Wait on the Lord

McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Taco Bell . . . the list goes on. The internet, ESPN, Fox News, CNN . . . all have contributed to the way our society views the days we live in. We live in a "now" world. We want what we want now, the art of waiting is all but forgotten in our society. However, this mode of thinking is contrary to scripture. I'm convinced our "now" thinking is very detrimental to growing in Christ. It causes us to look beyond what God is doing in the present, and makes us want tomorrow - today. Credit cards are a case in point, credit cards gives us now what we should wait for. This mode of operation has contributed greatly to the economic troubles we face today. We simply don't want to wait for anything. Isaiah 40:29-31 says,

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

If you find yourself in despair, if you have lost hope, if life seems to put more weight on you than you can bear, begin to survey your life, and ask, "Are you overlooking today in anticipation of tomorrow?" Perhaps God has placed you in this phase of life for Him to teach you to wait on Him. There are promises attached to the scripture; if you need strength, wait on God. If life seems to be in a free-fall, wait on God. If you desire to live for Him and not grow weary, wait on God. God wants to do something great in the now moments of your life . . . just wait on Him.

Be watching next week for Part 2 of this devotion.

Get Out of the Rut

Many times in the lives of Christ-followers, we get into a spiritual rut. Many things create these ruts: a new chapter in life, a significant event, a lost dream, or great disappointment. Perhaps, however, one of the greatest causes of spiritual ruts is simply lazy or careless Christians. People who become complacent in their spiritual journey. If we're honest, everyone of us have been there at some point. It's a dangerous, extremely dangerous place to find ourselves in our spiritual journey. A. W. Tozer says, "There is not much that can be said in favor of lazy or careless Christians. God never told anyone to do anything that he or she could not do." In Matthew 12 there is a story where Jesus passes by a man with a withered, deformed hand. Some say it was paralyzed. Jesus looks at the man and says, "Stretch out your hand." The man believed that Jesus was the Christ, stretched out his hand and instantly God healed him. Perhaps the very fact that he stretched out his hand was a miracle. But, Jesus knowing His power asked the man to do the unlikely so that Jesus could show His strength. As Tozer says, "God has never asked anyone yet to do anything that He was not enabling the person to do."

What is God asking you to do? What impossible thing is He asking you to do? Remember, if it's up to you, you can't do it, but God can. Are you in a spiritual rut today, begin trusting God to do the impossible. The only thing He is asking of you is obedience. Begin to live the incredible life of a Christ-follower, step out and I know God will lift you out of your spiritual rut.



Rut, Rot or Revival. Tozer, A. W., Christian Publications, Camp Hill, PA, 1992.

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The In Crowd

Grace is invaluable to a Christ follower. Without grace we recognize our demise and realize all of our shortcomings. Grace is critical - it is the free and unmerited favor of God that is extended to all who will receive. That's huge! We don't deserve His grace and we don't qualify for His grace . . . it is free and we are not entitled to it. As Christ followers we write about grace, sing about grace, talk about grace, we say 'grace' before meals, we thank God for His grace, but often we fall short of extending His grace.

I, for some weird reason, like the movie 'The Devil Wears Prada.' It's the story of a young magazine columnist, Andy, who is a determined lady who knows her values and her stance on societal issues - until she becomes entrenched in the society she always stood against. Little by little her values began to change when she was pressured by the other side . . . soon she was a part of the 'in crowd' and never realized she had change. 

Acts 20.24 says, 'However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.' We have a task - it's not to just talk, sing and thank God for His grace - it's to testify of His grace. Testify means to serve as evidence or proof of something's existence . . . it means to be an example of something. 

The way I see it Christ followers [myself included] can begin thinking we are a part of the 'in crowd' and forget that we still can't merit God's grace . . . it is free and unmerited and only comes through Jesus Christ. No matter how long we know Him - we still need His grace. We're not on the inside looking out - we are an extension of Jesus Christ on earth and we need to make every effort to testify of the gospel of God's grace. I'm not suggesting we need to let everything pass by and accept 'whatever', but too often Christ followers can play judge rather than testify of grace. Our task it not to judge - it's to testify.

Where are you on the grace spectrum? Have you received God's grace? Are you showing [testifying of ] God's grace? What ways do you play judge, and what ways do you testify? Do your actions ever indicate you are an 'in crowd' thinker? Please share.

Your worst days are never so bad that you're beyond the reach of His grace. And your best days are never so good that you're beyond the need of His grace. Everyday should be a day of relating to God on the basis of His grace alone. -Jerry Bridges

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