Faithful to What End?

"This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.  Through  the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.  They are  new every morning; Great  is  Your faithfulness. “The Lord  is  my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” The Lord  is  good to those who wait for Him, To the soul  who  seeks Him.  It is  good that  one  should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.  It is  good for a man to bear The yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone and keep silent, Because  God  has laid  it  on him; Let him put his mouth in the dust— There may yet be hope. (Lamentations 3:21-29 NKJV)

There are times we must wait on Him when there is nothing we can say; at least nothing that we should. Have we even a right to complain in our sorrow and suffering? When we are heartbroken, lonely, and hurt, dare we say we deserve better? By what word or thought or deed?   Trials come and we may not know what to say. Good! In our silence, God can be better heard.   

Nothing for which we ask is granted due to merit or favor. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights.  Whether despairing or depending, complaining or compliant, fearful or faithful, we are deeply loved and showered with mercies unending and unfathomable.

It is through His mercies "we are not consumed."  We are lucky to even be alive. What Grace! God owes us nothing. We continue to live and breathe because He still has a work to complete in us; a purpose for His good.  

HE is faithful.  It is we who are indebted. 

If we never receive anything more than His redemption in Christ we are Kings. 

Every single mercy received is a gift that is above and beyond the death we deserve.  

We cannot afford it. 

We cannot repay it. 

We cannot comprehend it. 

We cannot ignore it. 

We did not find it, and we cannot lose it.  

His faithfulness endures from generation to generation. 

Mercy.  

What more could we ask for?

What are you afraid of?

Supposed God-fearing people are living in fear of their futures as if they have never known the God of the universe or seen his power. They are calling for prayer, kind thoughts, good vibes or whatever it is that each individual onlooker feels brings power to the situation. For those who don't believe, I understand the fear. But, Christians, you ascribe to another Truth. Not a name-it and claim-it theology where speaking the words of God bring power to make what one desires a reality, but real trust in the promises of God in a situation where you truly have no control.

There is only One Power- the Word of God. Perfect love casts out fear- (1 John 4:18)-there is no fear when one trusts Christ... You simply trust.

Were He sitting at your table, or standing beside you in line- could you feel anything but overwhelming peace and love?! If you are a believer, He IS there. Is there a difference?

Wake up, Christian! HE is doing this. Not you. BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD, He says. He doesn't say, "sit around and freak out about it to your friends and wait to see if I really mean what I say."

Stop panicking and bury yourself in the Word. See if there is anything in that Book that tells you that it is okay to lament endlessly about your next steps. He doesn't show the big picture. He didn't show Eve her Messiah in Genesis 3-- but He promised there would be One and Eve believed it. Yet, look, as the prophets said for hundreds and hundreds of years, Messiah came. If after you finish all 66 books, you find there is justification for your panic, you will likely have been distracted long enough to see His plan working itself out.

The biggest miracle Jesus could work in your life is saving your weak, wretched, angry, selfish, faithless soul. If He can do that, He can bring home a child, crush an empire, change the hearts of a cold government and draw a nation to its knees. He spoke the world into being with a Word. Jesus and orphans have had more airtime through this legislation than I have ever seen. Never did I expect to hear "our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will carry us through" on CNN. Another couple I met recently is considering adopting a child with HIV as a result of the crisis being brought to life. Have we any right to complain that this situation is interfering. It is only interfering with human plans. Bear up, believers. You can hack this!

"For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord , Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;" (Hebrews 12:3-5 NKJV)

Do you hear that!? You're not bleeding over this. Believers worldwide and through ages past have been tortured, skinned alive, burned to death, and slaughtered for proclaiming the name of Christ. We don't rescue these children, God does. This ache in your heart is anxiety. George Mueller said the beginning of anxiety is the end of faith. Just because you don't know the outcome doesn't mean the outcome will be bad. Honestly - it won't be bad- even if it isn't what you want. Though many cling to Jeremiah 29:11 as a promise for good things to come, there is no guarantee that the outcome will correspond with our desires. He knows the plan He has for us... He doesnt guarantee WE will know it. The GOOD and not harm, HOPE, and FUTURE are from HIS perspective. Because it (whatever the outcome) is what He allows, what He wills... He will grow you from it and through it ...if you submit.

"Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?" (Psalm 56:3-4 NKJV)

Read the rest of Psalm 56. Put your money where your mouth is. Trust your God to do what He does best and then give Him the glory for it. Whatever "it" is.