Still Nearer

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down
from  the Father of lights…” (James 1:17).

I’m thankful to my Father for…

Really long sister talks

Red covered bridges

The book of Ruth

The Piano

New York bagel shops

Laughing

Unmerited favor

My church

God’s faithfulness to answer prayer

These 5-year-olds from New York City:

My friends who give me courage to pursue my dreams for God’s glory

Missionaries who are sharing Jesus’ Name with unreached peoples around the world

The opportunity to learn and grow and be stretched at Westminster Theological Seminary

Desiring God ministries

5K runs with my sisters:

My job working for such an upbeat, innovative, eternity-focused company like CollegePlus! and the opportunity to meet my wonderful coworkers in Texas

My students, each of whom inspire me by their perseverance and enthusiasm

An endless supply of books to read

Scripture songs

The way my parents support me with grace

Wildflowers growing in the cement along the highway

Sunday worship with the community of believers

The perfect, unfailing providence of God

The prayers of eight-year-old girls

Christian biographies

Long car rides alone with Jesus

Norman Rockwell picture books after a long day:

Sunshine

People who are willing to take a risk in loving others

Birds singing outside my window

Psalm 139

Phone calls with Grandpa

The Joshua project

Long family walks

Baby smiles

The wonder of belonging to Christ, the Lover of my Soul.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns
you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so
that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” ~Psalm 103:1-5

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” ~Psalm 37:7

“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD!” ~Psalm 27:14

“Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.”
~Psalm 33:20

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from
him.” ~Psalm 62:5

What are you waiting for?

The other night as I was meditating on these verses, I realized that I was waiting for the wrong things. Sure, it’s easy to say, “I’m waiting on the Lord” but in my heart what I really mean is, “I’m waiting for him to provide something,” or “I’m waiting for Him to reward me.”

The Scriptures call us to wait patiently, but not for things or for people. Not for all the dreams that we’ve wished to come true. Not even for the gifts and works of the Lord. We are called to wait for the Lord Himself.

His person, His character.

His love, His mercy, His holiness, His righteousness.

This is where we are to rest all our hope – in Him. In who Jesus is. In our friendship with Him.

There is deep longing in every human heart. The Bible says that all creation and “even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our
body” (Romans 8:23). Waiting implies lacking. Restlessness. Expectancy.  Sometimes, even groaning.

In my restlessness on this earth – my longing for creation’s renewal and the final victory of Christ – what will I do? I will wait for the Lord. The things of this earth will pass away –they cannot satisfy the deep longings of our hearts. But Jesus is the hope that
does not disappoint us (Romans 5:5).

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.” ~Psalm 130:5-7

So what are you waiting for?

God’s kingdom is far-reaching! His Word goes forth to all the corners of the earth, crossing every barrier of man. Are you praying for your brothers and sisters on the other side of the world? Are you praying for the lost sheep who are not yet gathered in (John 10:16)? Are you praying that the Lord will raise up laborers to go into other lands where His Name is not known (Luke 10:2)?

Check out the the website below for more guidance on how to pray for unreached people groups in need of the Gospel of Jesus.

WWW.JOSHUAPROJECT.NET

 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
Selah

that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, 
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
Selah

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!

~Psalm 67~

I listened to this message on my morning run the other day.

It certainly took my mind off the aches and pains of exercise!

I was transported. Carried away from my own stuffy little world into the big, eternal kingdom of God. I found myself on my face before God, begging Him, “Heal my depraved indifference! Enable my heart by Your grace to feel your heartbeat. Move me as Jesus was moved. Make me to live a life of eternal purpose and power. Don’t let me waste my life!”

How easy it is to waste our lives. With comforts, and status, and money, and selfish ambition. All different things consume us, things that will fade away tomorrow.

But His still, small voice is calling us, wooing us from the temporary and deceitful pleasures of this world into the true and everlasting and triumphant pleasures of the King of Kings. He’s calling us to love people actively and purposefully and unreservedly. He’s calling us to proclaim His truth in boldness and gentleness. He’s calling us to unfamilar, uncomfortable, unbearable places and peoples and problems, and there to shine His light.

Are you ready? Are you willing?

It will be worth it all, when we see Christ.

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things that are above,
not on things that are on the earth.
For you have died,
and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ who is your life appears,
then you also will appear with him in glory.”
~Colossians 3:1-4~

After Israel was defeated at Ai, the discouraged Joshua fell on his face and poured out his heart before the Lord. He told the Lord about his troubles and fears and regrets. His prayer ended with one great plea:

“And what will you do for your great name?” (Joshua 7:9)

About this passage, Matthew Henry writes:

“Nothing is more grievous to a gracious soul than dishonour done to God’s name. This also he insists upon as a plea for the preventing of his fears and for a return of God’s favour; it is the only word in all his address that has any encouragement in it, and he concludes with it, leaving it to this issue, Father, glorify thy name. The name of God is a great name, above every name; and, whatever happens, we ought to believe that he will, and pray that he would, work for his own name, that this may not be polluted. This should be our concern more than any thing else. On this we must fix our eye as the end of all our desires, and from this we must fetch our encouragement as the
foundation of all our hopes. We cannot urge a better plea than this, Lord, What wilt thou do for thy great name? Let God in all be glorified, and then welcome his whole will.”

May the purpose of all our prayers and actions, words and plans, be for this one, wonderful thing: the glory of His great name!