FOX HOLE PRAYERS (Job 34-35)

When times get bad, people cry out for help.
They cry for relief from being kicked around,
But never give God a thought when things go well,
when God puts spontaneous songs in their hearts. (Job 35:9-10)

Yup, Elihu continues making more sense than Job's other friends. Again, most of what he says resonates as true--just incomplete. His youth created a lack of perspective.

Take the verses above. People cry for help when things get bad. It's as true now as it was in Job's time. I've heard them called "foxhole prayers." (Forgive me my ignorance. Do soldiers still get in foxholes in battle?) Or when we're bargaining for escape from death. "Oh, God, I'll do anything you want, if only You . . ."

More likely than not, they neglect to fulfill their vow, until the next disaster.

I once read a two-book-in-one volume by Philip Yancey: Where is God when it Hurts? and Disappointment with God. Yancey's premise went something like this: God performed an experiment in giving His people everything they wanted or needed: on the journey to Canaan.

We all know the result: the people's faith didn't grow. It stagnated.

Our faith grows in the fire of trials, not in times of ease.

I won't go so far to say I don't think about God when things go well. But He does grab my attention when things go badly.

As far as the spontaneous songs in my heart, I'm always humming or singing. If I'm singing without thinking about it, I'm usually happy. When I'm unhappy, I sing hymns (or play piano, if I can get to one). They sooth my soul and refocus my mind on God. So music, for me, usually focuses my attention back on God.

I will admit that when things are going well, I'm not as inclined to change. Why should I stop doing something when God appears to be blessing me? I'm talking about my ministry, work, whatever God has put my hand to do. As long as God keeps the door open, stay put. When He shuts it, go on to the next things.

We won't know the door is shut without some pain.

Enjoy the times of spontaneous song--and reach for God when we are kicked around. Good advice.

I will close today with some oh-so-true words from Elihu:

If God is silent, what's that to you?
If he turns his face away, what can you do about it?
But whether silent or hidden, he's there, ruling. (Job 34:29-30

If God is silent, what’s that to you?
If he turns his face away, what can you do about it?
But whether silent or hidden, he’s there, ruling (Job 34:29-30)


Cindy, this one is for you. :)

STAYING PUT (Nehemiah 2)

The king, with the queen sitting alongside  him, said, "How long will your work take and when would you expect to return?"  I gave him a time, and the king gave his approval to send me.  (Nehemiah 2:5, MSG)

Some time ago I discussed the times that God asks us to move on and start something new.

Today we look at the times God asks us to stay put.

Think about it. Of the three post-exile history books, only Ezra returned to Jerusalem permanently. Esther was queen of the Persian empire. Nehemiah held an important position in the Persian court. When the king gave him permission to go to Jerusalem, he also asked "when are you coming back?" He received a leave of absence for in modern parlance we might call a short term mission trip.

His actual work was much like that which church groups today have taken in helping Haiti and Indonesia and the Gulf Coast get back on their feet after natural disasters. Except for Jerusalem's extraordinary position as the city where God chose to dwell, in His Temple.

Nehemiah clearly loved his homeland. He longed to help. I bet he longed to live there. But God's plan for him involved service in a faraway land.

Sometimes we want to leave a difficult situation--and God says no.

I talked earlier about God pushing us out of our comfortable spot and making us move.  This is a time when God locks the door and makes us stay.

Kind of makes me think how, as a writer, I want to write longer, "trade" books. But to date, God has largely kept me locked in the Heartsong, short novel and novella length books. Don't misunderstand. I'm proud of  my Heartsongs and novellas. And if I exercise a Nehemiah-like influence through Heartsong, that's where I want to be!

And of course, God gave Nehemiah his heart's desire for a specified period. We learn later in Nehemiah that he stayed there for twelve years before he was recalled by the king.  (I wonder if he expected to be gone for such a long time!)

So, if you are in need of a decision--stay or go?  Listen to God and keep an eye on open and closed doors.  (This passage continues that wonderful verse, "I prayed to God and said to the king.")  God will speak to a listening heart.

WHERE FAITH MEETS DOUBT

I believe faith is acting in spite of doubt (and fear).

So when I read Even though they were afraid. . .they went ahead anyway. (Ezra 3:3)

As I read the account of those handful of refugees, and how they responded in difficult circumstances, my heart was stirred. God had brought them back to their land, a miracle in itself; but it took a second miracle--of faith, determination, and hard work--to see their beloved city and Temple rebuilt.

Here's a few principles I saw in action, which I can apply to whatever problems I am having, or when I am seeking God's will for my future. things I saw:

• Faith is acting in the face of doubt and fear.

Even though they were afraid. . .they went ahead anyway (Ezra 3:3)

• Get your priorities right. Don't put off serving God until you get your life together.

They began offering Whole-Burnt-Offerings to God from the very first day. . .even though The Temple of God's foundation had not yet been laid. (Ezra 3:6)

• Grief and joy exist side by side; we may grieve the mistakes we made in the past and wonder "what if?" but past mistakes shouldn't keep us from doing what we can today.

People couldn't distinguish the shouting from the weeping. (Era 3:13)

• When we get serious about God's work, we will face opposition. 

In June, I turned in a manuscript to my editor. I have a new book coming out. I'm working on new book proposals, and I'm teaching a course on brainstorming to ACFW (american Christian Fiction Writers.)  After I battled pain, bedrest, and depression for several days, I realized, Of course! This almost always happens when I'm doing something new for God, like teaching ACFW.

Rehum and Shim shai . . . went to the Jews in Jerusalem and made them quit work. (Ezra 4:23)

• When we are uncertain of God's will, we can proceed even without a definite yes or no. 
• Corollary: We are blessed when He puts a spiritual mentor working by your side.

This happened after they sent a letter to Xerxes the king, but before they heard back. 

Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak started again, rebuilding the Temple of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were right there helping them. (Ezra 6:1-2)

• God will protect His work, so that the door remains open as long as He wills.

God had his eye on the leader of the Jews, and the work wasn't stopped until a report could reach Darius and an official reply be returned. (Ezra 6:5) 

The bottom line is: Once God tells us to do something--get started! And don't stop until He turns on the stop light.

Don't worry about the doubts and roadblocks--they're to be expected.

WANT MORE? GO TO WORK

I often ponder how God passed the spiritual blessings of His promise to Abraham through Judah's line and blessed Joseph's descendants with large numbers and prosperity. I am saddened that the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh play such a minor role in the spiritual history of Israel.  I'd like to think that Joseph's family would become spiritual giants, in his shadow. But they didn't.

Today I catch a first glimpse into that change. The leaders of Ephraim and Manasseh came to Joshua with a complaint: There are too many of us for the land you allotted to us. Give us more.

Joseph didn't mind complying with that request. He gave the hill country.

The tribes were dissatisfied with the additional allotment. They threw a pity party and revealed their real complaint: we can't get rid of the people of the plains you assigned to us. The Canaanites who live down in the plain . . . have iron chariots. Whimper, whimper. They wanted the land handed to them on a silver platter.

Joseph would have made a plan and developed work plans. His sons wanted it handed to them.

In a few more centuries, after King Solomon, the kingdom divided into north and south. The southern kingdom consisted primarily of Judah, where we get the word "Jew." The northern tribe was called "Israel," but at times was also referred to as Ephraim. And anyone familiar with the history knows that Israel was the quicker to sin, to wander from God, and to bring down judgment on exile on themselves.

A sad, sad story for their forefather.

Yesterday, we looked at how reason and faith work together.  I mentioned that sometimes God does ask us to do things that don't make sense. That's how the Ephraimites felt. "They're too strong for us. They have chariots, of iron. They have an atomic bomb and we don't." You get the idea. Reason said they couldn't conquer them.

Sometimes God calls us to do the difficult or even the impossible. Only, without a neon-sign-in-the-sky, I always wonder if it's God who is calling me to a task, or my own overinflated desires. It helps to have a faithful friend who can serve as a sounding board.  Someone like Joshua who can say "You will clear the land and make it your own . . . The powerful Canaanites, even with their iron chariots, won't stand a chance against you."

It's okay to ask God to make things clearer. It's okay to ask for confirmation. And I have decided that most movements from God begin with an element of doubt. I act in faith, believing God has called me to the task, but not entirely sure. Sometimes I stumble and fall. I may race and not win the prize (as in a publishing contract.)

And sometimes, like Ephraim and Manasseh, I whimper and say, "It's too hard. Don't ask me to do that."

Today is a day of acting in faith. I don't feel all that well. My mind is struggling to pull thoughts into some semblence of order. But I write, trusting God with the outcome. God has called me to this battle, and it's my job to show up.

Whatever you sense God asking of you. Pray about it. Seek wisdom from friends. Ask God for open and closed doors. Move in the direction you believe He has called you. Don't let fear of iron chariots stop you.

If you ask God for something--don't be surprised if He tells you to go out there and earn it.

In words of worldly wisdom, if you aim at nothing, you're sure to hit it.

TWO SIDES OF THE COIN (Joshua 14)

The best description of God's sovereignty I've heard says there is a signpost in heaven. The side facing heavenward reads "Chosen before the foundation of the world." The side facing us reads "Whosoever will may come."

The Christian faith has a lot of paradoxes like that. For instance, I live with an uneasy truce, by faith believing though not understanding how God is One and yet God is in Three Persons.

You may be thinking, Oh, no, she's getting all theological on us again. But not really. I only mention it because I discovered another one of those  two-sided explanation.

In Bible College, I was taught to look for words or phrases that are repeated for emphasis. One of the phrases I have noticed many times says something like, "The Levites will receive no inheritance among the people of Israel, for the Lord God is their inheritance." Talk about theological and spiritual!

Today I ran across a more prosaic explanation. One so practical, so downright human, that I wonder how I haven't noticed it before: Because the sons of Joseph had become two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, they gave no allotment to the Levites." (Joshua 14:3-4, MSG)

Oh. You can't divide twelve parcels of land among thirteen tribes. As simple as that.

I'm a little surprised that Joshua didn't say, "They gave no allotment to the Levites, as the Lord commanded, because the Lord God is their inheritance."  Maybe he thought we already knew that. Moses and Joshua repeated it often enough.

Instead, the leader Joshua offers a human reason. Maybe there were some Israelites who felt Joseph's double portion was unfair, and Joshua wanted to smooth over feelings. Maybe he had a light-bulb moment one day. So that's why God isn't giving the Levites a land inheritance. 

If we need proof that faith and reason don't contradict each other, we find an example here. When we have a decision to make, we seek God's will. Following God's will includes using the reason and mind that He has given to us.

Of course there are times God calls us to attempt the unreasonable (crossing a river at flood stage, on foot?).  But many others, He works within the natural order to bring His will about.

Turn your coin of decision over and consider both sides.

TAKE COURAGE (Deuteronomy 34 - Joshua 2)

Joshua's knees were shaking.

That's the feeling I get as I read the first chapter of Joshua. He clearly had a hero worship for Moses (in describing him after his death, he said Moses' eyes were still clear and he walked. He pointed out that no other prophet knew God face to face like Moses.

Joshua was no slouch. He had been there from the time they left Egypt. He and Caleb came back from spying the land excited, ready to march to war. He went with Moses at least partway up the mountain.

And when God named Moses's successor, He called Joshua.

Still, Joshua quaked. Twice God admonished him, "Strength! Courage!" The people of Israel demanded the same thing, when they agreed to follow him.

How hard it must have been to lead, following in a giant's shoes. Harry Truman must have felt when taking over from FDR.  He originated the phrase, "the buck stops here," but Joshua would have agreed.

Called to lead, doubting his ability, Joshua needed something from God. And God delivered.

In chapter two, the Israelites crossed the Jordan River on dry ground. Anyone remember the Red Sea?

Courage Personified

But before that, God gave Joshua a promise.

• I won't give up on you. 
• I won't leave you.
• You are going to lead this people to inherit the land.

God trusted Joshua to finish the job.

God remained with Joshua. He didn't abandon him to do it alone.

The job of leading God's people belonged to Joshua--whether he wanted it or not. 

I love those three promises. At the moment, I'm struggling a bit with insecurity about my writing, longing for some concrete confirmation that God still has grand things ahead for me. (I'm hopeless. I've written twenty-five books. Why do I remain so frightened? Ask my fellow authors. I know I'm not alone.)

Strength of heart not of body

God won't give up on me. If He gives me something to do, He'll make it possible for me to do it. (Not saying it will be easy.).  He won't get up and leave midway through the process.  He'll be with me unto death and beyond. And whether I want to write or not--for now it's God's job for me. I can't escape Him or my calling. So, strength! Courage! The tangible confirmation will come, eventually. But for--God says to gather my strength and courage and get to work.

Whatever call God has made on your life--He makes those same three promises to you. 

So--strength! courage! Get going. 

WHAT DOES GOD WANT FROM ME? (Deuteronomy 10)

I didn't plan it this way. God did.

Yesterday I looked at what God promised to us, as His part of keeping the covenant.  Today, I ran across the words What do you think God expects from you? The other half of the equation. I stopped right there.

No new, astounding revelations here. Just a simple summary of what God wants, set in a parenthesis of how we are to live:

LIVE in His presence in holy reverence.

• Follow the road He sets out for you.
• Love Him.
• Serve God with everything in you.
• Obey the commandments.

LIVE a good life.

So, to start with - as I live. As I go about my daily business, keep God on my mind. The first thing God wants is my attention. He wants that relationship with me. 

There is a Christian classic called Practicing the Presence of God by a monk named Brother Lawrence. He worked in the kitchen, but his heart's desire was to live in God's presence.

Oh, yes. Serve God with everything in you. Shades of the greatest commandment. If we love God, that will come naturally.

As I live, I should follow the road He sets out for me. My own, personalized, yellow brick road, that will lead me to the answer to all of my problems and the greatest future I could imagine. 

Obey the commandments - we've heard that one before.

Live a good life. I love the double play on "good."  A good life may mean one that is virtuous, right, or commendable. It may also mean one that is pleasant or agreeable. Most likely it means both. If we live in a way that is virtuous, we will experience pleasant and agreeable circumstances. (Notice: not necessarily easy.)

What does God want from me?  To live with Him. 

Lord, walk with me this day.  

TIMING and GOD'S WILL (Numbers 9)

This morning, I read "Night of day, it made no difference--when the Cloud lifted, they marched."

My mind scrambled to take in the scene, especially at night time. As a writer, I try to imagine describing the scene, and I have a dozen questions.  Who knew that the Cloud lifted? Did they have an organized watch for that special purpose? I would guess the Levites, or even Aaron and his sons, kept watch. They were in charge of blowing the trumpets, announcing the move. And they camped next to the Tabernacle, where the Cloud must have dominated the sky overhead. They were in the best position to see it move.

It would be even more difficult during the day. What if the children were at play? The parents at work? How do you survive living on the road as they did?

How long does a group of 600,000 men plus women and children stretch? How much space did their camp take?

How much time passed from the time the Cloud lifted until it moved? Was it always the same length of time? Where did God drawn the line between adequate time to prepare to move and dawdling?

God gave them visual clues (Pillar of Cloud/Pillar of Fire) and verbal clues (trumpet blasts) to announce the time to move on. They couldn't make a mistake.

There are days that I want God to make the direction He wants me to move in as clear as He did for the Israelites. Sometimes He does. This spring, I am preparing several different book proposals. They vary greatly; one is nonfiction, one is contemporary romance, a third is a self-publishing endeavor for novellas, and another is historical romance for a new publisher that I hope to work with long term.

I have great hopes for all four of them--and know from experience they probably won't all get a green light. This morning I prayed for God to make His will clear, to close the wrong doors and open the right ones. I should also have asked for God to open the right door at the right time. I sent in a proposal this morning. If the answer is "yes," I trust God will let me know when I need the information.

Almost five years ago, God lifted a pillar from Denver and forced me out. I lived in and loved Colorado for almost twenty years. Then in 2008 my daughter died. I didn't know that among other losses, it started the avalanche of moving me on. A job I had enjoyed for ten years wouldn't let me take a long scheduled vacation to see my first grandchild. My mother's health failed, and she needed to move into a nursing home. I couldn't afford to rent an apartment by myself. Day by day, I became convinced the time had come for me to move.

The bottom line application from today's passage: When God tells us to move, it's time to start packing.

THE HEART OF THE MATTER (Leviticus 10)

Today's reading brought me to one of those uncomfortable, I-wish-this-wasn't-there passages of the Bible: when God's fire killed Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire.

Shades of Cain: They offered the wrong thing.

God had given extensive, specific directions for the ordination offerings. The breed, sex, age of animals. The spices. The ingredients for the anointing oil and the incense. And over and over again we read some variation of "they did all that the Lord commanded."

Aaron and his sons had just completed seven days of being closeted with the Lord in the Tent of Meeting, completing the days of ordination. Imagine the joy, the hopes, the pride mixed with humility, of that week! How they must have studied and reviewed the laws God had given them, to be sure they understood. Of all the 600,000 Israelites, God had chosen this small family unit--Aaron and his four sons--to serve God throughout all generations as a perpetual priesthood.

A high of all highs for Aaron and his sons.

The ordination week ended, they began their ministry on day eight, and right out of the gate Abihu and Nadab offered "strange fire."

I struggle to understand this. My experience with God is of Someone who looks at the heart more than what I hold in my hands, not a teacher who will rap my knuckles for passing notes in school.

And from what the Bible says over and over again elsewhere, I know the truth that God desires mercy and not sacrifice.

So why here? Why to the anointed leaders? Why after such a high?

I have to think that, the same way as I mentioned about Moses a few days ago,  God held the anointed priests to a higher standard.

After seven days of fellowship and intensive study, they knew how to present the offering. And they chose to do something different. Something not God-ordained. They more or less said, "We don't care what You say, God, we're going to do what we want to."

The question switches from "why did God send fire on them?" to "what were they thinking?"

I suspect that, after all, God did look on their hearts--and didn't  like what He saw.

MOVING DAY (Genesis 31-32)

Jacob had a problem. Make that at least three problems: Uncle Laban and his sons (the plural indicates at least two sons and maybe more.) After twenty years, a lot of Laban's wealth had transferred from uncle to nephew, and they were jealous.

Unlike earlier times in his life, Jacob hadn't cheated his way into fortune; rather, Laban kept trying to cheat him (remember substituting Leah for Rachel on his wedding night?) by changing his wages, but God turned the tables each time, until Jacob ended up with more, and stronger, animals. 

Jacob was under pressure and discussed it with his wives. He didn't know what to do.

That's when God showed up--and told him it was time to go home, to the place where he was born. 

In fact, the mixture of dream, circumstances, and family councils so blend together that Jacob's description of the dream from his father's God sounds a bit like Tevye's dream from Fiddler on the Roof. Final proof that they should pursue a course of action Jacob always thought was best. 

The events that forced Jacob to leave make me wonder if he had settled in Haran and never expected to go home again. 

It reminds me of my own decision to leave Colorado. I arrived in Denver in 1990 and immediately felt at home. It still holds my heart and many of my most precious memories. If God hadn't intervened, I doubt I would ever have chosen to leave. 

But God did act. My daughter died. The job I had loved for nine years changed and I no longer found the same joy in going in to work. My mother's health declined, and she had to move out of our shared apartment into assisted living. 

At the same time, my son had married and settled in Oklahoma--and was expecting his first child. The siren call of family made it clear the time had come to leave my much loved home of Colorado and go to Oklahoma. 

Like with Jacob, God had to force me out of a comfortable place to another place where He would bless in ways I never ever dreamed. (but that's a story for another day)

How about you? Has God, and how has He, made it clear it was time for you to leave your comfort zone?