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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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Psalm 86:11,12

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 16, 2018

“Teach me your way, O Lord; I will walk in your truth;”

Psalm 86:11

 

Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, that you came to be the Way, to teach the way, to be the Truth, to reveal truth. It is wonderful that, in you, we can now know truth, see what is right and wrong, be aware of what is hurtful before we act, of what is good before choosing.

“Unite my heart to fear your name…” (Ps. 86:11b). You are the only One who can heal and unite our hearts, making us single-minded, whole-hearted, completely committed to Truth. You are the only One who is worthy of that commitment, for you are the great God, the obedient Son, the willing Sacrifice, the Healer of the broken creation, and the Bridegroom who died for your bride. You bind up our wounded hearts and masterfully, tenderly unite them to yourself.

“I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify your name forevermore” (Ps. 86:12). Yes, I WILL praise you, for you are my Lord, my God—my final Authority, my King, the real Ruler, the Mighty I AM, the Great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Yes, I WILL glorify your name, Lamb of God, King of Glory, Redeemer of all, Everlasting Father, Son of Man, Son of God, the Most High, the Almighty One, the Gracious One, the Compassionate One, the Patient One, the Holy One.

You are worthy of exaltation, magnification, glory and praise forever and ever and ever. There will be no end to the revelation of new facets about your beautiful person, your rich personality, your infinite graciousness. And I thank you that we will be with you to praise you forever and ever and ever.

You are our All in all. You are glorious in goodness. You are majestic in mercy. You are wonderful in your works. To you be glory and honor, joy and worship in my life today. I love you.

 

Prayer: “Praise you that you give us the ability to choose to walk in your way, Lord Jesus. Help me to deny self and sin and to walk in your way and words. I bow before you in worship, in surrender and commitment, agreeing to do your will, to walk in your Truth, for you, Lord Jesus, are worthy of obedience. Amen.”

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Living in His Lavish Love

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 15, 2018
 
Today, Lord, I feel far from you. Thank you for this opportunity to walk by faith, to be reminded that all depends on your unchanging character, not my senses. Praise you, Lord, for your great and gracious presence, whether I sense it or not, whether I feel close to you or not, for in your faithfulness you have promised to never leave or forsake me.
 
Your plan, your power, your purpose, your persistence are the basis of our salvation, not our feelings or will, actions or obedience. I praise you that you have provided all and our part is simply to respond in belief.
 
To you belongs the glory of having prepared all through the sacrifice of Christ; to us belongs the privilege of faith and repentance. To you belongs all honor, glory and worship, for you are the pure, perfect, positive and powerful One who has done all necessary to redeem us.
 
I am so thankful, Father, that against all logic and law, you have chosen and transformed me. I was a seditious slave to sin, a fool fully controlled by my own foolishness, a criminal correctly condemned to an eternity without any good. I was a captive of Satan’s kingdom, a victim of my own evil, without goodness, without power, without hope.
 
But, in spite of what I am naturally, you called me to yourself, along with all the other sinners in this world. You made it possible for me to believe, you forgave me, transforming me into a new creature, with a new heart after yours, with the beginning of being like Christ. You placed your Holy Spirit within me, you gave me sonship, citizenship, and fellowship in your family.
 
You saved me because you mysteriously delighted in me and I now stand before you dearly loved, deeply cared for, doted on and delighted in—what a wonder! And all because of your great and gracious heart of love, your wisdom, grace and goodness. I do not deserve this, but I am deeply thankful that you have given me such marvelous and mighty grace.
 
May you be exalted throughout eternity for your illogical, counter-conditional, outrageous love! May I bring you honor today as I live in the light of your presence, whether I feel it or not–forgiving myself, accepting myself, loving myself as you do me, believing your Word, living in your Way!
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Psalm 36:10-12

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 14, 2018
 
Psalm 36:10 “Continue your love to those who know you,”
 
[I praise you, Lord God, that you are love itself and therefore can never not love. I am so glad to be your son, chosen in love before the foundation of the world, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, rescued from the kingdom of darkness, accepted into the Kingdom of Light, adopted into your family, and brought out into a wide and pleasant place. You rescued me because you delighted in me—not because of any quality of my own, but because you are Love itself.
 
And your love will continue throughout eternity, without end, without interruption, without diminishing. I praise you for your beautiful, majestic, magnificent character, founded on love, marvelous in balance and harmony, eternally perfect.]
 
“continue…your righteousness to the upright in heart.”
 
[You are the only Righteous One, O Lord. I praise you that your righteousness is unending, unrelenting and uninterruptable. Praise you that your always act in righteousness, in integrity, in purity, and that you have imputed your righteousness to your children.]
 
Psalm 36:11 “May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.”
 
[Yes, Lord, as we remain in the shadow of the Almighty, we are protected from the evil one and evil people. We may suffer persecution and difficulty, but you allow these as a way of growth, a way of witness and a way to honor you as we triumph over the world in faith. Praise you for the powerful and good working of your hands.]
 
Psalm 36:12 “See how the evildoers lie fallen—thrown down, not able to rise!”
 
[Righteousness will rule, evil will be vanquished: eternity will have only holiness, goodness and purity, for all wickedness will be locked up in the lake of fire, unable to come out and influence the rest of the universe, as it has for so long.
 
You, Lord Jesus, are the Conqueror, the King, the Ruler, the Lord of all. To you be glory and honor forever. May we live a life worthy of you today, obeying what we know to be true. Amen.
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Psalm 36:8-9

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 13, 2018

Psalm 36:8 “…the high and low among men…feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.’

[Even in the midst of difficulty, we can eat and drink of your marvelous provision—but we must choose to do so. You offer us so much on the spiritual side (love, joy, peace, grace, goodness, hope, purpose, power and wisdom), on the relational side (family, church family, friends) and the physical side (bodies that work pretty well, home, food, bed, warmth, water). You call on us to open wide and receive your gifts, to note and give thanks for them. You are our Source of all, you are the Provider of all. Praise you that you are the abundant God, the reason for all our delight.]

Psalm 36:9 “For with you is the fountain of life;”

[Without you there is only death, destruction, damage and decay. As we come to you and surrender, we are made alive, brought into a river of vibrant life that flows from you fountain of grace and the well of your Word.

This life continually grows ever more rich, deep, wonderful and abundant as we see more and more of your great and gracious character. This leads us to love you more and more in response to knowing your love that surpasses knowledge as we note God sightings, offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and dwell in your Word.

“in your light we see light.”

[To know you is to begin to see, and the more we walk into the light of your presence and power through worship and obedience, the more we can know and understand. “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining on ever more brightly til the full light of day” (Prov. 4:18).

You are the Revealer, the Teacher, the Guide and Protector. From you flows all revelation and insight. With you we are continually seeing more and more treasures in your Word, in your work, in your way. Praise you for the clarity, the vision, the insight and understanding you bring.]

I praise you, Lord God, my Heavenly Father, that you are so loving to us, taking us now through this team conflict, a difficult, hard, trying, painful, unpleasant, distressing time.

On the human side, it is because of the stubbornness of those involved; on the spiritual side, it is because you are bringing pressure to bear on all of us to grow and deepen, to trust and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

I praise you now for how you are going to work this out, for you are the Fountain of life, the Light of wisdom and the God of abundant grace.

You, Lord, are good, loving and wise. Therefore we choose to trust you, praise you and submit to you with all our hearts. Guide us today in living disciplined and wise lives so that more and more honor may flow to you. Amen.

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Psalm 36:7b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 12, 2018

This entry was written in 2010 while in the midst of mediating a painful, destructive conflict on one of our teams.

Psalm 36:7b “Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.”

[Lord, I come to you to find refuge, to find hope and help in the shadow of your mighty, protecting Wings. As one who is weak, I am one of the low among men, but in every situation, I choose, with Habakkuk, to “rejoice in the LORD, to be joyful in God my Savior” (3:18). There is no other source of help, there is no other refuge, there is no other way.

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength;”

[You, Lord, are awesomely powerful, while I am appallingly weak–powerless and frustrated in every aspect of this situation. I cannot get people to budge from their destructive, self-defensive delusions. Only you can do this Lord, for you are my strength, making up for my every lack. And I chose to join your strength through prayer.]

“…he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.”

[Lord, help me to stay stable, to be able to move ahead, to climb these intimidating heights, to be obedient to the Truth that you have given us. May you be our Ruler in this difficult situation before me. Answer my pleas according to your righteousness, according to your wisdom, according to your graciousness, and your Love.

For the sake of your Name, for the sake of your church, for the sake of your glory, please intervene. Bring us all to our knees, to see our sin, to be humble before you, to be broken, to stop trusting in ourselves and to start listening to you. Bring the breakthroughs needed, Lord. And I thank you now for what you will do. Help me to leave this with you, to rest in you, to be content in you, Lord.

I praise you, Heavenly Father, that you are my Rock and Refuge, that you, Lord Jesus, are my Shepherd and Salvation, that you, Holy Spirit, are my Tutor and Teacher. I thank you that, according to your plan, you will lead me through this destructive, distressing time.

Praise you, Lord Jesus that you are the Way, the Truth and the Life, that you are the Light of my life, unswervingly, unendingly, unchangingly are at work drawing us on to do what is right and good and positive. Please move us all forward through this time of trouble. And before there is any change, any answer, I praise you, Lord, for what you are doing and what you will do, for you are my Fortress, my Salvation, and my Stronghold.

 

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Psalm 36:5-7

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 11, 2018
 
Psalm 36:5 “Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”
 
[Praise you that there is no limit to your love, no frontier to your faithfulness, no end to your endurance. Your wonderful grace flows from you nonstop–so your love is always present, ever persistent and all pervasive.]
 
Psalm 36:6 “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.
 
[Thank you that your Love encompasses righteousness and justice, where you are fully faithful to your Word, to your Ways, to your wonderous Character. You are faithful in the midst of whatever you allow into our lives, be it pleasant or painful.
 
I thank you that, in your wisdom and goodness, you have caused mercy to triumph over justice. I give you honor and glory for the protection you provide as you mercifully act righteously and exercise justice. Help us, too, to be righteous and just.]
 
“O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.”
 
[You are the One who keeps us alive, giving us breath, food, water and protection; without you we would perish immediately. And we, in our old nature, deserve to be immediately snuffed out, with no recourse.
 
But you, in your inscrutable love, keep us alive, watch over us and invite us into your plans in spite of our inabilities and liabilities. May we consistently remember our weakness and be humble and obedient before you.]
 
Psalm 36:7 “How priceless is your unfailing love!
 
[Love is not only the outstanding, fundamental quality of your being, Lord God, but more deeply, unfailing love is what you are. You are Love itself, therefore you can never not love! Praise you for this powerful, unending Truth which influences every aspect of our existence.
 
Living in this love is the basic desire of our hearts, for you created us to exist in such a relationship with you. And through Christ you have restored us to it, rescuing us from exile, from extinction, from extermination, while bringing us into your wonderful presence, your warm embrace, your wide-ranging plan.
 
Help us be ever in awe of your glorious grace, to remain in your lavish love, loving you back well. “This is love for God: to keep his commandments, and his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3]
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