How kind are our thoughts? _ 2 Samuel 9:7

“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan."

Trending posts on social media feature what are called "random acts of kindness". There are stories of someone giving a $100 tip to an exhausted and down-on-her-luck waitress; brave strangers coming together to save a frightened dog stranded in raging floodwaters; a delivery person returning to the home of a lonely woman to give her a hug and lighten her spirits; and many more. 

Despite having been pursued by Saul, and having experienced so much turmoil because of the many attempts to kill him, David sought out someone from "Saul's house", to whom he could show kindness because of his love for Jonathan. This was truly a true example of an act of kindness that was not random.

There is, however, another area where we, as Christians, are called to act on, our thoughts. How kind are our thoughts?

While we are showing kindness to someone, are our thoughts as kind? Do we naturally think positively of a person or are we prone to be suspicious or skeptical of that person's motives? When something good happens to someone, do we congratulate them but in our minds think, "Why her? I don't think she really deserves all that" or "Why not me? Nothing ever good happens to me!"

We are called to, not only act kindly but also to THINK KINDLY of others. Philippians 4:8 reminds us, "...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—THINK about such things."

Lord heavenly Father, forgive me please for my negative, unkind thoughts about others. When I do this, I know I'm being judgmental and this displeases You. I'm sorry. Holy Spirit, help me to renew my mind so that my heart and mind will reflect Christ's compassion for all.

Photo credit: medium.com

When God is silent_ Psalm 22:1

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

After a seminar I recently conducted, one of the participants approached me and asked for prayer.  Her family was in a very difficult financial situation, and she was desperate. According to her, she has been praying but, despite all her prayers, God has remained “silent for over a year." 

It can be frustrating when you talk to someone and that person doesn’t respond, or he doesn’t seem to be listening. But this is one truth I believe in with all my heart. God hears, and God moves. We may not see it…yet…but His answer will come at His own perfect time. Or maybe, He has already answered but we just don’t hear or we just refuse to recognise that it’s His answer to our prayer.

“Blessings" is a beautiful song by Laura Story who wrote it when her athlete husband was in critical condition because of a brain tumour. The first time I heard it, it moved me to tears because, while what we faced was not a life-threatening medical issue, I felt burdened and desperate at that time. What a comfort it is to know that God’s love is the answer we need. His love will give us what we need, not necessarily the answer packaged in the way we want. We need to trust God for His Mercies in disguise.

We pray for blessings

We pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom

Your voice to hear

We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love

As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

All the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

When friends betray us

When darkness seems to win

We know that pain reminds this heart

That this is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy

What if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are your mercies in disguise

Lord Heavenly Father, You never withhold any good thing from me, your daughter. Many times, though, like a petulant child, I shake Your arm and cry out, “Abba! Listen to me! This is what I want.” And You lovingly look at me and keep silent because You have already moved the universe to give me what I need. Thank you so much for all your mercies in disguise.

Songwriter: Laura Story

Blessings lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group

Image credit: Marc Cardaronella

A True Valentines Story.

Written on Feb. 13, 2014

I fell in love with him when I was still in high school and I was giddy over his his attention. But my love wasn't strong enough. When my friends made fun of how strong my feelings were, I caved and kept my love for him hidden. Yet he kept on patiently loving me. 

As I grew older, my love began to grow cold. He pursued me relentlessly but I strayed. I gave my love and attention to others, but even though I was having fun, I was not happy. Then, it happened. After so many years, I found him again...as if he was ever lost! All those years, he was just there, waiting for me to turn around. He loved me before.  He loves me still. He loves me with an everlasting love. He said, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you, Lollette, with unfailing kindness." Jeremiah 31:3c (NIV)

It has been 22 years since I publicly and proudly declared that I love Jesus and I'm His. And He gives me reasons everyday to fall in love with Him even more.

Turn on that light_Psalm 119:105

For one of our outreach trips to a mountain barangay, I was the one driving our team home.  Dusk was just settling in when fog suddenly rolled in, making it difficult for me to see the winding road. I flipped on the headlights to "high", then remembered that the SUV had a light for foggy conditions. I flipped on the switch and, true enough, the way seemed clearer.

Many times, we try to go through our trials with our own efforts.  We rationalize our situation and try to "fix things" with our own knowledge and skills. But, there are just those times when we just need to flip the right switch to help us see the way better. God has provided us with His word to shed light to whatever situation we are going through.

Whenever I feel anxious or afraid, I know I have His words of comfort, His assurances, His promises, His declarations of everlasting love to hold me together, and to make me see through the fog of my trial.

Lord, thank you for "Your word, a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." How I love the words which I have hidden in my heart, and which You bring forth whenever I am afraid or anxious.  Each time I feel lost, You say to me gently, "Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

A different kind of peace_Psalm 16

Watching the news is so disturbing! It seems like everywhere in the globe there is conflict, violence, disasters, displacements and persecutions and discrimination.

Today's reading, Psalm 16, gives me comfort.

The Lord has already planned out my life, and so I'm secure.
Verses 5 & 6, "Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance."

I know He guides me and instructs me.
Verse 7, "I will praise the Lord who counsels me , even at night my heart instructs me."

I know He is always with me.
Verse 8, "I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

Therefore, I can be filled with the "peace that surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7), knowing that,even as horrible events swirl around me, I am safe in the centre of His grace and mercy.

Lord, my heavenly Father, thank you for keeping your eye on this sparrow. Whenever I feel overwhelmed by anxiety, overwhelm me with Your grace. Whenever I feel burdened by the trials we are going through, lift me up in Your warm embrace. Whenever I am dismayed, distraught and confused, fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me Your peace that surpasses all understanding in Christ Jesus.

My Father_Romans 8:9-17

"And by Him we cry 'Abba, Father."' The Spirt himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." Romans 8:15-16

For his recent birthday, I captioned my birthday post for Em this way: "Role model to our sons.  Hero to our daughters. Funny Daddylo to our apos.  My forever love." Em is indeed all of these, and more.  He works very hard to provide for our family, and often forgets about his own needs as long as ours are met. His love is a sacrificial love. When I look at this man who is my children's father, I see an inkling, a shadow of who my heavenly Father is, and how great His love is.

If this is how Em loves his family, I cannot wrap my mind around how much more, how much greater -- the depth, the width, the height -- is His unfailing love for me, His child.

Abba, Father, I cry out to you in love and gratitude for how You pour out Your love for me! Each day is a testament of Your grace. Help me live it as You would want me to. I love you, Abba!

From Pleading to Praise_Psalm 13

How good and loving is our Heavenly Father who receives our every prayer, all our pleadings, even our complaints and whining.

In Psalm 13, the psalmist is overwhelmed by his situation and cries out to the Lord, moving from complaining to praising. The ODB devotional today points out the 5 elements in this psalm which is one of the shortest with only 6 verses --

INVOCATION (v. 1a) -- How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
LAMENT (v. 1b-2) -- How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart?
REQUEST (v. 3-4) -- Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemies will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
TRUST (v. 5) -- But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
PRAISE (v. 6) -- I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

When we go through difficult times, we can be assured that God hears our pleadings and loves us despite our whining, and we know that He will turn our mourning into joy.

Lord Heavenly Father, forgive me when I sound like a petulant child when I pray to you.  But I feel so loved by You as I know that You are pleased when I come to you.  Let me seek you in good times and in hard times.  Let me praise you in both.

Object of Love_Hosea 11:8-11

In today's ODB devotional, it spoke about how God treasured Israel and how this great love of God now is showered on us, His beloved children through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus.  What struck me most is how God used Hosea, the prophet, to be an OBJECT LESSON to show us how beautiful His love truly is, and how OBEDIENT Hosea was.

"Hosea, a contemporary of prophets Isaiah and Micah, ministered primarily to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Hosea 1:1). His prophetic ministry was unique because he not only communicated in words what God wanted to tell the Israelites, but he symbolically acted out these revelations (chs. 1, 3). Hosea was commanded to marry Gomer, a promiscuous woman, to show that “like an adulterous wife [Israel] is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord” (1:2). After Gomer’s unfaithfulness, Hosea was commanded to reconcile with her and to “love her as the Lord loves the Israelites” (3:1)."

Lord Father, how great and beautiful is Your LOVE for me, drawing me close to You despite my unfaithfulness, my sin. You reconciled me to Yourself through Your Son, Jesus, my Saviour, and forever I am within Your arms, here in this life and for all eternity.  As it is said in 8:39, "Nothing will be able to separate us (me) from the love of God." Thank you, Father!

Can God's love be measured?_Ephesians 3:16-20

We love to measure things. We see things in terms of numbers -- how much, how many, how long, how deep, how wide, how tall. How does one measure God's love for us?

John 3:16 tells us "For God so LOVED the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life."

Romans 3:8 also says, "But God demonstrates His LOVE for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." And,

Ecclesiastes 3:3:22-23, "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."

We are not capable of full grasping how much -- how deep, how wide, how high, how long -- He loves us.  We must only BELIEVE it because He tells us throughout the Bible, His love letter, and because He has demonstrated it to us so many times.  We can believe it because it is real and present in our lives, even when at times we don't "feel" it.  We hold on to this -- His love is unfailing, constant, never-changing and immeasurable.

Thank you, my Lord, for loving me the way You do. Thank you for yout undying love for me for which You died on the cross to save me.

He Waits for Me

Then the music starts. I struggle through the darkness, through briers with claws that wound me. I walk out to a clearing and there on a hill He waits for me. Light envelopes me in His embrace. I slowly sit, rest my head on his lap, and cry: Jesus Lord, I am so tired! Jesus Lord, I am bothered, I am dismayed; I am anxious. I am in pain. I have doubts and I have sinned Please forgive me. I don’t know what to do. Then, I feel His hand on my forehead He strokes my hair, and says: I have taken all that, and its okay; Your sin? I have taken it away; I died for you because I love you. Do not be afraid. In the early morning hour I find my way into His glorious presence -- My King, my Saviour, my Friend; He waits for me as the music starts. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." Psalm 23:2-3 Written 100218// Posted on momofmultitudes.blogspot.com October 2, 2018

Hate vs Love

Hate is "in". Love is "out". Meanness and vindictiveness are trending. Unknowingly, or knowingly, even Christians have been deceived that it's okay to hate because "it is right". Jesus followers, however, are called to love. Remember ,"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." -1 John 4:20-21 This is one sign of the end of the age found in Matthew 24:10-13. "At that time ,many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." Let's not let love grow cold. Let's love even those who are unlovable, that one person who is like sandpaper, that person who is malicious, that person who has crossed the line too many times, that person who has committed a sin even you cannot forgive. Why? Because, hey! That person was created by God and Jesus died for her too. 
Photo credit: www.paulhorton.wordpress.com