G and Me

Just some photos of myself and Gem that Matt took last weekend.

Trusting in Love

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in men." Psalm 118:8

I've been thinking about love and trust lately. The two go hand in hand. It is very hard to trust someone if we doubt their love for us. When we know we are loved by someone, we trust that person is going to be looking out for our best interest because of that love. If love was not there, we wouldn't trust because when love is lacking, self-interest reigns supreme.

Think of buying a used car. Who's going to give you a better deal on a reliable vehicle, a used car salesman or your parents who are wanting to sell their old car? Obviously in most cases the better deal would be offered to you by your parents. Why? Because they love you and are wanting good things for you.

As much as our parents, spouses, and friends may love us, we can't place entire confidence in them in that they will never act selfishly, hurtfully, or always put our best interest first because they are fallible beings. They can't place their confidence in us either. As much as we love, fleshly self interest in mingled in with that love and can't be rooted out completely until we see Jesus face to face and are made like Him. On this earth, our love will always be tainted with selfishness.

But in the Lord God we can have absolute confidence and trust. He loves us perfectly, there is no guile or self interest mixed in with His love.God's love for us is perfect, as is everything else about Him, and perfect love, you see, casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).

How does this work? When we fully comprehend how much God loves us we are free to trust Him. His love is perfect, always selfless, always seeking out what is best for us.

" 'I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'Plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.' " Jeremiah 29:11

He never makes mistakes and only plans for our good.

"We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

That doesn't mean that the Lord makes life a bed of roses for us. Bad things will still happen. Hard times will come. We won't always understand the hows and whys of what is going on, but we can trust, knowing that the Lord loves us and is planning something good.

Pick Up the Phone

I was struck by the stark contrast between these two Psalms. The first one talks of gods who are completely powerless, unreal, ans unable do anything. The second speaks of the living God who listens, speaks, and acts on our behalf.

"Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; noses they have, but they do not smell; they have hands, but they do not handle; feet they have, but they do not walk; nor do they mutter through their throat." Psalm 115:4-7

"I love the LORD, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. The pains of death surrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the LORD: 'O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!' The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling." Psalm 116:1-4, 6-8


It makes me think of the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel, found in 1 Kings 18 if you care to read it yourself, I'm just going to summarize the story.

Elijah was a prophet of God for Israel. At the time, Israel was worshipping false gods, specifically Baal, under the reign of King Ahab. Interestingly, Baal was the storm god, but it had not rained since the Israelites started worshipping him, true to God's promise that if His people worshiped false gods, He would close up the heavens and send drought.

Elijah confronted the people and king about their idol worship, and challenged Baal and his prophets to a contest, Baal vs. The Living God. Everyone went up to Mount Carmel and two stone altars were built with a sacrifice of a bull laid on each. The prophets of Baal and Elijah were to each pray to their gods to send fire from heaven to consume their respective sacrifices.

The prophets of Baal went first. They cried and prayed to their god for hours but nothing happened. Elijah mocked them and said, "Your god doesn't seem to hear you. Maybe you should cry louder. Perhaps he is sleeping or has taken a trip." So the prophets cried all the louder, dancing around their altar and cutting themselves. When evening had come and Baal had done nothing, it was Elijah's turn.

He had a trench dug around his altar and buckets of water poured on the bull, until the trench was full of water. Then Elijah prayed, "Lord God, prove to these people today that You are the Living God and that you want these people to worship only You." Immediately fire came down from heaven and burned up the offering, altar, and all of the water. The people fell down on their faces and cried out "The Lord is God, the Lord is God!" That very day, rain began to fall.

This same God who proved Himself to the Israelites that day is the God that we serve. He is a God who hears and answers. So often we erect idols in our hearts. Oh, maybe not idols of sliver, gold, or stone, but idols nonetheless. If we allow anything to come before the Lord in our lives, that thing is an idol, be it our spouse, children, job, possessions, or even a 'me first' attitude.

Just like God closed up the heavens and sent a drought when the people worshipped false gods, we experience drought when we erect idols in our hearts. We lack joy, contentment, and peace when the Lord does not reign supreme in our lives, but when we turn back to Him, He rains down His grace on us, and provides rest and refreshment for our drought weary souls.

Hundreds of years after Elijah's time, Israel was punished by God for their continued idol worship. They were taken captive by their enemies and carried off to be servants in other lands. But even as they were being carried off, yet unrepentant for their sins, look what God said to them through the prophet Jeremiah:

"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to You. You will seek Me and find Me..." Jeremiah 29:12, 13

Our Lord, the Living God, is always ready to listen to us, always ready to bring us back to Him the moment we are willing to return. Don't be afraid to call on Him, He's waiting to answer.