High Places of Responsibility

Habakkuk 3:19 AMP – The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!

As a homeschool teacher, then in my second year of educating my sons at home, I had chosen this verse for my “students” to learn as the school year began.  I didn’t know why I had chosen it, and didn’t fully understand the high places of responsibility part.  I just knew I was drawn to this verse, so the boys and I learned it together.

Only a few short weeks later, it became obvious that I had been drawn by Holy Spirit to this verse because He knew what was coming into my life, and He knew I would need to be reminded of His amazing strength.  My world changed suddenly and dramatically when NOW was the time for moving my father from his long-time home more than 300 miles away to a new home in my city; when his mind was no longer what it had been, and would only get worse; when the diagnosis was made – Alzheimer’s disease.

In the ensuing days, weeks, months, and years, I understood what high places of responsibility were.  In those times I was totally overwhelmed with decisions, situations, and life in general, His Word came back, reminding me that He is my Strength, and He makes me to walk, even making spiritual progress on these high places of responsibility.  I am a walking testimony today that what He promised in this verse, He performed in me!

What are your high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility as you minister today to the people God put in your heart and then put you in their midst?  Instead of being overwhelmed with it all, declare this verse aloud and be strengthened by His Spirit each time you do!

Soaring Again

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Heb. 3:13 NIV)

How easy it is to become hardened in so many different ways – offenses, continual exposure to people in desperate situations, financial struggles, etc. – and not even realize it is happening.

What will destroy that hardness?  Being renewed in God’s love.

17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, 18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; 19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! (Eph. 3:17-19 AMP)

I can see God’s love enveloping those hard hearts, not just causing the hard deposits to crumble, but actually dissolving them.  As the hardness disappears, the sound of the Father’s heartbeat is strong once again, where it had become so faint.  Joy and peace return, and there is the sabbath rest once again.

With the heart renewed in the love of Christ, the mission He has given doesn’t look so impossible.  The passion for the people around you has been reignited, because it’s no longer human passion, but our Father’s passion.  Now His strength has replaced your strength, and you can soar above the fray on eagle’s wings!

Gone to the Birds

Recently, I came across a word picture that had so aptly described a situation with which I was struggling the first time I saw it years ago.  God encouraged me greatly through it at the time, and I believe He will do the same for you now.

I was on the final descent of my hike in the mountains when I heard great clamor of crows.  I looked up to see one particular crow dive-bombing a completely unperturbed hawk gliding lazily through the air.  The crow was insanely angry, calling the hawk every name in the bird book.  When that crow approached the hawk, the hawk flipped his wing slightly out of the crow’s grasp and kept on gliding.  The hawk came to rest on the top of one of the giant pines, right at the tip top.  The crow increased her dive-bombing and cursing until other crows joined her.  The hawk finally took off and made a lazy progress over to another part of the mountain, despite multiple dive-bombing crows.

Having observed similar bird activities more than once, though without the mountain backdrop, it was easy to envision this description – then and now.  As He is so good at doing, the Lord then used this as a parable to nudge me to be a hawk in the midst of insanely angry crows.  “Continue on the path in My peace,” He seemed to encourage me.  “I’ll deal with them.  Just don’t join in their ways.”

Loving and appreciating you, my hawk sisters on the mission field!

Kay

Simple Delights

I just had a most wonderful experience as I shopped the aisles of Whole Foods Market.  As you can imagine, because I live a gluten-free lifestyle, and there is almost always some form of gluten in the ingredients, I generally ignore the free samples of food.  This time, though, there was a display (with samples) of Glutino brand (a gluten-free manufacturer) pretzels on one of the end caps.  Initially, I didn’t take any, as I easily end up with a pantry full of gluten-free junk food.  As I came upon it for the second time, I decided to try one, with no intention of buying.  My experience with many of the gluten-free offerings has left me less than satisfied in taste or consistency, and sometimes both.

Wow!  Was I surprised as I bit into this little pretzel!  I kept re-checking the display to be certain these were gluten-free.  Maybe I had been mistaken and had just re-introduced gluten into my system, for which I would pay in a few hours.  No, they were the real thing – and safe!  Then I wanted to ask people around me if they understood how good these gluten-free pretzels are.  I asked another lady who was looking at one of the bags if she eats gluten-free.  When she looked at me like I had three heads, I quickly determined that she is not – a little disappointing, to be honest, only because I so wanted to share the delight of my find with someone who could really appreciate it!

This all seems pretty silly, I know.  I am, after all, just talking about pretzels; but these pretzels, and the simple delights and simple pleasures they represent, can be just the needed boost to keep us going on our course.  May you be surprised by your own simple delight today, my friends!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

photo by d mansouri

Only those of you who grew up in the 60’s will hear a tune when you read the title.  For those of you who do know the song, I do know when I’ll be back, and I don’t hate to go.  So much for the song lyrics. 

It’s hard to believe I haven’t traveled since last October – and haven’t been itchy to do so.  But now it’s time to gear up again.  Our schedule looks pretty full of various types of travel between now and the end of the year, though none are my most favorite kind – mission trips.  So, I’ll just let each trip, regardless of its purpose, be a mission from the Lord to shine the light of Jesus Christ and share the good news of His grace, love, and redemption.  I think that’s actually the way I’m to live every day, though, isn’t it?

Anyway, we will be visiting our sons and their wives in the Dallas area, and we look forward to it.  Just before we leave, we will be getting the phone call letting us know whether this little baby developing in the womb is a girl or boy.  Then, look out baby shops – this grandmother-in-waiting is ready to buy some baby clothes! 

On the more serious side of things, though, I want to encourage you that God will keep moving and working even when you don’t have any more hope for the situation.  He is bringing restoration to our family, despite that part of my heart seeming to have no life, no expectation for the better.  I wasn’t opposed to it – just had no hope for it.  I know, that doesn’t say much for my faith in that area, but it’s honest.  But God!  Again, He has moved in His grace and mercy to show me, again, that He is still the God of restoration.  What part of His character do you need Him to show you again?

Up, up, and away . . . on the wings of the Spirit, and with the metal wings of the jet!