S.M. Wibberley’s Blog

 

God’s Four Gifts to Us, Part One

What a kindness you have bestowed on us, Lord God, in calling us to give thanks in and for all things. You have a plan, you know what is best, no matter how it may look to us—like a leafless tree in winter–but full of possibilities. You work powerfully and patiently to bring goodness out of it at the right time.

Giving thanks in all is a privilege. It is God inviting us into a partnership with Him where He has at least four rich gifts awaiting us.

Psalm 50:23 shows us two of those gifts. “He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me…” This sacrifice speaks of denying self, giving thanks when it is not natural, when it costs us. Note that this is not being thankful, which is an emotion, but giving thanks, which is an act of the will, often against what we feel.

This obedience of faith is a great means of glorifying God. When we give thanks in the midst of hurt, disappointment, suffering or loss, trusting that God has a plan and has allowed this for a good we cannot yet see, the angels stand in awe, the demons cringe in defeat, Adam’s descendants are amazed and God’s name is lifted on high.

Since every difficulty is a chance to join Him in His great plans, I can give thanks for the roller-coaster ride we are on right now and by doing so accomplish great things.

Greetings.

The Lord is at work answering prayer, proving again the truth  of Psalm 50:23: ‘He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me and opens the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord!”

We just  came back from the neurologist and he doesn’t think Barbara has Parkinson’s!  The viral infection they started to treat at Windham could also cause similar symptoms, he said. The Dr. in Windham said she may have encephalitis or something like that.  What it is not clear, but the anti-viral meds he gave her are working, and she is getting better almost every hour. She slept well and long last night and is doing well now.

We have another appointment with the neurologist in 4 weeks when he will evaluate her again . We are thankful for competent help. Thank you Lord!

“The Lord gives peace and joy to those who trust in Him,

So  their lives may overflow with hope by the power of the Spirit.”!!! Romans 15:13

Steve

PS, she now has a mini walker that works well for her.

I find it so easy to grumble and complain. Every day there are a multiple opportunities to be discontent, to focus on what I didn’t get instead of looking with the eyes of faith, remembering that my good, heavenly Shepherd is right there, providing, protecting and putting what is best in my life.

One “grumble ground” came when we tried to get an appointment with a neurologist. The earliest date was some weeks out; we took it and also got on the list in case something opened up earlier. But in my heart I complained.

Then last week when we went to the emergency room after Barbara was fully incapacitated, neither of us were happy that they sent her to Windham Hospital. We like Bachas much better: it is closer, we knew the layout, and had had good experiences there.

But, after some grumbling in my heart, I repented and thanked God for each. A thought came, “Maybe the doctor who can solve the mystery of why she is having these problems will be at Windham Hospital.”

And so it proved to be. All the testing that Barbara underwent did not turn up anything as  a clear cause of her symptoms. The doctor said that he thought there was an infection somewhere which they couldn’t find. So, as the nurse described it, the doctor took a chance and gave her an antibiotic for meningitis. Within hours she was much better. So the Lord knew  better than us!f

Our appointment with the neurologist is tomorrow; the staff at the hospital knows how hard it is to get an appointment, so they were willing to release Barbara today; normally they would have kept her longer. Again, God knew what was best and provided it even though I grumbled.

Something I need to remember for the future. I am thankful that God is so patient with me!

 

It is good to remember what we were: as it says in Romans 3

“There is no one righteous, not even one;

there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.

All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

Their feet are swift to shed blood;

ruin and misery mark their ways,

and the way of peace they do not know.”

There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

In the light of this, what a wonder it is to know that you chose us, wanted us as your children, bought us, sought us, adopted us and transformed us, that you love us and cherish us (Eph. 1:2-8). What marvelous, unbelievable truths! They are far more than we could ever have hoped for!

Truly, you are the God who is beyond our dreams, beyond our hopes, beyond our understanding. You are Great and Powerful, Glorious and Perfect, Gracious and Pure. You are the fulfillment of the longings of our hearts, giving us, with yourself, what we all desire: belonging, worth and competence (Eph. 1:18-19)–and far more. Glory and honor definitely belong to you alone!

Help us to respond to this outpouring of love, grace and mercy by adding to our knowledge obedience to all we know about you, that you may be honored by this, may we love you through obedience.

Answer to prayer: God has given Barbara a very experience and thorough doctor who is determined to get to the bottom of her problems. Spent quite a bit of time with us tonight. Pray that he will be able to find the source of her problems.

The gospel is not just for unbelievers to hear, it is a body of truth we should be repeating to ourselves regularly. We should consistently be in awe at the wonder of God’s outrageous, illogical love for us, His qualifying us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of Light (Col. 1:12).

This morning I read in Titus 3 which has a beautiful description of the gospel:

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures…But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.

“He saved us through the washing of rebirth

and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that,

having been justified by his grace,

we might become heirs,

having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:3-7).

What grace! What goodness! What undeserved reconciliation! What peace and love! Lord, to belong to you, to be your possession, to be your treasured child, to know you as Father, God, King and Shepherd, is beyond wonderful. Blessed is way too mild a word

And our wonder increases when we think of what we actually deserved–punishment, rejection, suffering, despair, hopelessness, death and eternal separation from you, being sealed off from all that is good.

May my wonder at you increase every day, O Triune God, may my amazement at being redeemed and loved by you deepen each morning, and may praise, thanksgiving and worship pour out of my soul to you throughout the day as you lead me to walk in the light of your powerful and preserving Presence.]

Barbara is back in the hospital, same symptoms as last time including a very low temperature of 90. They’ve got it back up now and will try to find out what’s going on. Prayers appreciated. The following is very applicable for me.

“The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid” (Ps.118:6). As we look away to you, fear is defeated, fretting is routed, worry is wiped out, unbelief is banished.

They cannot stand in the light of your mighty, majestic, magnificent power, of your gracious, great and good heart, of your perfect, powerful, positive character, of your deep, dynamic, everlasting Love.

To trust in you is always wise, to take refuge in you is always good, to rest in you is always right. Praise be to you, Lord Jesus: Creator and King, Lord and Savior, Judge and Victor.

Prayer: “To you be glory in my life today and forever more. Help me to flee to you with each challenge, problem and difficulty, so the answer can come from you and bring you glory. Help me today to distrust myself and to trust in you instead. Amen.”

 

 

[Written in 2014] Today’s reading in the book EDIFIED! [below] is very relevant to us as my little wife continues to live under a weight of multiple negative symptoms without any clear diagnosis or relief in sight. Is this simple depression, or chronic Lyme’s Disease, or something else? [And the same is true iiom,2024] No one knows for certain what is wrong and thus far nothing has helped.

But, in the midst of this we must keep our eyes on Jesus, for He is the one who does know and will both give grace to pass through it and, at the right time, bring relief. Here is the perspective we must have: “Let those who fear the LORD say: ‘His love endures forever.’” Psalm 118:4

Praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are my Shepherd, that we can know that whatever comes, you have led us into it, as you led your disciples into the storm on the lake, into the opposition of the crowd, into the pain of your death. You have the larger picture, so we can trust and follow you as you walk with us into the future.

Psalm 118:5-9 says, “In my anguish I cried to the LORD….” This is the proper response to any situation, going right to you, O God, fleeing from self-pity, worry, fretting and anger to embrace your goodness, wisdom and love.

You will respond to our prayer: “In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me” (Ps. 86:7). And your answer begins inside: “I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears” (Ps. 34:4). “In my anguish I cried out to the Lord and he answered by setting me free” (Ps. 118:5).

You, Lord God, are the Freedom-giver—freedom from eternal death, from punishment, from condemnation, from selfishness and Satan, as well as from fretting and fear, being controlled by problems and difficulties. You are always at work to set us free on a deeper level, in a higher way from things that bind us.

Praise be to you for your wisdom, your insight, your understanding. You operate with full knowledge, correctly certain of which thing to work on next, which enemy to defeat, which sin to reveal, which character lack to camp out on until we respond to your correction.

You don’t guess and fumble about in life as we do; you know exactly what is wrong and you know exactly how to deal with it, for you are the Creator, the Healer and the Freedom-bringer. Help us to follow you, praising you in and for all things, knowing that you have a plan and will carry us through in one way or another.

Psalm 62:7b “…he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”

[The unshakable, unassailable, unconquerable God is the One we can trust in, rest in. When all else seems to fall apart, He is there, steady and stable, reliable and good, wise and sure.]

Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times, O people;”

[There is that command again: “Trust!” When we trust, we can rest. And this is possible all the time because God is always there in His goodness and grace. You, Lord, are sufficient, you are faithful, you are absolutely trustable.]

“pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”

[Lord, it is right, good and necessary to lay out before you all our fears, desires, feelings and thoughts. With our heart thus emptied of these, with the Spirit’s help we can fill it with Truth and Trust. Then we are safe in your refuge. You will never reject us for being honest with you—in fact, you already know all about us–and you are delighted when we are open, transparent and truthful with you. You desire to be our refuge, you call us to yourself, and in you we are safe.]

Help us, Lord God, to trust in you more and more, to find our rest, our refuge, our salvation, our honor, our safety and our joy in you. You are worthy of trust, you are worthy of praise, you are worthy of worship. May my life give you honor and glory today as I trust in you alone, demonstrated by offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving in all.

Barbara is home!

More thoughts on Psalm 62.

Psalm 62:6 “[The Lord] alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.”

[This is an exact copy of verse 2, a repetition of the truth of where real security is found. Repetition indicates its importance. As I face each new day, If I seek refuge in the Lord, I will not be shaken, no matter how traumatic the events that come to me may be.]

Psalm 62:7 “My salvation and my honor depend on God;”

[We so naturally seek our salvation in the everyday events in our own efforts, and seek our honor from the opinions of others. However, both our salvation and our honor actually depend fully on God, not on us or others.

He has provided salvation both for eternity and for every day; we know where we are going, and we know He is with us in the nitty-gritty events of life, protecting, guiding and providing.

He is the One who has already given us great honor—
–choosing us before the foundation of the world,
–adopting us into His family,
–making us children of the Creator of the Universe,
–granting us membership in the Kingdom of light,
–giving us each a special part in His plan.

What else could we desire? Yet we stubbornly tend to seek our salvation and honor elsewhere. Forgive us, Lord, help us to seek salvation and honor only from you.]

Another update: Barbara is much better, coherent, able to get up and ready to come home. Hopefully tomorrow (Wed) the doctor will release her. Thanks for your prayers.

 

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Psalm 62: 5 goes on to say, “my hope comes from him.”

[Again, this statement is a bit different from verse one (“my salvation comes from him”). Here is the hope, the certainty of receiving what we desire: rest. But we need to go beyond this, to turn from our desire for rest to desiring the One who can grant it.

As it says in Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart.” You, Lord, are to be the focus of our affections; then you can safely give us good things, knowing that they will not become idols.

And as we trust, the power of the Spirit comes into our situation; as we intentionally find our rest in you, Lord; then you pour out all kinds of goodness in our lives.]

We can trust you because you are Elohim, the incredibly powerful and persistently faithful One. You show your power in creation–you are the star Breather, the galaxy Former, the planet Hanger, the earth Spinner, the dawn Bringer. You are great beyond comprehension.

And you are the fully faithful One–you promise and it happens; you plan and it comes to pass, you speak and it comes to be. At the right time you came to be our Savior for eternity; and at the right moment you also save us in our daily lives.

Therefore, in the midst of present uncertainty and disappointments, I choose now to embrace your character as Elohim–the powerful and faithful One–for you know what you are doing as you shape, guide, change and transform my life. I gladly join you.