Day 17: Mice, Men and Plans

Principle: God is Sovereign and Ruler over all, His dominion is both heaven and earth, He is planner and executor and yet He allows man to choose his way.

In the challenging novel written by John Steinbeck “Of Mice and Men” the characters make plans but they often go astray. They find themselves in places and circumstances that tragically end in death for the one softhearted individual in this cast of characters. A famous line from the book is “the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray” which was captured from Robert Burns poem “To a Mouse”. Frequently the phrase has been used often by people when they see their dreams go awry.

Steinbeck leaves the audience to ponder this thought but never gives a reason as to why and leaves us in the dark as to the other side of this coin. In contrast, authors of both the OT and the NT do reveal the other side of Steinbeck’s coin which gives us a hope and an answer to every man who asks (1 Pet 3:15 always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess)
1. God is Sovereign and in control (Is 14: 24, 27 “Be sure of this:
Just as I have intended, so it will be;the Lord...has a plan,and who can possibly frustrate it?
just as I have planned, it will happen.)
2. Man plans but God is the executor (Prov 16:9 KJV A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.)
3. God uses all of man’s plans to bring about His perfect sequence (Rom 8:28 we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,)

Man plans but God brings about His intended purpose proving that He is the Sovereign of the Universe. The clearest example of this from scripture is found in Genesis where we read about the evil plans of Jacob’s sons to remove Joseph from their presence. You can almost hear the sons quoting Steinbeck/Burn’s statement as they stood before Joseph as a dignitary in Egypt. Gen 42:21 “Surely we’re being punished because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress has come on us!”; translated into today's pc lingo: “oh just dandy; our plans have gone amuck and look where we are now...we are in a heap of trouble" The brothers were unknowingly unaware that this was God’s intended purpose was to bring about the deliverance of His people in a time of famine. God orchestrated each movement in Joseph’s life to bring about His intended end.

The challenge before us is to see that even though we may plan, God is the one who lovingly and carefully brings about His intended purpose so that He alone gets the glory. Jeremiah wisely wrote: Jer 9:24 If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know me. They should boast that they know and understand that I, the Lord, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth”

Prayer: Father, El Elyon, may we today stop and pause to worship you as the sovereign possessor of heaven and earth. May we know without a shadow of doubt that today has been planned in eternity past for such a time as this. May we trust you as the author and finisher of our faith and to see your purposes before our eyes so that we may boast in this: I know You, I understand that you are faithful, you are fair, you are just and all things bring about your good to those who love you.
Application: Keep track of today’s events and praise God as He executes His plan for your good.

True Piety

Piety: a reverence for God or devout fulfillment of religious obligations; the quality of being pious Synonyms : respect, veneration, awe, godliness, devotion, sanctity, holiness.
In contrast the antonym is irreverence; atheism, godlessness

True piety instills in us a desire to please God to live out the indwelling Fruit of the Spirit in all we do, say, think. Hebrews 5:7 says that Jesus’ prayers were heard because of his piety/devotion. Perhaps the author of Hebrews was thinking of Is 11:2-3 “the Lord’s spirit will rest on him...a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord,” This is the Holy Spirit that came and anointed Jesus at his baptism. Verse 3 continues: He will take delight in obeying the Lord which takes us back to what true piety is; a desire to please God. In 2 Chron 7 we read God’s response to Solomon after the dedication of the Temple which are the characteristics that in pious people: a humbled self, seeking to please God, repudiate (that is reject with disapproval or condemnation) sinful practices. When God sees those characteristics, He hears, He responds, He forgives, He heals. 2 Chron 7:14.

Prayer: Father, El Elyon, God Most High, as you look down from heaven this day upon this your servant, may you see a heart of devotion as you saw in your Son, your only begotten Son, the one who is now crowned with glory and honor because he through his death destroyed the one who holds the power of death (that is the devil). May we be a people of humility, devotion, seeking your face so that our worship brings praise to You,e the Only Wise God, the author and finisher of our faith.

Application: Philip Yancey writes: “Whatever you do, don’t ignore God. Invite God into every aspect of your life” …Beware of those daily distractions that cause the focus of God to fade. Claim James 4:8 as your guide this day: “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded.”


Yancey, Philip “Reaching for the Invisible God”, Zondervan; 2000; pg 189.

Day 12: Fear God

1Peter 1:17: And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence (NET)
Or
1 Peter 1:17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;(NKJV)

Spiritual Principle: What does this word really mean? In listening to a sermon tonight the Pastor indicated it merely meant “awe”. Is that the true meaning of this word reverence/fear? In the Greek the word is fobov phobos (from a primary phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright:-be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror.) To “fear” God is not only to be fearful of who God is, but fearful of His holiness, fear and revere His Name and His character.

What is Peter really saying in this verse? As he penned this book to those believers who were “temporarily residing” abroad it seems that he wanted to grab their attention as to how they were to conduct themselves in this temporary life. It was to be fearful not of the persecutors but of the Holiness of God that they would someday face in eternity. Do we have that fear of God? Do we live our lives daily moment by moment aware of His existence and His power and His Majesty? Do we live in not just “awe” but in fear? The OT Israelites were so fearful of God they told Moses to speak to Him for them. Do we have that fear? That reverence? It appears that we claim this promise from the book of Hebrews: come boldly before the throne of grace but we fail to grasp that we are entering the throne room of the Holy Almighty El Elyon God Most High. So how are we to come? Come with fear and reverence that comes from understanding that God is Holy beyond what our minds can comprehend. Philip Yancey writes in his book: Reaching for the Invisible God that Japanese Christians, unlike American Christians do not have a problem with this concept for they live in a culture of a monarch who has rule over all. Americans come to God with a wish list, the Japanese Christians come to God bowing in reverence. A missionary revealed their mindset: “We know how to come to God as humble servants with boldness, you don’t have to tell Japanese people about hierarchy. When they learn that God is Lord they immediately know all of the implications of that. They know who’s boss and that is never questioned. When they pray they use language that combines the highest forms of speech and the most intimate phrases of love and devotion. When they ask for something they ask with humility, knowing they have no right to what they’re asking except that God give them that very right to ask and promises to answer” Perhaps we might take a lesson from these as to how we are to approach God.

Application: Pro 9:10 The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding.
Is 57:15 For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: “I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged.”

Whoo Hoo

Saw God at work once again.Oh ye of little faith.Why do I get so anxious when God has a plan already in His pocket? Saw one more house this a.m. and it is perfect. Perfect plan for moving "once again"...which is such a pain but perfect because it is what we have to do and perfect for the price, the size and the location! Whoo Hoo. God you are one amazing God. This image is for me who always gets so anxious. May I remember this and learn from this experience.

Calendar Day 9: El Roi: The God who sees me

Day 9 – El Roi: God who sees me
Spiritual Principle: Although Hagar in Genesis is the only one to have used this name for God, the holy majestic God of the universe, the principle is throughout scripture. God sees all, knows all, and one day will reveal all as the books are opened in eternity. No matter our circumstances, God hears and God sees and He alone provides the answer to our dilemma. Because He is all knowing and all seeing we can “take his yoke upon us for his yoke is easy to bear and his load is not hard to carry (Matt 11:30) which is only possible when we know that we are a His child (John 1:12).


Prayer: Holy Father, with whom is no variableness or shadow of turning. You revealed Yourself to Hagar, as El Roi for you heard and saw her affliction. What a marvelous caring God would leave the heavenlies to reveal Himself? It is that through the example of Hagar, we might know of your love and compassion for those in the deepest times of despair to encourage, and to reveal Your love to and for them. You saw the affliction of your children in Egypt and chose Moses to lead them out. You saw the need for a godly king and revealed David to Samuel. You loved Daniel and revealed the knowledge of dreams and the future. That is why as obedient children we come boldly or confidently before your throne of grace to seek your help. (Heb 4:16). We thus claim your promise to order or direct the steps of the righteous this day. We claim it so that your plan perfectly ordained in eternity may come to fruition and glorify You as the author and finisher of our faith.

El Roi, you know each hair upon our heads, each sparrow that falls to the ground and you know us whether or not we recognize Your presence at this moment in time. Therefore, give us a heart to know your love, an eye to see your work, an ear to hear your words so that we may worship you. Hebrews 1 tells that when Your Son was manifest you told the angels to worship Him. This day we ask but one thing; a heart to share your love in divine appointments that you have planned before in eternity past; an eye to see your beauty around us and an ear to praise and worship rightly. May we so live and worship that we know we are but exhibitors of the good works that You have prepared for each one of us.

Application: I Th 4:18 “therefore encourage one another with these words” by sharing your comments.

Day 8- El Elyon God Most High

Day 8- El Elyon God Most High
El Elyon in the Septuagint: ho theos ho hupsistos — the God most high
Scriptural Principle:
God is Sovereign and rules over all. He is supreme above all. Dan 4:34-35. El Elyon is praised and extolled for His eternality, His authority, His all encompassing roving eye over all of His creation. It is because of that we stand in awe and as Nebuchadnezzar said; we recoil from asking, “What have you done”? Stop now and praise Him and allow your heart to focus on who He is and not your circumstances.

Prayer:
El Elyon, God Most High, we stop now and pause to elevate your Name above all Names. Your name is a reminder that in time of distress, discouragement or any other time of uncertainty we can come to You; for in Your presence we find security. You see all, know all, and are over all. When I stop to view my day in light of eternity then I know that all things are working for good that I might boast in this one fact alone: that I know and understand that you Lord, Jehovah, The Existent One, act out of faithfulness, fairness and justice over all your creation both in the heavenlies and on earth.

Scriptures:
Dan 4: 34-35; Jer 9: 23-24; Rom 8:28; Is 14:24; 27; Is 46:9-11; Dan 2:20-23

Change and/or Resistance

Change and Resistance

Eldercare, the new buzz word. In Ps 90:10 we read: “The days of our lives add up to seventy years, or eighty, if one is especially strong”. Today because of the wealth of medical knowledge we are seeing this being pushed farther back. Many of our neighbors and family members are living well past this into their nineties and even to the ripe old age of 100. So what challenges does this bring? Recently in the Kindred Spirit magazine published by DTS there were a series of articles on this subject. You can read all of the issue by clicking here. Nancy Barton wrote an article entitled “Are you Aging Well Spiritually”. Her points are well taken and are noted as those often seen in the very elderly. Note how many receive checks!
1. Fear: Losing independence and losing the ability to care for oneself, losing a spouse, losing abilities to respond as one did earlier in life. (check, check, check, check!!!)
2. Relational Wounds: Loss of children’s touch and attention, pain from betrayal, slander or gossip. (check, check)
3. Physical Issues: Wrinkles, sagging skin, physical abilities declining (check, check check!!!)
4. Weariness: Been there done that mentality (check check check)
5. Attitude Issues: Complaining, grumbling, apathy. (check check check check!!!)

Lately as we face this with family members we are asking how should we respond? Again from Kindred Spirit, Dr. Jeffery Watson reminds us of two scriptures: Ex 20:12 “Honor your father and mother so you may live long” and 1 Tim 5:8 “If anyone does not provide for his relatives...he has denied the faith”. Wise counsel to the young but to the elder who is resistant at any type of change what do you do? You have talked, prayed, visited, offered assistance, hired caregivers and yet are faced with a brick wall. So it is that God provided yet another article with some sound and wise advice. “What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity”. How true that statement is and is the stalemate many are facing. Now the next question is this: how do you make it clear to the elderly whose mental processing has been diminished due to a recent mini-stroke or heart attack or just plain aging? It seems so clear to you but to them it is “you want to take away my independence”. You have sat face to face explaining all of the issues before them, showing them options and instead only hear “I resist your help”. The article continues with this statement: The point is, often, we misinterpret resistance. We misunderstand the root of push-back and view it as negative. Yet, in reality, it can be a positive! Resistance is an opportunity to clarify our vision, our expectations, and even our hopes and dreams.

As we walk in this valley we continue with the daily constant prayer: Protect the resistant, clarify their understanding, protect them from a major crisis, open their eyes to see and feel our love, may they accept the provision for their help, remove all doubts and fears and lastly may we have wisdom to know the next step especially when the geographical distance is so great.