Laced With Grace

For the past 2 years, my husband and I have been embroiled in a complicated and frustrating battle regarding a real estate issue. It’s truly a current day David and Goliath scenario, and we’re little David. Day by day, it’s up and down emotionally as the lawyers go back and forth.

So we decided that whenever our minds drift into the “what if’s” and the figuring out, we would turn our thoughts to scripture, specifically Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

This discipline has kept our minds fixed on truth instead of faulty thinking. Last week, we received a call from our lawyer saying that we were at a dead-end. I felt my stomach flop, but my husband (normally the worry-er) was strangely at peace. Then he shared with me an email he read moments before the lawyer’s phone call. It was from our friend, Pastor Chuck:

“‘What do you mean, “If I can”?’ Jesus asked. ‘Anything is possible if a person believes.’” (Mark 9:23 NLT)

 God will build your faith by planting a dream within you. But that dream will require a decision of faith, and then God will stretch your faith as you face delays, difficulties, and dead ends.

It is then that God comes in and delivers. God does a miracle. God provides a solution. For instance:

·   In Moses’ case, God parted the Red Sea. 

·   In Abraham’s case, he and Sarah miraculously conceived a child. 

·   In Joseph’s case, all of a sudden his dream came true, and he found himself no longer imprisoned in a dungeon; instead, he was the second in command in Egypt. 

 And Jesus was resurrected! God can even turn a crucifixion into resurrection, and that means he has the power to transform your dead ends into deliverance. He builds your faith through delays, difficulties, and dead ends, so that when he delivers you, God gets all the credit!

 When faced with a dead end, the best response is to expect God to act. What are you expecting God to do in your life? Jesus says, “According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29b NIV).

 When you wait for deliverance, then God gets the credit. And you can look back to see how God led you through a path of faith, expanding and increasing your trust of him with every step. Your faith is stronger, and now you can say with confidence, “I am expecting the Lord to rescue me again, so that once again I will see his goodness to me …” (Psalm 27:13 LB).

Reading that email moments before the phone call gave my husband the wisdom to know how to respond. We’ll wait for the Lord, and we’ll wait with the expectation that He will be glorified when this issue is resolved. Already, we have seen God work, and soon the lawyers and town officials and many others will too.

Are you facing a difficult circumstance? One which seems impossible? Leave a comment so I can pray for you, and you can pray for me too. Together we will see God do the impossible! 

Susan

www.eternitycafe.blogspot.com

www.susanpanzica.com

Now that I am a Grandma, it has been fun to return to the toy stores to shop for our little grand-baby. On a recent trip to visit her and her mommy and daddy, we brought a few of the toys that we had purchased for her. One of the toys that we bought was a round ball. Now, this was not just any ordinary ball, it was a wonder ball, one that was designed to roll back to you after you rolled it. Of course, before we could give it to our grand-baby, we had to test it out to be sure that it worked.

We rolled the ball…and sure enough that ball came rolling right back to us. No matter  where we stood, it returned to us just like the package said it would. We stood in the kitchen and rolled the ball…it came back. We stood in the hallway..it came back. We stood in the family room…it came back. We were amazed.

I  sure wish there could be such a ball for when distractions of the world pull us away from serving God.

We all know someone, perhaps even ourselves, that because of trials and tribulations, or temptations, traded assurance in Him for the lies of the enemy. The enemy knows that if he can put extreme suffering in our path that we may begin to doubt God’s love and and compassion. Many times, instead of trusting God, we blame Him. We question why a good God would allow such bad things to happen to us.

The amazing thing about God is that even when we step away from Him, He never goes any where. He remains at our side. Wherever we go, He is present.

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

Just like that wonder ball that returned after we rolled it away, God remains and is just waiting for all of His children to return to Him that have rolled away.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

For years now, I have heard preachers say that we are in the last days, “Jesus is coming soon.” I believe that we truly are in the last days and that time is very short to get our house in order. All I have to do is turn on the nightly news and ask myself “why God?, why don’t You just come?”

Just like any parent who never loses hope that their lost child would be found, our Heavenly Father waits for one more to come home. Maybe it is your mother or brother. A friend or a spouse. Maybe it is your son or daughter or maybe it is a complete stranger. Whoever it is, God is waiting patiently for them and as He waits, He stands close by, never leaving them alone.

He waits. He watches. And He never rolls away.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for being patient with me, for not giving up on me or forgetting me. Even before I fully committed to You, You were always fully committed to me. May I also have the same kind of patience with those who have fallen away from You, help me to see them like You see them, and may they yearn to roll back to You, just like that wonder ball. AMEN

We used to live in a fairly conservative community.  In fact, the area in which we made our home is often referred to as the “Bible-Belt” of California.   There seemed to be more Christians than not, and like-minded people were easy to find.   But then, as so often happens, we were uprooted and moved to a new area.  I must say, it is beautiful where we now live.  We are close to the ocean as well as a beautiful city and the rolling hills in between are covered with grape vineyards.  But another thing I’ve noticed while living here is that the people’s viewpoints are somewhat “varied”.  Now don’t get me wrong, there are many God-loving, Christ-centered people here, but there is also a shadow that threatens to discourage even the most faithful.

The world in which Jesus walked as a man was not unlike our own.  There was crime and violence, hunger and disease.  Political unrest, religious bigotry and immorality were rampant.  And also like today, people looked to false-gods to try to satisfy their longings and desires.  But, have you ever noticed that when things seem completely dark, the tiniest of light is able to be seen more clearly?

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1:5).

When Jesus came into this world He became our Guiding Light.  He brought healing and hope to the downtrodden.  He restored souls and broke the chains that kept people locked in darkness.  Jesus still does this today; I am living proof.  I did not always see things as clearly as I do now.  His Light opened my eyes and restored my soul!

The other day, I was tempted to be discouraged by the troubles in our society.  I was disheartened to see the dim eyes and frustrated lifestyles of my fellow sojourners in this life.  But then, our pastor said something so simple and yet so profound, my mood instantly changed.  He said, “Sometimes it is in the darkness Christ’s Light can shine the brightest.”  Wow.  So true!  Jesus tells us that we are to be the light of the world.  In the midst of strife and struggle, we can shine brightly for Him!  We needn’t succumb to the ways of the world or hide the hope we have in Christ behind closed doors.   Instead, we can reach out in love to those around us.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Let’s be living examples of Christ’s love and light.  Rather than sequestering ourselves away from those who don’t know Him, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus and bring hope to a troubled world.  Let us share the joy we have in Him by the way we live and express our faith.  Then Christ’s light will be visible for all to see!

Joyfully His,