Look Up

Oh, these last few weeks have been difficult. I shared recently about our decision to move on to a different ministry, and since that time we have spent countless hours processing through that decision with the people we love so dearly here. Regardless of how anyone feels about the specifics of our decision, the leaving is not easy.

One of my dearest friends here in the Northwoods has encouraged me in so many ways recently. Mostly, she has not allowed the sadness of our decision to sway her faith in God's mighty hand and faithful provision. She kept saying to me last week, "If I look at the circumstances, I become overwhelmed and discouraged. If I look at God, I remember that anything is possible."

That is the truth that can bring hope and comfort to any situation that we face in life. God. He holds the world in His hands and will never leave or forsake us. None of us, anywhere.

In some ways I am grateful that our friends and students here feel a loss at our leaving (it means that actually like us! And hopefully that they saw God work through us. . .). I keep telling them that if they weren't sad I'd be a little offended.

But I am desperately praying that they all come to the same conclusion as my dear friend; that they choose not to focus on the circumstances but on the God who formed them in their mother's womb and mapped their days before they drew their first breath. God is worthy of our trust and His plans for us are for our good.

I was meditating on the Beatitudes again this morning (I'm a little hooked), and a cross reference sent me to Isaiah 55. If you are one of my loves from the Northwoods, read this with great assurance that God is speaking these words straight to you and into your situation. It is a powerful reminder of the love, provision, and protection of a God who can do anything at any time in any one.

Invitation to the Thirsty

¹ "Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.

² Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

³ Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.

⁴ See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander of the peoples.

⁵ Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations that do not know you will hasten to you,
because of the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor."

⁶ Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

⁸ "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

⁹ "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

¹² You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

¹³ Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the LORD's renown,
for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed."

God's ways are not our ways. Sometimes the plans He has confuse us. . . we think, "How can this be for our good?" But rest assured that He can do anything. I think right now the most comforting part of this chapter in Isaiah is verse 11:

It (God's word) will not return to me (God) empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

God has a plan and a purpose in our lives, in our families, and even in our churches. He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). Take heart and know that God is good and that He is in control. He can (and will!) work good in your life when you surrender to His purpose and walk faithfully in love with Him.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.