Friday, July 29, 2011

a giant like Goliath

Sometimes there is a giant you think is too big to fight. Sometimes it looks like Goliath described in 1 Samuel 17: "He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him." But good news, the all powerful conquerer of the world is fighting the giant. He goes before us and beside us. In reality, we can't fight the giant. But God can! So when I'm struggling with Satan, Lord I need you to step in, because I know I am so unable to fight my own battles. 1 Samuel 17:8 says, "Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me." Sometimes this enemy tries to reason with us. Tempt us. But it's a fight that is already won. We don't have to prove our strength against Satan, that was already done. Christ died to save us from this enemy in advance. When I'm fighting Satan, I don't really need to fight, I turn to Christ who already conquered the battle. But sometimes our struggles are persistant. 1 Samuel 17:16 says, "For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and every evening and took his stand." Temptation. An enemy pursuing us. But like David.. with childlike faith we take a stand and turn to Christ. And we win the battle.

David wasn't searching for position, for power. He was simply obedient and willing. Obedient and willing. Sometimes the Lord will ask us to do crazy things. Are you willing to be obedient? David was and he conquered the giant. Trust. Such a huge obstacle that seperates us from God. Let's follow David's example. 1 Samuel 17:34-35 says "But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it." He remembered that he had killed the lion and the bear. He looked back and remembered the battles he had already won. Just as we should. We must look back and remember the Lord's faithfulness, giving us strength to trust Him through another.

Thank you Lord for fighting our giants.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

East to West

I love song flashbacks. Sitting in the office with AOL Radio playing, "East to West" by Casting Crowns comes on. So, I've known this song since it came out who knows how long ago. But I heard it with fresh ears this morning...


Here I am, Lord, and I'm drowning in your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me
I yearn for peace and rest
I don't want to end up where You found me
And it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight
I know You've cast my sin as far as the east is from the west
And I stand before You now as though I've never sinned
But today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west
'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
'cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day, the war begins, endless reminding of my sin
Time and time again Your truth is drowned out by the storm I'm in
Today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

I know You've washed me white, turned my darkness into light
I need Your peace to get me through, to get me through this night
I can't live by what I feel, but by the truth Your word reveals
I'm not holding on to You, but You're holding on to me
You're holding on to me

Jesus, You know just how far the east is from the west
I don't have to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
'cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other
One scarred hand to the other
From one scarred hand to the other



So unworthy.. and so loved. Christ died so we could live in freedom. Not soak in our sin. Be blessed today!!


Wednesday, July 13, 2011

And I rest..

The Lord makes everything beautiful in His time. Our lives are His masterpiece. And just as He is beautiful, He desires to make us beautiful. When we surrender and place our lives in His hands, we will watch them prosper.

Prosper. Maybe not our sense of the word. His plans are far above our own, and He knows what a prosperous life looks like for each of us. And while sometimes we don't understand..

I rest.

Because the Creator of the universe has an idea of what He's doing. A pretty perfect plan. For each of His children. We surrender. We ask for His eyes. His love. His heart. So we may love others with His love. So we may hear Him speak. Allow our desires to align with His. Walk in His will.

So my desire is to be where He is. To sit in His presence. For Him to burn in me. From the inside out. Because my soul is crying out for Him. The Lord gave me a fresh reminder that in His presence is where I belong. It's where I feel whole. Like going home. The only good thing in me is Jesus. And when I turn to Him, I am filled. I find joy in His presence.

And I rest.

I know that my future is in His hands. I know He has proven himself faithful. I was bought with the precious blood of Jesus. God calls me worthy. What amazing grace.

So I surrender. Not just once. But everday to the desires of my flesh. Because my Savior died for me and He deserves all of me. Not just part of me because He gave all of himself.

I surrender..

And I rest.