Last night I set my alarm clock for 6 AM. Sounds pretty normal, right? But no, it’s not for me. I’ve been an on again, off again alarm clock user ever since I’ve had my children. Usually my kids wake me up, or my husband wakes me up with “coffee o’clock” - that sweet morning tradition we’ve had since we were newly wedded - he simply sets down a fresh cup of coffee next to my bed which is my cue that the day has begun. So why in the world did I set my alarm this morning? Because God has given me vineyards! Let me explain.

Proverbs 24:30-34 reads:

“I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”

This is not the first time we have read this in the Proverbs. And I have learned the value in paying attention to the places God repeats Himself. By doing so, He is emphasizing a point, tilting our chin up to focus on its importance.

Proverbs 6:6-11 also calls out the sluggard and the wise:

“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber and want like and armed man.”

As I was reading this, I began a conversation with the Holy Spirit. “Hey God. I’m not sleeping enough as it is. Can’t I just sleep until I HAVE to wake up?” I think the answer is yes. I could sleep just a little longer. But according to Proverbs, that little sleep would make me a sluggard.

You see, work is a gift from God. We don’t need to work for our salvation, but we work as a form of worship. God created us with the drive to work in the very beginning. He also gave us common sense. But the Fall changed everything! It warped our common sense, and gave us expectations of blossoming vineyards without the need for worshipful work - work that God has blessed us with to be able to grow and maintain these very vineyards. In the miracle of your own redemption, He has also redeemed your work - not that you would toil out of fear or work for all your wants, but that you’d work as worship, that it would come from the overflow of your heart.

We have all been given a vineyard. Look around you. What has God given you to steward?

We have all been given a vineyard. Look around you. What has God given you to steward? It doesn’t take me long to identify my own -- relationships with a husband and children, a home, my church and community, this very ministry and the Hosea Bible study, and my body and health. I could go on and on. His goodness is astounding. When I stop to consider all the vineyards before us, I see two very important tools God gave for us to be able to tend them. First, God has given us common sense, and second God has also given us a Helper, the Holy Spirit. Sisters, it’s not only okay to rest, it is ordained by God that you do so. God has given BOTH work and rest, but this proverb indicates that there is something off about the sluggards’ balance of these two paradigms.

For instance, if I have kept myself up watching Netflix late into the evening and then I sleep past my alarm clock, then I am not tending my vineyards well. In fact, what I am actually doing is missing out on time for valuable, worshipful work. Now, is watching Netflix wrong? Nope. I love me some The Crown! But what does common sense and the Holy Spirit tell me after reading Proverbs? That my entertainment better not leave me un-rested for the work that God has set before me. That kind of “rest” is not of the Lord, because it is, in all reality, no rest at all.

On the contrary, if a baby kept me awake all night for three nights in a row, then I have been awake tending my vineyards of my children, and common sense would tell me to now tend the vineyard of my body by sleeping. Deep breaths, ladies. It is okay to rest. And when I am unsure, I can ask God to help me figure out the right choice, and trust His leading. My prayer is this: Thank you Lord for creating rest. Thank you Lord for creating work. Show me your discernment.

Our little choices are really the big choices, sisters. There are no little choices in the Kingdom of God.

Notice, it was not “a lot” of sleep that caused the sluggard poverty, but just a smidge. Our little choices are really the big choices, sisters. There are no little choices in the Kingdom of God. It was but two loaves and 5 fish that ended up feeding the 5,000. It was but one hand that reached out to Jesus’ garment that then healed the same woman that had bled for 12 years. It was just two coins that the widow gave that earned her praise from the mouth of Jesus and also served to convict all the stingy givers.

Like the ant, I don’t seemingly have any boss or ruler. As a stay at home mom, I have great freedom over my schedule. But the truth is, I answer to God, who sees all my choices, big and small, just as He sees the ants choices. So, for the joy set before me, I’m repenting of my loafing around, and I’m setting my alarm clock. I’m going to wake up to worship God in the middle of my vineyards...ahem...HIS vineyards.

So, sisters, let’s take time to consider even our smallest of choices, as the writer of Proverbs tells us to do, and hold them open to the Lord for instruction. Where are you folding your hands when God has given you no jurisdiction to do so? Yes, you absolutely can sleep a little longer, but make sure it is the Holy Spirit’s leading that you do so.

Epilogue: This morning my alarm went off at 6, and I woke up very proud of myself. I got up, read my Bible, and went on a jog, only to return and realize that my phone was still set to central time from our travels out west. It was actually an entire hour past when I thought it was!

Even when we try, we fall short, but He still chooses to bless our intentions and attempts at obeying Him.

Yet, praise God, He still blessed my mishap. He gave me time with Him, time tending to my body, all while my kids slept a little later than normal. Clearly, Jesus is the only one capable of perfect obedience. Even when we try, we fall short, but He still chooses to bless our intentions and attempts at obeying Him.

Rest your heart here, sister. God has not folded His hands on you, yet, and He never will. Where our hearts are sluggish, God’s heart is bound and determined for us. When you are not “feeling it” on a certain day, lean into Jesus. He is the one that gives us the blessing of obedience, and the blessings from obedience.

Jesus is the best alarm clock.

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Jillian Vincent loves Jesus. She's a wife, mother of two boys and a Dayton enthusiast. Jillian currently is a stay at home mama and spends nap times writing and discipling other women. She would (almost) die for an avocado, a cup of coffee made by her husband, a novel that makes her cry, and a bouquet of sunflowers.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG

Sometimes I think Solomon wrote these words just for me, though he didn’t realize it at the time. As I read them, and re-underline them, I think maybe the good Lord was on His throne, giving Solomon these words while He was thinking about a brown-haired, green-eyed woman who would need them desperately over and over again in her life.

Trust is a tricky thing for me, friends. I used to feel shame to admit that – whether it was related to a friendship, to a family member, to a significant other. I felt, somewhere deep in my gut, that if I admitted I struggled with trust, it was a reflection of my own heart. These days, I’m learning just being honest about it all is a practice of living freer. It doesn’t mean it’ll always be easy. It doesn’t mean it’ll always go smoothly. But if I give space to myself, and to those in my life, to speak honestly, we will be living life more openly.

He, alone, deserves me believing the best of Him, trusting Him wholly, and praising Him every inch I step.

Like many other people I know, I’ve been cheated on. I’ve been lied to while looking someone in the eye. I’ve been misled, let down, and deeply hurt. In the last two years I’ve learned a great deal about trauma, the effects it has on the brain, and how we operate in relationships as a result of said trauma. Previous relationships and key people in my story who’ve hurt me or melded their lives with mine in dishonesty have left me expecting fallacy to be discourse. As I grow and mature and learn, I realize just how unfair that can be to new people; it is something I am continually fighting and butting my head up against.

It is unfair to people because I believe we deserve to have the best believed of us. But we are all human, aren’t we? Which means, no matter our best intentions, no matter how honest we live and love, we will let each other down. But God.

The One giving Solomon the words, the One speaking through literature or music or nature to His kids, He doesn’t let us down. His plans may not be what we had in mind for ourselves, but He does not disappoint. He, alone, deserves me believing the best of Him, trusting Him wholly, and praising Him every inch I step. The truth is, though, He’s often who I trust the least, in times of wilderness. Never mind that sometimes those moments of wilderness are the sum of my own choices, of me believing I can do it on my own, make the better choice, figure out the details.

When I stop listening for God’s voice, when I stop discussing even the minor details with Him, I end up turned around and mistrusting of everyone. One of my favorite quotes was first spoken by author and speaker, Maya Angelou. She says, “When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.”

He calls us to all corners of the earth, meets us there, and begins a healing we weren’t aware we needed.

I consider the Creator of the universe. I think about, in the garden, how He calls to Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” even though we all know He knew just where they were. I think about the cross and crucifixion and what that means for me. I consider the healing, with a touch of a hand, the tables shared with prostitutes and lepers and tax collectors. I consider the first time I fully understood that He does, without question, bring goodness from the most heartbreaking of circumstances. I think about how He calls us to all corners of the earth, meets us there, and begins a healing we weren’t aware we needed.

Then I meditate on trust. On all the times I’ve not given it over to Him, but instead to people who would fail me simply because of their mortality. When people show you who they are, believe them the first time. Our Father is one who shows up and stays – without question, regardless of where we’re coming from, unhesitant before our sinful living. Why do I hesitate to give my trust over to the One who will never stop showing up, chasing after, pulling near?

Lord God, forgive me all those moments I’ve put trust in the backseat of our relationship. Forgive me for all the times to come that I will be prone to do the same. Jesus, allow me to have an open heart to You, recalling all the ways you’ve never failed, never left, never lost grip on my heart. Amen.

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Steph Duff wants to live in a world where every human, whether small or regular-sized, learns to use their voice and is seen and known. When she's not traveling and story telling with Back2Back Ministries, you'll likely find her drinking excessive cups of coffee, with her nose in a book, or daydreaming about India. Her favorite scripture is Habakkuk 1:5, and she prays for a world in which Jesus is the name on every lip. Learn a little more about her love for semi-colons, what stirs her blood, and the yearnings of her heart over at www.stephaniduff.wordpress.com.

How often are our prayers asking God to do something specific for us (as if He is a genie)? Or, maybe they end up being requests for Him to clear the difficulties so that our walk to where we think we are headed will be easier? How often are those prayers answered? And maybe the bigger question is how often are they not?

I can tell you from personal experience that when I feel as if my prayers are going into a bottomless abyss, I find myself distracted and discouraged. I find myself agonizing over these prayers. It often ends up creating anxiety within me that my rational, Christ-loving, God-fearing self knows to be crazy and ridiculous. But my irrational control-freak self still feels helpless because I can’t make happen what I want to happen.

Similarly, when I read about King Solomon, my mind tends to drift off a bit. I wonder just what it would have been like to have a life with all the wisdom, power, money and success he was given. Comparatively, my poor-as-a-church-mouse way of thinking could only dream to have such things, while the other (more rational) side of me believes it was probably more work than it was worth. But the bottom line is, in 1 Kings 3, Solomon asks God for wisdom to be able to rule his people well. God answered his prayer. Simple as that. Solomon was faithful and obedient to the decrees that David left and therefore honored the godly lineage. Solomon loved God...but that did not make him perfect. Even with all of that wealth, wisdom, and power - he made some mistakes.

Despite having unimaginable wisdom,
even Solomon fell short of walking the correct path at all times.

Solomon still worshipped in the wrong locations and allowed temples for other false gods to be built (knowing full well these were sins against Yahweh). Despite having unimaginable wisdom, even Solomon fell short of walking the correct path at all times. So, when my prayers go unanswered, and I begin to wonder if it’s due to my lack of faith or obedience, it’s a helpful  reminder to me to see that King Solomon had all the wisdom in the world, yet he, too, was unable to maintain a perfect walk. The other bright side is, God still answered his prayers. God was perfectly faithful to Solomon, even when Solomon aimed to be faithful to God, albeit imperfectly.

My day to day life can either run super-boring or mega-busy. Fortunately, I live an amazing life. I’m surrounded by amazing people and I am blessed, at times, to support those amazing people in their moments of need  (either through prayer or through other measures). I actually tend to find myself “butting” into their lives as often as possible. Most frequently, I find myself in prayer for them. Sometimes it’s for their salvation, sometimes it’s for financial difficulties, and often it’s for physical or emotional healing.

I am learning though that while I always want to be the person that is effective in caring for hurts, I am not always the person that has the perfect  answers or the right words to bring peace. I certainly don’t have the ability (beyond prayer) to bring miraculous healing. Therefore, my frustration level of feeling helpless and “only” being able to offer up prayers rises. While l I know prayer is the greatest and most powerful thing I can do, it also feels as if I am not quite doing enough. I’m an action type of girl. I want to dive into the problem and come up with a solution. Thus, I find myself in prayer, begging God at times to intervene on behalf of my people. That is when I find myself following Solomon’s example in the Psalms, praising God for His love towards the people I love. I pray this way, in as much passion and purity as I can, knowing my heart is fallen and flawed. I know full well that the love God feels (with His perfect, merciful heart) is much bigger than anything I could ever hope to offer up to someone.

The love God feels with His perfect, merciful heart is much bigger than anything I could ever hope to offer up to someone.

The problem is, no matter how often I pray for the right words or the right actions, rarely do I feel as if I have been given the wisdom of Solomon. Solomon, the man who cunning enough to suggest cutting a baby in half. I cannot even imagine being that baby’s mother. Yet that was one of his most well-known judgments. Even people now who don’t follow Christ know about this judgment. Anyone with any parental instincts would have let the baby go to other woman rather than sacrifice its very life. And yet, just today in trying to finish up this post, I prayed for wisdom. I prayed for the words to give to each of you - words that might encourage and set you off in the right path for what your journey is supposed to be for the next six months or year. And I can quite honestly state, I do not feel as if I’ve been given such knowledge.

So as I sit here on a Saturday night, struggling to find words, feeling somewhat frustrated, lonely, even scared for some of the things I believe may occur in my future (definitely wondering what the next 6 months, or even the next year of my life looks like), I know my obedience to walk the walk I have been called to for the kingdom needs to remain first and foremost. And while I have no real idea what the future may hold, I can say this: whatever path we are on, as long as we are loving God, working diligently to maintain that obedience, and setting our eyes on the path that He has chosen for us, I think we will be ok. Will we have fame and fortune, riches and wisdom like Solomon? Maybe, maybe not. More power to you girl, if that happens! I, however, believe that I will continue to be shouting out prayers to God begging Him for help for my loved ones - healing for their physical bodies, security for their finances, and salvation for their hearts. And I think I’m just fine with it.           

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Sonya Gentry wants to live in a world where being kind and loving means that when we encounter a need or brokenness, we say yes first and think about it second. This would be a world where walking with Jesus means trying to act like Jesus through loving, relevant acts of service; where Christians put their hands and feet in the dirty situations of the world in order to show people God’s love and grace; where we understand that comfort zones are meant to be broken because people need us to show up and be be the best portrayal of God’s love we can be. When she's not working, you can find her being silly with friends and family, playing games with her nephews, volunteering for various organizations and events with her church, or relaxing with a movie. 

Her favorite Scripture is John 15:16-17: “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you. This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another” (AMP).

David is known as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). He was the prince that would replace the king who failed to fulfill the commands of the Lord. He was the conquering king; the man raised on high; the anointed of the God of Jacob; and the sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Samuel 23:1). David was highly favored by both men and God because of His character. His army would do anything for him because he was an honorable man. For instance, even when he requested water from the guarded gates of Bethlehem, three of his mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem and brought it to David. But David, wanting to honor God, did not drink of it. Instead, he poured it out as a sacrifice to the LORD.

David was clearly committed to his God, and he had learned to trust him through the difficulties he endured while being pursued by Saul for 20 years.  All throughout his running David only did what pleased God.  Even when he had the opportunity to kill Saul he refrained (1 Samuel 24) which showed that he was a man of integrity.  David had a history of triumphant victories in the name of his God, which he sang of often, as we see in the Psalms. So, why then, did God choose to incite David against Israel?

”Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, 'Go, number Israel and Judah.'”
- 2 Samuel 24:1

What we as individuals do with our folly brings forth our true character.

Although God loved and cherished David, He also wanted Israel to put their trust in Him alone. David proceeded to call a census and did not follow the requirements that the Lord commanded in those days. He too acted foolishly as his predecessor had. God knew that David would realize and repent of his ways, and therefore prove to be a tangible example of repentance for God’s people.

Often leaders falter and fail God’s people, but this does not mean that we should abandon them. Just because they don’t meet every requirement of the law perfectly, we don’t abandon them but rather we see that they too are just like us.  This should prove to be a source of encouragement and strength for God’s people. What we as individuals do with our folly brings forth our true character. Do we remain in our folly or do we recognize and readily confess the error of our ways?

”But David's heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, 'I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.'” 
- 2 Samuel 24:10

When we covenant with the LORD, we can rely on His Spirit to convict us - not so that we experience shame and regret, on the contrary, so that we may be reconciled with Him. God loved Israel, but their hearts tended toward idol-worship and trusting in men rather than trusting in God. Therefore God, in His sovereignty, used His faithful servant David to bring His people near to Him by showing them the way back to Himself.

He knew that only God had the power to deal with this iniquitY.

God displayed His process of redemption through David’s life. David confessed his wrongdoing for what it was, a great offense against his God - ultimately it was a lack of trust in God’s ability to keep David and Israel safe from destruction. Then, take notice what David did and did not do as a result of his confession. He didn’t hang his head in shame, but he boldly and humbly laid the responsibility of forgiveness at the feet of His God. He knew that only God had the power to deal with this iniquity. One thing to remember about confession is that although God takes away our sin there are often consequences that we still experience as a result of our rebellion. God shows us this reality in His response to David.

“... Three things I offer you. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.”
- 2 Samuel 24:12

God is gracious to David even as He doles out his punishment. How often do we even give our own children ‘options’ for their punishments? Not often. But because David went to His Father and confessed his sin, God showed mercy to him. And we can see that the true measure of this man David’s character comes through  in his choice of punishment. David chooses this time to trust in the Lord - not in men, but in the great mercy and justice of his God.

“Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.”
- 2 Samuel 24:14

through David’s confident trust, God proved to all of Israel that He indeed was a merciful God.

David knew he could count on the mercy of his God. And through David’s confident trust, God proved to all of Israel that He indeed was a merciful God. Did this mean that, in His mercy, there would be no suffering to endure? By no means! 70,000 men died from the pestilence that was sent on Israel by the LORD. How did David react to the death toll? He manned up and boldly went to the LORD in the face of the great evil that was working against his people. He took ownership of his sin and acted as a scapegoat and bore the sins of his people, so that their lives would be spared.

“Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking the people and said, 'Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father’s house.'”
 - 2 Samuel 24:17

David therefore became a foreshadowing of Christ as our scapegoat. He was a king and priest who made atonement for his sin-stained people. What a wonderful example of Christ-like leadership that he displayed! Through his life we see God’s loving-kindness toward those of us who believe. All in all, David was a leader who boldly poured out his heart to the LORD in all that he said and did. He shows us how to trust in the merciful kindness of our loving King - He who took our sin upon Himself in order that we might be reconciled back to God.

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Karen Savage wants to live in a world where Christ is Glorified. When she's not serving her family, you can find her serving others. Her favorite Scripture is John 15:7-8 ESV.

Have you ever held someone in high regard only to find yourself dashed upon the rocks of disillusionment? Or those times when it’s you that messes up -- how do you handle that?

When I was younger, I loved reading “choose your own adventure” style books from the library. Those books revolved around a character who was presented with choices that you, as the reader, then got to interact with and decide what happened to them. Each choice revealed more options and consequences as the story unfolded. And sometimes through the twists and turns of my choices, the ending was unexpected, undesirable, or even abrupt.

At that point I’d go back a few pages and make a different choice - trying to look for ways to undo the mess I had just made. And while that may work in a book, it doesn’t work in real life -- although I may try.

Our reading in 2 Samuel 11-21 this week reminds me of a “choose your own adventure.” David made choices. Others made choices. One choice led to an action which, in turn, fed into another choice. Our reading overflows with examples of people reacting to choices that were made -- either theirs or someone else’s.

• David chose not to accompany his troops in conquest
  And conquered another man’s wife instead
   
• Amnon chose not to heed the pleas of his sister
  And acted on his own sinful desires
   
• Absalom chose not to honor his father
  And made a fatal power play for the throne

Deceit, revenge, and even murder characterize some of the undesirable results of those choices. Before I’m too quick to remove myself from that storyline, I need to admit I’m just as capable. While I may not commit murder in the physical sense of the word, what do I do? Do I orchestrate a scheme to cover my tracks? Make excuses? Threaten? Manipulate? Give up in despair? Become numb? Demanding? Unforgiving?

When the actions of others disappoint me or affect my sense of security, identity, control, or comfort, am I quick to react with a counter move of my own? Or do I choose to respond by seeking God’s face first and with finality? Thankfully, within the reactions and choices found in this week’s reading, there are corresponding Psalms about choosing to respond and cry out to God in the midst of the messes at hand.

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
-Psalm 32:1

Psalm 12 eloquently captures the mess of our circumstances, while Psalm 32 addresses the mess of our hearts. Within the context of Psalm 3, David is fleeing from his son, Absalom, who betrays him and turns the Israelites against the king. To make matters worse, King David then faces taunting and disrespectful jeers from a member of former King Saul’s clan. I can’t even imagine the anger, rejection, embarrassment, frustration, vulnerability, shame, and hatred David felt! And yet, look at his response: ”But you LORD (LORD stands for Yahweh -- God’s personal, covenant keeping name) are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” (Ps. 3:3) Remember, this is coming from David -- who had pretty much just flunked his “choose your own adventure” moment.

 So what’s the point of the matter?

The point of the matter isn’t that we’ve messed up, or even that someone else messed up all over us (yet again). Rather, the point of the matter is that when “mess ups” happen -- either through us or to us-- we are given a choice. Will we react, or respond?

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Jackie Perseghetti wants to live in a world where every human realizes they are walking wounded and in need of God’s grace. Her heart is to be God’s person at God’s time in the life of another and she looks for God-given moments to breathe life and encouragement. When Jackie is not going on adfuntures with her hubby (adventure with fun at the center) or teaching drums or the art of papercrafting, you can find her digging in her garden, storytelling to her grandkids, or sharing the stirrings of her heart at  www.smallstepsintofreedom.wordpress.com  She takes great comfort in her favorite Bible verses: Isaiah 41:10 and Isaiah 46:4. 

““Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.””

— PSALM 105:4

Belonging is a funny thing. From conception, I think, we all fight to belong. In the womb, we find a sense of belonging with our mother – she is the source of our food, our soft place to land, our sanctuary. What comes after birth, often feels like a drawn out case of trial-and-error where we try on different proverbial clothing. We have many attempts at finding where, and with whom, we “fit.” I think, on some deep, unseen level, we’re all yearning to really belong.

Media tells us we won’t belong without owning x, y, or z product or service. Society tells us we won’t belong if we don’t conform, in some form or fashion, to a belief system or practice of behavior. And in some circles, belonging does not actually begin without some sort of initiation. The world we currently live in would have us believe that belonging doesn’t actually happen naturally. Instead it is something we must earn, fight for, and that we have to prove ourselves worthy to belong.

God’s Word teaches us to rest in our belonging from the very beginning

On the contrary, God’s Word teaches us to rest in our belonging from the very beginning. In Isaiah 64:8 the Spirit-inspired prophet writes, “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” And later in Ephesians 2:10 Paul tells us we are “His workmanship.” Also, David’s words in Psalm 139 remind us that our frames were “not hidden from You [God]. . .” So, when I think about belonging from a Biblical worldview, I think about being seen and known in ways that are wholly unique and deeply intimate.

I belong to my mom because I know what the sound of her heartbeat sounds like from the inside.

I belong to my family because they’ve stood beside me in every season, whether it was tumultuous or marked by sunshine.

And I belong to Jesus, because He knew the number of my days, the intensity of my heart, and the struggle of my insecurities...all before I ever took my first breath.

There is an intimacy incited with the idea of belonging. It does not mean ownership, instead it is two souls gazing on the other and silently acknowledging, “I know the darkness of the storms you walk through, and I’m still going to do my best to lay light down, and walk with you.”

Belonging means we hear, and we are heard.

And I don’t know about you, but I can get very caught up in believing I go unheard by God. I am a girl who likes her answers quick! I also find myself praying, “And if you can manage it, Jesus, give me the answer I want. Kgreatthanks.” And then when the answers take their time arriving, or they aren’t the answers I’m hoping for, I allow my anger to fly, asking God why He doesn’t listen and why He won’t answer.

Recently, I’ve started asking the Lord for very clear answers. I’ve prayed things like, “Make it so clear that there is NO way I can deny that it’s You, Papa.” And as time wore on, I began to think I was in the clear. He wasn’t saying move, so I thought I was supposed to stay. And that gave me a shaky unfounded relief.

Then an answer came. And it was undeniably Him. And yet all I felt was anger.

“God, I know I asked you to make it clear, but didn’t you hear how desperately I didn’t want this answer? You’re the God of the universe – you’re telling me you couldn’t pull some strings here and manage a little switcheroo?

In the midst of my anger, and of furiously journaling all the ways I was enraged and how I wanted Him to fix it, He did what He always does (no matter the amount of petulance I’m serving up) -- He showed up to remind me to Whom I really belong.

“But truly God has listened; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.”
- Psalm 66:19

I think the lesson I’m continually learning is that we cannot ask God for clear answers and yet not expect Him to deliver. Jesus is the kind of friend we all really hope for on this side of Heaven that often feels impossible to find. He will wholeheartedly, without hesitation, answer the questions we hand Him with the utmost honesty. He rushes in, even on the cusp of us having full-on tantrums, and says, “Hey! Kiddo, if I don’t want something for you, I will make it so that you will not have it – no matter how much the last parts of your soul yearn for it.”

But truly God has listened; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Truly God has listened -- even when He answers differently than we want. Truly God has listened, even when He says move, and we don’t want to. Truly God has listened, even when we don’t hear Him in our timeline. Truly God has listened, because He is God. And we are His. We belong to Him first and foremost.

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Steph Duff wants to live in a world where every human, whether small or regular-sized, learns to use their voice and is seen and known. When she's not traveling and story telling with Back2Back Ministries, you'll likely find her drinking excessive cups of coffee, with her nose in a book, or daydreaming about India. Her favorite scripture is Habakkuk 1:5, and she prays for a world in which Jesus is the name on every lip. Learn a little more about her love for semi-colons, what stirs her blood, and the yearnings of her heart over at www.stephaniduff.wordpress.com. 

Sleep has been an elusive companion as of late. My mind thrums with growing to-do lists and worries of if I am trying hard enough or accomplishing enough, fearful something will be forgotten over the course of the night. It turns out that amid the worry and fear, I have indeed forgotten much. I have forgotten who God is and, subsequently, who I am. It is in the midst of my forgetfulness that I have been both confronted and comforted by the words of David found in Psalm 103.

“The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”
‭‭- Psalms‬ ‭103:8-13‬

In the face of God’s steadfast and unwavering love, I realized I have been longing for control rather than the peace of His presence and trying to rest in assurances I can hold in my hands rather than those I can hold in my heart. I am putting my fear and attention in the wrong place. I have foolishly been fixating on what-if’s rather than what is. What is, is the Lord. Though circumstances have changed, God has not. He is the same loving and fierce and gracious and holy Creator that He has always been and always will be.

In our readings for DWITW 365, Psalm 103 falls between the death of Saul and the anointing of David as king over all of Israel. David exhorts his soul to praise the Lord for His merciful forgiveness, His unrelenting love, and His ultimate kingship over all creation. In a time when David’s thoughts could have been consumed by the struggle around him or the prospect of resolution, he turns his focus to the everlasting — to the God that sustains him, to the God that made him, to the God that loves him.

God has declared a forever love for temporary people

In verses 15 and 16 David reminds us of our temporal nature, “as for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.”  It is this innate transience of humanity juxtaposed to the eternal nature of God’s affection that coaxed my mind upward. God has declared a forever love for temporary people. God’s love for us has existed and will continue to exist beyond the limits of our lifetimes. 

My days are short and measured. They have a number to them, though I do not know what it may be. I can spend these days encumbered by anxious planning and preparation or I can fight to look beyond the ebb and flow of chaos. My surety lies not in where my feet fall but in where my mind and heart are planted. They need to be deeply rooted in the truth and love of God, in the place that cries out, “bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…” (Psalm 103:1-2)

As we carry on into the week ahead, I pray that like David we would call to mind the benefits our God has been so gracious to extend, that His goodness would press us to praise, that His peace would quell our hidden fears, and that our hearts would be ignited by the remembrance of His steadfast love.

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Robin Zastrow wants to live in a world where coffee never gets cold and kindness abounds. When she's not discovering the wonders of construction paper and cardboard tubes with her two little ones, you can find her sneaking in another few pages of a book or jotting down bits of writing on scraps of paper.

One of her favorite Scriptures is:
“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 ESV

Here we are with another 365 post….and friends, if you fell asleep reading all those genealogies throughout Chronicles, then this is your alarm clock!

There are times throughout the Biblical record where everything seems to stop. The authors press pause. They slow things down to retell the story of our God. It all feels very “meta-narrative,” or pointing to the grand story. I think God gives us these mic-drop summaries because He knew we would need some re-awakening. He graciously reminds us who He is and what He has done, because He knows that we, like the national of Israel, are quick to forget.

Psalm 78 is one such chapter, and Asaph is one such author, inspired by God. Asaph doesn’t just call his people to remember it, but to sing it. He calls his people to sing the anthem of their God.

The Endless Cycle

In Psalm 78 alone, there are over 50 direct references to God’s sovereign actions - these are actions of His provision, His protection, and His justice. This song reminds God’s people that He is in control, He alone is God, and that He is the main character of the story. How do the Israelites respond?

“In spite of ALL this they still sinned; despite His wonders, they did NOT believe.”
- Psalm 78:32

And God’s response to them? Compassion.

“Yet He, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; He restrained His anger often and did not stir up all His wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.”
- Psalm 78:38-39

We’ve heard this before, right? The Israelites’ sin, God confronts their sin, they see God’s goodness and then… they forget God and sin again. YET God still loves them, has compassion on them, and forgives them. It certainly points us to need for a more permanent solution - the need for a Savior.

Need for God’s Compassion

If you are as incredulous as I am at the immense testing God put up with from the Israelites, remember with me that we are just like them. We are now God’s chosen people! And we, too, need great compassion from God! Humbling, am I right? In Psalm 73, the psalmist goes through his own humbling process, from judging others to waking up to the reality that he, himself, was the brute beast to God. In verses 22-26, He cries:

“I was brutish and ignorant;
 I was like a beast toward you.
 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
 you hold my right hand.
 You guide me with your counsel,
 and afterward you will receive me to glory.
 Whom have I in heaven but you?
 And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
 My flesh and my heart may fail,
 `but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

God’s compassion changes hearts back towards him. It changed the Israelites countless times, and it can change us today.

A “Nevertheless” Kind of God

I remember studying Nehemiah 9 last summer study, and finding yet another place God recounts His story to His people. Although it is another author and setting entirely, it is the same story—our compassionate God giving a nevertheless attitude to his unfaithful people. Nehemiah 9:31 reads: “Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.”

On and on the cycle goes, in the Israelites’ story, and in our own. Throughout the genealogies in 1 Chronicles, we find generations of people in need of a deliverer, in need of a Messiah. God, in His mercy, gave them countless “nevertheless” moments. And we, too, might as well add our names to the lists. We, too, need a deliverer who can save us from ourselves. So the genealogies are not meaningless, but rather, they point us to the biggest nevertheless moment of all time...

Enter Jesus

You see, these genealogies focus heavily on David’s history, from the line of Judah, as well as they trace mankind all the way back to Adam. From these specific lines would come the only way for all of our “nevertheless” moments would come to pass—Jesus. As we now know, all of history hinges on Jesus life, death, burial, and resurrection. All generations salvation’ throughout time depend upon the promise of the Messiah.

Jesus’ death and resurrection makes it so that our story ends differently, once and for all.

In Matthew 1:1-17, the genealogy of Jesus is recorded back to Abraham, and in Luke 3:23-38, the genealogy of Jesus is recorded all the way back to Adam. You see, all these people in these genealogies had the same problem of sin, and cycled through the same story as the Israelites, BUT Jesus’ death and resurrection makes it so that our story ends differently, once and for all. He has saved us. He has atoned for our sin. He is victorious over our past, present, and future.

He has changed the story’s ending.

Throughout time and from generations long past, God had a great plan of redemption in mind - the greatest story of compassion and mercy. He always had Jesus in mind for you and for me, from the beginning. Jesus is the greatest plot twist of all time.

A Generation that Seeks God

What will the generations after ours say about us? What will be our legacy - one of cyclical sin OR of a broken dependence on our Savior? What story will the future genealogies tell?

So, sister, if you are asleep in your faith, retell the story of God! Tell of His everlasting love for you from generation to generation! Confess your arrogance and your wandering and come back to Jesus. Testify how He has turned you from brute beast and object of wrath to be precious children of Godand co-heirs with Christ! Let’s be a generation who proclaims His nevertheless kind of faithfulness, compassion, and mercy to ours and others wayward hearts.

So, with every moment of our lives, let’s sing a new song of Jesus’ love for us, and of gratefulness to the Author and Perfecter of our faith - Jesus!

“Oh God let us be
 A generation that seeks
 Seeks Your face
 Oh God of Jacob”
 - Give us Clean Hands, by Charlie Hall

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Jillian Vincent loves Jesus. She's a wife, mother of two boys and a Dayton enthusiast. Jillian currently is a stay at home mama and spends nap times writing and discipling other women. She would (almost) die for an avocado, a cup of coffee made by her husband, a novel that makes her cry, and a bouquet of sunflowers.

Last week’s reading of Scripture led us through 1 Samuel 16, where we were introduced to one of the most well-known and influential characters of the Bible: David. In 1 Samuel 16, the prophet Samuel is sent to Jesse of Bethlehem to anoint one of his sons as king. Of course, God chooses the son that no one would suspect of being king: the young shepherd boy, David. After such a deliberate and intentional choosing, it would be easy to assume that God is ready to put His chosen one on the throne automatically. However, a close study of Scripture tells us that the time between David’s anointing and his kingship is fifteen years! It isn’t until 2 Samuel 5 that David actually steps onto the throne and is acknowledged as the King of Judah.

Those of us who are familiar with the stories of the Bible may find it easy to merely skim over these years as just simply a few chapters in the Bible. David knew that he was going to be King. Those in his armies knew that he was going to be King. And yet...he was not king - for 15 years!

David sought to declare God’s goodness and His sovereign timing

In fact, he is very much the opposite of the king. He is a refugee fleeing for his very life from the land and the people that he was promised that he would rule over. And, in the pages of God’s Word, we find many of David’s recorded Psalms (or songs) that were written during his time of waiting to take the throne.  During his long years of waiting, David showed consistent steadfast faith in God and His ability to fulfill His promises. Through these recorded Psalms, we get to see a beautiful window into David’s heart.

First, David acknowledges his honest feelings during this time of waiting and seeking refuge - feelings of longing, fear, and a declaring of his need for God to show up (Ps 7:1-2; Ps 31:9-13; Ps 56:1-2; Ps 120). During this time, David sought to declare God’s goodness and His sovereign timing (Ps 31:19-20; Ps 54:6-7). In fact, instead of always focusing on himself and how he felt, He spent time praising God and focusing on His good attributes (Ps 34; Ps 142:5; Ps 63; Ps 124). Even after acknowledging his own feelings and circumstances (that are often less than ideal), David continues on with an attitude of thankfulness (Ps 7:17, Ps 56:3-4). And in those times of despair, David remembers to that his  refuge is ultimately found in the Lord (Ps 27, Ps 31; Ps 56:3-4; Ps 17:15). Finally, he boldly  asks the Lord for deliverance from his afflictions (Ps 35; Ps 123).

I cannot imagine what this time of waiting must have felt like for David. I am sure that there were days when it was easy for him to praise God and acknowledge His promises. However, I’m sure, there were other days that were difficult and full of affliction. Throughout all these ups and downs, we can see from his writings and the history found in Samuel, that David remained faithful to God and steadfast in his worship of Him.

While we all wait for things now, are we choosing to acknowledge our feelings, but ultimately declare God’s sovereignty over our situations?

As believers, we can relate with David’s struggle of waiting. We, like David, have been given a fulfillment and a promise. While David’s fulfillment was anointing, our fulfillment is salvation through David’s eventual heir - Jesus Christ (Hebrews 2:8-9). David’s promise was eventually taking the throne, while our promise is being freed from the shackles and bonds of sin that bind us - both now and once for all when Christ returns (1 John 3:2). 

We can also relate to David on a more personal note. What are you waiting for, right now, in this life? Maybe you are longing for a husband, a baby, or a friend. Maybe you are waiting for a broken relationship to be healed, or a job to be provided. While we all wait for things now, are we choosing to acknowledge our feelings, but ultimately declare God’s sovereignty over our situations? Are you spending time continuing to praise God? Do you have an attitude of thankfulness, or are you choosing to grumble and complain? Are you taking refuge in the Lord, or in other earthly, fleeting “fulfillments” of this life? In these times of waiting, may our attitudes look more like David’s attitude, who, in his time of waiting, penned these words in Psalm 27: “I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.”

Suzanne Hines wants to live in a world where sunflowers bloom in eternal summer, where her children play instead of argue and where her family has an endless budget for travel. When she's not loving her husband, training and teaching her three children, and spreading education on the foster care system, you can find her writing, reading or running outside!

Her favorite Scripture is Romans 12:12 "...be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer..." (NIV)

Not many days go by when I don’t second guess or question what God could possibly do with little ole’ me in His amazing kingdom filled with people much more qualified than I. In these moments of self-doubt, I’ve recalled stories of people like Noah, Moses, David, or even of Naomi and Ruth.

In questioning God of my own worthiness, He gently, yet boldly, reminds me of many places He has already used me for His perfect purposes. Note, not my perfect qualifications, but His perfect purposes. Take, for example, my job. I get cranky. I have moments where I would just as well throw my keyboard out the window rather than type another figure into a spreadsheet (I have been told I even have a “back away slowly from my desk” look). While not highly proud of this, the reality is, in the heat of normal workday stress, sometimes, my “Jesus Freak” positive attitude gets left at the copier.

God doesn’t need the strongest people to defeat the Giants. He only needs the willing.

Despite this, people know I am a Jesus-loving, God-fearing girl. Because I tend to live life wild and free, the raw vulnerability I typically display has brought people to me for prayer needs, to talk, and has even opened the door for three families to regularly attend church with me. I have been told by people my willingness to share, as raw and unrefined as it may be at times, is refreshing, tending to draw people in. Which is funny because I often feel as if I am walking around like Pig Pen from the Peanuts - swirled, not with dirt, but chaos.

I’ve discovered along the way God doesn’t need the strongest people to defeat the Giants. He only needs the willing. And I am certainly willing! The funny thing is, when I feel frustrated or angry, wanting to look for another job (the way the Israelites wanted to flee Goliath), inevitably, someone at the office says “I want to go to church with you!” Say what!? I proceed to pull my ‘Jesus Freak’ back out of the paper jam and get to share my love of God, but more importantly about HIS love for us. Back at my desk, I look to the heavens, laughing at God’s way of saying: “Nope! Sit still girlie, I’m not done with you here!”

I think David can relate. In 1 Samuel 17:45, David says to Goliath “you come against me with sword, spear and javelin but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied!” The Message version is a little more exciting, but I’ll spare you most of the details. In this version David phrases it: “The God of Israel‘s troops, whom you curse and mock!” And in verse 46 this version goes on to say “this very day God is handing you over to me…”

In our day to day, how often do we believe we are showing up with a few stones to throw when the enemy is armed with nuclear weapons? But it doesn’t matter. We are not powerful because of our own defenses or weaponry. We are powerful because of the Leader of our army! What matters in the moments of trial is our willingness to call on and obey God - He will hand over our enemy. It doesn’t matter if we are armed with a javelin, a bazooka, or a cold chicken nugget from our kids’ lunch. He. Will. Hand. Over. Our. Enemy! It is as simple as that.

we are not powerful because of our own defenses or weaponry.
we are powerful because of the leader of our army! 

As I read the story of David and Goliath, I was reminded of Saul wanting to protect David. He insisted on placing his armor on him. David tried to maneuver around a little with this armor. But it was too big for him. He struggled to move easily or properly. He shed the armor, saying instead, that he would enter this fight with God.

This passage became glaringly evident to me tonight as I visited a dear friend in the hospital. We were praying before she was transported to another hospital and in prayer, I was reminded of David walking around awkwardly in this armor unfit for him - an armor the world believed he needed to wear. David was adamant though that God was his protector. The same way my precious friend is adamant God is her healer! The same way she believes the doctor reports she receives have little to do with her defeating cancer! To be perfectly honest, I can’t say I would have shed the armor. I think I would’ve figured out a way to work with it. I don’t know if I’m brave enough to go against the “giants” with nothing but a couple of rocks. I wish I could say I were, but I’m not positive. Luckily, I don’t have to face a literal giant. But I do have to face struggles that seem gigantic. When they come calling, what am I armed with? Am I walking around awkwardly in that unfit armor? Or am I grabbing a couple of stones and saying ‘God‘s got this’?  

As I write this, I question my own logic. Why do we make things so difficult for ourselves? We just need to shed that armor, pick up a couple of rocks & slay the giant! What causes us to question the simplicity of that course of action? Is it pride? Lack of trust? For me, I guess, it depends on the circumstances but it may be a combination of both.

I guess what this story means to me is this: When my day is trying to get the best of me, when I’m trying to slay a giant, when I’m fighting to keep my head above water, when I need to not use my back away from my desk look, I should come to realize that it’s really not about me. It’s about giving that moment back to God. It’s about letting my Almighty protector take over that, and every, situation. God wants to be part of every single detail of my day. He wants to be part of which rock I pick up to the slay the giant. He wants to be part of my day not going well. He wants us to talk to him about our fears, hopes, desires, dreams, even frustrations. Because God is the God of the details - big or small. And that ladies, is what I believe we need to know about being a David in a world full of Goliaths.

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Sonya Gentry wants to live in a world where being kind and loving means that when we encounter a need or brokenness, we say yes first and think about it second. This would be a world where walking with Jesus means trying to act like Jesus through loving, relevant acts of service; where Christians put their hands and feet in the dirty situations of the world in order to show people God’s love and grace; where we understand that comfort zones are meant to be broken because people need us to show up and be be the best portrayal of God’s love we can be. When she's not working, you can find her being silly with friends and family, playing games with her nephews, volunteering for various organizations and events with her church, or relaxing with a movie. 

Her favorite Scripture is John 15:16-17: “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you. This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another” (AMP).