Feeling Forgotten By God? (Devotional)

Feeling Forgotten By God? (by Mark D. Roberts)

Has it ever seemed to you as if God has forgotten you? Sure, your theology said otherwise. But, in your heart, you sensed an aching emptiness where God was supposed to be. Your prayers seemed to bounce off the ceiling as if God was not listening. Have you known this experience?

I recall a time during my pastorate at Irvine Presbyterian Church when God seemed to have disappeared. Yes, I knew this wasn’t actually true. But, as people’s criticisms of me pierced my heart and as my prayers for help went unanswered, I felt terribly alone, as if God had forgotten about me or turned his back on me. Why wasn’t he there to comfort me and deliver me?

MEMORY LOSS
My experience is not unusual. Throughout history, God’s people have worried that they have been forgotten by their Lord. Consider, for example, a passage from Isaiah 49. It begins with marvelous promises. God will set his people free, feeding them, guiding them, demonstrating his love for them (49:8-13). This passage ends with a rousing call to worship:

Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

Did the people respond with joyful praise? Hardly. In fact, they said: “The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me” (49:14). In their suffering, the Israelites couldn’t sense God’s presence or fathom his love. They felt forsaken and forgotten.

LIMITLESS REMEMBERING
Notice the Lord’s response. He did not rebuke them for their unbelief. Rather, he affirmed his loving commitment to them in some of the most moving, tender words in all of Scripture:

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. (49:15-16a)

First, God uses the image of a nursing mother to reassure his people. It’s almost impossible to imagine that a mother would forget or lack compassion for the baby at her breast. Although we know from news’ headlines and from the implications of this Scripture, that mother’s “may” indeed forget their children, yet we are assured God’s remembering of and love for his people exceeds that of even the most tenderhearted mother.

BRANDED BY LOVE
Second, the Lord employs a metaphor from the social system of the ancient Near East. Slaves would often be marked in order to demonstrate their lifelong bond to their master. A permanent mark, perhaps a cut or a tattoo, would be applied to the slave’s hand. God, who has no master, has chosen to mark himself to signify his eternal bond with his beloved people. Thus he says, “I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”

The reassuring words of the Lord through Isaiah were initially intended for the people of Israel as they, in their suffering, felt forgotten by God. Yet these words speak also to us when we wonder if God is still there for us. The God who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ is to us like a nursing mother who will never forget her beloved child. God has chosen to bond himself to us by, in a sense, engraving us in the palms of his hands.

We see God’s never-forgetting, always-remembering love for us even more powerfully in the palms of the hands of Jesus. They were not just engraved for us. They were pierced for us as Jesus was crucified. The scarred palms of Jesus, who died and is now risen, show us beyond a shadow of a doubt that God will never forget us.

No matter your situation, no matter your suffering, no matter how distant God might seem, he never forgets you, ever. Thus, when you remember the Lord, you remember the one who first remembers you.

Prayer
Lord, you know there are times when I struggle to believe you are still there for me. Like the children of Israel, I can feel forsaken and forgotten. Thank you, dear Lord, for the reassurance of this passage from Isaiah. How wonderful to know that you will always remember me, just as a mother remembers her nursing child. How amazing to think that you have engraved me in the palms of your nail-scarred hands. All praise be to you because you always remember me. Nothing can take me away from your love. Amen.

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Pursue Peace and Be Holy

Peace and Holiness are the very nature of the Eternal Triune God. God the Father being the God of Peace (Hebrews 13:20); our Lord Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6); and the Holy Spirit whose fruit is peace (Galatians 5:22) are one (1 John 5:7). God says, “Be holy, for I Am Holy” (1 Peter 1:16), it is a strong command and not an option; we ought to be like Him. We are called to peace and holiness. Right from the start, these were also the nature of man, for man was created in God’s own image (Genesis 1:27). In the garden, our foreparents Adam and Eve were living in peace and harmony. Until sin entered into their hearts; it has caused everything to change. From that time on, man has lived in sin and misery. There is no hope, and people are bound to death. Then Jesus Christ came to earth to redeem man from sin. He is the promised King and Saviour, the restorer of everything that is broken; the One who brings peace, the giver of life and salvation.

Peace and Holiness go along together—they are inseparable. There is no true and right peace without holiness. Hebrews 12:14 declares: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” It is very clear that we should make peace with all people and not to select. Any self-professing, Bible-believing Christian should live a life of peace and holiness; otherwise one will just end up being a compromiser and a disgrace to God’s holy name. Peace being one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is an indicator of a spirit-filled and a spirit-led life. Though holiness is not perfect in this life because of our sinful flesh and earthly desires (Romans 7:21-25), there is a perfection of it in Christ Jesus. His amazing grace has paved way for everything—for our salvation and for us to come freely to Him (Ephesians 2:8-9).

OUR IDENTITY

We see in Matthew 5:9, Jesus declares to the people that the peacemakers will be called the sons of God. Yes, it is an identity, our identity. You cannot declare to the world: “I am a servant of God” yet you have a wrath against your neighbour; never say to God: “I am Your worshipper” yet you hate your brother (Matthew 5:23-24). God knows every motive in our hearts, and He doesn’t dwell nor delight with one that is full of hatred and strife.

Apostle Paul exhorts to the Romans: “make every effort to do what leads to peace” (Romans 14:19). Amid the persecutions, he urges them to maintain the spirit of meekness, kindness and peace, and to wage not a spirit of war and revenge to foes and persecutors. Sometimes, we think that revenge is just due to our transgressors. But he [Paul] also urges us to take not revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath; for vengeance is the Lord’s (Romans 12:19). He is a God of Justice; all we need to do is to wait for His turn (Isaiah 30:18).

A REQUIREMENT

The pursuit of peace and holiness should always be among the hearts of everyone. We have read on the passage above that without which, no one will see the Lord—this is a very important warning. The absence of peace and holiness brings sin, and sin is an abomination to God because it has cost His Son’s life on the cross. On the other hand, the presence of these things brings righteousness. James 3:18 reads, “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace”, and so peace and holiness should always be in our pursuit. God requires these things. The church that Christ shall present to Himself is the one that is glorious, radiant, and not having a spot, blemish or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:25-27). Many people are so deceived to the thinking that it is just fine to sin freely because the righteousness of God is upon them--but, the righteousness of God was given to us through Christ Jesus so that we may be free from the bondage of sin, not free to make sin (Romans 5:17, Romans 6:13, 1 Corinthians 1:30). We cannot be saved by good works for we are saved by grace through faith and not by works, but dwelling in sin after being saved is not a true indication of true faith in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17); we need to work out our faith (Philippians 2:12) and live in holiness (Ephesians 5:27b). If we truly believe in God, and we love Him, we will imitate Him—who is a God of peace and holiness.

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No Light Without the Dark (Devotional)

No Light Without the Dark

by Shaun Groves

 

Imagine with me.

You’re seated in a theater. The curtain opens and there before you is a stage set with vibrant emerald trees and majestic trunks. Flowers in every color and in full bulging bloom shine like jewels. A cobalt blue sky is speckled with brilliant pillowing clouds. The sun, not blaring and baking, not dim and cold, sits just right overhead. Perfect, you think.

Scene one unfolds with polite conversation between the perfectly pleasant characters. Every sweet line drips with joy and seems to glide from each character’s wide, beaming smile. Scene two is the same. And three, and four. Until the cast bows in gratitude and the curtain closes on a flawless night of drama.

But it’s hardly dramatic. Hardly compelling. Something’s missing, isn’t it?

The Omniscient View
Now imagine God, the Author of this play you and I are living in right now, with pen in hand pondering how to begin. Scene 1: He decides his first characters will be heaven and earth. But before they enter He sets the stage. He jots words like “formless,” “empty” and “dark.” They are the perfect setting for introducing His fully formed, whole and radiant heaven and earth.

Scene 2: The Author wants to write about a rainbow and a good man in a boat. But first he creates a villain, a multitude of them actually. His pen spews depravity and doubt onto the page. Alone in a sea of abusive sinking men and women, Noah glides to hope on the buoyant ark.

Scene 1257: A King will be born in this scene, live perfectly, die and then come back to life and rescue mankind and all of creation. The Author calls Him “Son” and “Messiah” and “Jesus.” And, one time, “Man of Sorrows.” Some call him “Hero.” But before He’s victorious He’s born in filth. He’s tempted in a desert by one as evil as he is pure. He’s taunted, misunderstood, cursed, doubted, betrayed and questioned. He weeps when friends breathe their last. He blesses the mourning and bawls at the edge of a city that doesn’t want Him. He tastes the spit of his enemies, and they are many. His skin is ripped and torn from bone. Nails puncture wrists and ankles and the Hero bleeds and wails and dies.

The stage goes black, and all seems lost. We thought the story would end well, but now it seems there is no hope. No Hero. And the stage we stand on once again seems formless, empty and dark.

Out of the Night
The Author smiles. This darkness is all part of the plot. An essential part. Be patient. There will be more gloom but then life, hope and light. And even after it all ends well, we’re still wondering why the Author wove such grief into His play. Why all this darkness in a tale about light? Why so much hate in a love story? Why so much doubt and despair from the Author of faith and truth?

As the great theologian/songwriter David Wilcox once sang:

“If someone wrote a play just to glorify
What’s stronger than hate, would they not arrange the stage
To look as if the hero came too late, he’s almost in defeat
It’s looking like the evil side will win”

Strength, love, peace, hope, life, light-these things are only needed and noticed when the stage is full of weakness, hatred, discord, despair, death and darkness. It’s at midnight that we love and see the light best.

Art That Is Unafraid
Thinking back on that night of theatre I asked you to imagine-the one made up entirely of perfect sets and perfect people-compared to the play the Author has crafted (real life) doesn’t our perfected version seem boring and impotent? So I wonder why I’m afraid to tell the story of my life and of God the way it really happened, full of dark and light and drama. Why am I afraid to write like God does?

Suddenly, I’m painfully aware that if I never set the stage in shadows the audience may never see the Light for all it’s worth.

Prayer:
Make me the kind of storyteller you are. Make me honest. Make me brave enough to talk about my doubts and despair, my failures and flaws. Use the less than perfect parts of my life as a backdrop for your perfection. Use the stage of my weakness and doubt to show off your strength and truth. And thank you for sending the Hero into our shadowed world to save us all. Amen.

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Getting Through Your Spiritual Winter (Devotional)

Getting Through Your Spiritual Winter (Devotional)

By Jasmine Green on September 16, 2013

We’ve just finished our winter season here in Australia and as I eagerly bid farewell to the shorter days, chilly nights and frosty mornings, it reminds me of the spiritual “winter” season we sometimes go through. It’s in that season, when you’re awaiting a miracle, a breakthrough or an answer, that the hope for “sunnier” days is something that you constantly need to remind your spirit and your mind.

For over one year, my husband, James, and I had desired to have our first baby. After many months into this journey and no results, it seemed like “winter” had definitely set in.

In the natural, it’s difficult to speak positive and affirmative declarations of faith and hope when all results and indications point to the negative and the opposite of what you envision. Yet, it’s in the supernatural and the impossible that God is at work. And it’s through this knowledge and truth that we get through the winters.

One such key passage is Habakkuk 3:17-19 (MSG):Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen, 

Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, 

Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, 

I’m singing joyful praise to God.
I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. 

I run like a deer. I feel like I’m king of the mountain!

We clung to and spoke that passage over our lives for almost two years, and last month (coincidentally, the final month of winter in Australia), our baby boy arrived in the world.

If you’re still awaiting your miracle, take heart, meditate on and speak His Holy Word over your life.

And if you need prayer, feel free to leave a comment below or send a message to office[at]allaboutworship[dot]com. We’d love to support you in faith.

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Source: All About Worship

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Not Afraid: Does Fear Hinder Your Worship Leadership? (Devotional)

Not Afraid: Does Fear Hinder Your Worship Leadership? by Josh Lopez

God has not given us a spirit of fear but of sound mind, power and love. – II Timothy 1:7

I love this verse. Paul was reminding Timothy what God saw when He looked at him and how God created him. Even though this is such a great verse, let’s just be completely honest – most of us don’t walk through life without fear.  Instead, our dreams, vision and purpose are paralyzed by fear.  For years, I struggled with fear of rejection.

I was a fifteen year-old kid who watched my dad become a heroin addict and then got in a fist fight with him. He threw me out of the house and said these words: “you are not my son!” It was there that the root of my fear began…

I never wanted to be rejected like that again. I didn’t understand at the time that my dad needed help and that I was not a bad son; I only took away that I was not good enough. So I spent years trying to prove myself…that I was good enough. When I gave my life to Jesus in 1996, it was the greatest decision that I had ever made. I began a great journey of healing. Fear was still very prevalent, though.  In fact, I took that same fear into my relationship with God and others. I aimed to please, always fearing rejection. When I was rejected, I would shut down and very quickly isolate myself from the world. This cycle went on for years until one day God began to show me that I was good enough by what He did on the cross. He created me to the tiniest detail and everything He saw was good. I began to embrace the truth of His word in Psalm 139 –  that I was fearfully and wonderfully made. That the wonderful thoughts that He has towards me, outnumber the grains of sand. There were so many verses in the Bible that pointed to me being accepted and not rejected. So now every time this voice of fear would pop up, I could combat it with truth.

But this is just one fear. God continues to deal with these fears in my life. I thank God today because He has helped me change these mindsets that I used to have. I don’t have to fear rejection. I can make decisions based on what I hear God telling me and not follow others. I have been set free from trying to get the crowd to applaud just to affirm my gift and calling. I don’t spend my time thinking of what I can do for God so that people will see that I am great. Instead, I desire to be a part of what He is already doing and realize now that it is not about me, but it is and has always been about Him.
Here is my encouragement to you. The quicker you identify the root of your fear, the quicker you can begin the beautiful journey of everything God already planned for you.

Don’t let fear paralyze everything that you were meant to be!
Don’t let fear steal the great things that God has planned for you!

Today, embrace courage and dig deep down in your heart, find the root and let God start dealing with that fear. You were made for so much more…you were made to live and love not afraid.


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