When You Thought You Had It All Planned Out

      How often I have written this verse from Proverbs in my devotions and now it has really been applied to me:  "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand" (Proverbs 19:21).  I wrote this devotion yesterday to share what I have been going through lately, and guess what?  It disappeared after I sent it out...just another plan that God intercepted for His purpose.  So I will relay to you, once again,  what has been happening over the last few weeks.

 

   As many of my readers know, I had planned on having a full knee replacement this next week after injuring my partially replaced knee.  It was not the news I wanted to hear, but if I can alleviate the pain it is worth it.  I began the pre-op testing required thinking it would be smooth sailing.  Then my chest x-ray came back showing an opacity in my right lung.  This required a trip to my pulmonologist who ordered a CT scan.  After reviewing the results, he decided to try a week of antibiotic treatment and a follow up x-ray as he thought it might be an infection.  

     In the meantime, I went to my cardiologist who told me she could not clear me unless I would go through a chemical stress test which I completed two days ago.  The results were abnormal as they usually are for me so she insisted I undergo a heart catheterization.  Of course, this meant further delays in my surgery till this was done, but it is best to be safe than sorry.  An appointment has been made for me to see the interventional cardiologist next week and I will hopefully get the catheterization done sooner rather than later.

     After concluding my antibiotic treatment and x-ray, my pulmonologist called me with the news that the area of opacity had gotten smaller, therefore, he wanted me to continue antibiotic treatment for four more days.  Once I have the heart catheterization and wait a week, I will return to him for another chest x-ray to see if it is all cleared up.  Whew!  Are you tired of reading this yet?  I have been the most frustrated person, and basically I wanted to sit down and cry.  All I wanted to do was have knee surgery so I could enjoy walking again!  

     Then my dear husband reminded me that both of us had been praying for God's wisdom in this whole process.  James 1:5 promises:  "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."  When we pray, we can expect God to answer.  I just didn't like the answer very much with all these interruptions for further tests to be done.  Then I remembered what my husband had said to me that maybe there was some unforeseen problems ahead that only the Lord could see.  After all, doesn't the Bible tell us that He works all things together for our good?  Romans 8:28 reminds us:  "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  He is the potter and we are the clay.  We cannot tell our Creator how things should be done.  We must learn to trust Him through this process.  Besides,  in this circumstance, I asked for His wisdom and He gave it!  

     As I have reflected on all the roadblocks, I recalled a Psalm that my mother loved and brought her comfort.  A beautiful musical rendition of this verse has also been recorded and it comforts my heart.  Psalm 32:7-11 reads:  "7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. 10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. 11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!"  Just reading that makes me go "Ouch" since I can sometimes be like a mule in my desire for my plans to go forward.  Can you relate?

     I have also found comfort by praying Psalm 23 each day...especially the first three verses:  The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name sake."  Those words should bring comfort to all of our hearts when we hit snags, trials, roadblocks!  It certainly comforts me at this time.  

     We all know that we have not been promised a life free of tribulation.  Yet, somehow, we think we will be the exception to the rule.  God has told us to praise Him in all things for this is His will for us as believers (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  No one said it would be easy to do that, but we know that sorrow makes the heart heavy and praise to God lifts it up!

     I shared all these personal details in my life not to put me at the center of attention but because I know there are others out there who need comfort from these words I have written.  Perhaps you have been facing some frustrating events in your life as well and need encouragement from the Lord.  He is there for us and you are not alone.  Let me know if I can pray for you in any way, and please keep me in your prayers as I walk through this time in my life.  This is why we have one another that we might build each other up in the faith.  May God receive all the glory in what I have shared today and may you be blessed!  Selah!

 

     

Two Ways to Look at Things

     This past week was filled with lots of news from friends.  A dear friend had entered hospice, another brother in the Lord had come down with COVID, and a son of a family we know and love was in an accident.  On top of all of this, I got word from my doctor that I would have to undergo another surgery for my knee.  While all of this may sound overwhelming, there are two ways to look at it, and this was more than clear in the Scripture I read today.

     To give a little background, I have been reading about King Hezekiah.  After many

disastrous and disobedient leaders of Judah, Hezekiah came to the throne and did what was right in the sight of God.  He went throughout his territory destroying the idols and altars.  Then, he restored the Temple for worship and called all of his  people together to sacrifice to the Lord.  He was faithful to God, and the Lord prospered him.

     In 2 Chronicles 32, Hezekiah is faced with a great threat from the Assyrians led by Sennacherib their king.  The Assyrians invaded Judah, and in response, Hezekiah prepared the city for assault by building up the walls of Jerusalem.  He also made weapons for warfare and stopped the springs of water so the enemy would not have  water available to them.  However, what he did next was probably the most important thing any leader can do for his people.  He encouraged them.  Verses 7-8 say:  "'Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.  With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles. ' And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah."

     On the other side of that wall in Jerusalem were the servants of King Sennacherib whose job it was to discourage the people of Judah so they would surrender.  They spoke in their language and told them that none of the other nations they had conquered were able to defeat them even though they had cried out to their gods.  Thus, they mocked the God of Israel and made Him seem as impotent as the false gods made by men's hands.  Wisely, King Hezekiah and the Prophet Isaiah went before the Lord in prayer.  In response, Scripture teaches us that God sent an angel who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders in the camp of the king of Assyria (vs.21).  Ultimately, Sennacherib returned in disgrace to Assyria where his own sons killed him.  The people of Judah and Jerusalem were saved by the Lord.

     I love this story because it plainly shows us that we have a choice to make each day.  We can either look at things as Hezekiah did through the eyes of faith and trust the Lord; or we can take the view that Sennacherib offered.  "Your God can't win for you.  We are far greater than any force you have ever seen."  He wanted the people to give up, and unfortunately, that is what many do when faced with difficult news.  We can either give up or pray up.  

     God has given us the promise of His presence as we walk through the "valley of the shadow of death".  He has told us He would never leave us or forsake us (this is echoed in Numbers 23:19 and Hebrews 13:5).  Likewise, He has provided for us full armor that we are to wear into daily battle as described in Ephesians 6:10-18.  God has also given to those of us in Christ everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) so why should we be afraid of the enemy?  

     Hezekiah took a stand in faith and trust for his people.  He did not look at the circumstances.  Instead, he looked to the Lord.  He went about all the preparations that he could do, but he left the rest to God.  When it looked dark and dreary with the enemy taunting his people, Hezekiah did not despair.  Rather, he went to prayer in the House of the Lord and this is exactly what we are called to do.  Does this mean that Hezekiah wasn't afraid of what could happen?  We are not told.  However, we know his emotions did not keep him from prayer.  Faith calls us from fear of the unknown into the arms of God who will hold us steady in the storms of life.  

     As believers, let us take the example given to us in Scripture and speak words of encouragement one to another.  With God all things are possible, and He holds us in the hollow of His hands.  Do not let the enemy of our soul steal the joy and hope which God gives to us in Christ.  Instead, let us faithfully proclaim His deliverance to those around us even as Hezekiah did.  Selah!

       

Abide in Me

     Have you ever listened in on a conversation and learned something new?  I cannot tell you how many times this has happened to me in the past at social gatherings.  It is a great way to learn about others, pick up new ideas or even recipes.  Nothing is required except to sit quietly and listen.  In the same way, the Apostle John invites us to listen in on the conversation/instruction that our Lord Jesus is giving to His disciples.  This wisdom helps us to grow in our faith and know what the Lord expects in our lives.

     Beginning in John 15:1-2, Jesus tells his disciples "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."  Here Jesus is making his deity clear to His disciples.  He is the way,

the truth, and the life.  He goes on to let them know that those who do not bear fruit are cut off and taken away while those who do bear fruit are trimmed so they can bear more fruit.  It's the trimming part that often hurts at times in our lives.  We wonder about those difficulties we face, but often, it is the Vinedresser of our souls who is working in us so we can bear more fruit.

     Since we know that Jesus is the true vine and the root of our salvation, what is it that we must do in order to bear the fruit that will bring Him glory?  He goes on in verses 4-5 to tell us what our main responsibility as believers is:  "Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."  This seems pretty straight forward doesn't it?  We are to abide in Him.  We cannot produce fruit in our lives apart from the main vine which is Jesus Christ.  He goes on to say that without Him we can't do anything.  Yet, how often do we try to take matters into our own hands?  Let me suggest there are three take aways from this passage that we would do well to remember.

      First, we must remember that we are not in control.  This is often easier said than done because our old flesh just wants to run the show and we know that started in the Garden of Eden.  When we, as a branch, declare our independence from the Vine (Jesus Christ), we will soon find out that the nutrients, water and strength are cut off.  We cannot produce fruit, and we will wither on our own.  Yet some of us cannot seem to let go and allow the Lord to have control.  We feel like we have to command every aspect of our lives and the circumstances around us, but the point remains, we cannot produce the fruit of righteousness by all our works and efforts.  We must learn to trust the Lord completely and submit to Him.

     Secondly, abiding in Christ means that we have fellowship with other branches around us.  We know that God puts us in community.  We are made for fellowship with other believers to build up and encourage one another.  This has been a hard time with COVID separating us from one another, but it has also helped us appreciate the richness there is in fellowship.  Phone calls, cards, and Zoom presentations allow a type of fellowship until we are able to fully be together again.  

     Most importantly, though, we need to know that God is glorified when we produce much fruit by showing the world we are disciples of Jesus Christ (vs. 8).  With Christ at the center of our life, we will reflect His glory to others.  Our goal is not to bear fruit but to stay attached to the Lord.  He is our nourishment, our wisdom, our source.  It is Christ that will produce the abundant fruit when He is at the center.  Somehow we get this confused and we think we have to work ourselves to death to bear fruit.  We join this committee and that committee at church in an effort to show our devotion to the Lord.  But the bottom line is the production of fruit that comes when we remain firmly attached to the vine.  Don't misunderstand.  Volunteering for things at church is fine but make certain the motive for doing so is right.

     When we abide in Christ and He in us, we will experience His peace which passes all understanding.  He has given to us everything we need for life and godliness as long as we stay attached to the vine.  I don't know about you but I loved listening in on this conversation Jesus had with His disciples.  This helps us to know that our job is simple.  We need only put our hand in Christ's every day and walk as He guides us.  Our fruit will grow as we are obedient to this simple command.  Let us begin each new day with this simple directive to "abide in Him".  Selah!