We in the San Diego area can barely call this winter - the roses are blooming, orchid blossoms are opening, the hills and the grass are so spring green. I am sitting at my desk and looking at the sun shining on snow covered mountains that are two hours away. We were in the mountains recently. We met our daughter and son-in-law at his family's home in Lake Arrowhead. It was a beautiful sunny week end, lots of snow on the ground, the lake and sky so blue. The first night we were there we couldn't get the heat turned on and it was so cold! There were four dogs running around, ours didn't behave very well. In fact, they were such a problem, we came home early. We had an easy drive home and didn't get caught in the 3-day holiday traffic mess. Tiny Tim and Abby felt really bad and we forgave them.
Sometimes our plans don't transpire exactly as we'd planned. Does that mean 'everything went wrong'? I never think in those terms, I know that God's plan will always prevail. No reason to get stressed because we can trust that 'Father knows best'.
"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will". Ephesians 1:11.
I do believe that the key is to be able to TRUST. We humanly strive to be self-sufficient, to figure everything out and then become frustrated and fearful when our plans don't unfold as we expected. It's so important to grasp this truth if we are planning on becoming a new person in the new year.
I'm on a diet. I hate it! I know if I don't pay attention and let those pounds build up there will be consequences I don't want. I'll be at greater risk for every kind of disease, my old tennis knees will start to ache, my clothes will get tight....ugh! Time to repent and make changes, but I don't want to have to work at it. I want it to be easy. I would like to go into a coma for a month and wake up having lost the weight I need to lose. It doesn't work that way, and neither does learning to trust God, you will be required to put forth some effort in order to reap the reward. How do you do that? Where do you start?
If you are not a Bible reader, start now, it's the best new year resolution you can make. You will discover who God is, how much He loves you and how intimately He's involved with your daily life. For those new to studying the Bible I think the Psalms are a good place to start. Just read one a day. Then think about what you read. The more involved you become with the Living Word, the more you are able to trust your Creator.
There is a pastor on TV whose weekly message you can watch under the listing of 'Lakewood Church' which is in Houston, TX. This pastor, Joel Olsteen, begins each message by asking those present to hold up their Bible and together they repeat.....
"This is my Bible
I am who it says I am
I have what it says I have
I can do what it says I can do".
Amen to that! Spiritual truth is not like other 'truth'. I can learn 4 x 8 = 32, the U.S. Constitution formed our nation, 'ciao' means good-by in Italian, etc. and I will remember those facts until, or if, my memory dims someday, but spiritual truth is here today and gone tomorrow. Why is that I wonder? God doesn't want us to be self-sufficient, He wants us to 'draw near to Him', Hebrews 10:22 -23, 'for he who promised is faithful'. Today, at this moment, I know that 'God works all things together for good', Romans 8:28, but tomorrow morning I could get up and not know that. The day won't go well, and then the Lord Himself will again remind me 'all things'. I will be confident then that nothing happens to me, but for me!
The 'new you' needs less stress in life and the way to achieve that is to come to understand who God is.
* Omnipotent - all powerful
* Omnipresent - present every where at all times
* Omniscient - knows all things
And this is the same God who loves you and died for you so you can live eternally with Him!
On another note - I've been asked why sometimes I capitalize the word 'Him', and sometimes not. I use the 'New International Version' of the Bible. The original writings did not capitalize 'HIM,' so they don't. When I quote scripture I quote as it is written. However, when I am writing my own words, I will always capitalize Him since this refers to God, seems right to me.
Thank you Lord that we can count on YOU to bring about less stress in our life as we communicate with you daily through YOUR Living Word. Thank you for replacing the stress with trust and knowing that YOU care about every detail of our lives. Our desire is to bring YOU glory. We are called to be a reflection of YOU.
