Category: God

God, Trials

Remember What God Has Done

meghanewhite

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March 9th, 2021 was a day that started out quite normal. Tom was getting some lab work done to prepare for hernia surgery. We had no worries about his tests. I went about my day, and had just finished my grocery shopping. I was waiting at the red light across from our neighborhood. Very ordinary, regular stuff.

My light turned green, and I drove across the intersection. Immediately, my peripheral vision noticed something moving at me fast, very fast. It was a car. I knew I would be hit because there was no escape. Wham!!! I was struck on the front driver’s side so hard that my head slammed into the window. It was like slow motion. I thought to myself, “I’m going to be injured. This is bad.”

I waited for it all to stop, and somehow my vehicle made it to the side of the road. I called 911 and it was like a circus with police, and tow truck drivers. As I was standing there in complete shock of what just happened, Tom texted me that he was being sent to the hospital for blood transfusions. I quickly sent him a text back letting him know about the accident. We were both at the mercy of God, and other people, to take care of us.

Looking back at a very difficult time in our lives I see God’s hands. He protected me in the car accident. I walked away, and so did the other driver. We both could have been killed. I sustained very minor injuries and my brain seems to still work properly. Praise God!

Tom’s journey to recovery was a long one involving blood transfusions, hospitalization, surgeries, never ending lab work, lots of bad news from specialists, and many unanswered questions. He was in tremendous pain for months because of a catheter. The list for my husband’s suffering is a long one, but he never complained. I see God’s hand over Tom, and his health.

This week I can’t help but look back and remember God’s faithfulness to us during a very dark time. He was there the whole time. God never left us, and He never will.

When going through a difficult time it can be easy to focus all our energy on the problem, and then worry and fear creeps in. The difficulty can be so overwhelming that we can’t see beyond it, and we forget entirely, that God is on our side.

A quick fix to this feeling of fear and dread is to remember what God has done for us in the past when we thought for sure there was no way we were going to make it. But we did make it, because God took care of us. He did it before, and He will do it again.

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Exodus 20:2, NASB

The children of Israel had short term memory loss while they were in the desert. The Israelites were miraculously set free from the Egyptians by the Lord. Yet, they forgot what God did for them time, and time again. A problem would come up and they would complain and do something foolish, like make a golden calf and worship it.

Over and over again, God says to the Israelites “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” He was constantly reminding them what He had done for them because He knew what they were capable of by forgetting Him. Idol worship, breaking the commandments, forgetting who God was, and ultimately hurting themselves, were just some of the bad consequences of their selfish choices.

God will never break a promise. He made a covenant with the children of Israel. So when they cried out to Him, He answered.

So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them. Exodus 2:24-25, NASB

God was for the Israelites, and God is for you.

Are we any different than the Israelites? I have panicked when God doesn’t do what I want, when I want it. Then I try to fix things my way and it’s a mess. God graciously picks me up and helps me out because of Jesus, and His mercy and forgiveness.

Remember what God has done in your life. The times He showed up when the situation looked impossible. He provided, protected, and healed. He held you, comforted you, and spoke right to your heart. Write them down. Look back on them regularly. Thank God for His faithfulness. He’s not going to leave you.

For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Hebrews 13: 5b-6, NKJV

Love you all,

Meghan

God

Sometimes We Just Need Held

meghanewhite

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The other day I was deep in thought at the grocery store. I was looking at the fresh herbs deciding exactly how much basil to get. This is important stuff. Fresh basil is a big deal. As I was considering recipes and portions, a baby’s cry interrupted me. To my left a young mom was attempting to console her little baby boy. He was having none of that. His cries continued until she picked him up.

Suddenly the sweet little angel was calm because he was in his mama’s arms. Without even thinking about it I said, “Sometimes we just need to be held.” The little guy smiled at me. Memories of my own little babies when they were fussy flooded my mind. The precious young mom and sweet baby went about their shopping. We passed each other a few more times. The baby boy started fussing again when he was placed back in the shopping cart. He needed to be held.

Sometimes we need to be held. It does not matter how old we are, or how mature we are, or how long we have been a Christian. We need to be held in the arms of God. We need to be comforted, and nothing else will do to calm us down. We will never outgrow our need for comfort from our Heavenly Father.

It’s humbling to be in that much distress that we need comforted. We can’t rely on ourselves, we must rely on God. The deep pain and heartache are reminders of our need for God. We cannot live this life effectively on our own. We were never meant to.

What great encouragement to know that our God will comfort us, hold us, and carry us just like a little baby in need. It is a reminder of our human frailty. His love for us is beyond measure. God will not let go.

When we are comforted we then get to pass this on to others. It doesn’t end with our needs. God wants to use us as vessels of His love. We can hold that person who is in trouble. Maybe they need picked up, dusted off, and held. We all do at some point.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NKJV 

Love you all,

Meghan

 

 

Father God,

Thank you for your compassion and mercy. For those who need comforted right now, draw them to you. Comfort them with Your peace and love. May they experience Your supernatural presence. Hold them, and encourage them. Restore their hope. Heal their hearts. We praise You and thank You.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

 

 

 

 

God

Known by God

meghanewhite

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There are 17,000 Union soldiers buried in Vicksburg National Cemetery. The vast majority of tombstones say “Unknown”. Thousands of grave markers with no name. Were these men really unknown? Of course not. They had mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, wives and children who knew them. Unfortunately the makeshift grave sites during the Civil War identifying these soldiers were gone by the time a national cemetery was created.

I looked at row after row of these unknown soldiers thinking of their families who knew them well. The generals and high ranking officials have grand memorials with statues of bronze, yet the enlisted guys have simple markers with a number. God knew each and every one of them. They were known by a loving God.

Who knows you? Does your husband or wife know you? Maybe your friends know you. Your siblings might know you or your parents. Sure we all have people in our lives who know us better than anyone else, but who knows you the best? God knows us better than anyone, even better than we know ourselves.

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.

Psalm 139:1-4, NIV

Our creator, God, knows every single thing about us. He knows when we sit, and when we rise. He is familiar with all our ways. Before we say a word, He knows it completely.

God knows our struggles, our heartache, our deep pain. God knows our sins, and bad choices. God knows our ugly thoughts and our deepest needs. God knows every single thing about us, and still loves us like no one else can. God’s love for us is perfect.

Every person has the desire to be known. There is only one who knows us deeply, perfectly, lovingly. God knows you and He knows me. Do you know God?

There is only one way to the Father, that’s Jesus.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6, NIV

The God of the universe knows you. He made you, and loves you so very much. No one knows you like God. If you are feeling invisible or unknown, please be assured that you are known and you are loved by God.

God is always there, watching over you. Even when you think no one sees or cares, God does. He loves you passionately and will pursue you all the days of your life. God knows you, really knows you, like no other. You can trust Him fully. Do you know Him?

May you feel the deep abiding love of God, who made you and knows you. You are known.

Love you all,

Meghan

God

The Lord Bless You

meghanewhite

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“‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
 the Lord make his face shine upon you
    and be gracious to you;
 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

Numbers 6:24-26, NIV

The Priestly Blessing is one of the most beautiful passages in scripture. I adore these verses. There are denominations that end each service by reading this blessing. What an incredible way to end a time of worship.

These are God’s words to the Israelites and to us. God loves us so much. He is with us, guiding us, protecting us, shining His face on us. This is miraculous. The God of the universe is infinite and intimate.

When the Lord gave these words to Moses to tell Aaron and his sons, Israel would soon leave Sinai and head out to the desert.

34 For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ Numbers 14:34, NIV

The Lord used those forty years in the desert to prepare the Israelites for the Promised Land. They would need that daily reminder of the Lord’s love and faithfulness. This was His blessing for the journey through the dessert.

You might be in a desert right now, or about to go through one. You will make it. The Lord will bless you and keep you. You may have to eat some manna during the desert time, but you will come out stronger with a deeper faith in the Lord.

God never lets time in the desert go to waste.

There were countless miracles in the wilderness for the Israelites. God provided manna and quail. Their flocks increased. God blessed them with health. They followed a supernatural cloud by day and fire by night. All these things and more happened in the desert.

I can’t help but think of what is happening right now. As the world turns against Christians increasingly more and more, we must keep our eyes on the Lord. The Lord will sustain us. The Lord will continue to bless us. The Lord will keep us. The Lord will keep shining His face on us.

27 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6:27, NIV

The Lord is the one who blesses through the words spoken by the priests. God putting His name on the people shows they belong to Him, and He is the source of all blessings. Those of us in Christ are now children of God through our faith in Jesus (Galations 3:26). We belong to God from whom all blessings flow and we bear the name of Jesus (1 Peter 4:16). In Jesus we have every single thing we need.

The Lord bless you and keep you,

the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you peace.

Amen

Love you all,

Meghan

God, Jesus

Birds Don’t Worry

meghanewhite

photography of small blue and brown bird
Photo by Tina Nord on Pexels.com

If there was a contest for the best worrier I would have been in the running. I may have even won. The old me was a worry wart. I like to say that I was a born worrier. I was very good at it. The champion of worriers. This is not the kind of accomplishment to be proud of.

These days I worry much less. Worry still tries to rear its ugly head and take over my thoughts, but now it doesn’t have me captive. When worry threatens to take over, I know how to fight back. I did not learn this overnight. This has taken many years by the grace and mercy of God.

Jesus is quite clear that we are not to worry. He does not suggest or recommend that we do not worry, Jesus commands us not to worry. He uses the illustration of birds to show the importance of trusting God to take care of us.

Birds are beautiful, majestic creatures. I love bird watching. The lovely songs they sing, and their extraordinary colors are awe inspiring. With all their flying and forging they aren’t worrying. Birds don’t have barns or warehouses for their food, yet they are always fed because their creator, Father God, feeds them.

You and I are much more valuable than birds. We are made in the image of God, the pinnacle of His creation. If God takes care of the birds, won’t He take care of us?

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

Matthew 6:25-27, NIV

I love this passage in Matthew. I have read it so many times over the years that the page is falling out of my Bible. These incredible words from Jesus have penetrated my heart and my mind to set me free from worry. That’s how much our Heavenly Father loves us. He does not want us worrying. He cares for our every need and we do not have to worry.

Worry does no good, only harm.

Worry changes absolutely nothing.

Worry places our focus on our problems, or potential problems.

Worry cannot take care of our needs.

Worry takes our eyes off of Jesus.

God loves all of His creation. He cares for the birds He made by providing food and shelter for them. We are much more precious to God then birds. God knows what we need.

God will take care of you.

There is a key component to trusting God for all of our needs. We must seek His kingdom and His righteousness first.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33, NIV

We must seek God first and foremost. If we are earnestly seeking God, we must expect to find Him.

God is sovereign over everything. He rules over all creation, including us. He is our provider and we need to look to Him and trust Him, because He is trustworthy. God loves us and will take care of our needs.

What are you worrying about today?

You can give every single worry over to your Heavenly Father. He is able to take care of your every need. Seek Him, and His Kingdom, and He will take care of your needs. He will replace your worry with peace.

Love you all,

Meghan

Father God,

You are worthy of all our praise. Forgive us when we don’t trust You and we worry. Replace our worry with faith, peace, and complete trust in You. Thank You for loving us and providing our every need.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Read the entire passage in Matthew at the link below.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206%3A25-34&version=NIV