No Promises...Just Faith

So I was in church tonight and Pastor Fernando said something that hit me..."we aren't promised tomorrow." Now we have all heard that a zillion times, right? Martin always says..."only two things are sure in life...death and taxes."

The thing that got me thinking was this...if we aren't promised tomorrow then every time we make plans, a to-do list, or set something aside to do later we are doing it in faith. Weird, right? It doesn't seem difficult...it doesn't seem abnormal...we don't think people are nuts for scheduling things in advance.

Why is it so easy for us to take that step of faith, but yet so difficult for us to believe for financial provision, healing of our bodies, restoration of our families, or freedom for nations? The list goes on and on...

The only conclusion that I can come up with is that we are just used to it. We plan for the future all of the time. We do is effortlessly and thoughtlessly. We just do it, because we have always done it. Man...if I can only take that concept and apply it to the rest of my life. If I can believe in faith that I will have a tomorrow, then why not believe for bigger things?

Why put limitations on God? Why put limitations on our faith?

So...let us practice this act of faith in other areas of our life so much that it becomes effortless to believe God for the BIG things...and then I have a feeling that the things we will walk in, the things we will be called to, and the things we will see...will be so much grander than our expectations!

Who's ready???

Quick Thoughts

I haven't had time to develop these thoughts yet, but they keep coming up in my reading and journaling. So I thought I would share a couple of them with you. Feel free to add your thoughts.

#1: The Good Samaritan gave up a lot to help out the guy in the ditch...and he didn't even know the dude. Why is it that we are often more willing to help those we don't know over those we do know?

Part of Isaiah 58:7 says not to hide from relatives who need your help. Burn. Yeah, He got me on that one. How much more should we sacrifice for the people who are close to us, our own family, or our friends in need?

#2: Shine - to give forth or glow with light, to be bright with reflected light

There are so so so many verses in the Bible that talk about shining. The people ask the Lord to let his face shine on them, they ask for his favor to shine on them, and then...God asks them to shine for him...to be a light to his people.

Pretty cool right? It is the complete definition of the word. God shines his glow on us, and then we reflect HIS light to others! ha!

My personal favorite shine verse (which was VERY hard for me to decide on) is Isaiah 60:1, "Arise Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is shining upon you."

OK, I couldn't pick just one, here is Daniel 12:3: "Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever."

Man...I want to shine. Not for me, but for Him. I want to love him back by reflecting His light to others. Matt 5:16 says, "In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father."

Wow. I keep getting blown away...every time I really dig in, you know? Are you digging?

The Great Oak

Today I went for a drive...there was nothing pressing on me. I dropped Martin off at Dr. Cheri's office and then I was free.

No appointments. No schedule. No immediate needs to fill.

The weather was beautiful...crisp clean air and a bright blue cloudless sky...the perfect recipe for rolled down windows and a long drive down the windy country roads of nowhere in particular. I turned up the radio and let the soft jazz spill out of my windows onto the street around me. I felt free and joyful...feelings that have been fleeting as of late, and I didn't even try to hold onto them. I let the feelings ebb and flow with the wind in my windows and the tempo of the music.

I found myself driving without a destination in mind, just driving to drive, just enjoying the process...the journey so to speak. I am always drawn to country roads lined with oak trees. It is like I can feel the history coming off of them. They have stories, they have deep roots and strong trunks. They give shade and shelter. They produce seed. They are beautiful and graceful. They are stable and sturdy.

I think I would like to be an oak. I would love to be around for a long time. I would like to offer shade and shelter to the traveler. I would love to grow deep roots and produce seed that would grow other oaks...not like me...but bigger and stronger. But you know what makes the oaks so great, so strong, so anchored...it's not the warm sun, but time and trials.

Storms force their roots deep into the earth. Time allows them to grow tall and wide and cover the earth with their seeds. So I guess if I want to be an oak...I have to be willing to weather the storms of life, let my roots dig deep, and be patient as the hurricane winds of South Louisiana persistently try to knock me down.

"...Whatever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy." James 1:2

Let us be joyful. Let us be filled with the oil of gladness. Let us walk with our heads high, because of who we are in Christ...redeemed, chosen, beloved, cherished, and sought after.