Week Twenty-Eight -Ruts

Beside the Well

            There I was, resigned to ruts going through the motions of life with the same sad attitude.  Every day was a trudge through the mud with no hope of knocking off the clods clinging to my shoes.  Dishes waited to the washed.  Floors were marked with the trail of trips through the garden.  Scatter pillows lay strewn around the living room.  My to-do list was screaming for my attention leaving me feeling that doing these same things over and over was an exercise in futility.

            I went to my quiet place and turned to my Bible to search for answers.  Why do I feel this way?  How do I get out of this rut?  How do I knock off the things that are weighing me down and making me feel like I have been dragged through the dirt?  If Jesus came to give us life more abundantly, where is that life?  Where is that victorious overcoming?  Where is that peaceful rest?

            Oh, but when God answered me, I was not ready!  I found myself face to face with truth.  I was living life detached from the Vine. My to-do list had become my priority.  The life I was looking for was not found in the things around me, but in a relationship with my Saviour.  God’s word reminded me that attachment is more than a safety net or bungee cord.  It is meant to produce fruit.  It holds promise of answered prayer and glorification of the Father.  And the real cut was—these three precede my attainment of any real joy.  I was looking for temporal fun garnished with laughter and frivolity thinking it would lift me out of the ruts, but the way out was going to be through loving obedience.

            That wasn’t what I wanted to hear.  I wanted Christ to give me relief and make life easy—fun.  I wanted Him to make me happy without requiring anything on my part.  I wanted to be free to laugh and live without these repetitive ruts.  But life is real. 

            And so is He.  The only way to experience lasting joy in life is to grab hold of the Vine.  Through Him, strength and joy will flow.  Fruit will be produced and joy with be a part of my life.  My prayers will be answered and God will be glorified.  The joy I am seeking is found in the eternal—not the temporal.

            “Okay, so I am guilt of doing life as if it all depended on my strength.  I had detached myself from the Vine and the energy and direction it provides.  I hear you, Lord, so how do I start to look at life differently?” 

            He wasn’t far behind with the answer that question.  My sight needed adjusting.  “But thou. O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Psalm 3:3).  “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from when cometh my help (Psalm 121:1).

            While I was looking down and around at all the mess and demands, I was found guilty again.  I was not looking up to where the real help could come.  I was taking the whole burden of life upon myself as if I had to solve all of life’s problems, meet all of life’s demands, and come out with a smile.  That’s not reality. 

            The practice of looking up was something I had learned before, but had failed to continue to practice.  I knew looking around with fear and worry was not obedience.  I needed to look up.  I needed to adjust my eyes above the temporal, horizontal plain.

            Instead of bowing my head in prayer, I can look up with my palms upward and open.  When I do my prayer walk, I can talk with God looking to the skies instead of the weeds along the pavement.  When I awake of a morning I can grab hold of the Vine and look up to Him before I start with my list of things to do, situations to handle, and frets of the day.  As I look up, my spirit is lifted from the drudgery of life into a special place—a place of comfort, assurance and hope.

            Suddenly, the day seems less daunting, hope is restored and I find a new zeal in everything.  Matter of fact, I always find the day goes much smoother and I enjoy my to-do list!  At the end of the day I crawl into bed giving God the glory and rest my head with a joyful and peaceful heart. 

            Maybe you are wandering around in the doldrums.  Grabbing hold of the Vine and adjusting your sights to a higher plain are two techniques worth considering.

Week Twenty-Seven - The Only Person in the World

Beside the Well

               The experience of the Christian is unlike anything this world can offer.  The world screams for our attention.  God gives attention.  The world is crowded and noisy. God singles us out and gives us peace.  The world pulls us every which way.  God invites us to the single, narrow way.  The world presses and stresses.  God gives rest.  The world plunges headlong into turmoil. God orders our steps aright. 

               Bro Lawrence spoke of his soul being lifted up above all earthly matter.  He was at rest with God as His center and constant companion.  His soul was full of joy as he “feels that only God and he are in the world, with Him he holds unbroken converse, asking from Him the supply of all his needs, and finding in His Presence fullness of joy.” (p 77)

               And then he said, “All that passes without concerns the soul no more than a fire of straw, which the more it flares, the sooner burns itself out, and rarely indeed do the cares of this world ever intrude to trouble the peace that is within….” (p 78)

               I, too, have found there are times when it feels like I am the only one in the world God is noticing.  He is speaking privately and singularly to me.  I have his complete attention. But, oh, that my every moment were filled with the experience of this truth.  To see the cares of this life just go up in smoke.  To be constantly aware that God is particularly, individually, and purposefully with me, beside me, and listening to me.  I know this is true in my head, but, oh, to make it a part of my daily practice.  To make it more than head knowledge or even heart knowledge.  To be consistently functioning inside this truth.  To allow God to lift me up into His arms and speak peace to my soul—sweet communion.

               There are some special Scriptures that come to mind as I meditate on this thought.  Acts 17:78 “In him we live and move and have our being.” Philippians 1:21 “for to me, to live is Christ.” Colossians 2:10 “ye are complete in him.”  Isaiah 27:3 “I will water it every moment.“ Psalm 139:18 He thinks of me “more in number than the sand.” Acts 17:27 “he be not far from every one of us.” 

               The challenge I face today is to listen closer to the sound of His voice than the noise of the world around me.

Lawrence, Brother, Practicing the Presence of God and the Spiritual Maxims, Dover Publications, Mineola, New York, 2005.

Week Twenty-Eight - Ruts

Beside the Well

               There I was, resigned to ruts going through the motions of life with the same sad attitude.  Every day was a trudge through the mud with no hope of knocking off the clods clinging to my shoes.  Dishes waited to the washed.  Floors were marked with the trail of trips through the garden.  Scatter pillows lay strewn around the living room.  My to-do list was screaming for my attention leaving me feeling that doing these same things over and over was an exercise in futility.

               I went to my quiet place and turned to my Bible to search for answers.  Why do I feel this way?  How do I get out of this rut?  How do I knock off the things that are weighing me down and making me feel like I have been dragged through the dirt?  If Jesus came to give us life more abundantly, where is that life?  Where is that victorious overcoming?  Where is that peaceful rest?

               Oh, but when God answered me, I was not ready!  I found myself face to face with truth.  I was living life detached from the Vine. My to-do list had become my priority.  The life I was looking for was not found in the things around me, but in a relationship with my Saviour.  God’s word reminded me that attachment is more than a safety net or bungee cord.  It is meant to produce fruit.  It holds promise of answered prayer and glorification of the Father.  And the real cut was—these three precede my attainment of any real joy.  I was looking for temporal fun garnished with laughter and frivolity thinking it would lift me out of the ruts, but the way out was going to be through loving obedience.

               That wasn’t what I wanted to hear.  I wanted Christ to give me relief and make life easy—fun.  I wanted Him to make me happy without requiring anything on my part.  I wanted to be free to laugh and live without these repetitive ruts.  But life is real. 

               And so is He.  The only way to experience lasting joy in life is to grab hold of the Vine.  Through Him, strength and joy will flow.  Fruit will be produced and joy with be a part of my life.  My prayers will be answered and God will be glorified.  The joy I am seeking is found in the eternal—not the temporal.

               “Okay, so I am guilt of doing life as if it all depended on my strength.  I had detached myself from the Vine and the energy and direction it provides.  I hear you, Lord, so how do I start to look at life differently?” 

               He wasn’t far behind with the answer that question.  My sight needed adjusting.  “But thou. O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Psalm 3:3).  “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from when cometh my help (Psalm 121:1).

               While I was looking down and around at all the mess and demands, I was found guilty again.  I was not looking up to where the real help could come.  I was taking the whole burden of life upon myself as if I had to solve all of life’s problems, meet all of life’s demands, and come out with a smile.  That’s not reality. 

               The practice of looking up was something I had learned before, but had failed to continue to practice.  I knew looking around with fear and worry was not obedience.  I needed to look up.  I needed to adjust my eyes above the temporal, horizontal plain.

               Instead of bowing my head in prayer, I can look up with my palms upward and open.  When I do my prayer walk, I can talk with God looking to the skies instead of the weeds along the pavement.  When I awake of a morning I can grab hold of the Vine and look up to Him before I start with my list of things to do, situations to handle, and frets of the day.  As I look up, my spirit is lifted from the drudgery of life into a special place—a place of comfort, assurance and hope.

               Suddenly, the day seems less daunting, hope is restored and I find a new zeal in everything.  Matter of fact, I always find the day goes much smoother and I enjoy my to-do list!  At the end of the day I crawl into bed giving God the glory and rest my head with a joyful and peaceful heart. 

               Maybe you are wandering around in the doldrums.  Grabbing hold of the Vine and adjusting your sights to a higher plain are two techniques worth considering.

Week Twenty-Six - Extreme Sports

Beside the Well

               Have you seen the videos of web-suited people jumping off mountains in Norway and navigating the air currents above the fjords?   I’d love to think I could do that, but someone would have to push me off!  Then I’d probably scream all the way down and forget to enjoy the trip!

               As I was reading a devotion book by Emilie Barnes she said, “As with any talent, we must be willing to be used.  Yes, there is a risk, but its worth the insecurity to find out how far God can take us if we are willing…Life is not boring when you have a purpose.” (p 64)

               Those webbed jumpers are taking an extreme risk.  They are trusting the currents to hold them as they glide ever downward.  But they probably weigh the risk against the experience and think it well worth it.  I don’t know if they have any other purpose in life than to seek thrills, but I am sure their adrenaline is surging!

               My life isn’t lived on such an adrenaline rush, but that doesn’t stop me seeing the futility and endless boredom of a life without purpose.  I hate that feeling of being in a rut with no end in sight. 

However, life with a purpose is demanding.  It requires me to use my talents for His glory.  Or, at least to be willing to give it a go.  Insecurity cries out for self-protection.  I don’t want to be embarrassed or fail.  I don’t want to make a mistake and hurt someone.  Those thoughts are entirely self-centered.  They are not God centered. 

Take a risk?  Oh, my! Too often I find myself stuck between being the poor guy who buries his talent in the ground and the risk taker who plunges himself into following God’s will.  I’m not really a brave soul.  I would rather stay inside my four walls and live a secluded life.  But sometimes God’s will takes me out of my comfort zone.  Sometimes I have to be a risk-taker for God.  I have to hazard myself for the sake of the Gospel or others.  I must step out by faith and soar with the current of the Spirit if I am to fulfil the purpose God has for my life.

               Experience has taught me to step out for God.  Why then do I still come to roadblocks on the path of His will?  Why do I shudder with fear or doubt when I am faced with something new? 

I have learned that the blessing is always on the other side of obedience. Each step is just another step of obedience and a building step of my faith.  If I stand at the parapet of the mount and fail to cast myself into the current of His winds, I will never mount up with wings like an eagle.  I will never know the security and thrill of deep abiding faith.  The fear of risk, the fear of insecurity and the unknown will keep me clutching to tangible things and I will never soar by faith.

               I once read, and have never forgotten: “Nothing before, nothing behind; the steps of faith fall on the seeming void and find The Rock beneath” (JGW).

No boredom there!  Only a purposeful challenge—like extreme sports—keeping up with Jesus means taking the plunge and learning to soar!

              

Barnes, Emilie, 15 Minutes Alone with God, Harvest House Publisher, Eugene, Oregon1994.

Whittier, John Greenleaf, www.theranch.org, February 25, 2008

Week Twenty-Five - The Power of Mustard Seeds

Beside the Well

               When I look back at my journal I see a pattern of ups and downs: of great soaring faith and then my tail dragging in the dirt.  I could be so bold as to say it reads like the psalms of David—O, woe is me followed by remembering God and being full of praise—but I’m sure I am no David.

               My journal holds quotes recorded from my Kindle reading.  This time I came across on from Becoming a Woman Whose God is Enough.  There’s my word again: enough! 

The author wrote of our need for faith.  As she referenced the story of the disciples out in the storm, she quoted Matthew Henry, “He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.”

               Did you catch that?  “Disturbing themselves with their fears.”  They were making their own anxiety, creating their own doom.  It reminded me of the phrase from Genesis 37:35, “he refused to be comforted.”  How often are we guilty of refusing to take the comfort God provides?  We would rather fret and wail upon our beds than accept the comfort of the Holy Spirit and Scripture.  We disturb ourselves by creating imaginary situations that will most likely never take place.  We think we are all alone as we face the fear of our “what-ifs” while the God of creation and absolute peace is looking on.  What silly creatures we are!

               As the author continued, her discussion moved onto the mustard seed from Mark 4:30-32 and Luke 17:5-6.  She quoted Clarkson:

               “This truth is surely not that the possession of a faith as slight as the mustard seed is small will suffice, but that the faith which is full as is the mustard seed of life and power of appropriation will avail for all occasions.  For it is not true that a slight and feeble faith does suffice…only a faith which is a living and a growing power, like the mustard seed in the soil, will triumph over the difficulties to be met and mastered.” 

                “Full as is the mustard seed” caught my attention.  Even if my faith is small, it is still packed with resurrection potential and assurance.  The ups and downs of my spiritual walk do not supersede the truth and power of the faith that lies within me. 

               As Jesus approached the fearful disciples his comment was, “O, ye of little faith” (Matthew 8:26).  They had faith.  It was there.  They needed to appropriate it instead of giving way to the fears around them.

I thought of the day I was going to pass out tracts.  I was alone and fearful as I prayed my way to town.  Then, hanging from the outside of the local art museum was a huge banner that read, “Courage is stronger than fear.”  Right there my fear stopped and courage (appropriated by my little mustard seed sized faith) took over!

               Next time I peruse my journal I hope to find a more stable record, but even if I still go up and down, it gives me great comfort and assurance to know there is a constant seed of hope and faith within me.  When fear tries to disturb me, I hope I will be reminded that courage is stronger than fear and I will lay aside the torment of fear replacing it will a few more sprouts of faith.

Clarkson, W, The Pulpit Commentary, eds. H.D.M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell, vol. 16, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson,1985, p 56.

Heald, Cynthia, Becoming a Woman Whose God is Enough, NavPress, Carol Stream, Illinois, location 1097 Kindle, 2014

Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, vol. 5, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson,1985,

Week Twenty-Four - The Steps of a Good Man

Beside the Well

               Life holds many amazing moments.  This past Sunday evening was one of those for me.  I sat with one of my two younger grand-girls on each side as I watched their father, my youngest son, be ordained to the ministry.  Around me sat more children, grandchildren, in-laws, and family friends as we relished the moment.  The messaged, delivered by Grandpa Gritts, was based around the steps we take in Christian life: salvation, service, surrender, and being sent.  Then, after the laying on of hands and a prayer for spiritual power and discernment, my son became a reverend.  His next step is Spain, where God has called him to serve as a church-planting missionary.

               I thought of the many steps it had taken for him to get to this place: growing up on the mission field, getting his education, marriage and family, internship and experience.  Then, I thought of the many steps that lay ahead.  What comfort there is in knowing the “steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23).  God has a path for my son and will be with him every step of the journey.  God has worked throughout his life to bring him to the place he is today, and with the same faithfulness, God is ready for every step in the future.

               This truth is not just for those who are following the Lord into full time service, but for everyone who is willing to walk alongside the Lord.  Over and over throughout the books of Psalms and Proverbs we read about steps, order, direction and guidance.  God is willing to show us the way if we will look to Him.  His word is the light for our path.  He never intended for us to stumble in darkness or wander about with no direction.  He wants us to know the confidence that comes from seeing where we are going and knowing we are in His will.

               But, you will say, “there are times when we cannot see the way.”  You are right.  Sometimes there may be fog on the path, or voices calling from the dark, or an inability to determine the right direction, but if we will continue by faith doing what God has shown us to do and leave the rest to him, the fog will clear and the path will be illuminated.   

I love Deuteronomy 29:29. “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”   This teaches me that the way to walk with the Lord is to continue by faith doing what God has shown me to do and leave the rest to Him.  When I take steps in accordance with His word and keep my eyes on Him, the path will shine and lead me to the next step with full assurance of His promises fulfilled in my life.

               My mind and heart are flooding with songs about following, taking steps, and the promise of God’s direction and provision.
“My Lord Knows the Way Through the Wilderness”, “Follow On”, “Each Step I Take” and “He Leadeth Me”, are just a few.  These songs accompany me through my journey and encourage me to take steps that will show my faith and trust in a God who truly does order my steps.

Week Twenty-Three - When I'm 64

Beside the Well

This week my husband celebrated his 64^th birthday.  It was great fun singing that old Beatles tune to him and watching him enjoy time with his children and grandchildren.  Happy Birthday was sung many times and gifts were exchanged.  Hugs and kisses abounded along with the laughter of children and the teasing of adults.  These are rare times for missionaries and their value cannot be over-estimated. 

This morning my Bible reading took me to Proverbs 20.  Verse seven reads, “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.”  I could not but stop and think of yesterday’s birthday celebrations and see how God had fulfilled this promise.

A good father is a blessing from the Lord.  A man that walks in integrity is one who knows how to walk in honesty, love and truth, understands his position in Christ, and strives to pass his faith on to his children.  A just man is one who is discerning and thoughtful in decisions and creates an atmosphere of safety and growth in the home.  He teaches his children how to navigate life planting strength, wisdom and courage in their lives.

The verse promises a blessing upon the children.  This takes time.  A father must sometimes maintain his integrity and justness for many years before he sees the fruit of his labor, but a just man will walk with integrity for as long as it takes. 

My husband’s father is a golden example of patience and love as he worked to provide the strength and example necessary for one of his wayward sons.  Though he passed away before seeing the son return to the path of truth, the son did return and today is a blessing to his family. 

The father is the family’s anchor.  He is their ground upon which to stand.  He is their focal point.

As I watched my children and grandchildren expressing their love for the man who is their anchor, I was blessed to see such happiness, openness, and acceptance among them all.  Truly, the blessing of God in their lives has come because of the faithfulness of their father.  His decisions, his tender care, and his wisdom have created the basis of success for their lives.