1 Samuel 13:12-14 Saul answered, "When I saw I was losing my army from under me, and that you hadn't come when you said you would, and that the Philistines were poised to attack...I hadn't yet come before God asking for help. SGod commanded...God is out looking for your replacement right now." How sad. So what keeps us from missing that appointment with God this day?
I love Jonathan's faith! Saul had 600 soldiers with him. Jonathan asks his armor-bearer in I Samuel 14:6-7 to go with him to the Philistine camp. "Maybe They killed only 20 soldiers that day, BUT they actually grew Saul's army from 600 to 10,000. That is simply amazing! God did it for Jonathan and his faithful armor-bearer. So inviting. Not for Saul though---Saul kept conscripting every strong and brave man he saw, using people.
Our 66LL devo says it this way: "When things go wrong in your life, or when you fear they might, you'll be tempted to sacrifice ethics for pragmatism." The story of Saul. "You'll hear your heart asking, what will work to make things better? You'll not as clearly hear yourself asking, what is holy in this situation that will please the Lord?"
Did you make that appointment with God today?
Cici, I prayed for you last night while you met with Stephanie. Isaiah 55 kept coming to my mind. I prayed for you Isaiah 55:11. I left a longer comment on yesterday's post for you. Exodus 23:30 "little by little" God is changing me and you! You have such a beautiful heart cry!
ReplyDeleteToday's reading reminds me, confirms for me the importance of keeping my daily appointment with God. When I do, I react and act more pleasing to Him. I am able to better wait for His timing and not try to take things into my own hands,
ReplyDeleteGod is never intimidated by the size of a problem!
Praise God! He answered all of our prayers.
ReplyDeleteOur time went better than I was anticipating, and it was easy to recognize it in the moment. God is doing something in my sister, and I know He's been dismantling quite a bit in me for months now.
I am ohsograteful that Stephanie acknowledged that there's something deeper going on, and it's probably not about me. I'm just the convenient target. She acknowledged that I trigger her, but she doesn't know what causes it, and neither do I. It sounds like she's getting some help to get to the root of it, thank God.
There was still a lot that was off-base, and not much owning of her sin, but God graciously kept my mouth shut and irritated looks off of my face. I was amazed that I didn't feel riled up on the inside as I listened to her. I could tell that friends were praying.
Toward the end of our time, I felt God prompting me to invite her and her family to Easter dinner. (Not what I was planning to do!) I wrestled with God for a moment, and then I found myself opening my mouth and extending the invitation. She accepted.
While I recognize it is a great first step, I'm not emotional about it. She had tears but I didn't. I think I'm just worn out by the drama that's been going on for so long. Neither of us really knows where to go from here, but it helps that we spent some time together.
I'm thanking my Father today for His love and faithfulness, for convicting me of my sin in this relationship, for giving me the courage to initiate, for giving me the desire to be holy because He is holy, and for the encouragement from each of you on this blog.
As I think about today's question from Bev, it seems like my appointment with God was last night. However, I know I have many more appointments that I don't want to miss, especially in my relationship with my sister.
God bless you today, my friends. I appreciate you.
Cici, I hope you had a good meeting with your sister. I don't know what the situation is, but God does and He listens and answers our prayers. My husband and I have been going through conflict resolution with our daughter and son-in-law and I would like to recommend a book that helped us learn how to deal with conflict using the biblical guide to resolving personal conflict. It is THE PEACEMAKERS by Ken Sande.
ReplyDeleteGod will make a way for you when there seems to be no way.
The Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man (or woman)who trusts in him. Psalms 32:1b
I just popped over here for a few minutes and I read the poignant question, "Did you make that appointment with God today?" I am between school assignments, all coming due today and tomorrow, and I am reminded of my "first thing." Thank you for the timely reminder.
ReplyDeleteCici, your beautiful heart is pleasing God. Whether you reconcile with your sister or not, you are looking to Him through it all. Thanks for sharing this with us and know we are praying with you.
Would you pray for me today? I did something yesterday without any thought to inquire of God or even talk to my husband. It was kind of a knee-jerk reaction to some news and I want to take it all back right now. Next Wednesday, I am scheduled to have some surgery. I went to the doctor yesterday to ask about some vain cosmetic surgery and to finish up the reconstruction from a double mastectomy I had five years ago. She told me the implants need to come out because they are forming a lot of scar tissue around them. I set up the surgery without any discussion with God or Mike. If I go through with it and the other surgery I ask about, it is a major thing. I am setting aside the rest of today to pray and fast and ask forgiveness for not inquiring of God first. It's not too late to cancel. I did exactly what Saul did and enlisted men to help and left God out of the equation. How short that falls to His better plan! Would you pray with me for clarity and wisdom and His Will to be the center of my focus?
This is my sweet place to stop each day to take in your hearts' love for HIm. Thanks, y'all.
Saul answered, "When I saw I was losing my army from under me, and that you hadn't come when you said you would, and that the Philistines were poised at Micmash, I said, 'The Philistines are about to come down on me in Gilgal, and I haven't yet come before God asking for his help.' So I took things into my own hands, and sacrificed the burnt offering." 1 Samuel 13:11b-12.
ReplyDeleteThese chapters remind me of the internal battle we have listening to and listening for God in our own lives.
Saul is the very picture of a carnal Christian, presuming to know God's Will and yet having at the heart of this HIS OWN WILL.
I am going through something like this. A time of waiting on God. At times I want to ACT, even if it does seem like a good thing. But in my heart, I know that GOD has to work and not me. I am commanded to wait on the Lord.
Presumptuous sins comes to my mind. We presume God's Will and act on our presumptions.
I am a lot like Saul. I want to win more than I want to wait on the Lord.
Jonathan responded differently. He saw opportunity to win a battle. He waited on God to show him when the battle had been given to him. He fought valiently, but the victory belonged to God. The Philistines were killing each other in the wildness of the battle.
Saul has a wildness about him that is driven by fear.
It will cost him dearly. God is out to replace him already.
Cici,
ReplyDeleteYou were on my heart all day yesterday!
I prayed for you and your sister throughout the day and I am so very glad that you came away with a restored hope.
Sisters.
I love mine to death and I have had times where we were not speaking to each other. I missed her like I would miss my right arm if it was cut off. We have slept in the same bed together growing up, we have giggled at the same Barbie games we played, we have done chores together and fought together. She slapped me one time with a dirty washcloth because I wouldn't quit whistling in the kitchen where we were cleaning away the dinner dishes.
Oh, yes she did!
She is the oldest child in our family. I am one year younger.
She is bossy. Not like a mothering kind of bossy. Like a bossy kind of bossy.
We definitely had our moments of fighting and quarreling, BUT SHE MEANS MORE TO ME THAN ANYONE ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH!
Don't ever think that your sister doesn't love you. Two different types of personalities clash. That's a sure thing. But the bond between sisters can't be broken. You hold tightly to your sister and don't let the enemy destroy this relationship. You need to be real to each other. You need to fight for each other. You need to be able to depend on each other.
Grown up problems are coming.
You will need each other. Work through all of this and don't expect it to be easy. Just expect it to be worth it.
Yes, she still gets on my last nerve sometimes, but she has been one of the greatest influences in my life.
In fact, when she came to Christ for salvation as a little girl, it started my own salvation experience.
I didn't want to do what she was doing getting saved.
I wanted to be SAVED like she was.
Big difference.
And just one more thing. In the hardest times of our lives, we have bonded together like twins. I held her hand as she sat like a statue, telling the funeral home how to prepare her only son's body for his funeral. He was 23 years old, killed instantly in a truck that lost control.
She has loved me through a divorce after 26 years of marriage. Abuse left me in a mess, but my sister was there for me.
Relationships are eternal! Some we will keep and continue in heaven. Some we will part and never experience the joy that could have been shared through Christ.
Our mission is to do the best we can to bring all we can with us to heaven.
Prayer is the hope for healing.
Putting God first in our lives is the answer to bitterness.
Loving each other more than ourselves is the way of Christ.
You are His daughter, and I am so very glad to call you my friend.
Don't give up on being a peacemaker. You will be hurt. But the end results will be worth every bit of your submission to the call of Christ.
Cici, I couldn't wait to hear what God was doing for you, and was so delighted to see hope in the midst of a little bit of a mess. I kept checking all morning and breathed a deep sigh of relief when I saw your comment come in this a.m. And a smile! I had been thinking about Jacob going to meet Esau and his 400 men. And God was already at work in Esau's heart. He's at work in all of us. I was so hoping it would be a glimpse of hope for you and it is. The truth is that you will deal with what God is saying to you. You'll own your own stuff. You'll so honor Him. And your heart will cry for holiness to enjoy this wandering precious sister who needs you so. I loved hearing the words that God put in your heart---come eat with us. God did so much when people ate together in the NT...lots of meals. I'm thinking about 2 fish and 5 loaves. How did that happen? God did it? How will you find a good relationship with your sister? 2 Fish and 5 Loaves. I'll keep on praying for you and yours! Love you lots, Bev
ReplyDeleteAnnette, Sounds like you need 2 fish and 5 loaves too! My first thought is oh no, not another surgery. Too soon on your body. May God give you much wisdom as you pull back and see what He wants you to do. I just love you to pieces. Love your humility. To this one God looks---Isaiah 66:2----Annette, who is humble and contrite of heart and trembles at His Word. You'll find Him in this! Praying for you a whole lot over here. Thinking about you all the time! Look forward to talking soon...Love, Bev
ReplyDeleteDeborah, I think anyone would give their right arm to have a sister like you. Proverbs 31:25 --- you have strength and dignity. Hold your head high for your King. HE is the lifter of your head, Psalm 3:3...so obvious! Love you so much, Bev
ReplyDeleteNise, You've been a faithful friend to us, stable and sure. Love hearing from you!
ReplyDelete