The Comfort of our Unknowns

Ever feel like you have more unknowns than knowns on your to do list?

Upon returning from assignment in the Florida Keys, the unknowns could have taken on a life of their own...

Thoughts about where to live, what work will come my way after being out of town for four months, how long will it take to get those things settled and into business rhythm again, and how will I not sweat the small stuff, which really is big stuff in my brain?

But God, just four days before I left, put the words of  the prophet Zephaniah in front of me:

"Content with who they are and where they are, unanxious, they'll live in peace"  Zephaniah 3:13 MSG

Peace. Frankly, the last thing I expected to experience was peace... and yet, that is exactly what God has poured over me every day that I've been home.

Starting with some friends who had a tenant vacate early, so they opened up their home to me (and the cat). God keeps that momentum moving forward through time with friends and colleagues on a daily basis.

This week, let's keep Zephaniah's words close by and let God keep writing contentment , unanxious-ness, and peace over everything on the lists : )

And, let's ask our gracious God to keep us ever more content so that we can, unanxious, walk in His peace day by day.

Our Counterintuitive God

coun·ter·in·tu·i·tiveˌkoun(t)ərinˈt(y)o͞oədiv/ adjective contrary to intuition or to common-sense expectation (but often nevertheless true).

Few things in our world are as counterintuitive as God saying to us “Go without knowing”. Most of us need a plan, the whole plan and nothing but the plan… a need to know who, what, where, when, why and how before we do just about anything.

And those are key knowledge pieces that our God seems to have this opinion about: “I’ve got this. You know Me. I know exactly where you're going and I’m going to give it to you one step at a time.”

That’s why it’s called faith and yet, my first response is almost always, a protest, “But, God…”

God wants to be bigger that my need to know or my “buts”. He wants me to keep my focus on Him, while He spins the details to His exacting purpose. My part is to listen, trust, and know that He is God. Sometimes I have to think about when I was little and wanted someone to take my hand to cross the street. Trust. Guidance. Faith.

Whatever six lane expressway is in front of us this week, let’s take the hand of our All Powerful, All Knowing (and sometimes Counterintuitive : ) God and cross the street.

 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Twenty Four- Seven- Three Sixty Five Prayer

Waiting this morning for the sun to rise... here is the view from yesterday. This is the quietest time of my day as I remain on assignment in the Florida Keys : )

Sixteen days ago, three of us started a 40 day prayer challenge (See Mark Batterson's Book - "Draw The Circle") and we are praying for each other through the day. Yesterday's focus was from Psalm 35:23... Contend for me, my God and Lord.

Mark reminds us we are double circled in prayer , every hour of every day, by the Holy Spirit and Christ Himself, interceding on our behalf. Think about how that changes everything in our lives. We are never alone in our struggles. Every battle is won in the spiritual realms. We are always covered in prayer. The God of The Universe is praying for us every single hour of every day.

Stop for a minute and reflect on what Jesus and the Holy Spirit might be praying for specifically right now.

Ask them to bring you into alignment with their prayers. Ask them to encourage your heart. Ask them to step into the details of this day and make their power and majesty evident as the next 24 hours unfold.

Therefore He is able to save completely we who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for us.      Hebrews 7:25 NIV (personalization mine)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.                     Romans 8:26 NIV