You Will Find
Matthew 7:7-8 NIV: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Your quest is near the end—or so it seems. You´ve prayed and sought the Lord for His will to be done above all. At times, your journey has been tiring, causing you to wonder if you had wandered or lost track of the path you have fought to stay on. No one ever said following Jesus would be easy—you know that, of course. And now that the answer seems so near, still you have difficulty knowing His way beyond a shadow of a doubt. Perhaps your search is over. It´s time to rest. It´s time to be still and make no more requests—do not ask, do not seek, do not knock. It is time to stand at the door and simply wait for the door to open. It is then you will know. It is at that moment that you will sense God´s presence and have a peace with the answer He has already chosen to reveal to you. You have trusted Him in seeking—now trust Him in the meanwhile as you wait.
written by Randy Chambers
http://reflections.daybyday.org
Providence
Genesis 50:20 NIV: You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
His Hand is there—there behind the bad scenes working all things together for good. Tragedies and pain provoke many hearts to cry out, "Where is God in all of this?" And yet, His Hand is there. So much of what He does goes unnoticed, unrecognized, and unseen. His invisible Hand is unappreciated, while His visible Hand is written off as coincidence, and random occurrences of chance events. But for those who have eyes to see, God is ever present—bringing good out of bad—triumph from tragedy. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor. 15:55). Through the death of Christ many have found life. Our hatred of death blinds us to the life that comes through it. We detest the trials and tribulations forgetting that through such fires souls are purified, made holy, and strengthened for the coming storms. But your life is not chance, nor is it guided by circumstance. Instead it is purposeful, and part of the plan and providence of an almighty and ever-loving God.
written by Randy Chambers
http://reflections.daybyday.org
Two Or Three
Matthew 18:19-20 NAS: Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."
One of the most difficult things about moving can be when you realize you can´t do it alone. Not too many people I know can pick up a couch and carry it to the truck by themselves. Though you may wish you could handle it, you have to get help. So many of us try the "I´ll do it myself" approach to life. We simply try to go it alone, thinking that we will get along just fine. Not only do we not have to handle life alone, God wants us to know we are not meant to. In Ecclesiastes 4:12, Solomon writes, "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Our fellow Christians are here for us to serve and to love, and here for us to lean on as well. Regardless of the situation, we can find in two or three gathered in the name of Christ, the strength that we will never know alone.
written by Randy Chambers
http://reflections.daybyday.org
He's Still There
Mark 1:40-42, NIV: A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
While Jesus was on earth, there were many sick and dying that were healed—and many that were not. This fact did not escape the knowledge of Jesus. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?” Jesus asked, “Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father…So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Christ is quite in tune to the details of your life. He is aware of every little thing that causes you joy—or causes you pain. While we do not always understand the will of the Father as to why He would heal some while others continue to struggle; we do know He has our best interest at heart, “He works all things together for the good,” and “He will never leave us nor forsake us.” Jesus still sees you, He is still filled with compassion concerning you, and He is still willing to heal you in ways you could not imagine.
written by Randy Chambers
http://reflections.daybyday.org
Seeing Through Believing
John 20:28-29 NIV: Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Do we, like Thomas, require some sort of visual affirmation to assure us that what God says is true? Or do we believe that God is faithful without requiring any sign or wonder? Have we seen that "what he had promised, he was able also to perform" (Rom.4:21), and therefore because we believe, we are able to see? As we seek Him in the Spirit, we require no proof that God is who He is, or that He will fulfill His Word to us. God is substantiated within Himself and need not present himself in the fire, thunder and lightening in order that we might believe. The world says that, "seeing is believing," but as we place our faith in Jesus, it is believing that leads to truly seeing—and not the reverse.
written by Randy Chambers
http://reflections.daybyday.org
Empty
Psalm 22:14 NIV: I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.
There are times when there is simply nothing left to give. You are depleted and drained. If a crisis arose, you do not know from where you would possibly squeeze one more ounce of energy. You know God is there—He is willing and ready to help. You cry out, "O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1). Your prayers dissipate into the air. But you get up, and you ready yourself for come what may. Not because you feel strong, or feel replenished; but because you know God is there whether you feel Him or not. God is there even if your strength is not. And so you step out in faith—not because you feel He has given you what you need now, but because you know He will. It is then you hear Him say, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
written by Randy Chambers
http://reflections.daybyday.org
Sinking Fear
Matthew 14:28-31, NIV: “Lord, if it's you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Peter had left the boat, and walked toward Jesus. But Peter was afraid and began to sink. Jesus asked him, “why did you doubt?” It’s interesting that Peter’s first step was much more like a leap. His eyes fixed on Christ and without hesitation, he got out of the boat. What if He would have taken it more slowly—placing only one leg outside the boat—testing the waters before going further? What if he would have climbed out but kept a tight grip on the boat with his hands? Had he acted as such, his movement towards Christ’s direction would have been over before it had even begun. What kind of faith does Christ desire from us? Do we leave the boat, or hold tightly to it? The path of faith extends beyond our first steps, and rests only when we come face to face with Jesus. Anything less is sinking fear.
written by Randy Chambers
http://reflections.daybyday.org