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TerryLema

Not Exactly Happily Ever After (Part Two)

by TerryLema

Remember that beautiful love story of Isaac and Rebekah from Genesis 24 that I wrote about yesterday. It started out so good, but then the “happily ever after part” got a bit skewed. That’s because these were real people, not fairy tale or romance novel characters.

The troubles really began after Isaac prayed for Rebekah. She was unable to conceive initially, but after Isaac’s prayers for his wife, she became pregnant with twins. They jostled in her womb and drove her to consult the LORD about her condition, “if everything is all right God, why am I thus?” [25:22]

God granted Rebekah’s request and told her why.  The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, the older will serve the younger.” [Gen 25:23]

That was so true.  Over the next few chapters in Genesis, those twins, Jacob (who would be renamed Israel) and Esau caused their parents a lot of trouble.  They fought and schemed and tried to outdo each other. They even got mom and dad involved in their squabbles.  (To this day, their descendants are still squabbling.) Eventually Jacob and Esau achieved a measure of peace between them and found that living far away from each other served them well.

When I read the story of Isaac and Rebekah and their offspring, I often wonder if there were times when Isaac regretted asking God for children. Had it been me, I just might have!

And I also remember that the people and great heroes in the Bible were just that, real people. Not made-up fairy tales, superheroes, or characters in a novel. They were people who had struggles in everyday life just as we have. God walked was them through each one. That gives me hope.

 

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A Love Story

by TerryLema

I like love stories. I’m not too big on things like romance novels, but I like a good, honest, love story about real people with all their foibles and quirks.  Having been married for 56 years, I’m not much into “and they lived happily ever after.” I figured out that was a fairy tale about three months into it.  But a good story about real people with problems to overcome is something that will win my heart. One such is the story of Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis.

Abraham sought a wife for his son by sending his top servant to his relatives in the city of Nahor. There, through divine “coincidence” the servant found Rebekah and brought her back to wed Isaac. You can read the story in Genesis 24. I love the final verse in that chapter: “And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” [v67 KJV]

Isn’t that a beautiful story? And had it ended there we might add “and they lived happily ever after.”  But we’d be wrong.

Initially Rebekah was barren until Isaac sought the LORD for his wife and she conceived. Twins. Then the trouble started. “The children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If it be so, why am I thus?’ And she went to inquire of the LORD.” [Gen 25:22 KJV]

I can never get past that verse without chuckling. “Why am I thus?” is one of those verses that so often speaks to our lives, even our spiritual lives.  We’ve been adopted into the family of God, made part of the bride of Christ. We’ve been given new life … so why do we still struggle … why isn’t it “happily ever after” instead of “why am I thus?”

I know that our struggles work for us a weight of glory we would not have without them. I know the times in my life when I struggled brought great spiritual growth. And I know that there are still times, even after all these decades when I must run to inquire of the LORD and ask, “Why am I thus? What’s going on God?”

Bless His Holy Name, sometimes He tells me why, sometimes He doesn’t, but either way, He walks with me through it all.

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Learning to Trust

by TerryLema

This verse popped up this morning. Ps 138:8: “The LORD will perfect that which concerns me.” [NKJV]

The HCSB translates it this way, “The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me.”

Then they both remind that the love / mercy of the LORD endures forever.

Occasionally, uncertain situations or circumstances can stretch out for long periods of time. Learning to trust the LORD while we are waiting to see the outcome can be difficult.  I would like to be able to say that my faith, my trust in the LORD is always absolute and perfect.  I really would like to be able to say that … but I can’t. Even at 76, after a half-century of serving the LORD, there are still times when my faith doesn’t measure up to what I think it should be.

It is during those times (one of which happened recently) that I need to remember that the fulfillment of God’s purpose for me is secure in Him.  The LORD will perfect, the LORD will fulfill. I may get a bit wobbly at times, but God remains steadfast in my behalf. He will make it happen.

My imperfect faith, my wobbliness, cannot change God’s purpose or His ability to perfect and fulfill it for me … it will only make me miserable in the waiting.

Once again, God proved Himself steadfast in my behalf. Once again, I made myself miserable while waiting to see Him do it.

You would think after all these years I would have learned that, wouldn’t you?

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An Incredible Hug!

by TerryLema

I was privileged last Sunday to serve as a greeter at our church’s Caldwell location. I smiled a lot. I shook the hands of numerous people. But the best part was that I hugged (and got hugged back) by a few people who knew me – or were at least willing to take a chance on hugging me!

The next morning the following devotion came up in my memories. It happened in 2019, but I wanted to share it again. It was an event that really touched my heart. Some of you may remember me talking about it.

 

Bob and I were in a Cracker Barrel restaurant the other evening. We were seated over in one corner.  It was a weeknight and not very many people were present.  We were quietly talking and laughing when a middle-aged woman exiting from the middle of the restaurant made a detour to our table.

She smiled as she looked at me and said, “I just wanted to stop and tell you how lovely you are and how much you look like my mother,” then she added, “She lives in New York, and I miss her so much!”

I returned the lady’s smile and stood up. “I am a mother and I have a daughter,” I said, “do you mind if I give you a mom’s hug?”

There we stood in Cracker Barrel, two women, someone else’s mom and someone else’s daughter, sharing a hug.  When she turned to leave there were tears in her eyes.  (Bob just shook his head and smiled.  I think my husband is finally getting used to me hugging strangers in public places!)

As a mom, I have often missed the hugs of my children when they lived far away or when I haven’t seen them for a time. I can understand how a child might miss the hugs of a parent. I also realize that as I have grown older, I might be seen even by strangers as more approachable. Or maybe, hopefully, they see the love, kindness, and compassion of God in me.

Colossians 3:12: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

 

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Worry As a Companion

by TerryLema

Luke tells the story in his Gospel of a visit Jesus and His disciples made to the home of a woman named Martha, her sister Mary and brother Lazarus. Martha, at one point during the visit complained to Jesus about her sister not helping with all the work that needed to be done.

Mary, instead of helping, had spent the day at the feet of Jesus listening to Him.  I can’t say I blame Martha for complaining. She had at least thirteen extra mouths to feed that day!

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  [10:38-42]

Too often this story is related as a battle between two incompatible ways of life. I don’t think it is that at all. Jesus doesn’t rebuke Martha for her service, in fact, the Gospel of Luke is all about service.

Jesus rebukes Martha, in love, for her worry – which indicates her service needed to be grounded in the same kind of personal, firsthand, experience of love that Mary had chosen – the “what is better.”

The choice is not to be a Martha OR a Mary. To serve the LORD is to be Martha AND Mary. We are to generously serve, but always from a living, personal, firsthand, experience of knowing Jesus Christ our LORD.

Service that flows from that will never have “worry” as its companion.

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Satisfied With His Presence

by TerryLema

As I was reading Psalm 17 this morning, I was reminded of something Pastor Paul said last Sunday.

Psalm 17 is a prayer for protection written by David. Several times David asks God to hear what He is asking.

“Lord, hear a just cause, pay attention to my cry, listen to my prayer….” [vs 1 HCSB]

“I call on You, God, because You will answer me, listen closely to me, hear what I say.” [vs 6 HCSB]

Throughout the song, David details his enemies and their tactics. He continually asks for deliverance from God. There is no mention of God’s deliverance in the song, but it is the last verse that reminded me of what Pastor Paul said on Sunday.

“But I will see Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence.” [vs 15 HCSB]

Pastor Paul asked us Sunday if we were seeking the “LORD’s presents or the LORD’s Presence.” 

David placed his requests before God, but however God responded to him, he found his satisfaction in the LORD’s presence.

I have a long list of requests, but as I was reminded on Sunday, the only thing that will truly satisfy me is found in the LORD’s presence. It is that I must seek. Amen

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by TerryLema

Yesterday’s devotion focused on both initial and ongoing repentance.  We must have an initial repentance in order to enter into a relationship with our Father God. That is when we acknowledge we were headed in the wrong direction and turn toward God instead of away from Him.

Once we have entered that relationship with our Father (through the cross of Christ Jesus), we are going to have times when we have sinned that we need to come once again confessing our sins to Him. John reminds us that our Father is faithful and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [1John 1:9]

This morning I would also add that as Christians we should be living a “lifestyle of repentance.”

What do I mean by that?

Initial repentance brought us into the family of God, into right relationship with our Father. Ongoing repentance restores us when we have allowed sin to interfere with that relationship. But living a “lifestyle of repentance” keeps us daily walking in that relationship.

A lifestyle of repentance keeps us from deviating from that narrow path. Before we ever “commit” that sin, before we even begin to turn from God, we check ourselves and stay in the will of God. It means immediately responding to the warnings of God’s Spirit within us, rather than entertaining the temptation of the enemy.

When we seek to abide in that “lifestyle of repentance,” we stay strong in our faith, and faithful to our God.

 

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Repentance (Part One)

by TerryLema

It doesn’t take long when reading the Scriptures to see that a key component to a true relationship with God is repentance. Peter reminds us that God is patient with mankind (even delaying judgment) because He wants to see all come to repentance.

“The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” [2 Peter 3:9 HCSB]

To repent is to change our minds and direction. It is a change that happens in the inner man. Where once we shook our fist at the will of God, repentance brings an acceptance of it. It is turning in the opposite direction we were headed and turning to God instead.

We must come to repentance to enter a relationship with God as His child. That is accomplished through the cross of Christ Jesus.

But there are also times when we must again approach God and repent of things we have done, or things we did not do that we should have done.

John reminds us that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” [1John 1:9 HCSB]

Thankfully, when we sin, we can come to God immediately, repenting, knowing He is faithful to forgive and set us back on the path of His righteousness.

More on Repentance tomorrow.

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Thank You For Your Righteousness

by TerryLema

Spending the summer in the Psalms is the spiritual emphasis at church July through August. Each week we read 30 psalms. As I read through each song, I am asking the LORD to “highlight” in my spirit something He wants me to think about.

Yesterday it was Psalm 5:11, shouting “joy forever!”

Today, it was a reminder in Psalm 7 to thank the LORD. “I will thank the Lord for His righteousness.” [vs 17 HCSB]

Other translations remind us to thank the LORD “according to” or “due to” or “because of” His righteousness. But when I read that I am to thank the LORD “for” His righteousness, I had to stop and think.

Have I ever actually thanked God for being righteous?  I thank Him all the time for what He has done, is doing and will do for me. I thank Him for His wonderful creation, for His salvation, for His love and compassion. But I can’t remember if I ever thanked Him for His righteousness.

God will always do what is right, according to His Holiness. That is so important! It means God never changes, never deviates from what is right. I never need to worry that the God who saved me will one day abandon me.

I think I should have thanked Him for His righteousness every day of my life! I think I will start today! Amen.

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Joy Forever

by TerryLema

The emphasis at church from July 3 through August 30 is “Summer in the Psalms.” Along with the weekly messages we are reading through the book of Psalms. The first week took us through Psalms 1-30. I love the songs of the Scriptures and readily dived right in.

As I was reading through Psalm 5, I stopped on two words in verse 11. Those two words are “joy forever.”

“But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever.” [HCSB]

Other translations say, “let them ever shout for joy,” or “let them ever sing for joy.”

I think I like the “joy forever” translation the most.

Those two words lifted my spirit this morning. As I came upon them, I could almost visualize heaven where the saints of all the ages are shouting for joy around the throne together. It is a joyful shout that will go on throughout eternity.

Our joy will never fade. It will never diminish. There will be nothing there that will threaten it. No one, nothing, will try to silence our joyful singing or shouting. And getting to know God more and more will give us never ending reasons to shout for JOY!

Won’t that be amazing!

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