No Limits

       We like to think we have no limits.  It makes us feel powerful.  But the truth is we are limited in almost every way possible.  We are limited in life span.  We have limited vision.  We have limited hearing.  We have limited physical capabilities.  And we certainly have limited understanding.  I mean, we can’t even understand our relationships let alone the smallest part of the physical world we live in.

       We try to understand.  We spend years of effort and billions of dollars trying to understand how some things work, what their capabilities are, how life started, how it all works and works together.  This lack of understanding causes us to fail in many ways.  We can’t fix certain health issues, change destructive weather, find cures, make things last forever, etc.

       God, however, has no limits.  He is all powerful, sees all, hears all and knows all.  And there is no limit to His understanding.  That is a good thing to know.  He understands everything about how life works and works together.  He should since He created it all.

Great is our LORD, and of great power; There is no limit to His understanding. Ps. 147:5

       God understands the general capabilities of man but also our individual capabilities.  That means when He asks us to do something He knows we are capable of doing it with His help (Zc. 4:6; Php. 4:13).  He understands why we do the things we do yet He still calls us to improve (Ep. 4:14,15), and helps us with that as well (2Cr. 3:18).  God is NOT limited in His understanding and that is comforting to know because it means the best thing to me:

God understands me!

Inside and out, upside and down, motives and desires, hopes and dreams, thoughts and actions, even when I don’t understand myself.  Thank you God!

I Don’t Know

      Although I’m okay with change, I’m also okay without it.  In my life I’ve lived in four houses.  My favorite colour has always been blue, my favorite food lasagna, best place to live- in the country, and sitting at home doesn’t bore me, though I can have lots of fun out with friends.  What I’ve never particularly liked is the unknown.  Unanswered whys of the past and present, unknown whats of the future.

       Why did I suffer this particular trial and what is the Lord preparing me for, are two of my most frustrating questions.  In the past I’ve allowed these unanswered questions to cause me to stumble on my journey.  Kind of silly when I look back at it.  What it really boils down to is a lack of trusting God.

   I didn’t trust that He knew best.

   I didn’t trust that His plans would be fulfilled and that they were best for me.

   I didn’t trust the way He chose to work in my life and the world.

   I didn’t truly, deep down believe He knew what He was doing.

   I didn’t trust that He knew what I needed to go through for spiritual growth.

       It’s easy for some to say ‘trust the Lord’ but saying it and doing it are two different things.  Of course I said it all the time as a young Christian, but the second there was a trial of any kind, my faith failed.  Like human relations in which trust is built over time, trust in God is built over time, usually on a foundation of trials.  Through most of my trials I tried to lean on my own understanding, but when I finally surrendered and said, ‘I don’t know why (this is happening, You won’t fix this, You won’t do a miracle, etc)’

Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Pr. 3:5,6

Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah, And whose confidence is Jehovah. Jr. 17:7 YLT modernized by me.

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You; because he trusts in You. Trust in Jehovah forever; for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength. Is. 26:3,4

       When I began to be confident that the Lord was only out for my good and the good of this world, saying ‘I don’t know’ became more acceptable.  Now the peace of the Lord resides in me when I keep my focus and trust in Him.  He is my everlasting strength, the one who keeps me going through all the trials of life and brings joy to my heart in the thick of it.  He is the One I love, the One who loves me and I know beyond knowing that my life is much better for everything He’s allowed me to go through, because they brought me to this place of trust.

       I don’t know specifically what God has planned for my future.  I see bits and pieces now, and a few things are getting clearer.  If He never shows me another thing I’ll be okay because I know it’s all in His dependable, trustworthy hands, and I’m okay with that.  Hear that Lord, I trust You now!  Please help me to increase it ‘til it’s like the trust Jesus had in You.

Jehovah is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song I will praise Him. Ps. 28:7

Breakfast

        I’ve taken to eating breakfast in a different way these days.  Now, since I’m trying to eat gluten free, my breakfasts often mean unusual foods.  So I get ready my mix mash of items, set them out and sit down where ever I feel like it, then bow my head and breathe.  Why breathe?  Because in the rush of getting things done I would usually pray a quick prayer and quite honestly, it wouldn’t be heartfelt- often a bunch of mindless words I’ve said a million times.

       So I breathe.  Then I invite the Lord to ‘sit’ with me so we may ‘dine’ together, and then I pray to Him who sits beside me.  The prayers come out a little different that way and tend to be more honest and truly thankful.  And I have so very much to be thankful for: life, breath, freedom, joy, children, husband, husband who cooks yummy food, friends, brothers and sisters in the Lord, and so many other good things.

       Still, the most important things I am grateful for: the mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He didn’t have to extend them to us, but He chose to and chooses to- time and again.  And when I think of how often I have failed Him in the past, still sometimes do and will likely do so in the future, I marvel at the extension of His favour.

Mercy- Benevolence or a tender heart which causes a person to overlook injuries, treat an offender better than he deserves and forgives trespasses or forbear punishment. 
Grace- Free unmerited favour of God who is the source of all benefits toward man.

…"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."… 2Cr. 12:9 ESV 
But the Law entered so that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, Rm. 5:20 
Through Him we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand… Rm. 5:2 
But if by grace, then it is no more of works… Rm. 11:6

       Jesus gives us His grace so that we may be sufficient in it.  This means we can do the things we need to do, all of His will in our lives because He gives us His grace to do them.  To think there is something we can’t do is to fail to see what God can do in us or through us.  The law was meant only to show us our sins which are many and endless, but His grace overcomes our sins because the blood of Jesus Christ pardons us and so by His grace we can stand.  What we do is not by our own means, but by His grace- which we don’t deserve but He still gives freely.

       For me, I think that’s why I am pausing to really pray before meals.  Who He is amazes me and what He has done for me is beyond that.  I can never be grateful enough but I will at least be honest in my words and mean them.  For our great and holy God extends His mercy and grace into our lives every day we live to breathe again.  To Him, I am eternally thankful. Our high priest continues to work for us…

Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hb. 4:16