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Respite For the Weary
What I learned from my grandkids...
I have a "Mimi basket." This gray laundry basket is packed full of toys, baby dolls, and books, and every Wednesday it makes the roadtrip with me to my grandkids' house for the day. Last week, I "refreshed" my basket by putting two shiny new cars in it, one red and one green. All four grandkids were thrilled at the sight of these new items. However, within minutes, the 5, 4, and 3 year old figured out that only the green car's hood could open. Therefore THIS car was THE car that ALL THREE wanted ALL DAY LONG. Forget about anything else in the basket, much less, any other toy that existed in their own house. I had to set the timer for sharing time, over and over. Needless to say, this "basket refreshment" backfired on Mimi!
Now, I'm not picking on my grandkids for acting their age. Actually, it made me think of our human nature in general, and how we as adults tend to act their age--and I'm putting myself at the top of the list! How quickly the next shiny new thing can lure me in. Wave a fun trip in front of me, and I'm already in the airplane buckled up! Offer me a dessert, any dessert, and you'll have a best friend!
Truly, these things themselves are not the problem...it's only when they become our source of fulfillment, that we get into trouble. Because, these things can't fulfill our deepest longing; they actually do the opposite. Psalm 16:4 says, The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply. For example, too musch dessert leads to me feeling rotten followed by a sleepless night. The best idols can do is give us a temporary buzz.
So often we forgo the fulfilling, and settle for the fleeting. (Would you believe, the following Wednesday, the green car in my basket was not even touched? The new shine was gone.)
Here's a thought: What if we craved God and the things of God in this same excitement and fervor? He asks us to seek him as a treasure (Proverbs 2:4). He says his mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). God offers us so much more than anything on this earth can ever give us. We just have to believe it. He cannot fill our heart when its already full of something else.
So when the next shiny new thing is waved in front of you, here's a promise to hold as your very own instead:
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11
Enjoy life and its gifts, but remember they are as fleeting as a little green car in a grandmother's laundry basket.
Choose fulfillment; it lasts forever.
I want to extend a welcome invitation to each of you to a retreat that I will be speaking at the first weekend in April. It is called Restore Moms Retreat and it is open to any mom of any age. (That means grandmothers are invited too!).Here are more details from Lisa Samford, the founder of Restore Moms:"Restore is a Christian moms retreat, founded on Matthew 11:28, 'Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' The goal of the 3 day retreat is to help moms find restoration through Jesus and community with other moms."All inclusive: Meals, lodging, worship, guest speakers, play and relaxation for only $250.
Main Speaker: Chris Baxter
Event Dates: Friday, April 3 (4pm) through Sunday, April 5 (noon)
Event Location: Camp Garner Creek/ 700 Sam Hollow Rd/ Dickson TN 37055
Register today: RestoreMomsRetreat.com
Questions: RestoreMomsRetreat@outlook.com
I hope to see some of you in April!
I came across a great passage on prayer through my current devotional book called Forty Days of Prayer by Kit Cummings. Here are the verses and some of my thoughts:
The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
"Alas, Sovereign Lord," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am too young."
But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young,' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you.," declares the Lord.
The the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." Jeremiah 1:4-10In the above passage, God and Jeremiah are dialoging with each other. Before I write about anything else in this post, let us remember that prayer is not merely a one way conversation in which we are the only ones talking; rather, He too has something to say to us. He speaks to us every day through His word and His spirit. So, let's use the words above as His dialogue not only to Jeremiah, but also to our very own hearts today. What is the Lord saying through His living and active words? Here are a few things I "hear" that are for you and for me. God says:
We are today's Jeremiah. (We are also today's David, today's Samuel, today's Moses, today's Ruth, today's Esther...for such a time as this!) Allow God's interaction with these people of old to be the inspiration for His appointed purposes in you TODAY. What He said to them in the past, is now for our hearts in the present. Let's continue to bring all our prayers to Him, big and small, but also, let's hang around long enough to hear His words back to us. What is He asking you to do today for His name sake? Write a note to a friend? Make a meal for a neighbor? Visit a widow?
Reread the list above and walk forward in obedience with great faith. And let me remind you, God is just as pleased with a note of encouragement to one person as He is with someone speaking to the masses. Both are important callings, but He never "keeps count" of what's "more worthy" the way we humans tend to do. He sees the heart and smiles at our devotion to Him. (Think of the widow's mite found in Luke 21:1-4).
Let's all be today's Jeremiah. Dialogue with God, receive His incredible promises, and then do something for Him...today.
I have a friend who expressed how she wished that her family could somehow all be "on the same page" with each other. Oh how I want that for my family as well! I'm sure you may feel this longing about your loved ones, or your co-workers, or even the people you serve with in ministry.
One way to bring about strong unity is through consistent prayer for one another. I have written short Scripture-based prayers for this very purpose. Here are 2 of 365 examples:
Counselor. I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you (Psalm 32:8). Dear Lord, You know the best path for each of us. Keep our eyes fixed on You. Give us willing hearts to trust and obey Your guidance as we step forward in faith each new day.
Peace. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you; do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid (John 14:27). Dear Lord, Your peace is truly the only real rest for our souls. Everything else is a temporary anesthetic. By your Spirit, breathe into us a divine calmness, not to sedate us to inactivity, but to inspire us to share Your incomprehensible peace with the world.
If you would like to receive these prayers in your email, then please subscribe to "Daily Prayers" on my website: http://www.RespitefortheWeary.com. Ask your family members, co-workers, or ministry partners to subscribe as well so that you and "your people" can claim the same name of God and bible verse over each other on a daily basis.
God's name and Word are powerful. Claim it together and receive His blessing.
There's no better place to be than on His Same Page.
My daughter Maggie is due with her first baby any day now. Her sister Emmy came to Chicago for a few days, hoping to be present for the birth, but little Hally Christine isn't quite ready to make her grand appearance... yet.We're all waiting.Waiting is hard, isn't it? I know we all have had circumstances that have brought us to crying out, "I want it NOW!" (whatever it is). This is the thing, while we are waiting for something, we are also waiting with something, and we get to choose what that something is. For example, we can be:waiting with expectancywaiting with frustrationwaiting with hopewaiting with impatiencewaiting with joywaiting with despair.As you are waiting for something, what are you waiting with? Today, as I am waiting for the birth of my first grandchild, I want to wait with expectancy, with hope, and with joy. Just like a little embryo takes time to develop and grow before her right time to enter the world, our faith also has to mature before we receive what we are longing for. It's important to remember that while we are waiting, two things are happening: we are growing in our dependence on the Lord AND God is working out His best plans for each one of us.So, while you are waiting for something, allow God to teach you about Himself. Learn to trust Him more. Believe He is at work. Wait with....you choose. And then, at the divinely appointed time, God will birth exactly what He knows is best for you.Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Psalm 33:20-21In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning, I lay my requests before You and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3
Not too long ago, I came across one of my favorite Bible stories. It's found in 2 Chronicles 20:1-22. I encourage you to take three minutes to read it.To paraphrase, Judah was being attacked on all sides. King Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:3). He called the people of Judah together and lifted up his voice to the Lord in a desperate prayer, saying, O our God...we do not know what to do but our eyes are on you. The earthly problem and then the divine outcome is remarkable.Tucked inside this story is my theme verse for 2020. The verse's meaning and it's reference (chapter 20, verse 20) is what led me to claim it:... Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets and you will succeed. 2 Chronicles 20:20.These words were powerfully spoken to God's people thousands of years ago, and they are just as alive today. We are called to put our full faith in the Lord our God; and we are called to believe in His word. (Back then God spoke through His prophets; today, He speaks to us through His Son, who is the Word--see Hebrews 1:10). When we do these two things and act on them in faith, we are promised two things: we will be established and we will succeed.So on January 1 and February 17 and April 28 and June 7 and August 22 and October 15 and December 11 and every day in between and after that, remember these two simple things: believe God; believe His word. If you truly believe in both the power and the love of God, you will then truly believe in the Words; therefore, the next logical step is to obey Him wholeheartedly. And just like King Jehoshaphat and his people were rewarded back then, you will be blessed in ways you would not have imagined...all because you lived out your faith.Spiritual "2020 vision" is believing God, and believing His word. Let's look forward to being established and succeeding this year as we live out our faith moment by moment.
I have a collection of manger scenes, some small, some large, all unique. I love getting them out each year and finding a special spot for them. For some reason, as I have looked at these over the last couple of weeks, my eyes have been drawn to the manger bed that holds the Christ-child. How strange to focus in on something so seemingly unimportant. Why not concentrate more on the angels and their glorious singing? Or the wise men and the shining star? Or even Mary and Joseph in their wonderment? Hmmm, the manger bed? What’s the point?
And then, it hit me. We, each one of us, are that simple but unique vessel that cradles Christ. Just as Jesus was laid in the humble feeding trough 2000 years ago, He has poured Himself into our hearts through His Spirit today. This truth is the Good News that the angels sang about! We, through faith in Him, have the opportunity to house His holiness. We are not the point, but we have the incredible privilege of holding the Answer to life so all can admire and behold the Point: Jesus.
This Christmas, and then forward, consider the indescribable gift we have been given: the humbled privilege of cradling the King of kings. Hold Him securely for yourself, and then lift Him up for others so they can behold their Savior.
And this will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths, and lying in a manger (Luke 2:12).
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not ourselves (2 corinthians 4:7).
From the rising of the sun even to its setting, my name will be great among the nations. - Malachi 1:11
Dear Lord, Your power reigns in all of creation. Your might rules over kings and kingdoms. May we marvel at your grandeur and be awed by your grace. Amen.