A Woman's Walk

[Judy Harder]

Week of April 19, 2009
Unity

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them in all together in perfect unity."  ~ Colossians 3:13-14 (NIV) 
In Colossians 3:1-17, the Apostle Paul offers up these Rules for Holy Living.  As we read them, may we be reminded that, as Christians, we are chosen and assigned by God to our places and positions of work.  These scriptures offer a roadmap to getting along with our cohort's, who are also divinely-assigned, and to thriving in our careers God's way . . .     

"Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things . . .

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry . . . you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.  Do not lie to each other . . . put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator . . . Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Unity is important to God.  In order to achieve it in a work environment, we must work out issues that arise with others through forgiveness, truth and love.  Simultaneously, we must overcome our own fears, insecurities and baggage and lean into God to remove the obstacles that are out of our control.  Our attitudes and commitment to God's ways, along with the levels of dysfunction within us, others and the organization, can determine how hard and how long our journey will be.

When God assigns us to usher new order and breakthrough into a work environment, our roles are usually challenging and require fortitude and perseverance.  Oftentimes, this feels like anything but God's doing.

But if we commit ourselves to remaining in our divinely-assigned role, moving forward in God's purposes, we will witness Him break obstacles and make a way to unity (God's finest), which can involve changing people's hearts and attitudes, promoting people or reassigning those who, by their free will choice, are not willing to cooperate. 

Therefore, unity is often a process.  And in this process, God forges us, our co-workers, our leaders and our organizations often through the heat of pressure.  The reason He has us in this vice is because He's trying to teach us, purify us and position us for promotion.  But are we willing to be teachable?  Are we willing to die to the limitation of selfishness?

I love the NIV note for verse 15, which tells us that the peace that only Christ can give us is to prevail in all human relationships, like an umpire over an attitude of bitterness and quarrelsomeness.  Where there is disunity, there is disconnection, fragmentation, a loss of synergy, of power.  It is a place where the enemy thrives to negate the plans of God.

The path to unity is through repentance, forgiveness, cooperation and a commitment to journey God's way through the circumstances that surround us by His leading, no matter what.

If you find yourself in a chaotic work environment, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what your divine assignment is.  Ask Him to reveal to you strategic keys.  Ask Him how to pray, what He desires for you to learn.  Then ask Him to help you receive what He wants you to so that you do not have to journey around the mountain repeatedly.  Walk in humility and confession.  Praise the Lord in the midst.  Submit to the Lord's ways, and enter into the place of peace where God leads you.  Then watch the favor of God manifest on your behalf.

[Judy Harder]

A Woman's Walk


Week of April 26
God's Promises

"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised."  ~Hebrews 10:36

God purposes the timing and manifestations of His promises.  Though some seem a long time coming, they are not.  Though the wait may feel like God has forgotten, He has not.  God's timing is perfect, and His patience is great.

Consider Elizabeth and Mary.  Despite their great difference in age, both women were pregnant with promised sons simultaneously.  The timing of each pregnancy was purposed according to God's plan as was their children's destinies.

What has God promised you?  Has He delivered yet?  How's your faith?

2 Peter 3:8 says, "a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day."

Perseverance in obedience is the key to receiving the promises of God.  And when we get off track, repentance is key.

In Psalm 119, we see that God gives us hope through His promises (vs. 49).  He preserves our lives through His promises (vs. 50).  He supplies us with grace according to His promises (vs. 58).  And we are to meditate on and rejoice in His promises (vs. 148, 162).

God's heart within us and the fulfillment of His promises allow us to forgive those who disappointed us on a greater level.  When we expect people, not God, to fulfill promises only God can fulfill, we must repent and release them to Him.  False expectations can hold us in bondage and cause us to miss God's very best for our lives.

What have you expected and have not yet received?  How are you handling the situation?  Are you praising God throughout the process?  Has your mind been on Him or on your circumstances?  How about your heart?  Do you know that God loves you enough to bring fulfillment, to be true to His word.  Do you trust Him enough?

Have you asked God what His will is?  Have you asked Him what you are supposed to complete before He fulfills His promise?

The fulfillment of God's promises points toward Him as the one true God.  David's prayer in 2 Samuel 7:25-26 says, "And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise You have made concerning Your servant and His house.  Do as You promised, so that Your name will be great forever.  Then men will say, 'The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!'  And the house of Your servant David will be established before You."

When God fulfills His promises, do we give Him all the glory?  Is it all about Him?  Is He first on our hearts?

Psalm 145:13 says, "The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made."

Jeremiah 32:19 says, "great are Your purposes and mighty are Your deeds.  Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; You reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve."

May we receive the full measure of God's promises by being obedient to His will.

[Judy Harder]

A Woman's Walk
 
Week of May 3, 2009
Overcoming

"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne."   ~ Rev. 3:21

Jesus invites us to overcome everything with which the enemy tries to defeat us.  He is the ultimate overcomer, our finest example.  Through Him, nothing is impossible.

When Jesus overcame the enemy's death trap through The Father's resurrection plan, He was promoted beyond what we can measure.  He transcended into the Father's throne room, despite the enemy's devices to stop Him, to render Him powerless.  Likewise, when we choose obedience over sin, we by-pass deadly consequences (Rom. 6:23), pass the test and come closer to the Father.  We receive a divine reward that no man can match and no enemy can destroy.

Too often, the enemy has caused us pain and distress, effectively limiting us from moving efficiently in the Lord's plan.  Some form of iniquity--whether committed by us or generations before us--is often at the root.  Left unrepented, the consequences of these sins operate in our lives long-term, and they can do so without our awareness.

I Peter 5:8 tells us that the enemy prowls like a roaring lion, waiting to devour us.  Luke 10:19 tells us that Jesus has given us the power to overcome the enemy.  Will we open the door and invite the enemy in through sin?  Or will we be vigilant and obedient?  If we fall, we must choose repentance quickly so the enemy cannot get a stronghold in our hearts and in our lives.

I John 5:4 tells us that everyone who accepts Jesus overcomes the world.  The love of God strengthens us through the Holy Spirit in us, while Jesus intercedes for us in the throne room.  Wherever there is temptation, therein lies the enemy.  And the Lord always provides an escape.  Question is: Do we love God enough to choose to flee?  Or do we love the world's "pleasures" more?  And if we choose the world's way, how long will we remain in the pit before repenting?  Before overcoming?

Where there is choice, there is freedom, love and consequence.  Some consequences can last a lifetime, or even steal our lives.  Must we learn lessons the painful and untimely way?

When I think of overcoming, most often, supernatural healing comes to mind.  Many people e-mail me, sharing their healing testimonies that can only be explained by God's supernatural love.  With every story of how God brought them out of disability, I am amazed at how much Jesus loves us.

Overcoming is often a journey of pursuing the heart and face of God (Jer. 29:11-14).  This is especially true concerning long-term illnesses, including emotional injuries where, through counseling and deliverance, God strips off layers of bondage that has piled up over time.  In my own journeys, I have often prayed, "Lord, please lead me to the sources and resources that can help me, and enable me to receive all that You have for me."  God has always been faithful to answer this prayer, leading me to just the right person, tape, book, scripture, etc. that encourages and teaches me.

If you have seen patterns of bondage in your life, such as addictions, poverty, emotional injury, job loss, and so on, know there is a way out, and your loving Father has a plan to free you through His son, Jesus.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any secret sins and generational iniquities to you.  Then break agreement with those issues, forgiving the forefathers all the way back to Adam.  Ask Jesus to help you walk in His freedom, discipline and blessings.  Exercise your faith, and know that you are loved and that His help is ever-present.

[Judy Harder]

Week of May 10
Understanding

Acquire wisdom!  Acquire understanding!  Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth."  ~ Proverbs 4:5 (NASB)

God desires for us to wait until we hear from Him before we act.  He wants us to listen and to "get it."  He wants us to receive His revelation, His instruction and His understanding.  Sometimes He speaks to us quickly, and sometimes God takes His time.  But no matter how long He takes, we are to "not . . . turn away from the words of My mouth," (Prov. 4:5).  We are to "get understanding" (Prov. 4:7).   

The alternative is to miss God's finest, to be foolish, to do it quick and cheap--our way (Eph. 5:17, Prov. 3:5-6, 18:2).

Early last week, I found myself engaged in a long conversation with a ministry leader concerning many topics.  As I listened to him speak, I could easily see that he had acquired a great deal of knowledge, wisdom and understanding over the years.  The presence and the peace of the Lord in the room was profound, and the Lord showed me that this man was very anointed by God. 

One testimony he shared with me particularly stood out:  When I asked him how he knew and understood so much about the Bible--revelation wisdom I had never heard from any other source--he accredited seeking the understanding of the Lord.  He said that years ago, he and his cousin would pore over the Bible, maps, commentaries and other resources and would seek the Lord for hours to help them receive a deep understanding of the Lord's messages.   As always, the Lord was faithful to deliver.

I understood that the key here is the time factor.  God speaks to us in many ways, but sometimes, it is necessary to "press in," to fervently seek Him over time in order to gain deeper levels of understanding.

The issue is: Are we willing to spend the time?  It is our heart's desire to sincerely know Him better?  His ways?  His messages?  His revelation understanding that will change our lives?

If we read further in Proverbs chapter 4, we see that if we walk in divine wisdom and understanding, the Lord will reward us.  He will exalt us and honor us (vs. , He will crown us with His grace and beauty (vs. 9), He will give us a long life (vs. 10), He will cause our paths to be clear (vs. 12-13).  Essentially, He will promote us.

Surely, spending intimate time with the Lord is a treasure that brings treasures.  It is a double blessing not to be missed.  It is a divine gift.

In the times when I have felt like I do not have time to spend with the Lord, and I have chosen to do it anyway, I have felt anxiety and pressures give way to the Lord's peace and grace.  And in that time, He always reminds me that had I not spent that time, I would not have received His greater intimacy, His greater understanding of who He is and what He wants me to know.  I realize this is so precious, so important, so critical to the heart of God.

If you are experiencing spiritual dryness where you feel distant from the Lord's presence and you cannot even hear God's voice clearly, I encourage you to submit to spending more intimate time with Him.  There, you will be refreshed; you will come into His peace; you will receive revelation instructions, strategies and understanding that will propel you forward in your divine destiny.  There is no shortcut.  There is no cheap substitute.

[Judy Harder]

Week of May 17
Persecution

You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side.  ~ Psalm 71:21 (NKJV)

When we are persecuted whether in our workplaces or otherwise, our hearts turn to urgent cries and pleas for God's rescue.   As we are in the midst of such suffering and pain, we can quickly forget about God's purpose, grace, hope, comfort and restoration.  Yet the Bible reminds us that He is with us in tribulation and that after we suffer a little while, He will restore us (1Peter 5:10).  This truth we must cling to.

I recall a season in my life of intense persecution that lasted 18 months.  The Holy Spirit revealed to me that this was a period of spiritual development.  I learned that more than spiritual growth, spiritual development requires greater resistance, much like body building in the physical realm.  And just as in an intense weightlifting workout, I anticipated the end of each strain and each pain because what truly lasted a little while seemed like an eternity.

As I cried out to the Lord to rescue me daily, my personal trainer, the Holy Spirit, encouraged me via scriptures, teachings, visions, prophecies and signs and wonders.  In addition to Psalm 71:21, He gave me another key scripture, Romans 12:12 which says, "rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer" (NASB).  He led me to proclaim this verse daily, to pray for understanding and to praise Him sacrificially. 

Toward the end of this developmental journey, the Holy Spirit gave me the understanding that my heart had to be crucified in order for me to enter into a greater level of love for others and for God.  He taught me to truly love those who persecuted me and to earnestly confess, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34, KJV).  He also taught me that Christ Himself suffered greater pain, which humbled me and put my circumstances into perspective.  In this light of understanding, I was able to choose to rejoice in having participated in the sufferings of Christ (1Peter 4:13).  And when the journey ended, I knew that I had come closer to the Father in a way that was new to me.

Indeed, the Lord brought me through a journey of greater dependence, comfort, patience and endurance (2Corinthians 1:7).  He gave me a greater understanding and a greater vision of His perspective concerning love, and He restored my heart.  Indeed, His glory was revealed.

If you are being persecuted, ask the Lord to reveal His purpose to you.  Ask Him to fill you with His strength of joy in the midst and enable you to understand what is happening so that you may receive His full measure of glory.

[Judy Harder]

Week of May 24
Beauty


"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."  ~ Proverbs 31:30

God is the essence of beauty, and He longs to share His beauty with us.  When we accept Jesus, His beauty resides within us.  And if we revere Him, we will mirror His beauty from the inside out.  This is God's desire.

Consider Esther.  Although she was physically beautiful, Esther also glowed with an inner beauty that was established and purposed by God before she ever entered the king's palace (Es. 2:7, 15).  She won the king's favor and approval because she was on a mission from God to save His and her people.  And God's hand of favor and protection was upon her as she consistently made right choices, yielding to the Father's will.

Esther understood wisdom as is evident by how she followed her uncle Mordecai's counsel to not reveal her identity and the eunich Hegai's suggestion to not ask for anything when she came before the king (Es. 2:10-11, 15).  Esther understood the wisdom of 1Peter 3:4, ". . . the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."  And she also understood the power of revering God through fasting (Es. 4:16).

Esther had substance, and her beauty was a power tool used by God to accomplish His will to save a nation.

How is God using your beauty?  Likewise, how are you using your beauty?

Contrary to the nobleness of Esther, the once perfect (Ps. 50:2) but fast fleeting beauty of Jerusalem is described in Ezekiel 16 as prostitution.  When we "trust in our beauty and use our fame to become a prostitute" (vs. 15), our beauty becomes pillaged by the enemies of destruction and death.  Our own disobedience and idolatry to ungodly pleasures opens the door, giving the devil a legal right to "pimp" us out, leaving us depleted, defiled and disgusted.

As we journey through life, what will we choose?  Perfect beauty or prostitution? 

If the latter has been your choice (even if not in the literal sense), there is freedom through repentance and restoration.

The beauty of God is everlasting.  It doesn't fade.  It is perfect.  In this, we have hope.

Lamentations 3:22-26 says, "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.  I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'  The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." 

May we choose to honor God by living in the nobility of a yielded heart, mind and body and therefore embrace His full measure of reigning beauty for His glory.

[Judy Harder]

Week of May 31, 2009
Freedom

"I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts."  ~ Psalm 119:45

God's freedom has little to do with the world's freedom.  Knowing and living out His truth is the only way we can be assured His peace, His rest, His protection. 

And like this psalmist, when we walk closely with God, seeking Him with our whole heart and moving in careful obedience, God delights in us; He hears us; He rescues us. 

Have you noticed that at some point in every journey--whether work-related or personal--circumstances will cause us to either flee immediately or to rise up, stand boldly and confront that which comes against God's purposes and plans for us?  The attack can come in many forms--false accusation, persecution, fear, disrespect, strife, disorder, confusion, lack of funds, brick walls, etc.

But there comes a time when God says, "No more!"  There comes a time when, if we don't give up and we remain close to God, He shows up with a mighty shift and deals with the enemy, either by quelling the torment or promoting us out of the situation entirely, all to His glory.

I love these pivotal moments when God frees us up to complete His mission.  They are "sudden" transformations, crescendos, thrilling and certainly a relief.

Freedom literally means "a wide space" as in unconfined by affliction or oppression (Ps. 119:45 NIV note).

To be delivered from heaviness in an instant is what Noah, Moses, Elisha, Joseph, Daniel, David, Jesus and others, who were committed to our Heavenly Father, knew.  Each one leaned upon Father God during their very unique and difficult circumstances.

Consider Daniel.  Though he was intelligent, fit, gifted, noble and had the favor of God upon him, he still found himself held in captivity by a Babylonian king in a foreign land (Dan. 1).  Yet God was in control.  Daniel was set up by God in new territory, desperately dependant upon Him for direction and freedom. 

God had a purpose.  And along with this "set up" came a set time.  God was about to expound His glory in a new way through a terrified Daniel who experienced several encounters with God and witnessed his enemys' defeat over a pre-ordained period of time.

Daniel 10:12 says, " . . . 'Do not be afraid, Daniel.  Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.'"

Indeed, God's promises were fulfilled and His strategies to freedom broke through in His due time.  God will even send his mighty angels to fight our battles and conquer our enemies once and for all to bring restoration and reward.

God ultimately positioned a faithful Daniel to be rewarded by the very earthly king that held him captive (Dan. 2) and to receive his allotted inheritance (Dan. 12:13).

God is always in control.  He will never forsake us in torrid circumstances if we, like Daniel, exercise wisdom and surrender our hearts to Him.

If you find yourself currently in some form of captivity, know that if you turn to God with all your heart and carefully obey his directives, he will hear you and deliver you into His freedom, just like He did for Daniel.

[Judy Harder]

June 7, 2009
Joy 

"You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound."  ~Psalm 4:7

Our Heavenly Father created us with an ability to experience joy.  We know when we have it, and we know when we don't.  And even though we can receive enjoyment from our loved ones, activities, work or even material things, only the Lord gives us everlasting joy.  It comes through receiving all of Him, beginning with the joy of salvation and redemption. 

Remember the children's song that goes, "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart to stay"?  How profound this simple truth is.  For when we sincerely accept Jesus into our hearts, so, too, do we invite His joy. 

Like peace, the Lord's joy is found in His presence.  It is a divine gift, a byproduct of His love.  Joy is cyclical.  It propels God's heart to move on our behalf and our hearts to move on His.  He plants joy in our hearts, and we give it back to Him through actions of praise and worship and a walk of obedience.

The joy of the Lord is powerful.  It is described as "complete" (Jh. 15:11), "exceeding" (Ps. 43:4), "filling" (Ps. 126:3), "everlasting" and "overwhelming" (Ps. 35:10). 

And as we come closer to His joyful presence, He pours out His divine favor upon us.

Consider the Psalmists.  David said in Psalm 16:11, "You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy . . . "

Psalm 45:7 says, "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy above your fellows.

Psalm 97:11 says, "Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.  Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise His holy name."

The joy of the Lord is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) intended for sharing.  Pouring out joy imparts joy.  Ever notice how difficult it is to be down when in the presence of God's joy that pours through someone else? 

Even when we sin, the Lord provides a restoration of joy for those who repent. 

Consider the exiled Israelites in Nehemiah who lost their joy and their homeland to disobedience.  When Nehemiah repented on his and their behalf, God, in His unending mercy, led them to restore Jerusalem's wall with His hand of favor upon them, and they celebrated with "great" joy.

Nehemiah 8:10 says, " . . . Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."  Choose joy.

Moreover, obedience invites the reward of complete joy (Jn. 15:10-11).  May we press through any blockages of sin for the fullness of the Lord's reward.

Since the Holy Spirit who resides in us brings joy (Luke 10:21), no one can diminish it unless we allow access. 

May we hold fast to the resounding joy of the Lord.  It is our divine, prevailing strength.  It keeps our hearts built up, soaring above the pit of despair, propelling us in His glory to work unto Him and to reach others.  All that's required is that we simply remain in close relationship with Him.

[Judy Harder]

June 14, 2009
Good Pleasure

"And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ."  ~ Ephesians 1:9

I once met a young, married woman who had wisdom beyond her years.  She said something profound that I will always remember which was, "The trouble with life is that it's just so daily." 

May we not get so bogged down by the "dailies" that we lose sight of God's greater vision.  Let us not forget that God has us in an integral "now" process that is leading us to the fulfillment of our divine destiny.  Take joy, and count it all good.  Our best vacation from toil and hardship is in the presence of the Lord.  In due time, we will reap the harvest if we journey to the fulfillment of His purposes. 

A couple of years after this young woman made her statement, God made big shifts in her life.  Indeed, when God's purposes are fulfilled, He will move us beyond our circumstances.    One of my favorite prayers is to ask the Holy Spirit to help me "get it" the first time, that I would not have to cycle around the mountain of lesson-learning repeatedly.  Once is enough for me in this second half of my life on earth.  I don't want to waste anymore of God's time, and I declare that, through His grace, the latter will be greater than the former.

Therefore, let us do our excellent best to honor God in all that He has called us to in the here and now, processing circumstances His way in love, mercy and forgiveness.  And know that we are indeed pleasing Him and making loving memories.  There will come a future time when "now" will be the past, and we will forget the hardships of today.  So that when the future arrives, we can reflect with great joy, peace, liberty and appreciation, having no regrets, bearing no grudges and gaining God's wisdom.

Be assured that God takes good pleasure in giving back our dreams.  If you are in a dry place, know that your escape, your sanctuary can be found in the presence of the Lord.  Spend time with Him.  Ask Him to reveal His mysteries, His timing, His destiny plan for you.   Ask Him to give you His understanding of what you've gone through and how He will bring it all together in His due time, in His good pleasure.  Ask Him to awaken you to His greater vision.  Trust that He will show you specifics concerning your future.  You will surely see that there will be no greater dream fulfillment, no greater plan, no greater intimacy and no greater love for you.

God takes good pleasure in giving back to us through His servant heart.   He once spoke to my heart, saying that because I laid down my dreams and got involved with His dreams, He has gotten involved in my dreams and is giving them back to me in a way that is greater than I ever expected. 

I don't know that I've ever been more humbled or awed.  Indeed, God rewards sacrifices of the heart that make room for Him to be first.  And He showed me that He will reveal such mysteries to us through revelation if we take the time to get alone with Him and ask.

God's good pleasure is linked with the fulfillment of His predestined purposes for us (Eph. 10-12).  Our time, our hearts, our minds, our wills, our bodies, our dreams and our agendas are not our own when we are sold out to God.  After all, Jesus laid down His life for us at Calvary.  How can we call ourselves Christians if we do not honor Him for paying such a high price to give us eternal life in heaven? 

Let us remember that God created us for the purpose of fellowshipping with Him.  We are to make Him our first priority, our first love.  It gives God good pleasure when we praise, worship and honor Him throughout our destiny journey, even if it is done sacrificially.  He delights when His plans and purposes are fulfilled through us, when we are a living testimony to His power, love and glory.  Therefore, may we lay down every idol, every hearts desire, turn from every temptation and say, "Yes, Lord.  Have it Your way no matter what."
.

[Judy Harder]

Week of June 21, 2009
Relationship

"The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him."  ~ Galatians 3:11 (The Message)

Oh the power of relationship.  From our primary and everlasting relationship with the Lord to working relationships and intimate relationships, we are blessed by those which God arranges in so many ways.

Often, God sets us up with people who greatly influence our lives--bosses, leaders, mentors, co-workers, family members and even those who appear to have little power.

And He always works in us and through us simultaneously.  His purposes are mighty and far reaching, often influencing nations of people.  And they always require obedience.

Consider Ester and her cousin Mordecai.  Ester 8:1 says, "And Mordecai came before the king because Ester had explained their relationship."

This was no accident.  It was a set up or an "arrangement" by God for purposes bigger than either of them. 

Mordecai was not only Ester's blood relative and adoptive parent, he was her advisor, confidant and informant (Es. 2:10, 20-23).  God strategically assigned them to work together--one inside and one outside of the king's palace--as His secret agents for the higher purpose of freeing a nation of Jews.

Although their missions felt risky to them, their faith in the Lord and trust in each other had been established (Es. 2:11).  Indeed, God knew just what they needed, how circumstances would unfold and which emotions would be pricked as His process for ultimate deliverance took place.

Mordecai and Ester honored God and consulted Him on strategy (Es. 4:16).  And God never forsook them along their journey.  They remained loyal to God and to each other throughout, no matter how hopeless things appeared, even as the power of their positions shifted (Es. 4:17).

God honored them in return with His divine favor, wisdom and life, perfectly advancing them amid the enemy's deception and plot to kill Mordecai (Es. 5:2-14).

Desperate, Mordecai waited on God, urgently standing at the king's gate again and again.  He never gave up.  And when the time was right, God exposed His truth of evil through them (Es. 7:6).  God's justice was accomplished (Es. 7:10), Mordecai was promoted (Es. 8:2, 15, 9:4, 10:2-3), and the Jews were ultimately set free (Es. 9:1, 5).

Throughout their assignment, Ester and Mordecai remained obedient to God.  They lived in right relationship with Him by embracing what God had arranged for them in advance.

When God assigns us to relationships, He always purposes them beyond what we know at the outset.  One of my favorite (and usually desperate) prayers is, "Lord, reveal to me Your divine purpose in this.  Let me see it as You do.  Give me Your divine understanding.  Open my eyes, and help me to receive Your revelations and stay on track."

God loves it when we humble ourselves and seek His heart and His purposes for each arranged assignment in our lives.  He honors us and blesses for seeking His face and for desiring earnestly to be obedient and serve Him, placing His ways above our own.

Ester and Mordecai stepped into a risky life-or-death journey.  The only way they could get through it successfully was to carefully obey God in their relationship with each other and with Him.

What arrangements are you involved in?  Are they divinely assigned or ones of your own making?  How's your relationship with God and others?  Do they honor Him?

If you're not sure, our Divine Creator has all the answers, and He's waiting to reveal them to you for the asking.  May you be blessed and walk in divine peace and purpose in all your arrangements.