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The Course

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 26, 2018

 

Each day, each week, each month is a new start, a white parchment stretching out before us, blank to the horizon. What will God write on it? What will we write? We cannot know now, but we do know that God is good and has prepared a course for us that will move us upwards and onward, no matter how it may appear.

Hebrews 12:1&2 has been a great help to me this year, assuring me that God has laid out a race for us and that Jesus is running with us. It gives us the perspective needed to realize what great roles He has offered us in the midst of distressful happenings.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,”

[Indications are that we are being watched by many: certainly angels, demons and maybe those who have gone on before us who lean over the balcony of heaven to cheer us on, as well as the people who see us every day. We are not hidden in a corner, but are in the stadium, running for God, and our performance matters.]

“let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”

[Realizing our role, we should eagerly look to jettison anything that prevents us from running well. This could range from too much phone/TV/movie/game time, to sin we are willfully engaging in. Like a runner shedding his street clothes, stripping down to just the essentials, so we should eagerly give up what hampers us in this race for life.]

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,”

[It’s clear: God has set out a course for each of us; nothing is random, we cannot get lost as long as we follow the path before us as it twists and turns, dips and climbs. The race will require perseverance, and endurance, but God gives those, too. Are we going to run or will we sit and feel sorry for ourselves when the climb is steep or the mud is deep?]

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”

[Jesus is running with us! And as we run, we are to keep our eyes on him, not circumstances, other people or our feelings. When we encounter difficulties, we can know they are for the development of our faith as Jesus works to mature and perfect it.]

“For the joy set before him, he [Jesus] endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

[We need to have Jesus’ attitude. As He faced the cross, He looked beyond to where he would be seated again with God. We, too, need to look to where we are going (eternity with God), to count as nothing the shame we and the world try to heap on us, and to rest in the Truth of the coming new Heaven and new Earth.

Charles Spurgeon said, “Christian, meditate much on heaven, it will help you to press on and to forget the toil of the way. This vale of tears is but the pathway to the better country; this world of woe is but the stepping stone to a world of bliss.”

So true! So let us run with perseverance and endurance the race He has set before us for this day, keeping the big picture in mind, laying aside whatever hinders us, looking to Him, trusting Him, praising Him in all, following Him–and we will fulfill the purpose of our lives: honoring Him before all.

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The Race

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 25, 2018
 
Praise you, Lord Jesus, for your persistent presence in my life, for your perfect plan, your gracious goodness and your wise words you share with me.
 
Thank you that you have laid out a race before me, a person-specific race. Thank you that you’ve equipped me to run this, giving me gifting, experience, growth and grace to move through whatever challenges it brings, whether it be Barbara’s unending, debilitating depression, difficult renters, opposition to my witness or five broken tractors.
 
Thank you for your goals in this race, some of which are:
–giving me opportunity to play a significant role in your overall plan;
–giving me the chance to bring honor to your name, multiple times every day;
–exposing my sins and the unnecessary weights I unknowingly carry, so I can repent and jettison them;
–giving opportunities to mature as you move me through successive challenges;
–and in the midst of those to be an example to believers, as well as a witness to unbelievers;
–giving me multiple chances every day to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and thereby honor you by obedience and trust;
–to please you through faith, and thereby overcome the world.
With this perspective, my life goes from being one long series of unwanted problems to be endured, to joining you in one adventure after another. In this I get to see your power, your grace, your goodness and your loving provision multiple times every day, often every hour. And all this is part of your purpose for my life: allowing me to bring more glory and honor to your Name. What a great and good God you are!
 
Help me to live in this light, Lord, to persistently join you in what you are doing, to very frequently check in to make sure I’m on course with you, and to consistently choose to live the truth that Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy!
 
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the Judge and the Criminal

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 24, 2018
You, Lord God are wonderful: so gracious, so kind, so firm, so faithful, so consistent. Your agape love flows from your being no matter what we do—for you are love itself.
 
But, without punishment for evil, your love would be faulty because love protects from evil, love brings refuge, shelter and safety. Therefore, justice is a part of your love, giving what your rebellious creatures deserve in the perfect court of judgment. Yet in each case, you offer us sinners pardon. That is an astounding truth, if you think through the implications.
 
A criminal is brought before a judge for sentencing. His guilt has already been established beyond a shadow of doubt– although he protests, saying his acts weren’t that bad. His crimes are read out along with his sentence: execution. He hangs his head at the prospect.
 
Then the judge gets up from his bench, comes down to stand beside the condemned prisoner and puts his arm around him. The prisoner looks up. “Bob,” says the judge, “I want to offer you a full pardon for your crimes. But, in order for me to forgive you, your sentence must be served, so, if you accept my offer, my own son will be executed in your place. You will go free and be able to have a fresh start in life.
 
“There are, however, some conditions for this pardon. You must fully confess and accept your crimes. And, because you are forgiven at a great price, you must be willing to seek to live a life for good. To help you in this, I invite you to come and live with me in my mansion as my new son. I will provide abundantly for all your needs, I will support you with meaningful, important work, along with training, guidance and resources. I will be with you every day, protect you from harm and will love you unconditionally. Along with this, you will be my heir.”
 
What condemned criminal wouldn’t accept that? Yet many, many people reject an even better offer from you, Lord God, one of total pardon, of eternal life, of a transformed being, of power to live rightly, of meaningful work with you, plus love, joy, peace, hope and security. And most importantly of all, a close, warm, wonderful relationship with you–out of which flows all the goodness you have for us.
 
Everything else pales in comparison to knowing you, living with you, being loved, accepted, and cherished by you. I praise you, Lord God, Heavenly Father, that you have called me to be your son, to come into your family, embraced by you, and to become the object of your delight, your joy, your care.
 
What a marvel, I who deserve your wrath, have been transformed into your dearly, warmly loved son in whom you rejoice. You provide me with full access to your throne room at any time, you give me your full attention at all times. You unendingly pour out your full love on me–a love that is undeserved, unconditional, unlimited, flowing constantly, surrounding, engulfing, nurturing, protecting and cherishing me.
 
This is what you offer, Lord Jesus, for you are love itself. To you be unending praise, honor and ever-flowing exaltation. You are most worthy of glory, for you are good to us against all logic, beyond all comprehension, over all expectations.
 
Therefore, I commit myself, for your honor and joy, to live in the light of your love this day, focused on you, responding to your love with obedience, openness, attention and thankfulness. May you be exalted, glorified, praised and pleased in all I do.
 
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Psalm 37:7-11

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 23, 2018
Psalm 37:7b
 
“do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
 
[Here is the word for all of us who wonder why the evil succeed and the righteous seem to fail. This command shows how are we NOT to respond when our leaders pass laws approving of evil, bringing wickedness and encouraging disobedience to your Word. Such things will happen: God allows them for His reasons and will use this evil to open the eyes of many to their need for a Savior. Our part is to NOT fret. Are we willing to trust Him so?]
 
Psalm 37:8 “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”
 
[God knows the natural tendencies of our heart: fear, anger, chafing and wrath. All of these are wrong. I praise you, Lord that your Word is clear: these human reactions lead to the opposite of what you want, Lord, because we focus on people and events, not on you with your great plans, your wide wisdom, you magnificent might that you will use to right all wrongs at the appropriate time.
 
Help us to let go of our anger, to move through prayer, doing good and trusting you in the midst of difficulty. We should refuse to be involved in culture wars where hateful words strengthen focus on our seeming enemy. We should instead be involved in grace giving, loving those who oppose what is biblical, doing good, speaking truth in love, while standing against what is evil. The rhetoric of talk show hosts, with its name calling and bitter opposition is not for us. The rhetoric of Jesus in the sermon on the mount is what we should pursue.]
 
Psalm 37:9 “For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.”
 
[We can respond in grace, in goodness and wisdom because we know the outcome. The wicked will be dealt with, while we who Hope in you, Lord, will get all. We may have temporary setbacks, losses and defeats, but in the long run, you will bring the victory. This we need to keep in mind.]
 
Psa 37:10 “A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.” [Repetition makes it more certain. In the Lord’s timing, the evil ones will be dealt with.]
 
Psa 37:11 “But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.”
 
[And in great contrast, those who submit to your time table, to your plan, will get more than they can imagine and with it have great peace. I praise you, Lord God, for the richness of your heart, the splendor of your schemes, the magnificence of your mind, all displayed in your persistent patience as you wait for the perfect point in which to act.
 
We, too, can wait, knowing that you will do all wonderfully. An example of this is how my parents (in the picture here) finally came to Christ in their 80s, after many years of prayer for them. Help us, Lord, to be people after your own heart, believing your Word, acting according to what you have revealed, and sharing your grace and goodness to all around us.]
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Psalm 37:6-7

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 22, 2018
Psalm 37:6 “He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
 
[Praise be to you, Lord God, for only you truly know where we are right and where we are wrong. When we are falsely accused, unjustly condemned, or wrongly attacked, we are to entrust ourselves to you. Then at just the proper time, you will clearly and publicly reveal where we are right in you–which may be next week or it may be in eternity.
 
The key is that we need to wait for your timing. This means to be willing to endure wrong, to pass through the tension of others’ disapproval and condemnation, believing that you, Lord, know the truth and will bring it out at the right juncture.
 
I praise you for the times in my life where you did exactly this, with those attacking me, admitting in the end, that they were wrong, without my forcing their hand in any way. I praise you, Father of Truth, that you are faithful to bring timely vindication of those who trust in you.
 
Psalm 37:7 “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;”
 
[That can be so hard! We want help and justification now! But you, Lord, in your wisdom and complete knowledge, will move in your perfect timing–which is usually different than ours.
 
“Why do you wait so long?” we cry. Yet you are at work, preparing all for the right time of revelation and deliverance. A good example again is Joseph. You kept him in captivity “till the word of the LORD proved him true.” (Psalm 105:19). When Joseph had learned all he needed, then God acted and brought him out of prison and into Pharaoh’s service.
 
And it wasn’t until more than eight years after becoming the ruler that Joseph was justified before his family, when they came to Egypt for food. Then his prophetic dreams came true as they all bowed down to him. It was God’s timing.
 
Then there was David, who had to wait years after being anointed before he actually became king.
 
Am I willing to wait for God’s perfect timing? Things work out much better that way! Help me, Lord, to rest in you, to patiently trust you, to join you in waiting for the perfect time to answer my prayers–and thereby bring you honor before the great cloud of witnesses that surround all believers (Heb 12:1).]
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Light in Darkness

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 21, 2018

 

From my worship journal, written 5 years ago, but so relevant to our present dark situation.

 

Lord, I praise you this morning for the great and high privilege of knowing you, of being your child, of knowing how I fit into your creation. It is wonderful to have, in you, acceptance, worth and value, position, power and privilege, holiness, help and happiness. These are your gracious gifts to your children; I can find them in no other source.

 

You, Lord Jesus, are my Savior, my Shepherd, my Sovereign. I praise you for your great Love, for your Faithful follow through, for your pure Perfection, for your high Holiness, and for your full Forgiveness. You are always there, always loving, always good, always effective, especially when I cannot see or sense any of this. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them” (Psa. 34:7).

 

I praise you that you help me as I need it—which is all the time. I thank you for the difficult times you lead me through, I thank you for the problems, the disappointments, the anguish that are important for my growth and deepening (James 1:2-4), and provide opportunities to give you honor (Psa. 50:23). I praise you for your care, your protection and your provision in the midst of it all.

 

You, Lord God, are Mighty, Majestic and Magnificent; you are Great, Gracious and Good; you are High, Holy and Humble. You are worthy of worship, of obedience, of glory, of exaltation, of magnification, of honor, of praise. And I want to give all of these to you today.

 

Lord, at this time of such difficulty in my life, one of the most comforting, encouraging things about you is that you have a plan and a purpose in what you do: “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever and the purposes of his heart through all generations” (Psalm 33:11). You know exactly what you are doing and you are going to bring about your great goals no matter what the enemy, Satan, wants, no matter what your enemies (unbelievers) do, or how your children rebel: “The Lord foils the plans of the nations and thwarts the purposes of the peoples” (Psalm 33:10).

 

I praise you with my whole heart, with all that is within me, for your wisdom, your power, your love and your faithfulness–all of which are displayed in your planning, promises and past performance. These give me great security, for when all seems to fall apart around me and in me (as it is now), I can know that you are at work, bringing to pass your plans for the future, for the universe, and for me.

 

Just as you were with Joseph, so you are with me. You were with him when his brothers sold him, when he trudged through the desert in shackles, when he was sold again in Egypt to just the right man, when he was put in prison, when the man who promised to help him forgot—you were at work, preparing Joseph for the great task of saving many and preserving the line of Christ, playing the role you had for him.

 

So you are doing in my life. I can trust you, no matter how bad things seem to get. I can know that you are carrying me forward, not because I deserve it, but because you are the God of Love, Light and Life who has proven your care for me and every other person in the world, over and over again. I can rest in your Truths when, from my perspective, everything is going wrong.

 

You only, Lord God, are my Rock, my Salvation, my high Tower, my Fortress, my Sanctuary. In you I am safe, in you I am protected, in you I have refuge. I praise and thank you for your goodness to me in every way, none of it deserved, all of it appreciated.

 

I thank you for your care and protection you will provide for today. I bow before you in worship. I surrender to you my will, my life, my future. I rise up to obey you no matter how I feel. Help me to keep on the armor, to stand firm in your Truth, to follow you consistently. To you be glory in my life today. Amen!

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Accepting Interruptions

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 20, 2018
Written in December 2011 when Nat and Abby were visiting us in Germany with their first son, little Benaya
 
Praise you, Lord, that you are the One in charge, that you know what is best and that you allow things into our lives that we would never choose–but are events that will be of great use to you–and us–in the long run.
 
Benaya was awake quite a bit in the night, crying before 5 am, so I got up, took him into the living room and shortly we both fell asleep as we sat in the easy chair, waking up about 7:30. He felt much better and so did I!
 
This gives me a late start in the day, which I don’t like, but it is your day, Lord, and I praise you for it. It is so good to be flexible and let go of things easily and quickly, moving on with you in what needs to be done.
 
Thank you, Lord God, that you are Sovereign, in control, moving things ahead, working with our errors and even our sins and the rebellion of mankind to bring about your over-all plans. Praise you that no detail escapes your attention, that you arrange the smallest aspects of life to give all people the opportunity to hear and believe. Praise you that you love all, have provided the possibility of salvation to all, and work with all to bring understanding.
 
I praise you that you call us into partnership with you in this, giving us truth and wisdom, desire and guidance so we can be carriers of the gospel, purveyors of light and sharers of truth. Praise you for your graciousness in including us in such a great and wonderful work.
 
You, Lord God, the triune One, are worthy of worship and glory, honor and praise all the time. I thank you for your Word that gives revelation and insight, light and direction. I am so thankful for how, over the years, you have gotten me into your Word in memorizing and mediating, in reading, in studying and thereby bringing continual growth.
 
You, O God, are the great and good One, before whom I want to bow down and worship, whom I want to fear and obey, whom I want to honor and exalt before all I meet today. Help me in this, Lord. Truly, it is a delight to delight in you!
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Psalm 37:4b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 19, 2018

Psalm 37:4b [“Delight yourself in the LORD,”] “and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

[When we delight in you, Lord, we are giving you first place in our hearts. You become truly our God, our final authority; you are the Mighty Lord, ruler of our hearts; you are our first Love, the most important One in our lives.

Therefore, you can safely give us other things, knowing that they will not become idols for us. Whatever you give us will be a tool, not a temple, it will be a help, not a hindrance.

There is also a second meaning to this phrase, I believe. As I praise you, Lord, as I focus on you, delighting in you, worshiping you in all, you will put the right desires into my heart and then fulfill them in whatever way and time you know is best.

This means there will be a shift in my desires from self-centered and temporary goals, to loftier and more eternal ones. I will go from wanting God help me in my narrow vision to wanting to join Him in His great plans.

For example, I will go from focusing on success and fulfillment to wanting God to have as much glory as possible. I will go from wanting to be comfortable and safe to wanting as many people as possible to come into the Kingdom, no matter how unsafe that makes me. I will go from assuming my goals line up with His, to asking for Him to show me His goals. I will go from assuming my motives are correct, to letting Him guide me in examining my motives so I can reject the negative and neutral ones, and act only out of godly ones.

As I delight in Him, there will be successive worldview shifts, for the light of His presence will expose where I am unconsciously acting out of my natural, western worldview. For example, delighting in Him leads me away from highly valuing comfort to delighting in “weakness, insults, hardships, persecution and difficulties.” It will lead to to grasping and internalizing the uncomfortable truth that, “…when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10)

Delighting in Him is what led us to leave everything we loved in 1979 to live in the challenging and uncomfortable environment of the Middle East. Delighting in Him is what led us to each subsequent and difficult decision: leaving the Middle East to return to the US in 1993; returning to the Middle East in 1999; leaving again in 2008 to live in Germany. None of these moves were what I preferred, but delighting in Him made me want His plans more than my preferences. When delighting in Him, obeying Him was the only viable option—the best and wisest one.

Delighting in Him is also the means of moving through the present difficulties of Barbara’s illness. His desire for our growth and our ability to give Him glory through offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving over and over, is far more important than our comfort or ease or health. His plans become much more important than ours.

Delighting in you, Lord, is the way to freedom from self, sin and Satan; it opens the way so you can place in our hearts your desires; it is the way to a healthy and happy dependence on you; it the way to the fierce and fine joy that you want to share with us.

Help us, Lord, to continually delight in you, to find our primary pleasure, our joy, our satisfaction in you, so that every day we may bring to you honor and joy, praise and pleasure, greatness and glory. Amen.

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Psalm 37:4a

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 18, 2018
Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself also in the LORD,”
[What an easy command to obey–if we are willing to make the effort. There is so much in you to delight in, Lord. You are the loving and gracious One, full of kindness, goodness and thoughtfulness. You are richly generous, wisely firm, powerfully active and eternally faithful.
You are the good Shepherd, leading us wisely and well; you are the mighty Warrior, powerfully protecting us from the enemy; you are the holy Hater of sin, moving to eliminate it from the universe; you are the Lover of your enemies, performing the impossible by keeping your law while making a way to redeem us criminals; you are the majestic and mighty Savior, opening a door of escape in the wall of condemnation; and you are the gracious Giver of righteousness, sharing your purity with those who will accept it.
You created all, own all, provide all that is good. You are all-present, all-seeing, all-knowing. You are always with us, shielding us from true harm, leading us through the deserts and dark valleys of life, bringing us out into wide pastures of delight. In every situation you provide all the grace, refuge and wisdom we need.
You are the Creator, the Sustainer and the Ender of all. You are the Savior, the Sanctifier, the Shepherd in all. You are the wise One, the wonderful One, the winning One.
You live outside of time, so you know the future. You are never late, always know exactly how to help and give us far more than we need.
 
You provide us with a continual string of “God sightings,” providing, protecting and helping us just when we need it. You thereby deepen our understanding of your love and develop our faith–if we are just willing to notice your subtle work.
You are the King, the Ruler, the Sovereign, our Lord. You are worthy of worship, praise, glory and honor. To delight in you is not hard! Help us to actively do that through this day, thinking on your wonders, giving you honor, bringing joy to you and us, while deepening our first love for you.
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Psalm 37:1-2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 17, 2018
Psalm 37:1 Of David. “Fret not yourself because of evildoers;”
 
[Praise you, Lord, for your clear commands which steer us away from our natural, selfish reactions and towards your wonderful ways.
 
It is so easy to get worked up about evildoers: selfish, corrupt, immoral political leaders here and abroad, unjust actions, destructive organizations and brutal attacks. But you in your great wisdom and knowledge of the future, have reasons for allowing them.
 
You will use them to open people’s eyes to truth and bring many into your Kingdom, while maturing your children through difficulties. Therefore we can rest in you and pray for and about them, rather than wasting energy and time in fretting, knowing that you are the One who takes down and sets up rulers.]
 
“be not envious of wrongdoers!”
 
[It is so easy to envy their power, the effectiveness of their ways and to be tempted to imitate their methods, desiring to use them, of course, for good. But the good is then tainted and negated by the world’s wily ways.
 
“Be not!” I praise you for this command that moves us towards a supernatural view of things, freeing us from what is natural. Then we can live and act out of your thoughts and ways: loving our enemies, praying for those who persecute us, forgiving those who harm us. Praise you for the possibility of letting go of temporary values, of holding on to what is eternal and rising above our difficult situations.]
 
Psalm 37:2 “For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.”
 
Here’s the freeing perspective you give us: these evil doers won’t be around for too long. You will cause them to fail and fade (think of Stalin, Hitler and Mao), while your children still stand, because you are the preserver and protector of the righteous.
 
Praise you that you can see into the future, that you know all to come and that we can trust you to work out what is best, guiding us in joining you in the process. To obey worldly ways brings death, to obey you brings eternal fruit. Help us to choose your ways throughout this day so we can honor you before all.
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