Tag: jeannie waters

Some Trust in Chariots

Jeannie Waters30 Comments on Some Trust in Chariots
JeannieWaters.com

My daughter’s attention was riveted to the tale of a brave mongoose who protected an Indian family by fighting cobras. Proud of my efforts to introduce her to classic literature and convinced she was now old enough, I read the story she’d selected, a cartoon-illustrated version of “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” by Rudyard Kipling.

Have you ever made what you deemed a wise decision but lived to regret it?

“I loved Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Mama. He was brave. But, Mama, what if cobras get into our house? We don’t have a mongoose. Can we buy a mongoose, Mama?”

“Honey, cobras don’t live in our part of the world, and no, we can’t buy a mongoose.”

“But one could come here, and get under the house, and come into my room,” she responded.

“I promise you cobras don’t live in our country. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi lived in India, and the author made the story up. It’s not true. Now go brush your teeth and get ready for bed, and I’ll come pray with you.”

“But, Mama, one might come here. I can’t go in the bathroom. Ask Daddy to check it first.”

Even after my husband checked, our little bookworm refused to budge from the sofa.

Oh, I know what I’ll do. Surely this will convince her.

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“Let’s look at the globe. Here’s where we live, and waaaaaay over here, on the other side of the world, is India. That’s where the story took place. Look at the huge oceans between us and India. See? No cobras can get to us.”

“They might be able to swim, Mama.”

Why did I read that story at night? Why did I read it at all?

No amount of words or geography lessons from tired parents could solve the argument.

Maybe if she talks to Daddy. She thinks he knows about everything, especially animals.

“Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you call Granddaddy and ask him about cobras?”

She called my dad and returned from the kitchen smiling. “Granddaddy said cobras don’t live here. They live in India, and that’s far away. Granddaddy knows everything. I’m going to brush my teeth. Can we read “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” again tomorrow night?”

What? That’s exactly what we said. But she believed her grandfather because “he knows everything.”  

Whom do you believe when you face fears? During the Covid-19 pandemic we hear advice from an alphabet soup of “experts.” CDC, WHO, FEMA, FDA, FOX, CBS, CNN, etc.                                

In addition to the acronyms, we’ve garnered advice from pastors, family, friends, social media platforms, and others. “Facts” presented by one source are disputed by another or changed the following day.

Three feet apart or six? Wear masks or don’t? It’s safe to go out; no, it’s not. Asymptomatic persons can carry the virus; no, they can’t. The conflict can frighten us and rob us of sleep.

Whom are we to believe? Who is credible? Are our sources basing their commentaries on God’s Word?

Satan, our enemy, uses fear to attack our peace, a fruit of God’s Spirit within believers’ hearts.

News updates serve a purpose, but they can also become incubators for panic. What protection does God’s Word offer?

When David faced physical enemies in battle, he said,

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Psalm 20:7

Some of David’s enemies depended on horse-drawn chariots and mighty warriors to wage war. Armies with this equipment and personnel often decimated opponents on the battlefield.

When fear rears its ugly head, it’s easy to turn to the arsenal of strategies we’ve used in the past with some measure of success.  Although we should utilize God-given skills and resources, placing our faith in God is vital if we are to win against distress. His gifts equip us, but we depend on Him for victory.

Depending solely on our own abilities, money, the help of others or information brings short-term success at best and does little to yield long-term peace. Let’s ask ourselves: Where does my dependence lie today? Where do I turn when I’m afraid or anxious?

Some versions of Psalm 20:7 substitute remember or boast for trust. Surely David recalled the numerous times God granted him military and personal victory as he counted on continued protection.

Does remembering God’s work in your life fortify you to face uneasiness?

Remembering a few of God’s many names helps us focus on who He is—His character.

El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)

Jehovah Shammah (The Lord is there.)

Jehovah Jireh (The Lord will provide.)

Jehovah Raah (The Lord my Shepherd) 1

Do one of these names of God or others comfort you in otherwise scary times?

In child-like faith, our daughter believed her granddaddy because of his proven record with her. In child-like faith, we can run to our Abba Father when enemies assail us. He actually DOES know everything and He cares for us.

Meditating on God’s names and His character reminds us of who He is. Perhaps in the face of battle, David focused on God’s faithfulness, His sovereignty, or His strength. Maybe at other times, the shepherd-king considered God’s lovingkindness or His longsuffering with His people.

Which traits of God help you to trust Him?

Whether our fear stems from the coronavirus, relational issues, financial concern, events in the news, or other sources, God’s names and His character remain the same. I hope you find encouragement today in the peace God offers to His followers. Jesus said,

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 14:27

Try listing the names of God and His character traits. Concentrating on one per day and finding related Bible verses helps us conquer anxiety.

Do you know someone who needs these truths? When the peace of Christ fills our hearts, others are drawn to Him. Hearing the way God calms our fears can encourage someone else.

Please share how concentrating on one of God’s names or an aspect of His character helps you fight fear.

This week when news alarms us, let’s say with David,

…We trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Psalm 20:7

Bible verses are from the ESV.

1 https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/misc/name_god.cfm

Images from Pixabay.com

Who Invited You?

Jeannie Waters37 Comments on Who Invited You?
JeannieWaters.com

Now that my blood pressure is normal again, I’ll share my story.

While I was minding my own business, participating in an online writing critique group, a predator snuck onto my deck. At the end of the meeting, my friend, Jean, mentioned she planned to create a blog post and a video about the serpent in Genesis three.

As soon as we finished, and without my contacts, I headed toward the deck. The storm door hadn’t been closing properly, so when I saw something stretched across the horizontal metal piece in the middle of the door, I thought my husband had placed weather stripping there.

“How tacky! I’ll ask him to get rid of it when he gets home.”

When I moved one step closer and put my hand on the storm door handle, the three-feet-plus-long “strip” moved, turned its head downward, and stuck its forked tongue out at me.

I’m pretty sure I invented a new dance step and uttered a guttural sound of disgust before I yelled, “What are you doing here?”

I took pictures through the glass for identification purposes because I planned to prosecute and have Hubby Hero execute the rascal. Split-second thoughts flashed: “Don’t kill good snakes,” they say. “We need good snakes,” they say.

Well, THEY are welcome to have this “good snake” in THEIR yard, IF in fact, he IS a good snake…IF there is such a thing.

Would you like to know how tenacious the creepy thing was? I closed the back door and banged on it as hard as I could. Then I opened the door just a tad and peeked out to see where he went, if anywhere. He budged not an inch! Did he not hear me pounding on the door?

Next, to add more slither points, he faced left and began to crawl back over his own body. Ew, ick, yuk! I slammed that door shut!

Whew! Deep breath. Danger averted. Down, blood pressure. Down, I say.

Knight-in-shining armor hurried home on his trusty steed, aka green work truck, and urged the hideous intruder off the deck with a long piece of metal conduit. Sir William (his first name) reminded me of his warning–my birdhouses would attract snakes. (Why is he ALWAYS right?! Don’t I get a turn?) 🤣

The black snake (identified later by his line-up mug shot) was there all along, stretched across the storm door. God knew; I did not. I thanked my heavenly Father for the protection of the glass and the last-second realization that I should stop. (If I’d gone onto the deck, I might have suffered a heart attack or broken my leg jumping off the deck. It could happen.)

When I calmed down, I remembered Jean telling us at the end of the meeting she planned to work on her video and blog post about Satan, the Garden of Eden serpent. As she spoke–at that very minute–a serpent sat on my door. Shudder, shudder. The comparison repulsed me.

Jean’s topic and my experience—what a parallel.

God spoke two messages into my heart.

  • Jean spoke of Satan slithering in snake-like fashion, waiting for an opportune moment to strike when we are either unaware or wandering, perhaps into deliberate sin. The scaly reptile I saw approached in silence to a place I never expected his kind to appear. Keeping our eyes on God helps us stay alert to the uninvited, cunning schemes of the evil one. The Bible compares Satan to a roaring lion:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

1 Peter 5:8

Although this verse warns us to be watchful, we are not to fear our enemy. Believers in Christ can state with assurance,

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1 John 4:4 b
  • The second lesson: proper correction provides clear vision. Without my contact lenses, I almost opened the storm door and gave that snake a free ride. That action would not have ended well. God’s Word serves as vision correction for our lives. Through Bible study and prayer, the Holy Spirit sharpens our focus on God’s wisdom. When we converse with Him and read the words He inspired, we’re better prepared to make wise choices and stand guard against the uninvited enemy of our souls.  

Due to my experience, I have a visual representation in my memory—not one I cherish—of our enemy, the devil, who lies in wait. However, my friends, there’s no need to fear. When we as believers look to God, He sharpens our vision with His Word. What an encouraging truth!

The snake is gone, but the memory is fresh.

God is faithful.

How has God protected you? Do you have a scary experience to share? A snake story, perhaps?

Bible verses are from the NKJV.

Sharing Hidden Treasures During the Pandemic

Jeannie Waters30 Comments on Sharing Hidden Treasures During the Pandemic

JeannieWaters.com

“Hey! Look what I found,” my husband said.

In each hand he held a hidden treasure he’d discovered amid cleaning products under the kitchen sink. 

“That’s amazing,” I exclaimed, “Fantastic! I didn’t know we had any, but they were there all along.”

An observer would have guessed we found gold nuggets. Hubby didn’t find gold, but maybe better than that, he scored, not one but two—drum roll please—containers of Clorox Wipes!

Have you laughed with excitement when the grocery order contained toilet paper? We’ll tell great-grandchildren one day, “You think you have it rough? During the Covid-19 pandemic, we couldn’t find soap or toilet paper.”

When we discover empty store shelves, we frown on hoarding. How dare people snatch up an excess supply when others have none! (I must admit a critical spirit toward some of those folks welled up in me.)

Then I thought…

The next time a pandemic threatens to erupt, I’ll buy lots of toilet paper and sanitizer, and…I won’t be caught short-handed again. I won’t hoard like those other folks, but I’ll buy more than usual.

Wait a minute. What was I thinking? Will I be tempted to hoard like those I criticized? Will I focus on the value of sharing or the advantage of hoarding? Where will I place my trust?

Father, forgive me for a critical spirit and for depending on my buying power instead of trusting You to meet my needs.

Another thought surfaced as I remembered our treasure from the kitchen cabinet.

What other hidden treasures do I possess that were there all along? Talents? Abilities? Knowledge? Material things someone needs? What experiences do I have that would be a blessing to those who are suffering during the pandemic?

What a shame to hoard what others need.

Why did God bless me as He did? What did I learn from the experiences He allowed? Which of God’s treasured gifts remain hidden and unused in my home or my memory?

What if I discovered the hidden treasures once again and used them for His glory and the good of others? Surely, that’s what He has in mind.

During the current pandemic:

Some have lost loved ones.

I know how it feels to lose a dad and a mom, and I have friends struggling to cope with the death of a family member. How could I help?

Some have lost income.

My husband once suffered job loss through no fault of his own. In that hard season, God provided. A young woman I know missed work for two months. Could I encourage her with a small gift and Bible verses that helped me?

Some are ill or fearful.

I watched my mom minister to my dad who had an incurable disease. I cared for my mom when congestive heart failure advanced. How can I pray for and encourage those who are ill or fearful?

Some are doubting God’s care for them or regretting the decisions they made.

We’ve all been there and understand the need for prayer and Bible study. Would a devotional book help? What about a listening ear?

Sharing our hidden treasures

What’s the common denominator of these situations? The need for comfort. Read what Paul wrote on this subject:  

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV

Am I hoarding in my heart the treasure of comfort God gives? How can I share it with someone He loves?

Prayer is always a wise response. Telling someone you’re praying for them and providing a visual reminder in a card or letter can encourage that person.

Sometimes, however, we are also called to action—to be the hands and feet of Jesus as it were.

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Does someone you know need…

  • a friend?
  • a call?
  • a meal?
  • a monetary gift?
  • a greeting card?
  • a service like shopping or lawn care?

These acts of kindness bless those who suffer. Just as a pot of soup can warm the body, flowers in a jar can brighten someone’s day.

Consider these words:  

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  

James 2:14-16 ESV

I’m thankful for Clorox Wipes and other daily supplies—more so now than before. However, I’m amazed by the gift of salvation, as well as God’s comfort and other treasures He provides.

Let’s find opportunities to share His comfort with others.

What hidden treasures do you possess? How can you share your treasures in the name of Jesus with someone else? I look forward to your comments.

Images by Pixabay

What God Is Doing in Your Crazy, Frustrating Life

Jeannie Waters16 Comments on What God Is Doing in Your Crazy, Frustrating Life
JeannieWaters.com

When you pass someone on the sidewalk wearing a large “How Can I Pray for You?” button, you pay attention. I met Lori Hatcher at a conference just after a crazy, frustrating afternoon. She smiled and prayed with me.

Have you ever wanted someone to be your friend as soon as you met her? My friend, Lori Hatcher, laughs easily and loves big. Her love for God and people shine in her writing.  

Because of my friendship with Lori, I have a gift for you today—a sample devotion from her new book, Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible. Enjoy!

Guest Post by Lori Hatcher

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What God Is Doing in Your Crazy, Frustrating Life

Book of Job

“Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

Job 26:16

Do you ever wonder what in the world God is doing in your crazy, frustrating life?

  • God, what good does it do to keep reaching out to difficult people when they don’t seem to care?
  • God, why is that ministry thriving and mine just limping along?
  • God, why did I spend half my life teaching my kids to love you only to have them turn their backs on faith?
  • God, why should I keep praying when nothing ever changes?
  • God, if I’m obeying your call, why is it so hard?
  • God, what are you doing in this crazy life of mine????

If you can relate to any of these questions, there’s hope. Hope that comes, of all places, from the book of Job.

Imagine that.

God is laughing already.

Who would think a man who had lost ten children in a tragic accident, went from millionaire to pauper in a day, and was married to a cruel, faithless woman would have any hope to offer? But in God’s upside down economy, it’s not surprising at all.

In the twenty-sixth chapter of the book that bears his name, Job rehearses for his “miserable comforters” the might, power, and majesty of God.

“He hangs the earth on nothing,” he says. “He binds up the water in His thick clouds . . . He stirs up the sea with His power . . . By His Spirit He adorned the heavens . . . (v. 7-13)”

Then he concludes with this awe-struck realization:

“Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

The mere edges of his ways.

I grew up on the rocky shores of Narragansett Bay in Bristol, Rhode Island. I’d often sit at the shoreline, wade in the shallows, or swim out until my feet barely touched the bottom. Because I had lived around the sea all my life, I thought I knew it well.

Then one day I boarded a ship that took me hundreds of miles off shore, where the water stretched from horizon to horizon and the ocean floor lay miles beneath me. Only then did I begin to understand the true nature of the ocean. Before that, I had experienced the mere edges – and how small a whisper they had been.

After pointing out our nearsighted perspective, Job lifts the fog on the ocean of God’s ways: “But the thunder of his power, who can understand?”

Paul, in First Corinthians, says it like this:

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (2:9).

And

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror (13:12).

As Christians bound to the earth by our mortality, we glimpse only the mere edges of His ways. And hear only small whispers of Him.

But one day we’ll sail out into the vast expanse of no-time life. We’ll hear the clarion call of his mighty voice. We’ll witness the thunder of his power. And we will understand.

  • Every Bible verse you taught your children? Seed for the harvest.
  • Every hour spent responding patiently to difficult people? Sandpaper smoothing the edges of your soul.
  • Every late night and early-morning prayer time? A fragrant offering.
  • Every kind deed done in Jesus’ name? Stepping stones on the journey toward righteousness.

Job can speak into our angst and impatience because he, too, wondered what in the world God was doing. How could anything good be happening when he saw so few results?

But Job clung to his integrity, remained faithful to God, and never stopped believing that somehow, somewhere, God was using his suffering to bring about a mighty harvest.

“I know that my Redeemer lives,” he declared triumphantly, “and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God” (19:25-26).

Because of the gift of Scripture, we know what Job didn’t – that God was using the panorama of his life – the pain and the pleasure – to script a faith story so genuine that it would encourage believers for millennia.

We know none of Job’s heart wrenching experiences were wasted. Even today, thousands of years later, God continues to use his insight and example to encourage us along our journey.

Perhaps God will use (is using?) our lives to do the same.

“God is not unjust;” the writer of Hebrews promises, “he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Heb. 6:10).

Today, if you’re wondering what in the world God is doing in your crazy, frustrating life, be encouraged. These are only the edges of his ways. The vast ocean lies before you.

Uncommon Thought

As Christians bound to the earth by our mortality, we glimpse only the mere edges of God’s ways. And hear only small whispers of Him.

Unusual Faith

Sometimes we can look back at times in our lives and see how God used our hardships and trials to accomplish something amazing. Other times the curtain remains closed. When you think about Job and others from Bible history (Moses, Joseph, David, the widow from Elijah’s day, Naomi, Hannah), do you think they knew fully how God was going to use their difficulties for his glory?

Is it safe to assume, then, since the same God who ordered the events of their lives also orders ours that he is similarly at work in our lives? Although it may be hard to conceive how anything good could come out of a dark time, imagine for a few moments how God might use your struggles to bring about something amazing. If what we see is only the edge of his ways, what might the whole ocean look like? Ponder this.

Unfamiliar Passage Read Job 26:7-14.

©Lori Hatcher 2020

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Lori Slice Hatcher, author

Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible is a collection of the treasure I unearthed during my year of searching. Each story-driven devotion contains an unusual verse, a real-life application, and an uncommon faith step. I hope my book will energize your faith, inspire your devotional time, and make you say, “Wow, I’ve never seen that before!”

Lori Slice Hatcher, author

Lori’s book is doing just that for me!

Click the link below to read more about my new favorite book. In Comments, please share your favorite part of the devotion.

Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible

The Undertow of Fear

Jeannie Waters26 Comments on The Undertow of Fear
JeannieWaters.com

When a dangerous undertow at our favorite childhood beach pulled my little brother, Ed, under the water and further from the shore, he almost drowned. Inside the vicious swirl of water, an older cousin fought relentlessly yet futilely to free Ed from the monster’s grasp.

Nearby sunbathers and swimmers mocked the cries of my loved ones because they weren’t far from the shore. How could they be drowning?

A young man, unseen by people on the beach, saw my brother and cousin from the second-floor window of his apartment. From a high vantage point, he realized they were in peril.

He ran down the stairs, across the hot sand, and into the salty water risking his life to save my brother.  

With hope of rescue, Ed grasped the hand of the stranger. The man who saw the whole situation from above, was a blessing from God.

As we navigate the waters of the Coronavirus, this vicious enemy threatens to ensnare our attention, fill us with fear, and rob us of peace.

Try as we might, we cannot escape the reality of the pandemic. Fighting the onslaught of the virus with knowledge and caution helps protect us. Health professionals and government officials work to stem the tide of this invisible enemy.

However, no human effort can turn fear into peace.   

There is One who sees all aspects of our lives from a high vantage point and knows our need for rescue and peace. The Lord Jesus Christ gave His life on Calvary that we might have a personal relationship with God once we confess our sins and surrender our life to Him.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Acts 4:12

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:9-10

He’s holding out His hand to you today. If you don’t know Him, He offers forgiveness of sin and a personal relationship with Him now and throughout eternity.

To believers, He holds out His hand to offer peace and freedom from the undertow of fear.  

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 

John 14:27

When an overdose of news assails us with facts and predictions, what can we do to focus on the peace of Christ? When we hear of loved ones or others who are sick, how can we respond?

Here are ideas that help me:

  1. Create a prayer list. Include those who are sick, healthcare workers, and government officials.  
  2. Incorporate physical activity into your schedule. Walk outside or exercise indoors.
  3. Read Scripture daily and memorize verses about God’s protection and peace. Click the link to see a beautiful gallery of encouragement from my friend, MarilynNutter .
  4. Share good news you hear in this difficult time. Here are heart-warming stories I’ve heard:
  • A neighbor ordered food for a hearing-impaired man who couldn’t call or pay. This act of kindness provided a nutritious meal and gave peace to a gentleman anxious about dinner.
  • Two friends of mine made fabric masks for my daughter who is a healthcare worker. The masks gave her an extra level of protection and lessened her fear.   
  • With quantity limits and short supplies, one shopper purchased an item another person needed which relieved anxiety and resulted in gratitude.  
  • A teacher friend spent eight hours today helping students via email. She cleared up misunderstandings and explained new content so the education of her students could continue.  
  • My neighbor delivered groceries to an elderly couple relieving their fear of leaving home to shop.
  • Sunday School class members mailed restaurant gift cards to a lady who broke her leg enabling family members to purchase carry-out plates.

God offers peace to defeat the undertow of fear, and He allows us to minister peace to others.  

Please share how you seek peace from God or good news you’ve heard about people reaching out to others.

Bible verses are from the ESV.