it’s never who you think

Posted on by Grace Day

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

Those words explain a lot, don’t they? Haven’t you ever noticed that God seems to use the most unlikely people to accomplish the most unexpected things? God can use anyone to accomplish His good purposes – anyone who, like Isaiah the prophet, will make themselves available to God. Isaiah didn’t feel qualified to serve God. In fact, Isaiah said this about himself –

” ‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’ ” (Isaiah 6:5)

However, Isaiah experienced God’s forgiveness –

“Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’ ” (Isaiah 6:6-7)

and then God’s call –

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ ” (Isaiah 6:8)

Isaiah answered God’s call with these words –

“And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ ” (Isaiah 6:8)

I imagine that took some courage on Isaiah’s part. Isaiah was volunteering for a difficult, maybe dangerous assignment. Who does that? The most unlikely person who nevertheless is willing to be used by God, that’s who. Or consider the story of the good Samaritan. This is a widely known story in which the most unlikely person turns out to be the hero of the event.

The story starts when a traveler is beaten, robbed and left for dead along the side of a well-traveled road. The first person to encounter this unfortunate traveler was a priest. We would assume this was good news for the person in need of aide, right? But here’s what happened.

“A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.” (Luke 10:31)

I don’t know about you, but I would have thought that the priest would be the hero of this story. It’s a priest’s job to take care of other people. A priest is a servant of God by definition – that’s literally their job description. And they get paid for “working for God.” Even in today’s culture it’s a paid assignment. But this priest didn’t answer the obvious call for help from the injured traveler. Instead, the priest went out of his way to avoid helping the person in need, going so far as to “pass by on the other side.” The priest had the opportunity to be the hero of this story, but he refused the role. Instead, the priest chose to look the other way. Our story continues –

“So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.” (Luke 10:32)

Another potential hero misses his opportunity to save the day and rescue the one in need. He could have come to the aide of the one in need but he, too, “passed by on the other side.” He did not answer God’s call, which is surprising since, like the priest, Levites were also set apart to serve God. And yet this particular Levite, on this particular day, didn’t seem interested in answering God’s call on his life. He preferred keeping to his own agenda. Rendering aide to this stranger would have been a major interruption to his itinerary and caused a significant delay in his plans. The Levite chose to look the other way.

Enter our hero. The most unlikely individual of them all.

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.” (Luke 10:33-35)

The Samaritan was the unlikely hero in this story. He was not the person Jesus’s listeners would have guessed would emerge as the one who would save the day. Why? Well, Samaritans were hated by the Jews at this time in history. Resulting from intermarriage with Assyrians and other Gentile cultures, Samaritans were considered by the Jews to be a pagan culture and they were considered enemies. Yet it was the person perceived as an enemy that did the right thing and became the hero in this story. Like I said, it’s never who you think.

This “pagan” Samaritan literally lived out Jesus’s instruction to “love your neighbor” and Jesus’s even more challenging instruction to “love your enemies.” (love being an action verb) The Samaritan fulfilled both instructions when he showed compassion and care for a complete stranger who had nothing to offer him in return. Being the unlikely hero would come with a cost. It would cost the Samaritan his time and his money. BUT – the Samaritan did not look the other way. He stopped. He gave aide to the ailing traveler. The Samaritan was the unlikely hero.

That’s who I want to be, don’t you? – the unlikely hero. (or heroine) I’ve got the “unlikely” part down already. I have neither position, nor power, nor wealth, nor influence of any kind. I have no particular skills or abilities, strengths etc. that would qualify me for extraordinary feats of daring and rescue. I’m not really hero material.

BUT – God calls the unlikely to serve Him in unlikely ways. That’s me and that’s you too, dear readers. We just have to answer God’s call like Isaiah did in the affirmative. Am I brave enough to say along with Isaiah – “Here am I. Send me!”? Am I willing to bless those who curse me? If my enemy is hungry, will I feed him?

My calling and your calling, dear readers, is to join the multitude of unlikely heroes that make up the eternal story that the God of the universe has been writing for centuries and is still actively writing today. Who is to say that you and I don’t have a part to play, a place and a purpose? Ater all, it’s never who you think.

My Heavenly Father will fill me with the courage and the compassion not to pass by on the other side, not to look away.

sincerely, Grace Day

TRUTH – the all-purpose antidote to all that ails

Posted on by Grace Day

Lately, I seem to be feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. Now, we are told to “bear one another’s burdens”, and I have a lot of friends going through some very hard things. So that could possibly account for my feeling this way. But I think the weight that I am carrying around with me is unnecessary weight, weight that I needlessly keep hanging onto, when in truth, I don’t have to carry around all the things that I do. My Heavenly Father didn’t intend for me to constantly struggle under the weight of all the things I carry with me.

Ultimately, it’s my choice what I choose to lug around with me everywhere I go. Perhaps it’s time I dared to let go of that which weighs me down on my life’s journey. My Creator God invites me to do just that – let go of what I cling to so tightly and receive instead what He wants to give me. In fact, Jesus said this to the people He was with and it’s His gracious invitation to me and to you – His invitation to every single person, an invitation that still stands today. It is an open invitation.

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

That’s definitely what I need – a load that is lighter than the one I currently carry through this life. I long to be set free from the load of lies that are keeping me captive. And fortunately for me, God has the antidote that I so desperately need – truth!

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

But what is truth?

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ” (John 14:6)

“After Jesus said this, He looked toward heaven and prayed: ‘Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.’ ” (John 17:1 & 17)

God’s word is truth! And truth is the antidote to all that ails me. I am definitely weighed down by my sin BUT – God’s truth in Isaiah tells me this about God’s mercy and forgiveness –

” ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’ ” (Isaiah 1:18)

I too often find myself paralyzed by various fears BUT – the truth of God’s word tells me this –

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

I carry around the rejection I experience daily in this world, BUT – the Truth is, I am not rejected. I am chosen! (so are you)

“Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?” (James 2:5)

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

“But now, this is what the Lord says – . . . ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.’ ” (Isaiah 43:1)

I needlessly carry around despair, while Truth is waiting to replace it with hope (which is much lighter)

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

I am living like a captive when the Truth is – I have already been set free.

“He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’ ” (John 8:34-36)

I am living like one who is condemned when the Truth is – I have already been pardoned!

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1)

“as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:12-14)

I am living like I am unseen, unheard, unknown and unloved. Enter TRUTH. I am seen. I am heard. I am known. I am loved. And so are you, dear readers! the TRUTH is this –

I am seen – so are you

“My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:15-16)

I am heard – so are you

“But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.” (Psalm 55:16-17)

I am known – so are you

“O Lord, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O Lord.” (Psalm 139:1-4)

I am loved – so are you

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

that’s the TRUTH!

and TRUTH is the antidote!

TRUTH is the antidote to whatever ails you – because fear, rejection, despair, bondage, condemnation, invisibility, feeling unloved – these all result from believing the lies of our enemy – instead allow the TRUTH of God’s Living Word to set you free today and everyday –

sincerely, Grace Day

the mountain is already moved

Posted on by Grace Day

“Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?’ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.” (Mark 16:2-4)

This was the experience of Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of James when they went to the tomb where Jesus was laid after His crucifixion. They were worried about having access to Jesus because of the large stone blocking the entrance to the tomb where He was buried. BUT – when they arrived, their problem had already been solved. The stone was already rolled away. They had spent their time worrying about a potential problem, a problem that they could not solve on their own because the stone was much too big and too heavy for them to be able to move it. However, their problem was taken care of long before they even arrived on the scene. By the time they arrived, the stone had been moved and they had access to Jesus’s tomb.

So often, I feel like these women. I am worried about some insurmountable obstacle or some seemingly unsolvable problem looming large in my future, but when I finally arrive at that dreaded moment, I find that the insurmountable obstacle has already been moved out of my way. I could have enjoyed the journey had I known the stone would be moved by the time I arrived. Jesus had something to say to His disciples about worry. He told them –

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? . . . But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25, 33-34)

Days full of trouble – certainly true. BUT – miracles amid the mundane of our everyday lives – also true. The miracle of the rolled away stone was pretty extraordinary to be sure. However, even greater miracles preceded the moving of the stone. Jesus’s resurrection from the dead makes the minor miracle of boulder moving look easy. And there’s more. Just two days prior to the boulder moving, overcoming death day, a major miracle had occurred. It happened at the moment of Jesus’s death on the cross.

“With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Mark 15:37-38)

and another miracle followed immediately –

“And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard His cry and saw how He died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’ ” (Mark 15:39)

the curtain torn, truth revealed and eyes opened to see Jesus’s true identity –

Matthew also records these same events giving more detail –

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’s resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely He was the Son of God!’ ” (Matthew 27:50-54)

The curtain being torn in two from top to bottom was an even greater miracle than the huge stone being rolled away from the tomb’s entrance. The curtain separated men from God in the temple. This was necessary because God is holy and sinful mankind couldn’t come directly into His presence – that is until the tearing of the curtain, the removing of the barrier. This is what Jesus came to do – make a way for us, for you and for me – a way for us to be reconciled to our Creator, God. This is what Jesus meant when He said He is “the way”.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ” (John 14:6)

Paul explained it like this in Hebrews –

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22)

The curtain has been torn in two. We can now enter into that most holy place through that “new and living way” that is Jesus Himself. The invitation has been given.

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Some translations say “let us come boldly unto the throne of grace.” Because the curtain of separation is gone, you and I can now come boldly into God’s throne room at any time. A way has been made for us where previously there was no way. You and I have twenty-four/seven access to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The curtain is torn apart. The stone is rolled away. Jesus is risen. Jesus is our “new and living way” to God.

“I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19)

When the temple curtain was torn in two, a new way was made and a myriad of miracles was set in motion. The centurion at the cross had his eyes opened causing him to proclaim – “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Jesus came back to life, conquering death once for all time. The stone was rolled away, granting access to the empty tomb, granting us access to witness the miracle of Christ’s resurrection. And the miracles just keep on coming! Salvation, forgiveness of sins, adoption into a forever family . . .

“for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ” (Romans 10:13)

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will – ” (Ephesians 1:5)

“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God -” (John 1:12)

maybe you, like me, often feel overwhelmed by mountains that need moving, stones that need rolled away, curtains that need to be torn apart, so that we have access to what we need most, which is access to our Savior, our Creator, our Heavenly Father. The good news is that access has been granted to you and to me. We can now come boldly into our Heavenly Father’s presence anytime we want. The curtain is gone, the stone is no longer blocking our way, and our Heavenly Father has already moved heaven and earth to redeem us for Himself. In the process God may have moved a few mountains. He continues to move the mountains in our lives daily.

So, don’t worry. Your mountains, like the stone, may already be moved by the time you get there. If not, take heart. God will move them in His good and perfect timing if they need to be moved. He has done it before. He will do it again.

“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:13-14)

sincerely, Grace Day

you are what you think

Posted on by Grace Day

I remember a once popular saying – “You are what you eat.” I guess the intent was to make people think about what foods they consumed because what we put into our bodies will determine the overall health of our bodies. Healthy food = a healthy body. Unhealthy food = an unhealthy body more prone to illness and disease.

It would seem the same idea is true for our minds as well. What we “feed” our minds has a tremendous impact on our mental health. This is nothing new. It is not a new age revelation or discovery. In the Old Testament book of Proverbs we read this –

“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7 KJV)

Truly nothing new under the sun as King Solomon was always so quick to point out. The human condition does not change. We are or we become what we eat. We are or we become what we spend our time thinking about. This would explain why Paul wrote this instruction to the believers at Colosse-

“Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4)

So I am supposed to “set my mind on things above.” Why? Well, Paul gave this instruction to the church at Corinth –

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Better I take my thoughts “captive”, choosing what I will think about and what I will focus on than to allow my thoughts to be “captured” by current social media or by the deceits of the enemy of my soul, who is known as “the father of lies.” Choosing what I will spend my time thinking about, dwelling on, is important because these daily choices will determine my future. Consider this warning in Proverbs –

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

What I choose to fill my mind with will determine where I end up. In Romans, there is this advice –

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

Set my mind on things above, take captive every thought, renew my mind with God’s word – all choices I can make every day. Because, as I think – so I will be.

The apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians this great advice –

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

Turns out God’s living and active Word, My Heavenly Father’s thoughts, are a great antidote to the ill effects of social media and current culture’s thoughts on my mind and on my heart. I have God’s promise recorded in Isaiah –

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV)

The antidote to my fear, anxiety and worry is thinking about and spending time with my Heavenly Father, listening to Him and filling my mind with His thoughts, which are shared with you and me in His Living Word. I can choose to keep my mind “stayed upon my Creator.” I can choose to let my Redeemer take my every thought captive. I can choose to let God renew my mind with the cleansing of His living and active Word.

I can choose. But what I choose to dwell on, what thoughts I choose to fill my mind, these will determine the course, the quality and the outcome of my life. I’d better choose wisely.

“Blessed is the man who listens to Me, watching daily at My doors, waiting at My doorway. For whoever finds Me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.” (Proverbs 8:34-35)

sincerely, Grace Day

spectator or participant?

Posted on by Grace Day

Which one are you? I am challenged to consider this question myself as I examine my own life. This quote from Theodore Roosevelt’s speech delivered April 23rd, 1910 in Paris, France sheds some light on the subject –

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

The choice is mine. The choice is yours, too, dear readers. Will I sit on the sidelines of life, safely critiquing those in the arena who are living out their callings with faith and courage, even though they are living those callings out imperfectly? Or will I dare to enter life’s arena myself, knowing it will be hard, knowing I will fail many times, knowing those in the stands will ridicule my efforts – yet believing that I will also get to experience the joy and the hope of rising from each of my many defeats to continue forward toward the purpose for which I have been called?

I choose to be a participant! Painful and exhausting and daunting and discouraging as it has already proven to be, I choose again every day to remain in the arena “fighting the good fight of faith” rather than to escape to the sidelines, becoming merely a spectator. A spectator will never know defeat but a spectator will also never know victory. A spectator will not know pain but a spectator will also not know joy. As a spectator, I will be devoid of all passion, of all purpose and of the pursuit of a greater good, the pursuit of something greater than myself. I choose the arena! Even though it is the more difficult, the more dangerous, the more uncertain choice – I choose to participate rather than to spectate. I choose the arena even though this is an apt description of life in the arena –

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)

That definitely describes life in the arena. But here’s the advice I follow as a participant rather than a spectator –

” . . . I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. . . . But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

And I remember what Jesus told His disciples –

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

That’s so true! Life in the arena of this world is filled with trouble. It is definitely more challenging than life on the sidelines. BUT – as a participant I am never alone. God was with Daniel in the lion’s den. He was there with Daniel’s three friends when they were in the king’s overheated furnace. God was with Jonah in the belly of the big fish. My Heavenly Father is with me as I face and endure the challenges and hardships in the arena of this world every day. His presence gives me the courage I need to stay in the arena and to keep on fighting the good fight. And God’s presence gives me what I need in order to fight in the arena.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

” ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6)

I am not alone in the arena and I have a clear purpose in being there.

“I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” (Jude 1:3)

“But you, man (woman) of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in His own time” (1 Timothy 6:11-15)

to contend for the faith, to fight the good fight of the faith, to pursue righteousness, to keep His commands, to take hold of the eternal life to which I’ve been called – this is life in the arena, active not passive – I desire to continue to be a participant – never a spectator, so that when my days in the arena come to an end, I will be able to say along with the apostle Paul –

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

Inside the arena the fighting is fierce. Participation is not for the faint of heart. However, you and I have One who is interceding on our behalf, ensuring that we will emerge victorious if we stay the course. We have His promise –

“Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:34-39)

Did you catch that? In the arena of life, you and I are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us” – loved us enough to die in our place on the cross and loves us still with an everlasting love.

that’s all I need to know – I’m more than a conqueror through Jesus – I was created to be a participant, not an idle spectator. So were you, dear readers. Therefore, I will remain in the arena, my face marred by dust and sweat and blood, until He calls me home. How about you?

sincerely, Grace Day

surveilled and invisible

Posted on by Grace Day

Does this title sound like a contradiction? To be surveilled is to be watched, which implies being seen and might also imply being followed or stalked while having one’s movements tracked and recorded. Being surveilled does seem to be the exact opposite of being invisible, doesn’t it? To be surveilled is to be seen. To be invisible is to be unseen. To be invisible is to be unheard, uncared for and overlooked. So how can both be true simultaneously? In this age of digital hyper-surveillance, how is it that so many people feel invisible – feel unseen, unheard, uncared for and overlooked?

It’s ironic that both surveillance and invisibility seem to be increasing at the same time. In this age of increasing electronic surveillance, people’s feelings of loneliness, isolation and invisibility are also increasing. Currently, digital surveillance is being increased, so much so that it’s in the news as concerns are being raised about this new level of surveillance in our country. Specifically, at issue is the increase in Flock cameras everywhere, which record license plate numbers, make, model and color of vehicles on streets and highways, then feed this info into a national database. Many feel this is a step too far, an invasion of our right to privacy.

Businesses have cameras recording the people who come and go and even many homes have doorbell cameras recording anyone who comes to the door or enters the yard. Most public spaces today have electronic surveillance monitoring who enters in and who leaves. Facial recognition software aides in identifying “persons of interest” when necessary. All this enhanced surveillance of us, of you and I, should make us feel safer. Right? But does it? Maybe it depends on who is doing the surveilling and on what their intentions towards us are.

It would appear that in today’s culture, people do not want to be invisible, they want to be seen and heard. Many people go to great lengths to be noticed and to be known by name. I see my students making TikTok videos in hopes of becoming famous. People post all manner of things online with the hope that they will be noticed and seen by many. It seems we want everyone to know our name. We want to stand out from the crowd. We want to be seen. But government surveillance makes us uncomfortable.

Perhaps we don’t trust the nameless, faceless entity that surveils us because we don’t trust the motive behind the surveillance. “They” are watching us in order to catch us doing something wrong. They are looking for lawbreakers or perhaps dissidents? – individuals who disagree with those in power. However, being surveilled is different than being watched over. I may not like the feeling that I am under surveillance by someone who is “out to get me” but it is comforting to me to think that someone is watching over me in order to protect me, to guide me and to comfort me. I feel better knowing someone “has my back” as the saying goes.

So what’s the difference between “surveillance” and “watch care”? I think it’s who’s doing it and why they are doing it. Is it to harm me or to help me? My Heavenly Father watches over me twenty-four/seven. But I don’t mind because His intentions towards me are always only good.

” ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Our culture’s surveillance of us only leaves us feeling on edge, spied on, hunted down and perhaps even persecuted. And oddly enough, even with all this heightened surveillance, we still feel invisible. We don’t feel seen or heard for who we truly are. We don’t feel known. To government surveillance we are just a number, a demographic, a stereotype belonging to a certain age, income or ethnic group. You and I, the unique individual that each one of us is – we are not seen. We remain invisible amid the mass surveillance of our population’s comings and goings.

BUT – our Creator’s surveillance of us is much different. It is filled with care and compassion. Our Heavenly Father knows us individually and intimately. He should. After all, He created us. God has known you and me since before we were even born. The psalmist said –

“My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body.” (Psalm 139:15-16)

“O Lord, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O Lord.” (Psalm 139:1-4)

I am not invisible to my Heavenly Father, and neither are you, dear readers. We have this assurance of our great worth to Him in Jesus’s own words –

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the notice of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

When I start to feel that I have become invisible to God, when I feel as if He no longer cares about me or watches over me, it is then that I remember Job and what he said. Job was suffering greatly. Job had lost everything and he felt as if he had become invisible to God. Job felt that God no longer saw him nor cared for him. Job couldn’t find God nor feel God’s presence. Job complained and then said these remarkable words –

“But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:8-10)

Job may have lost track of God – BUT – God had not lost track of Job! And God never loses track of me or of you either, dear readers. Even then Job had faith that God knew exactly where he was and what he was going through (“the way that I take”). Job had faith that God would see him through his troubles and “bring him forth as gold.” God will do the same for me and for you, too. We are never overlooked nor invisible to our Creator God. His surveillance is constant, complete, caring and protective. It is described in this way in His word –

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:2-8)

with God’s surveillance, I am never invisible – He knows my name (He calls every star by name) and God always “knows the way that I take”. I am so grateful for God’s good, protective surveillance and for the knowledge that I am never invisible to Him. Neither are you, dear readers.

sincerely, Grace Day

data center dilemma

Posted on by Grace Day

Data centers are springing up all around us it seems. It’s happening in my state and in other states as well. This is a concern because these data centers use up a lot of land, need a lot of power (electricity) and they need lots of water for cooling their servers in order to operate. These things are finite resources and we humans also need land, power and water (especially water) in order to survive and to maintain our standard of living.

Jesus asked this rather pointed question – “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul.” (Mark 8:36)

I have to agree. Water sustains life – all life. What good is data to me if I’m dead? I need water and I prefer the power grid to work so that my lights are on and I can charge my phone and my computer and I can heat and cool my home etc. I need food to live and land on which to grow said food, but do I really need data in order to survive? Just what makes up this elusive, all inclusive data anyway?

Isn’t data a compilation of facts and figures and information? If so, facts, figures and information about what? Is data the information I need in order to survive in this world or is it information that would help me win at Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit? Just the name, Trivial Pursuit, should be a clue as to its importance in the hierarchy of things. Hint – it’s trivial pursuit – trivial being the opposite of important or essential or necessary or meaningful. What do I spend my time pursuing anyway? Trivia? Data – facts and figures? information? Is data considered knowledge? And if so, is it essential knowledge?

Is knowing things an end in itself? And what about wisdom? Is simply knowing about things considered wisdom? I don’t think so. Wisdom is something gained from real life experience, not something that can be contained within a data center. Wisdom is knowing what to do with or how to use facts, figures and information. Wisdom is knowing how to apply knowledge to my real life situations. Isn’t it wisdom that I really need in order for me to live my life fully and productively? Can the data stored in all these data centers provide me with the wisdom I need to live my life successfully? I don’t think so.

And yet we continue to build more and more data centers when what we really need is wisdom and understanding.

“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!” (Proverbs 16:16)

Too bad we can’t build “wisdom centers.” But wisdom can’t be stored within four walls or bought and sold like a commodity. Wisdom is a gift from God and is acquired over time. Data, however, is traded like a commodity. Our personal information is bought and sold to various companies who want to know more about us because they want us as customers, I guess. As more and more information is collected, more and more storage area is needed to house all this data.

Remember phone books? They used to contain a certain set of data about us – namely our names, our addresses and our phone numbers. We don’t need phone books anymore. Now other people’s phone numbers can be stored in our own phones. This is probably for the best because we are saving lots of paper used in the printing of all those phone books and as a result, we are saving lots of trees. So this is good.

But now so much more information is collected about each one of us that something bigger than a phone book is needed to house it all. We have so much more than addresses and phone numbers now. We have Social Security numbers and credit card numbers and bank account numbers and account numbers for our utility providers and our internet providers etc. and we have passwords for all kinds of accounts and we have employment records and records of our education and records of our health histories and of our shopping and spending habits and records of our online activities and who knows what other data is being collected about each one of us? No wonder they say we need more data centers in which to store all this info.

I seem to remember that a lot of this information is stored in “the cloud.” This seems ideal to me because a cloud doesn’t take up our land space, our energy or our water. Right? Or am I thinking too literally? I am thinking the “cloud” is cyberspace – somewhere out “there” but not physically here in a brick and mortar facility that takes up land and uses up our energy and our water. I guess I’m ok with the “cloud” having all my info with it in cyberspace as long as it doesn’t share my info with other “clouds” and as long as it doesn’t get so large that it blocks out the sun. Then we’ve got a whole other problem. Namely no sun to light our world, warm our world, grow our food plants or even power our solar panels. The sun sustains our life here on earth. So we can’t have cyber storage clouds blocking out the sun’s rays, now can we? That would be the death of us, literally. (although this analogy is figurative)

So I’m thinking maybe more data and therefore more data centers are not what is needed at this time in history. We may be living in the information age but what we need is wisdom, not more information. In Proverbs I read –

“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.” (Proverbs 3:13-18)

That’s high praise for wisdom. I surely wouldn’t say that data is “more precious than rubies” or “a tree of life” to anyone. Wisdom is valuable BUT wisdom can’t be bought or stored up in some data center. Having information does not mean I have wisdom. Wisdom comes from knowing God and His Living Word. Wisdom is one of God’s many good gifts to us. And I know I am in desperate need of wisdom every day as I faithwalk through this world. Proverbs tells me this –

“For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.” (Proverbs 2:6-15)

Yes, it is clear to me that my most essential need is for wisdom, not for more information or more data. And God’s word says that His wisdom is much more valuable than all of man’s data. I could certainly never afford such a valuable commodity as God’s wisdom. Fortunately, my Heavenly Father offers it to me free of charge. He gifts it to me when I ask. James tells us –

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)

I think our current culture confuses an abundance of information with wisdom. But they are not the same. Job knew this way back in his day when there were no data centers, no internet, no phones no radios, no TVs – nothing. But Job knew even then what wisdom was. He said –

“The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.” (Job 28:28)

What you and I need to survive and to thrive in this world is not more data – we need wisdom! And not what the world calls wisdom. You and I have free access to God’s wisdom every day in God’s Word – the Bible. All I have to do is to open up His book and read it for myself. There I find what is life giving, more valuable than gold, more essential and much more profitable than what is contained in all the data centers in all the world. It is the wisdom of the Creator of the universe. That’s all I need!

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17)

sincerely, Grace Day

you’ve been outsourced!

Posted on by Grace Day

Ever receive an unexpected notification in the mail informing you of some change you never saw coming? Lately I’ve been feeling like an unseen, unheard, undervalued, underserved, underappreciated but definitely overcharged entity. That’s right – I said entity, not person, not human being. Why? I’ve been outsourced. In fact, I’ve been outsourced, or maybe traded is a better word – actually sold is a more accurate word. I have been sold multiple times by multiple nameless, faceless companies who don’t seem to care about me or to have my best interests at heart. (of course that makes the false assumption that they even have a heart)

First, my email provider (is that a real person or a group of real people?) sold me, along with millions of other customers I assume, to another email provider. No one asked me what I thought about this move, no one asked me what I wanted, no one presented me with any options from which to choose. I just received a notice (via email of course) that I had been outsourced to another email provider. The deal was already done. I had been happy with my original email choice for many years. (if not, I would have switched on my own) This is definitely a downgrade. I am not happy with my new provider. But no one cares. Perhaps because there is no actual person to care about my plight (or about the plight of the other millions of people outsourced). You and I, and the rest, we are not known to the companies who supposedly serve our needs. We are nameless, we are faceless, we are voiceless – we are dollar amounts to them and that is all.

Then there’s my power company. Years ago they were a locally owned business. You could talk to a real person on the phone, a person who was local, not someone across the ocean. Then they were sold to a larger, non-local company. Rates went up, service went down. Now they are being bought out by an even larger, global entity. Rates are going up. Service will continue to decline as we, the customers, are all handed over or outsourced to this bigger company. It was not our choice. It certainly wasn’t my choice. The power company that’s supposed to serve us, sold all of us to the highest bidder. To them we are nameless, to them we are faceless, to them we are voiceless – to them we are only dollar amounts. Myself and all those who live in this same area – we have all been outsourced.

As if all this isn’t enough, I just got a notice in the mail that my credit card of many years is outsourcing me, and of course all holders of this card, to a different, larger credit card company. If I had wanted this other company’s card I would have gotten it. Over the years I have been satisfied with my card and the services it has provided me. We have had a long and mutually beneficial relationship, this card and I. But now I am sold (along with others) to the highest bidder. I thought they cared about me as a customer, if not as a person. I guess I was wrong. To them I am nameless, to them I am faceless, they do not care to hear my voice – to them I am only a dollar amount. I am a commodity to be bought and sold at will or at their whim.

Even my employer of many years (a school corporation) outsourced me and all subs to an outside agency a few years ago. It wasn’t personal. It was a financial decision. They traded all of us to an outside agency, so they were no longer responsible for overseeing our jobs. We were not a priority for them. They no longer wanted to be responsible for us. We were not asked about our preference in the matter. To them I, and my colleagues, were invisible. We were nameless, faceless and voiceless to our former employer. We were a dollar amount – a financial liability that had to be disposed of quickly – hence we were outsourced.

All this leaves me feeling very insignificant. Do you ever feel that way too? – unseen, unknown, unheard – at the mercy of decisions made by someone far away who does not know you or what you need or want. Corporations and companies will never care about me. They have no interest in my opinions, my concerns, or my needs. To them I am a nameless number.

BUT – GOOD NEWS! There is Someone who cares about me and about you, dear readers. There is Someone who sees me, knows me, hears me and cares for me. It is the Creator of the universe, who is also my Heavenly Father. He is a personal God. Not like all these companies that want my business, say they will provide me a service and then turn around and sell me off to the highest bidder against my will and without any warning. I cannot trust these corporations, which are always changing. But I can trust God. He never changes!

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

In this world of constant change, that promise is so reassuring to me. Also reassuring, if not downright astonishing, is what God’s word says about me (and you) being known by name –

“But now, this is what the Lord says – He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel; ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.’ ” (Isaiah 43:1)

“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” (Psalm 147:4)

“See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.” (Isaiah 49:16)

about me and you being seen by our Creator –

“My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body.” (Psalm 139:15-16)

“The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)

“She (Hagar) gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’ ” (Genesis 16:13)

about me and you being heard by our Creator –

“I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.” (Psalm 116:1-2)

“In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears.” (Psalm 18:6)

about me and you being greatly valued –

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

“For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.” (Isaiah 43:3-4)

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.’ ” (Jeremiah 31:3)

You and I are known, known personally by name! You and I are seen, we are heard and we are greatly valued and loved by the God who created each one of us in His image. While everyone around me currently seems only too eager to outsource me to someone else, I can trust that my Heavenly Father will never outsource me, or you either, dear reader. God will never outsource our care to anyone or to anything else. He doesn’t need the money. He can’t be bought. “The cattle on a thousand hills are already His.” So take heart. The world may outsource us. God will not! Jesus said –

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)

There it is. You and I will NOT be outsourced – ever! We are held securely in our Heavenly Father’s hands. We can trust Him to take care of us.

“The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:7-8)

sincerely, Grace Day

a bag too far

Posted on by Grace Day

Some people collect shoes, others belts or maybe hats? For me it seems to be bags – not purses or handbags but bigger actual bags. I have discovered that I have no shortage of bags. Quite the opposite. I have all kinds of bags. I have bags of various colors and designs, fabrics and sizes. I have no idea how I have ended up with so many bags. I believe it may have started with a few canvas tote bags and grown from there. I did not set out to collect them, but now I have them, nonetheless.

This begs the obvious question – just how many bags does one woman really need? Probably just one assuming it is a good all-purpose sized bag. Ok and then another bag for back up, so two? Actually, a bag for each season would be prudent, so four? And what about the need to color coordinate my bag with what I’m wearing? – that will require multiple bags. And what if I need to bring more stuff with me on some days than on others? This means I need to have bags of multiple sizes on hand as well as bags of multiple colors and designs.

Maybe I will become like the TV character, Elsbeth. She is a detective of sorts, very fashionable, always wearing bright colors. But her distinguishing fashion feature is that she is always carrying multiple large bags with her wherever she goes. These are noticeable because they are so large and because she always has more than one bag with her. I find myself wondering, what exactly does she keep in all those bags? They don’t seem to slow her down, rather the bags are a part of who she is. They actually end up defining her character in a way. Elsbeth is the bag lady, but just how many bags does one woman need anyway?

Apparently, I need to ask myself the same question – how many bags do I actually need? Especially since, unlike Elsbeth, I only carry one bag at a time. (at present anyway) I’m thinking maybe the reason Elsbeth carries all those bags with her everywhere is because she suffers from a deep seated fear akin to FOMO (fear of missing out), however, this fear is FONHWINWINI. Translation – “fear of not having what I need when I need it.” Solution – carry everything with me at all times. That’s what Elsbeth does and it seems to work for her.

But it must be exhausting, not to mention cumbersome and inconvenient, to carry so much around with her at all times. I know one bag at a time is all I can manage presently with any degree of success. So perhaps the antidote to my FONHWINWINI is not carrying around with me yet another bag full of stuff, but instead relying on the promise of someone I trust – namely my Heavenly Father. He has an impeccable track record when it comes to providing for those He has created, including you and me, we who are created in His image. The apostle Paul experienced God’s provision in his every circumstance and wrote these words –

“And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

In Psalms I read this –

“The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. . . . The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:13-16)

I can’t possibly carry enough bags with me at all times, at any time, to ensure that whenever the need arises for a particular item, I will have that item with me. Even Elsbeth, with all her big, colorful bags, doesn’t have everything with her at all times. There is a physical limit to just how much I can carry with me at any given time. BUT – God has everything I need and more and He carries it all in the palm of His hand! God doesn’t need any bags. All the bags in the world could not contain His abundance of good gifts for us, His children. God simply opens His hand. I have this assurance-

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

I guess I really don’t need all of these bags after all. God is my ultimate provider and He is faithful. No matter how many bags I carry with me, they will never be able to hold “all” that I need. God’s “mercies are new every morning” just like the manna He gave the Israelites while they were in the desert was new every morning. (except for the Sabbath) God is able to provide food in a desert and even a feast in a valley of death, a valley filled with danger and full of enemies . . .

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:4-6)

An overflowing cup and a table full of food right in the middle of dire circumstances. Only God Almighty, our gracious and loving Heavenly Father, could and would do such a thing. And He does. Day after day He cares for me, instead of treating me as my sins deserve.

“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:10-14)

Perhaps Elsbeth has gone a bag too far and maybe I have also. Time to let go of some bags. I don’t need all of them. Actually, I don’t need any of them. Jesus made this clear when He said this –

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. . . . Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? . . . And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry . . . For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34)

Maybe it’s time for me (and Elsbeth and you too, dear readers) to stop carrying around so many big bags and instead trust our Creator to carry us –

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

sincerely, Grace Day

the battle rages but take heart – you are not alone!

Posted on by Grace Day

I am feeling besieged. Not so much personally, but on behalf of so many family and friends that I know and love. One of my favorite quotes seems particularly relevant to me these days. It is “Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting hard battles you know nothing about.” I have no doubt that this is true because at present I am aware of many of those battles that are engaging my family and friends. It is deeply personal. After all, we are told to “bear one another’s burdens” and I take that seriously.

As I come alongside my friends and family members facing these huge challenges, I find myself feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, paralyzed with fear and alone. It seems to me (with my limited vision) as if the enemy is winning. However, God’s word tells me something quite different. For instance, I am not alone. I am surrounded by those who cheer me on.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

A great cloud of witnesses? Really? I just don’t see them, so I am unaware of their presence. Not unlike the prophet Elisha’s servant. He too, was feeling overwhelmed and alone when he found himself in this situation.

“Then he (the king) sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh, my lord, what shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:14-17)

God’s hedge of protection was all around Elisha and his servant. His servant just didn’t see what was already in place until his eyes were opened in response to Elisha’s prayer. I am like that too. I need faith to open my eyes to see that God is right here with me no matter how dire my circumstance. I am not alone. I am weak, but it is God’s strength that prevails. Our Heavenly Father has a history of showing up for us when we need Him most. Just like with King Jehoshaphat who was told –

“This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17)

My Heavenly Father tells me I don’t have to be afraid and discouraged because He is with me and the battle is His. Moses told the Israelites essentially the same thing –

“Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.’ ” (Exodus 14:13-14)

When I’m feeling alone, it’s good to know the truth. There is Someone who has my back at all times! There is Someone willing to fight for me! That’s true for you too, dear readers. Your Heavenly Father has your back and He will fight for you. God does not abandon us, even if we feel as though He has. Job felt that way when he lost everything and yet Job had faith that God would restore him in the end. Job said this about God –

“But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)

And Job surely did. Here is the account of Job after his loss and suffering –

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. . . . The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. . . . After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years.” (Job 42:10 – 17)

At present, the fighting is fierce all around us in this world. We are battling illnesses, fighting for our very lives. We are suffering the losses of loved ones, of jobs, of relationships, of dreams, of homes and more, even as we battle depression and addiction and hatred and injustice and the lies of our enemy. The apostle Paul described our journey of following Jesus in this way –

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)

BUT – our help is here! Jesus told us –

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

You and I have our Heavenly Father’s assurances from His word –

“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten – the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm – My great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will My people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will My people be shamed.” (Joel 2:25-26)

God is in the business of rescue and of restoration. You and I may feel like Job now, surrounded by loss and pain and strife. Even Job’s wife and his friends weren’t on his side. They didn’t have his back – but in the end, God did. God came through for Job. God will come through for me and for you, too, dear readers. I believe what I read in Peter –

“And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:10-11)

Even as the battle rages around me, I wait in hope for God’s promised rescue and restoration. In the meantime, I have His presence with me, sustaining me in this moment – providing me all that I need to prevail in faith. After all, I know who wins in the end! Jesus already told us this spoiler alert –

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

sincerely, Grace Day