hunker down.

Wow, have I been learning a ton lately about the character of the Lord. Gut check rather. However, He is good. He is faithful. Always. He does not delay. He always comes through and YES regardless of whether we can or cannot see. And YES whether we can see Him moving or not. 

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." [Hebrews 11:1]

However, we know that deep roots come with trials. Come with lots of gut checks. And "because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." [James 1:3]. Which way are you going to go? Are you going to stand in the way of faith? or Are you going to give up and leave what you know because it is not looking like He is coming through or maybe for that matter doing anything? A lot of us could probably be able to stand before the trial and of course pick standing in the way of faith, but it's in the wind and the waves were this becomes so crucial, co critical, on which everything hinges. 

As of lately I have been sticking around 1st and 2nd Kings. These books are so rich; it's packed full. In 1 Kings 18, there is a story that comes to my mind often here lately. Let me kind of hash out what's going on here. The people of Israel had began to worship other gods other than the Most High God. They were praying to the god Baal. However, there was severe famine in the land and they were praying to both God and Baal for the famine to lift and rain to come, going back and forth (being half-hearted). 

 The word of the Lord came to Elijah the prophet saying, "go show yourself to Ahab (the kind of Israel) and I will bring the rain upon the earth. Elijah went to Ahab stating he had abandoned the commandments of the Lord and told him (in a summary) we will test your god against mine. Elijah said to the people, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? if the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.' (v.21) Oh goodness the significance of this statement is great. When we find ourselves in the middle of just going with faith and then second guessing in our flesh. It can be so weakening. We start limping. We are not strong either way. This is what Elijah was trying to convey to the people of Israel. Elijah challenges the people of Israel to make a decision, but they did not say a word. Then Elijah says okay lets prepare a sacrifice and the let you call on your god and I will call upon the name of the Lord and whichever one answers by fire, he is God. the people agreed. They cried to Baal and nothing happened and Elijah cried out to the Lord and the sacrifice was consumed by the Lord by fire. (something interesting I thought that was as they prepared the sacrifice before they were about to cry out to the Lord after nothing from Baal, Elijah had them fill 4 waterpots with water to pour on the sacrifice to show he was requiring more of the Lord than from Baal. He was confident that not only would the Lord consume the dry sacrifice with fire but they he could consume and wet sacrifice with water - trying to make a deep impression on the people that the Lord is mighty. So neat.)

... After the Lord showed Himself, Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up , eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain." (v. 41). He knew what the Lord had said, he knew He would send the rain like He promised. He knew not because he was confident in his knowing, but confident in the one that he KNEW. He knew the fulfillment of the drought (hard time) was over. Elijah then went up to the top of Mount Carmel and he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees." (v.42)... Okay, so he sent Ahab about his business and then Elijah got to his business and put himself in a posture of praying. I find it so interesting the posture Elijah is in because he is not standing, kneeling or sitting but rather in a position that in that day was for child bearing. Women would sit in that position to have babies. It is so cool because it signifies Elijah was birthing something, he knew something was to come out of this. He believed it. He HUNKERED DOWN in prayer. So Elijah says to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea (to see if the rain was coming). And he went up and looked and said 'There is nothing.' And he [Elijah] said, 'Go again.' seven times. Seven times he sent his servant back. However, that means that six times he was heard nothing, saw nothing. Right here in this little moment is where so many people can identify. With disappointment, feeling forgotten, not understanding what the Lord is doing and maybe doubting whether or not He will come through. However, the seventh time after sending the servant, he [servant] said, 'Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea." OKAY... this is incredible interesting and neat to me. Elijah KNEW the Lord had promised rain and was going to send rain. The persistency and fervency of the prayer of Elijah here, it's obvious He knows what the Lord said will NOT take no for an answer. He stays hunkered down in prayer until he sees the promise of the Lord come to pass. 

When Elijah hears word of the "small" sign of rain, he says to his servant, "Go up, say to Ahab 'Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.' And in a little while the heavens grew back with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain." (v. 45) .... I think it is amazing that after the sight of only a small cloud the side of a man's hand rising Elijah knew the torrential downpour was coming and told Ahab. He was so confident. He was bold. I don't know if I with just seeing one tiny cloud would be as bold to say oh YES the rain is coming I am confident of this. I wonder how many times I question the little clouds asking for the Lord to show me more, or maybe wait around longer to make sure I see other clouds. Elijah's faith is so honorable.

Charles Spurgeon used this text when he was describing "certain signs and tokens for good, which prayerful faith clearly perceives when an awakening, a genuine revival is about to come." He goes on to say that we should make note of the little clouds in our lives to not take them likely. 

How many times have I missed little clouds? We so often see HUGE movements and so often take the little clouds for granted that lead up to these moments to those things. It's those moments of hunkering down in prayer and rooting in & trusting the promise of the Lord to come to pass before the rain comes  - those make a person. It weaves something beautiful in a person. 

The Lord is FAITHFUL. That is who He is. He doesn't have to prove Himself faithful because that's just who He is. You cannot add or take away from Him. But He chooses to reveal and show Himself to us because of His great. So do not lose heart because He WILL COME THROUGH. He always does. Keep pressing in and keep trusting Him. He is for you. He hasn't forgotten or looked away from you for one second. 

Ephesians 4:1-3

Thankful to a sweet friend for sharing this timely Word from Ephesians this morning,

"In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk - better yet, run!- on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline -  not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences." 

Even when it's hard, I pray this is always my prayer.

ENOUGH for today.

I recently listened to an incredible podcast by Louie Giglio titled, "Enough for Today" (if you have a chance, listen to it here.) It was an incredible teaching. I realize how quick we are to jump to future things and not rest in just today. We can say yes Jesus is enough for today AND tomorrow, or today AND forever. It's like we bust at the seams to put that "and" in there. Yes He is enough always, faithful always, good always, but we are only promised when we wake up what He has for us in this day now and so often we miss it because we are anxious about the next day or the next month. We cannot access those promises yet. We cannot access tomorrow's promises today. He is sufficient for the day. Just like the manna He gave the Israelites in the desert, He told them He would supply all they needed for the day. However, some of them stored up to make sure they had enough for the next day and "it bred worms and stank" (Exod 16: 20). How often are we like these Israelites? I am guilty of this often, wheeling my mind over and over trying to plan this and that and get things done, get ahead. When the Lord is saying to me, "Be still, daughter, I am working on your behalf. Trust me. Depend on me, not your own strength. I am here today. Present with You now."

He is perfectly provisional for the day.

"Give us this day our DAILY bread." Matthew 6:11

Instead of manna, we now have the bread of Life. By His son. His blood covers everything that happened and we get to stand a new every single morning, and so often we do not claim that. So often we do not operate in the promises the Lord has for us in the day. It is so important to remember that we have a Father that knows what we need BY day, BY moment.  I pray that we SHIFT our mindset to instead of worrying about how things will work out tomorrow, or next week to saying I KNOW You, Oh Lord, will provide for me today; I need not worry about tomorrow - You WILL be faithful - You WILL come through. Let us rest in that the Lord is fighting on our behalf in our stillness (Exodus 14:14).

When I fail to let Jesus be enough for me today, I fail to reflect His sufficiency to others.
Let us live in all the fullness He grants today. 

In the wait.

In the wait.

Something our generation hates to hear. Wait. We can hardly stand commercials, or a website loading, much less an entire season of "wait"appointed from the Lord. We are used to having everything at our immediate request. Honestly, I am guilty of liking everything to be done efficiently and quickly. However, that's not exactly how the Lord operates all the time.

For instance, King David was no stranger to waiting. He was anointed to be king by the prophet Samuel, as the youngest of his father Jesse's sons. Instead of rushing to take the throne, it would be years before he was set to be king. The Lord had to prepare him to be king. David was a shepherd boy, and that's what he did day in and day out. David waited on the Lord to take him from the pasture to the palace. Even though David was appointed and anointed didn't mean he didn't have to wait for the right time. His waiting was a extremely important intimate time with the Lord that would set the stage for the rest of David's life. Even in the wait the Lord was moving on David's behalf. He does not delay.

To feel, doubt, or not trust the Lord is faithful or that He will not provide is denying that He has done it in the past. The Lord is who He is all the time, never changing, without shadow. He is FAITHFUL that is WHO HE IS. He is a PROVIDER, that is WHO HE IS. He does deliver. He is a DELIVERER. He did not leave Jonah in the whale. He did not leave Hannah barren. He did not leave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire. He did not leave David stranded when fighting Goliath. He did not leave Moses and the Israelites staring at the Red Sea not knowing how to cross, when the Egyptians were approaching. He did not leave His only Son in the grave. HE PROVIDES, HE IS FAITHFUL, and HE DOES DELIVER. We can't stand here now and doubt His faithfulness now because we would have to say He wasn't faithful then. He is the same today, yesterday, and forever. We have to remember His faithfulness. Feed on faithfulness like it says in Psalm 37:3. Just because He has spoken something into our life that we have not seen come to fruition does not mean it won't. There is a time. There is a season. He will come through.

We also have to give up "trying to help God out" in our own flesh because it accomplishes nothing and may even prolong the time until the promise is fulfilled. We need to just receive from Him, which is often much easier said then done, which of this I am guilty myself. We must rest in the fact that He has it, always has, and always will.

It's hard in waiting seasons to see the purpose, especially if it feels like it has been dragged out. However, we must rest assure the Lord is weaving something incredible. He is always working things together for our good. Our best. Refining us to depend on Him, alone. Trusting Him with everything we've got. Persevering. Continuing to know WHO He is and what He says. Even through the heat of the process it is such an incredibly beautiful thing - and the coolest thing, the Lord never lost sight of the beauty that is coming. It has always been His focus and will remain until we see it fulfilled.

We must HOLD the VISION, and TRUST the PROCESS.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6