OK, SO WHERE'S THE JOY??

Yup, I'm wondering…

JOY is my word for 2014.

And so far, this year has had a rocky start.  Yes, my father's hospitalization and his passing were very, very difficult.  But oddly, throughout it all, I felt a supernatural buoyancy in my heart.  God's presence was very close, and yes, I did feel a settled sense of JOY.

But in the last couple of weeks, as life has returned to normal, I've been overcome with a spiritual malaise.

Sure, I know that I will feel sad about my dad for a long, long time.  But this feeling is something else.  It's like I have a low-grade *blah* going on.

Sometimes this just happens to me.

For no particular reason.

Sometimes, there's no explanation for the cold, dreary weather front in my soul.  It's just there – blanketing everything.

I hesitated writing this post.  I like being upbeat, encouraging, positive – and even downright inspiring once in a while.

But, right now, I don't have it in me.

When I get these "moods" I don't usually feel like doing much of anything.  I am "She Who Is Unable To Be Pleased." 

And truthfully, I also don't feel like writing – (mostly because I'm dry, dry, dry).

Now I know that this is not a "God-honoring" place to be.  And I don't like the concerted determination that tends to creep into my heart – "I'm going to hold on to this mood no matter what."

So, desperate to cling on to something other than "grayness," I decided to do a search within my blog for posts I have labeled *joy*.  And I found one post that really spoke to the way I'm feeling right now.  So, I've decided to re-write it for today's post.  (No, not cheating…well, maybe a little…)


This post gave me renewed insight into why I might be feeling low right now.

It's because I've been playing a game.

The "What If Game" –

Ever played it?

It's really pretty simple.  There are two versions of the game.  Let me explain.

First of all, there’s the "Game of What If Past."

Basically, you think about all the things you should have done, but didn't.  Or think about all the things you did do, but shouldn't have.

What if I had gone to a different college?  Or gone to college?  What if I hadn't (or had) gotten married?  Or what if I'd married someone else?  What if I'd taken that other job?  What if I hadn't made that investment?  What if I hadn't bought this house?  What if I hadn't made that choice?  What if I'd done this instead?  (I'm sure you can add to this list...)

You get the idea.

The word "should" is really important in this version of the game.  I looked up the word "SHOULD" in Sharon's Acrostic Dictionary:

S tubbornly
H olding
O n
U ntil
L iving in
D efeat


The other version is the "Game of What If Future."

Basically, you think about all the things that could happen, and be sure to concentrate on the worst-case scenario.

What if I lose my job?  What if I lose my house?  What if I get some dreaded disease?  What if my spouse leaves me, or dies?  What if something happens to my kids?  What if I never get married?  What if my car breaks down?  What if I can't pay the taxes?  What if I get hurt?  What if my plans, dreams, goals don't work out?  (Adding to this list, too???)

The word "could" is really important in this game.  I looked up the word "COULD" in Sharon's Acrostic Dictionary:

C oncentrating
O n
U ncertainty
L iving in
D efeat


Living in Defeat.

That's the key objective of the "What If Game."  The rules are simple:

1) Always think (obsess) about things you cannot change and/or have no control over.
2) Allow yourself to be consumed with this miry thinking.
3) Keep playing until you have exhausted yourself – until you are emotionally paralyzed.
4) Play until you are unable to be any good whatsoever for the present moment.


That's when you've won the game.

Except you haven't…

The enemy has.

It's his game, you see –

Distracted, ineffective, discouraged, anxious, weak, intimidated…

We become nothing but little pawns of his fiery arrow thoughts – moved around on his game board, subject to his whims.

Why are we playing this game?

Why are we not fighting this battle?

(Why am I playing – why am I not fighting?)

You know why?

Because it's a subtle game.  It's not always easy to see who's moving the pieces.

After all, these are just MY thoughts…right?  I'm in control of my mind…right?  If I have a thought enter my head, I have to think it…right?

"Sure, absolutely," the devil says.

And don't just think it.  Invite it in for a meal.  Let it have a sleepover.  Hey, why not let it be a permanent houseguest –


My friends, the "What If Game" is not harmless!

It is an insidious inroad for the enemy's work.

We have to be aware of it.  We have to be on guard.  We have to fight 
against it.

And we need help.


Jesus won this game.

Satan played a great game of "What If" with Jesus in the wilderness...


"Hey, you're tired and hungry…WHAT IF you turned these stones into bread?"

"I know, WHAT IF you jumped off the Temple – you could call a bunch of your angel buddies to save you."

"You know, WHAT IF I gave you all the kingdoms of the world to rule over, right now?"


Jesus did not give in.

He used a failsafe strategy – the ONLY effective strategy in this game.

He used Scripture.

We must do the same.


The "Game of What If Past" –

"…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past…I press on to reach the end of the race…" (Philippians 3:13-14)


The "Game of What If Future" –

"Can all your worries add a single day to your life?...[God] will certainly care for you…So don't worry about tomorrow…" (Matthew 6:27, 30-31)


The final move in the "What If Game"?

"Give us TODAY the food we need…" (Matthew 6:11)

"THIS is the day the LORD has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it."
(Psalm 118:24)

"You go before me and follow me…I can never get away from your presence…Every day of my life…every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." (Psalm 139:5, 7, 16)


Checkmate.

Game Over.

We win.


Today I am once again realizing that even in the middle of the *blahs* – I can still have JOY if I don't lose focus.

Because today – I have Jesus.

And in Him, Jesus Only You, I can find something that I'm not feeling naturally…

I can find – or more accurately perhaps, re-find – JOY.

Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning. 

"Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.
The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.
Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers
and singing and joy!
The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,
as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.
There the LORD will display his glory,
the splendor of our God.
With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
and encourage those who have weak knees.
Say to those with fearful hearts,
'Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.'
And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind
and unplug the ears of the deaf.
The lame will leap like a deer,
and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!
Springs will gush forth in the wilderness,
and streams will water the wasteland.
The parched ground will become a pool,
and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.
Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish...
And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
It will be only for those who walk in God's ways;
fools will never walk there...
Only the redeemed will walk on it.
Those who have been ransomed by the LORD will return.
They will enter Jerusalem singing,
crowned with everlasting joy.
Sorrow and mourning will disappear,
and they will be filled with joy and gladness."

(From Isaiah 35, NLT)


"Those who have been ransomed by the LORD will return.  They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy.  Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness." (Isaiah 51:11, NLT)

"For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.  And God will wipe every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:17, NLT)



How might you find (or re-find) your JOY today?


Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Laura at PLAYDATES WITH GOD
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Jen at SOLI DEO GLORIA
Jen at UNITE
Rachel at WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS
Rosilind at A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS
Kasey at WALKING REDEEMED
Jenifer at WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Beth at THREE WORD WEDNESDAY
Judith at WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS
Lyli at THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY
Bonnie at FAITH BARISTA JAM
Laura at FAITH FILLED FRIDAY
Wanda at THE FRIDAY FIVE
Mel at ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS
Sandy at STILL SATURDAY
Barbie at WEEKEND BREW
Salina at HEART REFLECTED
Janis at SUNDAY STILLNESS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

MY DAD - A LAST REMEMBRANCE

It seems fitting that I dedicate one more post to the recent death of my father.

And, what better way to do that than to talk about his memorial service.

First off, it took some planning.

You see, Dad never really wanted to talk much about it.  I can understand that – I mean, after all, who wants to talk about their death?

But, he did say that he didn't want it to be a big deal – and he just wanted family.  We honored those wishes.

We had some opening remarks, we had a prayer, we sang a song, and we read some Scriptures.  And then we opened it up for anyone who wanted to share something about my dad.

That was a precious time indeed.


I thought I'd tell you some of the memories I shared about my dad.

When I was a little girl, I can remember my dad coming home from work and sitting on the kitchen floor and playing *jacks* with me – (remember that game?!).  He always won because his hands were so much bigger than mine!

We used to pick my dad up from a commuter train that he'd take home from downtown San Francisco.  I'll never forget the day when I saw, in the midst of a sea of brown and black and gray suits, one arm raised high above all the rest, holding a red hula hoop.  MY dad – just for me!

My dad taught me how to ride a bike.  On the street.  With a huge downhill.  Dad's philosophy was that "it was better to learn how to ride where you're going to ride."  Of course, my learning curve involved one crazy, swerving, madcap tear down the hill – where I barely missed the neighbor's parked car, but plowed into their curb and landed (hard) on their front yard.

I don't think I need to tell you about the "adventures" learning how to drive a stick shift.  On the street.  With huge up and down hills.  I remember tears and white knuckles being involved…

Once there was a father-daughter dance at our church.  I was so excited to go.  But, in one of the only times I can ever remember my dad getting sick, he was too ill to attend.  Oh, how disappointed I was.  But, do you know how my dad made up for it?  He took me to a white-glove luncheon and fashion show at a local department store.  I don't think I've ever felt more grown-up.

Should I regale you with the stories of our lengthy bike rides, our hours of shooting baskets, our fun waterskiing, our many exciting vacations? The awful weeks of trying to do geometry homework with a dad who exempted his finals at Cornell?

Or how I earned frequent flier miles at the body shop next door to my dad's business – (hey, once I learned how to drive I was a maniac…).  Suffice it to say, among other accidents, that my dad lived to regret loaning me his Firebird to go to a church party.  Me, rain, a steep driveway, a sharp turn into the garage, and a retaining wall.  Enough said.

I'll never forget the years that I worked for him.  Having lunch with him every day.  Being proud of his pride in my hard work.

And I'll never forget what a great grandpa he was.  He attended everything that my sons were involved in.  Every school event, every game, every time they had something to do or somewhere to go – Papa was there.


You know, I could go on and on.  The memories flood my mind and fill my heart.

There are so many more stories – stories that I will reflect on in the future, stories that have woven together with my life as part of the tapestry that has become me.

But most importantly, beyond the memories, I will take with me the character and values that my dad passed on to me.

I am who I am today through the influence of Dad's personality and his love.  I am grateful that he was my father, and the grandfather of my sons.  He was a tough guy, but a good guy – and we are all the better for having known him.


In the days following the service, I've thought a lot about the word – legacy.

The dictionary defines it as this: Anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor.

Usually it pertains to material wealth and possessions.

But, I'm thinking more about the personal legacy you leave behind.  The footprint in the lives of others because you walked with them.  The things that they will carry in their hearts after you are gone.

What about those things?  The more and most important things?

What kind of legacy do I want to leave behind?

For me, it's all about God.

When the time comes that I leave this earth, what I want people to remember the MOST about me is that I loved and served and worshiped the Lord.

Sure, I hope my loved ones are comforted by fond memories and stories. I hope they can think of me with a smile.

But, more than anything, I want my life to have been lived pointing toward Jesus.

I can think of few better things to have someone say than, "You know, Sharon really and truly loved her Lord."

That's the legacy that I want to leave behind.

Because, if my loved ones and friends are left with that last enduring thought, grief will be tempered with hope, confident hope, in the eternity that God has planned for us.

This is what comforted me at my dad's funeral service.  And it is what will comfort me in the days and weeks and years that are left for me to live.

There is a life after this life.  It is eternal.  And we have been given the awesome chance to choose to live it in the presence of God.

Because of Jesus, Only You – we can have JOY forever.


May we live each day knowing this unchanging Truth, and may our lives reflect it.

For when all is said and done, it's all about God – in the beginning, in the middle…

…and in the end.

The grass withers and the flowers fade,
but the Word of our God
stands forever.

"Let all that I am praise the LORD;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the LORD;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins...
He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things...

The LORD is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love...
He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.

The LORD is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.

But the love of the LORD remains forever
with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children's children
of those who are faithful to his covenant,
of those who obey his commandments!

The LORD has made the heavens his throne;
from there he rules over everything.
Praise the LORD, you angels,
you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
listening for each of his commands.
Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels
who serve him and do his will!
Praise the LORD, everything he has created,
everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the LORD."

(Excerpts from Psalm 103, NLT)


What is the legacy that you want to leave behind?


Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Laura at PLAYDATES WITH GOD
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Jen at SOLI DEO GLORIA
Rachel at WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Rosilind at A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS
Judith at WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS
Kasey at WALKING REDEEMED
Beth at THREE WORD WEDNESDAY
Jenifer at WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY
Lyli at THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY
Bonnie at FAITH BARISTA JAM
Laura at FAITH FILLED FRIDAY
Mel at ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS
Wanda at THE FRIDAY FIVE
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS
Sandy at STILL SATURDAY
Barbie at WEEKEND BREW
Salina at HEART REFLECTED
Janis at SUNDAY STILLNESS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" AND A FOTO FRIDAY

"Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

"Fan the Flame" has been a feature on my blog for a long time.  I've enjoyed it, and have always loved reading your insightful comments.

So, this week I'm returning to "Fan the Flame" and asking all of you to *weigh in* on this week's word - HEART.

(Too easy???  Well, it IS Valentine's Day, after all...)


Just a word and a question (or few)…just a little something to
"fan the flame" of your creativity!

And, just for fun, I'm adding a *foto* - add a caption, a verse, or a thought to go along with it!

Still "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)


Today's word: heart

How would you define the concept of a person's *heart*?

Why is the condition of one's *heart* so crucial to the way we live our lives?

What are some ways the *heart* can be attacked, broken, lost, or hardened? And how can we guard against that?

What is the one thing that comes to your mind when you think about the *heart* of God?


Let me know what you think!!

THE FOTO:

(Don't forget to add your caption, a verse, or a thought!!)

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8, NIV)

"Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (Matthew 6:21, NLT)

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29, NIV)

"A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart..." (Matthew 12:35, NLT)

"And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." (Mark 12:30, NLT)

"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.  So don't be troubled or afraid." 

(John 14:27, NLT)

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, NLT)

"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." (Proverbs 4:23, NLT)

***HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!***

*(My silly caption?  "WOOD you be mine?")


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

I AM A WEIRDO

Yeah, I admit it, I am a puzzle, even to myself.

Kinda like this quote from Winston Churchill:

"It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma."

For instance, I sorta have a *rough-and-tumble* side to me.

Though I wasn't really a tomboy growing up, I did indeed have less-than-girly moments.

I still do.

Wanna know some?

(You are saying yes, right?) 


I am terribly proud of the fact that my dad taught me the *proper* way to throw a baseball, shoot a basket, and pass a football in a perfect spiral.


My brother and I used to play *army* all the time.  I liked his G.I. Joe action figures, his Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars, and his Tonka trucks.


I love that my very first car was a stick shift – a Mercury Capri.  (A four-on-the-floor variety, not three-in-a-tree).


I once drove that Mercury Capri, with the awesome stick shift, at 109 mph. Stupid, yes, but I was racing a guy, in another Capri, and wanted to prove my mettle.


I once rode on the back of a motorcycle in the desert at about 95 mph. Also stupid, but very exhilarating.


I loved driving my dad's Firebird and later, his Corvette.  I now love driving my sons' Challenger or Ford 150 truck.  Oh, and "The Hub's" Jeep Wrangler, with the stick shift.


I used to play handball and racquetball against my guy-friends…and WIN.


I really liked showing off my sports injuries – like jammed fingers.  Once, when my brother and I were playing catch, I missed the baseball and it hit me in the eye.  I was rather excited about having my first black eye – except it never materialized past a little purple shading on my eyelid that looked like eyeshadow.  Grr.


I once played football with my brother, my cousin, and a neighbor – all boys – TACKLE football – and scored, both passing and rushing.


I LOVE watching sports of all kinds, but my favorites are football and hockey. The more contact, the better.


I use men's deodorant – it smells better to me, and works better.


I have been known to wear boxer shorts because THEY. ARE. COMFORTABLE.


I have one favorite piece of lounging attire – my husband's sweatpants and a flannel shirt.


I enjoy, really enjoy, camping – in a tent – roughing it.  I am not particularly upset by dirty hair or a smelly body – (after all, that's what men's deodorant is for!)


I have my very own bag of camping gear – my own flashlight, Swiss army knife, Leatherman tool, rock pick – would love to add my own hatchet and shovel.


I also have my own hammer, screwdrivers, and measuring tape.  Don't use them much – but I like having them around.


I am intrigued by the idea of wilderness survival.


I like snakes - (the non-venomous, in-captivity, small variety).


I love off-road four-wheeling exploration.


I prefer leather furniture, dark woods, earth tones, straight and traditional lines.  I'm not real big on patterns.  Our living room looks like an old English library – and our house is an effort to replicate an old hunting lodge/cabin – just the way I like it.



I've got lots more.  But you get the idea.  However, sometimes I'm a paradox to myself.  Yeah, I have these *rugged* parts of me, but then at other times, I act like such a girl.

But isn't that what makes humans so wonderful?  We're all so different, so distinctive – such an interesting mixture of traits and qualities, such an eclectic brew of likes and dislikes.  We're full of consistency and contradiction.

And, at the end of the day, we are exactly who God created us to be.

(Well, not the sin part – but you know what I mean).


And we are meant to be here.

Planned and loved before the creation of the earth.  Woven in the womb. Intricately and wonderfully made.

One-of-a-kind.

Placed on this earth by our Creator.  Purposefully placed. Intentionally placed.  Meaningfully placed.

For just such a time as this.


I'm sure you are familiar with the story of Esther.  And though the name of God isn't specifically mentioned in this Old Testament book, His Presence leaps off every page.

There can be no question of God's hand in Esther's entire life.  Her background, her experiences, her placement at just the right places at just the right times, her courage, her wisdom.

The way that God invited her to be part of His Master Plan.


It is no different with us.

We are unique to this lifetime, this decade, this year, this day.

And God intends to use each one of us – through the way He created us.  Every mixed and mysterious and multi-faceted way that He put us together.


So, let's let Him do that.

Let's embrace the uniqueness that is called ME.  The things that make sense, and the things that don't.

The consistencies and the contradictions.

And let us be continually open to the leading of God in our lives, our unique lives, just like Esther was.


For we are here, at just such a time as this.

The Camping Couple - Roughing It

"Who knows if perhaps you – YOU, just you, uniquely you, only you – were made for just such a time as this?" (My paraphrase of Esther 4:14)


"LORD, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.

You see me when I travel

and when I rest at home.

You know everything I do.

You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, LORD.

You go before me and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from your Spirit!

I can never get away from your presence!

If I go up to heaven, you are there;

if I go down to the grave, you are there.

If I ride the wings of the morning,

if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

even there your hand will guide me,

and your strength will support me.

I could ask the darkness to hide me

and the light around me to become night—

but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother's womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.

They cannot be numbered!

I can't even count them;

they outnumber the grains of sand!" 

(From Psalm 139, NLT)

Might I encourage you to join me in this prayer:

Lord, sometimes I don't understand myself.  I'm complicated.  I am a crazy mixture of things.  A product of my background, my nature, my experiences. But, I want to embrace myself as the person that You created me to be. There's lots of work to do, yes, but You made me to be exactly that – ME. Thank You for making me in Your image, and for making me unique.  Please take all that I am, and make me useful for Your purposes.  I am no accident. I am where I am, just at this time, because You have brought me here.  You had this planned, long before I opened my eyes to the world.  Guide me, transform me, infuse me with Your Spirit.  May I ever continue to look more and more like You…

What are some unique things about your personality? 

(SIDENOTE: Might I just add another contradiction about me?  My lunch today: Slim-Fast and Cheetos.  Don't judge me...)

Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Laura at PLAYDATES WITH GOD
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Jen at UNITE
Darlene at TITUS 2SDAYS
Jen at SOLI DEO GLORIA
Rachel at WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Judith at WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS
Kasey at WALKING REDEEMED
Beth at THREE WORD WEDNESDAY
Jenifer at WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY
Lyli at THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY
Bonnie at FAITH BARISTA JAM
Laura at FAITH FILLED FRIDAY
Mel at ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS
Sandy at STILL SATURDAY
Barbie at WEEKEND BREW
Janis at SUNDAY STILLNESS

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

INSIDE THE FISH

OK, so I like Jonah.

He was kind of a *messy* believer.

Yes, he had faith in the Lord, but he wasn’t an immediately obedient servant.

I don't know about you, but sometimes it's easy to read the stories in the Bible about those who made mistakes, who disobeyed God, who were without courage – and point fingers at them.

We think, "Oh, I would never act like that."

Really???

Do we really have the audacity to throw stones (or seashells) at poor old Jonah?

I think not.

It occurs to me that sometimes we run away from the Lord, not just in disobedience, but in fear of what He's trying to accomplish in our lives.

Tarshish can be anywhere opposite of the nitty-gritty Nineveh of God's purposes.

And at times, God's purposes involve pain and suffering.

Who wants that?

And so, much like Jonah, we book tickets on the first boat out of Humility Harbor…

…only to find ourselves smack-dab in the middle of Sanctification Sea.


The recent death of my father makes me ponder this.

These are circumstances that I would never choose.  But, I'm beginning to change my perspective on them.  Rather than seeing them as suffering that has arrived unannounced, I'm beginning to see them as ordained assignments.

They are holy plans being offered to me by the same God who once spoke to a reluctant prophet.

"Do this," the Lord is saying, "and watch Me work."

And that becomes the moment when I have a choice.  


Tarshish or Nineveh?


But, here's the thing with that.

Even if we pick Nineveh, we still might find ourselves thrown overboard into the choppy waters of Sanctification Sea.

We might be tossed around in the storms of refinement, thrashed by the wailing winds of transformation.

We might even find ourselves – gulp – inside a big ol' fish.

Even when we're obedient, we might find ourselves alone, in the dark, scared and confused.

Sadness, loneliness, fear can be like the dark insides of a whale of hurt.

Again, a choice.

Will we be swallowed up by our surroundings, or will we cry out for the rescue that will surely come?


Good old Jonah – he shows us what to do:

"Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish.  

(I love that Jonah prayed, not just to God, but to the LORD his God!)

He said,

"I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble,
and he answered me.
I called to you from the land of the dead,
and LORD, you heard me!
You threw me into the ocean depths,
and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves…
I sank beneath the waves,
and the waters closed over me.
Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
I sank down to the very roots of the mountains.
I was imprisoned in the earth…
But you, O LORD my God,
snatched me from the jaws of death!
As my life was slipping away,
I remembered the LORD.
And my earnest prayer went out to you…
For my salvation comes from the LORD alone."

(From Jonah 2, NLT)


I love this prayer.

Is it not the cry of every heart that has gone to the depths of trials?

Does it not echo our soul groanings in the mighty waters of terrible suffering?

Ought we not utter these words when we are drowning in a sea of circumstances beyond our control?

Yes.

For the Lord answers.

"Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach."  

(Jonah 2:10, NLT)


Dear ones, where do you find yourself today?

Running away to Tarshish, or heading purposefully toward Nineveh?

Or set adrift on the swells of a stormy sea?  Or perhaps you find yourself *inside the fish*? 

Might you take a moment and turn toward the sky and pray?

Call out from the depths of your soul to the Lord who keeps you.  Tell Him your deepest feelings.  Cry if you need to, rant if you must.  But turn, TURN, towards Him.

He is there.

In it all, through it all, because of it all.

He is there.


And one day, when His purposes are accomplished, He'll order you *spit out* onto the shore.

To bask in the SONshine of another wonder-full day!

And though I know not the destination,
I will fly to where He leads.

"'Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.  I have called you by name; you are mine.  When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown...For I am the LORD, your God...'" (Isaiah 43:1-3, NLT)


"Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.  You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble..." (Psalm 32:6-7, NIV)


"...we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance." (Psalm 66:12, ESV)


"Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.  I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold.  I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.  I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched...Lord, the Lord Almighty, may those who hope in you not be disgraced...God of Israel, may those who seek you not be put to shame...I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.  Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from...the deep waters.  Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.  Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.  Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.  Come near and rescue me; deliver me..." (From Psalm 69, NIV)


"The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.  The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic...The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever.  The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." (Psalm 29:3-4, 10-11, NIV)


"The LORD is king! 
He is robed in majesty.  
Indeed, the LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength.  
The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.  
Your throne, O LORD, has stood from time immemorial.  
You yourself are from the everlasting past.  

The floods have risen up, O LORD.  
The floods have roared like thunder; the floods have lifted their pounding waves.

But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore - the LORD above is mightier than these!

Your reign, O LORD, is holy forever and ever." (From Psalm 93, NLT)

"Take heart. It is I."

These are the words that wash over my spirit today - bringing me the calmness I so desperately crave.  The waves are pretty steep, and the wind is howling loud.  But, praise the Lord, I can still hear His whisper.

Are you in the stormy seas, or perhaps *inside the fish*?  How is God rescuing you?


Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Laura at PLAYDATES WITH GOD
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Jen at UNITE
Jen at SOLI DEO GLORIA
Judith at WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS
Rachel at WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS
Jenifer at WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY
Beth at THREE WORD WEDNESDAY
Lyli at THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY
Wanda at THE FRIDAY FIVE
Laura at FAITH FILLED FRIDAY
Mel at ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS
Barbie at WEEKEND BREW
Sandy at STILL SATURDAY
Janis at SUNDAY STILLNESS


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