The Desert Place
James 1:2 “My brothers, consider yourselves fortunate
when all kinds of trials come your way” (TEV)
The Bible speaks of the need for both working and resting. We
may dread times of forced inactivity, but when God puts us on the sideline, He
does so because He loves us. Perhaps He wants us to evaluate our spiritual
status or to renew our strength for some future crisis or just to worship Him.
An anonymous writer put it like this:
Did He set you aside when the fields were ripe
And the workers seemed too few?
Did He set you aside and give someone else
The task you so longed to do?
Did He set you aside when the purple grapes
Hung low in the autumn sun?
And did hands not your own just gather them in—
The trophies you'd almost won?/ Did He set you aside on a couch of pain —
There where all you could do was pray?
And then when you whispered, 'Oh, please let me go,'
Was His answer always, 'Stay'?
Did He set you aside with no plan at all —
With no reason that you could see,
While your heart cried out, 'In this limited space,
Lord, how can I work for Thee?'
Did He set you aside with a heavy cross,
And was your heart filled with despair?
Did you think He had gone and left you alone,
Then suddenly He was there?
And there in the shadows, the world all shut out,
Just kneeling alone at His feet,
Did you learn the answers (though not all yet) ?
Say, weren't His reasons sweet?"
Yes, for the trusting child of God, the "desert place" of trial and affliction can become a place of preparation for greater service.
Tests Are Never Wasted
James 1:12 "Happy is the man who doesn't give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who love him." (TLB)
In James' epistle (1:12) he writes those well
known words, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has
stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those
who love him." Do we really believe Scripture? If we say we do, why is it we so
often think God's greatest concern should be our greatest concern, that is that
our life should be smooth, rose covered path ways all the through?
Peter put it this way as the Holy Spirit inspired him to write, "Dear friends,
do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something
strange were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12).
Solomon wrote, "Man's steps are ordained by the LORD, how then can man
understand his way? (Prov, 20:24)
Charles Swindoll wrote in his book, Hope Again,
"Tests are never wasted. God never says, "Oops, made a mistake on that one. I
shouldn't have given you that. I meant that for Frank. Sorry, Bob." It's as if
the Lord has our name on specific trials. They are specifically designed for us,
arranged with our weaknesses and our immaturity in mind. He bears down and
doesn't let up. And we groan and we hurt and we weep and we pray and we grow and
we learn. Through it all we learn to depend upon His Word....
"The common response to trials is resistance, if not outright resentment. How
much better that we open the doors of our hearts and welcome the God-ordained
trials as honored guests for the good they do in our lives."
Anchors of Faith
MATTHEW 14:30-31 “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"” (NIV)
This is the God Who walks with us and
helps us carry our heavy loads. He knows our frames, our makeup, and our
limitations. He remembers that we are frail, and He has promised not to give us
more than we can take. This is the quiet knowing that we have as we carry our
individual burdens through life.
When Peter's mother-in-law was sick, Jesus took her by the hand and "lifted her
up" (Mark 1:31 KJV). . . .
When Peter's faith failed and he began to sink, the Lord took him by the hand
and lifted him into the boat (see Matt. 14:30-31).
When we are burdened and feel
overwhelmed . . . about to sink beneath the load, we must focus our faith on Him
and not on our circumstances. . . . It is the difficulties, the weights of life,
that cause us to depend on Him. They are often the very things that keep us
anchored to Him.
GIGI GRAHAM TCHIVIDJIAN
Battered by the Waves
MARK 6:47-48 “When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars . . . He came to them, walking on the sea. (NASB)
There were the disciples being battered by the waves and
wind. The harder they rowed in one direction, the harder the wind pushed in
the other direction. Mark pictures them "straining at the oars" (Mark 6:48).
These boys were sweating. And they didn't even want to be out there.
Are you in a storm today? Can you feel the wind pushing against you? You
say, "Tony, I'm not only in a storm, but I'm being pushed backwards."
I hear you. I've been in those kinds of trials too. The first thing I want
to tell you about trials is that for a Christian, there is no such thing as
random, pointless trials. If Jesus sent you into the storm, His authority is
reigning over it even though it may be raining on you.
If you are in a trial, God has a point to it. God can even hit the target
with a crooked arrow. He can take a trial caused by our sin and failure and
still make something out of it. The power and authority of Christ are not
threatened by trials.
TONY EVANS
Even This
LUKE 8:25 "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." (NIV)
Is there something you are facing-whether in your outer
circumstances or in your inner character-that seems impossible to command?
Something that has baffled you and outwitted you a thousand times, and appears
that it will win over you in the end? Something as deaf to your command as the
wind, or wild waters?
Don't despair. Don't shrug and give up.
Our Lord-your Lord and mine--can command even the most difficult, unruly thing
that seems as if it will never be commanded.
Let His word "even" be a comfort to you. He who commands even the winds and
water (and they must obey Him)-He can say to that "even" of yours, "Peace, be
still . . ."
And there will come for you "a great calm" (Mark 4:39 KJV).
AMY CARMICHAEL
In the Path of the Storm
MATTHEW
14:22 “Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on
ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.” (NIV)
Obedience, yes, I said obedience, often puts us in the path of a storm. Jesus
sent them into danger so that they might be delivered from a greater danger,
namely, the temptation to be swept away with the crowd. Let us never forget that
it was Jesus who asked them to go to the other side. It was the Master of the
winds who planned that they would row directly into a storm. . . .
Sometimes we have the mistaken notion that a storm is proof that we are "out of
the will of God." Yet, it is in the center of God's will, in obedience to Him,
that we might encounter the fiercest opposition. Let's not fall into the error
of thinking that we have made a wrong decision just because we are sailing into
high winds. Sometimes our greatest trial comes when we are walking in obedience
to the Lord's command.
ERWIN LUTZER
Captain of Salvation
MARK 4:38 “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (KJV)
Learn from the experience of the disciples. In their alarm they aroused Him
with the aspersion, 'Carest thou not that we perish?" He care? Who could care
more than the Merciful One, the Compassionate Christ? Has He ever forsaken His
own, failed them in their extremity, forgotten them? Never! Where He leads He
loves, where He points He protects, where He plans He provides, where He sends
He saves. Winds and waves will obey the word of Him, who makes the storm a calm.
When sailing under the order of the great Captain of our salvation, only be sure
that the blast of the enemy means blessings ahead, and not breakers. Riot often
precedes revival, as panic does promotion. The devil will do his utmost to drive
you back from the center of God's will and the out stretching of His power
through you, or will try to drown you in the depths of despair and defeat. Sail
on, despite Satan's sneers, snares, or storms.
V. RAYMOND EDMAN
Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”
In the comic strip Peanuts, Lucy had just broken the news to
Linus that children cannot live at home forever. Eventually they grow up and
move away. Then she said that when he left she would get his room. But Linus
quickly reminded her that at some time she too, would have to leave home. When
this realization hit Lucy, she was shocked. But she said she had a solution. She
would turn the TV up loud, crawl into her beanbag chair with a bowl of ice
cream, and refuse to think about it.
Avoiding unpleasant circumstances is not as easy or desirable as Lucy thinks.
Life's realities cannot be successfully avoided. We may try to run and hide, but
we will find that the struggles and trials have a way of dogging our footsteps
and eventually catching up with us. Therefore, we should face up to our
problems.
The psalmist David did this when set upon by deadly foes and false friends. He
didn't try to minimize his danger by adopting a don't-think-about-it philosophy.
Instead, he acknowledged the storm that was raging around him and looked to the
Lord. He wrote, "In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be
afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" (Ps 56:4).
When he did, he was led into a place of calm.
Let's follow the example of the psalmist - not that of Lucy. It is true; facing
up to the difficulties of life may be a frightening experience. But our fear may
be the very means God uses to draw us into His arms. When this happens, we will
experience real deliverance from the harsh realities of life. Remember, when
troubles call on you, you call on God.
Give Away Your Burdens
Psalm 55:22 “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never
let the righteous fall.” (NIV)
The above verse, Psalm 55:22 in the New International Version carries with it an
invitation and a promise almost too good to be true. Perhaps it would be better
to read it in a different translation. Perhaps that would make it easier to
believe. Below are some suggested readings of Psalm 55:22
From the Holy Bible, New Living Translation
“Give your burdens to the Lord,
and he will take care of you.
He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”
From the Message
“Pile your troubles on GOD's shoulders —
he'll carry your load, he'll help you out.
He'll never let good people
topple into ruin.”
From the King James Version
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer
the righteous to be moved.
No matter which version we read it in it still says the same things – give your
burdens to the Lord and He will carry them for you.
A man was carrying a heavy load of grain down a country road. When another man
in a passing wagon noticed his struggle, and, judging the sack to weigh at least
fifty pounds, he gently tugged on the reins and slowed his horses. "Mister, you
need a ride. Get up here with me, and I'll take you."
Relieved, the tired man climbed up onto the seat and settled in for the
remainder of the trip to town. However, he did not remove the loaded sack from
his shoulder.
After a moment of silence, the compassionate driver said with consternation,
"Why don't you put that down and relax?"
To his surprise, the first man replied, "Oh no! It's enough to ask you to carry
me without having you carry this also:'
When you're tempted to carry your burdens by yourself, stop and think about whom
you are dealing with. He is God-the Creator and Sustainer of the universe!
Give Away Your Burdens
Psalm 55:22 “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will
never let the righteous fall.” (NIV)
The above verse, Psalm 55:22 in the New International Version
carries with it an invitation and a promise almost too good to be true. Perhaps
it would be better to read it in a different translation. Perhaps that would
make it easier to believe. Below are some suggested readings of Psalm 55:22
From the Holy Bible, New Living Translation
“Give your burdens to the Lord,
and he will take care of you.
He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”
From the Message
“Pile your troubles on GOD's shoulders —
he'll carry your load, he'll help you out.
He'll never let good people
topple into ruin.”
From the King James Version
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer
the righteous to be moved.
No matter which version we read it in it still says the same things – give your
burdens to the Lord and He will carry them for you.
A man was carrying a heavy load of grain down a country road. When another man
in a passing wagon noticed his struggle, and, judging the sack to weigh at least
fifty pounds, he gently tugged on the reins and slowed his horses. "Mister, you
need a ride. Get up here with me, and I'll take you."
Relieved, the tired man climbed up onto the seat and settled in for the
remainder of the trip to town. However, he did not remove the loaded sack from
his shoulder.
After a moment of silence, the compassionate driver said with consternation,
"Why don't you put that down and relax?"
To his surprise, the first man replied, "Oh no! It's enough to ask you to carry
me without having you carry this also:'
When you're tempted to carry your burdens by yourself, stop and think about whom
you are dealing with. He is God-the Creator and Sustainer of the universe!