Author: Elaine

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Unlimited Resources

She looks even better than the last time we talked, almost a year ago. Yet in those intervening months, doctors found a disease ravaging her body. There is no stopping it, she was told, and it will take her life.

“When they told me what was wrong with me,” she says to me now, “all I could think was, What am I going to do? What am I going to do? I knew I’d have to make all kinds of decisions, and I just didn’t know how I was going to go through this.

“So I just prayed and prayed and prayed. And one day — it was just as though someone was talking to me — God said everything would be all right. And I quit worrying.”

She goes on to tell me about mountains that have loomed up along the way that God has shrunk to little piles of dirt in her path. I listen to her stories and think that here is a jar of clay, very fragile clay, who has the all-surpassing power of God shining through.

She is positively shining with strength and peace.

I pray that from his glorious unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

I want to draw on His unlimited resources and strength every day. I want His Spirit to empower me not only when I feel overwhelmed by circumstances or schedule, but also when I am so weak and so unable to live the life Jesus wants me to live — when I would rather hold on to bitterness than forgive, when I am too selfish to live love, when people are so annoying that I lose sight of how much God loves them, when I’m tempted to think any situation is hopeless … then I need the power of His resources.

And how amazing that we have this treasure in our jars of clay! His Spirit living in us. We, who are dust, are the dwelling place of the Lord of the universe, who has unlimited resources and empowers us with His strength!

Live today in the riches of His resources.

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Scripture: from Ephesians 3:16 (NLT)

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Barren Desert to Garden of Eden

One item on my to-do list:  Visit a desert at the height of its blooming. I believe it’s one of those marvels in the natural world that God intentionally put right in front of us to give us clarity about what He does in the spiritual realm. 

Her desert will blossom like Eden,
     her barren wilderness like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness will be found there.
     Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air.

This passage from Isaiah speaks of hope for ruined Israel. It speaks hope to every child of God going through despair, darkness, and hard times.

Can you imagine walking in a harsh, empty, wasteland that not only cannot support life but also threatens your own life as you pass through? Many of you do not need to imagine, because you have already walked through such a wilderness. Few of us, in our time on earth, escape the hard stretches of desert in our journeys. 

But God is the God of hope, and this one thing changes all of life for His children.  He gives us an abundant life full of hope. He can change a barren wilderness into the garden of the Lord. 

Isn’t that an amazing image? The desert you face, the wilderness that right now might be threatening your life, can be transformed into the Garden of Eden. 

Sounds impossible, but it is what He does. He travels with His children through the wilderness, through tests of fire and water, and holds us always in His hand. 

Because He loves us and we are precious to Him.

And not only does He take us through, He transforms the desert itself. Just as the waters of the Sea of Galilee instantly calmed when Jesus commanded them to be still, our Father can transform the desolation of my desert, making it blossom with joy and gladness, turning parched ground into springs and pools of living water.

We have abundant life in the desert Garden of Eden.

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Scripture: from Isaiah 51:3 (NLT)

 

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So rich in kindness and grace

Scriptures say the riches of God, the wealth and abundance He bestows on His children, are endless treasures and glorious unlimited resources. So this small study will not even begin to encompass everything. But we’ll focus on just one thing to celebrate each day.

We must begin, of course, with the very reason we are heirs to endless treasure — God’s great mercy toward us.

He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

I did not deserve this kindness from God. Many times, I was my own god … or at least, I thought I was. I really was a slave in the kingdom of darkness. Why did He rescue me? Nothing in me made me acceptable to a holy God, and I could do nothing to make myself worthy. Yet the Lord of the universe loved me!  And even before I knew or loved Him, He paid a great price for my freedom.

Showered me with kindness? Yes! And washed me of my sin, wrapped His robes of righteousness around me, and now presents me as a spotless child of His own.

There is nothing in this world or the next that I treasure more than His love and mercy, His forgiveness and grace.

Amen.

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Scriptures: from Ephesians 3:8, 16; Ephesians 1:7 (NLT);

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Treasure Hunt

When do we begin our hunt for treasure?

As a child, I was smart enough to know no pirate would have buried his treasure on our Midwestern farm, so I never began digging. But while we waded and splashed for hours in the creek that ran through the cow pasture, I kept my eyes open for gold nuggets. I was sure that someday we’d find a diamond or two in a pile of gravel or veins of coal. Once I found a 1905 penny in the dirt under the big front porch where we played; after that, I’d often scratch around for more pieces of lost treasure. And I was certain that somewhere in the corners of Grandma’s attic was a dusty, forgotten box filled with jewels. (Apparently, I could be logical about the pirates, but not about Grandma, who never even wore a wedding band.)

As an adult, I vacationed in Roque Bluffs in downeast Maine. We chose that place for the coastal beauty, the vistas of water and sky, the remoteness, the clean air. We scoured the beach for unusual rocks, shells, and seaglass treasures. But I also discovered the coves and islands of this place were home to real pirate Black Sam, and some say there is still buried treasure to be found. No, I haven’t started digging. But I admit I do look at the rugged coastline and wonder…

We have our more rational, adult version of the treasure hunt. We buy a lottery ticket (okay, so maybe that’s not rational). We measure the growth of a retirement fund, working toward a magic number. We search for the right husband, the perfect house. We look for a stock that might explode next week. We hope a book we write hits the best-seller list, our son’s basketball game makes him a superstar, the jewelry we design or the doo-dad we invent becomes a household name.

But somewhere along the way, my brothers and sisters, we are adopted and born into a new life. In this new life, there is still great treasure to be found, but it’s treasure like nothing we’ve ever dreamed of before. And it’s ours, part of our inheritance. Ours to claim and enjoy.

Jesus said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (Many versions use the word abundant.)

The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians about the rich and glorious inheritance he (God) has given to his holy people …

Can you tell me what a rich/abundant life is? What would you say if someone asked you to be specific about the riches you inherited when you became a child of God? It’s difficult to put into words, isn’t it? Yet I know that this is the life I want, and I want all of it! All of the abundance, all the riches.

I feel, though, as if I’ve only stubbed my toe on a corner of the chest that lies buried in the sand. I want to dig it up, lay back the lid, and be dazzled with the riches. And then I want to dance a little jig of joy and live happily ever, reveling in my great treasure!

I believe we know and have experienced only a smidgeon of the great treasure our Father has for us. I want to know, I want to live more of it.

So for the next few days, we’ll look to God’s Word and ask the Spirit to give us just a glimpse — I think even a glimpse will overwhelm us — just a glimpse of the riches we’ve inherited.

Feel free to dance your jig of joy at any time.

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Scripture: from John 10:10; Ephesians 1:18 ( both NLT)

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Jeremy Lin, Lin-sanity, and God

Something just a bit different here today. I don’t normally re-direct you to another web page, but sports fans might want to read this interview of Jeremy Lin. The young man is a “come-out-of-nowhere” overnight sensation–at least to the public and the media. His personal story of faith, turning all of life over to God, and desire to trust only in God is inspiring to me; I wanted to stand up and cheer and become a fan. And I’ve never watched even one NBA game.

This story is mostly for sports fans. But it’s also for all of you who praise God for every light on a candlestick burning brightly in the darkness. And for you who want to join in someone else’s journey of faith by praying for wisdom, courage, and steadfastness every time you hear his name or see a clip of him shooting a last-second three pointer.  

The story fits perfectly with our thoughts the last few weeks on trust and faith. I am especially impressed that Jeremy Lin has turned down requests for interviews, even from David Letterman, and he agreed to this one on the condition that he would talk only about his faith. 

Pray for this young warrior. He is, indeed, fighting many battles.  

Exclusive: Jeremy Lin says faith in God triggered ‘Lin-sanity’

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