Spotless

The other day my husband and I went to my father-in-law's house on a mission.  He wanted to clean a carpet that he was trying save. My husband remembered the carpet from about ten years ago and he really wanted to keep it.  Unfortunately, keeping it was going to require cleaning it.

It was still in good condition but had a couple of worn, dirty spots.  We took our carpet steamer and some potent cleaner and went to work.  I was not feeling well but I did my part.  I sprayed the cleaner and then hit it with a brush and I was done, then my husband got to work.

He ran the steamer once and I thought we were done...nope. He ran the steamer again and I have to admit the carpet looked much better.  That not being enough, he asked me to spray more cleaner on the worn spots. I added more cleaner and scrubbed the area, then went to sit on my stool as he cleaned again and again and again. The carpet looked amazing but then he said he had to "run straight water" through the steamer to clean excess foam.

I was not only not feeling well,  I had been sitting there for a while already as the went up and down on that carpet.  He started with clean water but after every cleaning he lifted more dirt. We had been there three hours when I thought about his persistence.  I thought "He has worked really hard to clean this carpet. He really wants to save it!"

My husband's patience was admirable and the value of that carpet was evident through his patience. While those three hours dragged on for me, he was not even aware that it had been that long. His focus was on the end result.

It was then that it hit me how much God wants to save us and how he never gives up on us. My husband was not going to quit until that carpet was spotless. Likewise, God is not willing to give up on us.  He will not give up on us or throw us out because of our sin.  He stands ready to offer us forgiveness and eternal life.  We are not without hope.  We have someone that stands ready to cleanse us.

Many times on the surface we may appear clean but God knows the filth underneath that no one else can see.  Even so, He does not give up on us.

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

Scars

Two weeks ago my younger sister had surgery.  While we did not think it was a major procedure, we were surprised.  With technology and medical advances, we were comfortable in thinking that a laproscopy procedure would leave a scar of about an inch, if that.

The issue became more serious than we anticipated and as a result, the surgery required approximately 35 stitches.  When I visited with my sister she tearfully explained that she would have a scar and then proceeded to show me the end result.

Isn't it something how our gague is often perfection.   Earlier last year, her husband, my brother-in-law,  was diagnosed with melenoma.  He would require surgery in an attempt to contain the spreading.  It was a difficult time for them as they came face to face with a very personal decision.  How would this affect them, would it leave serious scarring, how intrusive would the surgey be?    Unfortunately, the surgery required an extremely invasive procedure that took several hours.  The area affected was his entire face. 

We prayed both for a successful surgery for my brother-in-law and peace for both of them to accept whatever was to come.  Today, the scars are barely visible and my brother-on-law is fine. 

Now my sister was facing a similar situation.  As I recall my conversation with  her, the concern was the scar that 35 staples would leave and how she would not be the same. 

I think of the scars on Jesus' hands and feet and what they represent.  Yes scars will change us but all they change is our "look." The scars Jesus was left with can change us for life.  Christ died so that man would have an opportunity to accept Him and live a pure and holy life. 

My sister is right, you are not the same once you have a scar, particularly one of that nature however, our prayer is that because of the scars of Jesus Christ, you will not be the same. 

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, an by his wounds we are healed.  Isaiah 53:5

Cheap Whine

This morning as I read my devotion I was reminded of the grumbling Isrealites.  Once they were led out of Egypt, they began complaining.  Whine, whine, whine.

It is a question that comes easily when things do not go our way, even more so when things go horribly wrong.  Some of these times include brokenness, financial ruin, prodigal children and so many more that come from living in a fallen world. 

How many times has this happened?  To many to count in a lifetime?  What do you fall back on?  Even for me, it was difficult.  Although I never asked why, I always said "I just don't understand!"  "God, help me to understand!" 

Having dealt with that, I found myself where many before me and many after me have found themselves.  I made the comment "I just want my old life back!"  I cried out to God and asked Him to give me my old life back!   Of course if you have travelled through the wilderness you know that the last thing you want is that old life! 

You see, if God did grant you a chance to "go back" you would go back to what was taking place in darkness that you knew nothing about.  It wouldn't be a better life, it would just be the old one.  A life of deceit, lies, misleading, anger, bitterness, whatever the poison was. 

We can not look back.  We can not wish or like in my case cry out to be returned to those "old days." I have long lived past that old life and I can tell you that God has been the sole sustainer.  Yes you may feel alone but you are not, you may think you have no friends but you do, you may think God has left you but my friend....He is the one carrying you.  That is not a cliche!

It is not easy for me to say this but I say it with all the confidence of God's Word...do not look back.  Do not long for the days of old.  The "old life" for the Israelites would have been Egypt under Pharaoh and they actually whined about.  It was what we call "cheap whine!"

There is new life in Christ!  Everyday there is new life.  I remember someone once saying "The windshield of a car is larger than the rearview mirror because we travel forward rather than looking  back."

If you find yourself in a position where you feel you have "lost everything" or if your life has changed completely as a result of someone else's actions, or if someone or something has put you in a position of emptyness, remember that we serve a great, big, God! 

Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused.  Numbers 11:1

The Lord answered "Is the Lord's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you."  Numbers 11:23

Oceans

Yesterday we were sitting in church contemplating all the changes going on in our life right about now.  I found myself sitting next to my husband thinking "What is going on?"  So many changes!!

As I stood there feeling sorry for myself I heard the music to an all too familiar song.  I heard it several months ago and it has become one of my favorite.  It begins something like this:

You call me out upon the waters,
The great unknown where feet may fail...

Everything about that song screams me!  That is where He has called me to-the great unknown.  The scary part is that I am extremely fearful of water.  I don't want to go to those waters where I fear "my feet will fail." 
As I stood there and sang, I came to my favorite part in the song:

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders,
Let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me..

It would definitely be the Spirit leading because lately I have felt that I have placed major borders on my trust.  "I can only go this far." or "Don't really think I can do that."  So singing this song at that moment really spoke to me.  But nothing spoke deeper than this verse:

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

You see, I am not a swimmer.  My fear of the water keeps me in shallow and I do mean shallow waters.  Don't like deep waters, don't trust deep waters and I would never "wander" into those waters especially alone.  But its the next line that seals it. 

And my faith will be made stronger 
In the presence of my Savior.

All of a sudden I get it.  I have to let go and let Him take me deeper that I would ever venture to go and in doing that, my faith would be made stronger in the presence of my Savior....how sweet!

Oh the changes are still there and some will impact us daily and some will impact me personally-much more than I care to admit.  Change is coming!  My prayer is that I will trust Christ and believe that He loves me unconditionally and regardless of what happens, my faith will be made stronger in the oceans of life.  After all, He walks on water.  What have I got to fear.

But the Isrealites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.  Exodus 14:29

When you pass through the waters I will be with you.  When you walk through the rivers, I will not sweep over you. Isaiah 43:2


Hillsong United "Oceans (Where feet may fail)" Copyright (C) 2000