Why God Answers Prayer

Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea! Answer me because you are faithful and righteous. Psalm 143:1

I don't know about you, but I tend to spend a lot of time asking God for things. I wake up in the morning asking Him for a good day (and usually putting in my request for some sunshine). I go along through the day asking for His guidance and provision. I ask for His protection and for wisdom. I ask for silly things and selfish things and things of no real significance in the grand scheme of eternity. I ask, and I ask, and I ask...

The problem is not in the asking, because God has told us in His Word that we should ask. And as I often point out to the Lord (as if He has forgotten!), He did say in James, "You have not because you ask not...).

The problem comes when I begin to think that I deserve an answer. God does answer prayer, and I am so thankful for that. He is concerned about the little details of my life. He LOVES me! That is so incredible! But His answers to my prayers do not come because I am so spiritual. His answers are not in response to my being kind or right or deserving in any way. The answers are simply about who God is.

David understood this simple truth, pouring out his heart, and crying out to God for help. He cried out to God not because he thought he deserved an answer, but because he had an understanding of the nature of God. David didn't ask God to answer because he (David) was good, but because HE (God) was good: "because YOU are faithful and righteous".

It kind of brings a new perspective to my prayer life, this understanding that God's response to my prayer is not about me...

Thank You, God, that You remain faithful even when I am faithless. Thank You that Your answers to my prayers are based on how good You are and not on how good I am. Now please teach me to do Your will (v.10)...

Just because He is faithful and righteous.

Just a thought...

The Expendables

He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made temples, and human hands can't serve his needs - for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. Acts 17:24-25

I have a tendency to overextend myself... just a little! I look around at what needs to be done, and though I may sometimes get a little overwhelmed, I manage to convince myself that I need to make sure that everything gets done. After all, if I don't do it, who will?

There's a statistic I hear around the church very often: "20% of the people do 80% of the work in the church"(or is it "10% of the people do 90% of the work"?)...

The theory here is that a few committed people manage to get done most of what happens in the local church and that the rest are uncommitted slackers. There is some definite truth to that, because I think one of the greatest shortcomings in modern "Christianity" is a lack of commitment. (In truth, I fear that what really is happening is that a large percentage of modern church-goers are not really saved, but that is a matter for another day!)

Among those 10-20 percent who fall into the "committed worker" category in the church, there is a different problem I have observed. Those workers (among whom I number myself) often fall into the trap of believing that they are irreplaceable. We often commit to much more than we actually have time to do. We may commit to things that we absolutely don't want to do, taking on a martyr attitude, and making sure people know what a sacrifice we are making "to do the work of the Lord." We think that if we stop what we are doing, the kingdom of God may just come crumbling down!

Now, I don't want to imply that the things we do for the Lord do not matter, because that is absolutely NOT the case. But what I think we often fail to understand is that while God desires that we would serve Him with all our hearts, this is really more for us than it is for Him. He does not NEED us! He's GOD, remember? He can do ANYTHING He wants, ANY WAY He wants, and He does not NEED my help (or my permission!). As Paul pointed out to his listeners at Mars Hill, "...human hands can't serve his needs, for he has no needs."

So what I want to encourage you today, especially at this time of year when a few people find themselves taking on all the "seasonal work" of the church, overextending themselves, getting stressed out, or feeling guilty that they are not doing enough... Relax! Stop trying to run everything yourself, on your own strength. Take time to seek the face of God. Rest in His loving arms. Let His Spirit lead you in the works He would have you do. Then do those things joyfully, out of your love for a Savior who came to earth as a baby and gave His life for you, and not out of guilt or obligation.

God wants you to love Him, but He does not need you to work for Him. He understands that your true love for Him will motivate you to service.

Understanding that He is a big, powerful God, and I am, in a sense, expendable, leaves me much freedom: freedom to love Him more fully, and thereby to minister more effectively. ... Just a thought...

What the One Who Formed You Says...

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fires of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you... you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you..." Isaiah 43:1-5

Life has been a little crazy lately. Actually, that's not really the half of it! I have felt stretched beyond belief, weary in ways I never knew possible, fearful of the future. Life is a series of changes, I know, but lately I just long for things to be still - to calm down, if only for a moment. I find myself looking for perspective, to find some way to make sense out of confusion... I feel like I'm flying blind, moving forward at warp speed but navigation is offline, so I wait for the inevitable crash...

But it doesn't come. The crash does not come, because in spite of what I FEEL, life is not out of control because my Father has promised to be with me. I may say things are a mess, but here is what HE says:
"Do not be afraid."
"I have called you by name."
"You are mine."
"I will be with you."
"You will not drown."
"You will not be burned up."
"You are precious to me."
"I love you."
"I am with you."

I am so encouraged to know that the same God who formed Israel also formed me; that the same God who said to His children in times past, "I love you," says the same to me today.

Maybe you can relate to how I've been feeling. Maybe life seems to you a confusing mess. Be encouraged today that the God who formed you has promised to be with you. Enjoy a little rest in His strong arms today.

"You are precious..."

...Just a thought...

The Tragedy of Wasted Opportunity

And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any mighty miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. Mark 6:5

I think this may be one of the saddest verses I have ever read in the Bible.

Jesus had gone home for a visit. You would think the people of Nazareth would have been watching Jesus’ travels with keen interest. I mean, He was “one of their own”. The hometown boy was making quite a name with all the amazing miracles He was performing. And now He was coming home. They could have met Him with a parade, or a supper in His honor…

That was not the case. Jesus came home, and hung around for a few days. Then the Sabbath came along, so He went to the synagogue to teach. Initially, the people were amazed. But then they began to talk among themselves, and before long, the Scriptures say, “They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him” (v.3). What a tragedy! I wonder what it was that Jesus had planned for His family and His hometown? I can only imagine that it was something wonderful. After all, this is Jesus we’re talking about! Who knows what incredible things might have happened?!

We can recognize that what Jesus did do in Nazareth was pretty incredible - He healed the sick. To us, this is big! But what we see in Scripture is that this didn’t even scratch the surface of what Jesus wanted to do there. “Because of their unbelief…”

I wonder what mighty miracles we might be seeing now that we are missing because of unbelief? The same Jesus that wanted to do mighty miracles in His own hometown is waiting to move mightily in our lives as well. What an incredible opportunity is set before us! I pray that I will not miss out like the people of Nazareth did…

…Just a thought…

What Are You Looking At?

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:18

One look around is often all it takes for discouragement to enter the scene.

Now, I like to think of myself as a “glass half full” kind of girl, but I have to confess that can be a little hard when the glass looks nine-tenths empty! You know how it is… The numbers stack up a bit higher on the bill side than the income side… Or maybe it’s relationship troubles… Or dissatisfaction at work or school… Or something altogether different. Circumstances can be discouraging at times!

I’m pretty sure the apostle Paul would agree with me. I mean, if ever a person endured difficult circumstances, Paul was the guy. Arrested over and over again… Imprisoned… Shipwrecked - three times! And if all that wasn’t enough, the treatment he got from his “friends” and “supporters” would be enough to send anyone over the edge! He poured his life into churches, only to have them turn on him, criticize him, and just generally aggravate him… If Paul had just taken a moment to consider his circumstances, he would certainly have been within his rights to throw the world’s biggest pity party!

But he looked beyond his circumstances. He didn’t just look toward the day when he might be free from imprisonment. He wasn’t hoping for a time when his circumstances would improve. Paul was focused on things that could not be seen with physical eyes. He had an internal perspective - looking to the Spirit of God within him for the peace He came to give. And Paul had an eternal perspective - he was looking to the day that he would put off his physical body with all of its suffering and troubles and be united with Christ in heaven forever.

We still reap the benefits of Paul’s perspective on life. He left us many God-inspired words to instruct and encourage us along this journey of life on earth.

Lord, make me more like Paul, that I may look past the troubles I can see, to the things of Your Spirit that will last forever…

…Just a thought…

Far, Far Away

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. Psalm 139:1-3

It’s an incredible experience, being in a foreign country, far from home. I know people do it all the time, but for me it was a big step. Even though I travel all over the US, I’m still basically a “home-body” at heart. That’s why I take my house with me where ever I go! Yet here I am - miles from anything familiar, surrounded by people with whom I cannot communicate because I do not speak their language. And I feel strangely at home. That’s the power of God at work. There is no other possible explanation.

My son, the kid who can make conversation with anyone anywhere is feeling a little frustrated because he cannot communicate the way he would like to. I guess I am at a slight advantage here with my less-social approach to life… I am trying to learn the language, because I would LIKE to be able to communicate and to understand better what is going on around me, but I am strangely at peace here.

It is a beautiful place in which I find myself. I’m situated at the top of a hill, with an amazing view out my back door. I’m surrounded by green - plants and trees I’ve never seen before - and they are BEAUTIFUL! There are birds and animals and all kinds of interesting sounds and sites, and I am just trying to drink it all in, though it sometimes feels like a dream.

But the really wonderful thing about it all is that here I am - many miles from home - and God is here! It’s something that I’ve always known was true - that God is not bound by time or space, and that He is everywhere at all times, but I never had experienced the reality of that knowledge. As the psalmist says in verse 6, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”

Just a thought, from a land far away…

New Vision

When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. "Oh, sir, what will we do now?" the young man cried to Elisha. "Don’t be afraid!" Elisha told him. "For there are more on our side than on theirs!" Then Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!" The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. 2Kings 6:15-17

When circumstances look bleak, it can be easy to panic. It's not necessarily that we lose faith. Sometimes, it's just being realistic. It's not that we don't believe God CAN deliver us. We just don't know if He WILL or if maybe He's got some lessons for us in the circumstances. This is where Elisha's servant was on this particular morning. He hadn't gone out looking for trouble. But when he went out, there it was! He was surrounded by the enemy. That had to be a little scary!

The key to this story, though, is not found in what the servant could see. It was in what he COULDN'T see. The circumstances looked BAD - there's was no denying that fact. But beyond the circumstances, something else was going on, and God had it all under control!

As we look around at our lives and our circumstances, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. From where we're standing, it's easy to see the opposition. It looks like we're all alone in the situation. That's how it looked to Elisha's servant, too. For all he knew it as just him and Elisha against a multitude of armed troops. But when God opened his eyes, it all looked different!

My prayer for you today is that in the midst of whatever circumstance you find yourself, that God would open your eyes... That He would give you new vision to see beyond the circumstances to His provision. With God on your side, the opposition is outnumbered.

Rest today in that knowledge, and ask the Lord for new vision.

...Just a thought...

Keeping On

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9

It's been a while since my last post. Sorry about that. The truth is, I was starting to wonder if writing this blog was just a waste of my time. I really didn't know if anyone was actually reading it. There's been a lot going on - ministry, trying to finish out the school year, catching up with friends, etc, etc - and in the grand scheme of things, trying to keep up a blog that I thought no one was reading just didn't rank high on my priority list.

Life is just like that sometimes... There are so many different things pulling us in so many different directions. Sometimes we have to let even some good things fall by the wayside in favor of the better things. But sometimes, we let good things go for less noble reasons. We get wrapped up in things that really don't matter:
We find time for a leisurely cup of coffee in the morning, but no time to read the Bible...
We have time to get together with friends to eat, but not time to make it to prayer meeting...
We can catch the season finale of our favorite TV show, but not the last Bible study session...
Quite simply, we get our priorities misplaced. At the heart of the matter, we may find a lack of commitment. It might be about faithlessness. Or it could be a problem with discouragement.

For whatever reason, we are prone to give up on the good things. It's in our nature. That's why sports teams have cheerleaders. Without the cheerleaders, it's a little harder to keep giving your best when your team is behind. But there's something about having someone one the sidelines, encouraging you on with words of, "You can do it!"

In Galatians, we find the Lord "cheering us on" through the apostle Paul. God knew that without encouragement, we would be prone to give up . After all, He made us. So He says, "don't get tired of doing good..." The world around us will not always affirm our efforts at "doing good" but may, in fact, try to stand in our way.

One little phone call today was what I needed to do battle with discouragement, and to get back to the work of ENCOURAGEMENT the Lord has given me to do.

So I want to encourage you today... Take another look at that activity you've set aside, thinking it was unnecessary or unappreciated. Talk to your Father about it, and hear His voice of Truth on the matter. And don't grow weary in well doing...

...Just a thought...

More on Invisibility...

It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king's anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. Hebrews 11:27

As I read this verse this morning, my first thought was to laugh. I mean, really, how do you keep your eyes on someone who is invisible? But then I was intrigued. How DO you keep your eyes on One who is invisible?

This verse leaves me thinking of old television shows and movies about the "Invisible Man". It reminds me of a particular episode of Star Trek where an "invisible" force was creating havoc on the Enterprise. It's a great concept for science fiction, but this is NOT science fiction - it's REALITY.

So, the question, "How do you keep your eyes on the one who is invisible?" is a very important question, indeed. The Bible tells us that Moses did it, so we know it is not an impossible task.

I think it was on an old Tom & Jerry cartoon that Jerry Mouse, trying to hide from Tom Cat painted himself with invisible ink. Jerry took full advantage of the opportunity to terrorize Tom, aided greatly by the fact that Tom could not see him. Somewhere along the way, though, Jerry wandered through a mud puddle or something, and even though he was still invisible, he left a trail of footprints that Tom could follow.

Jesus has left an amazing set of footprints for us to follow! He's given us His Word - the Bible - full of very clear and useful information as to the Person of Jesus Christ and His will for our lives. He has set an example for us, that though we may not physically see Him, we can see where He has been and know the direction that He wants us to go. It won't always be easy, but God never calls us to do the impossible.

"For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps." 1 Peter 2:21

So, like Moses, I want to walk in faith, keeping my eyes on the One who is invisible. It may not make sense to those who are watching... They may think me a little crazy, but that's okay. I know Who I'm following, and I trust that He knows where we're going!

So keep your eyes on the Invisible... Just a thought...

Jars of Clay

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:7

It's April and no where near time to be thinking about Halloween, but this verse made me think about jack-o-lanterns. That's funny, because we don't really "do" Halloween...!

But this verse is a continuation of the passage in 2 Corinthians 3 where Paul is referencing the story of Moses' encounter with God on the mountain. It is one of my favorite stories in the Bible and one of the foundational elements behind this blog - that what would be seen in me is not me but Him.

So Moses had gone up to the mountain to receive the Law from the Lord. He stayed a while (40 days and nights) and then came down shining. The people were frightened by the glowing Moses, but that wonderful glow was just the natural result of time spent in the presence of God. It was not for Moses' glory, but for God's glory. Moses had no agenda here - no dreams of fame for the light in him. He understood that the light had nothing to do with him, but was all about Who he had been with.

So Paul points out that the Light that was reflected in Moses' face is the same Light that inhabits the Christian. It is not a light that we can boast of having turned on. It has nothing to do with us, but rather is all about Who is within us.

As a clay pot that will slip from my hands and shatter into a million pieces, that jar is not what is valuable in showing forth the light. Or like that jack-o-lantern, which may be intricately carved to allow the light to shine through, we understand that the pumpkin is not the source of the light, but is merely the container for the light. The pumpkin will eventually rot but the light source remains...

And so it is that whatever light shines forth from my life is not from me, but radiates from the Spirit of God within me. It is not my light, but His. Not my power, but His power. Only for His glory and never for mine.

...Just a thought...

What's It Going to Take?

I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. John 17:23

This weekend we enjoyed leading an unusual service. The Baptist, Methodist, and Assembly of God churches all got together for a Sunday evening service. We had a blast!

What is sad is that this IS unusual. Modern denominationalism has got a lot of people very mixed up about the ways of the Lord. It often seems as if churches believe that they are in competition with one another! And this is no friendly competition either. It's like they're out for blood! Is it any wonder that we are seeing such a decline in the church in America?

On the night that he was betrayed, Jesus left US instructions about how we were to live. These instructions were for the church that had not even officially started yet. His words were part of a prayer to the Father on behalf of His disciples - Present (the twelve) and future (us!). In John 17:20, He specifically identifies who He is praying for: "not only for these disciples, but for ALL who will EVER believe in me through their message" (emphasis mine).

So if Jesus cared enough to spend His final hours on earth praying for us, what He was saying must have been important. There was an urgency to His words, because He knew His time on earth was short, but His message needed to continue even when He was no longer physically present on earth.

So what was so important to Jesus that He devoted His last hours to praying for us? Was it that He wanted all of His followers to go to Bible college and seminary so that they could be properly equipped to share His Word? Was it that He wanted them to build big, beautiful buildings for people to gather in worship? Was it that He wanted the coming church to provide cutting edge programming for people of all ages? Was it stewardship programs, or committee meetings, or church suppers? No. It was none of these things.

What Jesus devoted His final hours to was not what most modern churches are devoting their time and attention to. And yet, if we would just look at what our Lord said, He has given us the key to building an effective church:

"... May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them..."

The way the world will be able to know that God sent Jesus is by the unity of the believers. Is it any wonder that people find little need of the church today? What we need is not another program, or a fancier building, or more cutting edge technology or a different style of music.

If we really want the world to come to Christ - if we want them to know Jesus as Son of God and Savior - if we truly want them to know the love of Jesus - He told us how to make it happen: UNITY.

When the church stops its internal bickering, when we stop this crazy denominational competition, when we all get busy loving one another and bearing one another's burdens... you never know - we might just change our world!

...Just a thought...

Great is His Faithfulness

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin a fresh each morning. Lamentations 3:23

The sun is shining this morning. Looks like a beautiful day ahead...

It's not what I was expecting. I fell asleep last night to the sound of pouring rain, and fleeting thoughts of others storms that have passed this way before. It's been like that all week.

As we prepared to travel to the town where we have been ministering this week, I went online to check the weather forecast. I have been feeling rather "sun-deprived" for much of the past year, so I went to the weather website hopeful that things would be looking bright. Things were NOT looking bright. In fact, the forecast called for nice weather in the days up until we arrived, at which point it would begin to rain through the rest of our scheduled days in this location. Well... at least I didn't come with high expectations of sunshine!

What has happened has been very different from the forecast. Each afternoon, I have had sunshine. And each day I have made sure to get out and go for a walk, because I knew that according to the weather man, it would be short lived. Most nights, there has been rain as I have fallen asleep, but in the morning, I have risen to sunlight streaming through the windows!

As I sit this morning typing this, there is actually a glare coming from the window in front of me, causing me to squint a bit... And it calls me to praise the Lord! It may seem a small thing, and yet as I bask in the glorious sunlight this morning, all I can think of is the incredible love and faithfulness of my Father! He has freed me from the "rainy days" of trouble in the past, and let His Light shine down on me, warming my heart and lighting my way.

Great is His faithfulness, indeed!

What a wonderful thought...!

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning! Psalm 30:5b

The Boat Is Rocking...

Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:38-40

Jesus has been healing the sick, casting out demons, teaching about the Kingdom of God. He has confided in His disciples deep truths about Himself and His Father. Now they’ve started across the lake to take a little break, and Jesus has laid down to catch a nap. A storm comes up, but honestly, could there be any safer place to be in that storm than in a boat with Jesus? He created the world after all—the lake, the tree of whose wood the boat was made, the disciples themselves. Could there be any safer place on the planet than right there with Jesus?

Sound familiar? We’re not actually in a boat on a stormy lake. But we find ourselves in “troubled waters”. Oftentimes, instead of resting in the knowledge that Jesus is “in the boat with us”, don’t we, like the disciples, fret and worry that we are going to drown? If we cannot find safety in the presence of the Creator of the universe, we are truly without hope! But the truth of the matter is that as the disciples were in perfect safety in the presence of the Lord, so we are safe in the presence of our Lord. The boat may rock, the waters may come in. We might even get thrown right out of the boat—this much is true. But whatever it feels like in the midst of the storm, we can rest assured in the knowledge that our eternity is secure through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.

...Just a thought...

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Laying Down My Rights

For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment. 1 Peter 2:19

I suffer from a "fairness complex". I think that things should be done fairly. It's the American way, isn't it? We're all about our "rights". We guard them, defend them, fight for them.... to the point that we will violate someone else's rights if we perceive they are getting in the way of our own rights.

It's the American way, certainly, but is it the Christian way? The truth is that it is not, and here's where my struggle comes in. For so long we have equated fairness with right-ness that we have begun to believe it: what is fair must be right. In truth, we subconsciously know that this line of thinking is incorrect. We all know that life is not fair. Most, if not all, of us have found ourselves in a situation where there was no "fair" solution. What was good for one was not good for others, or, (pardon my digression into Star Trek rhetoric) "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few - or the one." This cannot be said to be fair.

And so, I must come to terms with the fairness myth. The idea of fairness is a nice thing, but the reality is that it simply does not exist in many situations. But even when things can be done fairly, often they are not. And there is where I must put my faith into action.

I'm glad that it was Peter who was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write these words, because Peter is a guy I can relate to. Peter could not have come to these conclusions easily - or on his own. After all, Peter is the guy who stood up to defend Jesus at Gethsemane, cutting off the ear of the soldier who had come to arrest his friend and Lord. Peter had been all about fairness for much of his life. Now we see the Lord has shown him a better way.

So Peter instructs us to do what is right, even when we are treated unfairly. These instructions were specifically given to slaves, and more specifically to slaves with cruel masters. The instructions were further applied to women with ungodly husbands. Modern Christianity would stand to defend the rights of these slaves to their freedom, and the rights of these women to equity in marriage. Biblical Christianity looked upon this situation in a different light. This was an opportunity to live pleasing before God (1 Peter 2:19)... A chance to follow the example of Christ (1 Peter 2:21-24)... An opportunity to win souls not with words but by example (1 Peter 31-2).

And so the question I must ask myself is, "What do I value more?" Am I more concerned with fairness? Will I stubbornly hold onto my rights at the expense of someone else's soul? Or will I hear the words of the Lord through Peter, instructing me to quit worrying about what's fair, quit basing my actions on how someone else is treating me, and simply follow the example of Christ?

It's a hard one, to be sure, but it's... Just a thought....

Overwhelmed

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

I'm right now looking at the new set for the new program for the new year... It's pretty sweet, I think. I begin to picture kids standing at the game console, I can almost see the lights flashing and hear the laughter as Max relates some bit of wisdom disguised as humor... I begin to get excited - almost. I consider the opportunity that lies before me in the coming year, the countless children to whom I will speak this year, the songs we will begin to sing in just a couple of weeks that I don't even know... and it's no longer excitement I feel.

I feel immensely unqualified as I consider the huge amount of work that remains to be done and my poor stewardship in the "time" department that leaves me scrambling every year at this time. I am ridiculously behind in my paperwork. There is much writing to be done. There are props to be made, letters to be written - I have thank you notes from November I haven't written yet and it's nearly February already! Not to mention the kids need my help with school, the house is a mess, and there's laundry to be done! My husband is feeling neglected, my kids are feeling neglected, even the dogs are feeling neglected! I can't even take the time to call my friends and see how things are going with them!

I am overwhelmed. I am overwhelmed that the Lord would entrust me with such an important job as sharing His Word with others, when I do such a poor job at all the other things He's given me to do. Why put ME in such a position? I know lots of people who do a fantastic job of juggling multiple responsibilities, who are ORGANIZED, who get up early and do their work with an efficiency I cannot begin to fathom...

So as I work myself into a frenzy, sitting with my feet tangled in cables that need to be wound up and put away, surrounded by stuff to be loaded into the trailer today, all of it covered in sawdust that needs to be cleaned off - and it's already 9:30...!!! A still small voice gently points me back to Ephesians... words recorded by Paul... a simply profound message to ME from the Creator of the Universe... "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..."

I am reminded again that it is not about ME, or my abilities, or even the lack thereof. It is about what HE is able to do - which is more than I can ask or imagine!

And so I find it is not the task that is overwhelming after all. It is the power and love of God that leaves me at once feeling both overwhelmed and at peace. He's got it under control!

...Just a thought...