Not What The Eyes See

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

My thoughts today are on, once again, what it costs to trust God and His word. I think it costs everything you have. God doesn't do half. He doesn't love you half way. He gives it all, all the time. He even died, so you wouldn't die. I honestly don't know what it's like to love someone so much that you put everything on hold for him, i.e. your entire life, because you trust that it's worth it.

I think of our attitude toward God. Sometimes we don't care about Him. We despise Him. We dare Him. We don't believe He exists. We think even if He did exist, He has abandoned us. Because "how could a God of love let all those horrible things happen on earth and happen to us?"

So, even as Christians, because we doubt Him and we doubt His intentions and we doubt His love, we go on our *not so* merry life, and we work hard, we exhaust ourselves to make it what we want it to be.

Yet again, His love for us never changes. He says, "38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. " Romans 8:38

And like the good Father that He is, he remains patient toward us, until we get it. "15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him." 2 Peter 3:15

So, what did it cost God to gain my trust and love? Everything. I cannot think of something that He didn't give up for that purpose. He has been "all in" from the beginning.

When He says, "5 However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you." Deuteronomy 23:5 What does it cost me to trust Him?

When He adds, "25 I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm— my great army that I sent among you." Joel 2:25 Is it so easy to believe? What does it cost to trust Him?

He went all in. I don't see how we can "half" believe as well. He either means it, or He's a liar. So far I've always been proven the liar, not Him.

I don't know how He will do it, and I don't need to know. I'm simply grateful for His support and eternal love.

My Hope is in You Only

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me."
Micah 7:7


We're responsible for the choices we make when we face trials: how we decide to handle a particular person or situation; whether we let ourselves be overwhelmed by frustration, or anger, or despair, to the point of acting on it. The context of this chapter is misery, and the people described up until verse 7 chose to deal with their misery, to "improve" their situation by shedding blood, lying to their neighbors, accepting bribes... And the list goes on.

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior."

What choice have you made? How will you handle your day? 

Promises Not Fulfilled?

Verses about the heart being sick when a desire is delayed. 

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12
"When my spirit grows faint within me, it is You who knows my way." Psalm 142:3
"Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails." Psalm 143:7 G
 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. Mark 11:22 

The value of a word. The value of a promise. Whether or not someone made one to you, it seems you have partial responsibility in the fulfillment of the promise.

In God's case, our part is to keep faith, actively. Not just sit and wait for "it" to happen, but to be positively proactive. I really think that the biggest part is to not give up. "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Galatians 6:9 (KJV)
So keep working at it. Do your part. Do what you know to be right. Do not sway to the left or right, do not compromise, but keep faith. Do not look for a short cut. If you fall, get back on your feet and finish the race. If it's in your heart, believe even when it seems impossible, because He can make a way where there seems to be none. Just don't give up yet. Finish what you started. Cross the finish line.

When a friend, or anyone else made you a promise, what is there to do?
I can think of two cases:
First, you do trust your friend, in a way that allows you to be flexible with your time. What he or she said, will do. It might take more time that initially thought.
Secondly, you have a back-up plan, in case it doesn't follow through.
Let me add a third one. You've decided on the outcome in your heart already. You gave.

When God gives you a promise, what is there to do?
"I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20
"But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37
"And Jesus said to him, "'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23

In the end, you might still get what you hoped for or needed, just not the way you expected it to happen. God said He's with you every day. God said He'll never fail you. God said if you believe, everything is possible.

May God bless you with an uplifting and beautiful day.