Follow, Trust, Belong

Follow God
Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20

"This command I give you today is not too hard for you; it is not beyond what you can do. It is not up in heaven. You do not have to ask, 'Who will go up to heaven and get it for us so we can obey it and keep it?'" (Deuteronomy 30:11-12)

Following God- 'loving the Lord your God, doing what he wants you to do, and keeping his commands, rules and laws' (16)- is not something that is too far away. It's not so difficult to do, but we do need to focus on it, make it a priority. I'm challenged this morning as I read this scripture, because for a couple of days I've been getting back into things here in AZ, feeling like I'm drowning in work, and I haven't taken out a bit of time to read God's wonderful word, to pray and study and spend precious time with the Lord. It is when we need it the most that we sometimes don't continue our spiritual disciplines... and really a mere half hour or hour is the least that I can give to the Lord of my life. And in giving that hour, I gain a multitude of blessings in centering my day around the reason for it all. Lord, following You and remaining faithful is not way up in heaven or out far away in the sea... teach me that I need to continue in You always, even at the end of the semester, especially at the end of the semester.

Trust in God
Psalm 40:1-5

"Happy is the person who trusts in the Lord, who doesn't turn toward those who are proud or to those who worship false gods. Lord my God, you have done many miracles. Your plans for us are many. If I tried to tell them all, there would be too many to count." (Psalm 40:1-5)

God's plans and miracles and blessings are too many to count... oh Lord, I praise You for all the opportunities You have given to me as I travel through my life. I'm sure that so many things were in Your plan, for I never planned to do them... I just sort of followed as they happened upon me. I never planned to do BVS in Brazil, which wasn't even a BVS placement until I met Marcos and Suely. I certainly never planned on going to Lancaster, nor the guidance and friendship of Pat and Dick and the Marantha congregation would be some of the most meaningful parts of my experience there.

And this scripture challenges me to trust You, Lord. I need that trust right now. While I loved my time in Indiana at Bethany Seminary, I was also challenged to recognize that there are many churches in my dear COB that wouldn't accept a female pastor... that would rather accept a pastor from outside the denomination than a good Brethren girl raised up right there in one of their churches. What message does it send to the women in the congregation about their role or their part in ministry or their value as a part in building up God's kingdom? But, Lord... I need to trust that the plans You have for me are good and perfect, and I know that when You call me into ministry of some kind, there will be a place... You will prepare it. The plans You have for me are many... and though I don't know them right now, I trust that You will make them known at the right time. I so desire to follow Your plans and to serve You, God. Please, take me.

Belong to God
Luke 6:27-49

"A good tree does not produce bad fruit, nor does a bad tree produce good fruit. Each tree is known by its own fruit. People don't gather figs from thornbushes, and they don't get grapes from bushes. Good people bring good things out of the good they stored in their hearts. But evil people bring things out of the evil they stored in their hearts. People speak the things that are in their hearts." (Luke 6:43-45)

Each tree is known by its own fruit. I pray that we may all produce good fruit as Christians, so that ours may be the tree known as nourishing and sweet and abundant. Unfortunately throughout history it has not always been this way. The Crusades, religious persecution of various sorts, division and further division of denominations. Lord, unify us... just as Jesus prayed in John 17. May we together feel Your love in our hearts... so that what comes out of us ay be only good things... and that Your tree may be known to all the world by the love that we show to others. Teach me more each day how to speak the truth in love.