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   Beholding Glory/Faith Filled Friday 

An account, whether true or not, is told in Streams in the Desert of an old, southern deacon who would always end his prayers with, “Lord, prop us up on every leaning side.” 

When asked why he prayed that way, he answered, “Well, sir, you see, it’s like this…I got an old barn out back. It’s been there a long time; it’s withstood a lot of weather. It’s gone through a lot of storms, and it has stood for many years. 

“It’s still standing, but one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit, so I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn’t fall. Then, I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I’ve been around a long time. I’ve withstood a lot of hard times, and I’m still standing, too, but I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, ’cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times.” 

A lot of us do get to leaning at times. We begin to lean the wrong way, toward depression, discouragement, giving up, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, addiction, or whatever. 

Solomon tells us where not to lean, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Prov. 3:5-6 NKJV) 

If we lean, let’s lean upon our Beloved as the disciple John did, “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23 NKJV), and be as the Shulamite, “Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” (Song 8:5 NKJV) 

Do you have a tendency to lean? Who or what props you up?

 
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Ever have a day like this?

The kids are fighting and yelling.Your husband is late for dinner, again.You just found out your best friend spread rumors about you.The phone rings and so does the front doorbell;you answer the phone and it’s the electric company about to turn off your electricity because you forgot to pay the bill.The guy at the door is there to repossess your car!Oh, you also forgot it’s your mother’s birthdayand one of the kids has a school project due tomorrow!
Ever just want to throw your hands up in the air and scream, “I surrender”?

I love the old M*A*S*H series, which takes place during the Korean War in the early 1950s (if you’ve never seen the show). I watched one episode the other day where Hawkeye and BJ (doctors) drove to get a supply of penicillin. On their way back to camp, they wreck the jeep, so they start walking.

A lone, enemy soldier appears and bows to the ground before them. Mystified, the two doctors keep walking. However, not ready to give up his efforts, the man picks up his trusty rifle, points it at them, and starts spouting something they do not understand.

He then drops the rifle and throws his arms up in the air, waving his hands, and yells, “Hulio, hulio, hulio!” (Well, that’s what it sounded it.) In essence, he said, “I surrender! I surrender! I surrender!”

That’s my new hand signal now: arms thrust in the air, yelling, Hulio!

When you have one of those days, when everything comes at you at once, do you ever feel like doing the same thing, screaming, “I surrender”?

But who or what are we surrendering to? Our circumstances? Certainly not the enemy! And we can’t surrender to ourselves. So what is left? We surrender to the Lord. Which should be the action we take in the first place!

When a multitude of voices scream for your attention, when so many scheduled duties clamor for you to perform them all at once, when chaos invades your space, and you want to pull out your hair, then throw up your hands and yell, Hulio, hulio, hulio!

Tell the Lord, I surrender! As the old hymn says...

I surrender all,I surrender all;All to Thee, my blessed Savior,I surrender all.
Surrender it all, and when you do, peace will flow like a river...

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,When sorrows like sea billows roll;Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Is it well with your soul on those harried days? As David said, “He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me.” (Ps. 55:18 NKJV)

I love The Message’s take on Matthew 11:28-30, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Wow! Learn to live freely and lightly! Does that resonate with you like it does me?

The Lord says, “Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.” (Isa. 30:15 NLT)

Circumstances may still be the same. But you? If you have surrendered it all to the Lord, you will know peace and bring a calming influence to all you do and to all those around you. You will live freely. Lightly. In quietness. With confidence as your strength.

I have hulio-ed!
Ah! Peace. Like a river. It is well with my soul. Living freely and lightly. How about you?

Standing on the edge, swimmies snug on the arms.
Ready, set, JUMP!
Caught by Dad.
Paddle to the edge.
Climb the ladder.
Stand on the edge again.
Ready, set, JUMP!

Those were the days when the kids were very young and we took them swimming. They loved to leap from the side of the pool and be caught.

But let’s back up a bit. Did they love jumping in at first? No way! In fact, they were quite apprehensive, even frightened. But with trust in their father, they leaped, recognizing the safety of his open arms, and their fears dissipated.

What about us? Are we ready to take a leap off that spiritual edge into the scary unknown of obeying some command or new action given by the Lord? Or do we believe it to be so difficult that we talk ourselves out of obedience?

Do we permit our past to shove us into the back of the closet of self-preservation? Do we accept the attempts of the Ol’ Fear-monger to paralyze us with fear, immobilizing us in our present?

We always have a choice. To get started in whatever task the Lord calls us to do, we must choose to overcome what holds us back and take that step or leap of faith.

However, the Lord never gives us courage for that first step. He leaves that initial decision up to us. He may nudge us a little, but we have to take that first step of faith, or leap of faith, as the case may be. Just as those down through the ages have done.

Noah stepped out in total faith. Actually, he took a giant leap! Build a what? Because it’s going to do what? What is rain? And what’s a cubit? Did others laugh at him? I’m most certain they did.

Has God led you to do something so outrageous that it appears ridiculous to you? Stepping out may seem laughable to you but it will cost you, and possibly others, dearly if you do not obey.

Did it seem impossible to the Israelites when they were hemmed in on all sides, the enemy’s rattling chariots closing in behind them, the mountain heights looming on either side of them, and the sea’s heaving waves in front of them?

No way out. Beyond the bounds of possibility, right? Has God asked you to do something that seems hopeless to accomplish? He will make a way, you know.

And there’s always Abraham. Obeying the Lord by leaving where he lived and going to an unknown land. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise.” (Heb. 11:8-9a NKJV)

Not even knowing where he was going! But to activate that promise of God, Abraham placed one foot in front of the other. In my quirky mind, I hear the words to the song in the cartoon Santa Claus is Coming to Town...

Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking cross the floor
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking out the door

Has God been nudging you to do something but you’ve hesitated? If you are apprehensive, even frightened to take that first step or leap of faith, trust in your Father, take the plunge, recognize the safety of His open arms, and your fears will dissipate.

To leap or not to leap? Go ahead! Take the leap! See what happens!

I love old westerns, especially those filmed in black and white. (I think I’ve mentioned that before!) I grew up on them. I watched one the other day that was 75 years old. Yeah, I know, I’m old! But not that old, yet!

In a typical old western storyline, the female lead is headed for town, riding peacefully in her buckboard, when something spooks the horses and they bolt, giving her a wild, bumpy ride which she cannot control.

Not too far off in the distance sits the hero upon his mighty steed. Hearing her screams for help, he gives his mustang a swift kick with his spurs and bolts off to rescue her. As the horse gallops alongside the runaway wagon, he jumps in and grabs the reins, yanking them under control.

She is so relieved to relinquish the reins and have someone else bring the situation under restraint that she gushes with thanks.

Makes me think of us as Christians. How often do we ride along peacefully in life when, suddenly, we encounter a startling and overwhelming situation? Something happens to jolt our smooth-going wagon of life onto a bumpy, runaway course and we can’t control it.

In our cries for help, our Hero, the One called “Faithful and True” (Rev. 19:11), our Savior on His mighty, white steed, comes galloping alongside us. If we surrender the reins of the situation to the Lord and allow Him to take over, He will bring it under control in His own way and in His own time.

No matter how a circumstance looks to us, God is always in control, especially when we surrender to Him.

This is my prayer; is it yours? “I entrust my spirit into Your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for You are a faithful God.” (Ps. 31:5 NLT)

May all your wagon rides be under control!

"I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. And it will please the Lord." (Ps. 69:30-31a Amp)

I realize that not everyone will have a happy Thanksgiving, but I pray that each of you will experience the presence of the Lord in your life. May praise and thanksgiving fill and overflow your hearts! May you always experience Thanks-living!

As Christians, we each travel our own road, the path mapped out just for us. Sometimes, the Lord leads us alone...



...sometimes we walk with others...



...sometimes, the way ahead may be foggy...



...or it may be hot and dry...



...or blocked...



...or under construction...



...or it may be washed out...



...sometimes, the way may be closed...



...or halted...



...or confusing...



...but through it all, “you will hear a Voice behind you say,‘No, this is the way; walk here.’” (Isa. 30:21 TLB)



“I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide youalong the best pathway for your life;I will advise you and watch your progress.”(Ps. 32:8a TLB)

The name Jehovah-rohi comes from two Hebrew words meaning 1) Yahweh, the existing One, and 2) to shepherd, to tend a flock, to graze, to rule, to associate with, to be a friend, to be companions, and to be a special friend.

God has always shepherded His people. As an example, Jehovah-rohi (or Jehovah-ra`ah) watched over His people Israel, protecting them from the plagues He sent on Egypt, leading them out of Egypt and through the wilderness, and providing for their needs while in the wilderness.

Shepherds are more than watchdog-protectors for their flocks.

So, what distinguishes a good shepherd? He…

* disciplines and corrects them
* protects the sheep while they sleep
* goes ahead of sheep and prepares the path
* leads them to fresh pastures and fresh water
* comforts them when they are hurt or fearful
* knows the sheep’s needs better than they do
* keeps sheep moving so they don’t get into a rut
* keeps sheep from fighting, from hurting each other
* searches for a lost sheep and rejoices when finding it
* is pleased when sheep are contented, well-fed, and safe
* anoints them with oil to heal an injury or prevent disease
* always watchful for predators and defends sheep against them
* is gentle yet firm while shearing them, watching closely for injury or disease
* knows the things that make them sick or hurts them and guides them away from those things
* loves his sheep and continually encourages an intimate relationship with them so that
they will develop trust and know his voice
* sacrifices his life for them.

We find so much of this in Psalm 23. Adding in some of the definitions, we might look at it this way…

*The Lord is my Shepherd = The Lord is my guide, my companion
* I shall not want = I shall not lack; I am content
* He makes me to lie down = He causes me to be at rest
* in green pastures = giving me nourishment
* He leads me = He guides me with care
* beside still waters = alongside peaceful refreshment
* He restores my soul = He draws me in, to return me back to the point of my departure
* He leads me in paths of righteousness = He guides me in ways of rightness
* even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death = even though I move through the narrow path of death’s dark shadow
* I will fear no evil = I will not be afraid of evil; I will have confidence and trust in my Shepherd
* for You are with me = because You are by my side
* Your rod = Your discipline and protection
* Your staff = Your guidance and support
* they comfort me = showing me compassion, bringing me to repentance, and giving me consolation
* You prepare a table before me = You arrange and spread out a feast of Your fellowship at Your table
* in the presence of mine enemies = in the face of the one that attempts to distress, oppress, and afflict me
* You anoint my head with oil = You soothe me and satisfy me with the oil of Your Spirit
* My cup runs over = You fill my life, saturating it to overflowing with provisions
* goodness and mercy shall follow me = Your kindness and favor pursue me
* and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever = and I will inhabit Your household for eternity.

Sheep must have a leader for they must be led and not driven. They must be told what to do and where to go, otherwise, they will wander off and get lost. They need to be watched over and cared for constantly. Hence, the need for a shepherd.

Isaiah prophesied of One coming as the Good Shepherd, “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.” (Is. 40:11 NKJV)

When this Shepherd came, He said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep,” (John 10:11 NKJV) and “I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me,” (John 10:14 Amp) and “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28 NKJV)

Do you know the Good Shepherd and all that this provides for you? Do you know Him, recognizing His voice as He calls out your name? Do you know His peace, protection, provision, guidance, and comfort?

I pray you can often be found lingering at the feet of the Good Shepherd, awaiting His gentle touch and encouraging words that bring total trust and comfort.