Our Perfect GPS is Still Perfect Today

Today, I found a post I wrote in August of 2012, and as I re-read it after all these years, I found it still relevant so I decided to re-poste it today.  It's kind of fun because it shows its age.  It also shows how behind my times I usually am when it comes to technology.  But I believe the main ideas are still as true today as they were over 7 years ago.  So, here it is.  I hope and pray it speaks to you.

It was dark and very late. Rain was threatening. We had 4 very tired children in the back of the car. We were stopped in a painfully slow-moving line of traffic after circling around the confusing streets of the outskirts of Pittsburgh. “I’m such a doubter!” My sister in law repeated several times as she rested her hands on the wheel. I listened not knowing what to say, much less what to do. Since my sense of direction functions only at a very, how shall I say it? “Primitive” level, I am the worst person to be stuck with when lost in a strange city.

“If I’d just trusted the GPS we could’ve been home a long time ago,” was her anguished realization once we finally found the correct highway after making several turns that were not indicated by the GPS.

Personally, I don’t have a GPS of any kind. I survive on directions scribbled on scrap paper and on my husband’s keen sense of location. But I’ve heard GPS tales from both sides. I’ve heard them from those who live by it and would not go anywhere without their trusted gadget, as well as from those who intensely dislike it or don’t even know what it is, let alone possess one.

Even though I don’t own one, I believe it is a useful device, which someday I might actually purchase,-particularly after our ordeal trying to navigate the highly un-maneuverable streets of Pittsburgh by disobeying the recommendations that the computerized voice of the GPS gently but firmly insisted upon-.

“I think our GPS fiasco is the perfect story for a sermon,” my sister in law said to me the next time I saw her. “It’s like when we just decide we know better than God and chose to go our own way, get lost, delayed and run around in circles until we decide to tune in back again and finally find our way,” she concluded. “Amen!” I thought to myself.

I think she is completely right. The only difference is that God never fails. For those who don’t trust the GPS I can tell you God is infinitively better! There is no comparison, really. There is no one so lost that Our Lord can not find, “recalculate” and put back on their way. The problem is, however, that not unlike our little adventure that night trying to get out of Pittsburgh; more often than not we don’t trust our perfect, built-in GPS. We think we know better. We take one look at the roads that the Lord lays out for us to follow, we find them too difficult, too scary or too challenging, and we decide we can find our way around them by following other roads that look simpler and nicer.

Sometimes the roads that He indicates for us are too lonely and we don’t want to walk alone, so we detour to the one “most travelled” because company makes us feel safer. Some other times the road is just too steep so we take the one that looks leveled because it seems easier. Yet, other times we take a different road than the one clearly set by our Lord just because we listened to the person next to us in our quest for a quick answer. All of the time, however, we discover that each an every instance we discard the triptik laid out by our Maker, we end up lost, delayed, frustrated and exhausted.

Lack of trust can really take us through some serious detours in life, we all know that. The important thing to remember is, however, that regardless of the many times we disregard our Lord’s directives, He is a Faithful Guide and unlike the automated GPS in our cars or phones, He loves us! His love is real and by His love He drives us back to Him. Even if sometimes we don’t even know enough to see His way; He sees us as we struggle to find our way in our life’s maze. He grabs hold of us and He puts us back on track if we recognize that He is, indeed Lord and Controller of our destiny.

We made it home safely that night. My two exhausted sons went straight to bed, for which I praised the Lord! I also praised God for my sister in law’s caring attitude for our well-being and her perseverance to find the right way in the midst of confusion. Above all, I praised God for who He is in our lives, the Leading Hand that always brings us back home unharmed,-our Perfect GPS!

Long gone are the summers when my Sister in Law and I used to take our kids to Kennywood together.  They are now all cool teenagers who get to go on their own with their Marching Bands and other groups.  My heart aches as I look back to those days when my sons' laughter had the song of childhood still singing in them...Much has changed now...I even have a phone with GPS in it!  I call her Lola, and Lola usually takes me where I need to go very efficiently.  There are some things, however, that will never change:  The Trustworthy Nature of Our Lord is one, and for that I am eternally grateful.  I choose to trust Him yesterday, today and for as long as I remain.  In the Precious Name of Christ.  Amen!

My Strength and My Portion

As I wrap up the day, exhausted by the crazy dance of a busy Monday, I look for encouraging verses that may bring a spark of energy to my tired soul, and this gem jumps at me out of the electronic pages containing the Word:  

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73: 26

Lord knows that my flesh and my heart often fail.  All day long, I do, think and say things that reveal my sinful nature...but, God, in His infinite mercy offers Himself as my strength and my portion so I may depend on Him and let go of the illusion of my own self-reliance.  

He is my Strength: when I am weak, it is His power that moves me and carries me so I can finish the journey.  The tasks in front of me are insurmountable.  I don't have what it takes to even know where or how to begin to concoct a plan of attack.  It is He, and He alone who sustains me.  It is He who finishes what He began.

He is my Portion: when I am deprived, poor and displaced, He takes care of me.  He is the Great Provider.  In Him all my needs are met. Economic recessions, Great Depressions, national devastation mean nothing to the One who owns it all.  Even when all my efforts fail, I trust The One who calls me His Own.

After the stress of the day is left behind in the shadows, the cool evening breeze filters through the wide open window and I feel refreshed.  No matter what I go through, I can always lean on My Lord.  May I never forget it.  May we never be caught up on the stress and fear of our own inadequacy, for our job is to bring them to Christ and in our surrender, find His strength and provision. 

He is My Song!

I'm not musically gifted; but I can appreciate it.  In fact, I LOVE music!  I believe music is one of the most effective strategies that God uses to speak to me.  It is a language in itself, and it communicates at a deeper level than just mere words.  The transporting and transcending power of music surpasses barriers that otherwise would detain the flow of the message...Therefore, when I read a verse like Exodus 15: 2a I can't help but pausing and contemplating:

The LORD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.  

Don't you just want to put like 10 exclamation marks at the end of this statement?  What a magnificent way to express the glory of God:  my strength and my song...how sweet is that?  The more I think about it, there isn't a sweeter thing to say to someone than: You are my song!  It's a picture that becomes a sound.  And sounds touch our soul in a way that sight doesn't achieve.  I always think of my Mom and Dad, for instance.  Gone long ago, I still have pictures of them that allow me to keep their faces alive in my memory; but a while ago, I listened to my Father's voice in a recording and I couldn't bear it.  I could look at a thousand pictures of him and not feel the depth of impact that hearing a few words had in my heart and soul.  We have no recording of my mother's voice so it's been almost 20 years since I last heard her...I couldn't imagine how shaken I'd be if I could hear the sound of her laughter again...

I digress, but think about it: calling someone "Your Song" inevitably and irrevocably means you love, or at least, really, really like that person.  There is no way we could call someone "My Song" and not be bursting with love inside.

My point is, songs imply gladness of the heart.  Like I read somewhere, the idea of a song denotes the glorification of the Lord on account of His liberation!  There is no highest expression of emotions than songs.  "I sing because I'm happy and I sing because I'm free" right? I am the sparrow, and I know He cares for me.

That's why today, I'm encouraged by this:  The Lord is My Song!  He is my Strength!  He is my Victory!

Every Bit of Creation Speaks His Word!

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

2 Day after day they pour forth speech; 

night after night they reveal knowledge. 

3 They have no speech, they use no words; 

no sound is heard from them. 

4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, 

their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19: 1-4 

Have you ever heard the voice of God in nature? Has the whispering of the Holy Spirit ever caught your attention in the beauty of a sunset? Does a clear sky speak to you? How about the long shadows of a crisp fall afternoon, do they ever say anything to you? Does the rain bring a message to your ears as it showers the ground with its renewing powers? Does a gentle and refreshing breeze ever talks to you as you open the windows in a cool summer night? Does the roar of an ocean ever scream at you? What about a serene midnight snow fall…or the full moon in a dark night…do they ever tell you a story?

The heavens and the earth were made to proclaim the glory of God! Psalm 19 explains how wordless speech pours forth day in and day out from God’s creation. Do we ever hear it? Do we slow down long enough the frantic oscillation of our lives to listen to Our Father’s voice? I know I do not. But I also know I want to. I want to capture the voice that goes out into all the earth and make it my own! I want the words that reach the ends of the world to reach the deepest corners of my heart!

But how can I if I insist in staying inside? How can I catch the frequency of My Maker if I keep the receiver in a closet?

For as long as there is a moment, then, I’d like to take it and step outside into the presence of The Almighty, refreshed by His handiwork and enlightened by His Word! May we all be intentional about walking a bit slower through the frazzled roads of our busy lifestyles and take that moment to tune in to the glory declared by the heavens and the earth!

Do Not Worry About Your Life

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6: 27

Do you ever wonder why Jesus tucked this question in His Sermon on the Mountain in the middle of His teaching on how to live a life focused on eternity?  Well...He knows us!  He knows what it is to be a human.  He knows our frailty.  He knows our tendencies.  He knows our lack of trust.  He knows our little faith.  He knows the struggle between our desire to have control over our circumstances versus the reality of the fact that our destiny is totally and absolutely in God's Hands.

He knows the futility of worry and what's worst; the danger that it is for our relationship with Him as Our Lord.  

Worry is doubt.

I worry about my life.  Therefore, I doubt God is Good enough to take care of me.  

Sigh...

The good news is: worry does not need to consume me!  Worry doesn't have to distance me from Christ.  On the contrary, worry can be the very thing that leads me back into the safety of His arms!  

The thing is, worry is a tool of the enemy.  He uses it to shake our faith.  He infuses our days with worry because he knows that worry can very easily take away our focus from God to the object of worry.  However, If we allow a transformation of our mind so our thoughts switch perspective to have the clarity of the Holy Spirit to use worry to lead us closer to Jesus, the enemy is defeated!

And the enemy IS already defeated.  It's just that worry deceits us into fearing he is not.  But Jesus has already crushed his head so we can claim Christ's victory upon our lives...upon every aspect of our lives.

That's the encouragement Jesus' question brings to our hearts today: why do you worry, my child? Your life is in My Hands.  I am the Lord and King of who you are.  Trust me and quit falling for the enemy's schemes!  Look into my eyes.  You are more valuable than anything else in the world.  Take my hand and follow Me... one step at a time, and leave all your worry behind.

Dear Lord Jesus, teach us to seek You first and not give into worry and fear.  May the Holy Spirit guide us and may Your presence be evident to our weak senses so the Power of Your Strength can become the fuel that keeps us moving forward as we wait upon You, Our Lord and Deliverer! Amen!

Contrast

Isn't it amazing how leaves begin to turn in early fall in such a sneaky way?  I was driving to New Bedford this morning and it surprised me to see how some color is already painting the tops of many trees along the way.  The beautiful contrast of the oranges and yellows against the green jumps at you when the eyes wander off the road for a split second...

Gasp! Look at that!  Time has lapsed and a new season is here.  

I don't know why I'm thinking about this today...maybe it's the gorgeous way the sunlight is hitting the hills in front of our house.  Perhaps it's the soft cool breeze caressing my feet as it filters in through the wide open windows in this room.  Or maybe it's the constant ticking of the clock on the wall...reminding me of the relentless passing of time...not sure what, but something in the air is moving me toward a quiet contemplation of juxtapositions.  

I know...a fancy word that implies striking differences: the two sides of a shadow: the light and the darkness...  to close our eyes so we can see... to let go so we can gain... to die so we might live... to be wounded so we can be healed... 

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2: 24

When I read this verse...when I really read it, I can't help but thinking how such perfect contrast, such strikingly opposing concepts, such juxtaposition can only come from divine inspiration. Peter, no doubt, was writing by the Holy Spirit.  Hope brought up by death: the reality of He who has no sin to become sin in order that we may die to our sin and live to righteousness is overwhelming.  

The hope that His wounds heal me fills my heart with humble gratitude.  The thought that He loves me astonishes me...

The sun begins to set.  The hills are no longer stripped with light and darkness.  The breeze is cooler.  One last look out the window reveals a desire to be still.  

A whisper in my ears move me to recount my blessings:  Blessed is the One Who Died for me.  Blessed are His Wounds that heal.  Blessed is the One who thinks I'm worth it.  Blessed is the day He called me His own.

The Morning Song

22 Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your Faithfulness!24“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.” Lamentations 3: 22-24

Taking my dog out in the morning has become one of my favorite daily routines for the last year or so.  From the moment I open the front door, I breathe in the air of the new day and hope is renewed!  Especially when the weather is good, but even if it is rainy or snowy, I find great comfort in being outside early in the morning when life is still quiet and only nature is active.  It's my time to thank God for another day and to let my heart fill with the oxygen of the joy that the morning brings. 

I look up and seek the hues painted by the rising sun; and, even when the clouds threaten to mask it, I know the truth: the sky is always blue.

In the back and forth of my dog's curious pacing, my mind has time to wander to spaces of peace as these early-morning experiences bring a song to my soul.  It is the song is of God's love and faithfulness.  It is the song of gratefulness.  It is the song of humble acceptance of His mercies and of His compassions that never fail for they are, indeed new every morning!

In this simple routine, the Holy Spirit guides me.  In these brief encounters with nature, I'm able to witness the greatness of Our Lord.  In the company of my furry friend, I venture outside regardless of the weather and am able to have precious moments in harmony with My Heavenly Father.  In the quiet of the morning, I hear His whisperings saying: The Lord is my portion and I will hope in Him!

I remember not long ago, taking the dog out with the first lights of the day used to be a dreaded chore that I happily surrendered to whoever else would happen to pass by.  The problem was, nobody else was silly enough to venture downstairs that early (they knew they'd get handed the leash before their feet touched the last step on the stairs).  Now, everyone knows that's my job, and that I do it gladly.  Even the dog refuses to go out with any other than me.  The chore has become a joy, and for that I'm blessed.  The chore has brought a song, and for that I rejoice!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord onto me!

Mighty to Save!

The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3: 17

Don't you love redemption stories, when the good guys win!?  I just can't get enough of superhero movies, when there is a clear-cut line between good and evil; and good is always victorious!  I think, the reason I love these storylines so much is because we live in a world where the lines are so blurred they have almost disappeared.  But superheroes and villains remind me that we are not of this world.  We are just on a journey.  And in this journey we will encounter many battles.  But the great war is already won, and it's won by the heroes...by the Greatest Hero ever to walk on this earth:  Our Lord, Jesus the Christ!

He is the Mighty Warrior Who Saves!  And He is with us...regardless of the hurt, the pain, the fear, the worry, the anxiety, the problems or the darkness that this world might bring us, Jesus is with us always, and "in His love He will no longer rebuke us, but will rejoice over us with singing!"  Can you imagine that scene?  Our Savior, rejoicing over us with singing!  SINGING!  What a day that will be when we see Our Lord sing!

Zephaniah tells us about the time when there will be a remnant who remains faithful to God; and how that remnant will see the rejoicing of the Almighty as fear disappears.  After a period of great desolation when the people of God have been disobedient, have cast Him aside, and have brought woe upon them, The Mighty to Save God will purify the earth and protect His remnant, who bring Him great delight.  In this day of victory, The Lord will no longer rebuke His beloved, but instead, He will bring restoration over all.  And He will sing!  

Like the movie scenes in which the faithful stands alone, and just when we think he'll be stricken one last time, the forces of good appear as if from heaven and the war that seemed lost is irrevocably won for the good of humanity, and as the credits roll the triumphant song plays on the background leaving the viewers filled with hope...that's the picture Zephaniah is painting here: after much trials, we win and we get to hear Our Great God sing in victory!

I can't wait to witness that day!

But for now, I pray I can remain faithful as part of the remnant, and wait for the redemption of He Who is Mighty to Save!  Amen!

 

Crossing the Jordan

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31: 8

As I type the encouraging and uplifting Scripture of today, I realize how much I needed to hear this.  I'm entering a season of anxiety; therefore, the words that Moses spoke to Joshua, his successor are truly fitting for me today.  I too feel as if I'm about to step into my own personal Jordan.  So I imagine how Joshua must have felt when Moses passed on the staff to him as the new shepherd of Israel?? I figure he must have felt a bit of anxiety to say the least.

Can you imagine having to fill Moses' shoes?  I mean, talking about feeling inadequate! Joshua, however, had a very important thing in his favor: his faith.

Remember, he was one of the two spies that were optimistic after 12 of them had gone into the land of Canaan.  Joshua and Caleb where the only ones who figured they could take the giants of Canaan...the other 10 felt like grasshoppers, fearful and disillusioned.  Joshua had become Moses assistant and for years he lived by the leader of the Israelites, preparing for this moment where he would be the one leading God's people across the Jordan.  Therefore, despite his nervousness, Joshua counted on God's reliability and faithfulness...and so did Moses when he officially presented Joshua as the one who would lead them from then on:  "It is the LORD who goes before you..." Moses said.  In other words: you need not be afraid...for the actual burden of leading is upon God's shoulders.  He is the True Shepherd...He goes before all of you!

I take those words at face value.  I believe they are spoken to me and to all of us all these many millenia later.  "The LORD goes before you..." when you face the current in front of you, be not afraid, He is already in the water.  Step in faith, He leads you...and He will not leave you or forsake you.

So, it's OK if the Jordan awaits.  I know who goes in front of me!

May these words become part of us as we prepare to cross our every-day-Jordans.  May we not be dismayed, for His strength sustains us, in the precious name of Jesus! Amen!

Biblically-Inspired, Uplifting Message!

Nicole (front right) Ileana (front left) and me during this year's girls-only trip in May.

"Do you like that devotional?" Nicole asked me as she saw me pulling out my pink copy of one of my favorite morning readings.  "Yes...but...why do you ask?" I replied, remembering I had sent her a copy a while ago.  "I don't know...I like it too...but...don't you think that way too often the readings start with things like:  'you have a very rough day ahead... or ... a plethora of problems will arise as you wake up' ... and stuff like that which leave you like...man...should I even get out of bed today?  You know what I mean?  Doesn't it bring you down to read that?"

hmmm...

I couldn't do much more than to quietly agree as I remember myself thinking the same thing a few days before...and an idea sparked: perhaps, I should write a series of Biblically-inspired, morning readings that would carry us through a month with uplifting messages that help us set our minds in all things joyful and victorious!  I could write it and send it to Nicole so she could read it and feel the negativity vanish with the morning fog! It's a perfect summer project! Yes! I'll do it!

This was during our yearly girls-only-trip this past May.

I have yet to write the first line of this grand enterprise.  

Sigh...

Today, however...after what seemed like the roughest, most draining Labor Day holiday...totally due to my lack of self-control and zero parental skills, and as feelings of guilt piled up in my heart, making me appear as the most wretched human being the world has ever known, I've decided it's time to start.  

So, rather than beating myself on the head over and over and over again with the guilt of my Mommy-Hulk behavior, I will take a different approach: instead of hiding in shame from God, I am going to sing His praises!  I am going to embrace a challenge.  The next 30 postings (however long they may take me to write) I will write biblically-inspired, uplifting messages that will speak of the victory we have in Christ!

There!

Challenge accepted!

Oh...dear...what have I done? Mrs. negativity, Mrs. drama, Mrs. woe-is-me is actually going to stay uplifting?! How is she going to do that?

By the power of the Holy Spirit, of course!

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. Romans 8: 26

And that's exactly what my posts might be like: wordless groans...but I know that He will help me in my weakness and give me what He wants me to share, so Nicole and I and all who would read them would be inspired to find the joy in the everyday, to hang on to His promises and to walk in trust by the Hand of the One who makes all things new and everything work out for the good of those who put their trust in Him.  Amen!

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19: 14

to be continued...

September Attitude

As I open the windows and let in the cool breeze in this gloomy Labor Day morning, I can't help but think on how much I want summer back!  With a deep sigh I realize no matter what I do, however, summer is coming to its inevitable close to usher in fall with its melancholic hues...and I want to protest!  Everywhere I go, pumpkin spice is in the air already, while the cheerful flip-flop-themed store displays sit clumsily on the corners of a forgotten clearance aisle.  And I can't stand it!

But, I can't stop it either...

Summer with its carefree days in the heat and fireflies at night is behind.  The time for fun trips and family vacations is over.  The anticipation of exciting places to visit and embracing loved ones that we see only once a year has passed.  The wonder of discovery and the relaxation of lazy afternoons on the deck are all gone.  Bathing suits, movie projector for night-time flicks under the stars, outdoor furniture...are all stored away. And the relentless spin of Earth, with its unstoppable cycle of the seasons continues, forcing sad goodbye-rituals to my favorite time of the year, as the one I most fear is already knocking on the door. 

As I select the fall wreath that will hang on the front, and think of colorful mums blooming in pots at the bottom of the steps, I'm reminded there's nothing I can do to stop the passing of time.

Sigh...

Medical tests loom in the horizon, and I cringe; work piles up, and I fret; High School Senior-year commitments approach, and I tremble; Middle School struggles slap us on the face, and I snap; car problems, dirty house, uncooked dinner, unanswered e-mails, dog needs a bath...Mom comes undone...

Is there anything I can do to stop the madness? 

Yes! There is something I can do to face the avalanche that comes with the new season: trust that the One who created them, walks with me, guiding me and giving me the strength I need to face what's ahead.

The fear that grips me reminds me that I am weak.  There's no way I can do it by myself.  But that same fear and weakness also remind me that I don't have to, because: 

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you." Psalm 56:3

In my fear and in my weakness, the Holy Spirit reminds me that it is precisely there, where My Heavenly Father finds me, and whispers in my ear:

  “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

In my despair, He guides my every step:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

Yes, it is a gloomy, September morning.  And even though, we might still have some days that might resemble summer, gone are the golden, not-much-to-do moments with kids laying on the couch, and Mom fixing lunch in the background.  It's time again for rushed breakfast, catch the bus, make sure there's money in the meal accounts, leave for work, pray we didn't forget anything at home moments that take our breath away.  But I can still make it a point to find the beauty here, right where I am...as I change more than the wreath on the door, I have to change my September attitude!  I have to change my perspective and believe in the plan of the One Who Holds my Days in His Hands!

 

Lord, may Your Holy Spirit always remind me that in every season, in every moment, in every circumstance You are with me and Your strength, grace and power are, indeed, sufficient! I hang on to Your promises and I choose to trust You.  In the Precious Name of Jesus. Amen!