HE KNOWS!

The Lord of All creation, how majestic is His name in all the earth! The birds of the air and the flowers of the field
do not worry or fret. He is our hope, our faithful and trustworthy Lord who will provide for us what we truly need
in any and every situation at just the right time!

Are you facing a struggle in life that blindsided you, are you in a situation you never saw coming, are you weary and tired of a long standing situation where you have been persevering by faith to see God's answer come?  HE KNOWS!
The Lord knows what we have need of and his hand is not short that it will not save.  We need to press in and rest in
his amazing love and the peace that passes all understanding and wait for His answer and His timing.  He loves us and is always faithful to His children to do what is truly best for us.  Jesus knows better than we do the high calling of allowing God's perfect work be done and going through pain, sorrow, and even suffering.  He did just that for us and provided the POWER and the HOPE we would need to perservere the trials of this life.  When no one else understands what we are going through, or sees our pain, He Knows! Find in Him, child of God,  all the comfort you need and press on!

                         HE KNOWS
                by Teresa Jobst
Even when it seems like all is upside down
your life storm-tossed with trials
and all around you see the pain
etched in the faces and situations
of those you care about deeply
He Knows

Even when you feel no energy left
so drained and weary.
can you fight the good fight again today?
confront the lies with truth?
do what you know you must?
He knows

Even when those you can usually count on
seem to be preoccupied, unavailable, afraid
leaving you alone
to face challenges that seem overwhelming
He Knows

Even when you'd like to give up
throw in the towel,
Walk away from the pressure
Have someone else do the right thing
He Knows

He Knows
because He felt all of those things
when he prayed
alone
forsaken by his followers,
who chose to sleep
in the garden,
He,
with a commission
weighing on his heart
to save you and I
at great pain
and high cost to Himself
He pressed on
thinking of us
with love and mercy
to the
"It is finished"
to purchase eternal glory for us!
Yes, dear one
Trust in Him, He's not forgotten you!
He knows!

As I celebrate these late March days leading up to Easter, I am reminded just how much the love of God truly brings about new life. Just as the changing of the season here in Chicago from Winter's long, dark and cold days to the hopeful peeking sunshine and slowly rising temperatures declare March's promise of new life in our Spring, so too my heart feels once again the wonder of the resurrection as a memorial of the amazing love God has for me, for all of us who receive His precious gift of new life, free to us but at great cost to Him.

  Each Spring here in Chicago we receive the gift of new life as plants and animals give birth and we see a picture of resurrection before our eyes day by day. Trees that looked stark and dead all winter suddenly displaying buds that will burst forth with life into new leaves or blooms and some green blades of grass begin to appear in our lawns after laying brown and covered with snow. Outside my window I hear the symphony of life as birds return and build nests that contain tiny eggs that carry new life soon to be hatched.  As I opened my door last evening to go out, I was stopped by a flash of movement, a tiny bunny hopping across the lawn. I smiled at God's reminding me that resurrection is taking place, new life all around us; a seasonal reminder of a spiritual truth. 
 
II Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says "Therefore if any person is in Christ, (the Messiah), he is a new creation (a new creature altogether), the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away. Behold the fresh and new has come. But all things are from God, who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into His favor, brought us into harmony with Himself)..."

As God is making all things new again in this season of resurrection, may I see and know the deep, deep love of Christ for me. He gave me new life, He restores my soul, He transferred me out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.  God so loved us that He gave his only son, that whoever believes on Him, would not perish but receive NEW LIFE EVERLASTING!  (John 3:16) 

Thank you Lord for the daily reminders I witness of the work of love and grace you have done for me to bring renewal to my life.  Let me be filled with gratitude and praise each Spring day as I am reminded of the wonder of the new life you have created in me, "the former things are passed away, behold all things becoming new!"  May I live and move and have my being in your resurrection power!

Relationship through Worship

God draws near and speaks to our heart when we worship. Psalm 95:6 says, "O come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker."

I have found at times when I have felt distance from the Lord, that it is as I pull aside from busyness to worship either in song,  or even in silence focusing on some attribute of God, that suddenly I am aware of his immediate presence and am suddenly back in intimate relationship with Him once again; all barriers removed and once again in that place of perfect love that casts out not only fear, but worry, discouragement, loneliness, uncertainty...whatever.

I know that sometimes in this world things can close in quickly and I can feel overwhelmed! Ever feel that way?  Sometimes all it takes is not feeling physically up to par,  getting fed up with trying to keep up with the ever increasing pace of life in the age of technology and "progress",  or one too many things taking a toll on our emotions.

We have a need to be with our Lord in pure worship, adoration, and appreciation for His faithfulness to us.  Worship should be like breathing but too often I find myself gasping for air from "holding my breath" too long!  Then when I do pull away and focus my heart and soul to worship Him, it changes everything.  I feel like I have let out a long held breath and feel my body relax and find rest and joy for my weary
soul.  Isaiah the prophet says that the Lord longs to be gracious to us.  The Lord delights in us and wants us to delight in Him that we  might "mount up with wings like eagles...run and not grow weary, walk and not faint". 

Even though I struggle at times for balance,  I am so thankful the Lord welcomes me with arms wide open and with no condemnation when I suddenly realize I've been " holding my breath" and need to breathe in deeply from an atmosphere of worship and joyfully find the result is the intimacy of His speaking to me in loving relationship!

Lord, help me to deepen the intimacy of our relationship by consistently taking the
time to stop and "breathe you in" in worship. Thank you that you draw near to me as I draw near to you in worship.  Thank you that there is "no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus".  I love that you draw near to me as I worship and that you
speak to my heart the words of love, joy, and peace that my weary soul needs to go on!
"Then sings my soul, my savior God to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art!"