With the latest mass shooting, there has been a renewed interest in gun control. I distinctly remember sitting in my middle-school history class; and while my teacher’s name currently escapes me, I can picture how he looked: best described as military. After we learned about the revolutionary war, he emphasized the right to bear arms in the constitution, and looking each one of us in the eye, he exclaimed, “You do NOT want the government to be the only one with guns!” I understood his point. Could Hitler have killed so many of the Jewish people if they could have defended themselves? So, I was against the government regulating guns thereafter. Did I want one? No! I really didn’t and still don’t. But, did I think it was bad that my grandfather, uncles, and dad used to own guns to hunt? Nope! I remember my aunt making some pretty good venison.

However, with the recent mass shootings in schools, my husband and I have discussed this issue at length. He said that not every person in America needs an assault rifle that doesn’t need to be re-loaded between shots that are aimed at little ones. The purpose of these types of guns is not to hunt, it is to kill… and kill masses. Should we have some sort of regulations on these types of guns? My husband is wise, patient, and ridiculously kind. He cares about kids. He cares about people in general. He strongly advocates for background checks and limiting assault rifle access. And, as we talked about the government not being the only ones with guns, we both came to the conclusion that wars are not really won with these types of weapons anymore. Guns might be the “show” tactic for the front, but a real war between nations will be in the form of chemical weapons, disabling the electric grid, or using information technology advantages.

So, after our debate, I decided to go back to the foundation of my beliefs. Specifically, the Bible. I see so many folks who are pro-guns also claiming that the issue is sin. Sure, undoubtedly. But, I have yet to find in the Bible where it says, “thou shalt make an assault rife available to all who wish to fire one.” Instead, I see “thou shalt not murder.” I know that not every gun owner is a murderer, by any means, so I thought back to my study on the book of Matthew recently. When Jesus was arrested, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).

As much as I’ve heard the argument, “you need good guys with guns to fight bad guys with guns,” it simply isn’t Biblical that I have found. In 2 Kings 6, as enemies were approaching Elisha and his servant, God struck the army with blindness. He didn’t need a gun to save the day! David fought Goliath with a simple stone. We do not need a majority of Americans to have access to assault rifles. Should people in Alaska have access to guns to hunt animals and protect themselves? I think yes, that’s reasonable. Should everyone in America have access to nuclear weapons that can kill masses of people? No, our right to “bear arms” is not a license to kill in mass. If people want a handgun such as a pistol or a larger shotgun or hunting rifle to protect themselves from an intruder, I don’t really have a problem with that. But, to have a heavily loaded gun with a magazine that means reloading isn’t necessary right away – what is the average person’s use for a gun like that? If limiting access meant even one person’s life was saved, would it be worth it? If one less gun was manufactured in this country, would that be such a bad thing? Does an 18-year-old, whose brain is not fully developed with regard to risk, really need a weapon like this? Should the average person be able to purchase one, giving manufacturers a reason to create one and potentially giving access to others to steal it? Really think about those questions.

While it goes against what I was taught in school, my conclusion after opening God’s Word is that some limits on weaponry is not immoral or wrong. In fact, it may be wise for leaders to set boundaries and limitations on actions that could harm others, which is what happens when traffic lights are installed or laws are created. I have a good friend who retired from being a police officer who typically carries; I think it’s great that he has a gun, as he is well-trained and mentally stable. I am not opposed to some folks carrying certain types of guns in situations where it makes sense. But, I do think that having boundaries on guns used for mass shootings could protect innocent children and others who could be victims of hate crimes. And personally, I have no need for guns in my own life. I will be on this earth for as long as God has a purpose for me here, under His protection and authority. He is my Shepherd, I have all that I need (Psalm 23:1).

Every year I try to label the year base on what I’m sensing for the year. For example, 2019 was the year of completion (of not only the entire decade but also my degree) and 2020 was the year of vision (more than I could have imagined on 12/31/19!). Last year (2021), I sensed was the year of war. On January 6, I feared that actual war was breaking out. In many ways, though, I saw wars happening – rather than unity, I saw division. I sensed in social media posts that people are angry – on both political sides – at one another. Hearts seem to have grown cold quickly. Rather than caring for humanity, I sensed a lot of people focused on “I” and “me.” Personally, I felt that 2021 was harder than 2020 as everything was new in the former and people seemed to rally together while in the latter, everyone took a very adamant and very differing opinion on how to best move forward. We may not have seen physical war, but verbal wars and spiritual wars were present and obvious.

So, last month in December, as I always do, I took time to reflect on the past and the future. What will 2022 look like or be like? At first, I thought “2022 – the year of NEW!” Even though change can be hard, new feels good at times. Fresh. Different. But, at the same time, my daily Bible reading was in Jeremiah, and I saw so many parallels to current times that I can’t help but pause and ask God if He is speaking through His word. That is, I was sensing that 2022 may be the year of famine.

Jeremiah was a prophet sent by God to warn Israel of coming disaster. Israel was made up of God’s chosen people, the “firstfruits of His harvest” (Jeremiah 2:3). At the time, because they knew who the Lord was, over time they became proud and thought they were untouchable. They broke God’s covenant, worshiped other Gods, and their religion grew out of rules rather than relationship. “Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord, “Should you not tremble in my presence?” (Jeremiah 5:22) Instead, their sins deprived them of good, and they were described as rich and powerful, fat and sleek, full of deceit, having limitless evil deeds and not seeking justice or promoting the case of the fatherless or defending the just cause of the poor (5:25-28). “Should I not punish them for this?” declares the Lord? (5:29). Even the prophets were prophesying lies, claiming peace when there was no peace (Jeremiah 6:14).

I see the same thing today. Pastors proclaiming peace and prosperity when over half a million people have died, as if there is nothing going on. As if God Himself is not in charge of both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience as He promised in His word. My heart literally aches as I read trends that Christians are choosing not to get vaccinated at higher percentages and that the unvaccinated are hospitalized and dying at higher rates than those who get the vaccine. I fear that many are being lead astray by false teachers who may mean well but are not speaking the truth. In Jeremiah, God was proclaiming difficult times to come… FOR HIS PEOPLE. Jeremiah was warning them to repent of their sins and return to the Lord, the same message that John gave and Jesus spoke in Matthew. God is loving, but God is also just. God offers mercy, but He also warns of judgment. In Jeremiah 7, it speaks of Israelites worshiping other Gods and arousing the Lord’s anger, but He also noted, “Are they not harming themselves, to their own shame?” (7:19).

I remember turning on the news even before COVID19 and shuddering at what I would see and read. Although this was a nation founded on Christian principles and “in God we trust,” over time prayer has been removed from schools, Bibles banned, and people have been grossly mistreated (an understatement!). Even though we have God’s word, many choose to live life according to their own standards. Is this not harming ourselves, to our own shame? I read a news story of a woman putting children in the oven and turning it on where the kids died. The very thought of it made me sick to my stomach and brought literal tears to my eyes. I cannot imagine the suffering that has gone on in this nation as we turn a blind eye.

Jeremiah continued, “Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts” (7:23-24).

Later in chapter 14, Jeremiah continues, “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Do not pray for the well-being of this people. Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine, and plague.’ But I said, ‘Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the word or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’ Then the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.” God promised a day of disaster was coming, “…I will teach them my power and might. Then they will know that my name is the Lord” (Jeremiah 16:21).

Jeremiah continues with warnings of just punishment and then eventually (after 70 years, i.e. a lifetime/new generation) God’s restoration for a hopeful future. And indeed, the book of Jeremiah ends with the Fall of Jerusalem (and the restoration is told in future books like Nehemiah). As I was reading Jeremiah, I kept seeing the word plague (which I’ve written about before: https://valgood.com/2020/03/25/biblical-plagues-part-1-reasons-and-warnings/) and thinking about it in relation to COVID19. (It blows my mind that people still say COVID19 is the common cold or flu when so many people have died and are suffering from long-term health issues because of it; if you don’t believe the news in the US because your political misgivings, check out global news sources to help inform you on current events.) That said, the word plague was also discussed in tandem with the words sword and famine. As I sensed that last year was the year of war (the sword), I’m sensing this might be the year of famine. And coming from a place of absolute abundance, I honestly cannot even imagine what famine might look or feel like, so I think that goes along with it being the Year of New as well.

I read again in Ezekiel today, “He then said to me: ‘Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair for food and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of their sin” (Ezekiel 4:16-17). Ezekiel was also warned that he was responsible – even accountable – for warning others, both wicked and righteous alike in the third chapter.

When I write about the Year of Famine, I’m not suggesting stockpiling or hoarding. Rather, I’m writing this to give the same call that God’s true prophets gave in His Word: it’s time to repent; it’s time to obey. It’s time to ask for forgiveness and acknowledge God alone as Savior.

I’m saddened and troubled by the Christians who have turned their political beliefs into a false theology and lead others astray in the process. I’ve heard some say, “I’ll only wear a mask if the Bible says I should,” ignoring Leviticus 13:45 that notes to “cover the lower part of their face.” When hearing this verse, a new excuse emerges! I’ve heard some saying that life should just go on as normal and “sheltering in place” is ridiculous, but Moses instructed the Israelites in Exodus 12 to cover their doorposts in blood and emphasized, “None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning” while the destroyer was passing through. I can just picture folks today saying, “I’ll go out if I want to! I’m not living in fear!” An older woman in her late 80s in my Bible study told me that she was talking to an electrician fixing something for her about the vaccine (this conversation started at random when I called her to check in and see how I could be praying for her). She told me without my asking that he said he wasn’t sure about it, and she told him the story of Numbers 21 about how God instructed the Israelites to look at a Bronze snake to live. She considered that God works in mysterious ways and sometimes that can be through medicine that can save us. If the Israelites would have gone against their leader back then and questioned his authority, they would have died.

The same is happening today. Because of political rationale – not Biblical rationale – folks are choosing to walk a dangerous path rather than using the wisdom that God gives them to make decisions that glorify Him. We have become a proud people. We think that we live in the U.S. and nothing can touch us. We rely on our riches. We don’t stand up for justice. We neglect others in our selfish pursuits. We spend our time, attention, and resources on things rather than loving God and loving others. And, sadly, we even do so under pretenses of religion at times. Even a Bible study I’m currently part of (I opted to participate in one of the few online groups) refuses to ask in-person participants to wear masks to protect the vulnerable in the name of “unity” while I know that women who are required to go as part of the leadership have lost children and spouses to COVID19. If such a small act as wearing a mask indoors – which has been strongly recommended in our area – could allow us to invite even one person in the door who might not otherwise come and hear the message, is it not worth it? If this minor inconvenience could keep just one person from being hospitalized, is the one person worth it? Why are decisions on unity based on freedom and individual comfort vs. loving our neighbor and protecting the vulnerable? I admit I don’t understand the wisdom. Even folks who refuse the vaccine opt for some of the medical treatments once they are sick and on a ventilator that were likewise based on medical science. Isn’t an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure? Yet, preventative measures are being shunned by people in the name of “religion.” It’s not right, and it makes me sad.

Speaking about judgment, plague, sword, and famine isn’t something you’ll hear at the typical church service. Even though it’s part of the Bible – and Jesus said He wasn’t coming to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17) – it’s not popular and doesn’t feel good, and I’m sure it doesn’t drive donations. But, God doesn’t need your money. He wants your heart. He sent His Son so that you could live with Him in eternity. Moreover, even when eternal salvation is secure, that doesn’t mean that we get to do whatever we want and neglect God. He desires authentic relationship with us. His commands are pretty simple: love God, love others. As a nation, we haven’t done either very well. Perhaps if we repent and turn from evil, He will relent from what we deserve and be merciful… so, what will you choose? What will this year 2022 look like for you?

This past Sunday, our sermon was about not being a party pooper. Literally. The sermon was on the parable of the lost son. If you’re unfamiliar with it, you can read it here. As a brief overview, a father had two sons and while one son worked diligently for his dad, the other one asked for his inheritance early and went and squandered all the money on prostitutes and partying. When the money was gone, he was literally broke and was starving – the pigs he was feeding were eating better than he was. He remembered that his father treated his servants better than he was being treated as a servant, and he decided to go home and ask to be a hired hand there. But, while he was in the distance, the father saw him and was rejoicing that he had come home. The father decided to throw a party for his son. His brother, however, was angry and refused to go in, saying that he never got a party even though he worked hard and did the right thing. His father said something to the party-pooper son to effect of, “everything I have left is yours, but you should party now that your brother who was lost is now found.” In the same way, there are parties in heaven for lost souls who become believers.

Growing up, I felt for the brother who always did the right thing but never got a party for himself. It didn’t seem fair that a party was thrown for the brother who had squandered away the father’s money on unrighteous living. But, I find that God often teaches me lessons about His love through my kids. So, I’ll share a story with you that made this story come alive more for me. When we first moved here, Ryan was three years old. We met friends at the East Lansing Art Fesitval, which includes lots of tents of art stretched over miles of the campus. They had three boys, and so did we; their middle son and Ryan are the same age and about the same height. We were counting heads as we walked, and without making the story too long, we discovered that we had lost Ryan. The mamas had went to make a purchase and the dads thought the younger kids were with us and we thought all the boys were with them. When we got back and realized that Ryan was gone, we looked for him frantically. Hundreds of people were around us. We retraced our steps, we shouted for him. And as each minute flew by, my heart sank. I literally have never been so scared in all my life. As more time went by, I was terrified he might get hit by a car on Grand River. So, one of the parents went that way to look for Ryan. We split up looking for him to cover more ground. More time passed. I had this terrible feeling that someone had taken him. I was shaking, sick to my stomach, and literally screaming his name, hoping he would hear my voice and come to me. Others joined in the search for him. But, let me pause here and say that Ryan’s brothers were very concerned about him. They, too, were helping us look for him. They were little, but they loved their brother so much that they wanted to find him as much as we did. Eventually, someone came up to us and said that a little boy had been found by police and was at the security tent that was on the opposite side of the festival. We ran there. When I was reunited with Ryan, grateful tears sprang from my eyes. He had seen a puppy and went to pet it and somehow in that moment of us going to make a purchase and shuffling of the kids, we misplaced him. I never thought I’d be a parent to lose a kid, and I’m SO grateful to God for returning my kiddo to me. The fear I felt that day is indescribable. It still makes me shake to think about it. But, the rejoicing I felt afterward was all the more sweet because of how terribly scared I had been. You know what I noticed that day and it really stuck out to me? The mom of the other family was crying happy tears with me when Ryan rejoined our group. She FELT it with me. She understood and was right there celebrating, too. The rest of the group was happy at Ryan’s reunion. None of them said, “you didn’t cry or rejoice over me when I did the right thing and stayed right here with you.” No – they were glad! They rejoiced! They joined the celebration! And as Christians, this should be our response as well. It’s not about us doing the right thing. Our reward will come. But, when someone who is lost becomes found, we shouldn’t be a party pooper but rather celebrate with the heavens! We need to care more about other people than ourselves.

If you don’t know what it means to be “found” or “saved” and are unsure of where to start, please feel free to call me or send me a message. I want everyone I know (and even those I have yet to meet) to be at the party in heaven!!

Yesterday I posted about plagues in the Bible. Today, I’m posting some verses where plagues stopped and what was happening. The links for the entire chapter are provided (again, feel free to read the entire thing so it’s not out of context for you). There are two main groups that I saw: prayer and atonement.  I could have provided more specific prayers that others have prayed in the Bible, but I think God listens more to our heart and attitude than the words we speak (for He knows what we need even before we ask). So, read this post if you’d like and do what seems best to you. Please know that God is just. Let’s each one of us examine our own lives, hearts and attitudes and then pray for ourselves and others. Perhaps God will save us as only He can! The plagues were stopped…

• By prayer:

^{2 Samuel 24:25} David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

^{1 Kings 8:37} “When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, ³⁸ and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands toward this temple— ³⁹ then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart), ⁴⁰ so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.

^{2 Chronicles 7:12} the Lord appeared to him at night and said:“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.¹³ “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, ¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

^{2 Chronicles 20:5} Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard ⁶ and said: “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. ⁷ Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? ⁸ They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, ⁹ ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’

• Through intervention and atonement:

^{Psalm 106:30} But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked.

^{Numbers 16:46} Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started.” ⁴⁷ So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. ⁴⁸ He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.

^{Exodus 12:12} “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. ¹³ The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.¹⁴ “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance.

Now we know that Jesus was the lamb of God who took away the sin of the world, for anyone who believes in Him will be saved. He is the atoning sacrifice once and for all to save us from an eternity in Hell (what we call salvation). That said, now is the time to seek a holier life on earth (a process Christians call sanctification). The Bible can be summed up in two basic commands: Love God and love others. Can you see where you personally or the world as a whole has not been loving God and keeping His commands and not loving others? Is it time to pray and ask for forgiveness? Are you fearful of getting sick or what dying may look like? Do you know what eternity holds? If you don’t know who Jesus is or want more information, please feel free to reach out to me at any time and I would love to connect with you.

If you are already saved, is it time to intervene and ask for God to remove this sickness? The boys and I read Deuteronomy 28 together and prayed today instead of eating lunch. I’m going to end this post with this chapter and suggest that you pray as you feel lead.

Deuteronomy 28 (NIV)

Blessings for Obedience

28 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. ² All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

⁷ The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

⁸ The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

⁹ The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. ¹⁰ Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. ¹¹ The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

¹² The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. ¹³ The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. ¹⁴ Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

Curses for Disobedience

¹⁵ However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:

²⁰ The Lord will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him.^{[a] 21} The Lord will plague you with diseases until he has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess. ²² The Lord will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish. ²³ The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron. ²⁴ The Lord will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder; it will come down from the skies until you are destroyed.

²⁵ The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will come at them from one direction but flee from them in seven, and you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth. ²⁶ Your carcasses will be food for all the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away. ²⁷ The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured. ²⁸ The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. ²⁹ At midday you will grope about like a blind person in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you.

³⁰ You will be pledged to be married to a woman, but another will take her and rape her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not even begin to enjoy its fruit. ³¹ Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will eat none of it. Your donkey will be forcibly taken from you and will not be returned. Your sheep will be given to your enemies, and no one will rescue them. ³² Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, and you will wear out your eyes watching for them day after day, powerless to lift a hand. ³³ A people that you do not know will eat what your land and labor produce, and you will have nothing but cruel oppression all your days. ³⁴ The sights you see will drive you mad. ³⁵ The Lord will afflict your knees and legs with painful boils that cannot be cured, spreading from the soles of your feet to the top of your head.

³⁶ The Lord will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your ancestors. There you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone. ³⁷ You will become a thing of horror, a byword and an object of ridicule among all the peoples where the Lord will drive you.

³⁸ You will sow much seed in the field but you will harvest little, because locusts will devour it. ³⁹ You will plant vineyards and cultivate them but you will not drink the wine or gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. ⁴⁰ You will have olive trees throughout your country but you will not use the oil, because the olives will drop off. ⁴¹ You will have sons and daughters but you will not keep them, because they will go into captivity. ⁴² Swarms of locusts will take over all your trees and the crops of your land.

⁴³ The foreigners who reside among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower. ⁴⁴ They will lend to you, but you will not lend to them. They will be the head, but you will be the tail.

⁴⁵ All these curses will come on you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the Lord your God and observe the commands and decrees he gave you. ⁴⁶ They will be a sign and a wonder to you and your descendants forever. ⁴⁷ Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, ⁴⁸ therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.

⁴⁹ The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand, ⁵⁰ a fierce-looking nation without respect for the old or pity for the young. ⁵¹ They will devour the young of your livestock and the crops of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain, new wine or olive oil, nor any calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks until you are ruined. ⁵² They will lay siege to all the cities throughout your land until the high fortified walls in which you trust fall down. They will besiege all the cities throughout the land the Lord your God is giving you.

⁵³ Because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege, you will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you. ⁵⁴ Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will have no compassion on his own brother or the wife he loves or his surviving children, ⁵⁵ and he will not give to one of them any of the flesh of his children that he is eating. It will be all he has left because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of all your cities. ⁵⁶ The most gentle and sensitive woman among you—so sensitive and gentle that she would not venture to touch the ground with the sole of her foot—will begrudge the husband she loves and her own son or daughter ⁵⁷ the afterbirth from her womb and the children she bears. For in her dire need she intends to eat them secretly because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of your cities.

⁵⁸ If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the Lord your God— ⁵⁹ the Lord will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. ⁶⁰ He will bring on you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. ⁶¹ The Lord will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. ⁶² You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the Lord your God. ⁶³ Just as it pleased the Lord to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you. You will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess.

⁶⁴ Then the Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. ⁶⁵ Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. ⁶⁶ You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. ⁶⁷ In the morning you will say, “If only it were evening!” and in the evening, “If only it were morning!”—because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see. ⁶⁸ The Lord will send you back in ships to Egypt on a journey I said you should never make again. There you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13-14

Recently, a friend posted this on her social media page:

Can you relate? Christmas can be this wonderful time of year with shiny packages and children filled with wonder… Or it can be a time for the adult kind of wonder. I wonder what I should buy my kids’ teachers, my boss, my in-laws, or even my spouse who says he needs nothing. I wonder if it’s rude if I don’t buy the secretary’s secretary something… I wonder how I’m going to have enough money to feed my family over the holidays let alone buy meaningful Christmas gifts. I wonder if everyone will get along at the family gathering. I wonder if I have anything worth wearing to that Christmas event. I wonder what folks will say about us. I wonder if a sick relative will make it to our party. I wonder if we can fit everything we need to do into our schedule.

The stress can feel overwhelming. Instead of enjoying the beauty of the season, you may realize another year has gone by and there’s not much to show for it. Instead of a list of blessings, you’re compiling a list of things to do, a list of what you have to buy, a list of work deadlines, and sadly, maybe even a list of regrets.

You want things to be so perfect for the people you love that you turn into Martha rather than Mary. You plan the meals, you decorate the house, you buy the gifts and you run yourself ragged, still feeling the anxiety that it may not be absolutely the dream you want it to be.

If this is Christmas for you, then STOP! Stop right now and take a moment and think about what the angels said when they announced that Jesus had arrived (in Luke 2). “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests!” Isaiah foretold of the Messiah, saying “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” One of the verses that has stuck with me this time of year is John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

So, practically speaking, how can we enjoy more peace this season? I think part of the answer lies in the order of the holidays or seasons. Thanksgiving comes before Christmas. (And long before Thanksgiving started in the US, the harvest festival to give thanks came before the festival of lights.) So many people feel so uptight about the holidays that they start preparing early because there’s just not enough time in one month to get it all done… But, thanksgiving is important. Thanksgiving is necessary! Not the overeating and the turkey, but the actual giving of thanks.

When you are feeling anxious, stop and give thanks for ten blessings in your life. Why not make it a dozen? Thankfulness can bring us back into the moment where we are rather than worrying about what’s ahead. Thankfulness reminds us that all good gifts are from above – that God is all powerful and present with us. Thankfulness calms our hearts and minds as we humbly thank God for what we have verses focusing on what we don’t. Even folks outside the church suggest something similar for anxiety attacks, as shown in the picture below.

When you’re feeling anxious, ground yourself by thinking of your many blessings. Thank God for those people in your life who you love. Thank Him for the air you’re breathing, for the food you’ve eaten, for the wonderful smells of the season, for the warmth of your coat, for your family, for your friends, for the good in your life. Then try and remember that Jesus’ birth was a miracle – peace with God. Joy to the world! Don’t let anxiety over deadlines and expectations or what other folks may think ruin your peace this year. You have and you are more than enough. The Christmas season is the joy of the process rather than the finished product. Enjoy each and every moment with a thankful heart!

If you’re still feeling anxious, then pray. Ask God to ease your mind and cast your cares on Him. Find a friend and talk or perhaps go to a counselor. You are welcome to call me, and we can give thanks together. 🙂

I’ll end with this:

“‘Though the mountains be shaken
    and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
    nor my covenant of peace be removed,’
    says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” ~Isaiah 54:10

Heartbroken. That word might be the best way to describe Hannah in the Bible when year after year she couldn’t conceive a child. Crushed. Wondering why God hadn’t answered her prayers, devastated that she was being provoked by a woman who had what she wanted…

But in all her time of weeping and anguish (as the Bible describes it), she was perhaps missing that her husband gave her a “double portion because he loved her” (1 Samuel 1:5). He asked her, “Why are you weeping? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” This time as I read this story, this last question really stuck out to me. Perhaps it was the BSF teacher saying she felt bad for the woman irritating Hannah who was likely feeling unloved that it made me think more about the situation. Or perhaps it was recalling times this fall when I was feeling devastated… when in reality I should instead be giving thanks.

This wasn’t the first time over the last few weeks that this theme had come up as I was studying the Bible. In Ruth, when Naomi returned to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law Ruth, she told the women there, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full but the Lord has brought me back empty” (Ruth 1:20). I always felt bad for Naomi – her husband and sons had died; she had a right to be bitter, right? But, the teacher this time asked, was she really empty? Was Ruth not standing right next to her? Ruth had pledged not to leave her side and took care of Naomi, yet Naomi was so focused on her hardships that she was perhaps missing the faithfulness and love of her daughter-in-law who was right next to her.

As I’ve experienced disappointing circumstances, I realize I am too quick to forget the many, many blessings I have. Can you relate? I focus too much on what I don’t have rather than what is right in front of me. For example, God has blessed me with a faithful husband who constantly shows me how much he loves me, wonderful kiddos who are funny and fun to be around, and so many sweet, sweet times together. I may want the “perfect” life where absolutely everything goes my way, but instead, I need to learn to give thanks in all circumstances. Not just the sweet times but also the bitter. When life feels down, I need to look up. Who is next to me? Who stands beside me? What is God working in the background on my behalf? Can I be content without what I *think* might be best and trust that what God has for me is even better?

If Hannah had conceived right away, she may have missed the miracle of having Samuel, who was known as an incredible prophet whose words God did not let fall to the ground. If Naomi wouldn’t have experienced the bitterness of losing her husband and sons, she would not have traveled back to Bethlehem and been part of the story and lineage of Jesus. Their tough times were really key to the greatest part of their stories…

So, don’t skip right to Christmas decorating and holly, jolly music and forget to give thanks… I mean really give thanks. Thanks for the little and the big things. Thanks for the sweet and even for the bitter. Thanks for the thing that is driving you crazy, trusting that God is working it all out for your good and His glory. Thanks for the person who is standing by your side to comfort you as you are going through the tough times. Thanks, even for the person irritating you… Only God knows the details of your story, but I believe He delights in the details of your life. He hasn’t forgotten your struggle. He hasn’t forgotten you. Only He knows how the story ends…

Dear God, thank You for the reminders in Your Word. Thank You that You are faithful and work all things for our good and Your glory. Please help us not neglect our loved ones when we’re feeling sad about our circumstances. We give You our hearts and our lives and trust You and Your timing in all situations. Thank You for being trustworthy. In Jesus’ Name we pray, AMEN!

My reading yesterday included the following verses:

Luke 13:6-9: Then Jesus used this illustration: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s taking up space we could use for something else.’ The gardener answered, ‘Give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, you can cut it down.'”

Special attention sounds nice, doesn’t it? But, my guess is that special attention included a whole lot of pruning, or cutting away dead branches to enhance fruitfulness and growth. The truth is, when we experience this type of pruning in our own lives, it can feel miserable. Why do I have to give up this relationship? This habit? This pursuit? But, God is a loving gardener and has a way of showing us that He is a God of second chances.

Are you blooming currently where you are planted? Are you currently producing fruit? If you were to die next week (not that any of us want to think about that), what are you doing today that would have an eternal impact? Are you investing in the lives of others? Are you storing up wealth on earth or treasure in heaven? Sometimes I get so caught up in the rat-race of everyday living that I feel like I’m majoring in the minor and minoring in the major. I’ve been so focused on work that I’m neglecting to really see people.

You can tell a lot about others when you witness their response to hardship. Is what comes out the fruit of the Spirit? Or does the ugliness of what’s in the heart bubble to the surface? If God is pruning, cutting, refining… know that He loves you. He’s giving you another opportunity. His desire is that these refining moments would help you shine His light to others, that the yuck would be trimmed away and what was left would be a thing of beauty and grace.

Dear God, sometimes this whole pruning thing feels downright awful. But, we trust You. We know that You love us, that You are for us, that You have our best in mind. We also realize You see the whole picture of what we need to look like or what needs to be trimmed so that we can properly bear the kind of fruit You have in mind. Help us cling to You when we feel like we’re suffering from Your refining. Please plant us where we won’t be moved or worse, cut down altogether. May we be the people You had in mind when You formed us. Be near us today and fertilize our hearts and minds with Your word. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

Here is a song that came on the radio as I was driving to school, and it’s an old favorite. ENJOY! “He’s making diamonds, diamonds, diamonds out of dust… He is refining, in His timing, He’s making diamonds out of dust, He’s making diamonds out of us…”

My progression of reading the Bible brought me to Job at the same time I was having ankle surgery. The timing was more than coincidental. I was reminded that God does not bring calamity into our lives – Satan is looking to accuse, steal and destroy our lives while God seeks to bring life abundant (John 10:10). Job wasn’t to blame for the hardships he experienced (which were FAR worse than mine, as he lost kids, all his wealth and his health!). But, God wasn’t to blame either…

On the other hand, we know that God is all-powerful. He gave the authority or okay to Satan to bring the calamity on Job, noting that Satan was not to kill him. So, when hard times come, we ask, “God, why did you allow this?” I’ve asked it with my ankle. Did God cause me to fall? Absolutely not! But, I have questioned, “God, I believe You are the Healer, so why did it not heal right away and why did I need surgery six months later?” I’m tired of feeling crippled and useless. I’m tired of not being able to run. I’m tired of feeling like I’m more of a burden to my family than a blessing…

Then I came to the following verses: “But God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in bed. He whispers in their ear and terrifies them with His warning. He causes them to change their minds; He keeps them from pride. He keeps them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death. Or, God disciplines people with sickness and pain, with ceaseless aching in their bones.” Job 33:14-17.

The first verse I remember blogging about before, after having a terrible nightmare when we arrived in Michigan and reading the verse. I vividly remember the warning. But, I didn’t remember reading verse 17 before, or it didn’t stick out to me until now. God disciplines people with sickness and pain, and with aching bones! Yes, indeed, I need God’s discipline. It’s easy to become selfish and proud. It’s easy to get swept up in daily to-do lists and forget to love others, to help the needy, to stand up for injustice, to do what’s right. Unlike Job, I’m not sure God would think I lead a “blameless” life. He is still refining me, and His discipline is something I need and even desire. So, perhaps it comes in the form of injury, as it’s in the hard times that we really listen.

Later, Job 36:21, a young man named Elihu is still speaking (and I love that he said he waited to speak until the older, wiser fellows were finished, that he couldn’t contain his thoughts because he felt as he needed to say them, and that intelligence really comes from God’s Spirit and breath of the Almighty inside us), and he says “Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for it was to prevent you from a life of evil that God sent this suffering.”

What a thought – that hard times come into our life to prevent us from a lifetime of evil and suffering. That God loves us enough to allow difficulties to come so we turn away from what is wrong, that God is gracious in allowing us to go through seemingly awful circumstances for our discipline and for our ultimate good. When God doesn’t answer our prayer to live a happy, perfect life, it’s because He loves us far too much to let us be ‘spoiled brats’ who have never been refined in the fire. The bumps in the road, the bruises,  the broken bones, the tears and frustrations help shape our character and make us who we are. We can allow them to move us to despair or we can use them to help us move toward being better. We can accept hard times as discipline and seek life lessons to keep us from a life of evil… or not.

I read yesterday (being Good Friday) a friend’s post that says “Good Friday” was and is a dark time, a hard time (even though it’s ‘good’ it’s not fun!). Jesus was tortured, suffered greatly, and was nailed to a cross to die. His friends watched in horror and wept bitterly; their hope was gone. We, too, can experience times of suffering (that feel like torture!) or times of grieving and sadness, where hope seems to be lost. But, we need to remember the story didn’t end on the cross. On the third day, Jesus rose! He conquered death and opened  the gates of heaven for believers. The ground is shaking, the earth is rumbling, breakthrough is about to happen!!! God cares, God is able, and He is far bigger than ANY circumstance. He can heal, He can bring about victory, and if He allows hard times to come for our good, He also brings about restoration and grace…and more!

Job’s life was restored. Jesus greeted His followers with the good news that He was alive. In our own lives and circumstances, we can recognize that SUNDAY is not too far away…

Father God, we thank You that You love us. You created us and You have mercy on us, even when we don’t deserve it. We thank You for who You are. We recognize Your greatness, Your power and Your goodness. We thank You for the hard times, even the darkest times. We thank You that You are refining us and showing us a better way. We thank You that you love us enough to discipline us. Thank You for not allowing us to stay still but continually helping us grow and mature. Father God, please open our eyes, ears and hearts to learn the lessons You have for us. Give us courage, wisdom and obedience to follow Your direction. Please give us humility and grace to respond when and where You call us. And God, we ask for SUNDAY! We ask for healing (for my ankle and for anyone reading this) and for hope and for restoration. We ask for the good times that follow…may we learn from the hard times and look forward to the GREAT times ahead. Thank You for SUNDAY! Thank You for Jesus’ death and resurrection. Thank You for the hope that brings. Thank You for Jesus’ blood for our sins. We ask that He would restore us to You. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!