Hummmm. . . .!

It is a glorious thing to know that your father God makes no mistakes in directing or permitting that which crosses the path of your life. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter. It is our glory to trust Him, no matter what. ~ Joni Eareckson Tada

I saw Joni at FBC in Jackson, MS in 1976. That evening, I listened to her testimony of how God turned an unexpected diving accident resulting in quadriplegia into a ministry for Him. While she spoke she held a Flair pen with her teeth and sketched. As a senior Physical Therapy student at the University of MS Medical School, my skills evaluated her abilities and her obvious paralysis. Her artistic talents exceeded my expectations. Certainly her testimony of accepting adversity and making positive strides challenged me as a therapist, her example was one of faith and courage.


In the fall of 2005, I read Joni's very personal story in her book, The God I Love. I found her honesty refreshing as she described the many years that she had hoped for a miracle yet grew  a ministry that touched thousands. And, again, a few days ago, I ran across her quote in my "stash" of other people's words. This time ~ summer 2011, I sit with her words and evaluate the meaning of this kind of faith and courage. Accepting God's directing or permitting . . . trust[ing] Him, no matter what is sometimes difficult. I do, however, believe His Purposes will never fail, and His Faithfulness will not end. Perhaps my trust in God can only be grounded in the very character of God. God's Promises are BEST! 


As for circumstances that I do not choose? I am reminded of Paul's words to the Corinthians:
In everything we do we try to show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. Romans 6:4 NLT
~ dho

Fruits of Freedom

One Nation Under God . . . America the Free! If we think back to our beginnings as a country, freedom to become our own country, to govern ourselves echoed across the Atlantic to England and grew roots in this new land. We still cherish this freedom and proudly claim that America stands for liberty and justice for all. A civilization's freedom comes with a price. We honor those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom.


In God we trust still marks our money, despite those who champion its removal. America's coins and paper money pay iconic homage to some of the leaders who helped make this freedom possible. As Christians, we recognize that our true freedom is about faith and hope and love. A soul's freedom must also be purchased. We trust in our great God, and King, whose Plan for Freedom rings still. We worship Christ, the One whose sacrifice offers everlasting freedom.


What are the fruits of freedom? To the soldier, they are peace instead of war, wholeness instead of battle wounds. To the leader, they are certainty instead of probability, unity instead of division. To the parent or spouse or child of a soldier, they are presence instead of absence, joy instead of anxiety. To a country, they are liberty and justice for all. To the Christian, they are these same things ~ peace and wholeness, certainty and unity, presence and joy, liberty and justice for all. Because we serve a God who is Loving and Faithful and Righteous in ways we cannot understand, we can find true freedom in His Grace.  To the goodness of God, the Author of Liberty, we owe everything.  ~dho

. . . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Infinitely MORE!

Call to Me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wonderful things that you could never figure out on your own.  Jeremiah 33:3 The Message


When we call to God ~ with petition or without words, inside crisis or outside certainty, after fear or before failure ~ He is there! Not only is God there, He is waiting for you! His goodness exceeds our greatest hope. God is infinitely more wonderful, and He desires to share this amazing love with us. Wonder what marvelous and wonderful things God has to tell you?  Ask Him! ~dho

All we are and all we have is the . . . the love of God! The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend.  A.W. Tozer

Endure the Unendurable

Colossians 1:1-12 NASB
" . . . walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, . . ."


In reading these verses, we learn that Paul and Timothy have been praying these things for the Colossian believers. Paul had not actually visited them but learned about their salvation through fellow believer, Epaphras, who had heard the Gospel from Paul at Ephesus and took this transforming message back to Colosse. Having heard of their faith, Paul writes to encourage them. These are their prayers

- walk in a manner worthy of the Lord

- please the Lord in all respects

- bear fruit in every good work

- increase knowledge of God

- be strengthened through God's power  

And the "strength to stick it out over the long haul" that comes with serving Christ is well expressed in The Message when it speaks of "Glory-strength", [the] strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that He has for us.


Have you prayed for someone today? Have you prayed for "Glory-strength", a Christ-strength that endures the unendurable? Remember everyday brings spiritual battles to those who believe in Christ. The spiritual warfare for believers is often hard and unrelenting. Many circumstances surround each of us, threatening to weary us. Pray for "Glory-strength" to strengthen and renew joy ~ PRAY CHRIST'S "GLORY-STRENGTH FOR SOMEONE TODAY! ~dho

Preparing for Easter ~ Go!

Easter Sunday ~

More surely than ever before, I know now that we are called to give our very lives to one another and that, in so doing, we become a true community of love.
Henri Nouwen from Life of the Beloved (pg. 115)

In The True Vine, Andrew Murray writes of Christ's joy: His joy is nothing but the joy of love, of being loved and of loving. It was the joy of receiving His Father's love and abiding in it, and then the joy of passing on that love and pouring it out on sinners. Christ is Perfect Love offered to imperfect people. Like His disciples and His closest followers, we are imperfect people yet perfectly loved by Jesus.

Read John 20:19-23 (for the complete story of the resurrection, see John 20-21.)

As He spoke, He held out His hands for them to see, and He showed them His side. They were filled with joy when they saw their Lord! He spoke to them again and said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I send you."
John 20:20-21 NLT

On Easter Sunday, the day of resurrection, Jesus appears to several people, each Gospel giving a similar but varying account of all those who witnessed the risen Savior. John writes of Jesus coming in the evening to the disciples who are meeting behind locked doors fearing the Jewish leaders. Jesus offers them peace and joy; He reminds them this assurance comes from the Father. He breathes the Holy Spirit into them. Christ prepares them to take the Good News of redemption and reconciliation into the world. The root of Christ's joy is the Father's love.

Jesus gives us the same command today, saying as the Father has sent Me, so send I you. We are to carry the Good News of His amazing grace into the world. We are to build up the community of faith by sharing His love. Christ prepares us with His peace and affirms us with His joy. After Christ returned to Heaven at Pentecost, the Spirit came to dwell within the hearts of all believers. The sure foundation of our joy is Christ ~ Perfect Love.

Consider this!

• Imagine being in the room with the disciples when Jesus "suddenly" appears. Describe their joy!
• How does Jesus model the task of sharing the Gospel?
• Have you experienced the resurrected Jesus? How will you share such Perfect Love?

Blessed Assurance ~ You are Eternal Love! I am overwhelmed that the love of the Father and the grace of the Son and the presence of the Spirit are mine! You choose me and love me and send me to be a witness for You. Your unfailing faithfulness and enduring love prepare my heart with peace and joy! You empower me to tell my faith-story. With the joy of Christ, I go! Amen. ~dho

a special note:  These Easter devotions are dedicated to: 

God-of-the-Angel-Armies - Your promises give me life, and I delight in being Yours.  

Thank you to Steve Swanson and WAFJ for the opportunity to share the message of God's Promises and Perfect Love. ~ dho

for all the "Preparing for Easter" devotions and more ~  

"breathing Room for my soul"  dhosoulchat.blogspot.com   

MangroveMinistries.org

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2009 by Donna Oswalt                                                                                             

Preparing for Easter ~ Waiting!

And He departed from our sight that we might return to our heart, and there find Him. For He departed, and behold, He is here. Augustine

The Sabbath began at sundown on Friday, and this one even more special as it was the beginning of Passover. Passover was celebrated by the Jews to recall the time the plague of death 'passed over' their homes as they were delivered from Egypt. To prevent having the first born males die, they were to take the blood of the sacrificed lamb and place it on the door frame of the house. [see Exodus 12 for complete text] But this particular Passover the Lamb of God had been sacrificed, Christ's blood shed for all. 

Read John 19:38-42

And so, because it was the day of preparation before the Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Just before sundown Friday, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, secret disciples of Jesus, asked Pilate for Jesus' body, quickly prepared the body and carefully placed Him in the tomb. Fearing the Jewish leaders, these members of the Jewish high council had kept their following of Jesus a secret until now. And Jesus' body lay in the tomb as Passover began. 

There was little written about that Saturday - the Jewish Sabbath that fell between the crucifixion on Friday and the resurrection on Sunday. There would have been no work, only time for worship and rest. For those who mourned Jesus' death, there was much time for reflection of recent events, remembering of times shared, and recollections of countless miracles. They did not understand what had happened. They waited.

Consider this!

• What risks did Joseph and Nicodemus take?
• What thoughts might the disciples have had during this time?
• Does Jesus live within your heart? If yes, do you ever keep your faith a secret?

Lord ~ What happens when the world denies You, and I keep silent? What happens when the world mocks You, and I turn away? Lord, You must weep at my selfish response. What happens when You offer hope that is eternal, and I do not share this Good News? What happens when You love with amazing grace, and I do not share this forgiveness? Lord, You must weep at my casual faith. Forgive me when weakness wins the battle inside my soul. In these times of struggle, I call to You and always find You waiting for me. Amen. ~dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2009 by Donna Oswalt