser things.
What if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re here?
What if trials of this life, are Your mercies in disguise? 

And here I am, crying all over again as I think about the trials I’ve faced in my life. What if God used the moments created by this fallen world, to show me His blessings, His mercies, and to make me lie down in green pastures?  

As I think about this coming year for me… a year I’ve dubbed my year of living “simply”. 
Simplifying my wardrobe. 
Simplifying the amount of things in my pantry, closets and drawers. 
Simply serving more by writing more notes and preparing more meals for people.
Simply reducing the input I receive from social media. 
Simply eating a more balanced diet. 
Simply finding joy in the little things.  

Simple.  

Every time when the Father was making me lie down in green pastures…
He was helping me simplify my life so I can spend more time with Him.  

As I’m striving for simplicity, I now see myself as trying to lay down in those green pastures. Maybe this year, God won’t have to “make” me. Rephrase that to… prayerfully, if I listen to what God is calling me to, He won’t have to make me lie down because I already am.  

In surrender.  

Ready for the rich and nutrient-filled grass that I can freely feast on when I’m in green pastures.  

And there it was… my “AHA!” moment.  

It came as these words flew from my fingertips because I was writing what the Lord was speaking to my soul…
an invitation to come away, feast on Him, and know Him more deeply. 

Not overrun or overruled by my busyness.
Rather, an invitation for me to lie down and rest. 

It is so simple. 
He makes me lie down in green pastures.  

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Shepherd Day 1 My Shepherd

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 79:13
Psalm 100:3
Isaiah 40:11-13
John 10
2 Corinthians 1:20 

Shepherd, Day 1

Years ago, I heard a story about a shepherd boy in Wales who had several physical limitations that kept him from learning to read. Some missionaries met him on a hillside and explained to him that Jesus wanted to be his shepherd. They taught him the words, “The Lord is my shepherd,” using the fingers and thumb of his right hand to help him remember, starting with his thumb and then a finger for each word. They told him to pause at the word “my” (his fourth finger) and use his left hand to wrap his finger and to remember that Jesus wants to be a personal Shepherd. 

Some time later, one of the missionaries passed through the village and asked about the shepherd boy. He was saddened to hear about a terrible winter storm that had taken the boy’s life on a snowy hillside. The villager explained: “There was one thing, however, that we didn’t understand. When his body was discovered he was holding the fourth finger of his right hand.” 

Not long ago, I read something more about this story. A minister was speaking in the town of a wealthy and successful man. The man loved to give to charitable causes, but was not a Christ-follower. He ended up at one of the services where the minister was speaking and heard the story of the shepherd boy. In the days following, he became ill and died suddenly. When the doctor arrived and found him dead, he discovered him clenching his fourth finger. 

We all desire to know that someone sees and cares for us personally.
As a young child or as a successful adult, we cling to promises that assure us we are not alone. Whether or not these stories were actual events, we know that the author of Psalm 23 was a shepherd named David
(1 Samuel 16) who continually rehearsed the personal nature of his caring God.

As a shepherd himself, David was quite aware of the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. He had probably watched through the long night for any threats to the well-being of the sheep in his care. We know he took his job seriously, even at the expense of his own life. (1 Sam 17:34-35) 

The reality of David’s frightful experiences with attacks from wild animals
gives us great insight into his expression of peace stated throughout this psalm.
David had a Shepherd of his own,
and the benefits of that did not escape his notice. 

David rested in the fact that he had a Provider.
As he reflected on the Lord as his own Shepherd, he got right to the heart of it.
With that kind of Shepherd, there was nothing else that David needed. 

“All I have needed Thy hand has provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”  

Singing this old hymn is a way to confess through song the truth of the first verse of Psalm 23. It reminds me that God is my very own “PCP.” He is my “personal care Provider.”
The psalmist said that “the Lord is MY Shepherd. I have what I need.”
The hymn writer said that His great faithfulness is “unto ME.”
And there’s no small print.
There’s nothing missing.
Not one other thing is needed for our soul’s well-being than what He’s already provided. 

2 Peter says,
“His divine power has given us everything required for life
and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”

As my Good Shepherd, He has equipped me through His Spirit to live out the faith to which He has called me.
“Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus 
— the great Shepherd of the sheep — 
through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
equip you with everything good to do His will,
working in us what is pleasing in His sight,
through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.” (Hebrews 13:20) 

As a Good Shepherd, our Protector keeps us safe from the harmful effects of death. Christ left the glories of Heaven to come down to the pasture of earth and rescue us, the sheep, from our enemies: Hell and Death.
Christ sacrificed His own life that I might live.
He lifted me into His arms and He is constantly holding on to me to keep me forever safe in Him.
“He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree;
so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness.
By His wounds you have been healed.
For you were like sheep going astray,
but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25 

I’m so thankful for my Shepherd, who knows me and holds me fast.
Because of His overwhelming desire to be our own personal Shepherd,
you can be held fast, too, Sister!  

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Passionate Day 6
Behold, Your Son

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 19:16-27
Galatians 6:1-5
John 13:31-35
Genesis 22:9-14  

Evening was drawing around them, and a chill made them shiver in the cool air. A bran new sunset stretched out before them, gloriously perfect and visually astounding, almost as if the rest of Creation paused to watch its beauty, but tonight their minds weren’t filled with breathtaking visuals. Tonight was different. Fear was present. Brokenness was here. Shame had stealthy stolen the sweet freedom the couple had danced in mere hours before. They hid; afraid to be found out, sweaty palms, quickened heart rates, defensive anger leaping in their throats.
Sin held them in its death grip.
Their eyes had indeed been opened.
They could see as God saw.
They saw sin. They saw righteousness.
And they instantly knew that they had fallen out of perfect bliss, out of holiness.
One disobedient action that had broken the sweetest relationship of all, the one between themselves and God.

Though they hid in the shadows, they knew, of course, that the Father would find them.
He was coming now, His footsteps falling gently on lush, vibrant grasses.
He was waiting to delight in fellowship with them, to walk and talk in the Garden.
To know them. To lavish love on them. To be with them. They were His delight and He was theirs.
But tonight’s reality was different.

The Father’s voice filled the silence, “Where are you?”
And in the dialogue that followed that single question, Adam and his lovely bride, Eve,
found themselves cursed and separated from God because of their sin.
A chasm had been created; one they could never bridge.

As they prepared to leave the Garden of Eden with a sadness and shame that was heavier than anything they’d known,
the Father did a curious thing.
He provided for them. He provided even when they had done absolutely nothing to deserve it.
In fact, they’d done everything to deserve nothing but separation.

He spilt blood, the first blood ever shed, and he took the skins of those beautiful animals He’d created and He gave them to the couple. Covering their physical needs, while pointing forward to a time when He would cover for their spiritual needs and bring humanity back into relationship with Himself.

Hundreds of years later, an old man who’d followed the voice of God for decades,
stood atop a mountain, knife in hand, ready to slay his own beloved.
Abraham trusted God. Period.
With his own life, and now, with the life of his son.
He stood ready to give the unthinkable to the Lord His God,
when suddenly the voice he’d followed so closely, abruptly commanded Abraham to stop.
God was providing His own sacrifice.

A ram from God was caught in the bushes close by and was slain on the altar instead of Isaac, Abraham’s son.
And in that breathtaking moment when God gave Abraham back his son, acknowledging his unwavering faith in the God who had always provided, the Father knew that if Abraham were to look across the desert a ways, he would see another hill.
A hill outside of Jerusalem, where one day, God’s own Son, His own Beloved, would die in the place of Abraham, in the place of Isaac, in the place of each one of us who has unwavering faith.
And God would not stop that sacrifice.
Because He is a providing God.

When the Israelites wandered in the desert.
God provided water, bread, meat, and shoes that didn’t wear out.

Elisha the prophet sought food and water from a widow during a drought so severe that she only had enough for one small loaf of bread. But God provided her with enough oil and flour that she, her son, and Elisha never went without until the famine ended.

Soldier Jonathan and his men were exhausted from battle and God provided honey to revive them.

Jonah was tossed into the sea because of his disobedience and God provided a fish large enough to swallow him whole, keeping him alive.

Over and over.
Needy people meet with a providing God.
Whether it’s simple physical needs, emotional ones, or spiritual ones, Yahweh is a God who gives. And so it is no surprise that as Christ is gasping for air on the cross, dying to provide access to a restored relationship with God if we would trust Him, He provides in another way as well. Tangibly. Physically. For his mother.
“Woman, behold your son”, and then to John,
“Behold, your mother.”

Jesus’s providence for his mother not only spoke of God’s character as provider,
but also pointed to our need for community as a means of that providence.
Jesus was in need and He chose to depend on His community, expecting John to step up.

This providing for each other, leaning on each other, carrying each other’s burdens….it’s the very DNA of community life.
And Jesus calls us to live richly within its threads.
Both in giving and receiving.

As we look at the Savior, and see His provision of salvation by making a way for the broken to be made whole,
don’t miss seeing Him as provider in the small things.
This is the God who not only cares about every soul, but also every hair on your head.
You are well loved. Well cared for.
And we are called to flesh that out in the arena of community.

Love others well. Care for their needs. Depend on them.
Because our God provides!

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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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