Laced With Grace

Just about the time it seems you’ve got a handle on something, life steps in and messes you all up. Whether it’s organization, eating, or any other weakness – when you (I) try to do anything under my own power It all falls apart.

Sometimes I feel as though I’m banging my head against a wall, fighting this battle and that battle. And then there’s the other battle that I don’t even know I’m fighting until I’ve lost.

The battle is with others, it’s with me, and it’s with the world. We are in a battle, and it’s not against flesh and blood I(except our own).

Sometimes I struggle with depression – and it can sneak up on me and I find myself in the pit. I read David’s Psalms; it seems he struggled with his own battles – but in the end he was about praising God.

This I know – when I am weakest, God shows His strength. When I am lowest, God proves that He is the Most High.

Psalm 97

1 The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.

4 His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.

7 All who worship images are put to shame,
those who boast in idols—
worship him, all you gods!

8 Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments, O LORD.

9 For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.

10 Let those who love the LORD hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

11 Light is shed upon the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name. (NIV)

I want to share two stories.

Story one:

Yesterday I was on the phone with a desperate woman. She had several situations around her in which other people were ill and she desperately wanted to fix what was ailing them–but she was not in the position to do so for any–so instead she worried. As we talked I pointed out to her that the only thing she could do was pray, “Oh, I guess that is all I can do but I want to do more.” Her attitude reminded me of the joke about the little old grandmother who worried about everything until finally her family pointed out that the only thing she could do is pray. Her response, “Really has it come to THAT???” I giggled and pointed out that the most effective thing we can do IS pray. So often when we do anything else we get in the way of God working, especially if we are just doing it for our own sake, for our own egos, for the sake of being in control of the situation.

Story two:

We did get to go on our vacation and God graciously provided so completely and so perfectly that we had exactly (down to a few nickels) the amount we needed for the entire vacation. It was amazing and such a wonderful lesson for the kids and I (every time the kids asked for something at the store it would wash up on the beach the next day–really it was so amazing.) But that isn’t the story–not really. You see we had a marvelous illustration of God’s provision and His will to give us good gifts and the desires of our hearts.

The day after we returned home my husband had gall bladder surgery. The kids stayed at Grandma’s–we didn’t even unpack, they took what was in the car with them. My daughter’s MP3 player was still in my bag from the trip so I took it with me just in case I needed something to do. I only got it out once, realized the battery was low then stuck it back down into the depths of my backpack. The surgery went well and when we got home I fell asleep (because I had spent the majority of the vacation awake and walking on the beach). When Rachel got home later that night she asked about her MP3 player. “It’s in my bag”, I replied. She went and got ready for bed and later asked again about the player. I responded and took a peek in my bag. It wasn’t there. I sent her to bed saying I would get it in a bit then went out to the car assuming I had taken it out there. It wasn’t there. I prayed and looked again, dumping my bag out, sand and all, on the kitchen table, trying very hard not to panic about this $50 item, smaller than my index finger. I had visions of trying to call the hospital lost and found on a Saturday morning, I imagined the bratty (really) kid who sat behind me in the waiting room seeing me take it out and swiping it (sorry Kid, you aren’t a thief but you do need some lessons in respect of your elders). As I prayed I felt the call to “just wait and see” that it would turn up. “But Lord,” my heart cried, “what if it doesn’t, what if I lost her favorite item–the one thing that makes her inability to watch tv tolerable for her!” He continued to tell me to be at peace. I warned my husband of what had happened and tried to not worry.

The kids fell asleep quickly and I didn’t mention the incident to Rachel assuming that the Lord would reveal something before then. The next day nothing was said about it and I continued to have peace. Saturday night I tucked the kids in. There, sitting on my daughter’s dresser, was the MP3 player. It turns out that before getting ready for bed Rachel got it out of my bag and later, when she asked where it was she meant to ask where the headphones where–they were also in my bag but she didn’t see them. (She and I both have some issues with words not coming out as we intend which makes for some interesting, and confusing, conversations.)

I was so thankful that the Lord had given me peace and refused to allow me to call the hospital the next day frantically searching for the “lost” MP3 player. He knew exactly where it was but wanted me to remember that He did, to give it up to Him, and to let Him work. Even if it had been lost it would have been all right because I knew that He had a plan and would bless someone else with it or use it for good in some way. I had my moments of near panic but I chose repeatedly to trust Him and He came through.

The point of all this? Things are not what they seem. We see only the injury or the lost item, He sees the greater good, the plan beyond our comprehension, the very best for us and all involved. He knows the good that will come of the injury, the loss, the pain, the suffering, He is working ALL things out for good. That is why we are forbidden to worry–worry means forgetting who is in control, trying to control the situation ourselves, and missing out on His best for us.

“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? Matthew 6:25

Lord, thank You that You are in complete control, that You have all things in Your hands and are working ALL things out for our good as those who love You. Thank you for Your peace in times of trouble, for Your wisdom and Your awesome provision. What’s your story? How has He shown you that He is in control?

There are so many people who think if they see Christ with their own eyes then they would believe. So many can not wrap their mind around what they can not see.

In Acts 4 right after the birth of the church (Pentecost), and right after Peter heals a lame man by the temple’s gate, the Sadducees began questioning what they were doing healing a lame man. So much so they put Peter and John in prison overnight while they tried to figure things out. The next night they were brought before the Sadducees and questioned by what power do they perform these miracles?

Peter responds by saying, “If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. “ (Acts 4:9-10 ESV)

The Sadducees realized that Peter and John were not educated men, they were not high in position like they were, and this power they had was frankly scaring them. They had to confer with one another because they could easily see that the lame man was healed, and they did not know what to do about it. The power behind the healing of the lame man sent fear among the Sadducees they tired to suppress Peter and John from ever performing the miracles again.

Peter responded by telling them, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 ESV)

Salvation is found only in the power of Jesus Christ. He was telling the Sadducees that the Law they hold so dear can not save them, the religion they practice so fervently can not save them, and any ceremony they preform can not save them. It is only through Jesus Christ, when we come to him through faith, that we can be saved.

The Sadducees saw with their own eyes the power of Jesus’ name, they saw what these uneducated simple fishermen could do while being filled with the Holy Spirit. But unfortunately seeing is NOT believing. Peter showed them powerful, indisputable, and convicting words; but they still did not believe. The Sadducees let Peter and John go and they went back to the group of believers to offer up prayer. At this time they realized the Sadducees have became the enemy.

What do you think they prayed for?

To eliminate the persecution?

To make things easier on them? (they did just spent one night in prison)

No, in Acts 4:29-29 they prayed for power and endurances.

“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Heavenly Father may we go boldly and spread the word that your son was crucified and raised from the dead. I believe with each generation it is going to become more and more difficult to spread the word of the gospel, but help us to stand against persecution and proclaim your son Jesus Christ!