Focus

1 Samuel 9 - 12

1 Samuel 9:20 ~ ...And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel's hopes."  

The word "focus" caught my attention this morning.  I kept coming back to this word, so I looked up the original Hebrew meaning for this word and learned that in this context it means the inner man, understanding, will, heart.  Isn't that what matters in life?

Look around at television commercials is it the inner or outer man/woman that is always the focus?  Well, not the inner for sure.  We focus way too much on the outer appearances and we miss so much of the real meaning of life.  Don't get me wrong it's important to take care of ourselves, but we can take it way too far at times.  Our hope ~ don't you think if we focused more on understanding the shoes others walk in, we understood that times were hard for our fellow person, we truly cared with our hearts that some of our problems might be taken care of?  Also, I think that understanding that we don't all believe the same and understanding that is how the world goes around.  Don't take away our hearts by trying to make us believe or me trying to make you believe my way...Encourage one another to read God's Word and let Him show the way.

My beliefs are just as important to me and yours are to you and I appreciate and understand that...It doesn't mean that I don't care about you and I hope the same is true about you!  Let's begin today with pondering the word focus and allow it to provide hope in our world today by understanding and heart.

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Stay or run

Pondering thoughts from the book of Ruth...Things got tough and Naomi's family moved to a foreign land.  Remember the old saying "when things get tough the tough get going."  Do you think we always run away when things get difficult?  Don't get me wrong God uses all our choices...just like He did with the family of Ruth.

I was pondering this story and the morning of the reading these mountain goats ran so fast from one mountain to the other running from something.  (according to my hunter husband Kenny)  I've never seen them move so fast across the mountains.  It was fascinating watching them keep their footing in the most unlikely places.

It hit me that we do that and the family of Naomi did that...rather than trust God in the difficult moments, if possible we run.  Some situations we can't run from illness, difficult diagnosis, car wrecks, loss of jobs, some things we can't run from...but we still try at times.  I know over the past year, I've wanted to run at times from situations that truly I have nothing to do with, but they affect me.  God continues to tell me to trust Him, but that doesn't take away that urge deep down to run just like these goats are in the photo, but we must trust!

Trust God in every moment, in every situation, and know that He is going to handle things.  I also trust that in those moments that I do run, He is already in that moment as well.  He will use my mistakes or my good choices for His glory!

Think a moment on your own journey.  When you trust and stay in the situation ~ Do you feel close to God?  Do you feel Him doing His thing is a whole new way?  Have you read the book by Barbara Taylor Brown ~ Learning to walk in the Dark?  I think that is the name.  I've read it and I also turned on Oprah to hear a story on her discussing the dark moments of life and how if we trust and embrace the dark we will grow.  Don't be afraid He is with us in the dark as well!

Today, are you going to stay strong in the dark moments or run?  If we run, remember that our situations will more than likely go with us and we will probably add to it, but we are never alone! Trust Him with each moment, each situation, and in every step of your journey!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Yes, I know today's reading is 1 Samuel 1 - 4 and what got my attention is that Eli is so far from God himself that he doesn't recognize the pain of Hannah.  No, he views it as having too much too drink.  When is our view so distorted, because we moved too far away from God?

I...is way too important

Judges 7 - 9:21

In conversations today, what do you think is heard the most?  Think about it a little bit...I did this or I did this...or I want this...or I need this...or I ?  Our world is caught up in what we do, what our opinions are, what we think and yes it all matters, but we have gotten it so out of perspective.  Do you think it might be we  have forgetten the real order of how things are suppose to be?

I was reminded early in the reading today who truly matters...In chapter 7 of Judges, Gideon got the army up early to fight Midianites.  The Lord stopped him and told him he had too many warriors and that if he let them fight the Midianites, the Israelites would boast to God yes God that they saved themselves by their own strength.  Here is the verse: If I let you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.  So what did God do?  He told Gideon to send home those afraid or timid home.  So 22,000 left.  Which left 10,000, still too many.  God finally got the warriors down to 300.  God is very creative with the widdling down process.  He wants no doubts about Who truly wins the battle!

We forget who wins the battles.  We forget who decides the path that will bring victory.  We think we save ourselves.  Our society is so caught up in #1 that we forget the correct order.  God is #1 and He is who wins the battles.  The victory was achieved in this battle, because God did His thing.  God's ways are never our way...How was it achieved?  God had the enemy fight amongst themselves.  They were confused and pulled the swords on themselves.

I doesn't matter when it stands alone.  I matters when it's with the Great I Am.  Today, ask God which battle to fight and which one to ignore.  Remember, where the I really needs to be, when you begin a battle.

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Covered in dew

Judges 3 - 6

So many powerful stories this morning for all of us to ponder.  God is indeed Mighty and if we allow Him to work through us...so are we!  We must make the choice for Him to use us.  Will we allow Him to work His Wonders through us?

We have Deborah and Gideon both in today's reading.  A woman named Jael who took things into her own hands and that's a whole story in itself to look deeper into for fascinating thinking, but what caught my eye today was Gideon.

Gideon wasn't being especially brave when the LORD came to him.  He was actually hiding in the winepress threshing the wheat, so that the enemy would not spot him.  Not a really brave hero hiding so nobody would spot him, but the Lord found him.

I love the Lord's words to Gideon in verse 14, "Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites.  I am sending you."   Here is a man hiding in a wine press from the enemy yet the Lord picks him.  Gideon tries to explain he is the weakest among his family, his people, but God sees more in Gideon.  God sees more in you and more in me than we are capable of ...Do you see the words go with the strength you have?  God will use what we have.  If we see ourselves as the weakest, HE is still able to provide what we need.  If we see ourselves full of strength, He will provide the needs as well.  Why, because HE is sending us!

What is it that God is calling you to do?  Be brave, step out, and move.  After all, God is the one truly doing the work...not us!  Are you hiding?  Well, God sees you and is calling you to move.

God even allowed Gideon to test Him.  Remember the story of the fleece?  The fleece would be wet my morning?  Well, then the next time let the fleece be dry and the ground wet with dew?  Well, God is the same Yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  Believe it!  Everything else may change, but God remains the same!

He believes in you!

Believe today that God believes in you.  He loves you and wants to use you, but only if you respond with YES!

Yes, 

Debbie Covington