“Teach us to number our days” (Ps. 90:12).

We have a large, flat stone on our front porch that says “Grow old along with me; the best is yet to be.” For the Christian, this is a great truth; for the unbeliever, it is a horrible deception.

There is a dear lady named Janice who, at this very moment, is numbering her final days on this earth. She and her husband and children have fought a long and valiant fight to keep her here as long as possible, but now she’s tired and ready to go home. Her part of the struggle will soon be over, and she will experience for all eternity the truth that “the best is yet to be.” But her husband and children’s struggle will continue, even though they know they will see Janice again. This dear lady is one of the finest, most dedicated Christians any of us could ever hope to meet. In addition, she is a writer, an author, a speaker—a precious minister of God’s grace and mercy.

Janice has numbered her days well. She has poured out her life for the gospel, and she has been an exemplary role model for many. When her husband brought her to speak to us in Denver last July, she looked thin and weary—but full of joy and victory. She has faded fast since then, and is now down to days, or possibly even hours. But even as the last of her earthly life is being poured out as an offering and the time of her departure draws near (see 2 Tim. 4:6), she still ministers to many, reminding us that it is only those things with eternal value that matter.

May her life—and death—cause us all to take a moment today to pause and pray for dear Janice and her family as they prepare to say their temporary goodbyes—and also to ask God to help us number our own days as well, even as we work to honor Him with our words….

Communicating the vision… (Hab.2:2)
alandkathi@ca.rr.com
www.kathimacias.com

Labels: weekly devotions

“…Be still and know that I AM God” (Psalm 46:10).

Those were the words God whispered to my heart this morning. I know them well; we all do. It’s one of the most quoted and memorized phrases in the Bible. Sadly, it is also probably one of the least understood or practiced. A word study of that brief phrase of scripture might help us understand why.

First, the command to “be still” is one of the toughest things we ever attempt to do. I used to teach pre-school, and also taught Sunday school and VBS to little ones for years. I remember my frustration one time when I just couldn’t get them to sit still and listen. An older and much wiser teacher said to me, “It’s like trying to organize a herd of earthworms, isn’t it?” I laughed, but I also realized that must be exactly the view God has of us, as we scurry and squirm in all directions, frantically trying to do and accomplish and achieve, but failing miserable at our self-imposed tasks.

To “be still” is more than to cease physical movement. It is to cease striving in our own efforts and to listen to and obey Him. And that is exactly what God has commanded us to do, for apart from that, Jesus said, we can do nothing. Nothing. Until we stop trying to “do our own thing,” we will never accomplish anything. But when we are still and listen to His heartbeat, we will “know” that He is God. This word “know” is the same word used in the Old Testament Scriptures to denote a man “knowing” his wife and creating a child. To KNOW that He is God and that He alone can do anything and that apart from Him we can do nothing is where we begin to partner with Him in the creation of life. In our case as writers, it is the place where we begin to create life-giving words that will bless and heal and call our readers to the Father’s heart so that they too can “be still and know.” What an awesome responsibility God has laid upon us!

As you wade further into this new year, may you BE STILL and listen to His heartbeat, and KNOW that He alone is God….

Communicating the vision… (Hab.2:2)
alandkathi@ca.rr.com
www.kathimacias.com

Labels: weekly devotions

“…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).

Have you ever spent time diligently seeking God for direction, only to receive an answer you really didn’t want to hear? Sure you have. We all have. And I will confess that, on occasion, I have tried to ignore that answer—or, at the very least, tell myself that God didn’t quite mean it the way it sounded.

And yet, if I’ve learned anything in the 32 years that I’ve known Jesus as my Savior, it’s that God says what He means, and He means what He says. So it was more than a little tough to swallow the message He gave me some months ago when I asked Him for clear direction for my work/ministry for 2006. He said—loud and clear, I’m afraid—“Somebody has to set up the chairs.”

Huh? That sounded suspiciously like a call to work behind the scenes! But I’m a writer and speaker—a pastor, for Pete’s sake! How am I supposed to fulfill my calling if no one knows who I am or hears what I have to say?

But as you all know so well, God has a way of getting our attention, even when we do our best to ignore that “still, small voice.” And when He finally does, it feels so good to stop running after our own dreams and yield to His purpose. I don’t yet have a clear answer on how God’s directive to me is to read out in a practical sense, but I do know that I am now actively watching for opportunities to “set up chairs” whenever I can, for there truly is no greater sense of joy or fulfillment than knowing we are right smack-dab in the middle of God’s will, fulfilling His purpose and blessing His loving heart.

And one day, when we are welcomed home by the One who came to us as a Servant, offering His very life for our redemption, we will receive the greatest accolade of all: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

May that always be our focus and our goal, and particularly this week as many of us walk through days of “glitz and glamour” that will tempt us to forget that we are here to serve…not to be served.

Thank you, for the privilege of “setting up chairs” for you on Thursday mornings, and may you all be mightily blessed as you pray for one another and serve the One who is so worthy of praise.

Communicating the vision… (Hab.2:2)
alandkathi@ca.rr.com
www.kathimacias.com

Labels: weekly devotions

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (Jas. 1:17).

Al and I have known one another since we were six years old—more than half a century now! Our oldest son turned forty three days before Christmas, and even our grandchildren aren’t babies anymore. Life has a way of zooming right along, doesn’t it?

One of the best things that comes from knowing someone for so long is that we instinctively know what sort of gift to buy—or not. My husband realizes I’m the practical sort and would much rather get a gift that I can put to good use (like a new toaster or blender to replace the one that just broke down) than one I can do nothing but polish and stare at—and pray I don’t lose!—like a diamond ring. This year he outdid himself: He didn’t just get me a good gift; he got me the perfect gift. It’s an ergonomic, wireless keyboard and mouse, which I’m using right now and loving every minute of it. It’s a gift that says, “I love you and know you well enough to realize this is the gift you want and need so you can continue to pursue your passion of writing with a lot more comfort and ease.” In fact, I hadn’t even hinted to him that I would like something like this, though it had crossed my mind a few times. I didn’t have to; he just knew.

God gives us gifts like that, doesn’t He? He gives us just what we need to pursue the passion He has placed inside us. Can you imagine how awful it would be if He gave us a passion (a good gift) to write but didn’t give us the ability to do so (the perfect gift)? It is both an honor and a privilege to be called and gifted by God to proclaim His words to a hurting and needy world. As we wrap up the year of 2006, may we enter 2007 with a fresh appreciation of the good and perfect gift of “writing the vision” that God has bestowed upon us—the gift that enables us to tell the world about the greatest Gift of all, God’s very own Son.

Communicating the vision… (Hab.2:2)
alandkathi@ca.rr.com
www.kathimacias.com

Labels: weekly devotions