Text: Jonah 1:4-10, Mark 4:41, Proverbs 16:33
This is part of a 7-day series on Jonah in the Lent 2016 reading plan.
I can imagine him there, on the boat. Pulling the coarse blanket tighter and rolling over, sighing as he sank deeper into sleep. Perhaps the dark, warm cabin where Jonah slept creaked and groaned as the waves outside surged with increasing intensity. Meanwhile, the sailors above deck were left to scan the horizon, and anxiously glance up toward a dark, grey sky, heavy with the strength of the Lord Almighty. And as each man cried out to his own false god, the One true God was coming for Jonah.
He was running away, but God pursued him like only the Creator and Lord of the sea could: with a furious ocean tempest. Jonah tried to flee from the very presence of the Lord, believing he could hide out in an old boat heading in a new direction.
But our God is fierce and awesome in His pursuit. There was never any chance of Jonah hiding from Him. Even the inanimate dice the sailors used to cast lots pointed to Jonah as the one running from God (Jonah 1:7). All creation seemed to be shouting, “Return!” In the face of the deafening storm and sure signs, the sailors feared for their lives, and looked to Jonah with eyes of blame and hands ready to give him the heave-ho.
God uses wind and waves, pennies and dice; everything in creation stands by to obey its Creator. When we read about His greatness, we’re left in awe and wonder. But in real life, it can all be so terrifying in the moment.
God’s pursuit is relentless exactly because He is so loving. He could’ve crushed Jonah under a tremendous sea surge and found another man. Jonah had his chance, and he clearly took the coward’s way out, right? God gave him a clear-as-day instruction—something we all long for—and he ran like a frightened child in the other direction. Why didn’t God give up on Jonah?
God wanted Jonah. Goodness, isn’t that amazing?
I sometimes feel like I’m a substandard version of the person who should actually be living my life. I often worry there is someone who would be a better mother to my kids, wife to my husband, friend to my friends. And the truth is, I do fall short. But despite my imperfections and failings, I’m the right mother for my children and wife for the husband God has so graciously given me. And I’m a good friend to those He’s gifted me with in this journey.
God gives specific callings to specific people. That means God wants me for my particular calling and life. It means He has specific plans for you too. Ephesians tells us “we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
We can’t escape God and His stormy gale of purpose. He pursues us with love that is filled with a beautiful intensity unlike anything else we have ever known.
“Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.”
-Psalm 139:7-10
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120 thoughts on "God’s Pursuit"
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I long for this pursuit. I don’t want to be given over to my own decisions and my own will. I want HIS!
The God who has power over everything wants us. This is an honor and privileged. He wants more for us than we can fathom. Our Lord doesn’t seek us out to only carry out His plan, but He wants us to be apart of the whole experience.
When I was in highschool I pulled a Jonah. I heard God calling me to go to the inner city with my church youth group for a missions trip. But I didn’t like the city and wanted nothing to do with it, so I search for a camp to work at in the Poconos. Ironically, the camp I chose had me working for a week at a day camp in the same city I fled from. In other cases since then I have found that when I specifically tell God that I don’t want something, He finds a way to take me there. Slowly yet surely He has been teaching me to live with an open hand, where every part of my life is open for His influence. In a few months I will graduate college and people keep asking me where I will look for a job as a teacher. I can honestly say that I plan to look at every school near my home and go where God calls me. I’m so thankful that He is teaching me how to go where He leads!
I love the story of Jonah it’s so amazing that God loves me despite not listening to him a lot of the time he will forgive me for anything, I also love that it’s so similar to the story of Jesus calming the storm in the New Testament
Amen . “God wanted Jonah.” God also wants me. This is amazing.
How comforting and astounding it is to know that no matter how short I fall, no matter how far away I turn my head, God continues to want me. He pursues my heart with a steadfast love.
So thankful that I cannot ever escape or out sin God’s grace or His pursuit of me. “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” God never stops loving me. So so so thankful to be anchored into His love despite my daily shortcomings.
Powerful powerful is all I can say.
Love the way you summed things up – “Not because I’m great but because the God I serve is great and has a purpose for my life in each relationship I am in”.
in each relationship I am in”
Wow this is truly powerful. Lately I have been feeling so sad because of my failures. I feel like I am the biggest mistake in the world. Utterly disqualified and always disappointing. Today I was feeling exactly like anyone would be a better wife and mother. This spoke to my heart. God pursued Jonah, and maybe He pursues me too.
I’m confident that He does.
I have been reading these plans for such a long time, but am finally joining in on commenting! I know I long for the clear as day instructions that Jonah was provided with, but I can’t be certain that I would’t want to run the other way with fear either! Right now I feel myself going through this journey of discerning where God is leading me vs only what I want to do. I find myself having trouble knowing if God actually is calling me to something, or am I overthinking things and jumbling around thing in my head. Then if I don’t go and do the thing I think He may want me to do, I feel guilty. Does that make sense? I pray for a growing clearness to His calling and the strength and guidance to listen and follow. Thank goodness He pursues us! Have a blessed day all!
You took the words out of my mouth! Praying for both of us!
One problem I’ve been facing in my walk Christ is seeking my identity outside of Christ. I try to be the best teacher seeking approval from my administration. I try to be the best wife seeking approval from my husband. Everyday I fail. And I begin to doubt my worth. This message brought me to tears. God wants me. I’m already the right person for each job I face. Not because I’m great but because the God I serve is great and has a purpose for my life in each relationship I am in. So grateful to feel God’s presence in a message I so desperately needed.
What a beautiful message of the grace and provision of God. I often feel as if I’m only on the mission that I am because there wasn’t anybody else available. I find myself wondering if somebody more qualified had prayed “Here I am: send me” as I did would they have been given this task instead instead of me. This was a wonderful reminder that God was intentional in picking me, and while I alone am not qualified to do as he has called me to do, through his grace and provision I am enough and can have an impact.
Thank you for this message!
Thank you Lord that you want me right where I am. That I don’t have to worry or feel pressured to get it right all the time because I have you and you are perfect through me. Thank you that you give me exactly all that I need for today and for being my hope for tomorrow. Thank you that you don’t want anyone else, but me right here. Amen!
Please pray for me. My boyfriend and I have been struggling to connect spiritually and we are trying to discern if our relationship is where God wants us.
Praying for you Becca, your relationship and for God’s peace and direction.
My job put me on notice today…. and now I’m left asking the Lord to show me His hand. Thankful for His relentless pursuit, His passionate and compassionate heart towards me as His beloved. Pray for me that He would lead me step by step.. as I step out of the boat.
Praying for you, Candice.
even when I run away; your love never fails!!!! you pursued me when I was convinced I was a lost cause what love the Father has for us
I have been feeling subpar in my ministry role lately. But just because I don’t do things the same as my predecessor it doesn’t mean I am not good enough. I know God called me here. Lord, I submit to You to be the best I can be right here. Thank you for pursuing me!
God uses wind and waves, pennies and dice; everything in creation stands by to obey its Creator. When we read about His greatness, we’re left in awe and wonder. But in real life, it can all be so terrifying in the moment….Amen to this. Terrifying in the moment.. He is still with us in the midst of what feels out of control and hopeless.. We must not flee from Him but cling to Him as He navigates our way through the turbulent storms.. It won’t last forever.
I am trying so hard to find purpose in where God has me right now. I am suffering with an illness that I feelis so unfair and holding me back feels like.
Hi Stacey, I can relate to this very much. I have been ill for the past 3 years almost and have wrestled with the ‘whys’ and trying to figure out what’s going on. I can completely understand how hard it is and also unsettling. I want to encourage you though to ask the Father what season this is for you. We know there is a season for all things and Jonah’s season was a season of mission, of doing, of crazy adventure but he would have also had other seasons that weren’t recorded in the bible. Remember that pain that Joseph went through before he was made leader of Egypt in order to save the people of Israel. God has shown me through the pain of my season that his purposes have been to prepare me, grow me, and heal my heart. It has been a time where He has revealed His goodness to me in the midst of horrible circumstances. My physical healing will come, so will yours.. Pray everyday to be healed but also ask him what this season is about. You will get through, He has promised that. He has great purpose for your life but He works all things for your good, so I know there is great purpose in this season for you also. Draw close and rest under His wings, in time He will show you what your called to. Xxx
I needed this today. I’m struggling so much with loving myself and feeling like I’m enough.
Celeste, praying for you to know you are ENOUGH! And not just that you are so LOVED and IMPORTANT to your Creator who sent HIS son with the sole purpose of dying for you. Hang in there. I know it’s easier said then to fully understand it. I’m still working on it too. Just remember that God’s got you every step of the way. ❤️
Wow. This out a lump in my throat. Perfect image. Thank you for sharing it!
Just a comment about the devotional part that might need a tweak. When you said you were the right parent for your children and spouse for your husband I’m on board completely, but when you said ” I’m a good friend”, I want to clarify that because God calls us to do something or be somewhere doesn’t mean that we will do it all perfectly. God puts us in those roles but we can be a bad parent or spouse or friend. He doesn’t dictate our actions and that is why he is a loving and sovereign. Hope that makes sense.
Hi James Gurl,
I’m not sure if anyone else will chime in on this, but I wanted to answer your question! Romans 3:23 explains that we all mess up, and can’t make ourselves right with God by our own effort. We’ll just never get there! But the very next verse is the best part: Romans 3:24 – “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” God knows we can’t make ourselves right, so Jesus takes our place. He died for our own sins, took our punishment, and lets US have the reward! He freely gives us grace, freely covers our wrong-doing, freely makes us right with God. There is a part in 1 John 4:9-10 that talks about how much God loves us. That He made the way for us to be right with Him, because He loves us so much. I hope that this helps, and that God is helping you see His love for you!
Thank you Lord for your relentless pursuit. So thankful it never stops.
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I love how God places the perfect words in front of you when you need them. I have been struggling with believing that God has called me to do the work I am doing. These past few weeks I have been running from Him and not believing I am good enough to fulfill such a purpose. I have felt Him pulling at my heart, but I have been purposefully pushing Him away. Not anymore. Today I will remember that He pursues me and equips me to fulfill His purpose for me and He does it to bring about good in my life. So grateful we have such an AWESOME God!
Hi Jessica! I’ve been where you are. I think so many of us have. My heart longed to please God, but where He wanted to place me I couldn’t possibly be used. Or so I thought. Those thoughts of doubt flooded my mind. But I realized that was the enemy attacking me. That was exactly what he wanted me to believe. God can take any of us and use us according to His plan. Praying for you today as you push forward with Him and where He is calling you!
Please pray for me. As a college senior I’m struggling to know what plan God has for me. Last year I felt a call to missions but as time has grown by I haven’t felt that call as much. Please pray for me that God shows me his will that I may follow it.
Anna, I will definitely pray for you. I remember being in the same position as you when I was finishing up college. The thing I had felt called to no longer seemed to be the right direction. Many (many!) years later, with lots of decisions and experiences under my belt, the main takeaway for me is that my first “calling” is simply to abide in Him. And as I draw close to Him, regularly steep myself in his presence, the choices become clearer. Or at least it’s not so scary to no longer have the answers. He is pleased with us when we seek to show love – however small or large of act that is. And he will use us wherever we are. Rest in Him FIRST. And then know that sometimes you just have to make a choice, knowing that even if it doesn’t turn out like you hoped, “nothing is wasted in God’s economy.” He is always teaching us and will use even the most challenging of circumstances to help us grow in our faith and draw closer to Him.
I know this is a bit off topic, but can someone explain the meaning of Romans 3:23 to me. All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. Thanks Sisters
I skimmed the comments and couldn’t walk away from this request. I guess because my recognition of my sin hasn’t always come so quickly. I have always been a “good girl” compared to “others” or so I have believed. Then I learned we are made after God’s own image. We were supposed to be with Him and in his presence. Now with sin we fall short of being with Him or in His presence. Even the “church good girls” :). EVERY single one of us are not as good as the scale that has been put before us…. GOD’s Perfection. So that means without recognizing our sin we will never be able to be in His presence, Heaven, eternal life. So with that recognition comes our need for a way to him, a Savior. Romans 3:23 is our first step in the right direction and it excited me that you ask about this vital verse. Recognize our sin then call on Jesus as the Savior God pursued us with. He is the way, the Truth and the Life.
Jeni
It is a natural human instinct to be sinful. No one can truthfully say that they have not sinned when they reflect on their own life. Just think of the ten commandments, and then know that God knows our thoughts also. A lingering thought is the same as acting on the sin. The following are ways most people do commit every one of the 10 commandments found in Exodus 20.
1.You shall have no other gods before Me. -> Have you ever thought something you wanted to do was more important than God’s plan? You are your own god in that moment.
2. You shall not make idols. ->Have you ever put an activity or work, before God?
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. -> I don’t believe this one is about cussing. I do believe this is when we say we did something in God’s name, but it was really to make ourselves look good.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. -> Do you always have a day that your rest, and reflect on God’s glory and all that he does all day, or for even a part of the day? I do not…
5. Honor your father and your mother. -> So you never have said something mean to your parents, or put them down in front of your friends?
6. You shall not murder. -> Have you ever wanted to kill someone, and that thought lingered? I honestly don’t know if I’ve had that, but some completely normal people have thoughts of killing others.
7. You shall not commit adultery. -> Sex outside of marriage, and those lingering looks to men. Have you had that happen, or those thoughts?
8. You shall not steal. -> I’ve accidentally stolen things before, but I still did it. Or maybe stealing credit for something…
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. -> Have you ever said something bad about someone that was not true. This can happen easily when we get caught up in gossip.
10. You shall not covet. -> Have you ever been super jealous of something someone had or someone else’s significant other?
Also there is something called “generational curses,” in which everyone comes into the earth a sinful being. He(God) visits the iniquity or the sins of the people from 3-4 generations before us. (Exodus 20:5; 34:7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9)
****But the only one who can save us from our sin is Jesus. When we accept him our sins are remembered no more (Isaiah 43: 25). Jesus is through whom we can ask forgiveness, because he is the perfect sacrifice, and our high priest that intercedes for us (Hebrews 4:14).
Hello my friend. “All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” can be a bit confusing… I’m glad you asked! Basically we are all sinners… we have actively chosen to listen to our own desires instead of Gods desires for us. I think that means we are living in active rebellion against God (choosing our plans and wants instead of God’s). Because of our sin… we fall short of God’s glory. God’s glory means that He is absolutely perfect, sinless, and holy. He is distinctly set apart and different than us. Because of this… we fall short of his glory because of our sin. To “fall short” means to miss the mark. Suppose I take a rock and try to throw it from Dallas, Tx to Atlanta, Ga. I couldn’t do it, right? I would miss the mark every single time. In the same way, we miss the mark every single time we try to measure up to God’s glory. But God did not leave us there. The writer of Romans, Paul, goes on to explain in the book of Romans that our sin deserves death, but God sent Jesus to die for the sins that we committed so that we would not have to die. So when we believe in what Jesus did for us, we receive life instead of death. I hope that makes sense.
Thank you all for the clarity. For some reason I was struggling each time I read that verse. I appreciate the time you each took to help me open my ears and hear what I needed to hear. Felt like I was drinking coffee with each of you having our own little Bible study. May God bless each of you as you continue to be Sisters in Christ.
I have to laugh at myself, I want God’s best. I really do but then there is me wanting my own way like Jonah. I am stiff necked and have a hard time with the way things get done. But God, in his mercy knows me and He still loves me and he pursues me. I feel LOVED, that God would continue to call me back from my rebellion. What love what love! Amazing love. His love is RELENTLESS.
And I am so thankful!
How foolish I am when I don’t surrender. How foolish to run and run and run. And then when I’m winded and my muscles burn, I collapse … into His arms. Which is exactly where He wanted me in the first place.
Love this. So, so true.
“God’s pursuit is relentless exactly because He is so loving.” Yes! Who doesn’t need that reminder? Thank you! We are talking about Abundant Life over on: https://awordthatmatters.wordpress.com/ Join me?
It’s funny – God has been relentless in pursuing me, in drawing me back to Him, over these past weeks. I saw it and I was so much like Jonah, ignoring it and trying to go my own way. I am so thankful He doesn’t give up. And that it didn’t take a storm and being thrown overboard to finally get me to obey!
What a clear picture of God’s pursuit! I am currently in a season of waiting for God’s plan for my future. After recently graduating, I am afraid of not know what is next. I have also been very discouraged, questioning why I haven’t had any clear direction. It is so good to be reminded that he is actively pursuing me and has a plan for the future. He has a particular plan and calling for my life. Thank you for that reminder today, I really needed it. What an amazing God we serve!
Yes. I know the feeling. I am also a recent graduate, and the initial years post-grad have been some of the most difficult of my life. They’ve been miserable and full of uncertainties and waiting; but I also see how they’ve been so, so, so subtly sweet, as they’ve allowed me to grow my roots deeper into the good soil and water that gives life. God always proves faithful over the course of time. Praying for you, babe!
I’m in the same boat as you! After coming out of grad school, I’ve been searching for that “big girl job” for six months and nothing has happened. 45 job applications and not a single door has opened. And yet, God continually provides me with little things here and there to get by. Waiting is hard and can make you question all of your life choices haha. But I’m with you, Michelle! Life happens in the waiting. The waiting is part of the journey where we can grow deeper, draw closer, and find abundant life in spite of uncertainty.
Today I chose to turn back. I am not adrift. I am choosing God’s purpose and love, despite my flaws. He is enough. Thank you, Lord, for common grace and many chances to live in Your Will.
I once heard a pastor put it this way” Jonah didn’t love the Ninevahites, but God did. Our own love isn’t enough. It’s not our love for God that brings people to Jesus, but God’s love for us.” A little off topic from the message, but felt like sharing this. Let God love you and pursue you, he’s just waiting for us to let him take the reigns
Thank you. This is just what I needed to hear.
Yesterday I was struggling with just feeling like a decent mom. As my children get older, it takes a moment of disrespect to make me feel inadequate, like they don’t need me. This reminded me that God has a purpose for me and placed me right where He wants me. My job is to keep listening to His guidance and allow Him to change a child’s heart.
Everything is so much clearer when we look at the work laid out before us as God’s intentions for us.
“We can’t escape God and His stormy gale of purpose.” Just yesterday I was sharing a memory with my eldest daughter. We were remarking to the weather because for two days the wind has been rather extensive and it took me back to a day I will never forget. One of the days that is relatively uneventful, yet is one that ruminates with you for a lifetime. It was a Summer day in middle school on our then, hobby farm and there were storms impending. The skies were filling with an overwhelming grey and the wind was picking up. My parent’s sent me outside to put away things I had gotten out and to find places for other items that needed securing. The wind was a gustier wind than I’d ever encountered and persisted in knocking me to my feet. No rain, no other inclement weather occurring, just warm wind. As I struggled to gather strewn things and fight my way through the impending breeze I was becoming more frustrated until finally I just stopped. Something suddenly occurred to me to enjoy it. I put my arms out and leaned myself into the wind like a gull over water and it carried me. For an extended time, I stood, eyes closed, feeling the air rush around me while I leaned my full body into the wind, my long hair blowing behind me and the sound of the leaves as the heavy breeze blew through them. I well remember that feeling, if I close my eyes, it’s as if I am there today. I felt free, and warm and peaceful as if I was the only person around. As if that moment was set in motion just for me, a love note from my Lord even then. And isn’t that what the love of the Lord is like? It blows around us sometimes lifting us up and sometimes knocking us around for our humbling but when we set ourselves *into* His love we are free from the stress and pressure of fighting it, we can lean in and find peace in its intensity. When we finally give our lives fully over to God we can truly enjoy it, no matter what is going on around us. God has designed this life specifically for us, don’t you think it wise to turn to our Maker and accept the uncontainable love He wants to adorn us with?! To lean into the wind of His love and let it carry us!
Oh my B! You truly spoke to me today….thank you! What a powerful reminder……
This was beautiful, thank You! I will definitely lean into his love.
Thank you! So so true, we need to surrender and let Him carry us!
I love this. Thanks for sharing. I often have trouble with the “stopping” and just taking the time to enjoy His gifts.
Love this ❤️
Amazing illustration. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your inspired words and the wonderful memory. I had done that same thing often as a child but then… I agree and life is more serious… Well you know how it goes! But your story this morning prompted me to grab my nearly 2 year old granddaughter and go out on the porch and experience the wind! We both laughed out loud. This 62 year old really needed your visual and the Holy Spirit’s nudge today. Thank you, Beverly. I’m enjoying Him through you
Oops but then I AGE and life is more serious…
Thank you, I needed these words of life today. I am struggling with why? Why is my daughter so sick and disabled? Why must I be her sole caretaker? Where is the rest of our family? I humbly pray for ears to hear God, and for a trusting heart and mind. This is His purpose, and we are His children.
Pam, May Jesus fill you with HOPE and strength!
as you care for your
Hi, Pam. You and I have similar journeys. I’m glad we have both found She Reads Truth to dig deep into God’s truth. I think my blog might encourage you as a mother. http://www.edsmama.com Prayers for you today and for your daughter.
prayers lifted for you this morning
Praying for you and your daughter, Pam. I work with disabled adults and see how much their caregivers do every day. But there are a number of people who have simply neglected their loved ones. They are dirty, the group homes they live in are unsafe, and often times they are alone. While it is challenging and exhausting, God has entrusted your beautiful daughter to your care. He has pursued you to do this because He knows you will do it most lovingly. Stay strong!
Prayers for you and your daughter.
Pam, saying a prayer for you now. My heart is pained for your pain. May God comfort you with the knowledge that He sees you and your daughter, He loves you both as the apple of his eye. comfort
I pray He will provide some tangible help and rest for you as well!
Adding my prayers for you and your daughter. May you have strength for the day and peaceful rest at night.
Even though I have never really observed Lent, I began this SRT study with high hopes for a season of faith-refreshing. At the moment, mine feels bland and dry. It’s there, of course; because it “always” is. I just don’t feel it like I have before.
It’s a beautiful thought that my God wants me, and will actively and relentlessly pursue me. Even when I am doing the exact opposite of pursuing Him (as Jonah did), or when I am complacent in my faith, waiting to be moved. One of my favorite songs is Far From Home’s “Lord Move, or Move Me”. God most certainly moved Jonah, and He will move me.
I greatly needed to be reminded that God is relentlessly pursuing my heart. I have been like Jonah in the last week or so: running and hiding from God, deliberately sinning , ignoring His commands and moping. The LORD is so gracious and He indeed pursues so swiftly and intensely that it shakes me to the core. I am reminded that He pursues my heart simply because He wants me….He loves me for the mere sake that He wants to…wow! THAT humbles me! He is glorified in His constant pursuit of my heart and that pursuit is ultimately for my good! We have a Father who glorifies Himself in His love for us AND we gain the good that comes from His love. “We can’t escape God and His stormy gale of purpose. He pursues us with love that is filled with a beautiful intensity unlike anything else we have ever known.” I am thankful for this today, and pray that we all would know and feel His presence and the result of His relentless pursuit!!
Oh Abby my heart breaks for you.
As I sit here in an almost empty apartment with my babies sleeping in the next room, having filed for divorce after years of subtle but mounting emotional destruction from my husband in the form of indifference, belittling, blame, lack of empathy – I’m running through the same question I run through moment to moment – am I running toward Ninevah or boarding the boat? I’ve sought God daily on this for well over a year, surrendering us and my heart over and over – I only want what You want. But this moment feels so like the storm, like being swallowed – and then I remember that Jonah ran from Ninevah because it wasn’t going to be easy. Moses probably stood before pharaoh thinking that this assignment felt like disaster. Certainly Abraham questioned why God would ask him to sacrifice Isaac – even as he walked forward toward the place of sacrifice. So – this passage today reminds me – I will keep surrendering. I will not get caught in what I see with my own eyes, as horrifying as it is when I fear for my children’s pain. I will surrender to God’s plan and know that He’s specific and never absent, always using and ordaining where we are when we ask Him to lead us and willingly follow. And that, as Sarah_Joy said above, He “stands in the gap of my mistakes with my people (especially my little people).” Amen. Amen.
Grateful for this study and community – especially in these darkest days!!!
Abby, I will stand in the gap and pray with you. I’ve been there. I understand. Peace be with you.
Dear sister in Christ…your words touched me so deeply…feeling your hurt, fear & pain, I’m lifting you before the throne of grace….asking the Lord to guide you & give you wisdom asHe surrounds you with His peace & Grace…loving you & holding you close to His heart…rest in Him today dear Abby…and be assured of His protection over you & your babies…put on the full armor of God and walk in His strength today…shalom<
Praying for you and your children.
Abby, I have been where you are. Although my only baby is a fur baby, I have been in that place at the end of my marriage where you feel like you are in the storm and running away, questioning if you did the right thing because this is not the way it was supposed to go. All I can say is keep doing what you are doing; keep seeking God’s will everyday through the pain and uncertainty and you will be amazed at the people he surrounds you with and the love that he wraps you in. It can be hard to see in the moment, but when you look back on this time I hope that it will be in awe at how God held you in his hand through the whole ordeal. And on those darkest days, it helped me to be intentional about looking for blessings, no matter how small. I believe God is in the little things just as much as the big things and that he shows his love for us when we need it most in those small little details that lift our spirits just a enough to get us through the day… the stranger that tells you she likes your shoes, the light that turns green just when you need it to so that you are not late, an email from a friend who just felt the need to check in with you received at the moment you are feeling the most unloved or unlovable. These small spots of light always came when I told God I was losing hope that he was really guiding me through the darkness. I hope that he will do the same for you.
Abby, I at my prayer to yours and all the others. Trusting that He will hold you close and give you the wisdom and strength you need. Also trusting that joy will return.
Abby, sweet sister, praying along with our sisters in Christ , with you and for you and your babies.
Praying for you and your littles, Abby.
joining in prayer <3
Praying for you Abby… ~ Psalm 147:3 He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds ~ May God be your healer and guide you through these dark days, and bring your whole family to a place of healing and wholeness again. He will never leave you!!
Abby – It gets better…you will be challenged and you will struggle, but it gets better. I can relate – I lived it. As you lean in to God, believe in His love, care and provision for you and your little ones – you will see miracles happen all around you! Although I have come to “the other side”, I miss those days of total dependence…waiting on God for miracles and seeing His hand on everything. I remember watching the clock tick off the minutes and wondering if I would survive an hour – but I did – and eventually I was not even looking at the clock! Be strong and courageous. Hold firm to God’s hand – for He is holding it out to you. Ask for help – and then receive it…God uses people to bless His children. You are His precious daughter and He sees you and your situation – He is there with you guiding you through each moment. Don’t look too far ahead – just do the next right thing. It will start unfolding before you. If you need to connect, reach me at [email protected]
Abby, in my own dark days, also having filed for divorce after years of intimidation, emotional abuse, and his infidelity, i didn’t know how to put one foot in front of the other. My son had just graduated high school. My daughter was entering her senior year. I didn’t have a full-time job nor did I have my own car. But God…
A client offered me a full-time good paying job with benefits. My neighbor encouraged me to join a credit union and they gave me a small loan for a used car. And on and on. He NEVER has let me down, ever. I’ve let Him down big time. But He is faithful
Ephesians 2:10
” He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the worker does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.” MSG
As I read this passage and pray – I think differently about my outlook on my day. I want to be His hands to serve others today – to join in Him –
To be in constant prayer with Him so I may see His works around me. In our church we are currently discussing the “Jesus model” of loving well – the basic truth to our beliefs – the one truth that counts ! Loving others is His good work – not just when we travel to other countries or serve the homeless – but in our daily encounters with our family, coworkers, authority figures , spouses, friends , and strangers – We are his hands – His good work to love others well.
Today I will ask , ” What does love require of me ?”
I woke up feeling a little useless. Resting and retreating seems easier than pressing forward. It is hard to keep doing to work God called you to when there is very little validation to motivate you. This reminder that God chose me and He wants me has ministered to my broken and tired heart. Looking to Him for my validation and motivation this morning!
That broken and tired heart is just the motivation you need to look for others with the same ♥ No one can minister to them like you can! You may never see big numbers or even man’s approval, but you can trust that God is orchestrating each and every step of your journey. You just keep doing what you know to do and you will find yourself making disciples. Blessings and prayers for you today!
I’m so humbled and grateful to know that the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE cares for me, wants me, and has called me to specific purposes, people, and places. While He doesn’t “need” me, He wants me. Beautiful.
So true!
This lie must be a common one for the enemy. “Someone else would’ve done that better.” “If only you were more like…” “Not sure that was the right decision? It probably wasn’t.”
And even in my doubts God chooses me. He stands in the gap of my mistakes with my people (especially my little people) and pours grace into my life. He has chosen ME! And He didn’t chose me blindly as if my mistakes come as a surprise to Him. No, He chose me with full knowledge and love and the gift of redemption to readily give. What a lovely thought to start the week!
The song “My Lighthouse” by Rend Collective keeps going through my head. It seems appropriate in the midst of reading about Jonah’s storm and contemplating my own daily storms. For your Monday: http://youtu.be/reAlJKv7ptU
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)
God has a plan for your life… for your week. He created you specifically for a purpose.
The Greek word for “workmanship” in this verse is “poiema” – sounds like “poem”, doesn’t it? I love that! Before I knew the Lord, my life had no rhyme or reason – but Christ has given me balance, order and beauty. He has written every line with a purpose – and who am I to criticize the words and phrases he chooses to use? If there’s a dark stanza here and there, I can trust that it has been included for my good and His glory. He knows what He’s doing, and my part is to just follow His lead.
• We are meant to be visual aids to a gawking world.
• We are live exhibits under the glare of staring eyes.
• We are an advertisement of all that the grace of God can do in the lives of ordinary people.
We are walking poetry. Let’s make it a great week! <3
Heather, have you ever heard Michael Card’s sing, “”Poeima”? YThanks for sharing!!!
What an amazing feeling it is knowing the God of the universe pursues me!
The Lord knows how much I struggle with a feeling of not doing my “jobs” well! This is such a great reminder that I am the one person He chose to to do His work in this exact time and place.
i have always struggled with feeling inadequate, with not so much wanting to be someone else, as feeling like I’m just not enough for God to use. I love what Tina said below, “God gives specific callings to specific people. That means God wants me for my particular calling and life…God must trust that I would be the right woman for the job, He must trust that I would do Him proud.”
I have found such comfort and release in these words today. God has be exactly where He wants me and I am doing what He’s called me to do. I can trust Him with all of my life.
Isn’t it awesome that the Creator of the Universe, who controls even the wind and the waves, pursues each of us, desires each of us to be His children, has an anointing for each of us. Today I will rest in this truth.
Have a blessed Monday!
Thankful that God continues to pursue me and shape me even though I wander and disobey.
Although God’s call is clear, I must confess, I still struggle with it from day to day. This passage reminds me that it doesn’t matter what I do, He has still called me. I’m asking for your prayers for the courage to accept the call…..I love Him with all of my heart & really want to do His will…….but some days I feel like I’m not good enough, not smart enough and the list goes on and on. God hasn’t given me the spirit of fear, but honestly, I’m so afraid. Normally, I’m praying for everyone, but today, I’m asking for your prayers.
Praying for you today – for peace, for courage, for wisdom and for an encouraged heart to know deep down that He has equipped you for the task He has called you to. You are dearly loved.
The transparency of your heart is so sweet and tender but know that you are also brave and strong and courageous. The disciples were fishermen, rough and mostly uneducated, but they were God’s chosen to start a movement that changed the world! You have what they had – the Holy Spirit. Be bold!
Praying for you this morning Michelle.
I just prayed for you, Michelle. <3
You can run, but you can’t hide! Reminds me of something my pastor always said, “If God has a plan for your life or something specific He has called you to do…just do it! He will go after you until you do it anyway and He WILL find you. You might as well be obedient in the beginning and avoid all of the trouble you will cause for yourself along the way.”
Amen! Lord, help me to be obedient to your will, even when it is not MY will. ♥
AMEN!
“God uses flawed, frail human beings to do his work, because they are the only type of humans available.” Andrew White, vicar of Baghdad
The amazing power that stirs up the sea to draw us back to him is the same power within us to carry out his purposes.
God gives specific callings to specific people. That means God wants me for my particular calling and life….
These words warm my heart so…
How often have I wanted to be someone else, be it for what they might have that I lack, or that in my time of struggle they have it all together or easy….But God…oh but God…He has me in this place, in this specific place for His purpose..I can run, I can hide, but no amount of blankets covering my head, no amount of distance, time or space, will keep me from God’s specific purpose and calling…
I am where I am because God calls me to be, I may not like it, and I may try to run….to what purpose, if God has called me…I’m thinking, God must trust that I would be the right woman for the job, He must trust that I would do Him proud, that I Tina, have an anointing, His anointing, to do what He has called me to…
Jonah, had his reasons for fleeing, his own man- made, man thought, reasoning, but God knowing this of him, still chose Jonah to be His front man to go tell the people of Nineveh His plan for them…
We cannot see what the next minute will bring, let alone God’s plan and purpose for our lives, but one thing is for sure, God is with us, NO MATTER WHAT…no matter where we might hide, run to, or even ignore…He pursues us, not to harm us, but out of Love for us, He has our best ALWAYS at heart..ALWAYS…
I love the words of psalm 139: Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.”
Where indeed can I go….and would want to go…Apart from you I can do nothing..
Whatever the calling, if you are calling me to go do Lord God, I have to believe you will be with me, that you would not call me to do it without or apart from you… Right??
Lord God, thank you that you trust me enough, you hold me in high esteem enough to these specific callings..Thank you for being there, whether I know or remember it or not, that you are there and would be in the thick of it with me, Thank you for your great love and pursuit of me to be a better person for your glory…in the mighty, most wonderful and powerful name of Jesus…Lord God, thank you, Amen..
Happy Monday Sisters, May the God who pursues us, turn His face to shine on you today with grace, peace and love…xxx
Beautifully said Tina!! Spoke right to my heart! Thanks for sharing, hope you have a day filled with Our Heavenly Fathers guidance and grace
The perfect Psalm to supplement! Thanks :)
Amen Tina. It is so comforting knowing we are in the place God wants us. Thanks for expressing these thoughts so clearly.
When God pursued Jonah, it was because He loved him for sure but also because our God sees far beyond the here and now! He sees the generations in Nineveh who would be changed and transformed because they heard Jonah’s message! The lives that would be saved and the legacy that will impact even lives today!
This is true of our lives when God calls us to new places He has gone before us and made a way, knows the people He wants us to connect with and loves us so much that promises us that He is always with us! We are never alone!
Our God is good and wants good things for His children!
I am so humbled with this reading. We surely do not deserve such an awesome and loving God. He actively pursues us, endures with us, teaches us; praise be to Him.
I’ve taken a leap of faith and moved far away from everything I’ve called home.. I have no worldly reassurance that everything will be okay. This reminds me that no matter what, God is here, and this is His plan. I’m living it.
Psalm 32:7-8 ‘you are my hiding place, you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the ways you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.’ Be encouraged today Shelby x
I am praying for you, Shelby! Almost 20 years ago, I did the very same thing. It was so challenging in the beginning of my new journey, but I grew so much closer to the Lord because of it. I truly had only Him to lean on! I pray that your relationship with the One who knows the absolute best for you deepens so richly during this time. Blessings to you my sister!