Like A Child

 

“And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little

 children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”

Matthew 18:3 (NIV)

 

We could all see it coming. My son-in-law had only seconds before said “Nothing good is going to come from this” as we all watched through the window while seven year old Jude built a ramp out of boards and a card table and then ran to get his bike.

 

Oh, he had a helmet on but that did nothing to protect the rest of his body as he raced up the makeshift ramp and immediately fell off the side. He hopped up and gave us all a thumbs up but quickly grabbed his left wrist.

 

His mom and dad immediately checked him out but he reassured them that he was just fine and his wrist only hurt a little. However the next day, the wrist hurt even more and he was unable to move it without a quick intake of breath and a grimace of pain.

 

I volunteered to take him to the doctor since both parents were working. I was not at all surprised that, after an examination, the doctor wrote an order for an x-ray.

 

 Jude was very concerned about what the outcome might be. “I start flag football on Saturday, Grandma,” he said. I’ve waited all my life (7 years) to play football and if it’s broken, I can’t play!”

 

I took him by his unhurt hand as we walked into the hospital to the x-ray department. “Jude, God knows that you have waited to play football ‘all your life.’ Maybe it’s just a sprain or it’s jammed. I am going to pray right this minute that it’s not broken.”

 

He glanced up at me. “You are just NOW praying, Grandma? I’ve been praying since I fell on it yesterday.” Ouch.

 

When did I forget that I needed to become like a little child before my Father as Matthew 18:3 says? I confess that I worried about his arm. I pictured the worst that could be wrong, like a major fracture and surgery. But I did not pray about it until I heard the fear in my grandson’s voice that his wrist might be broken.

 

How about you? When faced with a situation that could possibly have a bad outcome, do you pray immediately like Jude did? Or do you worry, become anxious and picture the worst BEFORE you think to pray – like I did?

 

“Become like little children.” That’s my encouragement for all of us. When something happens, right then is the time to pray. Not as an afterthought. Not if all else fails. Nope. Pray immediately. Our faithful Father hears and He answers.

 

The great news from the doctor was that Jude did not have a break; his wrist was jammed and would quickly heal. As we climbed in my car, I turned around to see Jude, hands together and eyes looking upward as he thanked the Lord for His answer.

 

Lord, please help me to be like this little child Jude.

 

Father, I desire to be as a little child and trust you completely with everything in my life. May I always react first with prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• What is your immediate response to a tough situation?

 

• Do you panic or do you pray?

Apply

• Journal situations or problems you have had for the last month and beside each one write your first response: prayer or panic.

 

• If you wrote “panic” beside any of them, determine whether or not that helped resolve the situation. Then decide that your first response from now on will be prayer.

 

Power

• Matthew 18:3 (NIV) “And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”

 

• Philippians 4:6 (NIV) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

 

• Matthew 19:14 (NIV) “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

 

The Heart Test

 

 

“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.”

Deuteronomy 8:2 (NIV)

 

Evidently the pressure in my neck that radiated into my jaw was not treated as casually by my doctor as it was by me. An EKG showed the possibility of a heart attack so within a few hours of those test results, I found myself in a large hospital with strangers asking me personal questions in an attempt to pinpoint exactly what could be developing within my heart.

 

            “Do you work out? How often? Tell me your diet. What do you eat in any given week? Do you smoke?” For what seemed like hours the questions continued. Then suddenly I was left alone to contemplate what had just happened and what was next. Eventually it was decided that the only way to be 100% positive about what was going on was to have a heart catheterization.

 

Within 10 minutes of agreeing to that test, I was moved down a hall and into a lab. The physician was able to thread a catheter through an artery and see exactly what was going on in my heart and whether or not there was any blockage or other problem. Thankfully there was not and I was given the “all clear” to resume my usual activities.

 

In Deuteronomy 8:2 Moses is talking about a different kind of heart test. He is reminding the Israelite people of God’s decision to allow them to wander for forty years in the desert. It wasn’t because God didn’t care about them but rather because He DID care.

 

God tested them because He wanted them to decide whether or not their hearts would hold on to His promises and trust His leadership of their lives. Their desert experience would either cause them to be obedient, bow humbly before God and totally have faith in Him or they would fall away from Him and His commandments.

 

What about you? Has the Lord been performing a heart test on you? Have you felt as though you were in a desert place and wondered why you were there and what was going to happen next? Maybe a child has turned from the Lord and left home. Perhaps you have been laid off from your job or your business is not prospering like it was.

 

Please know that the Lord is right beside you as you have your “heart test.” He may have bigger plans for your life than you are aware of and this may be a time of learning complete obedience and trust in His plan for you. Trust the Ultimate Physician to know what is best for you as He performs your Heart Test.

 

Father, please help me to have complete faith in you as you lead me through my heart experience in the desert. I trust you at all times. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Have you ever felt like you were alone in a desert with life falling apart around you?

 

• Have you considered that perhaps the Lord was allowing you to be there to learn to trust Him?

 

Apply

• Keep a journal of your desert experiences for the next month.

 

• Beside each entry, write down how you feel the Lord is directing that experience to help you to grow and trust Him in all situations. Use Scripture references.

 

Power

• Deuteronomy 8:2 (NIV) “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.”

 

• I Peter 1:7 (NIV) “These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

 

• Deuteronomy 8:5 (NIV) “Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.”

 

 

 

 

Do You Know A Mrs. Wallace?

 

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of

the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

 

Her name was Mrs. Wallace. Just saying the name and I immediately picture a petite lady with light gray, extremely short, naturally curly hair. She had a sweet smile accompanied with jack-in-the-box teeth that needed no prompting to pop in and out of her mouth at a moment’s notice.

 

I can almost smell the talcum powder that did little to mask the scent of one who bathes weekly. We kids always knew it would be there – and almost always was – when our mother picked her up on Saturday mornings to take her to town with us.

 

We complained every time Mother told us we would be picking up Mrs. Wallace. “Why does she have to go with us?” “She smells funny.” “Her socks are always down around her ankles.” “Doesn’t she have someone in her family who can take her to town?” “What if our friends see us with her?”

 

My mother would always respond to our questions with the same answers. “She is going with us because she has no one close by to take her. How will she get groceries? This is a good opportunity for you to get to know Mrs. Wallace. She is a very kind lady. How can I tell her that my children don’t want her to go with them? Imagine how hurt she would be!” And then she would quietly say “Listen to how you are talking about her. What if people were talking about YOU like that.”

 

And so for one more trip to town, we would sit in the back seat and watch her and wonder . . . why she didn’t bathe more often, why her socks continued to rest around her ankles, what kept her teeth from separating completely from her mouth and falling on the floor of the car.

 

But something happened during one of those car rides: we began to realize what our mother was doing. She was putting God’s love into action. She was taking care of Mrs. Wallace, a widow, as if she was HER mother!  We saw that our mother was living what she believed. The teaching that Jesus was sharing in Matthew 25:34-40 was not something she took lightly.

 

In that Scripture, Jesus was speaking to the righteous and blessing them for giving Him food and drink, for clothing Him, for taking care of Him when He was sick and for visiting Him in prison.

 

When they question Him as to exactly when they did those acts specifically for Jesus, He replies in verse 40: “. . . I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”  

 

My mother was showing us that when “the least of these” needed help, we should be willing to step in and show our Father’s love without complaining and without asking anything in return. Her unselfishness in being willing to put Christ’s love into action was a lesson we never forgot

 

What are we doing to show our children how to be Jesus to those around us? Could it be that there is a Mrs. Wallace in our neighborhoods or where we work? The best way for our children to learn Christ’s unselfish love for others is to see it reflected in our acts of kindness toward “the least of these” around us.

 

Father, please help me to never cease to look around me for those who need your loving touch in the very simple everyday things. Help me to always remember that people will learn about you by watching me. May I be a mirror of your love and compassion. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Is there a Mrs. Wallace in your family or neighborhood?
• Do you need a “vision check” so that you see them through the eyes of Jesus?
• What lessons are you conveying to your children when it comes to taking care of widows and others in need?

 

Apply

• Find out the birthdays of the older neighbors in your community or at church who may not have any family living close by. Help your children to design coupons for (a) “a meal brought to your home;” (b) “a shopping trip;” (c) “a tea party time” (and you provide the tea and cookies). Pass out the coupons to each person and check back every couple of days to see if a date has been decided on to use the coupon.
• Pray with your children concerning the salvation of each person who accepted a coupon. Have them write a note of encouragement to each person.

 

Power

• Matthew 25:40 (NIV) “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
• Philippians 2:4 (NIV) “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
• Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

Living in Fear

 

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”

Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV)

 

An unwelcome guest moved into my home immediately after my husband passed away. No matter where I turned, he was there. And he never slept. I would wake up and he would begin to whisper and taunt me repeatedly. With every attack my heart would race in my chest as if I had just run a marathon.

           

“Who’s going to be next?” he would taunt. “Someone else is going to die; who do you think it is?” he would challenge and then fade into the background, leaving me with a choking panic in my throat. One morning my daily phone call to a close friend was not answered. From out of nowhere a voice spoke a thought to my heart. “She’s dead. She was the next one,” he lied. And for an instant, I almost believed him.

 

In my defense, within about a 5 month time period, I had lost my brother-in-law, who was more like a brother; my sister who was my best friend and two weeks after that, my husband. I cannot begin to describe the deep heartache and grief that surrounded me.

I held on to the Lord with every ounce of strength I had but there were many days when simply breathing became an accomplishment.

 

Satan, my unwelcome guest, did every thing he could to move into my home – and my heart – with his baggage of lies and deceit. His purpose was to drain my joy and my hope and to shake my very foundation and belief in Jesus.

 

The entire book of Psalms became my place of refuge – my hiding place. I literally ran to my Bible and held it closely as I read one Scripture after another in which David held on to God with everything he had. Because even David had days when he was lonely and defeated and heartbroken and beaten up spiritually. And yes, when he was afraid. David – the warrior – was afraid.

 

The Scripture found in Psalm 46:1-2 became a minute by minute encouragement to me. David writes “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” That was exactly how I felt: everything beneath my feet had suddenly shattered and I was in freefall with no rope for security.

 

If you have not experienced the suddenness of loss, either of a loved one or a job or something secure in your life, you will. Jesus tells us that we will have problems in this world (John 16:33) but the great news is that He has already overcome every single heartache that we will face.

 

Because Jesus held on to me and spoke truth, my unwelcome guest was kicked from my home and my heart and replaced with the power of the Holy Spirit. Oh, Satan still tries to sneak back in every so often. But I no longer live in fear. I live in faith.

 

 

Father, thank you for being my strength when I have none and for always being by my side. I choose to listen to your voice. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

 

Reflect

• Can you think of an experience when fear took over every part of your life and you found yourself struggling?

 

Apply

• There are 150 chapters in the book of Psalms. Read 5 per day for one month. Underline or highlight those parts that specifically speak to your heart.

 

• Memorize Psalm 46:1-2 and praise the Lord for His presence by your side, no matter what you face in life. He is faithful.

 

Power

• Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV) “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”

 

• Psalm 27:1 (NIV) “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?”

 

• Psalm 16:8 (NIV) “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

  

The Fragrance called “Some Day”

 

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of him.”

II Corinthians 2:14 (NIV)

 

The perfume had a fragrance unlike any other. One spray and I was immediately in a luxurious world of perfect hair and skin, toned thighs and straight, super-white teeth. The only catch was the cost: it was extremely expensive. As I debated about whether or not to buy a bottle – a small bottle – I began to justify the expense in my mind. I wouldn’t use it every day but would save it for special occasions.

 

And then when I DID use it, I would limit myself to one quick spray only. That way, I thought, it would last longer. I bought a small bottle and put it on the top shelf in the bathroom. I periodically took it down to admire the beautiful bottle but I didn’t use it.

 

My husband kept asking “When are you going to use that expensive perfume that you just had to have?” and I would reply “Some day, for a special occasion.” What a big mistake that was!

 

Three months after my pricey purchase, I saw the bottle on the top shelf and decided the time had come to use the perfume. I carefully pulled out the gorgeous bottle. Off came the lid and I excitedly sprayed my neck with the amazing fragrance. But instead of a beautiful scent I immediately began coughing.

 

The fragrance was rancid and smelled like the bottle had been filled with vinegar, toilet bowl cleaner and motor oil and shaken up. I quickly grabbed a towel and started wiping off my neck. My plan to keep the perfume for a special occasion had kept me from using it altogether and it had become stale and quite frankly, disgusting!

 

That is exactly what happens to the fragrance Christ wants me to be by sharing His love and mercy but I decide to wait for the perfect opportunity  . . . someday.  There are needs all around me; people are hurting every minute of every day. And yet, forgive me, but I have said to myself “Some day, I’ll write that note or visit that widow or call the lady who has been gone from church for weeks.”

 

And I justify my decision by thinking “Someday, when I have more time or when I’m less busy or when the kids are older or when I am retired, THEN I will have time to be the hands and feet of Jesus.” And what happens? The “someday” never comes . . . and the fragrance of compassion becomes the stench of procrastination.

 

Please, hear this cry from my heart: if you put off sharing the fragrance of Jesus with someone who is hurting until the perfect day, the opportunity to share with that person may never come again. Don’t put off sharing the fragrance of Christ for someday. Do it today!

 

Father, I want to be the fragrance of you and not put off being your reflection to the hurting because I am waiting for the right moment. That moment is now. And I am ready to serve you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Have you ever opened an old bottle of perfume and noticed the stale odor?

 

• How do you think the Lord feels when we choose to be a stale odor instead of a beautiful fragrance of Jesus to people around us?

 

Apply

• Place a bottle of perfume in the sock drawer of your dresser along with a note card with II Corinthians 2:14 on it.

 

• Every time you open the drawer, ask the Lord to show you how you can be a fragrant example of Christ to someone around you who is hurting.

 

Power

• II Corinthians 2:14 (NIV) “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of him.”

 

• II Corinthians 2:15 (NIV) “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”

 

• Matthew 25:40 (NIV) “…I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

What's Your Giant's Name?

 

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the

armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

I Samuel 17:45 (NIV)

 

As I stood in the store by the life size cardboard cutout of the famous basketball player Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal, I was totally in awe – and a little unnerved. He was 7’1” tall and weighed 325 pounds. I was 5’8” and weighed in at about 115 pounds. I tried to imagine what it would be like to have him as a bodyguard and decided instantly that he would without a doubt intimidate even the strongest and bravest of men.

 

I could not help but compare Shaq with another man who, believe it or not, was much bigger. His name was Goliath. It is estimated from Scripture that Goliath was over 9’ tall and weighed a minimum of 650 pounds. Mercy. If you compare that with the average height for men during that time period of just a bit over 5 feet tall, you can appreciate how frightened they would be at just the appearance of Goliath.

 

In I Samuel we read that Goliath, a Philistine, had been intimidating the Israelite army day after day in an attempt to fill them with fear. And it was working. The army listened to his daily taunts as they focused on his size until they were all too frightened to challenge the mighty giant. Fear gripped the hearts and minds of the bravest of the brave in the Israelite army to a man, and Scripture tells us they were terrified.  

 

Except for a boy – a boy named David. A belief and trust in God’s power, a sling and a stone later, the giant came down and the rest is history. David’s focus was not on the giant or his taunts; instead he was focused on the One he knew had power over fear, doubt and a situation that appeared hopeless to an entire army.

 

So let me ask you something: what is your giant? What fear keeps you awake at night? What scares you until you can hardly breathe and steals peace from your heart day after day? Is it wars being fought all over the world or the threat of a devastating disease or illness? Could it be that a close friend or family member does not know the Lord and doesn’t seem to care or maybe it’s the fear that someone you love no longer loves you? Or have you lost someone special to you and you fear being alone?

 

Whatever you are facing, I encourage you to switch your focus from Goliath to God. Bring your fear before the God of the Universe. There is no giant He cannot conquer when you trust Him to defeat every fear and doubt and bring your giant to its knees.

 

Father, thank you for battling my giants as I switch my focus to you and your power. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Have you ever felt like situations in your life were so big that even God could not handle them?

 

• Were you focusing on the giants or on God?

 

Apply

• Write down the giants in your life right now that you are struggling with on separate pieces of paper.

 

• Then, one at a time, wad up each paper and throw it away, switching your focus from the giant to God. Thank Him for what He is going to do to handle that giant for you.

 

Power

• I Samuel 17:45 (NIV) “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

 

• I John 4:4 (NIV) “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

 

• Isaiah 41:13 (NIV) “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

Out of the Mouth of . . . a Donkey?

 

“The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey,

which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I

been in the habit of doing this to you?”

Numbers 22:30 (NIV)

 

A talking horse . . . who would have thought it! But “Mister Ed,” a popular television show when I was a little girl, used that concept to capture the hearts of thousands of children. The horse – Mister Ed – spoke only to his owner, Wilbur Post.

 

 Throughout the series, there was no explanation offered for Mister Ed being able to speak to Wilbur. In fact, in the very first episode, when Wilbur stated aloud that he was unable to understand how his horse could talk, Mister Ed offered this bit of wisdom: “Don’t try. It’s bigger than both of us.”

 

The Scripture in Numbers 22:30 also involves a conversation with an animal: a donkey. Let me explain. It seems that Balaam, at one time a man of God, was contacted by King Balak of Moab who asked him to curse Israel. The king was afraid of the Israelites because of their large numbers and because he saw what they had done to the Amorites when they came up against them.

 

The king’s plan was this: find a prophet who would get God to curse the Israelites so that he and his kingdom would be safe from harm. Enter Balaam. King Balak sent princes to Balaam to persuade him to curse the Israelites. Balaam asked them to wait overnight while he got an answer from God.

 

The next day he gave them God’s answer: “You must not put a curse on these people, because they are blessed.” (verse 12) They left, only to be replaced with other, more distinguished princes who returned with an offer of a substantial reward if he would carry out their request. And what did Balaam do? He went to God again, trying to persuade Him to change His mind.

 

One would suspect the offer of a reward was surely a big factor in Balaam’s decision. This time the Lord, though angry with Balaam, gave permission for him to go with the men back to King Balak but told him to only  do what He, God, told   him to do. That’s where the talking donkey comes in.

 

As Balaam is riding along the road on his donkey, God placed an angel in his path. Balaam could not see it but the donkey could. Three times the donkey tried to turn from the path and each time Balaam beat her with his staff.

 

Finally the donkey turned to look at Balaam and spoke. “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” The Lord then allowed Balaam to see the angel in front of him, sword in hand. Had he gone on, Balaam would have been killed.  

We have been given the Holy Spirit in our lives to direct our paths. But sometimes we want something so badly that we do not listen as He speaks to our hearts to take a different path. We need to remember that there are times that God places roadblocks in the path that we are choosing. Perhaps, like Balaam, He is trying to protect us. Or it could be that the timing is not yet right for us to go in that direction.

  

I encourage you to listen to the gift of the Holy Spirit that we have been given as we face decisions in our lives. He will direct our pathways every single day.  

 

 

Father, thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit to guide my decisions each day. Help me to open the ears of my heart to your will for my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Have you ever wanted something so badly that you ignored the “warning signs” of the Holy Spirit that perhaps your choice was not a wise one?

 

• If you ignored the warnings and went ahead with your plans, what was the outcome? Everything you thought it would be or disappointment?

 

Apply

• Journal decisions that need to be made in your life and the possible answers to those decisions.

 

• During prayer time, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart and guide you toward the answers that He has for you. Listen for His guidance through the Word.

 

Power

• Numbers 22:30 (NIV) “The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

 

• John 8:47 (NIV) “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

 

• Ezekiel 3:10 (NIV) “And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you.”