When Fear Comes

 

When Sherry Poff asked me if I would like to contribute to Cup of Grace, I told her that I was not really a writer. But when I prayed about it, I decided that sharing some of the verses from the Bible that have helped me through my 77 years to trust and live and enjoy my relationship with God might be an encouragement to some of you. So I pray that these verses that I share with you now and then will be hidden in your heart so that the Lord might bring them to mind as the Spirit leads you through all situations.

FEAR: Fear is a very powerful word! It can cause us to feel and do things we should, or it could cause just the opposite reaction in our lives.

I was in Walgreens a while ago when all of a sudden, the lights went out. People just stopped where they were! A woman behind me said out loud, “I’m afraid of the dark; let’s get out of here fast!” A man behind her spoke up right away and said, “Don’t be afraid; God is in charge of my life, and we will all be fine!” Then the lights came back on! We all laughed, but it was great timing. I appreciated tat the man was bold enough in his faith to speak up to others with encouragement.

When I got home, I started thinking about Bible verses that tell us not to be afraid because it is true that God really is in control of our lives. I believe the Bible is the only real truth we have here on earth because it is God’s Word, and so I can trust what it tells me.

I’m going to share a couple of passages that I have memorized, and that I have quoted over and over again when that feeling of fear has come up in so many different situations.

Psalm 91. My fifth grade teacher had a huge impact on my life spiritually. One of the things she had us to was to memorize Psalm 91. She told us a story about one of her friends that illustrated how God could take care of us in “scary” situations. I have never forgotten it! Verse 4 says, “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust.” This friend came home one night and thought she heard a noise in the kitchen. She went in to check and turned the light on and saw a man crouching down on the floor. She was so frightened that all she could shout out was “He shall cover thee with his feathers, He shall cover thee with His feathers, He shall cover thee with his feathers!” Obviously, the man thought she was nuts and jumped back out of the window he had entered. (I am still waiting to use this example! Thank goodness!)

When John and I were engaged, and he was sent by the Army to serve in Vietnam, we chose this psalm to claim. It has been called “The Soldier’s Psalm.” John especially liked verses 14 and 15. “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.” I’m so thankful that John came home from the war to marry me!

Psalm 4:8 “I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

My grandmother, Taddy (Ella Belle Lippincott), quoted this verse to us at night when as children we were afraid of the dark. It had helped her as a child during storms that came. I have quoted this to my own children many times. Hearing the Scripture out loud brings such trust and comfort.

Another time I will share with you some verses that have brought me peace when my fear involved transitions and emotional situations and the worrisome fears that involve our families.  We all are afraid at some time furing our lives, but we can have peace when we sleep and have trust we we are awake because we have the Living God and His word in which to have faith.

--Mary Ramsey

Happy Day, Everyone!

 

Is there a holiday or observance more fraught with emotion than Mothers’ Day? It’s natural to have strong feelings about Mom, whether those feelings are warm and loving, resentful and angry, or filled with contradictions. We all have mothers, just by virtue of being human, and I think it’s safe to say that usually, we love our mothers.

When I think of my own mother, I feel a mixture of emotions: joy for the things I learned from her and the love she always gave me; sorrow that she isn’t still here on Earth to offer more advice and love; and regret for the questions I never asked and the insensitivity I know I showed at times.

I remember long-ago Mothers’ Days when I was a child in the hills of West Virginia. It used to be tradition to wear flowers for Mothers’ Day—red or pink if one’s mother were still living and white if not. Even in that celebratory tradition, there was a touch of sadness for all the white flowers in the room.

And think of the many cards we all made under the guidance of well-meaning teachers. What mom can just throw away her child’s handprint pressed into a piece of clay or a bouquet of flowers printed on paper, no matter how poorly colored? (Maybe you can, and maybe someday I can—but not yet, and my kids are in their forties!)

Scripture is full of examples of mothers—good and bad, but mostly good, I guess. There is, of course, the faith of Jochebed, the perseverance of Naomi, the obedience of Jesus’s mother, Mary, and others. We also have in our personal lives many good examples to follow. If that’s your own mother, you are blessed. If it isn’t, thank God for putting you in a community where you can see faithfulness, perseverance, and obedience lived out in the women around you.

For me, this week has been emotional for more reasons than Mothers' Day. A long-time neighbor pulled out of her driveway early Friday morning to move across the country. While we didn’t spend every day together, she had been next door to me for so long, she felt like part of home. She and I collected one another’s mail when necessary, stood in the road and chatted about gardening and neighborhood doings. I knew where her extra key was, and she could find ours if she needed to. I miss her. Then later on Friday, we had Senior Chapel at GBA—always a time of mixed joy and sadness. It’s the plight of teachers to learn to love young people and then tell them goodbye—over and over. Kind of like a mother.

Of course, I have my own children who love me so well and give me reason to be proud. But I don’t believe it’s possible to think we’ve done everything right, and when children choose things we don’t necessarily approve of, questions and lurking guilt threaten to spoil the mood of the most pleasant times.

Here is my comfort this week: God is bigger than my mistakes. He can work even when I can’t see it. His ways are not my ways, and all his ways are good. He knows what I am going to say before I say it. Nothing takes him by surprise. There is no place I can go—or my friends or students or children can go—to get away from God. (Numbers 23, Isaiah 55, Psalm 139, and others).

So happy day, everyone, whether you are a mom or want to celebrate your mom. Let’s all rest in God’s faithfulness.

--Sherry Poff

Rest

 

There are certain words that can lead to a physical response. I find this true of the word “rest.” It’s likely because I am one of the billions who are desperate for more rest. So when I read it, I feel my muscles relax, my breath slow, my brain calm. It’s something we all desire . . .  more rest.

We are a tired people that live in a hectic society. Finding rest feels counter-cultural. When in fact, God created us to NEED rest. In fact, He talks a lot about it at the beginning of the Bible. I’ve been listening to Exodus and Leviticus while I do the dishes and put away laundry lately. Ironic, I know. And dispersed throughout He calls His people to rest, to sabbath, to do as He did after creating all things.

 Even as I write this, I am day dreaming about taking a nap. I believe that Satan loves to sink us deep into the lie that resting should make us feel guilty, judged, wrong, when in fact resting is OBEDIENCE! I love this *convicting* quote from Elisabeth Elliot: “Rest is a weapon given to us by God. The enemy hates it because he wants us to be stressed out and occupied.” When do I most often take my eyes off God and focus on my own issues? When I’m stressed out and relying on my own strength.

What do we do when we see our toddlers and young children breaking down in tears and arguments and a fiery rage? Send them to bed! We know they need rest. I think about this verse a lot: Psalm 30:5. It says, “For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” There’s a lot we can dig into here, but one of the thoughts and truths I’ve seen lived out in my own life is that those days that are heavy and hard and exhausting sometimes are easily answered by sleep, waking up refreshed and renewed with new mercies. Why? Because God created us this way.

 Our God is a restorative God. That’s another word that gives a sense of relief - restore. He restores from dark to light, from sin to salvation, fear to peace, tiredness to rest. We see His goodness and mercy in all of these.

 We find our dependence upon God in our need for His rest. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

I know, my friend, you are just as tired as I am. Life is tiring, busy, hectic. It takes a lot of the Lord’s strength to stand against that societal busy-ness and find your time of rest. He promises peace and rest that we need. How can you do that today?

--Sandy Gromacki

Open My Eyes

 

“Your physical eyes can be wide open even while the eyes of your heart are sadly blind.”  This statement comes from Paul David Tripp’s daily devotional, “Everyday Gospel”.  I was a day behind in my daily devotions due to a hectic schedule earlier this spring, and this was the devotional I read the Sunday morning that we had a joint service with the Spanish church.

I love and am often amazed at how God will take something I have studied either in my devotions or my lessons for our ladies’ Bible Study and reinforce it with Pastor’s messages.  This particular devotional was reinforced in my mind by Pastor Yensi’s illustration of his mother’s blindness and how she used her sense of touch to help her “see” and “feel” Yensi and his siblings grow.

The more I thought about Pastor Yensi’s illustration, this devotional became so much more meaningful to me.  As Tripp mentioned in his devotional, our most important sight doesn’t come from our physical eyes, it comes from our heart.  You see, through using other senses that God had given her, Pastor Yensi’s mom could “visualize” her children growing because she had use of her sight previously.  It’s a scientific fact that when one loses use of one sense, the other senses take over and help to compensate for that loss.

Nothing can accommodate spiritual blindness!  In Deuteronomy 29:3-4, Moses, as he was preparing the nation of Israel to enter the Promised Land, reminded them of their physical sight and the warned them of spiritual blindness. He said, “You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders. But to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear.”

Moses was telling the Israelites that they had seen and experienced with their physical eyes all that God had done for them to bring them to this point, but they had not grasped or understood the true spiritual significance of all that God had done for them with their spiritual eyes—their hearts.  They had seen God’s love and power but were blind in their understanding.

We, too, can see and be blind at the same time. “Apart from an act of divine grace opening your eyes, you can look at wonderful things in creation but not see the glory of the one who has designed those things and set them in place.” (Tripp) We can read the Scripture, listen to messages, and study the Word all we want, but if we don’t seek with our hearts, God’s message, we become spiritually blind.

Living on top of a mountain has really given me a great appreciation for all that God has given us through His Creation. I enjoy the wildlife: deer, opossums, rabbits, birds (different varieties), wild turkeys, fox, bobcats, obnoxious geese, to name a few.  But what I love most is going out on a clear night, turning off all the lights, and looking up at the millions of stars in the sky.  I am reminded of how God told Abraham that he would multiply his seed like the sand in the sea and the stars in the sky. I am so thankful that I have the eyesight to experience that wonder and understand the Sovereignty of God.

Years ago, we would sing the hymn, “Open My Eyes.” May that be our prayer today.

Open my eyes that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.

Open my ears that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.

Open my mouth and let me bear
Tidings of mercy everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.

Open my mind that I may read
More of Thy love in word and deed;
What shall I fear while yet Thou dost lead?
Only for light from Thee I plead.

Chorus:

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my eyes, illumine me,
    Spirit Divine!

Bonnie King

Eucatastrophe: A Sudden Joyous Turn

 

Have you ever thought about what that Sabbath day between Jesus’ death and resurrection was like? The disciples had shifted the whole trajectory of their lives because of Jesus—leaving behind their past lives to follow someone they believed could change everything. And now he was dead. What must they have been feeling as they went about observing the Sabbath? Devastated would be an understatement.

 In his song “God Rested” for the Resurrection Letters Prologue, Andrew Peterson captures the feelings that must have been going around:

 “So they laid their hopes away

They buried all their dreams about the kingdom He proclaimed

And they sealed them in the grave

As a holy silence fell on all Jerusalem

But the Pharisees were restless

Pilate had no peace

And Peter's heart was reckless

Mary couldn't sleep”

The disciples didn’t remember that Jesus had already told them he would rise again. At the very least they didn’t believe it was possible. As far they knew, their hope was buried along with his body. But the Pharisees remembered his words. They didn’t believe, but they suspected that Jesus’ followers would try something to deceive the public into believing. The disciples weren’t waiting expectantly by the tomb, but the Pharisees convinced Pilot to station guards there.

“God Rested” ends with the line “and all creation waited,” and the music does not resolve. There is tension there, just as there must have been that Sabbath two thousand years ago. What do you do with your life when the object of your faith is just gone?

And then the greatest event in all of history occurred.

J.R.R. Tolkien coined the term “eucatastrophe” to refer to “the sudden joyous turn” in a great story (“On Fairy Stories”). The eucatastrophe is the event that happens to turn the tide when all hope seems lost. The eucatastrophe of the world is Jesus’ resurrection.

Can you imagine the disciples’ bewildered joy as they began to understand what had happened? Their hopes and dreams were not buried after all. In fact, Jesus was bringing about something even greater than they ever could have imagined!

Near the end of The Return of the King, Sam Gamgee awakes to see Gandalf after believing him dead. “Is everything sad going to come untrue?” he asks. How deeply we long for the answer to this question to be yes! And because of Jesus’ resurrection, it is. Our hope is not buried in the ground. Death has been defeated, and one day, we will be united with Christ, and there will be no more tears or pain.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

 

--Concetta Swann

Flow

 

From the book, “The Powerful Purpose of Introverts” comes the concept of “Flow.” It is when you become so engrossed in an activity that you lose all concept of time. “Flow happens whenever we are absorbed by what we’re doing, using our God-given strengths, and feeling both challenged and capable at the same time.” Marcus Buckingham, researcher says, “It is one of the most important signs that you are living a strong life.”

I love getting lost in my devotional time, hearing God’s voice, and following rabbit trails in an unhurried manner. I also enjoy long days when I’m able to take my time exploring the world of herbs, natural health, or whatever else interests me in a meandering manner. I learn so much, and it refreshes me.

One day my daughter and I went to paint pottery. I really got in the zone that day! We were there for hours and didn’t even realize it. I was shocked once I noticed how long I had been there, and she was late for work!

I recognize that many would find these flow opportunities a luxury due to a demanding work schedule or caring for children or other family members. I too have experienced that. If that’s you, ask God to show you how to work this into your life. It’s important for your mental and spiritual health. (Introverts especially need this selfcare.) There is no shame in accepting help from others so that you can refresh yourself. You cannot pour into others if your pitcher is empty! Maybe you don’t have hours to spare, but even a few minutes can make a difference. Here are some ideas:

My daughter makes her children go to their rooms for an hour each day for quiet time. If they don’t nap, they can read or play quietly. Use this time to refresh yourself instead of doing chores.

Leave a few minutes early for work and read a book (or whatever) in the car. For several years, my car was my prayer closet.

Get up earlier. I know, I know, who wants to give up sleep? I have found that I am not super productive in the evenings anyway because I am too tired, so going to bed earlier just makes sense. Then getting up earlier isn’t so hard.

Limit your time on social media. You might say, “but that IS my flow time.” Maybe. Or the blue light might be disrupting your deep, refreshing sleep. Or social media might keep you agitated and angry. That’s not rejuvenating.

Book a babysitter/ caregiver to make time for flow. It’s okay. No need to feel guilty.

Use a vacation day for flow. Who says you have to go on a trip?

Tack on an extra hour to allow time to sit in a park when you head out to get groceries.

Say no to less important activities. There are many good activities we should decline. Otherwise, we run ourselves ragged with no margin. In my youth, I experienced a lot of piled on guilt if I didn’t participate in everything at church. The Lord has taught me to shrug that off and choose the more important. (Gasp! You can pray about that!)

I wish you great mental, physical, and spiritual health (they are interconnected)! I’d love to hear your ideas for finding time for flow. May the Lord bless you.

joyce hague

Are You Just Talking, or Are You Responding?

            Have you ever been in a conversation with someone, and as you were talking, you had the sense that she wasn’t really listening to you? Then, as soon as you finished speaking, this person immediately started saying something that had nothing to do with what you had just told her?  It probably seemed to you that she was just waiting for you to finish so she could tell her own story. This is not true friendship or good communication, is it?

            This was the analogy I heard author and bible teacher Nancy Guthrie give in a recent podcast I listened to. She was talking about prayer, and how our prayers can be very similar to this listener in the above story. God speaks to us primarily through His Word. We read it in our daily quiet times with the Lord, and we hear it preached and taught and sung. Yet, when we pray, we come with our own lists instead of responding to what God has been saying.

            There is nothing wrong with a prayer list; I often use one myself. But am I also taking the time to respond in prayer to what God has been saying? Or is my prayer very one-sided? How can we do this better and not be like the friend who just wants to speak her own concerns? Here are some thoughts I have. I’d love to hear yours:

-- When I hear the Word preached or taught, I can respond in a prayer to the Lord. What is He saying to me? What do I want to say back to Him? What do I want to praise Him for based on what I just heard? What sin should I repent of? What can I give thanks for? How do these truths speak into what is going on currently in my own life or in the lives of those close to me?

-- When I spend time in the Word and then pull out my prayer list with my items to pray for, I can begin by dialoguing with the Lord about what I just read before I start bringing my requests to Him. What stands out to me? What am I confused about? Where am I challenged to walk differently, convicted of sin, or in awe of God? Furthermore, can my requests somehow tie in with what I just read? For example, “God, you are the same Lord who helped David trust you when his life was sought by King Saul. Help me to trust You today in my much smaller issue of [fill in the blank],” or “Lord, You say in Your Word that You are a fortress and refuge. Please be that refuge for my friend ___ today who is facing ____.”

-- I can let the songs I sing or hear sung become true prayers rather than words I simply think hold great truths. I can let the truths of those songs be avenues of worshipful prayer.

-- God also speaks to us of His glory in the beauty of His creation. As I notice a beautiful sunset, a field of sunflowers, or the night sky, I can respond to the Lord in worship.

            May we be women who bring our needs and the requests of those we love to the Lord, but may we also be women who listen to Him speak and respond appropriately. In doing so, our relationship with the Lord will be strengthened as we grow in our knowledge and love of Him.

--Amy O'Rear