Never, Ever Alone

I don't know about you, but I flit and fly through so many of my days forgetting the Presence that is ever with me. I make decisions based on me. My mouth certainly speaks out of a heart that forgets this Presence too often.

He is not just a thought. He is not just faith. He is a person. His presence is always with me. I think that I control the outcome my decisions so much more than I really do.

What's even more amazing is He desires to be with me. Yucky old me. Me who dismisses Him too often. So this brings me to my knees in faith thanking Him for remaining faithful. God knew from the beginning of time with the first covenant made with Abraham that we will not follow through.

In the days of the Old Testament, when someone made a covenant with another person, they slaughtered an animal, cut it in half, then walked together in between the pieces to signify the vow. When God made His covenant with Abram, he put Abram into a deep sleep and walked between the pieces of animal alone. It was as if God was saying, "I am the only One able to keep this promise. I know you will fail, sin and be faithless, but I am faithful."

So my prayer today and forever is to be ever aware of Jesus' presence in my life, day, and  circumstances. That I would strive to live in light of this presence in my decisions, thoughts, words and deeds.

This is my prayer for you too, friend.

Beer-lahai-roi

Loneliness. Despair. Hopelessness.

When trials come our way we have choices to make. Choices on how to respond. So often, our responses are these. We fear and are drawn into ourselves. We put on blinders to what God has called us to and promised us.

Genesis 16 is the story of Abram and Sarai's lack of faith, trust and hope in their God who promised them a great name, and as many descendants as the stars in the sky. They are old in years and have never had children, and doubt that God will accomplish this. So Sarai acts on her own and draws her husband in to this doubt. He listens to his wife and has a child with Hagar.

Isn't this so much like us in trusting God's working hand? We act in faithlessness when we try to orchestrate the outcome of our situations. We end up with more failure and eventually have to come back on our knees confessing our control issues and speaking forth trust in the Lord again.

Hagar, Sarai's maid, is drawn into this doubt as well. She becomes with-child, and now, Sarai becomes jealous and hateful. Hagar flees this situation and finds her pregnant self in despair next to a stream in the wilderness, with no where to go. But God sees her. He commands she go back to her mistress and submit to her. Hagar believes.

She believes in this God who spoke to her and gave him the name, You are the God who sees. She had hope. She felt the mercy being poured out on her. All alone, pregnant and outcast, she knows this God cares. As a remembrance, she named the well there, Beer-lahai-roi; well of the Living One who sees me.

He sees us, friends. He knows your every fear. He knows you want to escape the trial He has placed in your life. He sees me. He sees me. Out of all the billions of people in this world, He sees me.

He is Beer-lahai-roi! 

Day Five ~ Abraham's Faith Confirmed

Genesis 22 reveals a story of true faith being revealed and confirmed. Abraham is put to a test that cannot be compared to anything anyone of us has ever been tried with. He was promised a son, and given a son. And then asked to kill his son. Abraham believed and trusted in His sovereign Yahweh.

Has your faith been confirmed by trials?

Day Four ~ God's Covenant

Covenant is a word not used in our culture much anymore; maybe because so many people have a hard time even keeping their word. For example, I covenanted with my husband 15 years ago. Yet, in our day and age, even that covenant can be broken very easily.

Think on this: God, creator of the world, made a covenant with Abraham, a mere human. He made a covenant that cannot be broken because the maker of that covenant must keep His word; that is His very nature.

Genesis 12:1-3; 15 was our reading tonight for the Jesse Tree.

Because of this covenant, we, the new testament church, can be grafted into having a covenant with our Maker. AND He promises this:

Philippians 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

I Peter 1:5 ...who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Lord Jesus, Thank you for saving me and keeping me. Thank you for your faithfulness even to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thank you for making a way for me to be covenanted to you.