My latest Bible study I am in on the book of Esther. How many times have I heard this story and yet I am amazed how many more things I am learning and discovering by taking the time to go through it slowly, deliberately and putting feelings to the people behind the story.
There are some truths that I've been chomping on for a while. Love to hear what you think too.
Fill the the blank. If ( enter your greatest fear) then ______.
So what is your greatest fear?
Betrayal?
Wayward children?
Car accidents?
Cancer?
the death of your children?
the death of your spouse?
The point made is that whatever my greatest fear is the 'THEN' has to be GOD or else my faith is completely conditional!
What if (fill in blank) happened? Then what? Would you quite living? stop breathing? stop going to church? stop tithing? stop loving? live differently? OR would you weep, mourn, grieve, question ... and continue to trust? I can't help but think of the Chapman family. The death of a child is certainly high on my list of greatest fears! What a great testimony that their "THEN" has been to continue on in their trust of a trustworthy God.
What's more - is knowing how Satan plagues us with our fears! Moment of truth- I KNOW what it's like to experience the type of psychological fear that is all consuming and crippling. Satan cannot read our minds but he sure knows how to put thoughts - lies!- inside that can be debilitating for us. He is a student of humans and knows- especially for us women I think- that we wage our war in our minds! Our greatest fear can become our greatest handicap if we let it. Or we can find genuine security in Truth himself and truth itself and find freedom from our fears. THAT is amazing grace!
"Our conditional trust not only makes us an open target for enemy torment; it also positions us as negotiators and beggars before God instead of secure children who trust their lives to their faithful Father."
"We don't just trust Him to let us avoid what we fear most. We determine to trust Him no matter what, even if our worst nightmare befalls us." - Beth Moore
I'll end this diatribe with lyrics from a familiar song:
"My chains are gone- I've been set free!
My God, my Saviour has ransomed me
and like a flood his mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace.
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my HOPE secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures."
Amazing Grace
There are some truths that I've been chomping on for a while. Love to hear what you think too.
Fill the the blank. If ( enter your greatest fear) then ______.
So what is your greatest fear?
Betrayal?
Wayward children?
Car accidents?
Cancer?
the death of your children?
the death of your spouse?
The point made is that whatever my greatest fear is the 'THEN' has to be GOD or else my faith is completely conditional!
What if (fill in blank) happened? Then what? Would you quite living? stop breathing? stop going to church? stop tithing? stop loving? live differently? OR would you weep, mourn, grieve, question ... and continue to trust? I can't help but think of the Chapman family. The death of a child is certainly high on my list of greatest fears! What a great testimony that their "THEN" has been to continue on in their trust of a trustworthy God.
What's more - is knowing how Satan plagues us with our fears! Moment of truth- I KNOW what it's like to experience the type of psychological fear that is all consuming and crippling. Satan cannot read our minds but he sure knows how to put thoughts - lies!- inside that can be debilitating for us. He is a student of humans and knows- especially for us women I think- that we wage our war in our minds! Our greatest fear can become our greatest handicap if we let it. Or we can find genuine security in Truth himself and truth itself and find freedom from our fears. THAT is amazing grace!
"Our conditional trust not only makes us an open target for enemy torment; it also positions us as negotiators and beggars before God instead of secure children who trust their lives to their faithful Father."
"We don't just trust Him to let us avoid what we fear most. We determine to trust Him no matter what, even if our worst nightmare befalls us." - Beth Moore
I'll end this diatribe with lyrics from a familiar song:
"My chains are gone- I've been set free!
My God, my Saviour has ransomed me
and like a flood his mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace.
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my HOPE secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures."
Amazing Grace
No comments:
Post a Comment