Author: amy

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Waiting for God’s Answers

To stand watch on the ramparts is to commit oneself to the protection of others.

Habakkuk stood on the ramparts to await God’s answers to difficult questions. Questions such as “Why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?” (Habakkuk 1:13, ESV). He asked these questions to seek answers for the Israelites about their delivery from slavery.

Like Habakkuk, we can stand on the rampart to wait for God’s answers to the difficult questions we want to write about. Our commitment to seeking answers from God can lead to stronger writing with clear explanations for others seeking the same answers.

Before we write, let’s ask God our difficult questions and wait on the rampart for his answers.

Habakkuk 2:1 (ESV)—I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

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Sharing Our Hurts

Hurt, such a small word for such a big emotion. Hurt comes in many shapes and forms, from a harsh but true critique of our writing from a trusted friend, to feeling like a failure when we receive yet another rejection.

Hurt, however, drives our spirit toward God. When we share our cry to the Lord in our writing and, more important, God’s healing result, other people receive a truth about God. Indeed, our proclamation of God’s truth makes others aware of God’s power to heal hurt, driving them toward the Healer.

So let’s share our truth, our cry to God, remembering he can bring our words to life for others.

1 Kings 17:21 (ESV)—Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child's life[a] come into him again.”

1 Kings 17:24 (ESV)—And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
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Offering a Broken Spirit

I am a broken spirit loved by God.

Our sin runs deep, yet despite our faults God remains faithful. Faithful to demonstrate his love when we reveal our broken spirit in our books. Faithful to provide wisdom to others when we divulge our deepest thoughts in our devotionals. Faithful to comfort others when we share our stories in blog posts.

Because he is faithful, we can write with a broken spirit and offer our brokenness to God. Then he can use our words for his good.

Psalm 51:17 (ESV)—The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
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Fixing God in the Foreground

A highlander cow standing in a grassy field
Proverbs 16:1 (ESV)—The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

A caption caught my attention while I browsed photos telling stories of Frank Lloyd Wright. The simple landscape photo, part of an exhibit in the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin, showed a field with cows in the foreground. According to the caption, Wright pointed out to the landowner that the cows in the foreground made the view of the grassy field better.

The same can be said when we fix God in our foreground. The plans of our heart transform from a flat view of a grassy field to a field with a clear focal point. The next steps of God’s plan for us become more evident.

Before we take our next steps, let us seek the Lord’s wisdom. When we seek his wisdom, we can hear his voice and discern his purpose. Then we can move forward with God in the foreground to guide us.

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Finding Refuge

Psalm 25:20 (ESV)—Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

I admit, I love a good airfare deal. The question becomes, do I pay the price as is or do I upgrade? Do I suffer the one-in-the-morning landing time with eight-hour layover or pay more for the arrive-at-a-decent-hour nonstop flight? Do I settle for the economy seat and hope for the best comfort possible or shell out the money for the extra-legroom-included seat?

Such questions tempt us to look to the value of creature comforts, a right-now solution with no guarantees of our future comfort. When this “promise” of comfort comes from Satan, he tempts us away from the best deal in life we’ll ever receive: obedience in exchange for God’s refuge.

Our obedience to God reveals value greater than creature comforts: protection from shame, God’s forgiveness and mercy, freedom from anguish, and God’s instruction.

As we strive for obedience, let us evaluate the value of our choice and ask if it offers God’s refuge.

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Sharing Our Story

Your story, in print, for anyone to read. How does this make you feel? Intimidated? Uncomfortable? Like hiding under a blanket and never coming out?

When writing for God, we don’t have to fear sharing our story. Why? Because God can use our story as a lesson for future generations, providing a glimpse of his glory through our writing.

Isaiah 30:8 (ESV)—And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever.
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Rebuilding Ruins

An old barn with empty spaces in the wall and a sign leaning against the building that reads, "Rides" with an arrow pointing left.
Ezekiel 36:36 (ESV)—Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.

The mowed-grass trail in Weldon Springs State Park winded in a loop, the trees and prairie on both sides of the path swallowing old farm buildings. Leaning against the remains of a wall was a white sign with red letters. “Rides,” it read, with an arrow marking the direction.

God marked the direction for the Israelites when their sin swallowed their existence. Their captivity in Babylon and the ruins of the Promised Land became a teaching tool for God to remind the Israelites, as well as other nations, that he is Lord.

To proclaim God is Lord is to put our faith in the one who provides salvation. It is trusting God can rebuild the ruins of a once ride-filled life. Putting God at the foundation of our life allows him to begin our restoration, and putting our faith in him leads to salvation.

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Helping Others Learn

My insights help others learn

It’s a big job being called to write for God, one in which we search and study the Scriptures for insight as well as read commentaries and others sources to ensure his messages shine through our words. And our hard work pays off! The wisdom we gain from our careful discernment of Scripture can be crafted into sentences that help others learn about Christianity.

Proverbs 16:21 (ESV)—The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
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Losing Our Old Self

Luke 9:24 (ESV)—For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Headphones on a bus to the airport. iPhone on an airplane. Glasses either at a bed and breakfast or at the terminal gate. Reading light and pajama pants in a hotel room.

I am a woman who loses things while traveling.

Although I know these things have only earthly value, and I lost money when I replaced some of the items, I mourn my losses. Especially the pretty purple headphones my hubby ordered in my favorite color. Sigh.

One loss we do not have to mourn: our old self. Because, when we pick up the cross and follow Jesus, the death of our old self saves our new self. Our life in Christ gains us our eternal reward.

As we examine our life today, let’s ask ourselves, “What other loss leads to gain?”

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Stewarding God’s Ministry

Beach with seashells and seaweed 
Colossians 1:24-27 (NIV)—I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.

The beach teemed with people lounging under umbrellas and tents. Cooler tops were popped open and towels were draped over chair backs.

The perfect beach scene…until I looked more closely. The tide touched an abandoned plastic bottle, pulling it out to sea. A broken bottle cap played hide-and-seek in the seaweed.

Beach lover that I am, I picked up the trash. I wanted the aquatic life to live by God’s design, not live a shortened life caused by clumsy human disposal.

Like stewardship makes a more beautiful beach, our stewardship of God’s ministry on earth makes God’s word more meaningful. Our rejoicing in our God-appointed commission even during our afflictions reveals to the people around us the mystery of God, our hope of glory.

Because Christ lives in us, we do not suffer for nothing. Our suffering acts as a beacon of light for other sinners to find salvation. And when other sinners find salvation, they too, like us, live life by God’s design.