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4 Short Lessons from I Samuel 17
Earlier this week I was reading I Samuel 17. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s the David vs Goliath chapter. A few things, well four actually, popped out at me:
Lesson #1 (I Samuel 17:28 NLT)
But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”
Sometimes those “know” you are the ones who don’t want you to grow, change or step out. Don’t let other people’s shortsightedness hold you back from your giant slaying destiny!
On the Potter’s Wheel
Unending love + Unlimited patience = God not giving up on you! Your failures, mistakes, and brokenness do not disqualify you from a good future. He will continue to stand by you until you are whole, see your value, and find your place.
“So I went down to the potter’s house & I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.” Jeremiah 18:3-4 NIV
Wonderfully Made
I’m not going to lie…when I first saw the 3D ultrasound pictures…I was a bit freaked out. They’re kind of…well…they’re kind of creepy. Then my sister showed me this one….
…and I fell in love. I was blown away by this miracle!! To see God’s newest masterpiece as He’s forming her. To see that my newest little niece has my sister’s nose even before she enjoys her birthday. To see her precious face and hand and tummy…the love overwhelmed me. And I cried. It made me want to run to the nearest baby clothing store and purchase the tiniest frilliest little dress ever.
Then I heard God say, “That’s exactly how I felt watching you grow.” And I cried again. Even though He’s the One who forms us and has known us before the foundation of the world, He still gets pumped to see us grow in our mother’s womb. He never gets bored but views us all as little miracles. He calls us masterpieces.
Let this photo of my niece remind you just how valuable you have always been and always will be to Father God.
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Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.” Psalm 139:13-16 MSG
Tears as fertilizer
“Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. ” Psalm 126:5-6
Letting go of the comfortable old for the uncertain new can be daunting and emotional. Even if it hurts, choose to remain open. Don’t let fear steal your future harvest!
There may be tears of pain and grief or even tears of frustration and exhaustion. Think of those tears as fertilizer and don’t let fear stop you! Remain open! Those tears are only for a season.
Little Cloud of Faith
On this absolutely gorgeous day…that I’m thoroughly enjoying….I see this little teeny cloud. And I started thinking about Elijah praying to end the drought. I am not praying for rain but I am praying that you get a hold of the same kind of resolve that Elijah had telling his servant and Ahab to run from that teeny cloud, knowing with all that he was that God had answered His prayer.
Faith is believing before you see the manifestation of your promise or answer to your prayer. Knowing that He who has promised is faithful.
“Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.”
Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’” 1Kings 18:44
Seeing isn’t believing, believing is seeing!
Awe and Wonder
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
-Albert Einstein
Today I realized that I can be amazed every single day. Awe and wonder is literally a lifestyle choice. I can choose to look for and experience joy in the everyday. I can choose to expect miracles. I can choose to say, “Father God, what awesome and wonderful things do you have planned for us today?”
I am the only one who determines how I receive from God and perceive the world around me! Only I have the power to decide whether I embrace the awe and wonder of life or whine and complain about it. I am all powerful in how I choose to react.
I know the faith walk ain’t for sissies. Believing God when all the evidence points against it is difficult, especially when you’ve been hurt and disappointed. But that’s exactly the time to look for awe and wonder in your life. That’s when you need to choose to expect good!
Why do you think Jesus called those little bitty kiddos the greatest in Matthew 18?
Think about it? Little kids just believe, and they walk around amazed by everything they see. Everything is new and exciting. That’s exactly what childlike faith looks like. That is what pleases and impresses Jesus.
What if today you expected awe and wonder? What if you went around knowing that our Father has good surprises for you everyday, hidden amongst the ordinary and mundane? What if you truly believed God is for you and not against you? What if today you just believe that God loves you? What if you just received His love like a toddler being picked up and cradled by their daddy?
I will leave you with this…the Greek word “know” in Romans 8:28 actually means to see therefore to know. It is connected to the word optomai (op’-tom-ahee), which means to gaze at something with wide open eyes, as at something remarkable. It means to be amazed by what you’re seeing. This isn’t a factoid to put in your knowledge bank, it is something you witness and are blown away by.
“And we stare long in amazement,in complete wonder, that the Creator of everything loves us so much that He causes everything in our (those loving and living for Him) lives to work together for our good benefit.” Romans 8:28 Jill Translation
You Are Alive
“But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead.” Ephesians 2:8
Yes, Jesus died for us, taking ALL our diseases & ALL our sins (past present & future) But that’s only 1/2 the gift! Jesus was resurrected to give us life! Staying focused on sin & death all the time is like hanging in the cemetery & mourning eternally for someone who’s not even dead. There is a time for grieving & dealing with our sin, but we then we need to move on & live the abundant life Jesus was resurrected to give us! #JesusIsAlive #SoAreYou
Superabundant
So many people read the first half of this verse and stop…but the life is in the second half.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life; and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
Abundantly means super abundant in quantity and superior in quality. Even when the thief is trying to steal, kill and destroy, Jesus enabled YOU to have a lifetime full of exceedingly abundantly above!
Greater is He that is in you, than he who is in the world.
He Strengthens You
So many people say, “God will never give you more than you can handle.”
I want to ask them, please show me where it says that in the Bible?
I think they base it on I Corinthians 10:13, where Paul is talking about everyone being subjected to temptation. God will always provide away of escape from temptation, people don’t always take it, but He provides the way. If you read the verse and its context, it’s clearly talking about temptation. “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.” I Corinthians 10:12-14 NKJV Clearly talking about temptation.
Before I continue, I want to make it clear that God does not cause bad or give bad. He is a good God and He only has good to give. BUT He will allow things to come against us. Though we are subject to the same temptations as everyone else, we have a promise that God is faithful to show us a way out. On top of that we will have trials. This is all found in James 1:2-18.
Now back to my point. Life will give you more than you can handle. That’s life. It’s the world we live in. It’s stressful. It’s hard. You will be tested and have trials. But the difference between you and the rest of the world is that you have GOD! The Word says that you will not have to handle all the junk alone. God’s got you. He will help you to thrive in the midst of every trial and tribulation. He can bring you through anything, and leave you even better than you were before!
Isaiah 43:1-4 NLT, “But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom;
I gave Ethiopia[a] and Seba in your place.
Others were given in exchange for you.
I traded their lives for yours
because you are precious to me.
You are honored, and I love you.”
The Word also says that God is your strength and that He strengthens you.
“Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies.” Psalm 108:13 NLT
The Hebrew word translated valiantly means to show oneself strong. It can be translated strength, might, efficiency, wealth or army. It shows that God comes along side of us to assist us when the situation is beyond us. No matter whether our enemy is sickness or disease, poverty or lack, emotional trauma, a family situation, persecution or anything else, God is with us. He gave Jesus for our freedom, redemption and healing. The New Testament corresponding verse is found in Philippians 4:13, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (NLT)
You will have things that are too much for you to handle, but that is when partnership with God comes into play. He will strengthen you. You can ask Him for His wisdom, and He will give it to you. When you come to the end of what you can do, God steps in to do what you cannot. He makes a way where there is no way. He turns everything around for our good.
Asking God for help is strength, not weakness. Allowing God to do what you cannot, is trusting Him. David had more than he could handle when Saul was trying to kill him, but God protected David. Job had more than he could handle when the enemy came against him, but God guarded his life and returned to him 10 fold for what he lost. The Children of Israel had more than they could handle in taking the Promised Land, but God went before them and they were victorious. And these are Old Testament stories. Before Jesus came to take our sin, sickness, and brokenness. Before Holy Spirit came to give us power. Imagine what you can overcome now, this very day, with God!!!
One caveat…God likes to do things His way. And He is infinitely more creative and wiser than we are…so be prepared to have your mind blown! 🙂
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20
Allow Yourself To Believe
“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrew 11:1
Sometimes we stand in our own way. We are afraid to just believe that we will have what we hope for. Don’t allow fear to steal your hope. Instead allow yourself to be persuaded that God is good & He will do what He said He will do. He desires to give us His best for us even more than we want His best for us.
jillbeingstill 