The Appointed Time

For there is still a vision for the appointed time;

it speaks of the end and does not lie.

If it seems to tarry, wait for it;

it will surely come, it will not delay.

                                                                                                           Hab. 2.3

The appointed time is God’s time. And in His time every vision will come to fulfilment. I have long realised that God’s time is not my time. I have realised this yet I so often seem to forget it. I get feelings of being set aside, and being left behind.

In good moments I can say, ‘If this is God’s plan, then so be it.’ But even as I say this I want more. I want more of God, and to be used more by Him. And, I guess, I want it now!

The prophet says the vision does not lie and it speaks of the end. I commit myself totally to

God’s truth and pray for the strength and courage to always speak it forth.

In speaking of the end, this could mean the glorious resurrected life in Jesus. Surely this is the end and the aim for us all. This is the message. May I be equipped and enabled to speak this message forth clearly, firmly and lovingly.

Another way I might interpret end is as my end, that is, not my death but rather my goal. The vision I have is the goal I hold fast to. It is not a single event but an extensive ministry. My vision is to show others the love of God and to lead them in worship of Him. The outworking of my vision is in God’s hands. I am willing. I believe He is equipping me through the events of everyday life. I feel that I have to ‘wait for it’. But I will continue to wait, in expectation, for it will surely come!

Lord God,

I am Yours. I rejoice in spending my life with You. You know my vision. I believe it is in Your plan for me. I wait upon You. Sometimes I get impatient. I ask for Your forgiveness.

I consider that right now, in this present time, I am living in the fullness of Your plan for me. Lead me on. May we, together, be productive in Kingdom work today. May we enjoy each other, in glorious celebration, as we journey on together. Hallelujah!                   Amen.

A good work...completed

...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.                                                                                                                Phil. 1.6

This verse says several things to me. Perhaps the first is the knowledge that God has begun a good work in me. Furthermore, He will complete this work. This is great news. It allows me to say I am a work-in-progress, a masterpiece in the making.

In saying that it will come to completion by the day of Jesus Christ, I understand that God has a purpose for me. I was born with a destiny in Jesus. I praise God! I am quite sure that God’s plan for me was determined before ever I came into being. I rejoice in being His son, with a life (past, present and future) in Him.

Perhaps what impacts me most in the present reading of this verse is Paul’s confidence of his declaration. He is confident of the working of God to bring good things about in the lives of His children. I see this as so important. Confidence is necessary to healthy living. I want my confidence to be founded fairly and squarely on God. In myself I am nothing but, in Him, I can do all things. Yes, I seek to grow in confidence, in the right sort of confidence – confidence in Him.

Lord God,

I thank You for this word which, today, You have made new to me.

I seek more confidence in You. In who I am and in what I do, let me be confident in You. Show me Your ways and lead me in them. When I am faced with what seems to be beyond my capabilities and gifting, let me remember my confidence in You.

Strengthen me to fulfil all that You would have of me. May I always be a sweet fragrance of Christ to You.

I thank you that a good work is underway in me. I submit to Your further working in this. I look forward to the outcome but pray also for the most joyous experiences along the way.

Thank You, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.                                                                                  Amen.

His way

O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
                           and you will not listen?                                
Or cry to you “Violence!”
and you will not save?

                                                                                                                     Hab. 1.2

As a spectator who sees the story unfold, it is so easy to say how wrong Habakkuk is in this assertion. God hears, and listens. He also has a plan to save His people. But the plan is not what they might expect: For a work is being done in your days that you would not believe if you were told. (v.5)

In time Habakkuk will come to see that God has listened to him and enacts His plan of salvation. In the process Habakkuk will express his disagreement with God’s methods. It seems very clear (1.13-17) that God is not doing it Habakkuk’s way. Finally, though, he sees and acknowledges the sovereignty of God, and expresses the greatest trust in Him (3.17-19).

I am quite sure that God is ‘on my case’. I am also beginning to relax in the knowledge that He knows what He’s doing. He has a plan for my life, and I am in the centre of His plan – right now!!

I have more than enough to do today. I shall get on with what is in front of me, and allow God to direct and guide me as I go.

Lord God,

Again You have spoken to me, and I rejoice. I thank You for this further reminder that You are with me. Right now, I am so happy to be journeying with You. If, as with Habakkuk, Your plan for me becomes difficult or even oppressive, I will likely complain. I ask in advance for Your forgiveness.

I truly want to fulfil all of Your plan and purposes for me. I yearn to draw closer to You, to enter into deeper intimacy with You.

Hear my prayer. Listen to my plea, I respectfully ask. Draw me close. Share heavenly secrets with me. Enjoy me, please, and lead me to the fullest enjoyment of You and in You. I ask these things in Jesus’ Name.                                                                                               Amen.

Heartfelt

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”                                   Luke 6.45

With these words Jesus shows a connection between the heart and the mouth. The mouth speaks forth from the overflow of the heart. The heart is the vessel for feelings and emotions.

Our emotions can sometimes well up inside us until we feel like we might burst. But the overflow of the mouth comes into effect. We can open our mouths, express our feelings, and release our emotions. Of course, we are more likely to do this when we sense ourselves to be in a healthy place and condition where we can do so.

I note that there is no mention by Jesus of the mind in this process. He sees a direct connection between heart and mouth with no reference to the mind. I sense this might be because the mind can be influenced by other sources. Certainly external prompts come into play when others seek to impact us with their point of view. We might even find our minds questioning the validity of what our hearts are feeling and seeking to express.

On reflection, I see the mind as a far less reliable source than the heart. What I feel in my heart is true, despite the debates that might occur in my mind. I think Jesus knew this when He reminded us of the heart’s connection with what we speak forth.

I love Jesus, and I love to share about Him, about the love He has for me, and the love I have for Him. This love is heartfelt. I do not have to think about whether or not I love Him. I know that I do!

I get excited about Jesus. This excitement builds up in my heart and I sense the need for it to overflow out of my mouth. And so it does! When this happens, it is as if my mind and my brain are parked.

The expression of my love for Him is often animated and exuberant. This is my heartfelt response to my loving Saviour and Lord, Companion and Friend.

I pray that my mouth will be ever free to express the joy and love that I feel in my heart without any hindrance from my mind.

Lord Jesus,

As I have reflected in this time and penned these words, my heart has leapt inside me. I am excited as joy flows unimpeded from my heart in response to the love I’m feeling from You.

I love You and pray that I can always express that love freely and joyfully, even outrageously, as my mouth gives expression to the fullness of my heart.                 Amen.

In God alone

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

                                                                                                     Psalm 62.1

The NIV footnote to Ps. 6.3 (p. 791) defines soul as the very self as a living, conscious, personal being. Another way of reading this present verse could be: My whole being, all of me, finds its rest only in God, nowhere else. He is my everything.

Psalm 62 has long been a favourite of mine. It gives me a great assurance of God’s love and faithfulness. This is my maker, the greatest force and power of all. He loves me, and He is there for me – at all times. Verse 2 describes Him as my rock. Not only is this solid (He is a rock) and comforting, it is also deeply personal (He is my rock), which increases the comfort it gives me. This is the rock on which I stand, and it comes from the being in whom I can place my utmost trust.

The rest that I need is available to me at any time. The joy of my relationship with God is that no appointments are necessary. I will ‘find’ Him every time – every single time – that I reach out to Him.

Strength and care, love and faithfulness emanate from my seeing of God as my rock and my rest. In Him I can shelter. In Him I can move forward.

Lord God,

I thank You for a new day. I rejoice in the time ahead. As I rest in You, I ask You to lead me on. Resting in You does not necessitate bringing life to a full stop. I can rest in You as I go. Indeed, my desire is to spend my whole life resting in You. You are the breath that I wake to each day. You are the wind in my sails throughout the day. You are the pillow I rest on as I come to sleep at night. All I experience, I seek to experience in You.

Fill me now with Your strength and peace. Let us do amazing things together. May we enjoy each other as we go. I ask these things in Jesus’ Name.                                                   Amen.