Category: Sister Judy (Page 53 of 281)

When David became king of both Israel and Judah, he needed to find a central site to rule from that would include both countries. He captured Jerusalem, which had belonged to the Jebusites, and it became the City of David. He destroyed the idols that were there, and it says in II Sam. 5:10, “David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with Him.” Change came to David as he matured spiritually, for instead of being hidden and marginal as he was hunted by Saul, he was now upfront and the very center of things. He was King and gave commands, but he didn’t let it go to his head. He remained humble and lived a life of obedience to the Lord and showed compassion to Saul’s crippled son, Mephibosheth, and gathered in the northern tribe, Israel to become one with Judah. David was 37 when he began ruling, after so many years of fleeing from Saul and being a fugitive.

Change comes into all of our lives, and do we flow into the next thing God has for us and go in His power, or do we take over in our own strength?  An employee who now becomes the boss, should humbly remember what his previous status was so he can be a one who rules with God’s love and wisdom. David began as a shepherd boy and ended up shepherding a nation. God used all of his previous experiences to make him into one who ruled with caring as a shepherd over the flock, not a power-hungry king. May we also remain open to the Lord and let the Holy Spirit direct us into whatever is next in our lives, as we remain humble and dependent on Him.

I just happened to find a book given me some time ago called, Food From Ravens by two missionaries from the World Mission Prayer League. I have been acquainted with WMPL since I was a little girl and have prayed for many of the missionaries who have gone out to the mission field through the years. The title of the book refers to God miraculously supplying food for the prophet Elijah (I Kings 17) during a drought when the Lord kept him hidden from wicked King Ahab. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening and he drank from the book.

I’d like to share a true story that took place in Nepal where a Sunuwar woman named Mauli met the Lord while a patient in the hospital. She couldn’t read at the time but she treasured her Bible. Her son was angry when he heard about her conversion, and told her she had to leave so she went to Kathmandu and lived on a small pension there. Meantime the son, back in the village became very ill and called for witch Doctor. After performing his first ritual he was knocked to the ground and when he tried the second time, again he was knocked to the ground. He chanted only louder and tried a third time when he was knocked down on the floor again. He got up and asked, “There is a Power in this house greater than the power of my gods’-what is it?” The son thought and weakly replied, “It must be the Book- That Christian book my mother lives by.” It didn’t take long before the son went to Kathmandu and found his mother and now she is back living with her son in a village near the hospital, were there is a fellowship of believers.” I am quite sure that mom had been praying all the time in Kathmandu for her son to come to the Lord.

Another day I will tell another true story as each one points to the power of God!

Jesus taught a perfect prayer to His disciples and for us as well, and it includes, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” That doesn’t mean we pray to change God’s mind but that we are willing to change our mind. The problem is we can’t see into the future, so we don’t know if something we pray for has serious consequences, but of course, the Lord knows. He is the only one that is worthy to direct our lives and we must come to the place where we want His will more than our own. Instead of being in charge, we give Him the keys to every room in our hearts and let Him have free reign.

There is such joy when we seek Him and His kingdom first but when seeking our own will first, our life gets full of stress and anxiety. I read this morning Paul’s word to Timothy, his spiritual son, ”Run away from infantile indulgence. Run after mature righteousness—faith, love, peace—joining with those who are in honest and serious prayer before God. (II Tim 2:22) We also are to shun those things of self that take us away from God and pursue what God wants for us and for His kingdom. Let us not try to change God’s mind but lay aside our will and seek His.

David doesn’t say to just praise the Lord when we are feeling good about life but another translation says, “I bless God every chance I get. I live and breathe God; if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy.” He isn’t telling us to be happy all the time but to bless the Lord at all times. He goes on to say God met him more than half way and took away his anxiety. David never hid his anxious feelings from God but cried out to God. Of course, God is always listening and hears, ready to rescue us. David encourages us to taste and see how good God is, even in our tightest situation, and tells us to run to Him.

God is faithful and even when we are feeling our lowest, we can still give thanks to the Lord and rehearse His promises to us. Our feelings will change and we won’t always feel down and in the mean time we know He is close to us if our hearts are humble and seek Him. Let us bless the Lord at all times, our low times as well as, our times on the mountaintops!