Even Though, Even Now, Ever There

"Then the LORD said to me, 'Go and love your wife again, even though she...." Hosea 3:1a

I've become a huge fan of "When Calls the Heart." Fortunately, since we do not subscribe to any specialty television channels, our local library carries the series in DVD and I am currently enjoying watching each episode. Last evening the program included the difficulties faced by newly married couple Leland (Lee) Coulter and his wife Rosemarie, or "Rosie" as he affectionately calls her. Although Rosemarie's heart is in the right place, she can be overbearing, insensitive and selfish. Lee was trying to teach her how to drive, and well, in her impatience she ends up almost crashing their newly purchased vehicle into the front of the local mercantile. When her husband addresses the event, in an act of stubborn defiance she moves out of their home to stay with her neighbour, Elizabeth.

Thankfully, it does not take long for her to come to her senses and admit the error of her ways, but throughout the 11 seasons thus far her husband's commitment to love, honour and cherish his wife, for better or for worse, is an ongoing, beautiful example of the covenant they made on their wedding day.

I know it is just a fictional story, but the wholesome, and often biblical applications are such an example for us. Many may see the portrayal of characters and situations as "old-fashioned", but they refresh and encourage my heart in their innocence and morality. The example of covenant love is depicted so clearly through the example of Lee and Rosemarie.

In Hosea, God's relationship with His people is portrayed as a marriage. God is the groom, and Israel, His bride. Israel is portrayed as an unfaithful "wife" through the marriage of the prophet Hosea to the prostitute Gomer. Hosea was instructed by God to experience this struggling relationship for all to see as an example, not only of Gomer and Israel's infidelity, but also our own personal disloyalty to God. The Lord desires genuine, intimate, heartfelt love, yet how prone we are to adultery as we chase after other affections.

Even with the fruit of Gomer's idolatry, bearing children outside of wedlock, God instructs Hosea to "go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the LORD still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them." The love Hosea is told to offer the prostitute is outside of the marriage bed (Hosea 3:3). 

Many reading this are likely married, so for just a moment I want to encourage you in your "even though" struggles. No one has the perfect spouse. There will be "driving lessons" that "almost crash" in all our relationships, but God calls us to "go and love again." This is evidenced in tender ways of expressing appreciation to one another, gentle touch, care, kind and honest compliments, respect, honesty, understanding, listening, acceptance, time, putting the others needs before our own. It could include baking their favourite dessert or making their favourite meal. Maybe it is surprising them with something as simple as the chocolate bar you know they enjoy.

Hosea was to go and love his wife again after all the times she had left the umbrella of his protection. It may seem like an unreasonable and impossible request considering all she had done, until we stop and think about the number of times we have abandoned our first love for lesser loves. As believers, God is to be our greatest passion and deepest desire. Through all our "even thoughs" God is "even now", ever there, never leaving or forsaking and always loving unconditionally. He is forever faithful despite times when His devotion to us is not reciprocated. Receive His love today and return to His open arms.

Empowering Touch and Talk

"Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. 'Don't be afraid,' he said, 'For you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!' As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, 'Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.'" Daniel 10:19

I cannot tell you the number of times someone has come to me with a word of encouragement that has strengthened me in a moment of weakness. Their timely offering of care and love has arrived when needed most and brought hope and courage. Sometimes the messenger has provided insight and wisdom to a concern, while other times they have spoken words of kindness, grace and truth that reminded me of the goodness and faithfulness of God.

Just moments ago, another devotional I read daily shared this verse, "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) We are not lone-rangers, and we desperately need one another.

For three whole weeks Daniel had been in mourning, when suddenly another vision came to him, leaving him weak. Scripture tells us that he was so overcome by the vision and the voice that spoke that he fainted, and fell with his face to the ground. At that moment a hand touched Daniel and lifted him, encouraging, "Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you."

Three times in Daniel 9-10 we read that Daniel is told he is very precious to God. To know we are valued by the Lord is such a gift. The actual Hebrew is translated, "man of preciousness". It is having the certainty that we are greatly beloved by God. Today, believers have God's word to remind us, and the cross to testify of the Lord's great love for us and how deeply He treasures us. As a man with a yielded heart, Daniel received these remarkable words that gave immediate reassurance.

The angel then continues to inform Daniel that from the first day he began to pray for understanding, humbling himself before God, his request was heard in heaven, and now this ambassador of God has come in answer to Daniel's prayer. The angelic being explains that for twenty-one days, the exact three weeks that Daniel had been seeking the Lord in prayer, this messenger had been opposed and detained by demonic opposition even though having been dispatched immediately. Oh, how we need to persist in prayer. Prayer is a powerful weapon in the war between God and Satan, and we cannot ignore it or lessen our intensity when answers seem long in coming. 

Daniel had been so completely overwhelmed by the vision he had seen and now this intermediary, sent from God, touches and strengthens him. Today, as believers, we may not feel any physical touch from without, but we have the presence of the Holy Spirit within, empowering us, and comforting us by the truth of God's word. Often the Lord sends encouragement to us through another of His children. We open an email from a friend to find the exact scripture verse that enlivens our heart. A hug is given when we are in desperate need of some tender affection.

When we feel weak and overwhelmed, weary and faint, the Lord is so gracious to send us strengthening faith through our intermediaries, the family of God. And, do not forget, we too can be agents of His touch and encouragement to others. 

Voice of Victory!

"Daniel answered..." Daniel 6:21

Those two words must be among the list of the most incredible phrases in Scripture. We can never lose our wonder and awe, or take for granted all the miraculous ways God reveals Himself throughout His Word. Here God is evidenced in a voice that responded. Let's review this amazing account recorded in Daniel.

Daniel is a remarkable young man. He was a survivor, not just of a lion's den, but of decades of "dens" through his time in Babylon and Persia. He appears to thrive in the toughest of environments. Living under extreme threats, He still retained His trust and faith in God, living an uncompromising life even in the face of death. 

In the opening verses of Daniel 6, king Darius recognizes Daniel's qualifications as a leader and starts to make plans to place him over the entire empire. Upon hearing this, the other administrators and high officials search to find fault with Daniel, no doubt jealous of this competitor rising in position and power. Scripture tells us that they could not find anything to criticize or condemn. Imagine living such an exemplary life that even those scrutinizing every detail can find nothing for which to accuse you. God's word tells us Daniel "was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy." (6:4b)

Desiring to trap Daniel somehow, they devise a way to see him fail because of his faithfulness. They convince king Darius to make a decree that for thirty days, "any person who prays to anyone, divine or human - except to you, Your Majesty - will be thrown into the den of lions." They know full well that because of Daniel's integrity and love for his Lord, this is the way they will be able to capture him and end his life, or so they assume.

"But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God" (vs10). I love those six words: "Just as he had always done." Prayer was such a natural, consistent component of Daniel's life, and there was no edict that could change his devotion. He did not worship the Lord only when it was convenient. He was a man of courage, commitment and conviction. Without hesitation or deliberation, he continued to do what he was accustomed to doing. We will never have a "just as he had always done" response if we do not currently have a "just as we are always doing" reality. Without a pattern of prayer, it will never become our go-to habit. Daniel knew the law had been signed, so his actions are essentially sealing his death sentence, yet he knelt as usual, in a room with open windows, and prayed.

The king had no choice but to follow through with his rashly made rule. Daniel was arrested and thrown into the den of lions, much to the regret of Darius, yet not without the king first offering a quick prayer: "May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you." Scripture tells us that "Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lion's den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, 'Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?'"

Imagine the emotions in that question. Would there be a response? Had Daniel's life been spared by his God? And then we read it. "Daniel answered." Does your heart thrill with all the Lord is able to do? God protects and defends His people. He is sovereign over every situation. He is still shutting the mouths of lions.

As believers today we are not immune to lion's dens, but we will only live through them by prayer and the power and preservation of God. Our voice, on the other side of seeming impossibilities, is victory!

A Confident Heart

"My heart is confident in You, O God; no wonder I can sing Your praises with all my heart!" Psalm 108:1

While making my coffee this morning I was clearing out emails received while I slept. One arrived via a ministry to which I subscribe. The writing was about "breaking free from anxious spirituality." The author, Kristen LaValley, was giving gentle guidance to those honestly seeking to know what they believe. In her compassionate response to the struggling doubter, she assures that questions are OK, but to keep them within the perimeter of safe parameters. 

"Even in my most secure and 'certain' stage of faith, I lived in constant fear of doing the wrong thing, saying the wrong thing, sinning against myself or other people, making God angry, or losing His approval and favour. So. Much. Fear. Even when I was sure of what I believed. My faith wasn't in a loving God, but in the doctrines that made me feel secure. I elevated the 'rightness' of my beliefs over communion with Christ. I sought frameworks and put my trust in them. And then they broke and I fell apart."

Kristen continues to write that rebuilding faith can be "like discovering it for the first time. The house that fear and shame built crumbled and I burned out trying to save it. But underneath the rubble, something sincere and beautiful started to grow. It was outside the parameters I trusted in, but fully in the presence of a good and kind Creator."

"We fry our spiritual nervous systems out when we allow fear to control our instincts and ultimately, our pursuit of Christ."

What keeps belief from unraveling? We must have confidence in God and in His unchanging character. God is not the author of fear. Recently in a Bible study I have been facilitating, we have spent a lot of time understanding that it is God's kindness that leads us to Him (Romans 2:4). When we are striving to understand, He draws us to Himself through His goodness and love. He desires for us to meet Him personally, and maybe understand and experience Him the first time.

Our questions do not necessarily mean anything negative. They are tools that simply bring revelation to places in our faith that still needs to grow. Kristen writes, "It might just mean you need to wrestle with the integrity of your belief framework. Instead of asking, 'Is this even true,' you ask yourself, 'Why do I believe that?' It's an inward looking and ordering instead of an outward pursuit."

Do not allow your feelings to dictate truth. We can live life with a heart certain and confident in the Lord. We can echo the words of 2 Timothy 1:12 and say with assurance, "for I know the One in whom I trust, and I am sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until the day of His return." In that place of surety we can lift our voices and sing praises with our whole hearts.

Quotes: "breaking free from anxious spirituality: the reconstruction of a doubter"; Kristen LaValley; November 16, 2024;  https://kristenlavalley.substack.com/p/breaking-free-from-anxious-spirituality

Three Men And Their God

"So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames. But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisors, 'Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?' 'Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,' they replied. 'Look!' Nebuchadnezzar shouted. 'I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!'...'Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!'" Daniel 3:23-26

I never tire of reading about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace. Because these three men refused to serve the gods of king Nebuchadnezzar, or worship the gold statue he had set up, the king's rage moved him to throw these Jews into a blazing furnace. I want to highlight some of the reasons why this account of what happened excites me every time I find myself studying this passage.

First, these three men were dedicated to integrity. They had resolved to follow the Lord always and it is from this place of determined decision that they were able to carry out their actions without wavering. We cannot wait until we find ourselves faced with a difficult choice and expect to automatically respond in a God-honouring way. We have to take steps prior to the arrival of the tempting predicament. The way of obedience must be certain before the point of crisis appears.

Next, we see that obedience does not guarantee safety. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did everything right. They held to truth. They refused to worship any manmade idol. They remained loyal to the One and only God. They trusted in the Lord, regardless of the outcome. Even living so completely surrendered to their Heavenly Father, they were still led to a fiery furnace. 

I love how those first two sentences in the verses above flow without any gap or added information in between. Our three securely tied heroes fall into the blazing flames and instantly we read, "But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed...I see four men...and the fourth looks like a god!" God's appearance with His children is immediate. He always meets us in the midst of our fire. There is never a second that He is not with us. He is often seen most clearly in the middle of our furnaces.

And look at the incredible description! Although tied securely before falling into the flames, now they are unbound...walking around...still in the fire...but unharmed. Each one of those phrases is remarkable! The flames only destroyed the ropes that had bound them!

The king's next command is one of complete belief and faith. The ruler shouts, "Come out! Come here!" Nebuchadnezzar fully believes that they are alive and able to come out! One would not shout to corpses. God's presence not only helps us endure fire, enabling us to make it, but exclaims to anyone watching, His great love and faithfulness to His people. God is seen with us through our suffering. 

The Lord stands with us when life gets "hot". In our trials today, is His presence with us obvious to others?

Grievances Covered By Grace

"I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus..." Philemon 1:10a

The book of Philemon is only one short chapter. It was a letter Paul wrote to his co-worker Philemon, after becoming aware of the connection Philemon had with a runaway slave named Onesimus. Paul had enjoyed the privilege of introducing both men to the gift of salvation, and now Onesimus was returning to his earthly master, and although by Roman law Philemon could press for Onesimus's execution because of his escape, Paul was encouraging him to welcome the servant back without recourse. Paul writes, "I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus." Paul, in his advocacy for the slave, even writes, "If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me."

How do we respond when someone has "done us wrong"? We are so quick to desire consequences for the evil exercised against us. We are often more willing to forgive if the pardon still comes with punishment. Paul is urging Philemon to forget any of the past mistakes and welcome Onesimus back as family. "He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother...Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord."

Unforgiveness neglects to believe the transforming work that God can do in a life fully surrendered to Him. We cannot negate the power of the cross and the saving blood of Christ that through rebirth makes a life completely new, healing relationships. The one thing that is continually needed over the long haul in all connections with others is forgiveness.

I do not know that we ever make it through a day without the need to extend forgiveness, whether to others or to ourselves. Proverbs 19:11 tells us that we earn respect when we overlook wrongs. This does not mean that we deny or dismiss actions that need correction, but even those interactions can be handled lovingly, resulting in forgiveness and healing. Absolutely no relationship can survive without forgiveness.

We need to be less concerned about our personal hurts and more concerned about our personal holiness. When we struggle to forgive another, we are forgetting who we are. As Paul offered to pay the debt of a slave, a debt Paul did not owe, his letter stands as a perfect illustration of what Jesus did for us. We were all born sinners, guilty of turning away from God, owing a debt we could not pay and worthy of death. It is only because of the price Christ paid for us on the cross that we can stand forgiven and restored. Christ has extended unfathomable kindness to us. 

Colossians 3:13 encourages, "Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." "Make allowance." Do not be too sensitive. Cut some slack. Lighten up. Forgive freely. Remove any attached strings. Drop the grudge. Even when grievances are real, we must remember grace. In grace, we don't just forgive, we show kindness. Whose name has God placed on your heart to forgive? God is saying in this moment, "I appeal to you to show kindness to ________." 

Wise Men Still Seek Him

"Search for the LORD and for His strength; continually seek Him." Psalm 105:4

It's incredible the things for which we will spend hours seeking. How many times a day do we search for keys, cell phones or glasses? My twin sister Japhia often texts me and asks me to pray that the Lord will guide her to some item she has misplaced in her home. Minutes and hours are consumed as we look for temporary items that can most often be easily replaced.

Absolutely nothing can compare to the value of a life that is spent seeking the Lord.

In a devotional written for InTouch Ministries, Canada, the author asks the question, "What does it mean to seek God?" His response: "The phrase describes a wholehearted effort to know the Father and follow Him more closely. Those who pursue this kind of fellowship with God are determined to spend time with Him. They also want to forsake anything that could hinder growth in their relationship with the Lord. God's committed followers claim His promises and trust Him to fulfill His Word. Their experiences with the Lord bring amazing satisfaction yet cause them to hunger for more of Him."

"The Christian life is meant to be an ongoing pursuit of God. To walk through the door of salvation and stand still, without drawing any closer to Him is to miss the treasures that are available in Christ. Those who seek the Lord soon discover that knowing Him is the greatest reward of all."*

Many years ago, I purchased a Bible study entitled, "Seeking Him: Experiencing the Joy of Personal Revival." The copyright date is 2004, so my guess is I actually did buy it twenty years ago. I had great intention of working on this 12-week study and my longing to seek the Lord was real, but it was not passionate enough. How do I know? Still not one page of the homework has been completed. I could share so many excuses. Twenty years ago, my son was twelve years old, and it was the year we moved back to my hometown. I would have been helping my parents, volunteering with a speech pathologist in the school and facilitating weekly Bible studies. That's just it though. It is the good that always crowds out the best. Do you recall the sentence standing alone above? "Absolutely nothing can compare to the value of a life that is spent seeking the Lord."

Here's a thought to consider as this year comes to a close. "What if someone told you that one year from now you could look back over twelve months of consistent spiritual growth? You could be walking more closely with God than ever before. You could be enjoying a deeper awareness of His love for you and your love for Him. You could be walking in greater freedom over sin. Your life could be bearing the fruit of the Spirit and God would be using you as an instrument of His grace in others' lives. Would you want that? These are not pipe dreams; they are the fruit we bear as we grow in intimacy with God."**

Seeking God is not just about "doing devotions" are "having a quiet time", but a call to devotion. It is cultivating a personal, intimate, love relationship with God. The phrase adorning many Christmas cards this season is so true. Wise men still seek Him. Do you?

*In Touch devotional quote: https://www.intouchcanada.org/read/daily-devotions/pursuing-the-lord

** Seeking Him: Experiencing the Joy of Personal Revival; Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth & Tim Grissom; Life Action Ministries; copyright 2004