Expect Miracles

Expect miracles.

Two little words, but don't they convey a great depth of meaning?

From whom does one expect miracles to come?  Only from the Lord.  He is the only one capable of performing miracles in our lives.

Expect. . . the dictionary gives three definitions for this word.

Regard (something) as likely to happen.
Regard (someone) as likely to do or be something.
Believe that (someone or something) will arrive soon.

The definition of miracle is given as: 

"a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency."

This applies so well to our relationship with our Lord.  If we live a life of trusting Him by faith, as we are called to do, we will live a life of expecting something to happen which others cannot explain.  We will be living expecting miracles.

 "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:  as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17.)

By that I don't mean we will see visions or hear the Lord speaking to us audibly.  What I do mean is that we will see Him meet our needs in ways we could have never explained in any way except by His hand.  We will see His promises fulfilled in our lives in countless ways.  We will be amazed at His workings as we expect and look for them in our lives.

Let us join with the Psalmist in declaring that there is only One upon whom we should wait: 

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him." (Psalm 62:5)

He Comes With the Trouble

I heard a preacher make the statement, "God comes with the trouble."

He was addressing the point that trouble is always around the corner in our lives, whether it be financial difficulties, health issues or troubles with relationships. It never seems to be perfect sailing in our lives.

He went on to say that we can find great comfort in the fact that, for Christians, God always comes with the trouble.  In fact, He precedes it.

When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, the pillar of fire and the cloudy pillar led them by day and by night.  God was with them in the wilderness.  The manna fed them perfectly and their shoes never wore out because God was with them in the wilderness,  He was with them in their trouble.

As His children, we will never face a moment when He is not with us, indeed, when He is not within us.  There is no trouble we will ever face alone. It is our enemy who whispers in our trouble that we are alone, but our Lord has promised just the opposite.

". . .for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)

Are you facing a trouble right now in which you feel all alone?  Is there something weighting down your heart?  Our Lord is there with you even now.  He seeks to comfort, encourage and strengthen you.  In fact, He called the Holy Spirit, which lives in you, the Comforter.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, 

and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." 

(Psalms 46:1, 2)

God is our "very present help in trouble."  You can't get much closer than residing in someone.  That's the closest He could possible be.  He is with us in every pain, every suffering, every trouble, every situation.  

Let us acknowledge His presence in our troubles very early that we may find Him to be our rock and our fortress, our deliverer, our God, our strength, our buckler and our high tower.

"I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: 

so shall I be saved from my enemies." (Psalm 18:3)

Sleeping Bethany

Last Sunday, as we were leaving Sunday School, we noticed the baby of some friends of ours fast asleep in her car seat.  I joked with her father, Steve, that I would love to sleep like that just for one night.

"Yeah," he replied, "I'd like an adult sized car seat."

I replied to him that it wasn't the car seat which caused her deep sleep, it was the fact she had nothing to worry about, all her needs were taken care of by her parents and her only requirements were to eat and sleep.

Our heavenly Father would have us to be just as relaxed and peaceful as beautiful little Bethany.  He would have us just as trusting in Him for all our needs as Bethany is in her earthly parents.

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." 1 Peter 5: 7

When Peter went walking out on the water to Jesus, he was fine as long as his gaze was fixed upon the Lord.  It was "when he saw the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and began to sink," (Matthew 14:30.)  When our gazed is steadily fixed upon the Lord Jesus, then we can say like the Apostle Paul, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13.)

Looking at our apparent needs, looking at the problems in our lives, or in the lives of others, looking at the turmoil in our world will only lead us to sink beneath the boisterous waves of life.  We must continually be "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."  (Hebrews 12:2.) He is the author, He is the finisher and what He sets out to do, He always finishes.  He is completely faithful and true.

So whatever need you see  in your life, you can completely trust Him with it.  What ever need you see in the lives of those you love, He is worthy of the task.  What ever need you see in our world, He is the only One able to truly deal with it.  In fact, He is already working in all those areas to bring about His Father's eternal purpose.  All our concerns are safe in His hands, because He cares for us.  He is totally and completely worthy of our trust, so let us rest in Him.  As my husband loves to say, "No one has ever trusted in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus and been disappointed in doing so."

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; 

and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, 

and in righteousness He doth judge and make war." 

Revelation 19:11

Faithful and True

Words and Music by Glen Davis

There is a heart, so faithful and true,
It bears a scar for me and for you.
And we can know for a lifetime through,
It's faithful and true, faithful and true.
Faithful and true, faithful and true.

There is a grace that makes all things new,
born in that valley our Lord passed through.
Where He was smitten for me and for you,
So faithful and true, so faithful and true,
Faithful and true, faithful and true.

Forever draws nigh, we'll see His face soon,
Shining in glory, so lovely the view.
And the glad anthem of our hearts will ensue,
Faithful and true, faithful and true.
Faithful and true, faithful and true.

Such a Little Thing

There are some little things which can have a huge impact.  Our smiles are one of these.

Anytime we make facial expressions, whether we mean to or not, we are transmitting messages which are then interpreted by those who see us.  Many who do not know us will form an impression of us based simply upon our expressions.

I found this to be true at work.

One morning, after an especially busy night, our boss stepped into the nurses' station.  Her brow was furrowed and her lips were pursed.  She clearly looked upset to me, but I suspected this wasn't actually the case.

"You can't look at us like that after the night we've had," I said jokingly to her, "we can't take it."

She was clearly surprised that she was communicating anything negative with her expression.  

"Oh, I didn't mean to look like that, I was just thinking," was her reply.

Her facial expression had led me, and my colleagues, to immediately expect the worst, but thankfully we had misinterpreted the expression.

Just the opposite is true of a young man whose name I don't even know, but I know his smile very well.  He comes each night to pick up the trash from our unit.  He pushes a cart much larger than he is and goes to the soiled utility room where he loads the bags of trash from that room into his cart.  Each night when I see him I give him a big smile and say hello, and he does the same to me.  Often when I am going to the pharmacy or to the Emergency Room to pick up a patient, I will see him pushing his cart from one unit to another.  I have never seen him without the smile.   I look forward to seeing him simply because his smile makes me smile.

"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance:  but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken." 

(Proverbs 15:13.)

There are people the Lord has put in each of our paths who can benefit from a simple smile.  It is such a little thing, but can do so much for those who see it.  It can be a source of encouragement, it can lift a sad heart, it can be the beginning of a friendship.  Our smile speaks of contentment, joy and love.  It takes so very little to spread it to everyone we encounter and yet it can have such a big impact.

Let us use this simple thing in our lives as a way to transmit the love of our Lord to others.  We never know what door that one smile may open for us to share more, or how a simple smile can revive the heart of one facing grief, sadness or despair.