Familiarity VS Obedience

By: Jenifer Metzger

But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord,

choose for yourselves today: Which will you

worship—the gods your ancestors worshiped

beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the

Amorites in whose land you are living? As for

me and my family, we will worship the Lord.

Joshua 24:15 CSB

Recently my husband had his glasses on his head while working on something and in frustration, he tossed his head back and the glasses landed lens down on the concrete. When we grabbed them to check the damage, hoping there was nothing there, there was the tiniest dot on each lens. Not a scratch or crack. A tiny dot. He immediately said he was done with the glasses, he just couldn't handle the dot in his vision. I laughed, "Haven't you seen my glasses!?" My glasses are so scratched up and scuffed up that it's actually ridiculous. And after taking a bad fall last year, the frames are slightly bent so they press into my head on one side.

After a few days of refusing to wear his glasses, yet not being able to see, we went to the eye doctor and ordered him a new pair. My husband asked me why I wasn't ordering glasses too, since my glasses are such a mess. I told him that I was good, I didn't need any.

The truth is, I have four other pair of glasses. All newer and better. All a more updated prescription. Frames perfectly shaped. Lenses without even the slightest blemish. Yet, even with all of these great options, I always wake up in the morning and choose my oldest, most beat up pair, the pair that is so beat up it does in fact mess with my vision. I really have no reason or excuse other than they are comfortable to me. Once in a while I put on a better pair, but after an hour or so, I always go back to the old ones.

Sometimes we are like that with sin. We know we shouldn't do something, yet comfort or familiarity always has us going back. We know our choice of music isn't uplifting or leading us closer to God, yet somehow we always turn it back on. We know gossip is wrong, yet when we get with the right person, it flows freely from our lips. We have that friend we know is a bad influence on us, yet we keep hanging out with them. We know we should be reaching for our Bible to spend some time with the Lord, yet we reach for our phone to doom-scroll yet again. We know we need to get up for church or we will be late or even just give up and stay home, yet the comfort of our bed draws us to stay put.

We let the familiar and the comfortable call to us even when we know there is something so much better for us. I know with one of my newer, better pair of glasses that I can see better -much better in fact- and won't feel the pressure on the side of my head from a bent frame. I know there is better. But I choose the comfort of my old glasses.

When I lay down these old glasses for a better pair, I can see more clearly. When we lay down the comfortable and familiar and choose the Father and His ways, we can see more clearly and we begin to grow in Him.

I am going to step away from comfort and put on my better glasses now...

Discussion:
1. Think of that thing you know you should avoid but always go back to out of comfort or familiarity.
2. What can you do to lay down the comfortable and familiar and choose God?

Names of God Series: Being Guarded by The Shield

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of: Erik Mclean

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart celebrates, and I give thanks to him with my song." 

~Psalm 28:7

In our weekly series on the names of God, we come now to this beautiful passage from Psalm 28, where the Psalmist refers to God as being his "shield". The Hebrew word translated "shield" is "māḡēn", and points to the Lord being our defense. 

We live in a day and age in which so often people want to defend themselves. Defensiveness is a common issue in many relationships and leads to drama very quickly. But while we may want to jump to defend ourselves, to shield ourselves, and to protect ourselves from any and all attack, the comforting reality is that we don't have to. God is our defense, He is our shield.

When the enemy comes prowling, God is our shield.

When the accuser starts talking, God is our shield.

When people misunderstand us or falsely accuse us, God is our shield.

When people hurt us or use us, God is our shield. 

Whatever we may be facing now or will be facing in the future, our God is our shield and always will be. What a blessing that is to remember! 

Reflection Questions:

1) How does it comfort your heart to know that God is your shield?

2) How is the Lord showing up as your shield right now with what you are currently facing in your life?

3) How has He faithfully been your shield in the past?

Soon

 By: Joanne Viola

In Judges 13:1-5, we discover the story of Samson. It is interesting, that although the angel of the Lord appeared to her, she is known as “Manoah’s wife”, and then as Samson’s mother. Her name is not given to us in these verses.

There are times we may feel unnoticed, unqualified, or unable to make a difference in the world. Yet when the time is right, God opens the door. We find purpose and significance to all we have done and are doing.

The angel says to Manoah’s wife in verse 3,

“Even though you have been unable to have children, 
you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son.” 
(NLT)

Soon. It is defined as being “without undue time lapse” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

We tend to think it means in a short while, before too long, or eventually. But with God it means at the opportune time. The time most favorable, perfectly timed in which He works and moves in our lives, according to His purposes.

We all have a “soon” moment which we are waiting for in our lives – the door we are waiting to open – the right job, a question answered, provision for a need, a new apartment, a prodigal to come home, a relationship restored, a marriage, a pregnancy, a ministry opportunity.

As time passes and we are still in the waiting posture, some may even try to comfort or console us with their words.

“Soon the right position will come along.”
“You may have questions, but soon you will have answers.”
“You’ll find the right place to live soon.”
“That relationship will turn around soon.”

May we hold onto our God who sees all things, for nothing is hidden from Him.

“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, NLT)

May we each be assured our God will move
not only in His way but in His time.
Soon.

 

Reflection: 
What is your “soon” that you are waiting on God for? How do you hold onto God while in the wait?

 

Image by Laci Molnár from Pixabay

 

 

Encouragement in Life's Suffering

By: Lauren Thomas 

I’m guessing that you could use some encouragement right now. I could! Life is full of disappointment and troubles. Thankfully, there is plenty of encouragement we can find on the pages of Holy Scripture. One verse that I find particularly encouraging when I am facing something difficult is nestled in 1 Peter 5. Let’s break it down and soak up all the encouragement we can from it:

 

10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

1 Peter 5:10 ESV

After you have suffered a little while… Peter wrote to Christians who had been dispersed under terrible persecution in the Roman empire. The suffering he was referring to was persecution that most of us in the US have never faced. And yet, no person alive is immune to suffering. We all face loss, sickness, brokenness in relationships, and various challenges that bring suffering into our lives. And while this suffering can feel unending, the reality is that in the light of eternity, our suffering here is brief. Looking back from heaven, we will one day think how short our suffering on Earth was. 

 

…the God of all grace… In James, God is referred to as the “Father of mercies.” All grace, all mercy, all compassion has its origin in God himself. This is what he gives. This is who he is.

 

…who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ… If you believe, then you can be sure he has called you. And if he has called you, then one day you will find yourself in eternal glory, Heaven, in the midst of his goodness. This is all accomplished in Christ, by God’s grace.

 

…will himself restore… Oh, how I long for restoration. I long for restoration of relationships, of health/youth/body. I long for restoration after the weariness of overwhelm. I long to be filled back up after a long day of feeling I am being poured out. I long for a deep soul restoration, a restoration that takes me all the way back to how God originally intended me to live, in the Garden, in his presence. But even here on Earth, there is promise of restoration in him, through Jesus, our Great Shepherd.

 

…confirm… Yes, all the bad things you faced, God brought you through them. Yes, He was there with you all along. Yes, he was shielding and shepherding you. Yes, your soul was safe in his grasp. Yes, he loved you all along.

 

…strengthen… He’ll make you strong. He’ll be your strength after you’ve experienced your own weakness. He will lift you up, exalt you, strengthen you.

 

…and establish you. He will cause roots to go down deep, grounding your faith, in spite of what you’ve face, because of what you’ve faced. You’ve won’t be moved. You won’t be shaken. Your confidence in him will flourish. 

Thank you, Lord, for this promise of your goodness to us in our suffering!

 

Reflection: 

What part of this verse gives you the most hope? Why? Is there someone you know who needs this verse spoken over them? 

When You Feel Unmotivated

By: Jenifer Metzger

There are days I am productive. I wake up early, get ready, have my time with God, and then I get busy with super speed taking care of everything in my home. The laundry is washed, dried, folded, and put away. The dishes are done. There is not speck of dust in the house and the vacuum lines are perfect. My blog posts and social media posts are scheduled in advance. I end the night exhausted but feeling good about all I accomplished.

Then, there are days I am unmotivated. I struggle to get out of bed and I am slow to get ready. After my morning routine and spending time with God, I feel like I need a couch break. After far too long of reading or scrolling through Instagram, I toss a load of laundry in and pick up the house a little. Only to feel the magnetic pull of the couch once again. This little back and forth continues all day long. I go to bed feeling as though nothing was accomplished.

Can you relate?

So whether you eat or drink,

or whatever you do,

do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

No matter what our days hold -household chores, climbing the corporate ladder, running children to and from activities, managing an office, caring for an elderly loved one, teaching children, or whatever responsibilities we have- we need to do it all for the glory of the Lord. When we set our eyes on Him and work for His glory, our tasks seem more manageable and purposeful.

Often we feel overwhelmed when we are more focused on our to-do list than God and often we feel under appreciated when we focus on what others want from us instead of God. When we work for the Lord, for His glory and to care for all He has entrusted to us in this season, we find the motivation to keep on keeping on and bring glory to Him.

When your motivation tank feels empty, fix your eyes on God. Thank Him for all He has given you and ask for His strength to take care of it.

Discussion:
1. Do you feel like you have more motivated days or  unmotivated days?
2. When you are facing those unmotivated days, what do you do to find motivation?