at His feet

There is a phrase that ends up in a lot of worship songs: at the feet of Jesus. I always think about the story of Mary and Martha in Luke chapter 10. These two women were eager to serve Jesus. Martha got busy in the kitchen. She was eager to work and perform tasks that showed her love and devotion. Mary chose to sit at His feet and listen and learn from him. She was sitting in His presence. When Martha complained about  Mary not helping her, Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the good part. 

Jesus was not saying we should not work and serve others, but he was saying we also need to take time to sit at His feet to listen, learn, and be refreshed. We cannot keep going and never take time to rest in Him. 

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Galatians 6:9 NKJV

We  need to be about our Father's business, but we also  need to rest. Mary chose to sit at His feet. She chose to relate to Him, listen to Him, and spend time with him. This is the time we can talk with him, learn of him, and be restored in spirit. We often keep going day after day in our daily routines, giving of ourselves, spending ourselves in the daily jobs and care of others. We pour into others until we are exhausted and spent. We need to realize that we  need to make time to spend with Jesus to balance out our lives. Without time at his feet, we may become worn, weary, and find ourselves unable to do the work we are wanting to do. 

Finding time at the feet of Jesus is the good part, and maybe the most important time of our day. It is there, we can lay down the things that weigh us down, for our heavenly Father to handle. It is there, at His feet,  we can hear His voice and feel His peace. It is there we can rest in His sweet, comforting presence. It is at His feet, we can know we have a heavenly Father that cares for us and provides strength we need to get through all the tasks of life. We need that time at the feet of Jesus.

I think of a line of an old chorus, "My rest is complete, while I sit at Your feet," when I realize how much I need to find rest for my soul. My soul needs to sit at His feet.

Take time today and cast all your cares on Him. Listen to Him as he speaks peace and find rest at His feet.

trust in the trial

As I pray over some uncertainties coming our way, I hear, "I will provide." God has promised to provide for us. He is Jehovah Jireh, The Lord will Provide. In Genesis chapter 22, Abraham described God as our Provider. When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his precious son, Isaac, Abraham told Isaac that God would provide the sacrifice. God did just that. An angel stopped Abraham and God provided a ram for the sacrifice. God asked Abraham to trust him, even with the life of his only son. Abraham displayed great trust and faith in God. He obeyed even when it went against everything he knew. In the face of being asked to do something absolutely crazy, he trusted.
God asks that same trust from us.  When things do not make sense, or appear to be bigger than any one can handle, is when we must place our trust in our Provider.  God will provide because He is a good God and a good Father.  He does not leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) in the middle of a storm, or when things are difficult.  He will walk with us, prepare the path, and open doors. He will make a way.

Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:19 NKJV

As we face situations that may seem overwhelming or uncertain, we can trust in the Lord. We can call on Him and find a peace that no one can understand. We can rest in Him and know that God is fighting for us. He already knows our future and has laid out a plan that will work for our  good. We can praise Him and worship in the good times as well as the bad with great confidence knowing that he will supply all our needs.

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 NKJV

When it seems everything is shaken, when the future seems daunting and uncertain,  when the bills overwhelm or the doctor report shakes you to your core, God is there. He will provide all we have need of. We are only asked to trust Him. Keep believing,  keep trusting, keep praising, stay faithful. God will be faithful. He is our Provider.  We can ask what we have need of and know that he hears us.

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
I John 5:14 NKJV

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:11 NKJV

We have a promise that God will provide for our needs because He is good. He loves his children and He takes care of his children.  We have no reason to fear or worry. We have no reason to fret or become despondent over situations when we have Jehovah Jireh on our side. We can instead praise Him through the storm, worship with abandon and be filled with peace. The Lord our Provider is working for our good in the midst or every trial and every storm. Trust Him.

God Planned On You

This Christmas I noticed a post on Facebook with a picture of Mary holding baby Jesus with the caption,  “One unplanned pregnancy can save us all.” That really got me to thinking especially since I was doing a study about Mary with the ladies at church.  It is true, from Mary's perspective, this was an unplanned pregnancy. I get that point. But, from God's perspective,  it was a planned pregnancy. Not only planned, but well thought out, organized and set into motion hundreds of years in advance. This pregnancy of a virgin was foretold four hundred years before it occurred by the prophet Isaiah in chapter 7:14,  foretold It would be in Bethlehem by Micah 5:2 and even who his family would be, the lineage of David, as told by Isaiah 9:7. What many saw, and still see, as unplanned, God already knew it, organized it and planned from the beginning.
The same can be said about us. We may not be the promised Messiah, but God is all His infinite knowledge, love and wisdom, knew about us and has planned on us before we were ever thought about or born.
Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you. He knew us and set a plan in motion for our lives.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Just like many parents plan for the arrival of a child, God planned on you. When I found out I was pregnant, my husband and I began planning, what we would need, how to prepare,  and what name to give. God planned on providing a plan for our lives as well as providing a means of salvation from sin for each of us.  I have watched people prepare for many big events in life. Go to college or training to prepare for a job, saving money to purchase a car or a house, preparations to propose marriage, planning retirement, planning for the future. There are so many examples.  God is the same way in that respect, he planned for the future of each of us.
The one thing in Luke chapter 1:38 that really stood out is that Mary agreed and accepted the plan of God revealed by the Angel. She didn’t argue, or run, she said :
“I am the Lordʼs servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
We get to make a choice to follow His plan or not to follow that plan. Mary could have said no but she chose to obey. Can you imagine if she said no. Would God have found someone else?
God has a purpose and a plan for every life that is conceived. He has a plan. We may not see our own purpose,  others may not see our purpose, we may not see our purpose, or think we are important to God or any one else  for that matter. But God sees purpose.  He has a plan.
In Psalms 139:13, it says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. In the beginning, Genesis describes us as made in the image of God. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says He has made everything beautiful in His time. Proverbs 16:4 says He has made all things for himself.
Psalms 139:13-18
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 God has an expected future or end for is.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
God’s plan for us will lead us, protect us, bring about good in our lives, build our faith in Him, and help us build relationship with Him.  Stepping out of that plan does the opposite in our lives. That does not mean, trials and hard times won't  come, but it does mean we will have hope, we will have a Peacemaker, and a friend that sticks closer than any one else.
I have seen and experienced seeing God's plan at work even for those who took a detour away from the plan.  Ito have seen lives trapped in addiction delivered. To most people, they were hopeless cases. But God heard the prayers of their parents and others who kept hope in Jesus. God brought them both out of the addiction, restored them, changed them.
I can tell you some things that happen, not all, but some are an attempt of the enemy of our soul to disrupt the plan God has for us.  Unfortunately, we may fall victim to others who are out of the will of God.  That is not God’s plan. It grieves Him, but He will not infringe upon free will. There are abuses that occur, consequences that alter lives and affect the families and friends. We suffer sometimes at the hands of others. But God will still be there to help us pick up the pieces and move forward.  He can heal us and bring us through whatever has happened to give us what He planned all along. His love heals and helps. His love can cover all and remove the hurts that run deep into our souls.  His love restores.
God sees us as so valuable that He willingly died in our place, faced death and He’ll take our place just to be able to give us the opportunity to walk with Him in His will. He provided a plan of salvation for the those He loves and hates to see suffering because of sin: you and me. Each of us are precious and valuable. God planned for you and me from the very beginning of this world, because He knew us and loved us before anyone ever planned on us or thought of us. Before a parent knew you, God knew you.

God's plan  is waiting and ready for each of us. We all stray because we have been born into sin, but God can restore us and set us back on the correct path when we turn to Him.  We may have gotten off track, all messed up, and even taken far from God in this life, but God is ready and waiting to hear us call out to Him. He will answer. There is a song that says, no matter how far we have walked away, it’s only one step back. I want you to understand that God planned on you. You are not a mistake. You are loved and precious to Him. He is waiting with open arms to love you, forgive you, and place you in His will, when we call on Him, repent,  and seek His will for our lives. I urge each of us to take a look at our hearts and lives. If we find we are not walking in His path, let’s ask Him to make it right for us. Let’s walk in His plan and allow God to do what He has been planning all along. To bless us, love us, keep us, help us, and bring us through this life into eternity with Him.

my Father's hands

I looked down at my hands this morning and realized how much they look like my dad's and my mom's hands. They passed so many traits on to me. In turn, my husband and I have passed our traits on to our children.  The other day, a gentleman commented how much our daughter favored me.  He said God works it so children will carry on the good things.  He mentioned how his seven sisters each remind him of his mother. It was a sweet conversation.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 1:27 KJV

God made us in His image. We are to be a reflection of Him. We carry the traits of our heavenly Father. We have many traits as human beings that reflect our Creator. We have a driven desire for relationship with Him. A desire for love and an inner understanding of morality that can only come from God. We as humans, in general, follow a set of rules and laws for what us good and bad. We seek love, we seek good,  we seek to fulfill our needs for relationship with others and God.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV

Spiritually, we are also a reflection of God. We are changed into His likeness through salvation.  We are to be His body,  His hands , feet, and voice to those around us.  When they see us, they should see Him.

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1 Corinthians 12:27 KJV

We, as His children,  are a reflection of our Father. We carry His traits. We remind others of Him.

My dad used to tell us kids, "You're an Ellis and I expect you to act like it " How much more so does our heavenly Father expect us to behave as His child? He wants our lives to show the world who He is in a true reflection of love, mercy,  righteousness , and goodness. He is a good, good Father. That is what He wants us to show the world. May we reflect the traits of our heavenly Father in a manner that is worthy of who He is in us.

trust the plan

It is truly amazing how God provides just what we need when we need it. His plan is evident in every circumstance when we just listen and attend to His voice.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord : and he delighteth in his way.
Psalms 37:23 KJV

As I studied the Christmas story in Luke chapter 1 and 2 this past month,  I was truly inspired and awed by the plan that God had laid out for Jesus to be born. His plan was laid out by the prophets, Isaiah, Amos and others. The scriptures of the Old Testament foretold the birth of Jesus hundreds of years before he came. God spent hundreds of years preparing for the birth of Jesus. He prepared the lineage for his family. He prepared Elizabeth and Zechariah for the birth of John so he could prepare the way. He prepared Mary and Joseph to parent and raise Jesus. He even prepared the desires of Ceasar to require taxation that sent Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. He prepared Simeon and Anna in the temple to greet the young couple when they brought the sacrifice to dedicate Jesus as the firstborn. They prophesied and ministered to the young Babe and His parents. God prepared them.

In much the same way,  God prepared for us as well. He has known all along that we would be here.  He prepared for us. Jeremiah 1:5 says He knew us before we were even formed in our mother's womb. He planned and prepared for us. It is no accident that we are here. You are not an accident. When we seek Him and walk in His plan, we can fulfill the purpose He has for us.  He will not leave us.  We may not understand everything,  but we can trust that His plan for us is perfect.

As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
Ecclesiastes 11:5 NKJV

Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth,  Zachariah, Some in and Anna may nor have understood everything they were asked to do. They may have some of the story,  but as human beings, they did not have all the knowledge of God. They had to trust; trust that God was leading them in His plan.

This week, I have really needed to trust that God has a plan.  It is so hard to watch your sweet child endure pain and go through a surgery. I may not understand why he must go through all this. But in the midst of it all, God has revealed bits of His plan.  We have prayed with a young lady and shared my son's story. When we call out in prayer, God answers. This morning, I was preparing to head back up to the hospital and I was reminded that our steps are ordered by the Lord. I heard Him remind me that He prepared each day for us. A little later, ad my daughter and I stepped on the elevator, a gentleman spoke words of encouragement and life into our souls. He reminded me that I am here for the purpose of raising my children and passing on what I know  and what I to them. In that brief conversation,  God spoke to reinforce that He is preparing for us daily. He ordered our steps today. He provided needed encouragement. Throughout the day, contacts and reminders were heaped upon us of God's careful planning and timing. When we take the time to be prayerful and attentive to God, we can find ourselves emersed in His live and goodness in every moment, every circumstance.  We are not promised tomorrow or perfect, easy life. We are promised His love,  His faithfulness,  and God's ever prepared plan for us to follow. He asks of us to trust. His hand us on our lives and is easily seen when we simply allow Him to lead.

Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.
Psalms 139:10 NKJV

No matter how tempting it is to become confused, frustrated or doubtful, we only need to trust that God's purpose is still evident for us.

For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me.
Psalms 31:3 NKJV

We will find hope, comfort, peace, and joy in the knowledge of God and His plan. He has already prepared for us. Take His hand and hold on.

busy days

It is sometimes overwhelming to think about all the things we are trying to accomplish. I know I have a running list, a calendar on the fridge, a calendar on my phone, one in my purse and one on my desk at work. There is also a work calendar at my place of employment with school wide events, a church calendar, my kids’ school calendars and after school activities. The list goes on and on. We have chores that need to be done, people to care for and all the activities that fill our days. We have so much going on at times, that we become overwhelmed, exhausted and maybe even resentful of these many things. I may feel like I have left more to do at the end of the day than I actually accomplished. I don’t think I am the only one. I am sure we all have those moments. I realize that we can fill our calendars to overflowing so much so that the important things of life get overlooked. I heard someone today talking about scheduling ‘quality time’ with a loved one. Quality time. Isn’t all time, quality? God made time and therefore, anything he made is quality. How we spend our time may not be of quality. I am thinking that all we do should be for the glory of God.  I Corinthians 10:31 says:

Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.

That means whatever we are doing should be done all for His glory. I am not always grateful for those chores and activities that feel like they are wasting my time. But, I should be grateful and glorifying God for that house that needs a repair or that floor that needs sweeping. I should be thanking God for those that made that mess in the first place. While cleaning up a mess may not seem like it glorifies God, our attitude doing it should be most important. We should be glorifying God in the middle of all things. Our lives, our heart and our mouths should be pouring forth praise to the Creator who made all things and has blessed us with these things. The custodian at my school reminds me of this often. I may walk through the cafeteria after the breakfast time and I will hear her singing praises and magnifying God as she sweeps and mops that floor as she does every day. She is always ready to praise.

If those things we are busying ourselves with are taking away time from the most important, then maybe we need to re-evaluate our priorities. Maybe we have to put aside and de-clutter our busy-ness. Have we put so much busy activity into our calendars that we neglect the important things of God? Have we neglected our time with Him, with the body of Christ, with precious loved ones?  God did create time and He knows the limits of time. We all know this too well. Time with God is the most precious. It is time that should be marked off first and foremost. Time to spend in His presence, time to pray and read His word. That should be most valued as the time best spent. Time with the body of Christ, in fellowship and corporate worship, learning of Him should also be of high priority. There are not many things that should interfere with time with God’s body. These are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are part of that body and need to value our time with one another. “Forsake not the assembling of ourselves together.”

Hebrews 10:25

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

We need one another for strength, and fellowship. This is how we support one another, check on one another and join together in the intimate worship of our Savior. Fellowship with the body should be a high priority.

Time with family should also be high on the list. Family, unfortunately, sometimes falls to the bottom of our list. Marriages and relationships greatly suffer from neglect. God ordained the family as a reflection of His love for us and it needs to be given the utmost respect and priority as this truly does glorify God. Family units are meant to reflect the love of God. When we are not invested in our marriages, children, and family, we are failing to reflect the love God has for us. This is a true failure on the part of Christians. We need to place a higher value on family relationships. It isn’t about what we give or buy. It is about the care and love invested into one another.

All we do, rather great or small, is meant to be done for the glory of God. What activities are you doing? Do any not glorify God?  Does your attitude while doing those little things reflect the love you have for God and the wonderful blessings He has bestowed upon you? I know I have to remember, even in the small things that may seem menial or just time consuming, we are still a reflection of the love of God. As I tie a shoe, again; sweep up that mess one more time; or just listen to a friend, all those little things add up to faithfulness in glorifying God when done from a heart that loves and wants to reflect God.  We can remember that even though it may just seem like another delay or another thing to do, our heart will reflect what is in it. God knows our hearts and He knows that we are doing many of these things because we love those around us, we are trying to make things better for them, teach them, love them, and sometimes, just get through the next hurdle. God knows it all. He loves us and He cares for us too.

Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

God will give us the strength when we are weak or give us a chance to rest. We need to call on Him, spend time with Him and always keep our time with Him as most precious. May we all take a moment to reflect on the goodness of God and the many blessings that may fill our days because we are so blessed to partake in each activity of our day. Each moment we are alive is a gift from God. 

Mary and Elizabeth

When Mary heard from the angel that Elizabeth was also with child, she quickly left to go to see Elizabeth. Elizabeth lived quite a distance, maybe 100 miles away from Mary. But Mary made the 10 day journey on foot to see her cousin. Why would she do all that?  I imagine, having just heard this life-changing news, from an angel, that she would be bearing a Son, the Messiah, on top of the social impact this pregnancy would have, gave her little choice, but to seek out Elizabeth. It is not recorded that Mary told anyone about the angelic visitor. She quickly ran to Elizabeth. The angel gave her big news for herself and also shared Elizabeth’s news of her pregnancy. When the Mary entered the house, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.

^{Luke 1:35-41}

³⁵ And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

³⁶ And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

³⁷ For with God nothing shall be impossible.

³⁸ And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

³⁹ And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

⁴⁰ And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

⁴¹ And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

^{When the Mary entered the house, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. Elizabeth spoke great blessing upon Mary and Mary in return spoke blessings. These two women came together to share their experiences with one another. One the elder and one the younger were able to support one another, care for one another and provide a spiritual partner that the other needed. Mary needed Elizabeth’s wisdom in what she was facing. She needed strength to go home and face the reality of being pregnant. She needed to tell Joseph and her family. She wanted them to believe her. Elizabeth may have needed Mary’s help as she was older and now found herself to be pregnant for the first time. She may have needed Mary’s support with household duties or with getting things ready for a small baby when there had been hope dashed. She may have needed a listening ear. God placed these two women together to serve and support one another.}

^{This teaches us a lesson, as women, we are to care for one another, support one another and lift up one another.}

^{Titus 2:1-8}

2 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

² That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

³ The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

⁴ That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

⁵ To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

⁶ Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

⁷ In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

⁸ Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

^{We are directed to be teachers of those who are younger than we are: to be examples to them.  Just as Paul exhorted Timothy to be an example of the believers (1 Timothy 4:12), we are to be an example to others. We are to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) and we are to pray for one another. (James 5:16).  As part of the body of Christ, we are to care for one another, be kind to one another and love one another. If we cannot help one another, we are not obeying God’s commands. We are to spend time as a support for each other in times of trouble and in times of good. We are to be there for one another and lift other’s up. That is what God expects. He took the time to record this precious time between Mary and Elizabeth as an example of what it means to look to our elders for wisdom and to provide a support for one another. Even in the midst of declaring the birth of Jesus, he made sure these two women connected to help each other through a huge ordeal in their lives. God cares about our individual needs as much as he cares about His whole body. He is a good Father that looks after us. He uses us to be those loving arms and those who can speak wisdom into one another. He is eager to use us today. Can we be used as the hands and feet of God? Can we be used as the encourager and the lifter up of someone else?  Let’s be aware that God uses us to provide for the needs of others and others can provide for us as well. Let’s all do what God has called us to do, and that is to love one another as Christ loves the church.}