Ever Present

"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

"If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

"If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

"Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."

Psalm 139:7-10 KJV

Despite our circumstances the Lord is always watching over us. Through the deepest and most treacherous valleys He walks with us. Like Jonah, who found himself in the belly of a whale, there is not any place too far or too dark where the Lord cannot find us.

"If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

"Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."

Psalm 139:11-12 KJV

The God we serve is omnipresent. He surpasses space and time. He holds the universe in His hands, and yet dwells in each of us who accept Him. No matter your tribulation, He is there. He is walking with you. He may not deliver you from your suffering, but He will stand by you and suffer with you. And in the morning when you wake up... He will be there.

What Is Built On Our Foundation?

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is."If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward."If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 KJV

     This passage hit home when I read it the other day. What am I building upon my foundation? Like the three piggies and the big bad wolf, the house that withstood his blow was made of stone. Building a strong home is not an easy task, just as it is not easy to build a strong relationship with our God. It takes work. It takes time. It takes sacrifice, to give up what we want to choose Him.

God has laid the foundation, Jesus Christ, in our hearts, but what we choose to build thereupon is our choice.

     Where do we go from there? What occupies our attention? Do we seek out the Lord everyday, desiring to draw closer to Him more and more? Are we building with gold, silver and precious stones? Or do we mindlessly live for ourselves, taking little thought to grow in our walk with God? Do we let greed, jealousy, and the lusts of the flesh control us? Are we building with wood, hay, and stubble?

     Our faith will be tried. Our relationship and faith in God will be tested. When the fire of trial consumes us, what will remain? When we hit rock bottom, what will stay steadfast?

Verse 15 explains that we may suffer loss. However, we are also promised that we shall still be saved. Despite how unquenchable the fire, or how blistering the heat, there is nothing that can burn away our foundation in Christ. No thing can ever take away what God has laid for us. In this, we can rest assured.

     What do people see when they look at us? What do they think? How do they view us? Despite common belief, we are not invisible to those around us. When we least expect it, there is often someone watching. We proclaim one thing with our mouths, but do we prove another with our works? Do they see Jesus in us? What does the world see us building upon our foundation?

Trials as blessings

The valley sits in a haze as fires ignite everywhere. Smoke settles as low as the treetops, thick as cotton, hiding the light of the sun from even the keenest eye. Everyone was so happy for the skip of springs showers, yet unknown to all was the great price we were to pay for it. It seems as dusk in the middle of the day.

How many times do we fear the storms in our own life? How often do we despair at even the smallest trials? As one band put it, "Cuz' the pain that you've been feeling / Is just the dark before the morning". How difficult would it be to recognize the blessings in our life, if we did not experience trials and heartbreak? Perhaps they are a reminder, adjusting our perspective, to see how great the little joys are in life. Perhaps they themselves are blessings in disguise, allowing us to truly appreciate a happy moment, a blessed moment, a moment of opportunity when they arise.

Count your trials as blessings and hardships as reminders. Without them there would be no contrast to illuminate the great times, and life would then fade into a mundane, monotonous rhythm.

What am I without You my Lord and Savior?

What am I without You my sweet Redeemer?

What am I without You my God, my Leader?

What am I without You? Who am I without You?

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(Acts 2:21)

How beautiful! How simple! Amazingly, God pours forth all His mercy, love and great blessings to those who call upon His majestic name. By placing all faith in Christ, the believer is given the ultimate promise: glorious eternity with his Creator and Saviour. This demands praise and rejoicing to the Most High God. For He is worthy.

God You alone know the heart of man. You alone know who I am. You know my fears, failures and insecurities. You know the imperfections that no one else can see. Yet in You I am made strong. I am made brave to win any victory. In You I will endure, as Your love, joy and peace converge.

I want to go someplace. I am so antsy. I know the Lord desires I remain in the valley to continue my schooling, but I am quickly losing motivation. I love studying and learning, but I'm afraid I have lost sight of where I am headed. There are so many things I want to do, yet all require years of commitment. I wish I could live for a thousand years. I wish I could live a hundred lifetimes.

There is one thing I know I must do. I must reconnect with the Lord. God rekindle the fire within me. Bring me to my knees and before your feet. Cause me to remember your loving kindness. Initiate that passion within me to illuminate and proclaim Your name. God, above all I desire you. Above all, I want to serve you all my days. I would give up anything. Though I am easily distracted, and though I fall short continually, at the end of the day I choose You. God I'm choosing You.