He Is Faithful
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1
Those words of Scripture are so common but have you ever really thought about them? Have your young children ever come to you and asked you if you are getting paid this week because they are hungry or because they would like to wear clothes tomorrow? The answer is probably not. Our children usually depend on us and just assume that we will take care of their every need. Have you ever wondered at what point that we start to worry about such things? Why is it that we do not trust our Father for our every need?
Recently my pastor talked about how a shepherd leads His sheep and the sheep are trained to follow. There are so many things that we are required to do BY FAITH. God has not said that our journey would be easy but He did say that He would be with us. He has asked us to go with Him and that He would lead us. He will go before us and lead us and we are to trust that He has our best interest at heart. It is so hard to see, especially in the midst of a storm, that God is going to use that storm to make us stronger and to bring us to a place where we can say that we were blessed or made better because of it. We have to have faith that our trials are set before us for a reason and that God will bring us through better person that before. In Romans, Paul tells us that we should “glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulations produces perseverance, and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (5:3-4) Do we have faith that this is actually the case? Certainly when we have come out of trials we can look back and see where this might have been true. Think about the last time you were tested and see if this rings true for you.
I love how God shows us things when we least expect him to do so – like little unexpected blessings. Recently, I have started reading the book of Exodus in my quiet time in order to gain a greater knowledge of Biblical history. I mean, really it is so I can be smart like my husband, but I wanted to sound spiritual for you. Just kidding! At the same time I have started reading the book of Exodus, to be transparent for a minute, I have also started a personal journey of trying to bring out more of my gentle side. If you knew me at all, you would be laughing right now because honestly, you would be hard-pressed to find my gentle side. I am sensitive but it does not show very often. I have just really been convicted lately to be less direct in my speech towards others and more gentle-spirited. I am a work in progress. So, as I am reading Exodus, I am thinking that I am merely going to be gaining Biblical knowledge and strictly historical knowledge. God is so clever! Right there on the words of the page during my morning Bible reading, He decided to teach me something practical. Shut the front door! Moses was feeling a little inadequate after God had told him to go to Egypt and rescue the Israelites and was telling God that he does not speak well and was, well, making excuses. In Exodus 4:12 it says: “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” Well, get out! See, I had been struggling the day before with this “new leaf” I had turned over. I was struggling with taming my tongue and God knew I needed a Word from Him. He is just so good to me. He is faithful when I am not.
Why is it so hard to trust? Why is it so hard to have faith that God will take care of us when we ask…and when we don’t ask? I had prayed for God to help me and I was discouraged. He was faithful. Our Shepherd comes and finds His sheep and goes before us. He is faithful when we are not.
Those words of Scripture are so common but have you ever really thought about them? Have your young children ever come to you and asked you if you are getting paid this week because they are hungry or because they would like to wear clothes tomorrow? The answer is probably not. Our children usually depend on us and just assume that we will take care of their every need. Have you ever wondered at what point that we start to worry about such things? Why is it that we do not trust our Father for our every need?
Recently my pastor talked about how a shepherd leads His sheep and the sheep are trained to follow. There are so many things that we are required to do BY FAITH. God has not said that our journey would be easy but He did say that He would be with us. He has asked us to go with Him and that He would lead us. He will go before us and lead us and we are to trust that He has our best interest at heart. It is so hard to see, especially in the midst of a storm, that God is going to use that storm to make us stronger and to bring us to a place where we can say that we were blessed or made better because of it. We have to have faith that our trials are set before us for a reason and that God will bring us through better person that before. In Romans, Paul tells us that we should “glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulations produces perseverance, and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (5:3-4) Do we have faith that this is actually the case? Certainly when we have come out of trials we can look back and see where this might have been true. Think about the last time you were tested and see if this rings true for you.
I love how God shows us things when we least expect him to do so – like little unexpected blessings. Recently, I have started reading the book of Exodus in my quiet time in order to gain a greater knowledge of Biblical history. I mean, really it is so I can be smart like my husband, but I wanted to sound spiritual for you. Just kidding! At the same time I have started reading the book of Exodus, to be transparent for a minute, I have also started a personal journey of trying to bring out more of my gentle side. If you knew me at all, you would be laughing right now because honestly, you would be hard-pressed to find my gentle side. I am sensitive but it does not show very often. I have just really been convicted lately to be less direct in my speech towards others and more gentle-spirited. I am a work in progress. So, as I am reading Exodus, I am thinking that I am merely going to be gaining Biblical knowledge and strictly historical knowledge. God is so clever! Right there on the words of the page during my morning Bible reading, He decided to teach me something practical. Shut the front door! Moses was feeling a little inadequate after God had told him to go to Egypt and rescue the Israelites and was telling God that he does not speak well and was, well, making excuses. In Exodus 4:12 it says: “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” Well, get out! See, I had been struggling the day before with this “new leaf” I had turned over. I was struggling with taming my tongue and God knew I needed a Word from Him. He is just so good to me. He is faithful when I am not.
Why is it so hard to trust? Why is it so hard to have faith that God will take care of us when we ask…and when we don’t ask? I had prayed for God to help me and I was discouraged. He was faithful. Our Shepherd comes and finds His sheep and goes before us. He is faithful when we are not.
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