God is trustworthy

Luke 16: 10-12

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.  So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?  And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? NIV

Jesus is speaking here.  My word search on “trust” has finally brought me to the new testament.

Jesus is speaking and the pharisees are listening.  These words come at the end of a parable, “The parable of the shrewd manager.”

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.

These words ring so true to me.  As my faith has grown, so my trust in God has grown.  And, God has been completely faithful … wholly trustworthy.

I trusted Him with merely a little of myself, and, as I’ve given over more and more of me to Him, I’ve learned that He can be trusted.

In fact, He MUST be trusted with all of it — my hopes, my dreams, my fears and my worries.

God is trustworthy.

That’s what I’ll think about today.

 

He’s here!

Luke 2:13-14

Suddenly  great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to me on whom his favor rests.” NIV

Christ was born on Christmas Day to take away our sins and the worries that result from them.

Glory to God this Christmas morning!

Faith is all that is required

Luke 2:46-48a

And Mary said:  “My soul glorifies the LORD and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.” NIV

Mary has learned that she will be the mother of the son of God.  She has visited Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, and the two of them have rejoiced together over the first coming of Christ.

These are the first verses of the song that Mary sings to God.

Mary is facing real uncertainty.  No one has ever done what she has been called to do.  She is engaged, but not married, and her pregnancy would surely put her earthly future in jeopardy … but, Mary isn’t worried about the future.

Instead, she focuses on the miracle of the moment, saying, “My soul glorifies the LORD and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”

Mary has true faith.  God blesses that.  He is mindful of her … he chooses her from all other women to be the mother of His son.

She’s not a rich person … she’s not a successful business woman … she is not moving or shaking anything when God chooses her … she is simply a young woman who believes.

Faith is all that is required to be used by God.

That’s what I’ll think about today.

God has not forgotten you

Luke 12:6

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?  Yet, not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. NIV

Several years ago, one of my dearest friends took me to a Women of Faith event.  I had no idea what I was walking in to.  I had never heard of it.  Frankly, I went because I love my friend and it seemed important to her.

She lives several states away, so, it took a couple of days to get there.  First, I flew to her town, then we stayed the night and drove several hours the next morning.  She seemed so excited.

As we entered the massive convention center that Friday morning, it seemed to me that the space dwarfed the few hundred women who had come for the Friday portion of the conference.  All of them, it seemed, were as excited as my friend.

As we took our seats on the floor of the facility, I confess I didn’t have high hopes.  The chair looked uncomfortable, the room was chilly, and it was going to take six years to hike up the stairs if we needed food or the restroom.  But, I put a smile on my face and settled myself next to my friend.

It was a divine appointment.

The first speaker was Patsy Claremont.  I’d never heard of this woman.  I will never forget her.  She told an amazing story of a woman who had tracked her down, with, she said, a message from God.  It had taken the woman quite some effort to find Patsy.  The message was simply, “God has not forgotten you.”

Patsy said she thanked the woman … and that she was a bit confused.  She did not feel forgotten by God.  But then, she said, she realized that it was a message for us, not for her … that she was to deliver that message at this conference.  At this point, she turned, and, it felt, as though she looked straight at me.  This tiny, white haired grandmother said plainly, “God, has not forgotten you.”

I burst into tears.  Turns out, I did feel forgotten.

I cried for most of the next two days as God broke down wall after wall in my heart that I had built up over time.  Tears of gratitude come to my eyes even now as I write this.  I had to have those walls broken down … if I’d stayed behind them, trying my hardest to make success of my life on my own, I would not have survived the last two years.

As it is, I have been pruned, I have been molded, I have been shaped for service, and I am so, so thankful.

Not one of us is forgotten by God.  We are his precious, precious children.  He knows every detail of our lives, every hair on our heads, and he values us.

That’s a reminder not to worry and that’s what I’ll think about today.

Where’s your treasure?

Luke 12: 33-34

Sell your possessions and give to the poor.  Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  NIV

There is so much here!

A purse that won’t wear out … or ever go out of style.

Years ago, when I lived in New York, I bought several bags in different sizes and colors.  I was foolish enough to believe the hype … I was making an investment … these bags would last a lifetime!  Not so.  Perhaps I haven’t taken as good care of them as I should have, but, all show their age, and, in addition to wearing out, they also are out of style.  I love the concept of “vintage.”  Soon, those bags will fit that category, and then, perhaps, they will be new again, but, they will still, eventually, all wear out.

A treasure that will not be exhausted … the ability to live off the interest and never touch the principal.

This was the dream of an older person I once knew.  She felt that if she could build up enough principal to support her for the rest of her life, she could simply live off the interest and have no worries.  Trouble is, prices are constantly increasing … what seemed wholly adequate —  even excessive — years ago is now barely enough to pay the bills … where does all the money go?  The treasure is always exhausted … there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Where no thief comes near and no moth destroys … I want to live there!

Once, my car was stolen from in front of my house.  Right there, at my front door one day … gone the next.  And, one year, moths destroyed all of my sweaters.  As much as I love this part of the country, there are tolls to be paid for living here.

These verses are an awesome reminder.  The Message translates them, “Be generous.  Give to the poor.  Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bank-robbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on.  It’s obvious, isn’t it?  The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be and end up being.” MSG

That’s what I’ll think about today.

Keep an eternal perspective

Luke 12: 32

Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.  NIV

I am blessed to have an amazing storyteller in my life.  She has an incredible imagination.  I discovered her gift when I was in line with her and her children at an amusement park.  The line was moving very slowly and we were all hot and bored.  The children asked to be told a story and she complied.  She wove in experiences that we’d had earlier that day and the story went on and on as the entrance to the ride got closer and closer.

As the group before us was poised to enter the attraction, the man in their party said to the attendant, “wait just a second.”  He turned to the storyteller and asked, “How does it end?”  We all laughed, because, in addition to keeping the children enthralled, she had drawn in both the families around us.  She quickly ended the story, we all rode the ride and all was well.

The stories, I learned, all have the same basic theme.  They center around a little boy and a little girl who are the prince and princess of a faraway land where Mother the Queen and Father the King are good and fair rulers, and beloved by all their subjects.

The prince and princess are the heirs to the magical kingdom … they have no worries, except the occasional mussing of a ball gown or the loss of a royal shoe.  Their lives, like the lives of the two small children on whom the stories are based, are secure.  They are loved and cared for and want for nothing.  They have no worries.

This verse says that we are all princes and princesses … the Father has been pleased to give us the kingdom.  We can approach our trials as adventures.  As I write that, I know it sounds naive.  The pain here is enormous … the needs here are so great.  But, if we adopt an eternal perspective, we can work to enjoy our adventures … we can work to make a difference for others … we can live our life here without worries.

Our future is secure.  We know where home is and we know who will be waiting for us when we arrive.

That’s what I’ll think about today.

Where’s your focus?

Luke 12: 29-31

And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.  For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.  But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. NIV

I love this passage.  I especially love the way The Message translates this part of it.

“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting you can respond to God’s giving.  People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.  Steep yourselves in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.  You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.” MSG

Getting versus giving.

You always hear that it is better to give than to receive, but this verse isn’t saying that.  If you look closely, the Christian gains something in either case.  In the first, he or she gains a worldly possession, and in the second the gain is a blessing from God.  We have a choice of which to pursue.  If we are focused on doing God’s work, the blessings will come.

God is always at work, in the lives of each and every one of us.  If we are open to being used of God, if we are truly seeking His kingdom and His will, and living our lives as His hands and His feet here on earth, this verse says that we will not have to worry about the basic things … they will be provided.

God provides.  Unit Four of Henry Blackaby’s Experiencing God is based on John 14:21, “Whoever has my commands and obeys the, he is the one who loves me.  He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

God is my provider.  I am His servant.  There are no worries.

That’s what I’ll think about today.

 

He’s there

Luke 12:4

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.” NIV

There is nothing that can happen to me here on earth, no circumstance in which I can find myself, where God is not there.

That’s a pretty powerful thought to start the day!

Make up your mind not to do it

Luke 21:14

But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.  NIV

Make up your mind not to worry.  I love that!

Galations 5:22-23a says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” NIV

As a Christian, I am called to exhibit self control … it is one of the fruits of the Spirit named in Galations.

Worry is something I have control over … I can “make up my mind not to do it.”  If I will exercise self control, worry is but one of the multitude of sins that I can overcome.

That’s what I’ll think about today!

His love is boundless

Luke 12: 27-28

Consider how the lilies grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? NIV

It’s Fall.  I love every season, but, I think that I love Fall the best.

In the part of the country where I grew up, the leaves don’t turn.  The first day of Fall is just another day on the calendar.

But now, I live where the leaves do turn … wondrous glorious colors.

The first fall that I lived here, on one of those gorgeous mornings, I spent some time with a lovely, Christian woman.  I was dumbfounded at how beautiful the trees were … for her, it was “old hat.”  She had grown up in the North, and couldn’t imagine not having Fall.  When she explained her theory of Fall, I was even more amazed, and I’ve never forgotten it.

She said that once, when she was younger, growing up in Michigan, they’d had a very early snow fall.  It was so early, that the leaves were all still green.  She explained that the snow coated the trees and all their leaves and the results were disastrous.  She explained how branches had broken, and the town was without power for days, and how it took the trees quite some time to recover.

She said it was at that point that she realized that God had to get the leaves off the trees before winter, and, it was also then that she realized what a show He makes of it … all for our benefit.

He takes a task that must be done, and turns it into wonder.  I love that.

God cares for us.  He delights in us.  He wants us to delight in His creations.  If he is willing to invest that kind of creativity in trees and flowers which come and go so quickly, and which He did not gift with eternal life … how much more must He care for us?  I can’t measure it.

God’s love is boundless … without worries.

That’s what I’ll think about today.