The Three R's

"In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory." Amos 9:11

God's timing is amazing! Last evening I received a message from a dear friend. A heater had been turned off in a house, and pipes broke. Water has gone through all the walls, all the ceilings and all the floors. The house has to be gutted from the inside and everything replaced. Speechless, my friend had no words to really frame the situation, but still she shared with me that she had surprising peace considering the current magnitude of the ruin.

To read God's promise of restoration this morning is such an encouragement. Now, before you accuse me of misappropriating the text, I do know these verses are referencing the nation of Israel. The Davidic dynasty had faced decline and decay, but the prophet Amos was prophesying that it would be raised and reestablished. This will ultimately be fulfilled at the return of the Messiah, who will Himself, assume the throne of David. But, the timing of today's reading and this reminder of truth is that God still longs to repair, rebuild and restore.

Our Lord specializes in putting together what is torn or broken. He is always working to make all things new. It is His desire to breathe fresh hope into fallen lives.

As "houses" for His Holy Spirit, there are areas in each one of us that need the touch of the Carpenter's hand. There are "damaged walls". There are areas that sit in "ruin". The "glory" has gone, but God is a resurrection God, bringing the "dead" back to life. He desires to take what is crushed, wounded and broken and bring healing and restoration.

In Isaiah 43:19 God speaks the following encouragement through His prophet, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

Years ago I copied the following quote as a "keeper" in my notes. Unfortunately I don't know the source, but it is so wise in its reflection. "Joy may seem to pause as grief takes its course, but those whose broken hearts are bound by Him will experience it again."

Joy will be found again! The following verse from Jeremiah 31:4 continues to speak healing to our hearts: "You will build me up again and I will be rebuilt. I will take up my tambourine and go out to dance with the joyful." Bad days do not last forever, even if tension in the middle seems unending. We can go tambourine shopping. Grief will lift. Joy will return. It is a promise of God.

Christ came to minister and mend. He came to secure and save. Praying that the God who restores will repair and heal the brokenness in all our lives today. Let's surrender to God's reconstruction and renovation plans. "There is a time to mend." Ecclesiastes 3:7 

"To heal a broken body, to mend a broken heart

To knit together healthy homes, that once lay torn apart

To glory in the praises that His grateful children sing

These treasures are the pleasures of the King."

"The Pleasures of the King"; Songwriters - Robert Mathes/Fred Mackrell; copyright Maybe I Can Music, River Oaks Music Company

Both Now and Forever

"The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever." Psalm 121:8

I will never forget reading this verse on the morning of March 18th, 2008. The previous evening an email arrived in my Inbox that both thrilled and terrified me. I had been chatting with my sweet friend Holly, sharing with her my longing to register for the "She Speaks" conference in North Carolina, a Proverbs 31 Ministry conference I had attended the year prior with the Women's Ministry Leader from our church. I had participated in the "speakers track" initially, but now I wanted to return for the "writers track", but instead of driving down with a friend this time, I knew I would have to fly, and fly alone. 

You may recall the devotional on September 26 that very clearly identified my fear of heights and airplanes. My mind struggles to comprehend how a huge, heavy container of steel, filled with passengers, can defy gravity and stay up in the air. Oh, I know the scientific explanation, but it still boggles my mind to understand. I would rather keep my feet on the ground, thank you very much. 

Completing my conversation online with Holly late that evening, I was scrolling through some blogs I followed. Fifteen years ago, blogging was more of a "thing" and I had "met" several wonderful new friends through this avenue of technology. Suddenly a "You've Got Mail" notification appeared on my screen. I clicked on my email account and was completely surprised to see the name of the "sender". Although I had met Lysa TerKeurst a couple of times in the past, I had never received a personal message from her before.

I opened the email with nervous excitement. She had been talking to Holly. Lysa was writing to encourage me not to let the enemy keep me from attending the conference. She said that she really felt that the Lord specifically wanted me there this year and she would put together a prayer team who would be praying the entire time of my flight, both down and back.

I know I sat in shock for a while. In the silence, while trying to fathom my next steps, another email arrived, this time from a "blogging" friend. She had booked a room to the conference and needed a room-mate. She asked, "Joy, are you planning to attend? You could room with me." It was well past my bedtime and my thoughts (and tummy) were turning over and over as I headed upstairs to try and get some sleep. 

After a restless night, with morning coffee in hand, I reached for my Bible and journal, desperately needing to hear from God. The events that had transpired over the past twelve hours had shaken my world and I needed confirmation from the Lord on how to respond. Falling to my knees, in tears, I begged God to speak to me. Longing to hear, yet uncertain how He would answer, I opened my journal. The verse from Psalm 121 was written on the top of the page. In the New International Version it read: "The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." My answer had come. God reminded me of the assurance of His presence, the very truths that I needed before I put one foot on that plane.

God was not guaranteeing me a smooth trip or even necessarily a safe trip, but He was promising me His presence. Before I could change my mind, I completed my registration and I found out later that as soon as I registered, they closed the registration.

Where God guides, He provides. If there is an adventure with your name on it, and you are hesitant, know that He will not abandon you. He continues to watch over our coming and going, both now and forevermore.

**For more of this story see "Beyond My Wildest Dreams!", June 11th, 2024

Keep Crying

"I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to Him and He answered my prayer." Psalm 120:1

What thoughts run through your head as you read the verse above? My guess is that there are possibly three different responses:

1. An example immediately has filled your mind of a time the Lord answered the cries of your heart. This verse fills you with rejoicing for all God has done.

2. You have been praying for something for longer than you expected and you are still waiting for His response. This verse fills you with hope that God can and will answer in His time.

3. This text sounds so instant and easy. It is too cut and dry. You lift cry after cry, and each one seems to be met with deaf ears. God answers others, but not you. This verse fills you with heartache and disappointment.

Psalm 120 is the first of fifteen psalms compiled as the Psalms of Ascent. They are the songs sung by the people who were climbing Mount Moriah, travelling to Jerusalem. The very first verse begins with expressing pain in prayer to God as His people cry to Him in distress. How like our own lives as mountains stretch before us, our prayers often begin with a cry for help.

Friend, the first thing we need to see here is that we all have troubles. Not one of us is immune to problems. Difficulties arise continually, like those little gophers who peek their heads out of holes at the carnival game. Just when we think one has been dealt with, another one, two or ten appear. John 16:33 tells us that in this world we will have trouble. Hardships are a given.

The Psalmist's reaction is to take his troubles to the Lord. I don't know about you, but often I run to others quicker. I do not think it is wrong to seek help from those God has resourced to meet our needs. Oftentimes God has previously and purposefully placed people in our circle of friends who are instantly there to step up and in when a sudden situation surfaces, but do not miss that their presence is God already answering. We must honestly tell the Lord what is happening and how we are feeling. Do not doubt that He knows, but He invites us and longs for us to come to Him first, deepening our intimacy with Him.

Next, we see that the Psalmist cried out to God. This is not a casual comment on the current circumstance. This is a cry to be delivered from deep distress. In essence it's a "Do something God!" lifted urgently and earnestly. Desperate for relief the writer is begging God to intervene. This is an intense appeal for removal from all that is causing angst, with the longing for a sheltered refuge that can only be found in God. Still, at the very heart of Psalms of lament like this one, is the promise of hope. The prayers themselves are evidence of belief in an answer or they would not be voiced.

The Psalmist says he prayed and God answered. End of story. We do not know how or when God answered, but an answer came. When God seems silent and grief lingers, the waiting is wearisome. Reading the remainder of the Psalm it makes me wonder how God answered. The verses that follow really do not give testimony to any miraculous relief. Suffering, pain, despair, a need for rescue and peace continues to be expressed. Too often we may assume every answer is exactly what was desired. I do not know what answer came, but the writer did not stop expressing his concerns to the Lord. Maybe the answer was the strength and endurance to persevere.

You see, prayers never really end. Our cries will continue until God calls us home, but we have the assurance of answers as we balance His promises with our realities. May we keep a continual conversation going with Lord and trust in His sovereign care.