Author: kezha1

Slaves were totally reliant on their masters… ever watchful to receive orders, hear instructions, and/or obtain provisions. So it is with God and us…our eyes should remain rivetted on Him in total dependence for everything. For when we start letting our eyes slip, our Spiritual strength wanes. It can be because of pride or independence…thinking we know more than Him. Or it could happen when we are overwhelmed with stress, trauma, or loss. Lastly, we can also take our eyes off God through indifference, apathy, or depression when life itself seems too much to bear. But this Scripture exhorts us to remain steady…looking to God until He shows us His mercy and love.

On this Thanksgiving Day, let’s look for a moment at the words thankful & grateful. Both are adjectives, and both basically mean the same thing. But thankful is being conscious of the benefit received such as in the Scripture above. Another Translation says, “I will give to the Lord the thanks due…” In other words, a vow of thankfulness back to God for all the good things we realize we wouldn’t have without Him. While grateful is more of an action word…of giving or expressing appreciation for the benefits received. Today be both thankful & grateful to God, your family and friends, and all those around you.

God already knows all the events that have transpired in the past as well as all things that will occur in the future. When this verse says, “He has set eternity in our hearts,” it means that we grasp that history isn’t meaningless – but are totally perplexed in the sheer complexity of it’s pattern of events. But it also tells us that God’s creative activity across time is always appropriate & fitting…predetermining how each tiny detail will fit perfectly into His Master Plan. The Apostle Paul summed it up well in Romans 11:33 when he wrote, ” Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!” So we are left in the end with the simple awe of God’s sovereignty and power, knowing He is in total control.

Before the stoning of Stephen, the early Church enjoyed a time of close fellowship…being built up in teaching, prayer, and sharing with each other as needs arose. They met daily in the Temple courts, enjoying the favor of all people…praising God with glad and since hearts. This was the season of inward focus… of enabling & encouraging individual growth, while strengthening the Church’s unity of Spirit as a whole. But Stephen’s death changed it all. But think about it, this inward focus went totally against the Great Commission that Jesus had charged His disciples with…To “Go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19) That’s because Believers will never fulfill the mandates of The Great Commission if they never venture outside their comfort zones. So for the early Church it took persecution to drive its expansion as a witness-bearing mission with a new outward focus. And the same goes for us individually today… without persecution, trials, and trouble we won’t grow Spiritually, but remain stagnant in the comfortable space we occupy.

Feeling gratitude to God, but yet not expressing it back to Him, is somewhat like wrapping a present but not giving it to that special person. The gratitude is there… somewhere… but our world may be so chaotic at the time, we can’t seem to put forth the words. So think of it this way…this gift of gratitude is really all you can give back God. So in the presence of glum grayness, show gratefulness…in the face of pain, praise Him…in the center of trauma, express thanksgiving…and when you are beset by anguish, show your appreciation to the God Who loves you more than you’ll ever understand. And when you share this gift of gratitude with others – when you recollect God’s goodness, faithfulness, and mercy – they too will be filled with gratitude.

Isaiah knew that it was only God’s Word that could support in order to help those weighed down by burdens. Jesus repeated this in Matthew 11:28 when He said, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, And I will give you rest.” As a caregiver, we need to be ever watchful for physical, emotional, and mental weariness that can set in…which has come to be known as Compassion Fatigue. This is often caused by an accumulation of stress from caring for a loved one at home by yourself. Symptoms can range from having feelings of our strength & energy drained, and/or our patience & tolerance spent…which can then lead to anxiety, depression, and hopelessness…thus easily leading to burn-out and the health of the caregiver deteriorating. The old adage of “Caring for the Caregiver” is so important at this point, but not as important as getting into God’s Word daily to refresh, restore, and renew your soul. That’s because His Word can lift the heavy burden, give you God’s perspective, and show you once more how loved you are by Him.

When life is wonderful, with no obstacles, sickness, or pain, we think little about troubling times…for they seem as far off as the distant future. But it’s during those very troubling times that our moral strength is truly tested. Anyone one can perch on the mountaintop and praise God, but it takes real resolve & determination to praise Him in the valley…especially when the valley experience brings weariness, discouragement, & fear. In Joshua 1:9, God tells His people, “Don’t be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” God’s Presence is not only with us on the mountaintops when everything in life is great, but He’s also close by as we trudge through the dark valleys of illness, medical emergencies, and sorrow. And so our faith should remain strong & not falter, knowing His divine Presence is fulfilling His promises day by day…whether on top of the mountain or below.

Caregiving for a loved one at home fulltime requires becoming part cheerleader & part encourager. This is especially true when physical improvement is slow or absent…when medical reports are discouraging or devastating…or when anxiety and depression seem to permeate the household. But this Ministry of Encouragement is much more than just superficial words – it’s speaking God’s promises into the atmosphere…verbalizing & looking for the good in any situation…and articulating by reflection of just how far God has brought you. These kind words are an important aspect of caring for one another…for as the old saying goes, many times we can’t see the forest for the trees. That’s because the heaviness of the present condition distorts our state of mind and takes our eyes off the Great Physician, Jesus Christ . But our kind words fittingly spoken can bring hope, comfort, and renewed courage.

Paul wrote to the Church in Philippi during his first Roman imprisonment, telling them that he had, “learned to be content whatever the circumstances…” (Philippians 4:11-12) When caregiving, the needs of the one we’re tending to often take precedence over our own needs. And when their needs are many, we’ll see ours diminish. That’s when we can either accept it with grace or become offended, irritable, & discontented. Before my husband came home from hospital, I knew my personal space time would be very limited…so the Lord & I had a conversation, “All I ask for Lord is a quiet cup of coffee in the morning, the time for a hot shower during the day, and the space to write this devotional…all the rest of the things I usually fill my day with are just mindless, so help me to use my time each day wisely, by prioritizing it always for my good & Your glory.” And the Lord has been faithful…supplying & filling up my needs as I fill the needs of my husband.