But I trust…

“But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13:5-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever complained about something so much that something happens that snaps you back to who God is? I mean you complained and complained and told God “ I need this, God do this, God you said?” Here this psalmist has this short conversation with Hod and tells him God what are you waiting for. God where are you? God don’t let this happen. And as he continues to complain and try to talk to God as if he is a friend that owes him money, he realizes exactly who he is talking to and snaps back.

HERE IT IS…

“But I trust in your UNFAILING LOVE. “ the psalmist remembers that just because isn’t answering he is still God. The psalmist remembers that he did it before and he can do it again. He remembers that the same God who rescued me from my sins is the same God who can save me from this. But I trust… I just need you to look back over your life before you try to command God to move. I need you to take a brief history moment to when God came and got you from that place you were in. I need you to remember that when you called on him yesterday he showed up on your behalf. BUT I TRUST IN YOUR UNFAILING LOVE.

Watch your tone

“Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die. Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13:3-4‬ ‭1.

Command – to give an authoritative order. That’s the definition of command. That’s something that we here a lot when we talk about the military. That’s something we as parents give our children. That’s something that we read about in the Bible that God gives us. What happens when you get so impatient with God? Or so mad with God? That you try to give God a command? The one who made the heavens and the earth. The one who made you. The one who knows every hair on your head. What happens when we try to give God a command because we are asking him to move on our behalf and he doesn’t?

HERE IT IS…

The psalmist is upset, and mad, and so conflicted with God that he orders God to turn around and look at him as if God has turned his back on him. What happens when you try to give God a command? The psalmist I believe quickly realized who he is talking to and changes his tone. That’s what we have to realize that just because God does not move when we want him to does not mean you can order him around. Realize who you are talking to because just as fast as you said those words you can and will be gone in the same fashion. Who do you think your talking too?

He allowed it

“How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

On top of being forgotten and feeling like God is not there in the capacity that WE think he should be there. We can also feel like our circumstances and problems may have the upper hand. We can feel that we have been in the wilderness for a very long time. We can feel that other people may have us pinned and we think no matter what we do we will lose. It’s in those moments where we want God to show up the most. The psalmist here is addressing his concerns to God and asking God how long will he allow this to happen.

HERE IT IS…

Look at what the psalmist is asking. He says to the Lord. How long will he allow this to happen? The question blesses my soul when I read it. Then, I read it again and it made me realize something that we dont at times. The psalmist asked God, how long will He ALLOW it to happen. This let’s me know that he understands that Gods hand is in it and that if Gods hand is in it then the issues that I am going through has parameters that it can’t cross. Which also means that if he allowed it it’s for a reason and it has to end. We fail to realize that the things we may be going through that God allowed it to happen and that he has something for me at the end.

Not forgotten

“O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever felt that someone has forgotten about you? Like the people that love you made you feel loved and declare they’re love for you have seemingly forgotten about you? At times it feel hard to feel that way. It may seem that life gets the best of people. Sometimes you even try to reason in your head and make excuses for the person or people that have in your mind forgotten about you. That is a feeling that at one time or another we have all felt. Is me? What did I do? Maybe I should call? Maybe I should just leave them alone?

HERE IT IS…

Truth be told we have all felt that way with God. At one time or another we have felt we have gone through a portion of our life minus the feeling of God. Like God took a vacation from us. Well let me help if I can. It’s not that God has forgotten about you. It’s not that you have done anything so wrong that God withdrew from you. Nor is it that God has gotten tired of you. We have to realize that God is still there. Even when we feel God is not acting like God. We have to know that God is still there. It may just be that God is waiting on you? If you think he has forgotten about you? Go find him!

Changed

“Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8:26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“A wonderful change has come over me”. This is a portion of the song change me. This song is something that I have leaned on and remember hearing from my childhood. Those words have always had a great impact on my life. It wasnt until I got older that they started to mean so much more. Just those 2 words fill such a capacity of intertwining feelings of what you want God to do. So many times we ask God to change things around us. God change my situation. God change my life. God change my spouse. God change my finances. Sometimes we are so focused on the things around us that we fail to see the way we have the ability to change it by asking God to change ourselves.

HERE IT IS…

The man was touched 3 times by Jesus and the last time he was healed. After Jesus took his hands off the man the last time I believe the man faith and trust in God changed to where he was able to receive what God was trying to give him the prior times he touched him. Jesus tells him, don’t go back into the village on your way home. It is my estimation that Jesus was not just talking about a physical location of a village. I do believe that Jesus was telling him not to go back to way he was before. We have to understand that this man was brought to Jesus. If he went back into the village those same people were waiting for him and everything else he had left. We have to realize that once you have your opportunity I encounter Jesus your route in life has to change because he has changed you. Don’t go back into the village on your way home. Don’t go back the way you came. You now have to go the way He tells you. What way will you take home?

To see Jesus

“Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8:25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I used to love the commercial that tootsie roll did with there lollipops with the owl and the little boy. The little boy would come and say, “Mr. Owl, how licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?” The owl would say let’s see and proceed to eat it in 3 licks. Look at the boy hand him his stick back and say 3. It was funny to me because he took the boys lollipop and did it and now the little boy had nothing. The truth of the matter is it doesn’t matter how long it takes you, the objective is to get there.

HERE IT IS…

It may have taken the man to be removed from his friends and family. It may have taken Jesus to grab him by the hand and lead him out. It may have taken Jesus to spit and lay hands on the man. It may have taken Jesus to lay his hands on the man again. The goal was for the blind man to see. We can get so caught up in why it takes people so long to recognize who Jesus is. We can tell them. We we can preach to them. We can send them devotional everyday. Pray for them day in and day out. As long as they receive and get a relationship with him that’s all that matters. Truth be told we didn’t fall in line and still haven’t completely with Gods will for our life. We are still trying to hold on to somethings. As long as you see Jesus for yourself that’s all that matters.

Check your vision

“The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8:24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus grabbed his hand and lead him out the city. He then seemingly asked him if he can see. Brings him to a place where he spits on his eyes and lays his hands on him. When he takes them off he asked him can you see now. This man looked around and said yes but not clearly. I see people but they look like trees walking around. It’s clear to see(pun intended) Jesus had his work cut out for him. I mean he touched him, spit on him, and laid his hands in him. You mean to tell me that his vision wasn’t clear yet?

HERE IT IS…

Sometimes this is the place where we get frustrated with God. This is the place where we get mad and ready to give up on God. Here is the place where we start to blame and question God. You ever been in an “unclear” position in your life. You ever felt like you had to keep going back to church asking to have hands laid on you. Falling out harder each time. Praying at work every 3 hours fasting and sing hymns. Thinking that it just cant be you because your doing everything right. It’s got to be God. He is not listening. He is not sending the right person to help. Or could it be that your vision is not clear because of what you trying to see instead of what God needs you to see. A lot of times we get mad with God when our mindset and spiritual vision is not clear because we are to focused on the natural. It’s time to get your vision checked.

Look

“Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8:23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse blesses me just reading it. Jesus led the man away from the city first. Then once he led him away that’s when he started to work on his healing. But what I see in this in this version of the scripture is that Jesus seemingly asked him again if he can see. He says to him after spit on him and laid his hands on him he says “ can you see anything now.” As if he asked him already can he see anything. It’s amazing that just by Jesus grabbing him by the hand you would think the man should have been healed. The woman with the issue just touched the bottom of his garment and was healed. The centurions child was healed off of his words. This man needed more?

HERE IT IS…

Sometimes we miss our healing because we are still in our village and can’t focus on what God is doing for us and God has to grab our attention and us physically, lead us away from all the people in our life to get us alone so that he can really get us to focus. Truth is we miss what God is doing in our presence because we are not focused on him. We recognize he is there but don’t turn our attention to him. Once he was led away Jesus then seemingly asked him again can you see anything now? Which tells me that we are just like that man. Jesus has to help us see in ways we haven’t seen before. Jesus is asking you, can you see now? Can you see what I have been trying to show you now?

Touched

“When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8:22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I recently went to the doctor for a pain I was having in my foot. I cant tell you how I hurt it. I wasn’t playing any sports. I wasn’t running. I didn’t hurt it at work. I just know that one moment I was fine and the next it felt as if my foot was broken. I was walking so gingerly on it and limping but thought it was something that would just go away. I’m not the type of person to go to the doctor unless it’s bad and this was pain I couldn’t take. The thing about it is that once I got there I prepared myself because I knew in order for the doctor to look at it they would have to touch it. They would have to move it and ask me to move it. I knew it would hurt but I had to be prepared for what they would do.

HERE IT IS…

When we are hurt and feeling broken and we come to God and ask him to touch a situation. We ask God to touch our bodies. We ask God to touch something in our life we want him to heal us we get upset when he does. Just like the doctor, sometimes in order for God to heal your situation. In order for God to heal your body. In order for God to do what your asking him to do he will have to touch it. He will have to move it around. He will have to have you move one way or another. Truth of the matter when he touches it may not be what we thought because he either has to move somethings or remove somethings in order for us to be healed. Yes. It will hurt. Yes. It will cause some pain sometimes. Yes. He will ask you to do somethings that may be uncomfortable. Oh to be touched by God I know that it will work out for my good.

Rise

“Later, when the boy was older, his mother brought him back to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her own son. The princess named him Moses, for she explained, “I lifted him out of the water.””

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As I was watching some of the basketball game last night I saw a few things that caught my attention. One of the things I saw that I have noticed from playing organized sports and watching is that it’s customary for you to help your teammates up when they fall. I see it all to often that in all sports when a person falls the teammates (in essence) run to they’re rescue and help them up. When they help them up they take them by the hand and use their strength to help that person up. It’s not just a unwritten rule but it’s shown as a display of love and affection because you care about them. It’s funny to see when that happens because the opposite team just walks away.

HERE IT IS…

Who’s there to help you up? A lot of times we can see this as a sign of weakness and a sign of inadequacy. When in fact the great thing about it is that you realize when you need help up. But here is what I notice. The princess named him Moses which meant I lifted him out the water. If you read it carefully you will read that it wasn’t the princess who lifted him but her maid. You have to be careful of people who will try to take credit for your rise from a fall. You have to be careful who sticks there hand out to help you up. You have to be careful of people who try’s to rename who you are. Because the truth of the matter people will try to use that against you. But just like the song says “You(God) know my name”. It’s not about your rising but the lifting of His name in your life. So rise for Him. Rise for His glory. Rise for Him