Consumed by God

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

-Isaiah 43:2

“Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”

-Lamentations 3:22

As May approaches, I have a lot of feelings and fears that are bubbling to the surface of my heart.  These are fears and emotions that I thought I had smothered out.  I stuffed them way down and hoped to never see them again. Ha! You see, last May, I almost lost my 3 month old baby to pneumonia.  For two weeks I watched my tiny, helpless little girl fight for her life in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.  For eight days she was unconscious and was only able to breathe with the help of a ventilator.   Once we got her home I just wanted to celebrate the miracle that God had done in our lives.  Later on, some of the emotions I was still carrying had to be dealt with, while the rest got shoved down further in my pile of “I’ll get to you later junk.” 

Over the past few days I have been making my way through that pile of “I’ll get to you laters.”  As I have worked my way through, there is one theme that God seems to be speaking to my heart.  Last May, we walked through fire. But we were not consumed.  Because of the Lord’s great love, we were not consumed.  Hebrews 12:19 says that “our God is a consuming fire.”   That stood out to me today.  I am praying for some people walking through some really tough circumstances:  worrisome tumors, cancer, kids with cancer, tornadoes, deaths of loved ones due to these tornadoes that are sweeping the nation, lost homes.  These circumstances are devastating.  They seem like a consuming fire, yet scripture tells us that our circumstances will not consume us.  Our God is our consuming fire. 

What is a consuming fire?  Let’s break it down a bit further.  A fire is something that gives light.  It can also be defined as a destructive burning.  Consuming is an adjective that means to be strongly felt.  I bet a lot of you liked where I was going with God being the light that is strongly felt, but were you tempted to jump ship when I mentioned the destructive burning?  Stay with me. Yes, God is the light in our darkness.  He is the consuming light in our darkness that heats us up and lights our way.  But He’s also the destructive burning that burns away the parts of us that need to go, like the refiner’s fire.  He will use our circumstances to mold us into who He wants us to become.  Just like a goldsmith will melt down gold and mold it back up into a masterpiece, God can melt us down and build us back up into His masterpiece.  Knowing that last May, I walked through fire but was not consumed is a truth that will help set me free from the fears that still linger.  Furthermore, seeing how God, my consuming fire, used last May to melt away the parts of me that needed to go and molded me into a stronger woman of God is like healing balm to a burn.    

Father God, Consume me.  I want to feel you with me, Lord.  Light my way, bring heat to my cold, shivering heart.  Clear away the parts of me that need to go.  Lord, I need you.  I cry out to you, my Consuming Fire.  I love you, Amen.

Easter Everyday

“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him.  This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”

-Ephesians 1:19-20

By now many of us are putting our Easter décor away, sorting through candy, and quite possibly still finding hidden eggs here and there. After deep reflection and celebration of the miraculous resurrection of our Savior, it is easy to slip back into the routine of our everyday lives and let the light shed on the power of God grow dim.  But let’s not forget that the miracle of Easter goes much further than our salvation.  Easter reminds us of the incredible greatness of God’s power. Not only did the power of God raise Jesus Christ from the dead, but it is also available for us who believe.  God’s power is at work as much today in your life as it was on Resurrection Sunday.  Tell me that’s not something to celebrate! That should make us want to break out the egg coloring kits and celebrate Easter all over again. (Well, maybe we shouldn’t go that far.  If your kids are like mine they probably still have colored finger tips.)

My point is we should be celebrating the power of God in our lives every day of the year.  The SAME MIGHTY POWER that raised Christ from the dead is for us who believe.  That same mighty power is at work in your situation that has you up all night tossing and turning.  That same mighty power is at work inyour past disappointment that has your heart feeling like it will never be whole again.  That same mighty power is moving on your family’s behalf, is redeeming lives from the pit, and transforming God’s people into His likeness.  This same mighty power is at work all around us in nature: in sunrises and sunsets, ocean tides that know exactly where to stop and gentle spring showers that water our land.  This same mighty power is something to celebrate!

My God, Thank you for your miraculous power! Thank you for the miracle of Easter: our salvation and your power at work.  Today, Lord, we celebrate you and your incredible power.  As I celebrate you and your power today, I give you all my worries and burdens because I know that you are powerfully at work in my life.  I thank you for that, Lord.  I love you! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Calling All Perfectionists

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

-Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus calls us to take his yoke upon us. A yoke, as he refers to it, is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull.  In today’s lingo Jesus would be saying, “You look tired.  Come with me, I will give you rest.  Let’s hook up and do this deal together.  I will do the heavy work; you just stay by my side and watch what I am doing.  Watch how my every step is tender and kind.  You don’t have to be perfect.  Just walk with me through this.  As you walk with me you will start to walk like me.  I will bridge the gap between your imperfection and God’s perfection. I will carry the load, just stay by me.”

This is a verse I have gone to often when I am feeling overwhelmed and overburdened, especially verse 28.  I cling to the fact that Jesus can give me rest.  I love that about Him.  But it wasn’t until about a year and a half ago that I understood the how found in the next two verses.  I was at my first women’s retreat in the Colorado Rockies.  That first morning during worship I found myself distracted.  I was distracted by my almost Pharisaical legalism.  I wanted everything I was doing to be perfect.  I wanted to be perfect for Jesus and I was worried that all I was bringing Him wasn’t enough.  I was constantly striving toward perfection and wondering if I was doing enough.  That morning during worship I clearly heard from the Lord, “Stacie, quit striving for perfection.  You are beautiful and acceptable in my eyes.”  I felt this peace rush through my body and I was free to come into the presence of Jesus just as I was.  Throughout the remainder of the retreat the Lord continued to speak those words into my heart.  He shined light on my desire to be perfect and made sure that I understood that He never called me to be perfect; He just called me. Period. He called me just as I am.  He just wants me to walk with Him.  And as I do, He will teach me His ways.  He will teach me to be gentle and kind and humble.  He will carry my burdens and bridge the gap between my imperfection and His perfection. Is that good news or what?! 

My dear sister, if you are exhausted, overwhelmed, and burdened from trying to be enough stop right where you are.  Call on Jesus.  Hitch yourself up to His cart and let Him carry the load for you.  You don’t have to strive for perfection as the Pharisees did, for Jesus doesn’t require perfection.  He just wants you.  He will lead you and teach you along the way. Just go with Him.  He is enough for you.  His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Go and find rest for your souls.

Lord Jesus, Come.  I need you.  I need your help.  I can’t carry my load by myself.  It is way too much for me.  Thank you, Lord, for helping me carry all that I have to carry.  Forgive me for thinking I could do it on my own.  Forgive me for thinking that I could ever reach perfection on my own.  If I could, you wouldn’t have had to come and die on the cross for me.  Thank you, Jesus, for being perfect and for bridging the gap for me.  Thank you for loving me just as I am.  Teach me, Rabbi, to walk in gentleness and compassion as you walk.  Teach me, and make me more like you.  I love you, Jesus. Amen.

For those of you who are curious about how our retreat went…it was phenomenal.  Jesus was definitely experienced by all who attended and I think our ladies found rest in the presence of our Lord.  I know I did!

Come Away With Me

                The baby is crying. The three-year old is throwing tantrums.  The husband is working. Dirty laundry freckles the bedroom floor.  The dishes stacked high in the sink resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa. 

                This worn out, overwhelmed mama stands in the center of it all and feels like the room is spinning.  The demands of my everyday life whirl by me like the debris in an F5 tornado.  I’ve reached my breaking point; I’m well beyond my limit.  

                “I can do this, I can do this,” I coach myself, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Oh Lord, please strengthen me.” 

                As my focus shifts to the Lord I hear a gentle whisper, “Come away with me.  Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while.”  (See Matthew 6:31)  My tense shoulders relax as the gentle words of my love, Jesus, are sung into my heart like a lullaby.  Again, I shift my gaze, this time to the church’s women’s retreat coming up this weekend.  The room stops spinning, and suddenly the never ending to-do list seems a bit more manageable.  

                I am going to make it through this week.  I am going to make it through this week because the loving arms of my Sustainer are going to carry me through the piles of laundry and into the retreat, like a groom carries his adoring bride.  I am going to make it through this week, and at last I will go away with Jesus and rest a while. 

Lord Jesus, 

Thank you for these precious, personal words today.  Thank you, Lord, that you are a God who understands what it is like to need to retreat and rest.  I am looking forward to truly resting with you this weekend.  Please give me the strength to do what needs to be done this week, and the patience to let go of the things that don't really "need" to be done.  Lord, I pray for all my sisters out there who are needing rest and replenishment.  I pray for your provision; that they would have the opportunity to break away from life and rest a while.  I pray for the ladies who will be joining me on this retreat this weekend.  May we all experience you and find rest in your presence.  I love you, my Lord.  Amen.