Category: Faith

A New Day

On By Megan NealIn Faith, UncategorizedLeave a comment

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Have you ever thought about how His mercies begin afresh each morning? About how faithful God is?

 Psalm 142:8 echoes this thought.  “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.”

What does the morning bring? A new day, a new start, fresh air, a new perspective, coffee. I have a sign over my coffee maker that says, “In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus…and coffee.”

The author of Lamentations begins his thoughts on this subject in verses 19-21. He says, “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and gall. I remember them well and my soul is downcast within me, YET (my emphasis) this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.” He goes on to explain, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

This writer knew where to find hope. He looked forward to the morning. He knew he would find new mercy there each and every day.

We have the benefit of knowing the whole story…we have the entire counsel of God’s Word. We live in a new day, where Jesus has already made the ultimate sacrifice for us. He died in our place to pay for our sin in his body on the cross. He provided mercy for us when we didn’t deserve it. This is the hope that we have in reality, and this author only had in faith. Each new day begins afresh. We start anew. He has seen us through the night and into a new day.

This blows my mind.  So undeserved, but so like God in his infinite mercy that we experience as his children when we know Jesus as our Savior.

 And yet, as if Jesus wasn’t enough, we get new mercy each and every day. This is God’s grace to us, a gracious gift of a new beginning. This blows my minds. So undeserved, but so like God in his infinite mercy that we experience as his children when we know Jesus as our Savior.

In the book of Matthew Jesus told the people to stop worrying. He taught, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) He said don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry for itself.

Before I rise from my pillow, I can see the morning light shining through my window and hear the birds singing. They are joyful and happy. They sing a new song of praise. Of praise to our God. I believe they are thankful for the food God provides and the shelter of their nests. Their basic needs are met by their creator. All the things that Jesus was talking about. God’s provisions for our needs.

I try to begin seeking his kingdom before I get out of bed. I ask God to guide me into the new day. To show me his purpose and plan for the day. I thank him for a fresh start. I stumble for my coffee pot and enter the day. But then the reality of the world comes at me.  

Lamentations 3:19-20 recognizes the amount of the discouragement we face because we live in a fallen world—a world filled with sin, death and destruction. A world full of hurt, heartbreak and brokenness.

If we know Jesus and are sensitive to His Spirit, we recognize this brokenness in ourselves. We’ve tasted the bitterness the world serves up. We know where we have wandered away from God and into the mess of the world. We deal with hard things every day.

Mothers of little ones who are so spread thin and can’t even think straight because of all the noise and chatter and busy-ness of mothering. And if that momma is determined to bring those little sheep up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, it is HARD WORK! It is not for the faint of heart.

Those of us in the business world deal with people. People are rough. People are selfish, entitled, arrogant and want their own way. Some are overly ambitious and step on others to get what and where they want to be. Somedays, I’m that person. We are all a potential hot mess without the mercy and grace of Jesus.

Many are dealing with loss. The loss of a loved one, a dream, a way of life. Sickness that steals our health away. The loss may be different but the hollowness and hurt in our hearts is no respecter of persons. It just hurts. And it makes us feel alone.

No wonder this author speaks about affliction, wandering, bitterness and gall. It is part of the human condition on this earth. It seems relentless at times. But God…

There is hope. Hope in a new day—not the day itself but the very Creator of that new day and what He offers. Lamentations teaches us to believe in the “yet” …the “but God” in our story. His mercy, a new day=a new chance. This was the author’s hope and this is our hope. Another chance to recognize who is on the throne. Who is in control. Another chance to count our blessings.

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” We get to count on the promises of God in Jesus every new day.

What affliction or wandering, bitterness or gall is making you discouraged today? What is bringing your soul down? I encourage you to look for the “YET” and call to mind His goodness towards you despite your circumstances. To look for the “BUT GOD” moments and focus on His new mercies that He is offering to you today.
And get some coffee. Cause any day that starts with Jesus and coffee is going to be a good day!

Lord Jesus, we come to you humbly asking for your mercy. Your new mercy for today. We look to you for your provision, your love, care and grace towards us. Thank you for giving us hope for today and that you are able to meet our needs. Thank you that you are faithful always. In Jesus name, amen.

What are you waiting for?

On By Megan NealIn Faith, Uncategorized1 Comment

What are you waiting for?

Because I grew up in a tiny little town with limited shopping, I looked forward to our trips to Baton Rouge about an hour away. We would go every 2-3 weeks on Saturday and would eat out at our favorite places, get ice cream, go to the mall and my favorite toy store and then usually get dinner to bring home. Those are great memories. But my dad often stopped at stores to buy supplies for his work, and my mom and I would stay in the car. She modeled good waiting for me. She would occupy her time with a book, a crossword puzzle or grading school papers. She never complained no matter how hot it was in the car or how long it took for my dad to finish.

I learned this type of waiting from her example—exercising patience. It is not always easy, the waiting. And it usually isn’t fun unless we are preparing for a surprise or an anticipated event.

Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

Wait means to stop, hold-up, pause, stay, delay. I think waiting can be hard to do because we want to rush ahead to get what we want, find relief, or solve a problem.

My paraphrase of this verse is this: Delay your actions, stop and pause for the LORD; use your strength and resilience and have courage and bravery. Hold-up and be patient for the LORD.

Sounds good.

Easier said than done.

I was reading my devotional excerpt from Jesus Calling today and one of the highlighted verses was Proverbs 19:21, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” The commentary was that we should trust God to show us what to do when we are finished doing what we are doing now.

Now that is a thought worth thinking about a little more.

Trust God to show us what our next steps are. Keep doing what he has called us to do until we are finished doing that and he shows us the next thing. That is walking in faith right there.

I have a lot of unanswered questions about my future because of Covid-19. While many businesses are re-opening and people are going back to work, the company I work for is still closed. I have worked for this company for 15 years and trust their proven character and integrity. But I am also smart enough to know that there is no business as usual these days.

There is no way any company that has been closed for two months to just restart as if nothing has happened. I know that they are being conservative in their strategy and that things will not be the same. I know it is possible that not everyone will have a job to come back to. That is just the way it is these days. I am believing that I will have my job, but just don’t know when I can count on it.

I want to know that my job will resume before I run out of unemployment benefits. I like having a detailed plan. I like knowing what is going to happen next. I want a date so I can plan around it. I want to know that I can go back to my job and things will be as they were before.

I want it wrapped up in a nice package with a pretty bow.

But I am not promised that.

During my furloughed time I have spent a lot of time being still and resting. I’ve lived on my patio most days. I have been writing more and reading. Relaxing and enjoying my family. I have been making my house a home again. I have balanced my stillness with those overdue projects that make us feel like we’ve gotten stuff done. I was determined to not waste my time off and allow God to restore my soul in the process. I had no idea how weary I was. I was running on fumes and didn’t even realize it. If I could do this fulltime, I would.

Are you weary, too?

Worried?

Wondering what is next?

I wish I had the answers for us. But I know someone who does, and He is not limited by the plans of any government or municipality. He is not caught off guard by a virus that has changed all our lives. His plans do not depend on man, but on his eternal purposes. “The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” Psalm 33:10-11

I am choosing to trust His heart. I may not know what is next, but I know Who does and I am going to put my trust in Him. I am going to trust in the one who is trustworthy.

One of my all-time favorite passages is found in Proverbs 3:5-6.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.“

Lord, help me put my trust in you. I know you are not limited by time or space and you know all things. I may not understand what is happening or have all the details, but you do. I am acknowledging that I need you to help me know what my next step is. Thank you that you will show me and make my paths straight towards your will for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I encourage you to look up some of these “power” verses and set your mind on where your hope and trust are found:

PS 33:20-22 “We wait in hope upon the Lord. He is our help and shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.”

Ps 130:5-6 “I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his Word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.”

Micah 7:7 “But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.”

Grace Upon Grace

On By Megan NealIn Faith, Uncategorized5 Comments

“From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” John 1:16 NIV

Grace…it is the central part of the beautiful story of redemption that God has written for us. He is the master composer of this story. He is the instigator of grace. It is from Him that all other grace flows. John 1:16 says that “from the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” The ESV translation of the same verse says that we have all received “grace upon grace.” Alexander MacLaren, an English preacher from the 1800’s, wrote in his Expositions of Scripture, “The unconditional, undeserved, spontaneous eternal, stooping, pardoning love of God. That is grace.” He went on to say grace is “the whole sum of the unmerited blessing which came to man through Jesus Christ.” 

So, what is Composed Grace? It is learning to live and breathe the story of who God created us to be. It is learning to live practically and be at peace as God unfolds this story to us day by day. It is learning to walk in Grace and Truth, understanding what Grace really is, and how it calls us to be graceful. To live composed in him, and confident in whom he created us to be; assured that he will complete the work that he began in us, trusting that he will guide our every step, understanding his Word is central to every part of our story. It is the plan book and has power to change our heart day by day though his Spirit. MacLaren said, “the risen life of Jesus is the nourishment and strengthening and blessing and life of a Christian. Our daily experience ought to be that there comes, wavelet by wavelet, that silent, gently and yet omnipotent influx into our empty hearts, this very life of Christ himself.”

Part of the story that God has written is that he loved us so much—you and me–the world, that he gave his one and only son Jesus, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Jesus was the instrument of God’s grace to us. He IS the grace. And because he rose again, his Spirit is not only the agent of this grace to our salvation by faith, but also to his outpouring of his grace on us day by day. “For from his fullness we have all received “grace upon grace.” Psalm 68:19 says similarly, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits.”

Dr. David Jeremiah’s idea of grace was to picture the waves of the sea as they come to shore. They come one after another, on top of the other. It is the constant reception of one evidence of God’s grace replacing another.

One of my favorite songs from Austin Stone Worship says, “Your grace, like rising seas has swallowed death and sin in me.” (Glorious Grace-Aaron Ivey, Brett Land, Kyle Lent). When I sing this, I envision a huge, uncontrollable wave of the sea—out in the open ocean. It has the power to destroy anything in its path. It roars and foams just like in Psalm 46. It is totally uncontrollable except by God himself. It rises and falls because that is how God created the sea. But Psalm 46 also teaches us that the God who has power over the vast, uncontrollable sea is our very refuge and strength. And that is how we see his grace in this wave. Jesus’ love and mercy, shown to us on the cross, flows over us & swallows the sin in us and the spiritual death we deserve. He will do that for you if you believe in him through faith. Jesus is the redeeming action of God’s mercy.

 You can’t do anything to earn this gift of grace: it’s a free gift for us who believe, but it surely wasn’t free for God. He sent Jesus to pay for our sin to redeem us to himself. Hebrews 2:9 says that Jesus “suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. God has shown us mercy by offering us grace. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Our sin requires a penalty of death. Mercy commutes the sentence– It becomes a “life” sentence—eternal life– not a death sentence, because Jesus died in our place and rose again to sit on the throne of Grace. Hebrews 4:16 says, “let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” What is this throne of grace? It is a place—a gift of salvation/life we don’t deserve. A place where we can commune with God. A place we are invited to boldly come, not because of our own worth or work, but because the work is finished on the cross.

God began this work in us and Philippians 1:6 says, “being confident of this, that he who began the work in you will be faithful to complete it.”

So. Composed grace. I want to write the stories of how God has and is composing me and you into who he designed us to be and to learn to walk in that grace day by day while and learning to live “composed” in the midst of his work ,“being confident of this, that he who began the work in you will be faithful to complete it.” (Philippians 1:6)

I hope you will join me on this journey.