MALKIYAH

Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been reading a devotional book by Paul Tripp on Psalm 27. It has been food for thought, as Tripp really knows how to get to the heart of issues in our lives. He really helps me to see the areas where I need to grow and to cry out to the Lord for his help. The one topic that kept coming up over and over again in the book was waiting on the Lord. It couldn’t have come at a better time, since this seems to be the current theme of my life. Tripp talks about what it means to wait on the Lord, and especially what it means to “wait well”. 

In our lives there are many instances in which we are called to wait. This could be in everyday little things like waiting in a line, or waiting for a new bank card(currently taking 6 months in Turkey:-). It could be more crucial like waiting for an answer from God or from someone else about an important, maybe even life changing decision, or waiting for a healing or a certain someone to pop into our lives. The first question is, when we are called to wait,”How do we wait on the Lord?”  Followed closely by, “Do we wait well?” Tripp gives some guidance about how we should and should not wait. I’d like to share some insights from him on this topic.

While waiting on the Lord, we should:

-Trust in his promises. Remind ourselves of the truth that he has given us in the scriptures. Meditate on that truth daily.

-Focus on the one who’s timing is perfect(not on the situation itself or the length of time in which we  must wait).

-Remember the faithful, good, and loving character of God. He is all wise, all powerful, gracious, loving, kind, trustworthy and much more. Study his awesome character!

-Study the word, pray, fellowship, meditate on his goodness, worship Him in all of  His greatness(all sources of encouragement in Him, and they all  fight discouragement).

-Learn to rest in Him! This is learning to move only in the strength he provides, not striving to do things in our way or in our time. Sometimes it might mean being still and knowing that he is God and that  he will work everything out as we wait on him.

We must be careful not to lose heart while we wait,but to place our hope in Him. He who is faithful will do it! We should also be careful not to become discouraged, or angry, or to envy others who seem to have something we are still waiting for. Remember that he is good, his timing is perfect, and he is trustworthy. I have heard it said that good things are worth waiting for, so my inclination is to encourage us all to wait on the Lord. He is truly good!

I am still learning how to wait on the Lord well. There are days that I feel impatient and times when I would like some immediate results or answers. I pray that God will give me His peace as I learn to rest in Him and trust in His promises. I thought I would share what God is teaching me with you so that we can learn and grow together in Him. May we learn how to wait on the Lord,  and how to be of good courage while we do it:-).

Psalm 30:2 “O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.”

I can really relate to the words of the Psalmist as I recently was extremely ill and found myself crying out to the Lord for healing. It is reassuring to know that he is all powerful and is able to heal our bodies. He has designed our bodies so magnificently and intricately. He who is the creator of all things knows exactly how to be a great physician to us when we are ill. I so appreciate that he uses the prayers of the righteous to carry out his will and that he uses the healing hands of the saints to work healing in the lives of many. Praise God for he hears the cries of his children when they call out to him, he answers, and he brings healing to us- heart, mind, spirit, and body.

I’ve been reading the book of John and have been especially looking at the miracles of Christ. I’ve been rather in awe of the miraculous works that he performed while he was on the earth. I have been envisioning myself as one of those in the crowd and wondering what kind of response I would have had to these miracles, if I would have been there to see them. Some believed that Jesus was the Son of God because of these miracles, others thought he was demon possessed or one who would draw them away from the truth, and others just didn’t know what to think. God choose to reveal himself in such a clear way through Jesus. Jesus was God in the flesh, performing the works of the Father so that all men could see plainly the power and glory of God.

As one who looks at these miracles through the lens of the word of God, I am truly in awe of what Christ did. Not only that, I am also in awe of the fact that he is the same God that he was then and is capable of doing anything that he pleases. Nothing is impossible for HIM! Sometimes I forget that Jesus is just as powerful right now,as he was then, and always will be. He is able to do more than I could even think of or ask him for. I think that I tend to limit the power of God and am thankful that God is opening my eyes up to this simple truth: Nothing is impossible with God! Scripture repeats this point in various locations. For example, the angel tells Mary(Luke 1:35-37) and Sarah(Genesis 18:13-14) that nothing is impossible(or too hard) for God, when speaking in  regards to the babies that were to be born in miraculous ways.

The man, who had a son with an evil spirit(Mark 9:21-24), said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Jesus responds,”If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes.” To that the man said, “I do believe;help me to overcome my unbelief!” Though this man was somewhat aware of the power of Jesus and believed in Him, he did not understand the extent of the power that was in Christ. May I not limit God, his works or his power, but know and believe that he is able to do more than I can ask or think for His glory.For nothing is impossible with God! 

Ephesians 3:20-21   

 ”Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

I’ve been reading the Gospel of John recently and have been really enlightened by a number of things that I have read(naturally-the Word of God is enlightening:-). As I watch, from an outside perspective, the lives of Jesus, his followers, and the onlookers I am increasingly aware of the ways that man in his finite understanding is unable to grasp the infinite nature of God aside from God opening his mind to reveal the truth to Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just take a minute to look at a few passages in John with me. First, in John 3:1-14 Jesus tries to explain the need to be born again of the Spirit. Nicodemus is so caught up in the natural ways that things work he can not begin to understand what Jesus is talking about. Later, in John 4:7-26  Jesus speaks with a Samaritan woman by a well. He tells her that he can give her living water. Her response, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with , and the well is deep.” She does not realize who she is talking to and that the living water he gives is way more than physical water. He is offering water that brings eternal life, water that satifies one’s soul in a deep way that nothing physical can satisfy. When Jesus’ disciples came to join him they wanted to give him food( John 4:31-34). Jesus tells them that he has food that they do not know of, the food of doing the will of the Father. Jesus again points to something that is not physical, but they reason among themselves about whether or not someone brought him a meal.

Isn’t it interesting how man is so caught up with the physical, that it is hard for us to see the things that are supernatural, and spiritual? Jesus was offering more than physical food, drink, and birth. He was offering supernatural birth, that comes from the Holy Spirit, living water that wells up inside our soul and gives us eternal life, and spiritual food that satifies the one who desires to please God and do his will. What amazing blessings he was offering to those who will come to him and believe. May God open our minds and hearts to see past the physical to the real meal of spiritual food and drink that satifisies forever, through Jesus. Are you thirsty for the living water?