The angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon in the book of Judges and very plainly said,…The. LORD. Is. With. You.

And Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about?”

Poor Gideon. He wanted to understand the “if’s” and “why’s” and “where’s” so badly that he didn’t understand the LORD was standing right in front of him saying…The. LORD. Is. With. You.

Poor me.

I do believe the LORD heard and understood both questions Gideon asked. I really do. But you wouldn’t know it from the LORD’s response.

Because then the LORD turned to Gideon and said, “Go with the strength you have … I am sending you!”

None of Gideon’s questions were even acknowledged. But the LORD’s supernaturally charged plan to totally reverse Gideon’s situation was ready to be implemented.

He just needed to listen and get up and go.

What else could I possibly need? The LORD is with me and I can go in the strength I already have because he is sending me.

‘Nuff said. Time to go.

(Judges 6:11-14)

(all italics/bold mine)

 

…Search for peace,

and work to maintain it.

The eyes of the Lord

watch over those who do right,

and his ears are open to their prayers.

1 Peter 3:11-12

 

Before I pray, I try to take a moment to visualize walking through the open door of God’s throne room with Jesus right beside me. His arm is around my shoulders and he says, “Father, she’s mine”.  And then they listen to my heart.

I often tell the Lord that I don’t want to waste his time or mine by praying ineffectively. I want his ears to be open to my prayers. So I ask him to change me, to cleanse my heart and remove anything in me that would hinder him from being able to respond.

And then, standing in the presence of the Creator of the universe, I pray.

 

 

…pay close attention

to what they wrote, (the OT prophets)

for their words are like a lamp

shining in a dark place—

until the Day dawns,

and Christ the Morning Star

shines in your hearts.

2 Peter 1:19

 

I love the Old Testament readings where my invisible God shows up with trumpet blasts or fire raining down from heaven or in the embodiment of the angel of God.

But his special chosen people kept choosing to leave this incredible Being for gods made of wood and stone. And God consistently respected their choices, but would also withdraw his blessings.

Then eventually they’d get the message and cry out for mercy. And he would always respond—many times by raising up a prophet who would lead them to victory.

Their stories make me rejoice that I live my life redeemed in the light coming from this side of the cross.

Blessings of attentiveness,

Jan

 

 

And again David asked the LORD what to do.

“Do not attack them straight on,” the LORD replied.

“Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar

          trees.

When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar

          trees, be on the alert!

That will be the signal that the LORD is moving ahead of you…”

          (2 Samuel 5:23-24)

Rustling leaves and snapping twigs…cracking branches and splitting trunks…flashing lightning and booming thunder? My imagination races around ahead of me trying to hear that soundtrack.

I love these out-of-this-world illustrations God shares with me to teach me about his unlimited strategy and grace. And my heart swells to know that, even though I’m bogged down in Saturday time, he’s totally unfettered and has his army out there marching ahead of me.

 

My bees arrived unannounced last Saturday afternoon.

Evidently the overnight rainstorm encouraged them to rearrange themselves.

Austin is wondering exactly how Uncle Bubba talked him into this. 

A girl in polka-dot farm boots called to say, “Mama Jan, we’re coming to catch those bees”.

A little sugar water is supposed to make bees happy.

6:30 is pretty early for bee catching.

Austin had never fancied himself as a bee catcher.

Slow is good.

Camera man ready.

Sugar cookies are good when you’re catching bees.

Okay. Okay. Okay.

Here comes a scary part.

Clipping off the little branches.

Considering the big branch.

Still considering.

Done considering!

Somebody’s gotta do this.

GO AUSTIN! Put those bees in the box!

See Austin run. Austin runs fast. Go Austin go.

Some bee catchers listen to Joe Scruggs CD’s while they wait for honey.

Now then…

So…

Austin is being ex*em*pla*ry (ig-zem’pl.-re)

Bee box filled.

Gotta find our queen.

Austin’s choosing a different career.

Helping those little critters into their new home.

Noisy. Noisy. Noisy.

Queenie?  Where are you?

Her Majesty, the Queen Bee.

Scoot em on in there.

Mama Jan loves honey.

Sweet little honey bee crawling on my neck.

The end of our beeing morning. And all of God’s creatures are special.

 

Late last night reading in the Old Testament book of Joshua, I was struck by God’s precision and intentionality when he laid out the boundary lines to divide his Promised Land. I smiled when I read verse 19:23 “the boundary ran…from the oak at Zaanannim”. Sounded to my ears like down-home directions given by someone who has lived someplace for many years. It’s almost like the “just turn left by the old red barn that was torn down 10 yrs ago” kind of directive that can only come from familiarity.

And God the Creator’s words to me are based on familiarity and bring intimacy to our relationship. But the depth of our relationship is much deeper on his side because he knew me before I knew him. He’s actually told me that he knew me before he laid out the foundations of the earth…such amazing unfathomable intentionality.

So I wonder…what would my daily world look like, if I practiced his directives intentionally?

I’m trying this one today… 

                     Give all of your worries and cares to God, 

                            for he cares about you.

                                       1 Peter 5:7

 Blessings of releasing

Joshua (the Israelite leader who moved into Moses’ position following his death) prayed:

      “’Let the sun stand still over Gibeon,

                and the moon over the valley of Aijalon’

So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies…

The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. 

There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the LORD answered such a prayer.”         Joshua 10:12-14

                          

My heart soars to know that the LORD God, this incredible amazing Being of power, is the same Father God I speak with daily. And I am so incredibly grateful that my children also walk with him.

I love good questions…those that make me think, ponder and sometimes undo and rearrange what I thought I already knew. My husband once told me that the two most important life questions are: one, what do you do with Jesus? And two, whom do you marry?

Reading a verse of Scripture from different translations is a wonderful way to experience the richness and fullness of its meaning. I love the Aramaic Bible in Plain English poetic rendition of Jesus’ question in Mark 8:29:

And Yeshua said to them,
     “But what is it you are saying about me as to who I am?”
Shimeon answered and he said to him,
     “You are The Messiah, The Son of THE LIVING GOD.”

I say YES to serving THE LIVING GOD!

I’ve nearly always loved life’s random absurdities (they usually make me laugh) along with good questions and ideas that jangle my thinking. The Scriptures are filled with them…and one of my current favorites is knowing that…

Rahab, a prostitute who lived in the city wall of old Jericho, is an ancestor of my Lord Jesus Christ.

It amazes me. God knew her heart and, obviously, her failures…just like he knows mine. And he loved her…and me…and you. In spite of all that we are, and all that we aren’t, he still loves us. I rejoice knowing there’s nothing I can do to make God love me any less or make him love me any more. He’s constant.

(my bees arrived unannounced)