God is Here and Powerful.

Our current situation seems chaotic. A massive hurricane hitting the Gulf coast this week; Delta variant overwhelming hospitals again; Evacuations in Afghanistan; Christians being hunted down and killed around the world; Racial tension still evident; State and Federal government strong-arming one another; Rising flood waters in Tennessee killing innocent people. We look around and wonder where is God?

While we as believers know God has not left us, our human side wonders, “Is He in control?” “Does He even care about my situation, my anxiety, my story?” These past several months have revealed we are more fragile and vulnerable than we care to admit.

Job is a story about a man who worshiped the Living God. His story is found in the Old Testament. He’s living the American dream one day and the next, he’s lost everything: his business, his livestock, his children, his health. However, he never loses his faith but he does have some questions for God.

Job begins to ask God about his current state, wondering where God is in his story. By chapter 38, God has had enough and answers Job’s questions, not with answers but with more questions. God asks beginning in Job 38, ““Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?Tell me, if you know so much.

Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?

For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores. I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!’ Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?

As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors. The light disturbs the wicked and stops the arm that is raised in violence. Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you explored their depths?

Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom? Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know!”

King David also knew that just be looking around us in nature and the cosmos, God’s presence is revealed. David says in Psalms 19:1-4 that if you and I would just slow down, go outside and look up, we’d see that God is with us. Nature itself screams the glory and presence of God.

As Christ-followers, we worship a God who is so much bigger than we are! He knows and sees what we do not. There’s something comforting about worshipping a God that big.

My prayer is we’d realize we are not in control but He is. At the end of Job’s story in Job 42:5, Job says, “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.” Job went from hearing about God to seeing God; from knowing about God to knowing God. May you truly know God is with you during these difficult times. May you feel the peace in your life that only He can provide. Blessings on the journey.

He's Got the Whole World...

Jesus! He. Is. Awesome. I sat with him over my Panera coffee this morning, and began to unravel my wound up and anxious heart. Rather than trying to put my best foot forward in my time with Him, I began to tell him what He already knew:

I am not sure if I can do it. I can’t make sure everybody likes me. I can’t stop eating sugar. I can’t focus in my time with him. Facebook seems much easier than facing my fears. It’s difficult to sleep because I have a couple of weddings on the calendar, a sermon series in the making and the list of “to do’s” is growing.  I can’t change my wandering heart and my “normal summer” is gone. I can’t “get it together.” (What is “it” anyway? Who defines “together?”)

In Jesus, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Our Lord “is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” (Psalm 145:8)

Jesus has “it together.” He is keenly aware that we don’t.  He moves toward us with infinite compassion and lavish love. This is why He died: that we can come with our wound up and anxious hearts and unravel them at His feet.

One by one the fibers of my heart were laid bare and I surrendered to the One who can handle my life, my propensity to wander, my addictions and my details. My eyes were shifted, if even temporarily, from myself to the One who spoke the world into existence and knit me in my mother’s womb.

He has taken the condemnation that I deserve so that I can have my mind free of the murmurings of self-contempt. This freedom allows me to live boldly, honestly and creatively. I no longer need to self-protect. I can allow space for Jesus to change me.

So today, remember that Jesus has you and gets you. Turn over your anxiety to him. Don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow has enough worry of its own. Hold his hand. Know He protects you. Blessings on your journey.

Feeling the Pressure.

Right now, we all are a little stressed out. We can’t leave our home, we tired of Zoom schooling, we can’t visit our friends, we’ve watched every Netflix episode, our food bill is sky-high…we are a little overwhelmed. 62% of college students are overwhelmingly anxious about school for the future. 75% of hospital visits are induced by some sort of anxiety.

King David gives us some answers concerning his anxiety and how we addressed it. He doesn’t give us “5 Steps to overcoming anxiety” but he does write with emotion and allows us to enter his story. Psalm 55 is one of those moments where David is feeling overwhelmed but knows who to go to when he feels this way.

David starts the Psalm praying honestly about his anxious feelings. He’s vulnerable which is a tough thing for a guy with his reputation. Remember, he killed a giant so all Israel knows his prowess. Yet, he can say he needs help and rescue from God. We cannot let the expectations from the world deter us from being honest about how we are feeling and express those feeling to a loving Father.

We also see that David moves from generic to specific in his prayer. Paul says in Philippians 4, “Don’t be anxious about anything but in everything, make it know to God”. Be specific in what you want from God and how you feel about the thing happening in your life. I feel the most spiritual prayers are unscripted, honest prayers.

So what is causing you anxiety and worry right now? Your health or the health of your family? Your job? Financial stability? A relationship that has betrayed you? Your marriage? Your kids? The future? You’ve got things going on your life right now you want to have comfort concerning. You want to know God is with you no matter what.

So David feels the same way and he begins talking to himself about God. He started talking to God but then changed to talk to himself about who God is and God’s promises. He’s talking to God about his anxiety then begins talking to his anxiety about who God is. David begins turning down the volume of the noise around him and turns up the volume on God’s voice.

You have to do the same. You must turn up the volume on God’s voice and his promises to you. You must turn up the voice of God reminding you he is your rescuer, redeemer, healer, Father, comfort and guide. He’s real and authentic. He’ll never leave you. When we do that, worship drowns out worry.

David closes out Psalm 55 by saying in verse 22, “Give your burdens to the Lord and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” And so your challenge today and in the days to come is be honest with God how you feel. Talk to him morning, noon and night. And realize He’s with you. He’ll never leave you. He’s got this. Blessings on your journey.