Empty Handed

Mark 11:24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Have you ever watched a child getting candy from a candy jar? I love when they reach in and grab a handful, only to discover that their hand is now too big to get out of the jar. They pull and pull, shake and shimmy, but the hand is stuck. Finally, they realize they have to let go of the candy. Defeated, they watch the candy drop and take out their hand.

I think this is the perfect analogy for prayer. You see, we often bring our struggles to God. We kneel at his feet. We tell him we are ready to do better. We wait for our answer. After a little while, we decide that we should do something about this problem and begin to work on it. We get a little frustrated that God didn't help us through this - again.

But here's what really happened. We went to God, reached into the candy jar and tried to grab the answer to our prayer. We pulled and shimmied. We shook and danced. We tried to get our hands out. But we never let go of our troubles. We knelt at his feet, but never surrendered our problems. We tried to grab an answer with a fistful of problems.

Instead, we need to come to God, lay our problems at his feet and with empty hands, reach out to him. Only then can we grab on as he pulls us from the depths and makes it better. Only then can our hands be filled with blessings.

Heavenly Father,

You are loving and good. You have assured us that when we pray, you will answer. Help us to surrender our troubles to you so that we can grab onto you. Hold us in your arms. Bring us the peace and confidence that comes from knowing you are there and you care.

Amen.

How to Save a Life

2 Corinthians 6:3-10
We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

I recently took a CPR training class. Our group sat and listened to the statistics regarding the effectiveness of CPR, the death rates with and without CPR, and so on. Then we moved into practical "how to" advice. During one part, a man in the back raised his hand and expressed a concern about breaking someone's rib during compressions. The instructor acknowledged the possibility of breaking ribs during CPR and then asked, "But consider the alternative." We all laughed, but it's not that funny. The alternative to intervention during a cardiac arrest is death. A broken rib seems a small price to pay.

I went home and that one line stuck with me. See, sometimes I have a hard time inviting people to church, telling them about God's love for them or even talking about my own faith. This is even true with some of my friends. But if I consider sharing my faith a sort of spiritual CPR, then I have to consider the alternative of not intervening. the alternative, right now, is a life without the peace and joy of having a relationship with my savior. It is loneliness in stressful times and waiting for the other shoe to drop during the joyful times. It is a feeling that death is the end. In a world full of adventure and fun at every turn, it is a life of loud laughter and quiet sadness.

For me, that alternative is unacceptable. When I look at my life, I love waking up in the morning and knowing that this day is a gift. I have a house, job, family and friends, not because I am lucky but because I am blessed. And I know who to thank for it.

During stressful times, I have the support of someone who is more powerful than I can even imagine. I have the joy of knowing that when this life is over, there will be no more stress. I have the confidence that God will get me where I need to go, even if he has to carry me. In the midst of stress, I have peace.

I can't know all of this and not share it. If I see a friend struggling without God, my fear of being labeled a "Jesus Freak" needs to be set aside so that they have a chance to feel the powerful arms of God surrounding them. Like a broken rib in CPR, the discomfort is temporary. When I consider the alternative, it is a small price to pay.

Heavenly Father,
We often live in fear of what others think of us and so we avoid talking about you. But we have been given a gift. We have the knowledge of your love and grace that changes lives. Help us to remember that you will give us courage and words to share your love with others.

Amen

Back to His Arms

Luke 15:20
Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.

When I was a child, I loved God. I went to church, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, church camp, you name it, I was there. I loved God and felt his love around me. Then, something changed.
For just a few months, I decided I was angry with God. I wasn’t so sure he loved me and I was pretty sure I didn’t love him. See, I had suffered a loss. A family member had died and I was angry. At seven, anger is a scary thing. It still is. But at seven, it engulfed me.
I didn’t want to talk to God. I couldn’t see how he could love me and let the people I loved leave. For the first time, I didn’t feel him by my side.
Somehow, through God’s grace, I felt his presence once again. In fact, I suddenly knew he had been there all along. Just waiting. I knew I could grab his hand and he’d be there forever. But I felt ashamed. I wasn’t sure that God would forgive my lapse of faith.
A few years later, I was talking to my teacher and confessed my weeks of loneliness, when I doubted God. Here was his response: “Amanda, grace works like this. God is our father. Like a good dad, he takes your hand as you cross the street, trying to keep you safe. He’s so happy when you hold on. But you don’t have to. He lets you decide. When you let go, even for a minute, he is sad and scared. All he wants is to have you back in his arms. He waits and he reaches out to you. When you come back, he rejoices. He loves you. He wants nothing more than walk with you. Even when you wouldn’t hold his hand, he never stopped loving you, and he never stopped trying. He’s just glad you’re back.” I wish I could go back and thank my teacher for his words of wisdom.
Like the prodigal son, I felt ashamed that I had left. In the story, the son left his family, squandered his inheritance, led a shameful life and returned home hoping to work as a servant in his father’s house. Instead, as he walked up the road, his father ran, embraced him and celebrated his return. See, we all go through periods in our lives where we decide to go it alone. I go through seasons of faith that pull me far from him. I know he’s there; I just don’t take the time for Him. Somehow, I always end up back in His arms. Alone I am lost. In his love, I am secure.


Forgiving God,
You have an amazing capacity to love us, despite our frequent mistakes. We stray from your presence, only to return, hoping to feel you near us once again. You always take us back. You are always there. Thank you.
Amen

Worry

Philippians 4:6
Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.

It is so easy to give thanks to God. I am grateful when he is good to me. Each night I thank him for the gift of my family and for his presence in my life. Each morning I thank him for the new day and for the opportunity to serve him in some way. I can do thanks.
I have trouble with supplication. Don’t get me wrong, I ask God for a lot. I just don’t give my worry to him. I ask him for help with finances and three seconds after I say amen, I begin to worry about work. I ask him to heal a friend and open my eyes worrying about his family. I can ask, I just can’t surrender.
Paul tells us not to worry about anything. How can we not worry? Life happens; we have to deal with it, right? But here’s what I think he’s saying: we have to think about life’s troubles, we have to address them, but we don’t have to worry about them. I can think about problems at work, I can problem solve, pray, and finally resolve, but I don’t have to let the problems control me. When I worry, I place all of my energy on them; I begin to put more importance on the problems than on God or the blessings in my life. Seldom do I find a solution through worry. If, instead, I pray and ask for guidance, my thoughts clear and opportunities present themselves.
Last year, I realized that I could no loner bring my girls to my friend’s house while I was at work. The bus would not pick up there for Maggie’s school. I researched different day cares and knew that we were going to have a hard time paying for them. I didn’t know anyone in our district who did home daycare. I was consumed with worry.
I decided the best thing to do was to calm down. I couldn’t think clearly, so I prayed for peace. Then I sarcastically suggest that if God had any ideas, he might let me know. Less than five minutes later, the phone rang and my mom had a great idea. A friend of ours needed work and could drive to our home and ca for the girls here. It has been a blessing.
I didn’t solve my problem through worry, I solved it through prayer. I guess I learned a few things through this process, God answers prayers, worry is counterproductive and God forgives sarcasm when you’re really stressed out.
The other part of this passage that rings true in my life is that when we are worried, thanking god for what we already have brings joy and peace in the midst of trouble. When we remember to thank God for blessings and surrender our worries to him, solutions arrive and our worries disappear.

Sovereign Lord,
We know that you have blessed us immensely on this earth and that our problems are opportunities to grow. Thank you for being present in our lives. Help us to focus on you and not on our worries. Help us also to remember that though you will hear our prayers, we need to be listening for the answers and putting in the effort to solve our problems. Grant us patience and persistence in difficult times.

Amen.

Courage

Isaiah 41:10
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

When I was little, we lived across the street from a park. I was five or six years old and there was a giant slide. It didn’t have any tunnels or railings and the only way to get to the top was up a really, really tall ladder. Or weeks I swore I couldn’t go down that slide. It was tall and it was very scary. Finally, my sister told me that she would go with me and she’d hold my hand all the way. We did it together and pretty soon, I could do it by myself. I just needed a little help t first.

It’s the same for me in life. Sometimes I am faced with things I am not sure I can do. But Jesus tells us that we can do amazing things if we ask him for help. He will be with us, even if we can’t see him. He will make us brave and help us know what to do.

Peter learned this on the boat during a storm. He saw Jesus walking on water and said, “Hey, let m do it too.” So Jesus called him out. Peter boldly stepped out onto the water and walked. Amazing. Only after he realized what was happening did he become afraid. Without faith he sank. However, his faith in Jesus gave him the courage to do the impossible. He walked on water.

I sometimes marvel at the conversations about faith my young daughter has. She shares her love of Jesus with others, unashamed and will complete faith that her friends will love him just as much as her. She openly loves others, without concern for how it makes her look to the world. She bravely witnesses to God’s love, with courage that can only come from God.

Dear Jesus,

You are all powerful and all loving. You have promised us that we can do wonderful things through our faith in you. You will give us courage when we are afraid and strength when we are weak. Help us to answer your call and give us the courage to live the lives you have prepared for us.

Amen

Forgiveness

Psalm 30:5
For his anger lasts only a moment but his favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may remain for the night, but the rejoicing comes in the morning.

I remember when I was a child I couldn’t stand having my mother angry at me. When I did something wrong, I’d do anything to keep her from finding out. I knew there was no way I could ever be forgiven for whatever I’d done wrong. I’d sit in my room, sure she’d never be able to forget about my most recent error, but somehow, she always found a way to forgive me and look past my behavior. She always mad me feel loved and forgiven.
Now, as parent, I know exactly how she did it. Each of my daughters has at some point decided that my walls were a canvas, perfect for their marker masterpieces. Each time, I was frustrated when I discovered my young Van Gough’s artwork. Each time, I found the culprit and discussed the merits of paper vs. drywall. Each time, they ended up serving time in their room, while I spent time smirking as I told my husband about their artistry. My anger faded as I retold the story. Soon, a hug and a kiss replaced the tears and the discipline. I even ended up preserving Maggie’s artistry under our kitchen table with varnish when we refinished the table
This psalm assures us that it is the same with God. He’s not just going to look past our indiscretions. He’s not going to ignore our indifference to our neighbor’s suffering. He’s not going to excuse our time spent on worldly gain rather than glorifying him. Luckily, we are looking for God to forgive our errors rather than excuse them.
Like my anger over the misplaced artistry in our house, God’s anger over our sins is temporary. In fact, he is ready to forgive us as soon as we ask. He wants us to learn a lesson, to be made whole and to come to him for forgiveness. As hard as it is to confess to him, that is the first step to forgiveness. As unlikely as it seems that he will forgive us, that is how great his desire is to heal us. His anger may come and go, but his love will last.

Heavenly Father,
You know that I have made so many mistakes in this life. During these periods of darkness, I doubt that I will ever feel better. Yet, with unfailing grace, you forgive my sins, pulling me into the light. Thank you for the joy that comes with knowing you. Help me to share that grace with those around me. Amen.

Be Still

Psalm 46:10
“Be still and know that I am God!”


I love nature. A walk in the woods is like a small piece of heaven here on earth. When I am amidst the trees, with crushed rock beneath my feet, I can feel that God is there. In the woods, I KNOW God. His awesome hand, painted the trees and the butterflies. His endless imagination dreamed up a seemingly infinite number of bugs and birds. In the woods, all is right with the world.
Not so in the “real world”. In my every day life, God feels so distant at times. I get caught up in my schedule, my work, taking care of my family, going to church. There is barely time for a walk, much less a walk in the woods. At the end of the day, I fall into bed and hope for some rest before the next day begins.
Some nights, that rest escapes me. My mind wanders to finances,” How will we pay for that new air conditioner?” kids, “Did they remember to get their stuff ready for tomorrow?” and my own health, “What’s that bump on my neck? What would happen to my family if….?” I’d give anything for a walk in the woods at those times.
I know that the worries of this life are inevitable and will pass away over time. However, their power over me can be pretty strong. In fact, the only way I’ve been able to combat them is to physically get out of bed, sit, clear my mind and then pray. On those dark nights, I journey from fear to peace in a matter of minutes, literally. Once I realize that God is God, and I am just along for the ride, my mind stops racing and my fears keep right on going, until they’ve raced out of my head. Only then am I really still, both physically and mentally. Only then, can I KNOW God.
I KNOW God when I feel his presence and all is well. I KNOW God when I suddenly find the answer to a problem I have been struggling with for weeks. I KNOW God when my tired body can sleep because my overactive fears are held at bay. I KNOW God when I can finally trust his providence. God is real, be still and KNOW him.

Holy God,
You are so real and you truly want to know us. Help us to find you in the midst of our busyness. Help us to find a way to be still, both physically and mentally. Calm our worried minds, so that we can find the peace that only you can bring.
In your Name we pray,

Amen.