2010: Will His Presence Guide Your Decisions?

Christmas this year went nothing according to my plan.  From the onset, 'not following my plan' was the theme of our holiday.  We left for Sioux Falls two days earlier than planned in order to beat the snow storm (which we did). Our next surprise was the sad news that I woke up to on Christmas morning - an uncle of mine passed away during the night.  On the flip side, I found out that my parents were flying in the next day.  It was an unexpected blessing to see them around Christmas, despite the difficult circumstances.  Surrounding all of this, Jake's hives (which he'd been struggling with for about 5 weeks) took a turn for the worst during our vacation, and he ended up needing a cortizone shot (one night, I slept in my sweats, prepared at any moment to drive him to the ER if his throat swelled up).  We also canceled our anniversary trip to the Black Hills (we had reserved the cabin last July) so that we could stay in Sioux Falls for the funeral.

But God, in His goodness, has a wonderful way of preparing us for the unexpected.  Pastor Randy, in His sermon on Sunday, spoke about not missing the forest for the trees.  We need to hold on to the big picture - the forest - because the big picture is God's picture, and always a good and hopeful one.  So, although the trees in front of me have seemed large over the past few weeks, the forest analogy has kept me sane!  Moreover, God pointed out to me the following words that Job spoke to the Lord after He had undergone more suffering than we can imagine:  "I know that you can do all things, no plan of yours can be thwarted".  NO plan of the Lord's can be thwarted.

The Lord revealed to me this morning that the things he has been teaching me lately have come about through the painful events of the past couple weeks.  As I reflected upon 2009, and especially this last semester, it became apparent to me that I have been overloaded.  For some reason, it took Jake's hives for me to see this.  As much as I try not to over extend myself, I guess that I have still been taking on more than I thought.  In light of this realization, I spent some of our time in Sioux Falls re-evaluating my current commitments and asking God where He wants me to be involved.

The idea of 'serving where He has called me to serve' (as opposed to just jumping into an activity that I want to do) hit home again this Sunday, through Jake's Sunday School lesson on Exodus 33.  Moses has a conversation with God, after God has told Moses and the people of Israel that they can go into the Promise Land, but that He won't go with them.  It goes as follows:

Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me.  You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.'  If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you...

The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."  


Then Moses said to him "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.  How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" 

And the LORD said to Moses, "I willl do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."


This has challenged me to ask the Lord if He is pleased with the commitments I've made, and with the activities in which I am involved.  If He isn't, His presence in those endeavors will not be with me.  As my dear friend and mentor, Becky A. reminded me when we met for coffee in Sioux Falls, the blessings will be where God has called me to be.  If I am serving outside of His will (even if it is a worthy cause, and even if it is an area in which He has gifted me), I will not experience those blessings, and I will feel burned-out.  Moreover, the Lord tells Moses that when His presence goes with him, He will give him rest.  Wow.  I want that rest!

For each area of my life that I am involved in, whether it is relationships, church, work, other ministry-related activities,  leisure, etc, I need to check my heart and my motives.  Why am I doing this?  Is it for personal satisfaction and pleasure, is it to please people, or is it because God has directed me to do this?  I thank God for my friend Sara K, who shared with me the following verse "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive and inheritance from the lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving". (Col. 3: 23-24).

As I evaluate my current involvements and commitments in 2010, God is asking me to be certain that His presence is with me in them.  I pray that you, too, in the coming year, would seek His presence and His favor in all that you do, that it would guide your choices, and that you would find rest.

NO plan of God's can be thwarted!