The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times over.- Psalm 12:6
Within twenty four hours, pieces of our worldly life have begun to feel like they are tearing.
We have been walking through a situation within the adoption world (more on this later) in which we have been cautiously yet hopefully waiting. Currently, it seems as if God is going to continue to say, “Not yet”. This has been going on for months, and, as His plans unveil, our hearts are hurting as it seems what we thought would occur just may not.
This began to come to light within the same day that we became aware two members of our village- two close ones at that- tested positive for the flu.
You know how you read about what can happen when infants, the elderly, and the medically fragile get the flu?
Yeah. That would be us.
Yesterday, I began what I call, “combination trusting”.
Combination meaning I was reading and preaching the truth of God’s Word to myself while simultaneously thinking thoughts that began with, ‘What-if’ and, ‘I wonder when’. (And googling random facts about the flu off and on).
I didn’t understand why I wasn’t experiencing the peace of God in the midst.
“I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”- Psalm 34:4
This doesn’t say, “I sought the Lord and the internet”.
It doesn’t even boast, “I sought the Lord and also over-analyzed with my friends”.
It simply says, “I sought the Lord.”
Period.
Friends, we live in a society where promises are all essentially half-hearted.
Take this product and your entire life will change.
Go on this vacation and you will be happy again.
Get in a relationship and your problems will all go away.
Switch jobs and you will be content again.
Buy x,y, or z and life will be good.
Even the most sacred of covenants on earth- the covenant of marriage- is even up in the air. For 50% (or more depending on your family dynamic) of society, the promise dissipates. For the rest of us, we pledge, ‘for better or worse’ but often only live up to what we said we would when we are getting our way. The thing is, I think that deep down, we know that none of these things are fully true. Yet, something inside of us just keeps on searching and looking and trying.
“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”- Psalm 19:7
Sure.
Perfect.
Constant.
Never-changing.
These are some words used to describe our Lord and His promises- promises so OTHER than the world around us. After all, HE IS SO OTHER.
This morning, as I woke up and my mind already began racing about what exactly is going to go down in our home in the coming months, days, weeks, moments; God in His still small voice whispered to my heart, “Only Me, child; only Me.”
Beloved- we cannot expect to experience the peace of God if we are giving lip-service to His Words yet not clinging to them in our hearts.
“…My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, nor let them be afraid.”- John 14:27
Not as the world gives.
Not throwing out promises like confetti waiting to see if and when they will fall.
Not fake or unauthentic or surfacy.
Like Psalm 12 says, His promises are PURE- free from defect, faultless.
And friend- He wants us to literally allow these truths to transform us from the inside out. There is absolutely no life-change that will come from speaking something out loud in the morning and then living in anxiety throughout the day. We can’t expect to experience the beauty of the Gospel if the promises in His Word don’t literally seep in and out of us like a sponge. God wants us to fully know His promises in whatever we are walking through. No matter what people have done to you in spite of what they have said, no matter how empty the world’s words may be- His are faithful. And- please hear me on this one- this stands true to the hard ones as well. The ones that say in this world we will have trouble. The ones that point out that not all healing will occur on earth. The ones that say that His will is going to be done. The ones that remind us His ways are not ours and this world is not our home. The ones that tell us we are called to share in the sufferings of Jesus. These are true, too. Yet- don’t miss this- in it all, He makes one big, gigantic, magnificient promise: He will be with us-fully, wholly, completely, literally. He is not nor will not make you go through anything alone. When others’ ask, “Why did God allow me/my loved one to go through this?” the point is missed altogether. His response will always be, “Because this/that is where I am. This/that is where you will see me most clearly. This/that is where you will find me to be enough”.
I don’t know what you are going through today. Some of your hards are bigger than anything our house has ever faced; some of them might be small in comparison. Yet, thanks be to God He doesn’t ask us to compare He simply asks us to trust whatever details He is writing in the story. And- we can’t trust if we are solely giving lip-service to the Gospel but carrying on as if the promises aren’t real. We don’t have to know the future because we know the One who does.
Today, I invite you to cling- wholly, fully, completely- to the promises He gives. Open His Word and learn about the God that doesn’t promise no storms yet does promise His presence. The peace will come as we lean hard and fast onto the Rock that doesn’t move.
He is faithful.
At all times.
In all things.
No matter what.
Seeds and Leaven 