2 Chronicles 18; Revelation 7; Zechariah 3; John 6

“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”  He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.” John 6:5-6

This is so beautiful. He never asks anything of me that he has not already planned to provide.

“Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'” John 28,29

And this is all he asks: that I believe.

That I believe Him…that He is sufficient. That all He asks, he provides.

How exciting this is, that when He asks something that seems impossible, it’s because He plans to do it!

I believe this is true for everything in life from our inward walk to our outward work and everything in between. Because the reality is that everything and anything He desires for me truly is impossible for me apart from Him. He quite literally is everything to me, for I am nothing!

In a more specific way, in this season, what I know beyond the shadow of a doubt He’s asked me to do has seemed impossible to me on so many levels. Yet He has kept speaking, kept confirming, and has done things to start making it happen and I’m seeing clearer than ever that my work is to believe and give my puny (and I mean PUNY with a capital P) ‘loaves and fish’ to Him and know that He will make out of little, however much He sees fit.

He is creator God. That is what He does: CREATE. Something out of nothing. Why should I be surprised?

Lord, I give you my nothing and look to you for Your everything. Help me eat and live this “lesson of the loaves.”  I believe, help my unbelief!

~amywalkerwrites

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2 Chronicles 1; 1 John 1; Micah 7; Luke 16

“That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’  Solomon answered God, ‘You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. Now,Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?’ ” ~2 Chronicles 1:7-10

Oh how I need this today. This reminder to ask God for wisdom! How glorious is it that He promises to give us wisdom if we ask?

” If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ~James 1:5.

Then in Proverbs 2: 3-6 “Indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord  and find the knowledge of God.  For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

I’m so excited to be reminded of Solomon’s story in this chapter today because I purposed earlier this year to obey Proverbs chapter 2 and make a habit of literally calling out for insight and crying aloud for understanding because I truly want to understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God, but I had forgotten lately. I needed this reminder and it encourages me so much to keep seeking and that I will find what I seek and more.

Solomon asked for wisdom specifically for the charge he had been given; for leading the people of Israel. I’m encouraged tonight to continue asking for wisdom in a general sense but to also pray for wisdom in the specific areas that He has charged me with: my family and home, other relationships both with believers and non-believers, my business,  and prayer primarily.

Thank you, Lord, for this reminder and encouragement to cry out to you for wisdom. Help me not to forget and to pray specifically for it in every area of my life, especially in the work that you have given me to do.

-amywalkerwrites

1Chronicles11,12; Hebrews 13; Amos 7; Luke 2

I’ve been thinking on Luke 1-2 lately and am overwhelmed at a theme that stands out to me more and more as I look. It’s nothing new, but on taking more time to look at it, it is more amazing to me than before.

That He chose Nazareth of Galilee, not just a town of no reputation, but of low reputation.

That He chose the tiny town of Bethlehem, as promised.

That He chose a place not fit for humans, only animals. No doubt full of dung and all manner of filth.

That he chose a feeding trough for a bed. Where the slop no doubt was slung.

That he chose to reveal His joy and the Good News in an incredibly glorious way to the shepherds; those who lived solitary lives outside of the rest of society, whose occupation was considered the lowest of the low.

Mary’s song or prayer states it clearly, “He has performed might deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but he has lifted up the humble.” Luke 1:51-52

The King of Glory took the lowest place. Even if he had chosen to come into a wealthy family and live in a palace, it would have still been a humiliation in comparison to the glory He came from, for Creator God to humble himself to become  a baby, submit to human parents, have to grow and develop as a human. 

But He did not. He chose to take the lowest place. He chose Bethlehem, a stable, a trough, some shepherds and Nazareth.

Lord, forgive me for every prideful thought. May I not be proud in my inmost thoughts. I want to be like you, and choose to take the lowest place in thought, word, and action. “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

2 Kings 17; Titus 3; Hosea 10; Psalm129-131

” If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” Psalm 130:3

I know that I could not stand if He were to “mark my iniquities.” Today many times I have remembered this. 

Yet when I remember,  as a song I heard today says, that “sin has stained my every deed, My every word and thought,”

I also remember God’s answer to my problem: the blood of Jesus.

I remember that He so longed for me to be able to come into His presence that He planned, determined since the foundation of the world to sacrifice His one and only Son.

How can I not come? When He died so that I could? When the very moment that Jesus died, the Father ripped the veil in the temple from top to bottom.

He did not hesitate. I believe He longed for that moment since the moment we fell and intimate fellowship with Him was broken. This was a message of passionate love and longing…

To tear open that veil between us and the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest could enter and that only once a year…and say,”COME! COME! COME!

I give you direct access to myself with all of my heart. I died to give it to you.”

How can I resist such an invitation? What scruples can I have when He has paid so much to erase them and so eagerly invites me to come?

He poured all His wrath on Christ on the cross so that He could pour all His love out on me.

Such love, such amazing amazing love, not only constrains me to come but inspires in my heart a reverence…a fear.

Not a scared fear in the slightest, but a “What can I do in response to such a love but bow low and be in awe and give Him praise and thanks and humbly receive all that He has to give, because He paid so much just to give it.”

 “But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.”v. 4  

 

2 Kings 2; 2 Thessalonians 2; Daniel 6; Psalm 112,113

The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” -Daniel 6:16

The favor that Daniel had with the king was incredible. What strikes me today is that in both references to Daniel’s God by the king in this chapter, he said “Your God, whom you serve continually.”

It seems that this is something that the king already knew about Daniel…something he had observed. Yet his favor was unhindered, and Daniel’s service to the king was so thorough and well done that those who were envious of him could not find fault with it.

This is so wonderful because it shows that serving God is so much more than vocation, so much more than occupation, so much more than what one does for a living or what earthly work one has.

What it looked like for Daniel, I do not know, but it was clearly distinguishable to a Pagan king. A king who was planning to set Daniel over all the kingdom, yet knowing that he continually served his God. His commitment to God was so definite in the eyes of his enemies that they knew the only way to undo him was to cause him to have to choose between his God and King Darius. They all knew that his God was the most important thing in his life.

I love this because in this season more than ever I am learning that serving God is simply obedience to God. It’s not only doing work that is seen or perceived as “serving” or “ministry” but obedience to God in whatever context, whatever work.  He makes my ordinary extraordinary. It may not be obvious to those around me as it was to those in Daniel’s life, who it is I am serving, but it is obvious to the One who knows…the One who calls and leads. Yet it is my hope and prayer that at the very least it is evident that God is the most important thing in my life.

Serving God is not isolated to any specific type of activity or vocation. It is a posture of the heart. It is being yoked with Christ. It is obedience. True service is always, only obedience…to whatever He may lead.

May I not cease like Daniel to make communion with God my number one priority, and obedience to all He commands a constant way of life.

amywalkerwrites