Category: Peace

Unto Us a Child is Born

George Frideric Handel composed his musical masterpiece Messiah in just twenty-four days, completing it in September of 1741. It includes 53 movements divided in three parts and usually takes 2 ½- 3 hours to perform. I remember sitting in the audience at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco a few times as a fidgety child. (I liked getting dressed up and going into the city, but my parents failed to mention how long the performance would last.) 

Even if you’ve never heard all 53 movements, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with the most memorable portion, the “Hallelujah Chorus,” with lyrics plucked from the book of Revelation:

 “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Revelation 19:6, KJV); “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.” (Revelation 19:16, KJV); “And he shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15, KJV).

While that part of the musical composition always triggers a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes, the one that keeps running through my head this year comes from the section inspired by writings of the prophet Isaiah:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, KJV)

I’m struck by how Isaiah depicts characteristics of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) in his prophecy. Other parts of Scripture affirm the qualities he describes:

Wonderful Counselor: “But the Advocate [also translated as Counselor], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26, NIV)

Mighty God and Everlasting Father: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:28-29, NIV)

Prince of Peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27, NIV)

Which aspect of our triune God do you need most right now? Perhaps it’s wisdom for navigating tricky relationships with family this holiday season. Maybe it’s strength to find joy in the many tasks at this busy time of year. Or, perhaps, it’s peace you long for amidst the noise of a world that clamors for your attention during a season meant to celebrate the simplicity of the birth of Christ.

As you endeavor to make the holidays memorable and meaningful for those you love, may you find wisdom from our Wonderful Counselor, strength from our Mighty God, hope from our Everlasting Father, and serenity from our Prince of Peace.

And now, I’d love to share a memory from my childhood. Click here and enjoy a moment of Christmas peace listening to “Unto Us a Child is Born” from Handel’s Messiah.

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Plugging Into Your Power Source

Recently I returned from a mission trip in Mexico. The week away from the normal comforts of home was both exhausting and inspiring. Our group adapted to riding on bumpy local buses to and from our worksites, doing manual labor without power tools, camping in tents, attempting to bathe with water slowly draining from a plastic “sun shower,” and even using port-a-potties with a rather pungent aroma. But there was one comfort of home that most people couldn’t do without: cell phones. While they were used mostly for taking photos and communicating with family back home, they appeared to be the one convenience that was indispensable.

My first year on the trip, I was fortunate enough to be on a worksite with a foreman who had a truck and a phone charger. I never had to jockey for position at a power strip in camp during the few hours the generators were running. I remember scurrying to his truck one evening to plug in my phone. When I returned later, I was disappointed to discover that it hadn’t charged at all. A quick investigation revealed that the cord had been unplugged to make room for a different type of charger. I just hadn’t noticed in my haste. No matter how long my phone remained plugged into that cord, it was worthless without a power source.

And what is true for our all-important technology is even more essential in our spiritual lives. We simply can’t function well when we’re not consistently connected with our power source, God. Jesus describes this in John 15: ““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV) Maybe the twenty-first century version would sound like this: “I am the power source, you are the device. If you remain plugged into me, you will have the everything you need to fulfill my purposes; apart from me you can do nothing of spiritual significance.”

Paul writes a prayer about this very idea in the book of Colossians: “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:9b-12, NIV, italics added)

The prayers offered in this passage show the value and necessity of staying plugged into God. As we do that, we receive wisdom and understanding from the Spirit so that we bear fruit and grow, continually strengthened with His power so that we have endurance, patience, and joy.

As summer approaches, most of us look forward to a break from our regular routines. We anticipate the ease of a relaxing vacation at the beach, hiking mountain trails, or experiencing new cultures traveling abroad. Leisurely days reading a book or finally tackling projects on our to-do lists sound inviting after the rigors of the year.

What is unfortunate, however, is that for many of us a break from gathering for a large-group Bible study also equates with a break from our spiritual lives altogether. This is like hoping the charge on your phone will last throughout the summer without bothering to plug it in. It won’t.

So before you kick up your feet and revel in the newly opened spaces in your schedule, why not plan how you’ll stay connected to your Power Source during the break from your usual Bible study? Need some suggestions? Well, I’m glad you asked…

  1. Choose a new devotional to read daily. Read and study the Scriptures referenced in it. Take the time to absorb and apply what it says.  Here are several I’d recommend:

2. Choose a book of the Bible and keep a journal. After each chapter, stop and answer these four questions:

  • What does this teach me about God
  • What does this teach me about myself?
  • What do I need to do as a result of reading this passage?
  • What character qualities do I see in God displayed in this passage? (Questions adapted from Finding I Am by Lysa TerKeurst)
  • Check out the journaling Bibles at Crossway.com

3. Choose a Bible study to go through or finish a Bible study workbook that you didn’t complete during the year. Invite a few friends to do it with you and schedule times when you can meet during the summer to discuss what you’re learning. Text or e-mail each other in between meetings so you can spur each other on.  Here are several I’d recommend:

4. Read a book to gain deeper insight on a topic you want to learn about. Get some biblical perspective from a trusted Christian author.  Here are a few I’d recommend:

5. Subscribe to an online study or devotional from one of your favorite Christian authors. You can start by subscribing to this blog if you don’t already. I’ll be posting throughout the summer. Log onto my website www.marybethmccullum.com, look at the right side of the screen and you’ll see the heading “Subscribe to Blog Via E-mail.” Fill in your e-mail address and click the “subscribe” button. Be sure to confirm your subscription the first time you receive an e-mail from my website. 

Whatever ideas you decide to try, make it a priority to continue engaging your faith. My prayer is that you’ll connect to your spiritual Power Source during the summer months with the same consistency that you charge your electronic devices. Happy summer!

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Seeking Shalom

Her long, tangled hair hung like a curtain in front of her face. With eyes downcast, she wrapped her arms around her chest, shivering in the early morning light. The thin tunic she’d thrown on a few minutes earlier wasn’t meant to be worn in public, but it was all she could find when the men had burst into the room to drag her from bed. Standing before a disapproving crowd, she wondered why the man she’d been with wasn’t there next to her. She may have ignored the commandments about adultery, but she knew both people should be stoned to death according to the laws in Leviticus. 

Shivering, she shifted from one bare foot to the other on the stone steps of the Temple Mount as the Pharisees questioned a young Rabbi from Galilee. She didn’t know this new teacher, but it seemed they had even more contempt for Him than they did for her. Soon she realized she was being used as pawn in their scheme to trap this man named Jesus. But they were no match for Him: “When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ’Go now and leave your life of sin.’” (John 8:9-11, NIV)

Jesus didn’t condemn the woman, but He also didn’t condone her sin. His compassion for her meant that He wanted more for her than the life she’d been leading. He aimed to restore her to the wholeness and harmony for which she was created. Kristi McClellan explains, “The Lord doesn’t hate sin because we broke a rule, law, or instruction. The Lord hates sin because sin disturbs our shalom. It disrupts our harmony, wholeness, flourishing, delight, and communion with God. It disrupts the way God created us to be—in relationship with Him and with one another. In encouraging the woman…to leave her life of sin, Jesus was inviting her into shalom—a renewed sense of the harmony, wholeness, flourishing, and delight the Lord wished for her to know and experience in her life.”1

Kristi explains that God’s laws are His instructions for how to live the abundant life He desires for us. That sounds a lot different than the check list of “do’s and don’ts” I tried to live by in younger years. I remember believing the lie that following God’s laws meant leading a safe, but dull life devoid of fun. I was drawn to the allure of sin and the false freedom it promised. I stayed stuck in a cycle of quiet disobedience for a long time, carrying guilt and shame all the while. I didn’t feel I deserved the Lord’s forgiveness until I was ready to clean up my act. Ironically, throughout this season I was participating in Christian community, attending church, and portraying myself as a “good” girl. Never did I consider sharing my struggles with a godly confidante or asking the Lord for help. The idea of confessing my sin horrified me. I was too worried about disappointing people I respected. I also wasn’t ready for the changes I’d need to make to repent with sincerity.

The world, the flesh, and the devil influence us to believe that God’s ways are rigid, strict, and unreasonable. They tell us that true freedom is found in flouting His commandments and breaking boundaries He sets for our good. It’s not until we’re mired in sin and unable to extract ourselves from it that we realize sin isn’t freedom, it’s imprisonment. David says it well in Psalm 32: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin…Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.” (Psalm 32:3-5, 10, NIV)

Remaining stuck in sin robs us of strength, joy, and peace. It leads to unhealth on many levels– spiritual, emotional, mental, relational, and physical. The longer we carry the burden of sin, the more damage it does to us and those we love. The Bible speaks to this and offers a solution: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16, NIV) Confessing to God in the quiet of our hearts brings forgiveness, but we may also need to speak it aloud to receive the support needed for change. While this sounds scary, being honest about sin brings it into the light so we can experience deep cleansing and healing. If you’re carrying the burden of sin, ask God to help you lay it down and to lead you to a godly confidante who can walk beside you. 

Jesus longs to restore shalom to your life. Will you let Him do it?

“How Can It Be” by Lauren Daigle is a powerful song inspired by the story of the woman caught in adultery in John 8. Listen now and let it encourage you to be honest and receive God’s grace and forgiveness. Click here to listen.

1. Kristi McClelland, Jesus and Women in the First Century and Now, Lifeway Press, 2019, 114.

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Pour Out Your Heart

She sat against the wall with the other outcasts watching the honored guests reclining at the table. The host, Simon the Pharisee, tolerated her presence to fulfill his obligation to the law. The Scriptures commanded that he provide food for the poor, but it didn’t mean he had to show warmth or kindness to her as she waited for a few meager scraps from the table. She had a reputation as a sinful woman around town, but couldn’t resist showing up with the other unfortunate, sick, and lame people when she heard Jesus was the guest of honor.

So, she sat with her back against the wall and listened to the conversation, waiting for the moment when she could talk with Jesus. He’d caught her eye at one point and instead of turning away in disgust as Simon had, he’d smiled. The love in His eyes drew her to Him. She felt seen and valued in a way she’d never experienced before. Unable to hold back any longer, she approached Him from behind and knelt. Tears welled up in her eyes and flowed onto the dusty feet that Simon had neglected to wash when Jesus entered his home. Realizing she had nothing to dry them with, she uncovered her hair and used it to wipe away the tears. Before she lost her nerve, she kissed His feet. Then, drawing an alabaster jar out of her cloak, she anointed them with costly perfume, pouring out her only possession of value.

Without saying a word, the woman’s actions showed the shame and regret she felt over her sins. Looking at her with love and mercy, Jesus raised her from her low position, honoring her humility and restoring her dignity: “Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ The other guests began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’” (Luke 7:44-50, NIV)

The sinful woman came to Jesus without pretense. Tears flowed as she encountered His deep love in spite of her sin. She offered Him the most valuable thing she had and accepted His grace and forgiveness in return. Their interaction was authentic, unfiltered, and raw. Are those words you would use to describe your interactions with Jesus? 

Kristi McClelland explains, “Jesus could handle both, a mixture of anointing oil and a woman’s deepest pain poured out in her tears. We can pour our whole hearts out to Jesus. We can leave it all before Him. We can cast it all upon Him. He can take it, and He wants to take it. When we pour out our hearts to Jesus, He begins generously lifting us up in grace and truth. Like the woman in Luke 7, He can lift us up and send us on our way in peace.”1

Her words echo David’s in Psalm 62: “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:5-8, NIV) 

The Lord invites us to pour out our hearts to Him with honesty. He gives us the freedom to be raw and unfiltered before Him. Unfortunately, most of us shy away from this, just as we do in human relationships. We prefer safe and sanitized interactions that shield our vulnerability and weakness. Often, it’s not until we’re desperate that we finally shed our façades and engage the Lord honestly. At least, that’s been my experience. 

For me, pouring out my heart has often happened when I’ve had nowhere else to turn. During a season of intense loneliness in college when I felt I had no one I could trust, the Lord became my closest confidante. A decade later, during a time of deep depression after I’d been betrayed by a friend, I poured out my hurt to the Lord and found comfort and healing. More recently, I turned to Him amidst the grief of losing my mom to cancer. However, it’s not only in difficult times that I’ve sought the Lord. I’ve discovered praying with raw emotions and unfiltered words on a regular basis gives me peace and leads to deeper intimacy with Jesus.  

Although it feels daunting, pouring out our hearts to God is worth the effort. It gives us time to process and gain perspective. It allows us room to feel our emotions without having them lead us to react with impulsive behavior. Pouring out our hearts to God opens us to receive His wisdom and compassion. Sometimes it helps us to recognize where our feelings may be leading us astray. Pouring out our hearts enables us to discern what to do next and drives us to use Scripture as our guide.

We’re living in a culture that encourages us to be led by our feelings without restraint and without considering consequences. When we follow this path, it often leads to further pain and damaged relationships. Conversely, we’re also encouraged to anesthetize ourselves to numb our feelings rather than processing them. Instead of acknowledging our emotions and determining what triggered them, we pour a glass of wine, go on a shopping spree, binge watch Netflix, scroll on social media, or indulge in our favorite foods. These strategies ultimately leave us feeling hollow and unsatisfied. They can also cause additional problems, compounding the complicated mix of emotions that are already consuming us. 

Pouring out our hearts to Jesus in prayer provides a safe, loving landing place for the tangle of thoughts and feelings that plague us. Sharing them with the Lord deepens our connection to Him and helps us to keep our emotions and mental spinning from getting the best of us. 

Are you ready to approach Jesus with your unfiltered and authentic thoughts and feelings? Will you seek Him first instead of as a last resort? Make it a regular practice and receive the peace only He can provide. Need some inspiration? Listen to Rachael Lampa’s song “Perfectly Loved” by clicking here. Let it prompt you to pour out your heart to Jesus today. 

1. Kristi McClelland, Jesus and Women in the First Century and Now, Lifeway Press, 2019, 77.

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The Promise of Peace

If you grew up in church, you may remember waving palm fronds or making crafts out of them in Sunday School on Palm Sunday. (And if you didn’t grow up in church, just keep reading.) Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem marks the beginning of the final days before His crucifixion. In the church, it’s known as Holy Week—kicking off on Palm Sunday and culminating on Easter. In case you need your memory refreshed, here’s how Matthew’s gospel tells the story:

“As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.’

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 

They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’

‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’

‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds answered, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’” (Matthew 21:1-11, NIV)

Matthew wrote this to convince Jewish people that Jesus actually was the Messiah. So, he makes a point to show the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 that Jesus fulfills by entering Jerusalem riding on the foal of a donkey. In the ancient Middle Eastern world, leaders rode horses when they were going to war, but donkeys when they came in peace.

The people shouted “Hosanna,” which means “Save now!” It was both a praise and a petition that they were recalling from Psalm 118. The Jewish people were desperate for relief from the oppression of Rome and expected the Messiah to arrive as a political hero and a conquering king. They wanted Him to fix their problems in the present. 

Jesus’ arrival was part of a much bigger plan to offer eternal peace with God, but the people were only looking for a fix to their current circumstances. They cared more about what was happening outside of them than within their own hearts. I think the same can be true of us.

Sometimes we want Jesus to wave a magic wand and make everything better when He’s actually inviting us to participate in something that has eternal significance. In the book of John Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27, NIV) Following Jesus brings lasting inner peace that far exceeds the temporary peace we find when circumstances go the way we want.

Here’s how Bible teacher Jennifer Rothschild explains this deeper peace of Jesus: “The Hebrew word for peace (shalom) can also be translated as completeness, soundness, or welfare…We have wholeness, soundness, and welfare from God because we have peace with God through Christ.”

She ties this to God’s promise to the Jews who were re-building the temple in the book of Haggai: “‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:9, NIV)

The triumphal entry was the official presentation of Jesus as the Messiah—the rightful descendant of King David who had been prophesied throughout the Old Testament. His arrival on Palm Sunday brought the glory and peace of the Lord to the temple that had been proclaimed in the time of Haggai as well as many other parts of Scripture.

The crowd clamored to worship Jesus when He first entered Jerusalem. Sadly, a few days later they called for His crucifixion when He didn’t bring the version of peace they expected. I wonder sometimes, how are we like the crowd on Palm Sunday? Are we more interested in a Jesus who provides quick fixes for our current circumstances? Do we join with the crowd in praising Him, hoping He’ll give us what we want? Are we quick to reject Him when He doesn’t give us the kind of circumstantial peace we think we deserve?

Simple faith in Jesus leads to lasting peace. This doesn’t mean life will be perfect or easy. In fact, not long before His crucifixion, Jesus explained “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NIV) When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we find deep peace that doesn’t depend on our circumstances but on lasting hope found in Him.

God’s glory exists all around us and His peace dwells within everyone who follows Him. Where do you need to take heart, look beyond the world, and embrace the deeper peace of Jesus today?

Take a deep breath and enjoy a five minute worship moment listening to “Peace” by Bethel Music. Click here to listen.

Jennifer Rothschild, Take Courage: A Study of Haggai, Lifeway Press 2020, 145-6.

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Acts of Obedience

My husband and I call them “acts of obedience.” They’re actions we feel God calling us to take that are confirmed by His Word. Usually they involve things we’re not eager to do because they’re inconvenient, uncomfortable, or costly. Sometimes they require a commitment of time or financial resources. Usually there’s some kind of blessing that springs from our obedience, but it’s rarely immediate, obvious, or what we expect.

Jennifer Rothschild highlights the importance of obeying God using the example of the Jews rebuilding the temple in the book of Haggai: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,’ says the Lord.” (Haggai 1:7-8 NIV)

The people had stopped building the temple, opting to tend to their own homes instead. In this passage, they’re urged to reconsider and obey God’s command to re-build His house. Jennifer Rothschild explains, “Sometimes we obey…because deep down, it serves us. But sometimes obeying God just isn’t convenient—kind of like the Jews who preferred to finish their own paneled houses instead of God’s house. Who wants to go up a mountain, gather wood, and build God’s house when you’ve got your own fixer-upper that needs paneling?”

She continues, “We don’t obey to get good stuff from God. We obey to give glory to God. We do it for Him, not for what we get from Him. We can find blessing in the process of obedience regardless of the outcome of obedience.”

Let’s consider three acts of obedience that honor God and explore the underlying blessings they bring.

1) Finances: Including God in our financial decisions is a simple act of obedience that isn’t always easy. Early in our marriage, my husband and I committed to tithing consistently. Although there were many ways we could have spent the first ten percent of our income, we knew God’s Word was clear about the importance of giving. This act of obedience has been painful at times and has meant setting a budget that required us to “give careful thought to our ways.” However, we’ve also discovered an unexpected blessing by giving to God’s work through our church and other organizations. The funds we set aside are the Lord’s, not ours. We’ve loved partnering with Him to give financially because we know we’re honoring Him and blessing others. Obeying the Lord has also brought us joy and led to freedom and peace with our finances. (For a deeper dive on this see Malachi 3:9-10, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Hebrews 13:5)

2) Relationships: Sometimes God calls us to acts of obedience in relationships. For my husband and me, that started before we met. Both of us prioritized marrying someone who followed Jesus because we didn’t want to be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14). We also honored God’s plan for sex to be saved for marriage, even though the world told us this was impossible and outdated (Hebrews 13:4). Over the years, we’ve been called to many other acts of obedience in relationships: initiating hard conversations that we wanted to avoid; offering forgiveness when we wanted to hold a grudge; spending time with people who haven’t been easy to love. Each time we’ve chosen to obey God and do things that are counter to the world’s wisdom, we’ve discovered greater peace and health in relationships. (See Romans 12:9-21, Ephesians 4:17-32, Colossians 3:1-17 for more on this.)

3) Gifts & Talents: Each of us has been given specific spiritual gifts and natural talents to benefit the world around us, to bless others, and to build the Church. I love discovering potential in people, drawing it out of them, and watching how God uses it to grow His kingdom. Scripture explains our responsibility to use what God has given us: “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” (1 Corinthians 12:7, NLT) Gifts and talents are resources we’re required to steward, just like our finances. This means considering how we spend our time so that we can share them with others. Using the gifts God has given also leads us to spiritual maturity. If you’re unsure of your spiritual gifts, try taking a spiritual gifts assessment online or check out S.H.A.P.E. by Erik Rees. (See Romans 12:4-8, Ephesians 4:11-16, 1 Corinthians 12 for more on this).

At first, obedience to God sounds like a burden or a chore, but it’s actually an incredible blessing. When we choose to follow the plans laid out by our Maker, we’re aligning with the way we were designed. This brings pleasure to the Lord while evoking great joy and peace in us.  So, while we aren’t guaranteed specific material rewards by obeying God, we do receive spiritual blessings that are far more lasting and fulfilling.

Is there an act of obedience you’ve been avoiding? Consider praying about it and asking the Lord to help you follow through for your good and His glory. 

Many years ago when I worked at a Christian camp, we sang a song called “I’ll Obey.” The lyrics are simple, but profound. Click here to listen and make it your prayer today. 

Jennifer Rothschild, Take Courage: A Study of Haggai, Lifeway Press 2020, 76.

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Not Limitless

Strapping the new watch on my wrist, I tap the screen and scroll through the different functions it performs. Besides telling time, it tracks my heart rate, my physical activity, the number of steps I take daily, the number of calories I burn, and the quality of my sleep. By linking it to an app on my phone, I’m able to see detailed statistics complete with bar graphs, line graphs, and circle graphs measuring each of these things. Some days I find it interesting, other days it feels like another critic reminding me when I’m not measuring up.

I score points for every minute my band senses I’m moving. The harder I push myself, the more points I score. (I can also get negative points for being sedentary for too long, so that’s fun). The watch automatically sets the goal of 150 points per week. When I meet that goal, it vibrates on my wrist and flashes a message: “You met your goal, way to go!” Here’s the part that’s maddening, though. Once I “earn” all of the points towards my goal, the watch establishes a new goal for me that’s higher. So instead of feeling satisfied with what I’ve accomplished, I focus on the corner of the screen that tells me what my next goal is and how many points I’ll need to get there.

As long as I keep a healthy perspective, the watch serves as a useful tool. But, at times, I’ve found myself getting sucked into the stats a bit too much—especially when I’m obsessing over meeting the goals it sets for me.  It’s a great example of the direction our culture has been moving for the past few years. We’ve become captivated by measuring, quantifying, and assigning value to so many things—whether it’s how many steps we take each day or how many likes we get on a social media post. In every realm, we’re pushed to reject limitations and to see how much more we can accomplish. We’re programmed to want “all the things” and to feel serious FOMO if we’re not keeping up with everyone else.* We are fed the lie that it’s possible to be amazing in every category: having a successful career, a thriving family, a vibrant marriage, a robust social life, a deep faith, a fit body, a beautiful home, and time to serve others with sincere hearts. We’re led to believe there’s no limit to what we can do.

And that’s why I love that the Bible includes what happens to Elijah after his miraculous showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. After calling down fire from heaven and proving God is the ultimate power and authority, Elijah transitions into a season of despair and discouragement. This begins when he receives word that Queen Jezebel plans to kill him for making fools of her prophets before ending their lives. “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’’’ (1 Kings 19:3-4, NIV)

Stop and think about all that Elijah has experienced leading up to this: he lived by the brook Cherith for eighteen months while God sent ravens to feed him; he stayed with a widow in Zarephath where the Lord rescued them from starvation by replenishing their food supplies daily; he prayed for the widow’s son to be raised from death and God granted his request; at Mt. Carmel he poured water over an altar and then prayed God would set the sacrifice on fire and the Lord consumed not only the sacrifice, but the rocks and dirt as well. Yet now, when he hears Jezebel plans to kill him, he loses heart. He runs away, tells the Lord he’s ready to die, lays down under a bush, and falls asleep. Recognizing Elijah’s deep exhaustion, the Lord sends an angel to minister to him: “All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.” (1 Kings 19:5b-6, NIV)

Elijah had been faithful and obedient to God through so many incredible challenges. At Horeb, he reached his physical, spiritual, and emotional limits. Utterly depleted, he needed rest. I wonder, though, in our current culture how this would’ve played out. Would Elijah’s watch have said something like this: “Great job slaying the prophets of Baal! Your next goal is….”? 

Friends, it’s time for us to realize we have limits. We can’t do it all because God didn’t design us that way. Even when the Lord does great works through us by the power of the Holy Spirit, we still need rest and replenishment. “God is not mad at you because your body is tired or your mind is frayed or your soul is unusually heavy—not after the kind of project you’ve just finished, or the difficulties you’ve just endured, or the emotional marathon you’ve just run. He isn’t agitated by the limitations of your flesh. Instead, He stands patiently ready to minister to you, to work through those deficiencies, and to nourish you as you recover from them.”1

This is a message I’m writing for myself as much as for you. We have to stop believing the lies fed to us by our culture and by the enemy that we need to push ourselves to the limits of our capabilities in all realms. There is so much pressure to do more and to be more. We’re wearing ourselves out trying to prove it’s true. “With all the busyness, legalism, strictness, and tension that may be an ongoing part of your daily life, take a moment to breathe deeply, enjoying the gracious and sincere affection of your Father today. He sees. He knows. Sister, rest.”2

By all means, allow yourself to be stretched. Accept challenges and celebrate growth. Let the Holy Spirit use your gifts to build the Church and expand God’s kingdom. Don’t shy away from opportunities for refinement. But realize, also, that you’re only human, and that’s exactly how God made you.

Click here and be encouraged by Jordan St. Cyr’s song “Weary Traveler.”

  1. Priscilla Shirer, Elijah, Lifeway Press, 2020, 193  
  2. Priscilla Shirer, Elijah, Lifeway Press, 2020, 193.

*FOMO is “fear of missing out.”

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Bonus Post: Why Prayer Matters

What is the purpose of prayer? Many see it as a way to ask God for what we want or need: healing for a loved one, a solution to a big problem, or a positive outcome for a challenging circumstance. So, when we get what the desired result, we say our prayers “worked” and that God is good. The challenge comes when God keeps us waiting or gives us a different answer–which can lead us to become confused, angry, or disillusioned. 

Megan Fate Marshman offers a different perspective on prayer. She describes it as “connecting with the one who loves you most.” So, prayer isn’t only about asking God for what we want but about cultivating a relationship with Him. This is also what Jeremiah describes when he writes from God’s perspective saying: “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13, NIV)

Prayer is so much more than just a tool for making requests of God or a last resort when we’ve run out of all other options. Over the years, I’ve discovered many truths about it through consistent practice and study. It’s changed me and caused my faith in God to grow deeper and wider.  Prayer is more powerful than most of us realize. Let’s look at four reasons why it matters:

Prayer Invites God Into our Circumstances: Psalm 139 tells us that God perceives our thoughts and knows what we’re going to say before we speak. Some would argue that there’s no reason to talk to the Lord since He already knows everything about us. However, the purpose of prayer isn’t to inform God of our circumstances; it’s to invite Him into them. Prayer opens the lines of communication between God and you, just as you talk regularly with people you love. It gives the Lord permission to speak into our lives and to share His wisdom. Often, prayer changes our hearts more than it changes our circumstances. That’s exactly what we see at the end of Psalm 139 when David says: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV)

Prayer is the Healthiest Way to Manage Fear and Worry: Anxiety is on the rise in our culture. Many of us feel a constant undercurrent of fear and worry at all times. We try to control our surroundings, our circumstances, our plans, and our relationships as a way to stave off those panicky feelings. Our minds churn over worst-case scenarios and “what-ifs” that fill us with dread. The irony is, all the time we spend worrying and fretting does nothing to change our circumstances. It wastes our energy, overwhelms our thoughts, and steals our joy–preventing us from living life to the fullest. In contrast, taking all that angst and laying it before God frees us to trust Him and to expend mental energy in more meaningful and productive ways. No one says it better than the Apostle Paul: “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. ” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)

Prayer Changes Our Perspective: When we praise God in prayer, we’re reminded of His character. Consider David’s words: “The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:13, 14, 18, NIV) Praising God for His trustworthiness, faithfulness, and nearness reassures us He can handle anything we bring before Him. This simple but profound quote from author and pastor AW Tozer sums up the power of praise: “As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once.” 

Prayer Lets Us Take Action When We Feel Powerless: When circumstances unfold the way we want or expect, we have the illusion that we’re in control, which makes us feel powerful. But here’s the harsh truth: There are few things we can actually control beyond our reactions. When we accept our humble position, we give God more opportunity to work in our lives. Consider Paul’s realization He could only rely on God’s strength in light of his personal struggles: “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7b-10, NIV

How freeing it is to accept our frailty and weakness and to recognize humbly that we have no power on our own. Acknowledging we don’t have control and trusting God gives us access to true power from the One who loves us most of all. 

Phil Wickham’s “Battle Belongs” is an incredible song filled with Scripture that reveals the power we have through prayer. Click here to listen and celebrate this truth today.

Megan Fate Marshman, Meant for Good: The Adventure of Trusting God and His Plans for You, Zondervan, 2020, page 79.

Letting Go

Pulling up to the house, tears welled up in my eyes at the first glimpse of the “For Sale” sign planted in the front lawn. It was yet another catalyst for the grief I’ve been experiencing since losing my mom to cancer six months ago. After sorting the contents of my parents’ home of 45 years, it was time to let it go. Imagining life without it made me feel adrift and untethered. 

I remember when we toured the model homes and chose the lot where our house would be built. I was six years old and the sting of moving was temporarily soothed by the prospect of living in a two-story house in a brand-new neighborhood. However, my enthusiasm waned when construction wasn’t finished by the time school started. Instead of getting acclimated to our new home, we spent six weeks making the 45- minute commute with our dad to our new schools. Every morning a lump would form in my throat and I’d fight back tears when it was time to leave for school. I dreaded being away from the comfort and security of my mom’s presence. My tearful departures didn’t let up until one day when she leaned down to hug me and said, “Even though I can’t be there with you, Jesus can. Just remember that He’s there holding your hand, no matter what.” Her words were such a comfort to me that my tears stopped flowing. Every day after that I’d plead, “Tell me again, mom. Tell me about Jesus holding my hand.” The angst I’d felt at the start of each day soon faded.

Later that fall, we finally moved into our new home. I loved riding my bike to explore the paths that wound through the greenbelt behind our house. Inside, my brothers and I created a “fort” in a small attic space, piecing together carpet remnants on the floor and hanging posters in the rafters. We signed our names on a beam above the small doorway to make it an official “clubhouse.” In later years, my boys enjoyed exploring the fort and adding their names to the others above the doorway, which remain there to this day.

I remember summer afternoons when the whole family would be in the pool. I spent hours attempting to master back flips off the springy diving board. In the evenings we loved watching brilliant sunsets as orange and pink clouds slowly faded to black. Hot summer nights often called for walks in the neighborhood before sitting on the deck to talk and laugh while eating cold watermelon. Later, when we had kids of our own, the backyard was the scene of many memorable celebrations. I still picture my boys and their cousins frolicking in rafts in the pool, swatting piñatas at family birthday parties, and eating homemade ice cream on July Fourth.

The kitchen was the center of activity in our home. For years I did my homework sitting at the large oval table that faced the backyard. I loved to perch my elbows on the counter and chat with my mom as she made dinner. The ritual of meals around our kitchen table was a source of comfort and security for all of us. Despite the large size of our family, eating together nightly was typical. And many times, there would be extra people in our midst—interns from church, visiting relatives, or neighborhood friends. The number of people we could wedge around the table seemed limitless. 

Once my siblings and I grew up and had families of our own, we continued to gather around the table for special occasions. When our kids were little, my mom would fill the kitchen with miniature tables and chairs to accommodate her beloved grandchildren. She didn’t mind how cramped the space became with the extra bodies because she loved having all of us together.

The formal living room was the one place in the house that always stayed tidy. The only time it was messy was on Christmas, which we celebrated there every year from the time I was in first grade until my own children were in high school. I can still picture piles of boxes, gifts, and ribbons scattered around the room.  I also remember watching with envy as my older siblings took prom pictures there with their dates; I couldn’t wait for it to be my turn. A few years later I posed for photos in the living room on my wedding day.

So many memories swirl in my mind when I envision my family’s home, it’s hard to imagine someone else living there. In the days leading up to selling it, my stomach lurched every time I pictured the “For Sale” sign. Letting go of the house triggered grief that left me feeling fragile and vulnerable. It was the last tangible link to my parents and my childhood. Selling it made sense, but that didn’t make it any easier. On the day we signed papers agreeing to the sale, an entry in Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling brought me just the reassurance I needed:

“THIS IS A TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU MUST LEARN TO LET GO: of loved ones, of possessions, of control. In order to let go of something that is precious to you, you need to rest in My Presence, where you are complete. Take time to bask in the Light of My Love. As you relax more and more, your grasping hand gradually opens up, releasing your prized possession into My care.

You can feel secure, even in the midst of cataclysmic changes, through awareness of My continual Presence. The One who never leaves you is the same One who never changes: I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. As you release more and more things into My care, remember that I never let go of your hand. Herein lies your security, which no one and no circumstance can take from you.” (March 24 entry)

The words reminded me that my security isn’t based on anything in the world, not even good things like my parents or our family home. One line especially caught my attention: “Remember that I never let go of your hand.” I thought back to my mom’s reassurance to me when I was a frightened first grader starting at a new school. She told me that Jesus would be there to hold my hand, even when she couldn’t be. And she was right.

My childhood home doesn’t belong to us anymore, and I’m making peace with that because my true refuge and security didn’t rest there anyway. Jesus promised: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3, NIV) Ironically, one of my mom’s caregivers reminded me of this passage a few days before she passed away.

I’m going to keep putting my hope and trust in the One who provides an eternal home for me: “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”  (Psalm 62:5-7, NIV)

Followers of Jesus look forward to the day we’ll finally be at home with our heavenly Father. Even now, He’s preparing a place for us. Enjoy Cory Asbury’s song “The Father’s House” as you celebrate this truth: 

Lastly, take a stroll down memory lane and get a taste of my childhood as you listen to “Our House” by the English band “Madness.” It was released when I was in middle school in the 80’s and quickly became a family favorite. I can still picture my parents dancing to it in our kitchen with goofy grins on their faces. 

Sarah Young, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence, Thomas Nelson, 2004.

A Different Kind of Christmas

Tears welled up in my eyes as I rounded the corner onto my street and spied my front porch. Two small Christmas trees with twinkling lights stood on either side of the door, replacing fall pumpkins that had been there when I left. Pulling into the driveway, I felt physically and emotionally depleted. The previous five days had been consumed with sifting through the contents of my childhood home–44 years worth of our family’s belongings. Decorating for Christmas had been the last thing on my mind.

Losing my mom to cancer in October has created a significant life shift for me. After dealing with the initial shock and grief of her passing, my siblings and I focused our energy on planning a family graveside service and an online celebration of her life. Once those events passed, the dread of dealing with her affairs and belongings became a reality. So, as my neighbors hung lights on their houses and brought trees inside to decorate, I began meeting my sister daily to clean out our mom’s house. The project drained me and required all of the time and energy I would normally focus on preparing for Christmas.  I didn’t realize how depleted I was until the end of that first week when I arrived home and saw the Christmas trees outside our door. My husband had ushered in the holiday cheer I couldn’t seem to find on my own. The sight of the twinkling trees brought comfort and tears of gratitude in the midst of heavy grief. 

Later, as we decorated the tree inside, the contrasting events of the week overwhelmed me, and the tears started flowing again. Soon, I was crying too hard to hang ornaments. Abandoning the tree, I sank onto the couch, laid my head on my husband’s chest and sobbed. It had been tricky balancing my grief, sorting the belongings in my childhood home, and launching into the Christmas season without my mom. In the background, I was also lamenting how COVID-19 would change the holidays by preventing gatherings with other family members and friends.

Grieving is hard and tiring work. And even if you didn’t lose a loved one this year, it’s likely you’re mourning a loss related to 2020’s pandemic and all of the ripple effects it has caused. So, it may not feel like there’s much to celebrate this Christmas. And yet, as much as we love the gatherings, gifts, decorations, and celebrations, they aren’t the heart of the season. They’re just the signposts of it. At the center of the Christmas is Jesus, God in the flesh who came to dwell among us.

This year is going to look different for many of us. For me, it will be my first Christmas Eve and Christmas day without my mom or extended family at the table with us. And it will also be the first time in 27 years that my husband and I don’t travel to see the other side of our family, thanks to COVID-19.  We have a lot to grieve, but we still have hope. It all goes back to that baby born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. 

Throughout this month I’ve been reading a daily advent devotional that is keeping me tethered to truth. Each entry includes Scriptures from the Old and New Testaments that highlight specific aspects of Jesus. The book focuses on the prophecies Christ fulfilled and the blessings we receive because of Him. It’s reminding me there’s still hope and joy for us, even in 2020. So, whether you’re enjoying all the trappings of the season or hurting deeply this Christmas, Jesus’ birth deserves celebrating. Here are a few truths that have especially encouraged me recently:

-Jesus brings light into our world that no darkness can overcome (not even a pandemic or a loss you’re experiencing): “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)

-Jesus came to seek those who have no purpose or direction: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

-Jesus became a man and died for us, so we can be cleansed from sin and have access to God Almighty: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

-Jesus came to defeat the devil: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” (1 John 3:8b)

-Jesus came to bring us victory over death: “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:21-26)

-Jesus came to show us perfect love: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17, NIV)

-Jesus assures us future glory despite our present suffering: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us… What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:18 & 31-32)

-Jesus gives us peace unlike any peace the world offers. Because of Him, we have nothing to fear: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

This year some of the jollier Christmas songs aren’t resonating with me very well. But when I heard “Behold Him” by Francesca Battistelli, I discovered one that captures my feelings perfectly. I hope it encourages you today too.

*The devotional I’ve been reading is Advent 2020 Jesus Christ is Born created by shereadstruth.com.

*All Scriptures quoted from the New International Version.