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Some time back, I came across a great Bible Study called She Hears. Written by Rachael Groll, the study looks at the interactions Jesus had with six different women in the Bible.

One of these was the Samaritan Woman at The Well, and Rachael goes through the story, as relayed in John chapter four. But she starts by outlining how Jesus left Judaea, and headed to Galilee by way of Samaria. Once there, the Lord stopped at Jacob’s Well, and had a conversation with the woman.

Prior to going through the study, I’d assumed Jesus passed through Samaria because it was merely the best route to take. However, Rachael explains the Jews actively avoided Samaria. In fact, the tensions were so high that if a Jew had to go from Judaea to Galilee, they’d cross the Jordan River and travel along the other side (see map below). The Jews felt like they’d become defiled simply by stepping foot in Samaria!

Yet, not only does Jesus go through Samaria, but John 4:4 says, “And he must needs go through Samaria.” It turns out this phrase comes from the root word dei, which means “it is necessary, or what must happen,” in terms of a directive from God. Now for the really good part… Guess where else the root word dei is used? In Matthew 16:21, when Jesus is telling His disciples He “must go” unto Jerusalem (and the cross).

In other words, Jesus loved the Samaritan woman so much that He “must needs go” to her, just as He “must go” to the cross. And the “her” in this case refers to a woman whom most would have avoided, and who was even then living in adultery. Yet, God intentionally went to where she was – going out of His way to do so.

It’s worth noting here that the conversation with the Samaritan woman is said to be the longest recorded conversation Jesus had with an individual. It’s also the one in which He first disclosed His identity as the Messiah!

Having studied all of this previously, I’d been hoping to visit Jacob’s Well, or at least Samaria, while we were in Israel. We weren’t able to, because tensions still run high in that area. However, my ears perked up one day on the tour, when I heard there were only 140 Samaritans alive today.

My research shows the number is actually closer to 800, but still yet, learning of the small number of survivors made the story even more meaningful to me. This meant that God purposely chose to first reveal Himself to a people who wouldn’t be known as powerful or influential. In fact, they would almost become extinct. Not to mention, they were a people who literally lived on the wrong side of the tracks.

Most of all, however, I continue to be amazed at how much Jesus cares about us – down to the very least – and the least-worthy – of us. And while He doesn’t condone our sin, He intentionally comes to us while we’re in that sin. Then, just like He did with the woman at the well, He sits with us. He doesn’t rush us. He stays with us, until we’re able to fully grasp and accept His love.

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Simon Sinek is well known for his concept of starting with why. While Sinek’s ideas are primarily geared toward organizations, the importance of starting with why on a personal level can’t be overstated. Knowing what our guiding principles are define the way we live and can help us determine the best way of approaching any given situation.

That being said, even when we’re in tune with our values, and we’re committed to living them, at some point, we’ve probably all wondered how much they matter in the grand scheme of things.

On that note, I read something recently that hit home. In The Road to Character, David Brooks makes some poignant statements.

“What a wise person teaches is the smallest part of what they give. The totality of their life, of the way they go about it in the smallest details, is what gets transmitted. Never forget that.

The message is the person, perfected over lifetimes of effort that was set in motion by yet another wise person now hidden from the recipient by the dim mists of time. Life is much bigger than we think, cause and effect intertwined in a vast moral structure that keeps pushing us to do better, become better, even when we dwell in the most painful confused darkness.”

This is nothing new, I suppose, but it resonated with me in the sense of our ‘why.’ Meaning, what we do matters. Even if we aren’t a Mozart or a Steinbeck or a Martin Luther King Jr., we matter in that intertwining of a moral structure within society. Not to mention the impact we have on those closest to us.

In another place, Brooks says the heart can’t be taught in a classroom. I guess that’s where modeling behavior in all of the minuscule ways really does make a difference, and it trickles down from generation to generation. This is important on so many levels, from basic human kindness to work ethic, but the stakes couldn’t be higher in making sure the gospel doesn’t die out. And so, if ever we wonder whether the way we live matters, or if ever we need a reason to do the right things, this is a powerful reminder of the ‘why.’

While future generations will likely grapple with the same questions, we can certainly set the stage for them. Assuming we do our jobs well, even once our lives have become hidden in that dim mist of time with all who’ve gone before, we can leave behind a legacy. A legacy that enables and encourages future wisdom-teachers to continue paying it forward.

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Does she really think that looks good on her? Can’t they be on time for anything? He’s obviously on a power trip!

These are the kind of insidious thoughts that sneak up on us so easily. Problem is, our thoughts don’t always remain private. Eventually, whatever lurks inside our heart is placed on display through words and actions. I should know. It happened to me just the other day.

In talking with my husband and son, I heard myself saying (very vehemently) how hard it is for me to be around a particular person because they’re so critical. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! I was being critical about… someone else being critical!

Besides the obvious irony involved, I had to acknowledge that I’d easily identified a critical spirit in the other person because it was recognizable to me. Being critical is indeed something I grapple with at times, although we probably all do, to some extent. So how can we guard against this attitude that’s so toxic, yet so easy to fall prey to?

1. Understand Insecurities Can Lead to Criticism

I once heard Kathy Copeland speak at a ladies’ conference held at our church. She made a statement I’ve never forgotten. She said that insecure people are easily offended. How true this is! And offenses often manifest themselves as a critical spirit. So, the first thing we must do is to be aware of our insecurities and to recognize what’s taking place when we begin to have critical thoughts.

Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Which leads to the second point.

2. Placing the Word in Your Heart

There are some great, wholesome strategies for dealing with a critical spirit, but the most effective tool I’ve found is simply using the Scripture.

• Writing verses down on 3 X 5 index cards and committing them to memory

• Reciting them daily

• Praying over them

• Meditating on them

By doing this, something supernatural begins to occur. Our hearts change. Our way of thinking shifts. Before long, we find ourselves viewing others through eyes of grace.

Of course, for me, every so often, as happened the other day, I have to go and pull those cards back out. I’ve shared some of the verses from my Fighting Criticism Library below, but I’d love to hear of verses you may have used or that come to mind.

As a side note, we know the Bible often uses the word judging. When we criticize others, that’s exactly what we’re doing, isn’t it? Placing ourselves in the seat of judgment.

3. Check Your Heart Often

The last thing we must do is search our heart often. If we let up one little bit, the enemy gains a foothold. And by the enemy, in this case, I mean self.

Proverbs 4:23 says to “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

In summary, this heart stuff is work. But it’s rewarding work. It allows us to demonstrate God’s love, not an ugly and critical spirit, to those around us. There’s also peace when we aren’t at war with our own heart and mind. Lastly, when Jesus returns for His bride, we want our hearts to be clean and pure so we can welcome Him with open arms!

Fighting Criticism Library

• Rom. 2:1

• James 4:11-12

• Eph. 4:29-32

• Rom. 14:10

• Rom. 14:13

• Prov. 10:12

• John 13:35

• Phil. 2:14

• Psalm 19:14

• Prov. 19:11

• Is. 29:20-21

• Ps. 39:1

• Prov. 21:23

• James 1:26

• Phil. 4:8

• Prov. 25:28

• Prov. 12:16

• James 3:13-18

• Gal. 5:22-23

• I Cor. 13:4-5

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Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a noble king. The king treated his subjects well, and the people, in turn, adored him.

The royal baker was an industrious young girl who enjoyed making tasty dishes for the king. One day, the baker found a new bread recipe she felt sure the king would love. Knowing the new recipe called for more flour than the old one, however, she was dismayed to learn flour was suddenly in short supply in the kingdom. As the baker considered what to do about this, she was told the flour merchant was willing to sneak extra supplies to his friends. And so, the baker struck up a friendship with the merchant. Every evening the baker would go out on the town with the merchant. They would stay out until the wee hours of the morning, with the baker returning home just in time to begin the day’s work and slide her bread into the oven.

After a while, the baker started to become sickly from lack of sleep. Yet she ignored her body’s warning signs because going out with the merchant was the only way to receive the extra flour she needed. You see, ego was involved. By this point, her bread recipe was a favorite!

Alas, one day the baker became so ill she couldn’t bake at all, and there was no bread for the king’s table. This happened to occur on a day great dignitaries were dining with the king. Sadly, the king did not have bread to feed his guests.

The baker was heartbroken at having let her king down. She recognized whereas she had once been focused only on baking bread for the king, she’d unwittingly become focused on making her idea for bread a success. She’d stopped working for the good of the kingdom and instead started creating her own ‘kingdom’ of sorts.

Elsewhere in the kingdom was a young man who worked in the king’s stable. He began noticing another stable hand was always selected to drive the royal carriage. The boy was bothered by this apparent favoritism. He worked as tirelessly as the other fellow, so it hardly seemed fair. The young man started thinking about what he could do so that he might be asked to drive the carriage. He found ways of being nearby when the king came to the stable, sometimes leaving other work undone to do so. The boy also started rumors about the other lad, and made cruel remarks that led to fighting.

One day the two boys got into a scuffle, and in the melee, one of the carriage wheels was broken. Before it could be fixed, the king came out of the castle, needing to attend an important state function. Since the carriage wasn’t drivable, the king was unable to attend the event – one that would have led to a valuable alliance for the kingdom.

Similar to the baker, the young stable hand acknowledged he had stopped being focused on what the king required of him. Instead, he’d become focused on the recognition he perceived others as receiving. He’d then begun constructing a kingdom of his own, built around gaining recognition for himself.

Thankfully, both the baker and the stable hand realized the error of their ways. Even the flour merchant realized he’d become caught up in helping the baker create her own kingdom and went back to being the flour merchant he needed to be.

The moral of the story is we must not build kingdoms that compete with THE Kingdom of God.

Matt. 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Put another way, we might say we must seek God’s Kingdom, but in doing so, we’re assured (quite literally) of living happily ever after!

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Recently, my mom treated me to a mother-daughter day at Universal Studios. After a fun-filled day, we were both worn out, but decided to hit one more attraction before calling it quits. Kung Fu Panda seemed like the perfect choice; there was a short line, we’d be sitting down for the simulated show, and we’d be in an air-conditioned building!

The plot centered around a very rotund panda bear sent to fetch a magical potion for the emperor. There were many mishaps along the way, but the panda was finally nearing the emperor’s palace, potion in hand, when a bad guy swooped in, grabbed the potion, and disappeared. Now empty-handed, the panda landed on the steps of the palace (with a bone-jarring thud, due to his rather large girth). Surprisingly, the emperor did not look disappointed, but stood there, beaming and clapping. The panda shamefacedly reminded the emperor he didn’t have the ‘special delivery’ (the potion), to which the emperor, still beaming, replied, “You are the special delivery!”

This made me think of a faith statement I’d completed sometime back, after attending a Bible Study on the topic of faith. The Bible Study was given by Rebecca Monks, the Ladies’ Ministry Leader at our church. I remember two main points from her lesson that evening.

First, the action words that were used to identify the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. By faith Abel offered… By faith Noah… prepared (an ark)… By faith Abraham… obeyed… sojourned… By faith Moses… forsook Egypt… Whereas we tend to think of ‘having faith’ as a feeling, here we see faith is actually demonstrated through action.

Second, every person listed in the ‘chapter of faith’ was flawed, just like you and me. Gideon accepted the call of God only after arguing with Him, then ‘fleecing’ God – twice. Samson had a problem with women. Abraham told half-truths. Sarah outright laughed at the promise of God. We could go down the line, calling out each one. And yet God deemed them worthy of exemplifying faith in His Word. I dare say it’s because when push came to shove, they trusted Him, which resulted in a willingness to obey. This demonstration of obedience was faith in action.

Lastly, after the Bible Study, Rebecca handed out index cards, asking us to take them home and write a personal faith statement. I spent time prayerfully considering what this self-penned faith statement should reflect. Once completed, it was tucked safely between pages 1,722 and 1,723 of my favorite study Bible (by the faith chapter), where it remains. From time to time, I pull it out, read it, and pray over it, but I’ve never shared it until today. Partly because it’s personal and partly because I’m still working on living up to it!

By faith Kendra released her own aspirations and diligently pursued God’s plan for her life: for she realized that Jesus was her reward.

The emperor used a different phrase when speaking to the panda, but his meaning was similar to the last part of my faith statement, thus prompting some introspection.

Not long ago, someone made a comment about becoming discouraged over time spent in prayer because their circumstances weren’t changing. I felt the pain of that statement because I’d been there. I’d felt the disappointment of having trusted God without seeing the expected results. In identifying with these feelings, I was also made to realize how far I’d veered from my own faith statement. I had to stop and remind myself I’m not serving God for what He can do for me. I serve God because I simply want Him.

At other times it can be easy to lose sight of this because He does answer prayers. He provides for our every need. In these times, we must be careful not to be so blessed that we miss the greatest blessing of all: Jesus! Knowing Him, communing with Him, having a relationship with Him.

And so, I suppose inspiration comes in many ways. This time, it came through Kung Fu Panda, which led me back to a tear-stained faith statement and a fresh realization that Jesus is our reward!

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, “Fear not, Abram. I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.

Genesis 15:1

Imagine your country has suffered a brutal military invasion. Your neighborhoods have burned to the ground. Your holy places have been pillaged. Now you and your loved ones are being forced into slavery by the very people who committed these atrocities.

This is essentially what happened to the Jewish people in the 6th century B.C. When the king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem, his army tore down the city walls, burned the gates, and ransacked the temple. What a travesty this was to the people of God, but it didn’t stop there. Thousands of Jews were bodily marched a thousand miles away to live in captivity and become slaves to the Babylonians.

As terrible as that sounds, it had all been avoidable. Their captivity was the result of their idolatries and their disobedience regarding the Sabbath.

11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.

Jer. 25:11-12

Just as God had ordained the Jews’ captivity, however, He had also ordained their deliverance. Babylon was later conquered by Cyrus of Persia, and under Cyrus’ reign, God’s people began returning to their homeland. Ezra 1 tells us “the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia,” who issued a decree for the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. While the Jews being taken into captivity was by divine ordinance, the return to Jerusalem was as well!

My first thought was the great joy the Jews must have felt in going HOME! But I also have to wonder what changes in mindset occurred over the course of time. Grandpas and grandmas had died, babies had been born. Undoubtedly, romantic alliances had formed. For those born there, Babylonian culture would be all they knew. Even for the older folks, as humans, we adapt to our environment. It makes you wonder if there were some Jews who would have preferred to stay in Babylon, as Ezra 1:4 seems to indicate. Or if their servitude was so grievous everyone rejoiced in leaving Babylon.

In any case, God had decreed their captivity to be for a set time and so it was! In reading Ezra 2, what stands out to me is the precise accounting of God’s children. Every group is listed with the exact number of those who were beginning the trek back to their homeland. The numbers are not approximate. They are not rounded up or down. They are exact. This tells me even in captivity, God knew every one of His children. They may have been exiled, they may have been servants to the Babylonian people, but God knew exactly where they were.

Furthermore, once all of the people were listed, we’re told of the exact number of animals. 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

I’m reminded of two passages of Scripture. One being Matt. 10:29-31, which tells us He knows every sparrow and He has the very hairs of our head numbered.

The second is Is. 49:16, which says, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”

The word walls comes from the word chomah, which means a wall of protection. The word continually comes from tamid, which means perpetuity. The phrase before me comes from neged, which means conspicuous, before the face, or in view of. In one place, the phrase vividly present is used.

This is exactly what we see in Ezra. God’s people had been taken into captivity, albeit to turn their hearts back to Him. However, even in exile, their walls had been continually before Him. He had placed a wall of protection around them, and they were so conspicuously present to Him, He could list every one of them, along with the family they belonged to. He even knew what types of animals they had and how many of each.

Hopefully you and I will never have to experience what the Jews were facing in this passage, but at times, I’ve felt like I was in an exile of sorts. We can be encouraged to know God has graven us on the very palms of His hands. He’s placed walls of protection around us that will not end. Most beautiful to me is the fact we are never out of His sight. We are conspicuously, vividly, and perpetually present before Him!

Source: The Premier Study Bible

Have you ever got down to pray, only to feel like you were slogging through molasses – in rain boots? I mean, some days, the tears start to flow before I even reach my ‘prayer closet.’ The adoration and love for God overwhelms me, just thinking about spending time with Him. Other days… I can’t feel a thing! Try as I might, I can’t seem to find the words that will move me into His presence.

These are the times I’ve begun praying His Word. Without fail, when I do this, assuming I’m really thinking about what I’m saying, it’s no time at all before God’s presence fills the space.

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Ps. 5:3

When praying His Word, I’ve sometimes felt like I was cheating though. As if I must go to God with my own flowery words for my prayers to count.

In thinking about this, I recalled a conversation with a friend. She reminded me of something I’d said years prior, after she’d made some bad decisions and found herself in a difficult situation. I don’t remember the conversation she referred to, but she repeated the words back to me, and thankfully, they’d been words of encouragement.

Of course, sometimes we’d like our words to be forgotten, such as when our kids parrot them back at an inopportune time! But generally speaking, when something positive we’ve said is remembered, it makes us feel good.

In terms of praying the scripture, I have to think God feels the same way. If for no other reason than the fact we’re created in His image, I can’t help but think He loves it when we recount what He’s said.

Scripture also contains references to speaking the Word in prayer. For instance, in Acts chapter four, Peter and John prayed by quoting from David’s prayer in the second chapter of Psalms. Similarly, Mary’s praise in the first chapter of Luke is said to echo Hannah’s prayer from First Samuel. In addition, desiringGod.org reminds us many parts of the Scripture, especially in Psalms, are prayers.

I also have to wonder if not having the words is sometimes a way of driving us to God’s Word. To speak His Words instead of trying to come up with our own.

While that’s purely conjecture, I do know every circumstance we’ll encounter in life is addressed in the Bible in some fashion. Additionally, I know from experience when we pray the Word, He not only draws near, but He provides strength for the situation at hand. Lastly, praying the Word is something that was done in the Bible itself. So the next time you find yourself without the words to pray, try letting His words speak for you. Make His words your prayer. After all, the Lord says things so much better than we ever could!

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

Ps. 63:3

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The power of purpose. Living a purpose driven life. These are phrases we hear often, and while having a sense of purpose is certainly important, it’s even more important to have the right kind of purpose.

Consider with me that long before we had goals and dreams of our own, God had goals and dreams for us. He had a purpose for our lives. This idea was reiterated to me through a personal situation (more on that below), then again, unexpectedly, through Psalm 139.

Psalm 139, a favorite psalm for many of us, couples the grandiose omnipresence of God with His humbling attentiveness to the most mundane details of our lives. Verse 17 is particularly well known for displaying the magnitude of thoughts God has toward His children.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

Surprisingly, according to Strong’s Concordance, the root word for thoughts in this setting is rea, which means purpose or aim. This same root word is found just one other place in the KJV; in verse 2 of the same chapter.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Keil and Delitzsh also reference the word desire.

Looking at both verses in light of Strongs and K&D, we might say He understands our purpose and desires (verse two), but He also has a purpose and desires unto us (verse 17). Ones that are precious and many!

While I’m surmising, it seems likely His purpose unto us would include His purpose for us. However, assuming that’s true, it remains easy to lose sight of His plan when we’re focused on our own aspirations.

In a previous post, I mentioned starting a new job. During the early part of my unemployment, I prayed very specifically about the next job I hoped God would bless me with. The kind of work I wanted to do. The amount of money I wanted to make. Do you see the theme? Bless me… The work I wanted to do… The pay I wanted to receive… In other words, it was all about what I wanted. My goals. My desires.

Somewhere along the line, I felt God dealing with me about praying according to His purpose, but continued to justify my specific prayers with scriptures like “ye have not because ye ask not.” Once I finally surrendered, my prayers took on a much different tone. From that point forward I simply prayed God would give me the job that would be most pleasing to Him. The one where I would bring Him the most joy. I’m not saying this to make myself sound righteous. To the contrary, it felt silly to pray in this manner. Worse, even after I’d submitted, it was difficult to do. But thankfully, I’ve lived for God long enough to know what His nudging feels like and to trust that nudging (eventually).

Does that mean the job I’m starting is my dream job? No. Will I be earning the salary I’d originally prayed for? Again, no. But He did bless me with a very good job. More importantly, there’s not a job description or salary in the world that can compete with the peace of knowing I’m right where He wants me to be!

Reading through Psalm 139 this past week served as a confirmation that God’s thoughts and purposes are so much bigger than any career goal I might have had in mind. It also served as a reminder of how many times I’ve been so focused on my own goals I failed to consider whether they were pleasing to God or were aligned with His purpose.

So my prayer today is one of both thanksgiving and petition. Lord, thank you for the reminder that you have a purpose for each of us. I also ask that you help us to be mindful of this in the future. Lastly, help us to know what your desires are, then recognizing them, give us the courage to embrace and pursue your purpose!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jer. 29:11 (NIV)

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Years ago, a group of us would go to the local nursing home on Sunday afternoons to have church services for the residents. We’d sing a few songs and have a short devotional.

Having a busy day, this meant missing our Sunday nap, and the last thing we wanted to do was sing something draggy. But one of the residents there, an old man named Ralph, always wanted to sing In The Garden. Somewhat begrudgingly at times, we would oblige him.

Inevitably, we’d only make it about halfway through the chorus before hearing his warbly old voice above all the others. Looking back, we’d see Ralph there in the middle aisle, sitting in his wheelchair. Ralph had suffered a stroke, so one side of his body didn’t work well, but his one good hand would be raised and he’d have tears streaming down his face, singing for all he was worth.

I eventually got married and moved away, and I never saw Ralph again. Some years later, I learned Ralph had passed on. I also learned something that really impacted me. I was told Ralph had been a resident of the home for 20 years, and in all that time, he’d never had a visitor. Not one family member, not one friend, not one acquaintance. Hearing this, I realized at last why the song had meant so much to Ralph. The words, “I come to the garden alone… He walks with me… He talks with me… He tells me I am His own…” were more than just lyrics to Ralph.

Of course, I’ve since had my own times in the garden. Times when it was just me and the Lord. I’ve also come to realize some of our most precious moments occur when we’re all alone with Him. I’ll never forget an old man named Ralph who taught me this, and who taught me that God meets us where we are!

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I consider girdles to be a form of cruel and unusual punishment, so the story about a girdle in Jeremiah chapter 13 makes me cringe. Nevertheless, this short story contains a valuable lesson about the importance of trusting and obeying God’s voice.

To be clear, the word girdle in chapter 13 isn’t referring to Spanx, but rather, to a linen belt that could be used to hang weapons on. In the passage, God tells Jeremiah to get a girdle and put it on without letting it touch water. Despite the randomness of the directive, Jeremiah does what he’s told. Then God tells Jeremiah to take the girdle and hide it in a hole of the rock by the river. Once again, Jeremiah does as instructed, seemingly without question. Then after ‘many days,’ Jeremiah is told to go and dig it up again. Can you guess what he did? Yep, he obeyed. Then, and only then, did God reveal His reasoning to Jeremiah: God wanted to illustrate that similar to the now-marred girdle, Judah would be marred if they didn’t return to Him.

Of course, this is merely one of many times God attempted to bring His people back to a place of reconciliation with Him after they had strayed. What strikes me, however, is the willingness of Jeremiah to follow God’s voice without hesitation. I would imagine he had questions such as, “What is the purpose of all this? Am I really hearing from God or am I going crazy?” But if he DID have such questions, there’s no indication they stopped him from obeying God’s voice. This willingness to obey enabled Jeremiah to deliver a poignant message from God to His people.

At times, I’ve felt God’s leading to do things that seemed as random as wearing, burying, and digging up a girdle. Regretfully, I haven’t always obeyed as unquestioningly as Jeremiah! But God wants us to trust Him, even when what He’s asking makes no sense to our finite way of thinking. And it could be He’s waiting to see if we’ll obey before He reveals His plan or completes the work He has in mind.

Maybe like me, you have sensed a gentle nudging lately to do something that felt illogical, so you’ve reasoned it away. If so, I invite you to join me in taking a leap of faith. Let’s stop rationalizing away what we feel in our hearts to do. Let’s go out and get us that girdle!

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All of us have felt the sting of betrayal. People we love and hold dear, who have betrayed the trust we had in them. Promises made and broken. But have you ever felt like God has let you down?

What about the times we’re certain God has given us a promise, and we’ve done everything we know to possess it, but still, the promise seems to die unfulfilled. The most painful part is not the lost ‘thing,’ it’s having trusted God throughout the process, and still finding ourselves with a dead promise lying at our feet.

We know, of course, that God’s ways are not our ways. And if He’s spoken a word, it will come to pass, even if the manifestation of that word looks different than we expected it to. Knowing this, however, does not make the disappointment magically disappear when it feels like God has let us down. Not to mention the guilt experienced over our feelings. After all, this is GOD we’re talking about. Who are we to question HIM? We are here to serve Him, not the other way around.

In thinking about this, I heard someone reference Hebrews 4:15 and had one of those aha moments.

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Heb. 4:15

God is not touched by the infirmity itself because He has all power. The infirmity is no big deal to God. However, He is touched by our feelings about the infirmity.

The phrase touched with the feeling of comes from the word sumpatheó, which means to be affected with the same feeling as another. The word infirmities comes from astheneia. In addition to physical ailments, this word encompasses weakness in understanding.

This tells me that while infirmities are no obstacle to God, and while He provides the ultimate example in how to respond to testing, He also feels our hurt as we struggle to make sense of things. Even when that struggle involves feeling like He’s let us down. He feels our hurt over being disappointed in Him!

I’m thankful that while God understands all things, He recognizes that we don’t. I’m thankful for a God that not only allows us to be honest with Him about our feelings, but actually takes on our feelings as His own. This amazing kind of love serves as a reminder that even when we don’t understand His ways, we can trust His heart!

The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Ps. 138:8

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EX40 reports in a shocking turn of events, Aaron was selected for the priesthood instead of front-runner Moses.

Locals polled at the scene shared their reactions to the surprising news.

One gentleman from the tribe of Ephraim had the following to say, “We’re stunned. Moses is the one who led our families out of Egypt and he’s been our spiritual leader ever since. Moses is the one who met with God on Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. We would have expected God to select him for the priesthood.”

A woman from the tribe of Asher stated, “After all he’s done, we’re shocked that Moses was seemingly told to anoint his own replacement – Aaron – to minister unto God.”

A young man from the tribe of Dan had this to say, “Aaron’s sons are also being anointed for the priesthood, and the anointing will continue throughout their generations. It doesn’t seem right that Moses’ sons aren’t receiving an anointing.”

An uncle of the Ephraimite interviewed above added these comments, “Moses has such a connection with God. I remember during one portion of our journey, Moses wouldn’t settle for an angel leading us. He wouldn’t even settle for God sending His presence with us. Moses wasn’t happy until God said that He would go with us – and would show us His glory! Moses has an unquenchable desire for God. That’s the kind of leader Moses is.”

Correspondents were unable to ascertain why Aaron was chosen for the priesthood – whether it has to do with being the firstborn, it’s to provide Moses with some relief in the sharing of duties, or there’s some other reason. Regardless, this reporter has to wonder if Moses questioned why, after faithfully leading God’s people and after carefully directing the building of the tabernacle, he would not be allowed to minister to God in that tabernacle. Our affiliates were unable to speak with Moses directly, but could find no indication he questioned God on this. Eyewitnesses recall, “When it came to anointing the priesthood, Moses did as God instructed, just as he had with all the other instructions given for the tabernacle.”

Of course, God is by no means through with Moses, but the priesthood will certainly be elevated from this point forward and that priesthood will not include Moses or his lineage. Please stay tuned for further updates on this developing story. 

UPDATE! UPDATE!

At the time of our last report, shock waves were rippling throughout the countryside over Aaron being anointed for the priesthood instead of Moses.

EX4034 was recently given an exclusive look behind the scenes, to see what impact these changes have had on the people of God. In yet another unexpected plot twist, we learned the glory of the Lord had filled the tabernacle! Our affiliate station LEV1 also reported while Moses isn’t ministering to God as a priest, God has spoken TO Moses out of the tabernacle. They further documented how God has communicated through Moses the specific way in which the people (who are unholy) can approach God (who is holy) in order to have communion with Him.

Many attribute the recent manifestations of God’s power and word to Moses desiring God’s glory, regardless of whether he would be the one used to minister or his sons would be listed in the priestly line-up. As one local stated, “This is part of what makes Moses such a great leader. He isn’t concerned about who’s selected for a role, his only concern is that God’s people are able to experience His glory!”

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I love a good spy novel! Maybe that’s why the illustration below resonates with me. Ironically, this thought originated one morning, not while reading an espionage thriller, but while reading my Bible. You know how it is when your curiosity is piqued by a word or a phrase and you can’t move on until you’ve dug in a bit. In my ‘digging’ that day, I came across a commentary that I’d like to expand on. The piece, written by David Guzik, contrasts the difference between an agent and an instrument.

The Agent

In our setting, an agent can be defined as someone who is sent on a mission on behalf of another person or entity (for instance, an undercover agent sent to Russia on a top-secret mission!). It’s a noble concept, particularly as it applies to us as Christians, who are ambassadors – agents, if you will – for Jesus, sent to share the gospel.

Yet how many times have we heard or read about an agent who went rogue or became a double agent? A situation where the mission became compromised because of the agent’s action (or inaction)? Invariably, this occurs when the agent’s own free will becomes misaligned with – or takes precedence over – the mission, causing the mission to become compromised or even fail completely. As a side note, many times there are casualties involved, which also holds true for us.

The Instrument

Guzik contrasts this concept of an agent with that of a musical instrument, such as a piano. There is no free will involved for the piano. The piano exists solely to respond to the will of the musician. In fact, the piano is incapable of creating the music it was designed for without the musician. At times, the piano seems to reflect the feelings, the very moods, of the musician. Above all, however, the piano is subject to the musician’s will. As such, it responds unfailingly and unquestioningly to the musician’s touch.

The Choice

Like the agent in this analogy, we too have been given free will, but with that free will comes the ability to choose how we utilize it. When He ‘sits down to play,’ we can assert our own will or we can CHOOSE to relinquish our will to the Master Musician. We can question whether the piece is being played correctly… Who wrote the piece… Who’s commanding the orchestra… Or we can simply surrender to the skillful touch of the Master’s hands, thus producing the melody He has composed for our lives.

So, dear reader, in closing, I’ll share with you a simple question I often ask of myself. Am I an agent or am I an instrument?

He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. Ps. 147:3

Isn’t it crazy how a wound can become infected simply because it’s covered? Because it’s too protected? Despite the fact the wound was covered to aid in the healing process, the exact opposite occurs.

It’s said this happens when wounds are not allowed to ‘breathe.’ Ironically, these infections are sometimes the result of something that started out as a small scrape or cut. Once the infection reaches your bloodstream, however, it not only affects every part of your body, it also affects the way you think, and in some cases, can be fatal.

This is similar to what happens when we tuck emotional hurts away. Thinking we’re protecting ourselves, we place that pain where the breath of the Holy Ghost cannot reach it. Past hurts, even small slights, left untended, can lead to an infected spirit. Something that may have begun as a minuscule offense then winds up coloring our perception of everything and everybody.

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? Prov. 18:14

The good news is there is a remedy for this type of infection! When we follow the treatment plan prescribed below, we’re assured of a 100% cure rate.

That plan simply involves:

•Being ruthlessly honest with ourselves about the condition of our hearts

and

•Releasing all wounds, big and small, to the healing power of the Holy Ghost

When we do these things, we enable ourselves to experience the restoration of health and the true healing of wounds that Jeremiah speaks of!

Diagnosis

Infection of the heart

Treatment Plan

• Ruthless honesty with oneself about the condition of the heart

• Release of all wounds, big and small, to the healing power of the Holy Ghost

Cure Rate

100%

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