What a Woman #Seven

The end of the series is nigh...in fact, here's my final thoughts.

The woman of excellence in Proverbs 31.......What a Woman! She's a little like a mythical creature....can she really be real? She's a little too challenging at times....can anyone really be that perfect? She's clever and capable, practical and thoughtful, generous and energetic, wise and well dressed......so many things I am not. And yet, I don't resent her for that. I am just asking God to help me be more of those things, not so my head gets any bigger....just so I can be the blessing He wants me to be to others.

So I'll finish with a quick flick through the original list I wrote when I first looked through Proverbs 31 at the end of last year. These are things that stood out to me and challenged me most about how I was living...or not living as the case may be.

She.....(and therefore I need to....)

• laughs at the days to come....I can smile at the unknown future because I have blessed assurance - Jesus is mine and He walks with me through all things
• speaks with wisdom....Lord may my words be few and when I do utter them, may they be so very wise
• is not idle.....I'm looking for balance here - to not just be busy for busy's sake, but to know when and how to rest as well
• brings her husband good.....through prayer and then very practical means
• starts the day early....thanks baby boy - you make that so much easier:)
• helps the poor and needy......ahhhh! my never-ending challenge
• has value....thanks God that WHO I am and what I do matters
• is enthusiastic.....yay for life!
• is ready...no matter the season of life. As I said last post, if times are good....prepare now. And if times are tough....hold on my friend.
• dresses well......clothing herself in strength and dignity
• will be rewarded...bring it on!
• is praised, not because she is and does all these amazing things, but simply because she fears the LORD. May that be you and I too.....that we are women who consider the good He has done and the awesomeness He is and we revere, worship and honour Him.

Ahh yes....a woman of excellence...who can find?

I can....she is reading this line right now!

On My Mind This Week....

Do you ever feel like you have days...maybe weeks....where your head is so full and jumbled that it gives you a headache?


I woke up with a dull thudding in my brain this morning and rather than blaming getting up to baby during the night, I thought I'd take the time to think about all that's been in my head this week.


Here's a sample.....

• planning lessons....for next week during and after a 3AM feed and wishing I could just shut off the brain so I could sleep
• feeling really hot
• do people think that me being a Christian is all about what I DON'T do?
• why is j so whingey? why is he waking through the night so often? why do I have not a clue as to the answer to those questions?
• how do I politely refuse an offer of more work?
• should I even be working at all?
• why am I so selfish? judgemental? impatient? lazy?
• trying to fit another thing into a day that is already full
• wondering what to cook for mum's group or dinner...only to find half the ingredients for what I wanted to make are no longer in the pantry
• working out the best times to make phone calls...a) for when I'll actually be able to talk to the person on the other end of the phone b) for when it fits into the eating, sleeping, playing schedule that's running this end and c) for when I feel like I am alert and awake enough to make it a worthwhile conversation
• considering ebay purchases
• planning a holiday
• the grocery shopping dilemma
• AND so it goes.......

I guess as a woman....a wife....a mother.....that list of things our mind dwells on is always 
l-o-n-g....VERY long. And yes....it can certainly seem overwhelming at times.


But I have also been reminded of God's promise to me....Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.


Now the question is.....will I allow room in that full and swirling mind for my focus to be on trusting Him?

From Numbers 6

“The LORD bless you 
   and keep you; 
the LORD make his face shine on you 
   and be gracious to you; 
the LORD turn his face toward you 
   and give you peace.”


Who is this LORD?
He is YAHWEH....Jehovah.
He is the ETERNAL, UNCHANGING ONE.
He is the God who is self-existent, holy, 'other'.
He is CREATOR of the whole universe....and you.
He is ALMIGHTY, POWERFUL, KING of KINGS.
He is LOVE, GRACE, PEACE, GOODNESS, LIGHT.


He PROTECTS and PROVIDES.
He fulfils promises.
He is concerned for His people and acts on their behalf.


How do I know?
A. I have seen Him at work in MY life
B. Exodus 3 tells me He is 'I AM'


So today, I pray that YAHWEH pours all that He is into your life.

What a Woman #Six

This is a really difficult post to write. In light of all that's happened disaster-wise lately and with friends and family facing very difficult circumstances, I don't want anyone to think I am being insensitive to their current pain or challenges. 


But I do think we need to know what God's word says...to believe it and to live it.


With that in mind, consider the woman of excellence in Proverbs 31. In verse 25 we read about a woman who is intentional and confident....She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.


This woman dresses herself each day in strength and dignity. As routine as putting on our clothes for the day, should be our clothing ourselves with these two attitudes and qualities. The beauty of the Christian life, we clothe ourselves in the strength and dignity of God...with His enabling, we can be strong and dignified....even when it seems to be humanly impossible to be so.  In the midst of trouble, stress, pain, trials, suffering, disaster, difficulties, we CAN be women who rest in God...and that's where we will find all we need to be strong and dignified.


It's true that in His presence, we find those things....many of you could testify to that because you have walked through exceedingly tough days, months, years.  It's also true that because we can live in His presence, we can laugh at the days to come. Because we love Him and live with Him, we can have all we need for today AND for the future. The Amplified Bible says her laughter and lightness comes from knowing she is ready for the future.


Now none of us necessarily expects and prepares for a future touched by major floods or an earthquake or cyclone. And few of us look to future events like family fall outs and separations or days of depression and confusion and laugh. But no matter what we see - or get blind-sided by - God is with us. That's one encouragement. The other, is to make sure that in the good/easy times, prepare. Get into His word, live each day acknowledging Him, ask for His character to be developing in you...so that you are ready for whatever comes next. His presence is the only thing that can lighten the load and even when it still feels like an enormous burden, it's His presence that gives us the strength to carry it.


I'm struggling here....as I re-read what I have written it sounds like just words on a page. Mere platitudes to those who really are struggling today...both with the present and the future. I feel so inept at encouraging or helping.


All I can really say is Hold on! Hold on to Jesus....to the promises in God's word. Walk each day, in fact each moment that you are aware, with your eyes on the One who has created you and crafted your future. Ask for His help to look beyond the circumstances and see Him. Draw on His amazing character qualities....I know He has what you need. 


I know you may not laugh out loud at the future....at least perhaps not today....but I hope you'll know joy and peace as you walk clothed in strength and dignity into a future that is filled with His presence and His love.

What if....?

A story I heard this week got me thinking....
A friend was in a season of being challenged by God about his lack of thankfulness. One morning as he was brushing his teeth, he paused to thank God for healthy teeth...something he'd never done before. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, this thought popped into his mind: "What if I only had tomorrow, what I gave thanks for today?"

Whoa! That's worth thinking about isn't it? If this was the way life worked, what would you be waking up to today, based on words of thanks you expressed yesterday?

If you think the cupboards and the rest of life might be awfully bare, how about determining today to be much more grateful? How about asking for eyes to see and a heart and mouth to express gratitude to the One who blesses and the ones He uses to bless you?

Make saying 'thank-you' a HUGE part of your day, and I guarantee your spirit will be lighter and God will be well pleased....after all, His word tells us at least 33 times to 'give thanks.' In fact, you want to know God's will for your life? It's 3-fold, but includes giving thanks in all circumstances. See 1 Thess. 5:16-18

One thanks I have already expressed, even though it was a bit of a challenge, took place at 3.43AM this morning. This was the third time I was up to j last night (most unusual) and I could feel my frustration rising. But then I remembered the thanks theme I had been dwelling on and I simply said, "Thanks God for my little boy and that I am not buried under rubble, but I'm here to feed him and comfort him."

And those simple words made a huge difference to my emotional state and attitude. I wonder if your thanks today will do the same?

Answers?

Another disaster...more destruction...death...pain and suffering. And that age old question of.....Why does a Good God allow Pain and Suffering?....continues to be asked.

Long-time family friend, Pastor Bruce Stewart, recently addressed that question in a newspaper article in his local paper. Here's the article...

I love a sunburnt country, 

A land of sweeping plains, 

Of ragged mountain ranges, 

Of drought and flooding rains. 

I love her far horizons, 

I love her jewel-sea, 

Her beauty and her terror 

The wide brown land for me!

My Country,  Dorothea Mackellar  (This is just a portion of this wonderful poem)

I am often reminded of the words coming from Dorothea Mackellar’s poem which I and many others learnt off by heart  back in Primary school in earlier years.  Australia is indeed a rugged country with climactic and geographical extremes but many of us who come from the rural areas and indeed many city people develop a deep attachment to this wonderful land which our Creator has made.

In the last few weeks Australia has been capturing the headlines overseas for all the wrong reasons –  with  devastating floods  down the eastern side of the continent;   with severe fires on the west side of the continent and then the destruction caused by cyclones –especially Yasi.  It is only natural that some people start to ask the question – Why does a loving God  allow these tragedies and difficulties to occur?

The Bible tells us that in the beginning God made everything perfectly.  Genesis 1:31... God saw all that He had made and it was very good (perfect).   God gave people a free will – which allowed us to choose to do good or evil.  Adam and Eve chose to do wrong and all of us have continued  this tendency.  Humankind is capable of wonderful acts of creativity, love and compassion but acts of harm, madness and destruction can come from the same lips or hands.  Through sin came death (Romans 5:12) disease and  destruction – in fact the whole creation “groans” (Romans 8:22). Therefore we have tsunamis, cancer, cyclones and devastating fires 

We are all trapped on this amazing – though damaged planet – spinning through space and there is nothing we can do to save ourselves.  But the reality is that God has done something about death and suffering once for all.  He sent Jesus.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son,  so that whoever believes (meaning “to give oneself to”) in Him shall not die but have eternal life  (John 3:16).  The Bible gives a clear message that if we commit to trusting and obeying  Jesus then one day we will go to heaven where there will be “no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away” Revelation 21:4.  There will be perfect restoration.

In the meantime we live on a damaged planet and we have choices to make.  One thing many people have commented on in the face of  recovering from recent flood damage  is the sense of  community and “selfless compassion showed by neighbours, friends and often strangers just wanting  to lend a hand”.  Much good can come out of the bad if we so choose.

Let me give one example from the local church of which I am part of.  A farming family near Avoca was afflicted by the ravages of a torrent of water going down the Bet-Bet creek.  Six kilometres of fencing was flattened and other damage was caused.  People from the local church have conducted three  “back yard blitzes” so far and  much of the fencing has been restored.

All the people involved spoke of the wonderful sense of community and bonding which occurred as we worked together to help restore what had been damaged.  Of course the owners of the property are very grateful.

When we are confronted by tragedy we can continue to shake our fists at God and people or we can roll up our sleeves and with determination and resoluteness and faith work together to  make a difference. We can help our brother in need and humbly submit to the God who made us  who also grieves at death and destruction around us.  If we submit to Jesus and follow Him, one day all pain will be left behind.

Bruce Stewart.

A few thoughts from me....

Having read Jesus' words in Luke 21:11 (and echoed in Matthew and Mark), I KNOW there will be times of great pain and suffering and death and destruction. I KNOW it is bad now, but will, in all likelihood, get worse. 

BUT I also KNOW that I have a job to do and Jesus has a promise to keep...Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I KNOW I can trust Him, but can He rely on me?

What a Woman #Five

I like descriptive words. Adjectives and adverbs. They add colour and detail. They help me 'see' what has been written or is being described. They tell me the 'how', not just the what.


So 'how' is the woman of excellence in Proverbs 31 described? What can we learn about her from the adjectives in verse 17?


She sets about her work vigorously;
   her arms are strong for her tasks. (NIV)


First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
   rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. (The Message)


She dresses herself with strength
   and makes her arms strong. (ESV)


She is energetic and strong,
      a hard worker. (NLT)


She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm. (Amplified)


Hmmmmm....maybe I'm not a fan of describing words any more. Doesn't this all sound a little too much...for a Monday morning...and to one with arms that wobble?


Perhaps on our own it is a little too much, but with the help of the One who IS all these things and more and promises to GIVE us all these things and more, we can be the enthusiastic, energetic, extraordinary women that God has called us to be. 


And it doesn't matter what our day looks like. Whether we have in fact dressed in work clothes and headed out the door to teach or cut hair or fix teeth or counsel or type or drive a truck or heal or...... OR whether we are still in our pyjamas at 10am looking after little ones at home. Like I wrote in previous post Eye Witness, God SEES it all. And He's the One who said He would be with us always and be our helper.

I am convinced, that every little task we do today would be better if we did it keeping in mind that God is with us....He has given us this task to do....He has promised to empower us to do it and do it well. We just need to remember He's there and ask for His help.


So as you start today...or head into the afternoon....or finish the day, would you join me in this prayer?


'God we are privileged to be Yours. To know that we matter to the One who made all things, including us, and set in motion plans and purposes for our lives fill us with awe and wonder. May we see beyond the routine and the mundane and the work and challenges of life and catch a glimpse of amazing You. And Lord, would You fill us with the energy and enthusiasm and strength and joy that we need to do all of life well?'


WOW! We can speak to Almighty God...He hears and listens...then He acts powerfully and swiftly. Now that's something to get truly, deeply, wonderfully, crazily excited about!

From Exodus 13-16

Free at last! The Israelites were released from Egypt and on the road to the Promised Land...how exciting!


Yes, that does sound like a dream come true, considering where they'd come from and the conditions they had been living and working in as slaves of the Egyptians. But the Israelites seemed to think it was a nightmare.


Well certainly the amount of complaining they did suggested they were not thrilled to be free and on their way. We have no food...no water. Did you bring us here to die? It would have been better for us to stay in Egypt! Whaaa!!!


But the reality was.....they were on their way to a place so much better than where they had been. And they were going there with God. 


Exodus 13 tells us: By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. (v21-22)


Astounding! God's presence WITH them...in such an obvious way. They could see Him...night and day. He went ahead of them....leading, guiding and showing the way. And as He did, He provided all they would need...food from heaven morning and night, protection from enemies, victory in battle, water from rocks.

What's YOUR reality today? Have you taken a moment to acknowledge God's presence WITH YOU today? Will you continue to look to Him throughout your busy day? You may not see Him in a cloud or fire ball hovering over your house, but He IS with you. 


So talk to Him.....ask Him for what you need....follow His prompting and leading and enjoy His provisions for you today. He has ALL you need and will give it to you as you need it. He is the same loving and powerful God who rescued His people from Egypt and His plan today....to help you walk this road of life. 


What a great reality...I get to do my day with awesome God. How exciting!

From Job

So I have just finished reading Job and even after all those chapters and having read it last year as well...I'm still not sure I 'get it.' So much suffering........pain.....despair.....loss.....well-meaning friends who get it wrong....Satan on the war path.....God with 'hands-off'.....Job is given bad advice from his wife....doubts.....questions......Then finally, God speaks....

One thing I do know though, is Chapter 38 is awesome! Have a read.... 
This God we serve cannot be contained. He is not answerable to us. He is astounding, inexplicable...indescribable.

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea

Creation's revealing Your majesty

From the colours of fall to the fragrance of spring

Every creature unique in the song that it sings

All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,

Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim

You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go

Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow

Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light

Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night

None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name

You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,

Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim

You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,

Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim

You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

You are amazing God

Incomparable, unchangeable

You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same

You are amazing God

You are amazing God

(Chris Tomlin)

You can watch a great film clip and listen to this song here.

If we had the tiniest glimpse and appreciation of this today, it would CHANGE our lives. We serve THE God of ALL CREATION. The ONE and ONLY. The GOD who SPEAKS and IT IS. The GOD who LOVES US. The GOD who GAVE SO MUCH for US. The GOD who KNOWS US and DESIRES TO BE WITH US.  

Like Job, may we live lives of trust and obedience in this indescribable God....no matter what.

What a Woman #Two

I wonder what you would think if you heard me speak today. Would I make sounds that you'd consider helpful? Gracious? Kind? Wise?

This mouth of mine can get me into all sorts of trouble. Sometimes I gossip...telling people things they do not need to know, things I do not have permission to share. Sometimes I use words meanly...to have a go, dig, put someone in their place. Sometimes my words are dark...I whinge, complain, swear, make fun, criticise. Sometimes I just use too many words....preferring the sound of my own voice rather than taking the time to listen. Sometimes I talk over others, or butt in. Sometimes, it's not the words that do the damage, it's the way I say them. I speak in anger....annoyance....frustration. I yell at the silly driver who failed to indicate. I raise my voice to the wrong people.

How about you? Do you ever find yourself regretting what you just said? Wishing you could take it back? Or do you ever kick yourself for using THAT tone?

It's likely that the woman of excellence we read about in Proverbs 31 had a few 'ooopps' moments with her words, but verse 26 suggests she used her words well...often. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

What a nice idea...to be a woman who speaks with wisdom. What a powerful idea....that my words would be wise, impacting for all the right reasons and in ways that help, not harm. Words that encourage and comfort. Words that communicate hope, joy, love and bring peace. I want that to be the case for my words...and it can be.

The Bible also says that out of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 15:18). So it's logical to assume that if my heart is dirty, upset, cold.....my words will be unclean....unhelpful.

So my new goal?  To make it a priority prayer each day to bring my heart to God and ask for Him to clean it. And then, ask for His wisdom to fill it, so that when I speak, wisdom will be heard.

I do like the sound of that.

From Genesis 5

How timely that I read about Noah and the flood just days before the Qld flood disasters last week. In the midst of the mess, I had firmly in my head the picture of the rainbow and God's covenant with us....He will never again send a flood that will wipe out all living things. So even in the midst of sadness and loss, there was still hope. Hope in a good God who always keeps His promises.

And another thought from Genesis 5 is about the life of Noah himself and the example he is to us. We are told that Noah was a 'righteous and blameless man who walked with God.' He 'did everything just as God commanded him.' How hard that must have been for Noah. In many ways.

The work he was called to do was physically demanding. Long days...heavy work....splinters. You can imagine the sweat, the aching muscles and weariness at the end of the day. Yet he kept on going....there was a job to do.

It was emotionally demanding work. Noah was facing the unknown. Having never even seen rain, he was being asked by God to prepare for a 40 day and night downpour. He was facing a future that seemed clouded and unclear. And he was leading his family into the unknown. Yet he kept on going....all the while trusting in God and living in obedience to the call God was making.

It was socially demanding. Noah was questioned and ridiculed by his friends and strangers. He faced isolation and ignorance. He was not popular and his work, his values and his life were not admired or accepted. He was misunderstood and he was alone, apart from his immediate family and of course....God. Yet he kept on going.....realising that 'God + me = a majority.'

Trust and obedience. They are to be the obvious hallmarks of anyone who calls themselves a 'Jesus follower'. And while for you, they may not look anything like they did for Noah (I assume none of you has an ark taking shape in the backyard!) the command of God is nevertheless on our lives. Today He is calling us to be His earthly ambassadors. He wants us to love others...unconditionally. He desires for us to care for the poor. He needs us to help our husbands....cherish our wives......teach our children. His commands challenge us to be wise stewards of our finances and our time. He wants us to make wise choices about what we eat....watch...read....say. And He has specific jobs and ministries for us to be involved in.

Sometimes, He ups the ante with His call on our life. He may be asking us to care for an elderly parent.....walk through the trial of sickness or injury.....raise a child with a disability.....clean-up after a flood.....live with the grief of loss......endure the ill treatment of a work colleague.....keep on loving an unlovely spouse.....

No matter the circumstances or situation, God desires our trust and our obedience....but He never suggested that either would be easy. Some of what He asks of you may be physically demanding. Some may be socially or emotionally demanding. But like Noah, we can keep on keeping on. Because the reward will be great. Like Noah, I want it said of me....s/he 'found favour in God's eyes.' Don't you?

Psalms Fun

I just finished reading Psalms this morning. It's taken me a few months with 2-3 Psalms read every Wednesday and today...I finished the last of all 150. I'm a bit sad about that really cause David and friends sure know how to write.

But is was great timing as I received an email slide show from my aunt...something I have seen before, but nevertheless, a great reminder of how amazing God and His word are.

The shortest chapter of the Bible is Psalm 117.
The longest chapter is Psalm 119.
And the centre chapter is Psalm 118.
There are 594 chapters before Ps 118 and 594 chapters after Ps 118.
Add 594 and 594 and you get 1188.
The central verse in the whole Bible is Ps 118:8.
What does the central verse have to tell us about God and life????
Check it out for yourself: Psalm 118:8
Clever!

Last Words

They are not just idle words for you--they are your life. (Deut. 32:47)

In Deuteronomy 32, Moses presents his final thoughts to the people of Israel before he goes up the mountain to die. Final words....if I knew I was about to die, what would I want to say? I am sure I wouldn't be telling a 'knock knock' joke.....or singing a Top 20 hit.....or running through a list of all that I don't like about myself.


I hope I would be surrounded by those I love and have words of encouragement and thankfulness pouring from my mouth. I hope words of anticipation of eternity in heaven would be spoken as well.


Needless to say, we'd all - if we knew it was to be our last conversation - make those words count. We'd say what was true and real and important.


As Deuteronomy 32 draws to a close, Moses has just finished a long song about the story of God and His people. He has reminded the Israelites of God's greatness and His goodness to them. He has reminded Israel that their response to God's faithfulness has not been good enough. And he has reminded them of what is the most important....


God's word(s). Not a work of fiction or a fairytale. Not idle words said for the sake of Him hearing His own voice. Not words to be ignored. Or forgotten. 


No! God's words are words of life. And if we are a follower of Jesus, God's words ARE our life. They are what we must know and live. What we must meditate on and follow. They are the foundation of our beliefs and values and they drive our thoughts, behaviours, attitudes. They are what challenge us and bring us hope. They guide and direct and they bring wisdom. They comfort and inspire. They strengthen and fill us with joy and peace.


Please, after reading this post....open your Bible (or use an online version @ BibleGateway or Blue Letter Bible) and read His word for yourself. Perhaps you'd like to read Deuteronomy 32 and see for yourself why Moses called his song 'your life'.

Thoughts from Psalm 147

Questions: What one word connects the following....Bakers, rapper's, afternoon, Turkish?

The answer may not spring to mind readily, but 'google it' and you'll find the connecting word soon enough....DELIGHT.

While I do like the occasional Bakers Delight treat or a yummy Turkish Delight or even an afternoon delight with J (TMI!!), I can't say 'Rapper's Delight' is a song that is on my Ipod playlist.

But I do love that word....DELIGHT. It's a word to savour....to roll on your tongue....to see and feel as you say it....to say joyfully and with a smile. It's a word that sounds almost as good as what it means...a high degree of pleasure and enjoyment; joy; rapture; to bring pleasure and enjoyment (it's a clever word coz it can be a noun or a verb:)

What brings you DELIGHT? For me, it's so many things. From my husband's kisses and cuddles to little j's  face-splitting smiles. Letters and parcels in the mail, music, ice cream and mangoes, my toes in the sand at the beach and body surfing, cool weather, sunny skies, a long chat with a sister or friend, holidays, dreaming and planning, when the ironing pile is empty, a good night's sleep, reading Psalms (not palms!), living in Australia....and I could go on and on and on.

As I read Psalm 147 this morning the word DELIGHT caught my eye, as did the one mentioned in connection with delight. God DELIGHTS, He finds pleasure in.....which I guess is logical because I do, and I am created in His image.

But verse 10 tells us what His pleasure is not in....the strength of the horse, ....the legs of man. Hmmmm...not things I think about too often. But read in context with the next verse, it makes a bit more sense. God doesn't find delight in those who are ready for battle and equipped and with great strength. That's good news for me!

His delight, shown through His loving and faithful provision (read about that earlier in Psalm 147), is in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. It is the man, woman or child who holds God in great esteem, in awe, who brings God delight. He takes pleasure in you and I if our hearts and minds are right with Him and if we have an attitude of reverence for God. He is pleased when we hope in Him, not allowing the cares of the world to sway us from a steadfast and confident trust in our Heavenly Father. He experiences enjoyment when my life shows that my hope is in Him, my heart is full of Him and I am living for Him.

To me, that's a HUGE thought. I can bring pleasure to God. The same God who, as Psalm 146 says: is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them...the One who remains faithful forever....sets prisoners free, feeds the hungry, makes the blind see, sustains the orphan and widow, upholds the cause of the oppressed and loves the righteous and humble. The God who is the greatest being in existence, delights in me when my heart and soul are right with Him.

I have a new goal for today. It's not to experience as much pleasure as I can, but it's to bring as much pleasure to my gracious and wonderful God as I can. Today, I am going to DELIGHT God.

Listen to the Lyrics #10

No Matter What - Kerrie Roberts

I’m running back to Your promises, one more time
Lord that’s all I can hold on to
I gotta say this has taken me by surprise, but nothing surprises You
Before a heartache can ever touch my life
It has to go through Your hands
And even though I keep asking why, I keep asking why

No matter what, I’m gonna love You
No matter what I’m gonna need You
I know You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, if not, I’ll trust You no matter what, no matter what

When I’m stuck in this nothingness by myself
I’m just sitting in silence
There’s no way I can make it without Your help, I won’t even try it
I know You have Your reasons for everything so I will keep believing
Whatever I might be feeling, God You are my hope
And You will be my strength

Anything I don’t have You can give it to me, but it’s OK if You don’t
I’m not here for those things
The touch of Your love is enough on its own
No matter what I still love You and I’m gonna need You

No matter what I’m gonna love You, no matter what I’m gonna need You
I know You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, if not, I’ll trust You
I know You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, but if not, I’ll trust You

No matter what
No matter no matter what
No matter no matter what
No matter no matter what

Songwriter: Chuck Butler, Kerrie Roberts, Tony Wood

I love the sound of this song...and the lyrics too of course. Have a listen on youtube.


Let's start the week by looking at a couple of those amazing promises God Himself has made us. Promises I hope will make you joyful and thankful this whole week. Promises to sustain you and bring you a real sense of joy and hope and peace.


Promise 1 (my personal favourite) - "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5b) That's God speaking, telling us that He is with us ALWAYS...no matter what we are facing...in good times and tough ones....whether we think it or feel it or not. The GOD of ALL CREATION....including His prized treasures - us!.... sees everything we see and more than that, walks with us through it.


Promise 2 (a close 2nd to my favourite) - "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10) A promise made by Jesus and no other 'great teacher' in any other religion. And that life is found through knowing Him personally, because He is 'the way, truth and life.' A life that is abundant and to the full, till it overflows. A life for NOW and one for the future...ETERNAL life with God in His new heaven and earth. One where there is no more tears, pain or suffering.


Promise 3 (which has to be true for me to have 1 & 2) - 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) God can't look on us and call us His children if we have sin in our lives, yet He is the one who made the way for us to be rid of that sin. We only have to confess, turn from our sin and believe Jesus. And we get forgiveness, salvation, a hope and a future, a clean heart and a life and eternity with God Himself. Not a bad trade!


Promise 4 (the one that gives me hope in times of trouble) - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) I may never see the truth of this one, but because God is faithful and can't ever lie, I KNOW this one is true. 


Promise 5 (this one takes the worry from my life) - And my God will supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) Again, perhaps He'll do this in an unexpected way, but I KNOW He will do it...because I have seen Him do it throughout all the days of my life so far. Provision of material things yes...but so much more than that....family, friends, forgiveness, comfort, healing, opportunity, joy, peace, confidence, direction, strength, wisdom, emotional stability....and I could go on.


In fact there are many more exciting promises God has given, so how about I continue this post sometime soon? Meanwhile, like the lyrics say....there will be times in our lives when things happen and we don't understand how a loving God could allow them. But even though we may ask 'why?' and not receive an answer, we can know His promises are true and 'no matter what' choose to believe them and Him.