Friends

James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 

Proverbs 18:24
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

If you’ve watched the Toy Story movies, you’ve heard the song You’ve Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman. Who doesn’t love seeing Woody and Buzz and all their friends stick together as they journey with Andy as he grows up?

God has placed people in my path who have become great friends—from childhood until now, I’ve been blessed with many people who have walked alongside me.

I remember my neighborhood friends playing tag and softball in the field. My college buddies and I still keep in touch. My children have grown to be my dear friends, as have my siblings, and my husband and I are the best of friends. And I can’t forget Rosie May—our faithful companion.

We could learn a lot from a dog. Rosie’s loyalty and unconditional love pours out of her. She sticks by us and is always happy to see us.

James, Jesus’ brother, tells us Abraham, who led people through the desert to the promised land, but never stepped foot there, was called God’s friend. What a joy to be a friend of God. No one is more faithful than the Lord. He loves His people, He’s always available, He stands beside me as I grow in Him and as a person with purpose. God never fails me or gives up on me, even when I want to give up on myself.

There is no better friend than Jesus. He sticks closer than a brother. He closed the gap between God and people. He gave His life for me and you.

You’ve got a friend in Jesus. Take His hand and follow Him.

The God of Hope

Romans 15:12-13
And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse will spring up,
    one who will arise to rule over the nations;
    in him the Gentiles will hope.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

We spring forward, spring into action, and we may even have a spring in our step.

I look forward to the crocuses, daffodils, hyacinth, and tulips as they spring from the ground. (you see what I did there) Spring is a season of hope and new life. The grass and trees green up and the bees get excited about the blooms. The flowers poking through the soil tell me the sun is warming the earth, and soon they’ll give a colorful show.

At the park this week, with the sun shining, a lot of people and dogs walked the path and trails. People smiled and nodded friendly greetings. Joy and hope filled the air.

My favorite word in the English language is HOPE—to expect with confidence.

Hope for my family and loved ones, hope in Jesus, who came to mend the tear between God and people, hope in grace, and hope in heaven—my eternal home.

As I look toward Easter in the coming months, I want to focus on the hope I have in Jesus. This world is a difficult place to live in. It’s easy to take on the burdens of the world myself and get dragged down. Instead, I continue to seek Jesus in prayer and through scripture and hold on to the hope I have in God. He’s never let me down. He walks beside me every day, and He loves me.

Hold on to the hope that fills you with joy and peace.

Ask and Trust

James 1:5-6
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 

It's one thing to seek wisdom, but it’s another to have faith in God and the wisdom He gives.

Recently, Tim and I and other family members have had to make difficult decisions for people we love. With each choice, we’ve stepped into a space where we need guidance and wisdom. What’s the best for our loved ones? How do we help them move forward and stay safe?

In my sixty-seven years, I’ve made a lot of decisions. I am sad to say; I haven’t always asked God for wisdom or listened for Him to impart his wise words. In those times, I’ve fallen on my face and then my knees, before the One who generously gives His wisdom, if only I trust Him.

The picture Jesus’ brother, James, paints of the person who seeks God’s wisdom, but fails to believe smacked me in the head. It struck me that I ask for wisdom, but at times don’t believe God will share it with me. I’ve tossed about like the wave and doubted God’s help. Shame on me.  

Will you join me in seeking wisdom and believing without doubt—before making decisions, before commenting on social media, before stepping out of bed in the morning? I don’t know about you, but I need God’s help through every single day of my life. And He gives it to us, if we simply ask and trust.

God loves us and wants the absolute best for us. He’s created every human with the opportunity to choose wisely.

Seek God’s wisdom.

James 3:17
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

The Good, Good Shepherd

Isaiah 40:11

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

Matthew 18:12-14
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

I'd find the widest maple tree in the yard and squeeze myself as small as I could, behind it. The child who was 'it' would call out "Ready or not, here I come" to let us know they were searching for our hiding place. As a kid, my neighbors, cousins, and I spent endless hours playing hide-and-go-seek. We especially loved playing from dusk to dark. But in the game of hide-and-go-seek, we didn't want to be caught, or we'd be the 'it' person.

As an adult, I rarely play that old childhood game, unless one of my grandkids talks me into it. But I can tell you there have been times when I've played hide-and-go-seek with God. I've buried my head and ignored his wisdom, his call, or his word. I've run the other way in shame, rolled myself in a cocoon of misery and regret. But you know what, he came after me. He sought me out. Why? Because he loves me no matter what. The God who created the universe called me by name and told me I am his child.

Jesus is often called the Good Shepherd. As a shepherd, he searches for that single sheep that strays away from the flock. He chases that one little lamb who lost his way. He seeks in the shadows, climbs the mountains, tears down the walls to find that one who is lost. Once he finds us, he holds us, loves us and gives hope beyond hope. Jesus said he's happier about finding that one lost sheep than about the ninety-nine who stayed put. Why? Because Jesus wants every child of his to be found, to be saved from the evil in this world. He wants every soul to rest in him.

Jesus loves like no other. Love him back.

Faith over Fear

Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Fear is a liar.

One of my brave granddaughters

I stood on the platform I’d waited on the year before. The first time I donned the harness and looked across the water, I stepped into the air and ziplined across with a not so graceful landing. I enjoyed the ride, but a year later, harness on, anxiety and fear gripped me. I’d watched Tim sail across, but I couldn’t take the first step. The person equipping me wasn’t allowed to give me a push. Yes, I did ask her to. Instead, she helped me remove the harness, and I climbed to the ground. Fear had taken over and caused me to fail. I’d let it consume me.

Fear can paralyze, invade with feelings of impending doom, and take over logical reasoning. It can convince me I’m not good enough, or I can’t do this or that. So much is going on in the world that I can’t control, but I do have control over my response. Do I fear what I can’t change, or do I trust in God, who is with me in all things?

In Deuteronomy, Moses tells the people he’s been leading in the wilderness he will no longer be with them. He won’t enter the promised land. Instead, Joshua will take them on the rest of the journey. If I were Joshua, I would have been terrified to take over for such a great leader as Moses. Would I disappoint God’s people, take them the wrong direction, or fail to complete the task? Moses tells Joshua and the Israelites not to fear, but to be courageous because God is with them. Their journey into the promised land wasn’t easy. It took hope and faith.

Healthy fear keeps me safe. The fear I conjure up in my head because I’m gripped by uncertainty can stop me from moving forward in the work God calls me to do. I want to choose faith over fear and trust in God, who delivered the Israelites and will deliver me. Life is hard, but God is bigger than anything that instills fear.

Trust God in faith and leave fear behind.

LOVE

1 John 4:20-21
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.  And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

My mom always said, “You don’t have to like everyone, but you have to love them.” 

Personalities clash, opinions clog, ways of doing things frustrate, and expectations fail. All things that make people dislike one another. I could make a longer list of what makes people dislike or even hate another person, but if you’ve lived this life very long, you already know what’s on the list.

As a child, I thought everyone liked me and I liked everyone, then I grew into a middle schooler and learned the reality of relationships. People who had been friends made fun of me for going to church. I said things to others that were unkind. Some say this is typical middle school behavior, but I say why? Can’t we teach our children to be kind to everyone, no matter who we are? Can’t we do better?

Lead by example. Love my neighbor. Love the person who irritates me. Love the person I disagree with. But how? By showing compassion, having patience, giving grace, praying for people, helping, humbling myself, and the list goes on. Even though I'm not perfect, I can strive to do better.

God calls every one of us to love people and to love Him.

February is the month of love. Valentine’s Day celebrates love. So, I may not like everyone I meet, but I can pour God’s love over every person by being kind.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. -1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love God and love people.

What if Today?

Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

"What if today we were grateful for everything?" -Charlie Brown

The other day, I lay in bed sick from an upper respiratory virus. My head hurt and my body ached. I didn’t want to get up. Instead, I preferred to snuggle under the covers and feel sorry for myself—until I remembered people going through much more turmoil than myself. No, I didn’t feel well, but I didn’t need to wallow either.

Once the Holy Spirit kicked me into gear, I thanked God for my warm home, my caring husband, my beautiful family, my sweet dog, and the fact I’d recover in a few days and be back to my laptop writing. It’s amazing how gratitude can put life into perspective.

Paul reminds the Philippians not to be anxious, but to be thankful in every situation. EVERY ONE. Not just the times I’m healthy, not just the times I’m well fed, or satisfied with life, but in every situation. And then present our prayers to God. Once I get my attitude straight, then I can bend God’s ear.

Is it easy to be thankful first? Not always. Is it possible? Yes, because God is with me in everything. He’s near and aware of my situation. Do I always respond with thanks? Obviously not. But I’m going to keep on trying. Rather than focus on my anxious thoughts, I want to displace them with gratitude.

And the beautiful thing is, the peace of God, which goes beyond my understanding, will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Thank God first.