Trusting God In Uncertain Times

In early 2017, my husband lost his job. I was self-employed at the time and lost a customer weeks later. Spring 2017 was an anxious time for me and I wondered why God had taken that little bit of financial security away from us. With apparently nothing left to lose, I could only look to God and ask Him to show me the way. By autumn 2017, I was back at university to do my MA and a few weeks later we found out that I was pregnant with our son, a gift which made us feel incredibly blessed at the end of that tough year. God had led us on a completely new path – one which still lacks man-made security, but which taught me to trust God in a way I have never trusted Him before.

Four years later, Covid-19 has robbed us all of a lot of security we used to take for granted: jobs, school, most of our social lives, health and even have loved ones who died from the virus. Life has become incredibly unpredictable, defined by weeks of lockdown, and news on vaccinations and numbers of infections per day. We are blind, stumbling through the darkness, living in uncertainty. It is painfully obvious that we are not in control.

Sometimes this is what it takes for us to really trust the Lord. It is easier to trust Him completely when that is the only choice we have left because there is nothing (and nobody) else to rely on. That was my experience in 2017. I had been clinging to shreds of imagined security, even though that meant a lack of progress in many ways. Only when I had no choice but to trust God, was I ready to let Him guide me, even into uncertainty, and He is always there, always providing for us. In the middle of this pandemic, we can only rely on God – He will guide us through this uncertain time and never leave us. Even when we feel helpless and lost, God is in control and that is enough.

Lord, please help us to remember to trust you and to keep our eyes on you. Thank you that we can rely on you even when we feel lost. Amen.

The Lord God Is Our Helper

Sometimes it’s good to lift up our heads and focus on the LORD. God sees us. He knows our pain. Our struggles. Our loneliness. Our weakness. Our sin. But as the resurrected King, he has a different perspective:

He knows the end of the story. He died for us and overcame death for us. He is our righteousness! He is forever God and forever good. He knows that the best is yet to come for those who are with him. He is and will forever be our victory.

He is alive and well. He is all-loving and all-powerful. He is in control and He is not and will never be in lockdown. And if this Jesus is for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31)

It is this God who says to us: Do not fear – I’m with you – and I will help you.

10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

14 Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

– Isaiah 41:10 & 14

God, how great you are! I worship you! God, here I am. I need you. Please help me. Amen.

Our Victory In Christ

For much of the time, as we get on with our day to day lives, we’re not so directly aware of the spiritual battle that is raging in the heavenlies, between truth and error, holiness and godlessness, light and darkness, righteousness and sin, love and hate, kindness and selfishness, life and death, good and evil, God and Satan.

But to those who know God, it sometimes – or even – often becomes more obvious. For example, when we are gripped by fear that a situation or a person we must face seems too much for us to cope with, so that we either lose our freedom to express ourselves or we lose control of our temper. Or lust that feels like it must be satisfied, even though its outcome would not be in keeping with God’s pure best for us. Or perhaps it’s the feeling that we’re just not good enough to be accepted by others. Or it could even be an essentially good desire to speak God’s needed challenge into someone’s life, which is then corrupted by self-righteousness with us thinking we’re better than them because we’re not doing what they are. In the end we push them further away from God rather than drawing them closer.

As C.S. Lewis so ably and humorously depicts in his classic “The Screwtape Letters”, demonic forces are still very much at work, seeking to distract us from our true lives and witness in Christ and to bring destruction into our relationships and society.

Thankfully our verse today (v15) reminds us that on the cross Jesus won the decisive victory over these forces.
His “disarming” them means he stripped them of their power to accuse Christians (those alive in Christ) before God.
His “putting them [the evil forces] to open shame” means exposing their inability to prevent God’s plan of salvation for those in Christ, to forgive our sin, deliver us from evil, and make us more like Jesus.

His “triumphing over them” conjures up images of military conquests where the defeated armies were “paraded, straggling behind the conquering army. Shamed, and exposed to public gaze, everyone can see that there is nothing to fear from these once proud soldiers” (R.C. Lucas).

Dear Lord Jesus, I praise you that on the cross you have defeated Satan and all his forces, so as to be able to forgive me my sin and give me your new life. I gladly and confidently pray ’lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil`’. Please teach me to discern when these enemy forces are causing me to lose perspective on who I am in you. In any such case today, I declare and trust, from the bottom of my heart, that you are the sovereign Lord over me and the whole situation. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The Restful Burden Of Jesus

The title of this devotion might be confusing to many – Is there such thing as a burden, which is restful?

What is a yoke? The Collins Dictionary of English defines it as “a long piece of wood which is tied across the necks of two animals such as oxen, in order to make them walk close together when they are pulling a plough.” Usually a young, untrained ox is yoked together with a stronger, more experienced ox to train it in doing its job, which means that the young ox is restricted from doing what it wants to do and has to follow the guidance of the trained ox.

This Bible passage states that many of us are tired from the burdens we face regularly (perhaps difficult work expectations, family problems or issues with self-identity) and only Jesus can give us rest. But here Jesus does not say that he will make the problems gone instantly. Instead he calls us to take on his burden. His yoke. To put on Jesus’ yoke means that in faith, we take up the commitment to give up on our self-sufficiency, acknowledge his wisdom and our weakness, come to him and let him take full control of our life. In exchange, just like the stronger ox, he will walk and bear the burden along with us and help us every step of the way as we work to fulfil our duties.

The process will surely be challenging. Similar to the restricted, young ox, we also have to surrender our own sinful desires and obey Jesus’ commands. And along the way, maybe there are times when we are brought to despair as we fail repeatedly. However, there is no reason for us to give up, as he is “gentle and humble in heart”. He is The Great Teacher himself – the holy, powerful, all-knowing Son of God, yet full of love, grace and mercy. He never gives up on those who truly seek him. Therefore, even in the middle of troubles and failures, we can safely find rest in him, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.

Thank you, Lord, that you patiently walk along with me in times of joy and difficulties. Please help me to surrender my life to you and faithfully commit to follow you. Amen.

Meeting God In The Storm

When I look back in time since my twenties, I have suffered cancer, left my parents’ home to start a family across the ocean, lost my dad in my early thirties, and continue to suffer many health issues. My life has been filled with many difficulties and setbacks. Life can happen to us like a storm or tornado sometimes. It can make us lose our bearings and sense of direction and can leave us in chaos.

Where do you run to when you are facing the storms of your life? Who do you put your hope in when your health is failing? Do you feel forgotten in your suffering? I have learnt through all the hard times that we never go through this life alone (God is always there) and we can always put our hope in the Lord. I can always run to the Lord and not be afraid. God renews my strength and makes me feel so strong. He is our helper when facing the storms of our life. That is good news because Isaiah 40:31 does not say He will make the storms of life go away.

Remember also 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

I continue to learn more and more to leave all my worries to God. What about you? Is it God you think of immediately when bad news hits?

Psalm 91:1 reminds us: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”

I choose to put my hope, trust and faith in you, Lord.

Dear Lord, thank you that you are a mighty, loving God. Show me not to be afraid but to trust you in my daily life. Thank you for your continuous guidance in my life. Amen.

Wilderness

Comfort is a lovely feeling where I feel amazing just kicking it back to my favourite shows, doing my favourite activities, listening to my favourite music or eating my favourite food. It is a place where we go to after a long day or when you just want to destress. It can also be a state of mind when everything is going according to your plans. Comfort is a place where you feel great and what most people aspire to. However, is it always great to be comfortable? Let’s take an example of an athlete who is only comfortable lifting weights lower than fifty kilograms or a kid who is only comfortable eating ice cream. How will the athlete become strong and how will the kid be healthy?

As Ecclesiastes 3, says there is a time for everything and sometimes being in uncomfortable seasons (wilderness) is a times necessary for growth. Jesus needed to be in the wilderness in order to prepare for His next steps. Some of us may be in a season of wilderness with great discomfort, however there are great lessons we can learn from this season that will make us much stronger. When an athlete goes through the pains of running an extra mile or sticking to the right diet he or she is rewarded at the end. As Christians we may not know why we are going through such times of difficulty, but what we know is that God has good plans for us. Sometimes we have to be in the fire, but there is Another there with you. Wilderness is a place of thorns and wild beasts, but in our wilderness we can find comfort in Christ.

Thank you Lord for being with me in the wilderness – although I do not understand why, I know that it is important for my growth. Amen.

Reacting To The News

The book of Nehemiah opens with a news report from a far away country. Nehemiah, working at the court of the king of the Persian Empire, hears about the sorry state of affairs in Jerusalem, where some of the Jews had returned from the exile several decades ago. The report is of “great trouble and shame”. The news is distressing for Nehemiah.

I wonder if you still watch or read the news, a year into the pandemic. Last year, when the first gloomy reports emerged from Wuhan of a rapidly spreading disease, I was greatly distressed, with all sorts of gloomy scenarios going around my head. God thankfully lifted me out of that distress by reminding me that Jesus is the sovereign king, and that he rules even at a time such as this, with justice and mercy. But I could have learned from Nehemiah to take a more active approach when bad news comes. Nehemiah is distressed, as we all are when truly bad news comes. But he does not stop there, he prays and fasts. We can read the gist of his prayer in Nehemiah chapter 1. It’s a prayer of confession and petition for the Jews, reminding God of his promises given through Moses. Nehemiah fasts as well, expressing his desire for and expectation of an answer and a solution for the “bad news”.

Through this time of prayer and fasting, Nehemiah is stirred into action and God greatly blesses his efforts to restore the walls of Jerusalem. What an impact this bad news had! Let us not be afraid of hearing bad news, let’s bring them before God with prayer and fasting!

Lord, God of heaven and earth, steady our hearts when we hear bad news, and teach us to earnestly seek a response from you. Amen.

Guilt And The Place Of Forgiveness

In the moments of our lives when we are faced with guilt, there is a place where refuge can be found. This place is God’s love where forgiveness lies. Guilt is the aftermath of every act of disobedience or wrongdoing. It is our conscience’s way of letting us know we have acted outside of God’s will. It serves an important role because we cannot desire change if we do not recognize that we are wrong, and there is a way out to correct our actions. Hence, guilt has two possible outcomes:

1. Remorse, which leads us to repentance.
2. Shame, which leads us into hiding, but not out of God’s reach.

Remorse or shame is determined by how much power we believe the cleansing blood of Jesus has. Scripture says, there is no sin which the blood of Jesus cannot cleanse us from. If we believe this truth, then we are able to request forgiveness, repent and walk in the freedom procured to us by Christ Jesus on the cross which makes us free from the yoke of sin. This, however, requires faith to know that freedom is indeed possible and made available for us in Christ i.e. we have the ability to walk in righteousness by the power of the Holy Spirit living within every believer which enables us to live right. It is pointless to believe that Christ died if you do not accept that His blood has made you justified (judicial absolution from guilt) and that you have received his Spirit to make you sanctified (actual growth in holiness) as you journey with this helper towards becoming more like Christ.

The Holy Spirit is there to remind you, as such you must first acquire the knowledge of which you shall be reminded by studying God’s word.

The Holy Spirit is there to teach you, as such you must submit yourself to be taught, ignoring your own understanding and embracing the new.

The Holy Spirit is a helper, but we must be willing to be helped, having grown restless from the pain that is created by old patterns of behavior, such that we desperately desire to step away from them and move towards the paths of holiness as the Spirit will lead.

The Holy Spirit is a comforter, who will be with us forever, in fulfillment of Christ’s promise to never leave or forsake us, journeying with us through the valleys and mountains of life and enabling us to finish our race well.

May the Lord remind us of the power of the cross in times of shortcomings and help us consistently yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit who enables us to walk in victory. Amen.

Snow-White

As I looked out the window at the snow-covered ground, I marvelled at its beauty. As the sun came out, the brilliance of the glistening world was only amplified in its rays. But it also occurred to me how quickly the once white ground would turn into brown, disgusting slush and make it such an unpleasant sight.

God says in Isaiah 1:18, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow”. This is what Jesus did on the cross for us. By His death, He cleansed us of all our wickedness and everything unpleasant in our lives to make us shine like the brilliance of fresh snow. But sin can so quickly taint us and turn our souls into ugly brown slush. The more we give ourselves to the ways of the world and our own sinful desires, the more wretched we become.

But God calls us to open our eyes to the truth about sin. He desires that we turn from sin and walk in repentance. No matter how far we may have strayed from God, the Father stands to welcome us with open arms, just like He did with the lost son, knowing that our greatest joy and happiness can only be found in Him. During this time of lent, may we recall to mind how we may have grieved God with our sin and see how the cross has redeemed us from this sin and given us a new life in Christ. God saved us from the miry clay as it says in Psalm 40:2 and let us not seek to go back to that but instead to abide in Christ. As we do that, we will get to see ourselves shining brightly and reflecting the glory of Son.

Father help me turn from sin and lead a life of repentance before you. May I not take the cross for granted but remember the price that was paid for me. Remind me that I belong to You and not to the world, and that with You are pleasures forevermore. Amen.

Dealing With Sin

When I have to deal with my daily sinful ways it is usually defined as, denial, making excuses or I get frustrated with myself or people around me.

Looking at other peoples imperfections instead of reflecting on my own first is a weakness of mine, of which I ask for forgiveness in my daily prayers.

In Psalm scripture, David provides great examples of how to respond to sin in a calm and healthy manner. He is humble, he doesn’t deny, make excuses and get upset with himself or with others. God does not make us the same and therefore does not judge us.

He trusts fully in God to make everything right again by cleansing, restoring faith and giving an obedient spirit.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your sacrifice in freeing me from my sins. It is by your Love and Grace that I am saved. You are my Shepherd and in your name I trust. Amen.