Praying for Unity

I recevied this text from a friend last night - who is a principal in a local school district:

Extra prayers please...my head is aching from all the stress of planning back to school. My teachers are very upset, our parents are confused, the students are no longer at the center of decision making, and my admin team is divided.

Besides being concerned for my friend - because I love her and I know she's doing her best and it saddens me that she is going through this stress - I couldn't help but recognize the picture she had just painted of our world.

Upset, confused, forgotten, and divided.

That's a pretty good summary of life-as-we-know-it, don't you think?
Seems to me just about everyone who has the breath of life in them could find themselves in one of those four categories. So as I prayed for my friend - as I asked God to give her grace and fill her with wisdom for each moment and every decision, that He might bring forth unity among her colleagues and in the community - I also prayed for unity in this world.
And I continue to pray for unity today.
Because more and more these days I am seeing division. I see people who are passionate about a position, who have good intentions, who want to see things get better and the world become stronger, who care about people, and who have a good heart. And I see others who are the same in all aspects - except the position about which they are passionate - and the two clash.
Arguing, belittling, judging, anger, and serious division ensue.
And suddenly we find ourselves in a world where fighting is the norm, bewilderment abounds, compassion is missing, and everyone thinks anyone who doesn't agree with them is wrong.
How, I ask, are we going to make any progress in a world marked by these qualities?

I don't believe we will.
I believe the division will ultimately break us.
And so, I pray for unity.
I pray the God who created this world will speak to His creation and transform our hearts. I pray He will give us a vision of what it looks like to love one another, of how we can serve our brothers and sisters, and of how we can live in unity. Ultimately, I believe this miracle will only take place when each one of us humbles ourselves, recognizes our need for God, and submits fully to Him.
Ah, LORD God, will You use the pain of our present circumstances to bring us to a place of repentance, that we might turn away from our own devices and seek YOU instead?

These longings in my heart for us to seek God and become united are echoed in a movement among many Christian brothers and sisters. If you have not yet heard about The Return, I encourage you to visit their website to learn more and to begin praying.

HE Listens

So, my van died last Sunday.
Which meant Brian and I were quickly looking for a vehicle to replace it. And this activity made me a bit uncomfortable, because 1) we weren't planning on getting a new vehicle (I mean, we've talked about it randomly over the past several months. But it still felt like a sudden and unexpected purchase.) and 2) I don't like spending large amounts of money. We scoured websites, and debated the pros and cons of various options. And through it all I felt quite unsettled about being able to make the best choice.
Nonetheless, Brian came across a van which seemed like it may be a good fit for us. And we made plans to go for a test drive Tuesday afternoon.
So Tuesday morning I prayed, and I asked God to close the door if this one wouldn't be a good one for us. I asked Him to lead us to the best decision. And I believed He would.
We were in a bit of an anxious rush Tuesday afternoon trying to fit too many things into too little time, and Brian drove right past the exit we were supposed to take. Then we came to the exit we thought would be a good substitute, only to realize as we were on it that it was not the one we thought. Oh, it was marked with the right numbers, but it was a detour and did not put us where we thought we were going. So we found ourselves in a sort-of-familiar-place and figured out where we needed to go. But as we were going there we discovered that the road was closed, traffic was re-routed, and going was slow. (All of this happening while we're under the pressure of getting through with the test drive and back home in time for Brian to participate in a video meeting for work.)
My mind went back to the prayer I had prayed, and I asked, God, are You closing this door? Are these delays and detours Your doing? Are You leading us in this moment away from buying this vehicle? (Because, yeah, sometimes it takes me a few minutes to recognize the obvious things HE puts in front of me.)
So when we finally made it to the place where this van was, I had already made up my mind that this was not the one for us. And after inspecting and driving it, Brian came to the same conclusion. Which was a good thing, except now we had no leads on a vehicle.
Then came Tuesday night, and my participation in a prayer meeting on Zoom. As everyone was gathering and the host asked how we were all doing I let out a heavy sigh, which led to a brief explanation of our dead van and the search for a replacement. During the last portion of the prayer meeting I was asked to pray about my need for a van, then someone else would pray for my need and present a request of their own. And on it would go - each person praying for the need of the person who had just prayed, then voicing their own prayer which would be prayed for again by the next person. It almost caught me off guard when the organizer said, "Karen, will you begin by praying about your van need?" but I was happy to oblige. So we prayed for God's provision of a vehicle.
And here's where it gets really good.
Because another thing happened Tuesday night.
An individual about 20 minutes away from us posted his van for sale. The very make and model Brian was most interested in us getting. And Brian found that listing.
Yesterday morning Brian contacted the would-be seller and made an appointment for us to take a test drive. And I continued praying that God would lead us to make a wise decision.
We got to the seller's house and he tossed us the keys to the van and as we got in Brian said, "Hey, 242!" There was a sticker in the back window which indicated to us that the seller most likely attended a church with which we are familiar, and somehow that increased my confidence that we could trust him. Not that going to a particular church makes a person a "good" person, but it felt like a nudge from God that this was a good thing. Everything about the van checked out, we had a good conversation with the seller, and later in the day Brian talked to him again and made a purchase agreement.
That van now sits in my garage.

The thing is, I know God is so much more than a van-provider.
There are bigger and more pressing needs in this world than how I am going to get from point A to point B on any given day. I get that!
But I was delighted by how clearly God lead us in this buying decision over the past couple of days. As I looked with hind-sight (and as He continues to show Himself in various details) it was so obvious to me that God was listening and leading. And I thought, maybe somebody else needs to be encouraged to pray - trusting and believing that God hears and acts.

If that someone is you, I pray you will boldly approach His throne of grace today!

Like the Lily

I walked out to get the mail yesterday and saw this:

I leaned in closer, and saw this:

And I seriously almost started crying.
Not because I was angry at the deer or rabbit or other critter which so greedily ate my lilies to the ground. (Though I was.)
Not because I was upset that the pest repellant I purchased seemed to have failed.
(Though I was.)
Not because I am still bitter about the critter who ate my flowers last year.
(Though I am.)
Rather, I almost started crying because my heart felt just like that obliterated lily.

That is, prior to going out to check the mail I spent much of the morning feeling defeated.
I wrestled with concerns for a little boy whose future is uncertain. I battled with the desire to express compassion in the face of angry outbursts. Because, honestly, when animosity is coming at me - kindness isn't my first thought. I contended with choices between what to allow and what to limit. *read that: how much screen time is too much screen time* And I fought with urges to find a way to become all-powerful and just make everything all-right.
I felt like I was failing at every turn, and looking at those lilies with a sense of I'll-always-lose-to-those-nasty-critters-so-I-should-just-give-up had me feeling the same way about the struggles I'm trying to work through with Foster.
So I looked at the would-be flowers, and I wanted to cry.
Thankfully, God led me into the living room moments later (Which has become my husband's work-from-home base.) and coaxed me to be honest about my heart condition.
Brian suggested I take time and go for a bike ride.
So I did.
And as I pedaled I prayed. I poured out my heart to God and begged Him for wisdom. I told Him everything I was feeling and I asked Him to be my Help. It was so good to expel physical energy while simultaneously putting voice to the needs of my heart. I went a longer route than originally planned, but I think that may have been God's leading - HIM knowing I was gonna need more than "a few minutes".
By the time I parked the bike back in the garage I felt peacefully certain that God is good and is still in perfect control of the world.
Then I remembered that a couple of days ago Matthew came to me with deep apologies for getting too close to my flowers with the weed wacker. I realized it wasn't a critter who destroyed that little patch of lilies after all. The pest repellant may, in fact, be working. And the rest of my flowers are probably not in danger of being wiped out. Because my son was solemnly sorry for his mistake, and I am sure he'll be more careful in the future.
*wink*

Please Keep Working

With everything in me, I just want to be a reflection of my Savior.
I want to have a heart like His.
I want to love like He loves, and serve like He served.
I want to be gracious and kind. Patient and full of mercy.
Yet, I fail at what I so deeply desire.
Too often I catch myself thinking unkind thoughts. I rush to judgment in a circumstance, thinking I know best - and silently criticizing someone else for doing what they thought was best. Other times I find myself too easily annoyed by the innocent actions of somebody who didn't realize I was watching, and wishing they'd have chosen to operate differently. Self-centeredness and demanding behavior overshadow the me I want to be.

And, wow, I feel incredibly vulnerable admitting these things here.

The other day I was in prayer, asking God to change my heart - pleading with Him to make me more like Jesus. (I don't remember for certain but I think I was responding to a moment when I had been less than solicitous in my attitude toward someone.) I was at the end of myself, so I simply poured out my heart. Please, God, please make me new. Please change my heart. Make me less like me, and more like Your Son. I'm sorry for the times when I fall short, when I give in to my flesh and my selfishness. LORD, please keep calling me to Yourself and Your ways. Yes, God, please keep working in me!
And can I tell you? For as discouraged as I get with myself, as disappointed as I am with my failures, I have confidence in the goodness of God and the power of His Spirit to work in me that which is pleasing to HIM. My sanctification is not up to my ability. I am trusting fully in the One who can do all things, and I am placing my broken self under His almighty and merciful hand.

Yes, LORD, please keep working.

It's My Pleasure

I love it when I get to have significant conversations with guests while I'm working.

Love.it!

Sometimes, however, I am not able to say or do the things my heart wants to pursue.
Like yesterday afternoon in the drive-thru.
We were super busy, and were getting cars through the line at a very good pace when I did a double-take at the guest sitting outside the window. She didn't do much to make eye contact with me, but I could see that she had been crying. And as I handed out a bag of waffle fries all I had time to do was pray for her silently. If it had been in the morning, or if there weren't a long line of cars behind her I would have slowed the interaction and asked about her circumstance.
(Though it didn't really look like she wanted to talk, anyway.)
As it was, when she pulled away I asked God to comfort her and be her help. While I took care of the next guest I prayed still. And even as I am typing these words, I continue to pray.
Thankful that God is not bound by time.
Trusting that He knows her needs.
Believing He can work on her behalf.
Grateful for the opportunity to notice and pray when somebody is hurting.
LORD, please keep me alert to Your Spirit and the things You would prompt me to do through Him.

Teach Me How to Pray

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

~Psalm 66:17

As I mentioned in my video Monday, Psalm 66:17 has been an inspiration and a good reminder to me to give God praise each time I am also crying out to Him for help.
God knows we are needy and He loves to meet our needs. But He is also ALWAYS worthy of our praise. And I believe we can delight Him doubly when we come to Him with praise - while we're simultaeously confessing our need for His hand in our lives.
I think Paul was convinced of the importance of this kind of prayer, too. And today I want to spend time examining what the Spirit said through him on this subject.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 4:6-7

Ahhhhh, this is such an encouraging Word about prayer. And we're going to look at it closely. But to get the full effect - the total scope of what Paul is saying - I think it is vital that we study the words leading up to what he says about prayer.
Let's start with "anxious".
Most of us are pretty aware of what it means to be anxious. Even so, I think it is beneficial to look at the word as Paul knew it in his day. To be anxious meant to be "a part" rather than to be "whole". It was to be drawn in opposite directions. To be divided into parts. Pulled to pieces. And I think it is interesting to note that the word is most commonly used in a negative sense in the New Testament. Which I guess would be the reason Paul tells his readers to NOT be anxious.
OK. Are we good with that word?
Then let's move on to "nothing".
And let's really look at it.
Because in a world where we answer questions like, "Honey, what's wrong?" by saying, "Oh, nothing," when clearly something is the matter - well, I think it would be good for us to know what Paul meant.
Uh, he meant nothing.
As in, the word Paul used comes from two Greek words, one meaning "not a possiblity" and the other meaning "one". Making his word's literal meaning, "not even one." That is, when Paul said, "Be anxious for nothing," he meant absolutely "nothing".
Not even one thing!
A high standard, to be sure. But we'll get to how that's possible in a moment.
First, though, let's see what he meant by "everything". Actually, it isn't too mind-stretching. He meant every single thing. Every part which makes up a whole. All of it.
In other words, the very opposite of "nothing".
So he says, Don't be pulled to pieces by even one thing. Instead, in every single thing...
In every single thing, PRAY.
And this is where we're getting into the parallels between this verse and Pslam 66:17.
The word Paul uses here which is translated as "prayer" does, in fact, mean prayer. But more than simply asking for something, it speaks of worship - of relating to and fellowshiping with God. It's recognizing who He is and honoring Him for it. Ahem, it's having His praise on our tongue!
Then we get to "supplication" which also means prayer. But more specifically, it is a "heart-felt petition, arising out of deep personal need". That is, it's crying out to him with our mouth.
All this we are to do, says Paul, while giving thanks for God's grace.
In fact, if we were to translate Paul's words into Psalm 66 format I think we would come up with something like this:

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
I gave thanks to God while I told him what I need.

And what, according to Paul (by inspiration of the Holy Spirit!), is the result of this kind of prayer?
Ahhh, this is my favorite part!
The peace of God - that is, "wholeness" - when all essential parts are joined together. (Can you say, the complete opposite of "anxious"??!! Like, seriously. Look at it. Anxious is pulled to pieces, and peace is everything joined together. I love how God paints this picture of what it means for us to trust in Him!) That wholeness will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Ahhhh, but we aren't finished. There's one more picture for us to see.
It comes from the word "guard".
And I bet you want to know what that means, right?
It is "to guard (keep watch) like a military sentinel", or (figuratively) "to actively display whatever defensive and offensive means are necessary to guard."
Friends, I'm picturing a line of armed military guards standing between me and anxiety, as I'm on my knees praising God and trusting Him with my needs. And every time anxiety tries to encroach upon me, this line of guards - called the Peace of God - raises their guns and yells out,

Back off, dude. She's mine, and you can't touch her!

And that - the Peace of God standing guard over us - is how we can be anxious for not even one thing.

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

~Psalm 66:17

How do these words and this prescription for trusting God impact your heart today?

Praying for our Nation

OK, the need to pray for the United States of America is not a new phenomenon.
I get that.
But in recent days, the Holy Spirit has been pressing me harder and harder with the urgency to pray.
I'm reading stories of terrible conditions for immigrant children, and seeing "the sides" arguing with each other over who is at fault for said conditions.
Headlines keep popping up around me regarding Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her various encounters with Twitter, and an invitation to visit a concentration camp. I cannot help but notice how many people have it in for her, and want to see her brought down.
Not to mention the continuous stream of stories about abortion laws and law makers, LBGTQ battles, and attempts to discredit our president.
It seems every time I turn around somebody is fighting somebody else. Throwing out insults, belittling personhoods, denying compassion, and nearly ignoring the humanity of those whose ideas are "out of line". I see this behavior coming from both sides of the argument.
And it is breaking my heart.
I believe it also breaks the heart of God.
Because we're all here on earth fighting with each other - seeing other image-bearers as our ememies, forgetting the identity of our real adversary.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

~Ephesians 6:12

The Holy Spirit reminded me of this verse yesterday as I was praying for our nation - for these people and circumstances - and I am convinced HE was informing me in the way we are to pray.
Make no mistake, friends, the devil is our enemy. Rather than fighting one another, let us unite in prayer that we the people may be united under God through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit for His glory.
Let us pray for a nation of unity and holiness.

Responding to His Nudge

So, Friday I mentioned 11:11 and the joy I have in knowing God's faithfulness. Particularly when He makes that number show up at moments when I need encouragement from Him. And it truly is a delight to my heart when HE provides that comfort.
But the whole 11:11 thing started off as a prayer cue between Brian and me when we were college students - and it remains a prompting God uses to have me pray for my husband.
It is also a story I have shared many times. And as I have told others about God's nudge to have me pray for Brian whenever I see 11:11, I have heard tales about how He has made specific numbers significant in their lives.
So, I began praying for these friends at their "appointed" time, as well.
3:33 for one.
And 4:44 for another.
Well, Sunday afternoon I "happened" to look at the clock at 4:44 and as I prayed for Jody I smiled at the thought of God's amazing love and care for His children. Because I've been seeing 4:44 quite frequently in recent weeks - even in the middle of the night sometimes - and it just makes me so happy to know that HE is thinking of her, and calling me to pray. So I grabbed my phone and sent her a quick text. I figured - if God is nudging me to pray for her so often, perhaps she could use the encouragement to know about it.
What I wasn't expecting was the encouragement I would get in return.
That is, she texted back right away to let me know that she had seen 11:11 and 1:11 on her clock the day before and took it as God's nudge for her to pray for me. She recogninzed that God had us on each other's hearts, and wanted to share the encouragement.
Ahhhh, what a blessing.
To be called on by God to lift up another, and to find that He is calling others to lift you up, too!
God's faithfulness and care will delight me all of my days.

HE is with You

In Sunday school this past weekend, we were playing a game to continue our lesson from large group.
The "game" involved rolling a dice to determine how far each person was to move their playing piece on the board, then answering a question from the pile of cards in the middle of the board.
One of the questions chosen was this: What is one thing you would like to tell your friends about God? And the sweet young girl sitting next to me answered, "HE is with you."
She went on to remind us that the Bible says, "HE will never leave you nor forsake you," and told us that means God is always with us.

I was delighted by this young girl's words and the faith she was expressing, but it wasn't until yesterday that the Truth of what she spoke really settled in my heart. It was in the moments, actually, before I sat down to write this post.
I was feeling unsettled about things and circumstances, unsure of what I even wanted to write.
So I came before my Father to talk about it all.
(I was cold, and I had wrapped up in my favorite blanket. As I sat there sung and warm, I imagined myself sitting right on God's lap, with His loving arms gently enfolding me. Ahhhh.)
I just began pouring out my heart - the thoughts and feelings which had been running around and over and through me.
And as I prayed for the frazzled young mother who I had seen earlier in the grocery store I thought, HE sees you, dear one. HE knows your struggle, and HE is with you.
I prayed for a friend who is facing divorce and I realized, HE sees you, my friend. HE has the power to heal, and HE is with you.
Then I began praying for a young man I know who is lost and trying to find his way in this world, and I was comforted to know God sees him, too. Though this young man doesn't yet acknowledge that God is real - God sees him and loves him and is with him, too.
And the prayers kept flowing. For the one who is struggling with depression. For the one who is stepping out into independence in a big world. For the one whose self-confidence is blinding him to his need for a Savior. For the one who knows she desperately needs a Savior, but is struggling to believe HE could possibly love her. I thought of the promise that my Sunday school buddy had espoused just the day before, and I delighted in knowing my Father's faithfulness to be with us.
And then I sighed, as peacefulness enveloped me, with the realization that just as HE is faithful to be with all of these for whom I was praying - so HE is faithful to be with me.
Little ol' me.
In the midst of my own questions and uncertainties and wonderings about what lies ahead of me.
HE is with me. And that's all I really need to know.

How about you, my friend? Do you know with confidence that GOD is with you in the face of whatever comes your way today?

When God's Answer is not What We Wanted

So, I prayed and I prayed and I prayed.
I believed God was listening.
I trusted that He was able to do all things, and move in a mighty way.
I asked Him to do just that. All for HIS glory.
And I was sure HE could.
But He didn't.

Have you ever found yourself in that scenario?
One in which you think you're fully trusting God, totally relying on His power to come through in a particular circumstance, completely surrendered to His perfect will? (Because you're equally certain that His will is in line with yours!)
But when all is said and done - when the dust settles and the smoke clears - you discover that God didn't answer a single prayer you prayed.
And you wonder what on earth (or in heaven!) happened?
Because as far as you can see at the moment, the only reasonable explanation is that God doesn't care.

I have a friend sitting in this position today, and it has me asking, What do we do when God's answer to our heart-wrenching prayers is not the answer we wanted, and certainly not the answer we thought we would receive?
Because, really, we all know God is able to do anything. How many times do we read in the Bible that nothing is too difficult for Him? We know He sees all things and knows all things and is sovereign over all things. I mean, c'mon! He spoke, and the world came into being!
So, why is it, we wonder, that He seems to have been unable (or unwilling?) to accomplish our desires? Doesn't He care???
On the basis of disappointment - and even shock, because we were so sure we knew what the outcome would be - I fully understand those questions. But I've had some time to think about it, **read that: The Holy Spirit has taken the time to speak to my heart** and I have a different outlook right now.
That is, if God truly is all-powerful, if He really can do all things - because He sees all things and knows all things and is sovereign over all things, if we believe He can keep our lives secure for eternity, can we trust Him to tell us No when "yes" would have been the wrong answer?
What I mean is, what if God heard our prayers and listened to our pleas for Him to work thus and so in our circumstance, and what if He watched us laying out what we thought was the best solution to our troubles, and what if He saw us agonizing over how to accomplish it - and heard us crying for help to make it happen? And what if, in the midst of our toil, HE knew the outcome for which we were striving was not the result that would come to pass?
What if HE - who sees and knows all things - had plans which were better than ours?
What if the solution we proposed in our prayer paled in comparison to the will of the One who was listening, and it was the desire of God's heart to bring us to a place of abundance, even though that meant going through a period of hardship first?
If we had faith enough to believe that God really is good, and really does know what He is doing, could our hearts be at peace when He tells us, No?
Maybe, perhaps, could we trust Him when His answer is not the one we wanted?

I Pray

I have a list of prayer requests in my Precept folder.
We pass a fresh sheet of paper around the room each week so requests may be shared and updated - and every day before I begin my study I pour over that list with the Lord.

I read articles and opinion pieces on issues ranging from the recent vote on the abortion survivors bill - to the UMC conference decision - to the unrest in Venzuela, and my heart breaks over the brokenness in our world. So I come to God and beg for mercy. For healing. For transformed hearts and renewed conviction that His ways are right.

I receive a monthly prayer calendar from Compassion International, and every day I read a new request and bring it before my Father - believing that He has the wisdom, the power, the grace to meet the need.

I regularly find prayer requests in my email folder from various sources and organizations, and I stop to pray for them before going on to another message. Because I believe God is listening.

I get a text from a friend, "I really need prayer. Please pray that we can keep our emotions down." I reply, "Praying for your emotions." And I do pray. Knowing God knows the specifics of the moment, and exactly what is needed in the situation.

Three days a week I do my planks, and I pray for those who need strength and grace to get through some overwhelming struggles.

As I am out driving and I see yellow cars, I pray for a particular young lady - because God has given me that cue to pray for her, and I know He is thinking about her and He knows her need. (Many yellow cars this week!)

I pray before I write blog posts, and before I respond to posts on Facebook - because I want my words to reflect HIM.

I pray all the time, about everything, because I believe in God. HE is my hope. My only hope. I believe HE listens and moves and works. And I don't want to try making it through a single day without Him.

And just as I'm finishing writing this post, I get another text from that friend. "Thank you for the prayers! Amazingly enough exactly when we got into a heated discussion you and two other people had just checked in on me saying you were praying. That is a big God thing! Since then we were able to calmly talk and it was very good. Thank you so much!"
And I say, Thank You, LORD! Thank YOU for listening and loving and moving on our behalf.

How about you, friend? Have you called upon the LORD today?

Who Will Stand in the Gap?

If you've been reading here with any regularity over the past month, you likely know I am studying the book of Ezekiel with my Precept class.
You've probably also noticed this book is affecting me in significant ways.
And, wow, it just keeps going.(!)
That is to say, I have just finished the lesson over chapter 22 and I think I have now read the saddest verse in all of scripture.
Check this out:

"I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one."

~Ezekiel 22:30

OK, so I have had a cursory awareness of the phrase "stand in the gap".
I vaugely remember it being the theme of Promise Keepers 22 years ago. (Thanks, Google, for that piece of information.)
What I mean to say is, I've heard the phrase used in the context of Christians praying.
But seeing the phrase in the biblical context - from which it has been taken all the other times I've heard it used - absolutely wrecked my heart!
Let me set the scene for you.
The first 29 verses of Ezekiel 22 call for Ezekiel to pronounce judgment on Jerusalem because of all her abominations. That is, the first two verses make that declaration. The following 27 give detail to the lewdness which had defiled the city. The abominations are all laid out which were done by the rulers of Israel, the slanderous men, the prophets, the priests, the princes, and the people of the land.
It's a long list!
And then comes verse 30. I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

What is God saying there???

If HE had found somebody who was praying for Jerusalem, who was agonizing over her wickedness and begging Him for mercy, would He have really spared the land?
(See Exodus 32:11-14 and Psalm 106:19-23.)
As it is, He found no one.
And then we get to verse 31.

"Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads," declares the Lord GOD.

The sadness of this circumstance consumes me.
The LORD was looking for someone who would stand in the gap before Him. Someone who would agonize over the sin of the land and beg Him for mercy, so He would not destroy it. HE was looking for someone who cared!!!
And He found no one.
No.One.
Oh! Does that fact break your heart like it breaks mine?
And does it stir your heart for the United States like it stirs mine?
If we were to record the ways our rulers have despised the things of God, the lewd acts done by our slanderous men, the lives destroyed by present-day false prophets, the violence done to God's law by our "men of the cloth", and the dishonest gain amassed by our fine young men *ahem* - I fear the list would be very, very long.
But if - per chance - God still has an ounce of mercy in His heart for us, if He hasn't come to the end of His longsuffering patience toward us, if He will still forgive and is searching the land for someone who will build up the wall and stand in the gap?
Oh, LORD, here I am!!!
Please hear my cries for this nation.

Pray for Russel

Psalm 31 and Me (And You!)

14 But I trust in you, Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.

Psalm 31:14-15

OK, I haven't done any background checking, so I do not know what was going on in David's life when he wrote Psalm 31. But one read through it and you'll know - things were not good for David at this point in time. Honestly, would you use words like anguish, sorrow, grief, distress, groaning, affliction, and contempt to describe your circumstances - if all was well with them?
I think not.
Happily, in that regard I cannot say I relate to this psalm. However, God's Truth goes far beyond identical circumstances into the minute details of each of our lives.
And because of His all-encompassing Truth, I can say I relate to this psalm.
Specifically, the verse quoted above.
What I mean is, I was coming into this week rather harried. I've so much to do, and I didn't see how I was going to be able to get it all done. Most of it is good, good stuff (Like getting ready to take a cruise with my husband next week!!!) but there was just so much. And in ways, my list of things to do did feel like an enemy which was pursuing me.
An enemy who would try to steal my joy.

But I trust in you, Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.

And there, in the midst of it, my God - in whom I trust - swooped in and reminded me that my times are in His hands. HE reminded me to ask for help. HE reminded me to trust. HE reminded me that not everything on my list "had" to get done. (Anyone notice that I didn't post a video devotion yesterday? Yeah, that was HIM freeing me from "should" and giving me rest, instead.)
The thing is, I stopped my pursuit of getting-it-all-done long enough to acknowledge God might have a better idea. And I asked HIM to direct my steps, to order my path, to lead me, to help me.
And can I give a witness here?
HE DID IT!
OK, the week isn't over yet. There are still lots of things to do. But my God - in whom I trust - calmed my heart, delivered me from the enemy who was threatening to steal my joy, and is helping me navigate through the stuff. Indeed, my times are in His hands.
And I continue to see that when I surrender my times to Him? He works it all out.

What enemies are pursuing you today? God will help you if you ask Him!

Praying for Strength

So, I was telling you about the journey of baby steps I have been on toward five-minute planks...
One question I frequently hear when talking to someone about this feat is, "What do you do all that time???" And I have to tell you, the what do I do portion of this journey has been the greatest of blessings - which I did not anticipate when it all started.
In the beginning, I would get myself situated on the floor with my phone in front of me and the stop-watch app going. To keep from staring at the time (and agonizing over how much of it was left!) I would close my eyes and recite the lyrics to hymns or praise songs. And that worked well when I was holding planks for up to 90 seconds. But much longer and my mind was going elsewhere, while my eyes were staring at the stop-watch.
So I started praying when I was planking.
And I discovered something wonderful.
Whereas the lyric recitation had been intended to serve as a mere distaction, my plank prayers were so much more. The longer the planks became, the greater the physical challenge got for me - the more earnest and passionate were the prayers which flowed from my heart. When you know someone is struggling with a trial, when there is a desperate need for endurance, when somebody is on the edge of giving up - and you're praying for them and asking God to give them the strength and grace they need for their situation - while simultaneously fighting for the strength (and asking God for it!) to hold a physical move, believe me! Your prayers take on a whole new level of urgency.
And when you fall to the floor after hitting your goal, thanking God for holding you through the moments you thought you were going to collapse - but realizing you didn't - your belief that He will similarly hold the ones for whom you have just been praying increases exponentially.
The thing is, I don't think God is any nearer to me when I pray during a plank than when I'm praying any other time. I don't think He's listening more or with greater compassion while I'm planking. He certainly isn't more "good" or more "faithful" or different in any other way.
But somehow, when I plank and pray, I feel nearer to Him. I feel like I am more a part of the battle - more of a participant in fighting for the ones for whom I am praying. More invested in the outcome.
Though God isn't different, I think I am.
It seems to me there is something about my physical act of struggling as I pray for those who are also struggling in physical or spiritual ways which brings me closer to the battle. Because of the physical, my spirit is more aware of the fight. I won't pretend to understand the link between our physical and spiritual worlds, but let me tell you - I know it is there. And I understand now that as I pray while I plank - asking God to strengthen those who are in the midst of battles - I join with the heavenly armies.
What an honor it is to fight with them!

When HE Speaks Through the Dog

OK. I have this exercise goal.
I am working up to holding a plank for 5 minutues. And the way I intend to get there is my adding 5 seconds to one plank on each of the three days a week I work out.
That is, when I work out I do three sets of five exercises. And the first exercise is always a plank. So, I figure on Monday I'll increase plank #1 by five seconds, Wednesday #2, and by Friday I'll be doing #1,2,& 3 at the new time. Then continue the increase the next week until I'm up to 5 minutes, each. (This week I'm working up to 4:15.)
Um, I forgot to mention that I don't like to exercise.
Getting up early to exercise causes me to not like it to a greater extent.
And, yesterday I had somewhere to be early-ish, which made it not likely that I would get up early-er to work out.
BUT, there's this goal-thing I've got going on, and I didn't want to interrupt it. So I decided I would go ahead and get up early-er to work out. (Sometimes, being anal is good for my health!)

So there I was: hopping out of bed when my alarm went off, getting my clothes on, heading downstairs, annnnd, seeing a puddle on the carpet - left there by my dog. I was not happy.
I turned around and went back stomped upstairs to get the necessary cleaning supplies, glared at the dog, and went back down to take care of business. The whole process set me back about 10 minutes, or so, and when I finally got to my workout I felt irritated, taunted, and rushed. (Remember, I don't like getting up early. So when I planned my morning I neglected to add 10 minutes for doggy clean-up.)
BUT, I had a goal to pursue so I got down to business. And as I began my first plank, I began to pray. (Honestly, praying is the only way I can make it through those things. And when it comes down to the end, and I am ready to give up, and I don't think I can make it another 10 seconds - let alone 90 or more! - ahhh, that is when I get really passionate about begging God to strengthen the ones for whom I am praying. It's a good thing, really.)
Anyway, I was just beginning the plank and the prayer. I wasn't struggling to hold on yet. Actually, my struggle at that moment was with my feelings of irritation toward the dog. (It's hard to pray when you're feeling irritable. *ahem*) So the Holy Spirit stepped in and took over my prayer.
It went something like this:
HIM: Karen, dear, you're upset, aren't you.
Me: Well, duh! She peed, AGAIN. She knows better. I'm tired of cleaning up her messes. It's so annoying!!!
HIM: Ahhh, yes. She did wrong, again. She knows better. You had to clean up after her. Hmmmmmm.
Me: Yeah. It's so annoying!!!
HIM: *Graceful silence*
Me: What? Don't You agree it's annoying???
HIM: *Loving look of silence*
Me: Oh.
Time passes, and my spirit listens to His.
Me: I get it. You have to clean up every mess I make when I sin. When I do the very things I know I shouldn't. When I know better, but I let my flesh have its way instead of being obedient to Your Word. Yet, when I confess, You always forgive me. And You always will. You never get annoyed. Your grace, Your mercy, Your patience just keep flowing toward me.
You don't agree that it's annoying when I have to clean up after Mindy, because You never tire of caring for me.
Father, thank You. Thank You for this unending love You pour over me. Thank You for the blood Jesus shed on the cross so I could be forgiven. Thank You for reconciling me to Yourself through Him. Thank You, Father. Thank You!!!
HIM: You're welcome, darling. I'm glad you understand what I wanted to say this morning. I knew you would. (Psalm 139:2)

HE Knows Best

How Can We Get Out of this Mess?

OK. I am inviting you to think through something with me today.
Though my thoughts on it are plenty, I am not going to get political and begin a debate on the ups and downs of our current situation in the United States and the wider world. But my Bible study of Lamentations 4 has me pondering our present condition, and the Holy Spirit won't seem to let it rest - so I want to work through some questions here.
Because God often helps me see things more clearly when I write.
And maybe He has something for you, too.

My Precepts homework contained this question as I finished my study of Lamentations 4:

Now, what about you or your nation? Have you experienced the tragedy of sin? According to what you have learned today, how could such tragedy be avoided?

I mean, it didn't take long to answer those first questions. As I look around at the world in which I live I see evidence of the tragedy of sin everywhere.
Deception and lies.
Shootings and murders.
Oppression and slavery and despair and abuse and neglect.
Every day, with every news report, there's something more.
The thing is, I know this is not the world God intended. The life we're living is not what HE desires. And I find myself sympathetic to the writer of Lamentations as he bemoans the condition of his city - as he looks at what it has become, and mourns for what used to be.

Then there's that last question: How could such tragedy be avoided?
And the answer is not difficult to figure out. Because we see it over and over again in Jeremiah - before the destruction came of which the writer of Lamentations laments. God kept sending a message to the people: Repent or disaster is coming.
HE kept warning, and the people kept ignoring Him.
Then, behold, they were destroyed. But it wouldn't have happened if they had humbled themselves before the LORD and followed Him. It could have been avoided!
But that was Judah, thousands of years ago, right?
What has it to do with the world today???
Well, plenty - in my opinion.
I wrote in response to the Precepts question, We could avoid the tragedy if we would just humble ourselves and turn to God. Oh! That our hearts may become humble before Him!
Ah, but there is the part of me (the cynical part) which thinks, That'll never happen. I consider the path on which the United States is going, and I find no hope in the possibility of millions of people humbling their hearts and surrendering to God. (Much less the many who are in positions of power and seem to be leading the way in the mess.)
But then I wonder about Israel and Judah, and what things were like during the days of Jeremiah. I read of God's vow to devistate the land if the people did not listen and repent, and His promise to restore and give them new hearts. Hearts which would fear Him so they would never turn away again. And I think, If HE did it for them, maybe we are not a hopeless cause. Maybe the LORD will allow us to fall so far that we will have nothing left to do but humble ourselves and turn to Him.
Honestly, my heart breaks for the condition of our world - how we as a nation are behaving, how we are treating each other and ignoring God. And I think our trouble is about so much more than political parties and philosophical leanings. More than who's Right and who's Left.
As a woman who is passionate about God and about living for Him, I think the problem facing the United States today (And, yes, the rest of the world, too!) is our hard hearts and prideful attitudes. Our disdain for the ways of God, and our desire to do what feels right to us.
It may be too late for us to avoid the tragedy of sin, but perhaps we can be restored.
Perhaps.
If we, as a people, humble ourselves and submit to God and His Word.
And so, I pray. Will you join me?

Just Pray

So, I have a son.
Who shall remain nameless in this post.
And this son, had a little car trouble Wednesday evening. That is, his vehicle just stopped running while he was driving home (about an hour away) and he couldn't get it to start again. He called Dad for advice, and they surmised what the problem might be.
After a few mintes, this nameless child realized he had run out of gas. *ahem*
At which point, further advice was sought.
As in, How do I get gas now? The nearest exit is 15 miles away. The two of them debated the options of walking or hitch-hiking, and I suggested road-side assistance from our insurance carrier. But Son didn't want to wait for that, so he started walking.
A moment later I thought, Or, he could pray. He could ask God to send someone to help. Although I figured he would roll his eyes at the suggestion. (That mom of his - always thinking God is the answer and all we need to do is pray.*) But that IS what I think, so I texted him and said what I thought. I wrote, "Or you could pray that God will send someone your way to help. That's what I'm doing." (And I was.)
Not even a minute later I recieved this response.

Just got picked up by a cop. He's taking me to get gas.

And I immediately responded with this:

Awesome! Thank You, JESUS!!!

Yes. God is the answer, and all we need to do is pray.

*And I'm not exaggerating when I say that as soon as I finished typing "That mom of his - always thinking God is the answer and all we need to do is pray," - my phone rang.
It was a friend who had called me Thursday morning asking for prayer for her grandson, who attempted suicide the day before. My heart sank when I saw her name on my phone, as I feared bad news.
But there was no bad news.
She called with very good news. And as we hung up the phone and I got back to my post and read what I had just written, well, I looked to heaven with a smile on my face. I thanked God for confirming for me in that very moment, We just need to pray.

I Said 'Yes' to the Dress

By any chance, did you read my post yesterday?
Do you remember me mentioning my tendency to re-tell a good story about saving money?
I trust you also know how I love re-telling good stories about prayer.
Well, here I go again!
And this story is extra good, because it ends with me getting my dress for Elizabeth's wedding.
*cheesy grin*

See, the wedding is only 53 days away - so I knew it was time to get serious about finding a dress for me to wear. I mean, I had done some half-hearted looking over the past couple months, but none of it resulted in anything more than mild disappointment at not finding the right dress.
It was time to get down to business.
And, for me that always means beginning with prayer. So I drove to my first choice in stores (Ironically called, Second Time Around.) and asked God to show me if the dress was in there. I found a cute dress, the price was right, and I thought it might be "the one" - until I tried it on. Uh, nope!
On to the second store. God, will you show me if it's here?
It wasn't.
So I drove to the third store - which wasn't open on Tuesdays. Why???
And kept right on going to number four. God, will you provide the dress for me if it's in this store?
Once again, I thought I might have found it. The price was reasonable and the dress looked good.
On the hanger. *ahem*
Moving on...
Finally, I landed at the fifth store (The last one I could think of trying.) and I prayed in the parking lot, God, if the dress is here, will You please show it to me??? I didn't have a good feeling about finding the dress at first, because I just wasn't seeing nice dresses. Everything was so casual. It was all cute - but too casual. And then, when I had nearly given up hope...
I'm just having fun now, playing up the drama.
Truth is, though, I really was about to leave the store.
Along the far wall, I saw a few "nice" dresses on a rack. And there, among them, was a purple dress with a little bit of sparkle on it which was formal-enough but not-too-fancy, and it was my size.
BUT, there was no price tag on it.
So I picked it up and walked around until I found a sales associate. She did some checking and discovered it was a $110 dress. Uh, no! Which was marked down 60%.
A little bit of math convinced me the price just became right!
So I tried it on and loved it, and decided this must be the dress. *smile*
And I went out to find a little jacket or sweater to go with it, because it's sleeveless. (Which may be perfect on October 13, or it may not be.) I hunted down asked the sales associate for her opinion and we decided a light gray, non-textured sweater would be lovely. Problem was, the ones we were looking at weren't gray, and her computer didn't show any in stock. But her associate said, "What about the ones over there?" and I walked over to check them out. Just in case.
Just in case there might be one light gray, non-textured sweater, in my size hanging on the rack among five or six black and brown textured sweaters. You'd better believe I grabbed that sweater and walked over to my new friend with a great big smile on my face. Until I looked at the price tag, that is.
I said to her, "Um, I am not wearing my glasses. Does that really say $54?" "Uh, yes, it does," she replied. "But that 'limited quantity' sticker usually means it's on sale." So she ran her little scanner thing-y over it and, guess what? It was marked down 50%.
Yep. That price just became right, too!
And I? Had a little party in my heart as I considered how God had ordered my steps and led me to the right place at the right time to get the right dress for the right occasion. At the right price.

And, yes, I fully believe God is involved in every little thing. I believe it is reasonable and valuable for us to pray about everything - even mother-of-the-bride dress purchases. In fact, I believe we ought to pray about everything. Even the things which we feel like we can rationalize and decide upon ourselves. His thoughts are right. His plans are perfect. His ways are the best. And I don't want to wander from them - so I ask Him to lead.