Got up early in the morning

Okay, when I took this photo I had already been up for one hour.  The older I get the earlier I wake up.  I don't know what is going on, but aging.  Oh well, I get lots done in the early morning quiet.

I had  noticed before in the passage about Isaac with Abram's faith being tested, that Abram got up early to follow God's instructions.  Today, I noticed he had done this earlier when Abraham was upset about Sarah demanding Ishmael to hit the road along with his mother.  Abraham was very torn.  He loved Ishmael.  God told him to not be upset that Hagar's son would also have a nation of many descendants.  Abram believed God's words, so early the next morning he was up and preparing food and water to send them on their way.  Amazing faith!

Abraham was a true believer.  He didn't lolly gag around to see, if the instructions might change.  He took action, followed the Lord's instructions and believed with all his heart in God's promises.

I would like to tell you that I arise early to follow instructions and to believe God's plan.  Sometimes it's true, other times not so true!  I want to become more like Abraham and believe always.  I want to get up early and take action and for those times I don't I want to pray that I become stronger in my faith.  

Today, are you going to believe?  Are you going to believe like Abraham or falter and delay action?  It is our choice which path we follow.  Be strong and believe.  

Both of these passages have to do with Abram's children.  God was truly finding out how strong his faith was by testing it with his love of his kids.  God doesn't call us to an easy path of growing our faith, but He always helps us to grow our faith.  Never does He leave us in these difficult decisions, we just need to call out His name.  He will carry us through!

Carried through, 

Debbie

Really? Really?

Today's reading always shocks me.  I know in today's world, you say how can this shock you?  Well, after being a woman, serving women in ministry, and listening all my life it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.  What woman willingly shares her man?  Oh it happens, but it's trouble.  How could you not figure that out long before it happens?

Sarai tells Abram go sleep with my servant.  So he does.  I mean seriously?  WE are human.  WE don't share well and this is some serious sharing.  Anyway, it happens and well stuff starts happening right away.  Hagar the other woman immediately becomes pregnant and treats Sarai with contempt.  Well, first off Hagar got no vote in the whole matter.  She is a servant and she did what she was told, so now she is having a baby something Sarai couldn't do.  Serious payback, don't you think?  When we take matters into our own hands, we can really mess things up.  Now God will use our mess to His glory, but we are going to really struggle in the middle of these messes and perhaps for a really long time afterwards, but He will use it.

I do love the part of this story and it really touched me this morning where Hagar is treated harshly by Sarai and she ran away.  She goes to a spring of water and sits down.  An angel comes and shares for Hagar to return and submit to Sarai.  The angel also makes a promise that she will have more descendants than she can count.  The verse that touches me is where Hagar used another name to refer to the LORD which meant "You are the God who sees me."  The comfort this woman felt rushes over me.  God saw her.  She mattered and she felt the love.  She was a servant, she felt nobody saw her, but the LORD sees her!  Wow, the comfort and peace rushes over you, when you realize God sees you too!

Friend, God does see us and He will help us deal with our messes, because more than likely at times we will take things into our own hands.  We humans mess up, but God knows we do and that we will.  I believe with all my heart He just wants us to acknowledge these mess ups, so He can help us through the clean up process and that word that is mentioned above that none of us like a lot.  Did you notice God told her to go back and submit.  Submit isn't an easy thing for anybody, but we are sometimes called to just that...

Today, are you feeling like nobody sees you?  Well, that is not true.  God does.  Call out and let Him share with you His comfort and His love to get you through whatever you might be facing today!

I love birds and they are a wonderful reminder that if God provides for the birds in the sky, He definitely will provide for you and me!  I watched this little bird pester the food out of little fella sitting on the side of the Grand Canyon and was very entertained.

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Whatever is necessary

Today's reading reminded me that God will do whatever is necessary to get our attention.  First attention grabber, well he confused the people to get them to do what He desired.  He wanted to scatter the people, so He confused them with language.  The people didn't want to scatter, but He wanted them scattered.  So confusion happened.  No longer could they understand each other.

Ever happen to you?  

Another attention grabber to me is the words to Abram, Leave, Go, I will show you.  I will make you a great nation and I will bless you and you will be blessing to others.  A blessing to others really tugged my heart.  If we are following God's instructions, we are a blessing to others.  What will others say about you and me?  Are we a blessing or perhaps these words are said, oh no here she comes again? 

Going is never easy, when change is involved.  I mean check out the photo above in the Grand Canyon.  Which path would you want to take by land or river?  Or do you want to stay above on the same level ground you are use to, but not called to?  God doesn't call us to easy, most of the time.  No usually it is into the unknown just like Abram.  Leave the familiar.  Leave the comfortable and go.

Yet Abram went, but he didn't follow one instruction totally.  Did you notice God told him to leave your father's family and go.  Lot his nephew went with him.  Did some of the things that happened to Abram perhaps happen because of Lot being there?  Who knows and after all, Abram was human just like me and you, so we make mistakes.  Yet we try to follow God's instructions, but sometimes we fall just short.  God never falls short!  He still loves us!

So I leave you today with this thought is confusion happening in your life?  Is God perhaps trying to get your attention and put you on a new path that might not be so comfortable?  Is he trying to get you to go down in the canyon to ride a few rapids and experience His blessings?  Just a few thoughts He placed on my heart this morning from our reading together.

Don't you love knowing that we are on a journey together through God's amazing Word?  We are studying the same chapters, but He gives each of us perhaps a different lesson with each reading.  I love how God ministers to us through the exact same reading, but yet ministers to each of His children in His Own Unique Way with exactly what we each need.  Only His love and amazing touch heals our hearts with just the right amount of healing balm.

I love you, but God loves you more always,

Deb

God provides

In the reading today from Genesis 7 - 10 and 1 Chronicles 1:8-23, I was reminded God provides.  Floods happen.  Sounds kind of harsh when you say it like that, but it's true.  It is also true that God is with us through and in the storms of life.  

A couple of things really touched my soul today.  Every time I have read today's reading these words capture my heart.  Every time!  

"Then the LORD closed the door behind them." 

Noah and his family, the critters are all onboard the ark and God closed the door behind them.  He is protecting them.

Are you like me at times and you find yourself at a door (real or figuratively) it is shut and you stand there banging or begging, please let me in?  You know the door closed and remained shut for a reason, but you can't let go?  You simply love what is on the other side, but God tells you it is time to move on?  It is time to let go?  It is time to get out of your comfort zone, but you stand there not realizing or not wanting what is best for you?  

I can't imagine Noah and his family inside that ark with all the animals and the sound of that door closing, but throughout the story we are told Noah did everything the Lord commanded.  He trusted and he believed, and God provided.  

Some floods happen in life.  You feel like you are about to sink and the dove returns with an olive leaf in its beak.  Perhaps, it's not a dove, but a path is provided and it may be a closed door.  It might be a rainbow after the rain.  Perhaps we need to turn from the closed door and take in the view from the other side.

This past summer, Kenny and I were up on top of a mountain when a big storm blew in and we waited it out in our vehicle.  After the storm, the most beautiful rainbow came out and it ended right by us on the top of that mountain.  It was stunning!  It was a wonderful reminder of God's promise that "never again will floodwaters destroy all life."  God keeps His promises and a rainbow always provides hope.  Hope when you hear a door shut and a new one open.  Hope when your way forward seems blocked.  Hope when the answer is that God is with you through the storm and when the rainbow comes out!  God provides yesterday, today, and tomorrow and we must believe He does!

Looking for the rainbows,

Debbie