Blogging through the #B90Days: Day 18, Reflections on Gideon (Judges 6:36)

Reading through the Bible 90 Days as part of the Challenge hosted at Mom's Toolbox.

Reading:  Judges 3: 28 - 15: 12

Scripture:  Judges 6: 36 - 40

36 So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said— 37 look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.

Reflections: 


I cannot fault Gideon.
On paper, and in my head,  I know that God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.
But when the foolish thing He wants to use is you, and the wise that need confounding are a really big army, or dark city that needs hope?

Questions are normal.
Questions are expected.

Now.... Gideon probably should have accepted that God really and truly was intending to use him, the smallest member of the weakest clan in all of Manasseh, after the FIRST test of the fleece...  But God is gracious, and was patient with him.

I adore the story of Gideon, because my husband and I are in the waiting stage.  We are testing every thing that sounds like it could  be the Lord's will, so that we do not make a move outside of His timing.
Gideon's story reassures me that He will not be upset with us being careful to obey HIM, and not acting out of our own ambition, and ascribing it to Him.

And, God's patience with Gideon during the fleece tests just makes my heart sing.
The God who created the World, who could smite the enemies of His chosen people with one thought, chose to reveal Himself to the weakest of them all, and use an unlikely vessel to bring about HIS GLORY.

If I can wrap my head around the God assesses character, it changes the way I see people.

What is He looking for?

1. Usability.
A heart not filled with pride that trusts Him.

2. Humility.
Accurately seeing ourselves compared to His greatness.

3. Obedience.
He needs people that are going to do what He asks, even if it does not make sense.


My most sincere prayer is that we would find all three, in me.

Blogging through the Bible in 90 Days: Day 17. Faith by osmosis....

#B90Days, Day 17.  Judges 2:10.

Reading:  Joshua 15: 1 - Judges 3 : 27

Scripture:  Judges 2 : 10

 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.

Observations:


Joshua died, and when everyone who was alive at the time of the crossing of the Jordan passed away, they remembered the Lord no more.

All of a sudden the repetition in Deuteronomy urging them to love and serve God with all their mind, soul, heart and strength, and to diligently teach their children all the time, make sense.

Deuteronomy 6:7 says:

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Something went wrong.

Maybe the glory of the Lord was so obvious to that generation that they took it for granted that the children would understand the magnitude of what He had done for them.   The adults at the time reveled in the Glory of God, and the young children watched as their parents served.  Perhaps the instruction, and talking about the laws never happened, because the adults didn't need the reminders.

When the adults passed on, and the children were grown, all of a sudden there is a generation of people that had been riding on the faith of their parents.  If they had heard, and learned, they would have made it their own.  But faith by osmosis cannot stand in the day of trials.  Faith by osmosis is not faith at all.

So the grandchildren of the ones that crossed the Jordan grew up barely hearing mention of God.

And God knew it would happen.  That's why He warned them over, and over again.... Don't forget.  Don't become complacent.  Remember all that I have done, and pass it along to your children.

But as it happened, a generation was raised that "knew neither the LORD, nor what He had done for Israel."


Application: 


Faith is a personal journey.  I could not bring my mother to the kingdom through my prayers for her.  She had to find it on her own. And she did.  And the faith of all of us cannot pray my sister into heaven. She has to find it on her own.  She can pick up the details by osmosis.... and learn a little Christianese... but the bottom line is a relationship with our Creator and Savior.

My faith in God has to be lived out, every single day.  It has to be in my words, and my actions.
My sons cannot hear my internal praying.   I have to bring it all out in the open, for them, so that they can see faith in action.

We need to talk about the God that loves us, all the time.  At the dinner table.  When we are walking down the road.  When we are driving in the car.

They need to see that trusting in the Lord is normal.
They need to see that making time to get up early to be in the WORD, to hear from Him is normal.

But more than seeing it....
They have to understand it, and choose it for themselves.
It needs to become their own.

Prayer:


 Father God,
What a wake up call.

Thank you so much for my sweet son, who every morning comes down and asks me, "Mommy?  Is your pray time with Jesus done?"  Thank you for helping me to establish the pattern of getting up early to meet with you during the school year, and then providing the discipline and motivation to continue it on through the summer time!

Help us, as parents, to live our faith out loud to our children.  Discussing You with them, all the time.
And help us to handle the boundary testing that is happening now with grace, and love...
Amen.

Blogging through the #B90Days: Day 14 - It's not all that different.

Reading (and semi-regularly blogging) through the Bible in 90 Days, through the challenge hosted at Mom's Toolbox.

Reading:  Deuteronomy 8:1 - Deuteronomy 23:11

Scripture:  Deuteronomy 10: 12 (13)

12 “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ( 13 and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good? )

Observations: 


Verse 12 is very familiar. We hear it all throughout the New Testament.  Serve/Love God with our whole hearts, with all our souls, and to walk in His ways.

No so different.
The difference is because of verse 13.
The New Covenant frees us from being under the commandments and the statutes.  We are under GRACE.


Application:


He has not changed what He wants out of humanity over all of this time.
He wants us to CHOOSE HIM.
He wants us to FEAR HIM -- because He IS GOD -- He is HOLY.
He wants us to respect Him, and live the way that He is teaching us/commanding us.
He wants us to LOVE HIM.  Because He first loved US.


How much easier we have it as believers under the New Covenant.  We don't just have the invisible God. We have the Holy Spirit, there with us always. We have access to the throne of Grace, whenever we choose.  And we have a Savior, that died for us, individually and corporately.

When we, 21st century Christians, are downhearted, perhaps we need to come back to Deuteronomy and remember what a Holy God we serve, and how completely grateful we should be every. single. day. for the Cross.

Prayer:

Oh Lord,
You have searched me, and You know my heart.
Help these words, these insights that you have given me last throughout the night and into tomorrow.  Help these remembrances of you shape the new day tomorrow.
Help the gratefulness create the fragrance of You, and let it flow through our home, our community.

Thank you.
From the depths of my soul, and the deep of my heart,
thank you.

Amen.

Blogging through the #B90Days: Day 13

Blogging (sometimes) through the Bible in 90 Days.  There are SO many people reading it together through the challenge hosted on Mom's Toolbox.   This is my reflection and response to the reading for Day 13. Click here to read Amy's reflection.

Reading:   Numbers 32:20-Deuteronomy 7:26

Scripture:  Deuteronomy 6: 6-7

6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Observations:


The Words of the Lord were/are supposed to be reflected upon more than a once a week, or even once a day.  All the time, we are to be discussing the commands of our God, and teaching our children by living the lives that He called us to live.

Application:


These verses jumped out at me, because thanks for the inquisitive heart of our five year old, this is exactly what we are doing.  He is asking questions all the time, and he is SO responsive to scriptural based correction.  We talk at the dinner table. We talk when we are sitting on our porch.  We talk when we are sitting together in the living room, in the middle of Angry Birds (he calls it Grumpy Birds) shots.

It was just a reminder that we need to be intentional about our sharing with him.  And we need to establish the pattern, because our younger son might not have the same questions, and might not be as receptive, or as in tune with spiritual things.

We are training our young boys in the way of worshiping the Lord our God, so that they will become young men who worship and follow after God, and become fathers who worship and follow after God.

(whoa.  My sweet son is starting Kindergarten in the fall. I don't want to fast forward that far yet!)

Prayer:

Father,
You are Holy.
Reading through Deuteronomy makes me realize just how Holy you are.
How often do I neglect the significance of the cross.  That I,  a gentile woman has the privilege of approaching your Throne of Grace, and calling you my Father, and that you are with me all of the time.

Lord, I am desperate to remain always thankful for the New Covenant.
Help me to live a live of overwhelming gratitude, that spills over onto every conversation with my son, with my co-workers, with my students, with my relatives, with my friends...

May Your commands, and Your WORD remain always on my mind, and may it become natural to teach, and not just answer questions.

In awe...
In humility,
Amen

Blogging through the #B90Days: Day 9

Blogging through the Bible in 90 Days, with Amy from Mom's Toolbox.

Reading:  Leviticus 14: 33 - 57 - Leviticus 26: 1 - 26

Scripture:  Leviticus 18: 1-5

1 The Lord said to Moses,2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'I am the Lord your God.3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God.5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.

Observations:


This section of scripture is in the middle the huge list of "don'ts" that basically make up the book of Leviticus.  In fact, immediately following this beautiful  statement is a long list of perversions the Israelites are to stay away from.  They range from general human decency (don't sleep with your mother in law, she is your father's wife) to the very offensive (don't have sex with an animal).  And then we see, in verse 26 - 27:

26 But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things,27 for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled.


Ewwww!!!
No wonder God felt like He had to spell it out!!
The blanket statement "do not live like those people who lived here before" was not strong enough.

Application:


Stay focused of God.
Do what He has told me to do, live the way He has told us to live.
Do not be concerned, or focused on the way the others around us are living.

If I am the Lord's, I will obey Him.


Prayer:


Lord,

I am overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of what Jesus' death on the cross accomplished.

Thank you for having a plan in place to redeem us, and thank you for including all people, regardless of where we come from, or who we are.

Above all, thank you that the Law was completely fulfilled with the sacrifice of your Son.

(And thank you for the covenant with Noah about the whole not killing off the Earth with a flood again, because humanity is so depraved, you would have had to start over at least 1,000 times....)

I am so grateful to be going through the Old Testament again, for the reminder of your Majesty.

I am in awe of you.

Amen.

Blogging through the #B90Days: Day 8 - God Takes Obedience Seriously

Blogging through the Bible in 90 Days  in a challenge hosted by Amy, at Mom's Toolbox.

Reading: Day 8 -   Leviticus 1 - Leviticus 14: 1 - 32

What I Heard Today : God Takes Obedience Seriously


Scripture:  Leviticus 10: 1 - 3


1 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command.2 So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.

3 Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:
"'Among those who approach me
I will be proved holy;
in the sight of all the people
I will be honored.'"
Aaron remained silent.


Observations:


1. God is Holy.
2. God gives us instructions, and warnings for a REASON.
3. There are things that we do not understand.

Nadab and Abihu were literally and figuratively playing with fire.

All they had were God's instructions.
They knew what to do when.

I don't know if it was innocent in their intent -- a desire to give another fragrant offering to the Lord, or if it was just that they were reckless, and testing the boundaries.  But -- it is not our job to understand why we are to do the things that He has told us to do.

Our job is to do them.

Application:


1. Do what the Lord is telling me, and has been telling me to do.
2. Do not do what the Lord has not told us to do yet.

I need to be obedient in both my action, and my inaction.

Prayer:


Lord,
Thank you that you are PROVED HOLY.
You are a mighty God...
And I will not endeavor to understand all that you are.
I will simply listen, obey, trust, and rest.

Thank you, my Savior, for the privilege of approaching your throne.
May never take it for granted.

Amen.

Blogging through the #B90 Days: Day 7

Blogging through the Bible in 90 Days  with 900 others reading along at the same time.  Learn more at Mom's Toolbox.

Reading:   Exodus 29 - Exodus 40

Scripture:  Exodus 31: 1 - 6
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 5 in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.

6 “And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you:

Observations: 
Workmanship, and skill in artistry are gifts from God!  Bestowed on certain individuals that God chose!


Application:


This portion jumped out off of the page (um... screen.... I was in the car reading on my YouVersion Bible App) at me since I am a musician.

I have always known that God gives talents, and God uses them in us for His glory.
But it was just beautiful to see the first mention of creative workmanship, and artistic skills being given by God for HIS purpose.

It was just a sweet love note from my Father, reminding me that I am who HE designed me to be, with the gifts, and talents that HE gave me.  And that as a public school music teacher I may not be able to proclaim the Gospel in words, but my being their IS a part of my purpose.

And also, it was a gentle nudge to not neglect the area of music ministry, and preparing my library of worship songs, and improving my skills as a worship leader.

Prayer:


Lord,
Thank you so much for the things that you are showing me as I am reading through the Bible in its entirety for the second time.  Help me to learn all that I can -- make my mind and heart open to your instruction.

And Lord, help what I learn to reveal itself in my daily life.  Please forgive me for the grouch that I have been at times, and thank you for blessing me with a family that is quick to forgive.

You are everything.
You are my everything.
And I will adore you.


Amen.

Blogging through the #B90Days: Day 5

Blogging through the Bible in 90 Days with Amy, from Mom's Toolbox.

Reading:  Exodus 1:1 - 15: 18

Scripture:  Exodus 4:11

11 So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?

Observations:


Moses is really, really intimidated by the task that God is asking of him.
I don't blame him.  Especially with a speech impediment!  Even being of capable speech, the thought of approaching Pharaoh and asking for the freedom of the thousands of Hebrews that were doing the work of making Egypt the grand place that was would be incredibly daunting.

But God  starts  to get annoyed with the continual choruses of, "God, why would Pharaoh listen to me, with my stuttering?"

 To which He replies (more or less), " Hello? I am I NOT in CHARGE here?  Did I make you this way? Did you ever consider that I created you, designed you for this very purpose? And that this thorn in your side that you keep complaining about is just the thing that is going to make you rely on MY strength?"

Application:


My God created me exactly the way that I am.
I laugh too loudly, and I try too hard to be funny.  My sense of humor works with my 5th graders and garners eye-rolls from my high school students.
I feel things deeply, and care passionately.
I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I always have.

Until I felt the love of my Savior, I considered my sensitive nature a liability. Something to be ashamed of.  But when I felt the arms of love around me, and saw things with new eyes, I realized that the sensitivity that had been the thorn in my side my whole life was truly a gift.

I am still trying to figure out how my everlasting struggle with my weight is a useful or necessary part of His design.  But...  I know there must be a reason, and I will keep trying to 'exercise' the discipline needed to bring my body under submission.  (Okay, Lord... I get it.)

Prayer:


Lord,
Thank you for your creativity in designing your people.  We are all so different, with so much to offer.
Thank you for helping me to see my qualities the way that You see them, and teaching me to embrace the sensitive heart that you gave me.
Help me to use the areas in my life that where I need discipline teach me to have discipline in all areas.

Thank you for your faithfulness...  you are amazing.
Amen.

Blogging through the #B90Days: Day 3 - GOD doesn't play favorites

Blogging through the Bible in 90 Days with Amy (and lots, and lots of others) at Mom's Toolbox.

Day 3:  Genesis 28:20 - 40:11


Scripture:  


Genesis 29:30
Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah....

Genesis 37:3
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of this old age.  Also he made him a tunic of many colors.



Observations:


Favoritism is not the best policy.


Jacob loved Rachel.  If Laban had not tricked Jacob into marrying Leah first?  Well, Jacob would not have a baseball team (plus some) of sons.  But in doing so, because Jacob did not hide that his affection was for Rachel only, he created a deep bitterness between the two sisters.

In Genesis 37:3, it says that he loved Joseph more because he was the son of his old age... but we all know that it was because he was Rachel's boy.

Most parents know the ill effects of showing blatant favoritism among your children.
Choruses of "it's NOT FAIR" abound.  Bitterness and anger hover in the air.  But worst case scenario??
The other siblings gang up on the favored and decide to sell him into slavery.

Yikes.   If that isn't a deterrent, then I don't know what would be!



Application:


God, You do not play favorites.

You have given each of us a job to do, and given each of us the tools and strength to complete it.
From your vantage point, we are all working together to create a Grand Design.  There are no unimportant jobs, no unimportant people.

 Your design is to reach all people with the news of Your love, and you see no difference between a man who humbly sweeps floors and cleans toilets, and a man who stands on a stage, teaching Your Word to thousands.  You see no difference between a woman with a thriving ministry, reaching hundreds of thousands of women for Christ, and a young mother with two small children, raising them from home.

You do not play favorites.


Prayer:


Oh Lord,
How grateful I am that You are my Provider.  And that just like Sarai found, You are the God who sees me.

You are such an artist, Lord.  I pray that I would remember that my job is whatever You have given me to do. And if I do my job, then I am fulfilling my purpose in your Grand Design.

Thank you for not playing favorites among Your people.
Thank you for not giving up on us humans that do.


I am so overwhelmed by your Love, and especially your Mercy.
Amen.

Blogging through the #B90Days: Day 2

Reading through the Bible in 90 Days, with Amy (and 900 other people!!!) from Mom's Toolbox.

Day 2


Reading:  Genesis 17:1 - 28:19


Things that I heard today:


Abraham and Isaac both had their wives pretend to be their sister when dealing with the leaders of foreign countries.  And each time the Lord intervened, and protected their wives.

They trusted God with the really big stuff --  the visions, the becoming a nation and all that, but had a harder time with trusting on the day to day life stuff.
-----
Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah.  The twins were not born until he was 60.  Twenty years of infertility in a culture where a woman's primary role was to provide offspring. Certainly, twenty years does not compare to a near lifetime of barrenness that Sarah had suffered, but it is still a long time to be waiting on the promises that God has spoken.

-----



Scripture(s):


Genesis 27 - all.
(Synopsis:  Jacob gets Esau's blessing through the deception of Rebekah...)



Observations:


Favoritism is not good.

Here are the things that I know.

Rebekah, when praying to the Lord about the twins struggling with each other in utero, was told by the Lord that the older would serve the younger. (Gen 25:23)

Esau was Isaac's favorite, Jacob was Rebekah's favorite.

Jacob extracted the promise of Esau's birthright from him for a bowl of lentil stew.

On Isaac's deathbed,  Rebekah  plots to deceive him into giving the blessing of the firstborn to Jacob.

-----

Questions that this all raises?

So many!

We know that traditionally, the older son gets the bigger blessing.
We also know that God intended for Jacob to become Israel.

Why then, was Jacob not born first?
Why is the deceit, trickery and favoritism necessary?

Perhaps it had nothing to do with order of birth, and simply favoritism was at the root of it all.  Would Isaac have tried to bless Esau even if he had been born second?

Was Rebekah acting out of partiality to Jacob, or trying to ensure that the word she had received from the Lord came to pass?

These are questions that I always think about when I read this passage of Scripture.  I do not expect to know the answers this side of Heaven.

But this I know:  My God is the God of grace. He calls sinners, and tax collectors, and liars and thieves and prostitutes, and changes their lives, and uses them to accomplish His designs.


Application:


God's purposes will be accomplished.  (He will build this church in His OWN time.)
His ways are NOT our ways.  (He will do it HIS way, in His OWN time.)
Our stupidity, and mistakes, and sinfulness might mean He has to get creative, but it will NOT prevent Him from doing His will. ( He is completely in control.)


My God is trustworthy.
I may not understand why things happened the way that they did, but I can be comforted by the lineage of Christ, seeing not a list of people who were paragons in upright living, but ordinary people that are incapable of perfection.

The lessons my heart is hearing today:

 Trust Him above all --- do not try to bring about what I think is His will in my own strength, but let HIM do it in His time, and His way.

Believe Him for the huge things (the call for the church plant), but also the the mundane things (gas money, groceries, furnaces, vehicles).

We have barely scratched the surface of waiting. There are so many examples of God giving a promise, and then years, and year pass before it comes to pass. Give us patience!!




Prayer:


Thank you Lord, that your purposes will be accomplished here on Earth, no matter what we might do in our own efforts and strength.  Thank you for the reminders that You Alone are trustworthy, and for all things.  Give us peace, patience and the grace to wait as you prepare us for what is to come.


Thank you for the immeasurable blessings of our life.
Amen.

Blogging through the #B90Days: Day 1

Reading through the Bible in 90 Days, with 900 other people, at Mom's Toolbox.

On Saturday I finished the incredible journey of Blogging through the Gospels, also with Amy from Mom's Toolbox.  It was an extraordinary, life-changing experience.  Using the SOAP method to find nuggets in God's word each day, things that I knew were intended specifically for me, was just.... truly awesome.

So when I saw her SOAP from the Day 1 reading, it was as if a light bulb had gone off.

You see -- I was so reluctant to leave the SOAP experience behind, that I was going to try to continue through the Epistles in SOAP format, but I was a little concerned about not giving the Bible in 90 Days the time that I really wanted to give it.  So this was the answer to my dilemma. :)

So this morning, when my second alarm (thank goodness for back-ups!) went off at 4AM, I even beat my husband downstairs because I was so eager to get started.  And the alarms are actually for HIM because his summer hours are 5:30 AM - 2 PM, and we live 45 minutes away from his work.  So here I am, in the middle of summer vacation, willingly (and even excitedly) waking up between 3:45 and 4 AM so that I can get my (usually) uninterrupted time in the WORD.

This is a miracle. :)

Now.... there were other choices to be made.
I have very recently just made the switch to NKJV. (My husband is thrilled.)  I had been a long time NIV reader, and then found a great HCSB that I loved.  But more and more, during this Blogging through the Gospels experience, I kept turning to the NKJV.  So, when my brand new Word for Today NKJV Bible arrived on my doorstep last week, I knew that I had some decisions to make.

Last time I read the Bible in 90 Days, I used the YouVersion app on my iPod (and now on my Android).  It was great.  Portable and very convenient.  But this time, since I knew that I wanted to be doing some kind of blogging, and keeping notes along the way, I knew that app might not be the best option.  Highlights don't last beyond the screen that you are on.

And I have the actual Bible in 90 Days book, a gift from my mother, after they had done it the first time.

But.... it is NIV, and I had just made the switch to NKJV.

So, this morning, I went to the index of the official B90Days bible, and marked in my new NKJV Bible where the end of Day One way, and off I went.

(Wow... what a long introduction. You must be bored to tears.)

Anyway.
Here is what I heard today.

Reading: Genesis 1 - Genesis 16

Scripture:  Genesis 12: 1 - 4

1 Now the LORD had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
4 So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.


Observations:


God spoke.
Abram obeyed.

Application:


God spoke.
Randy and Meredith questioned.
Randy and Meredith asked for confirmation.
The LORD confirmed.
Randy and Meredith took a baby step of faith.
The LORD confirmed.
Rand and Meredith BELIEVED.


It doesn't have the same power as: God spoke. Abram obeyed.

Prayer:


Lord,
Help us to obey by faith.
I do not think that you are upset that we seek confirmation. After all, we know that you are doing something, we just don't know when.

Help us to wait.
Help us to OBEY, without action....
until the obedience you demand REQUIRES action.

We have moved to the land that you have shown us.

And now we wait.

Give us peace and humility in the waiting.
And above all,
Thank you for calling us. Thank you for loving us, and for speaking to us and teaching us.
May we continually seek your Presence.

Amen.