Flood-resistant Love

(This devotional was published by Mustard Seed Ministries in November 2010)

“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it…”

(Song of Solomon 8:7)

I sat on the floor couched in despair. I had failed so many times as a Christian that I wondered if I had done irreparable damage to my relationship with God. I was confronted with my humanness and did not like what I saw. Grief welled up inside me as I began to talk to God.

     “How can You love me?” I whispered in wonderment—not really expecting an answer. Awareness of my own shortcomings had undermined my confidence and I felt like a complete failure. 

To my amazement, He answered. It was not an audible voice but a quiet and unmistakable response in my heart. “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned.”

The guilt vanished like a vapor. My heart responded to the grace He offered me. I realized I was uniquely loved and nothing would change that. Praise and gratitude flowed from my soul.

How amazing is God’s love. It does not peak or diminish based on our actions. It remains constant and unchanging. We sometimes find it difficult to come to Him when we sin or make mistakes; yet in His love He wants to give us grace so we can serve Him better. Understanding His everlasting and redemptive love gives us the power to live victoriously—even after we have done wrong.

Blessings!

Breaking Free

      They say it can happen to anyone. But I didn’t know that then.  I only knew that I felt afraid, terrified was more like it.  The thought of being anywhere other than in my house made me frantic with fear.

      I had just given birth to my first child and was home now for four weeks.  The pregnancy and delivery were free of complications.  I breast-fed and kept a reasonable schedule of activity and rest.  In fact, I stayed indoors most of the time, venturing outside only to use the clothesline.

            This custom thrived in Jamaica – maybe not so much now as then.  After childbirth, the mother stays indoors with the baby for at least six weeks, going out only if it’s absolutely necessary.  I never questioned the wisdom of the idea, I simply followed the tradition. 

      I had no name for what was happening to me.  It just came out of nowhere.  One day I was fine; the next day I realized I shook with fright at the thought of being outdoors.

      No one knew about my plight—not even my husband.  Like someone with paralysis, I seemed unable to reach out for help.   

      The fear increased with each day.  The thought of going to the store, a church service, or even the doctor’s office filled me with terror.  That terror grew more at the thought that I might encounter another human being “out there.”

      Then I realized I not only feared being outdoors—I actually feared contact with anyone who was not familiar.  I lived in constant dread of being involved in any new experiences, and avoided everything I thought might possibly lead to one.

      How can I get out of this?  My mind searched for a way out of this dilemma.

      Finally, in desperation I threw myself down on my bed one morning and said, “Lord, I’m afraid.”   A simple truth, but the words came from the depths of my soul with great intensity.

      Then the Holy Spirit gently spoke to my heart, “The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”   I recognized the words from Psalms 121:8.

     Instantly, the debilitating fear vanished and the peace of God came like a soothing balm.  The word of God stilled the raging of the storm in my soul.  I got up from the bed and embraced the day cheerful and confident, knowing that my life rested in the hands of my heavenly Father and I need not fear anything.

      It’s been many years now and I’m still free.  I can understand how in the beginning God changed the chaos of the earth into perfect order by the power of His word, because His word to me that day was “quick and powerful” and created the change I needed the moment I cried out to him for help.

© 2011 Phillippa Brown

Hello, Daddy

No, I will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you. John 14:18 (NLT)

Jesus was saying goodbye - albeit temporarily - to His disciples. Hearts filled with sorrow, the disciples tried vainly to imagine an existence without Him. Being aware of this, Jesus addressed their unspoken question  with these words, "No, I will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you."

Today, the church has to do without the physical presence of Jesus. And sometimes, we His followers, become susceptible to the "orphan" syndrome. The Lord showed me this. We struggle with feelings of abandonment or loneliness. Sometimes, we become independent to an extreme, doing everything on our own without asking for help - even when we need help. Still others are searching, consciously or unconsciously, for a parent.

Those of us who have either lost an earthly parent (or parents) or had unsatisfactory relationships with them seem particularly affected by this syndrome. Jesus wants us to be free. How?

1. Read Romans 8:15-16, and know that we have received the spirit of adoption. In other words, WE  HAVE A FATHER.

2. Allow the Holy Spirit to bear witness (or convince us) that WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD. David wrote in Psalms 27: 10, "WHEN MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER FORSAKE ME, THEN THE LORD WILL TAKE ME UP."

3. Pray as we are directed by Jesus in Matthew 6:9. This prayer begins, "Our Father" and can be done along with our regular prayers. This is helpful especially for those who have had difficulty addressing the Lord as "Father."

4. Sing to the Lord. This may seem unnecessary but do it anyhow. Music is healing.
(Suggestions: He Knows My Name - Israel Haughton or I'm Trading My Sorrows)

 My prayer for everyone who reads this is that we enter into a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father who loves us so much and absolutely delights in His children!

Let's Eat!

“Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine…”  John 21:12

One of the things I missed most when I went off to college was the tasty cooked-from-scratch meals my mother would serve up at home.  My mother knew this, so whenever I visited during breaks, she always had a bowl of my favorite soup ready.  We would sit and eat at the kitchen table while catching up on the latest news.  I felt so special – this moment was created just for me.  

Jesus’ disciples must have felt the same way when He appeared to them on the shores of the sea of Gallilee after His resurrection.  Tired after their fruitless toil in the night, and then hauling in the huge catch after obeying Jesus’ instructions, they gratefully accepted the invitation to join Him for breakfast.  This was one of their special moments with Him—one that they would not soon forget, but would cherish in their hearts long after His ascension.  

Yet, the moment signaled a deeper meaning than that of fellowship or food.  Jesus then commissioned them to serve Him by serving others.  They were to feed hungry people just as He had fed them. (John 21:15) 

 

We also have the privilege of dining with Jesus.  He is the Bread of life and invites us to have fellowship with Him in His word and prayer.  Sharing special moments with Him will bring us joy and satisfaction but will also give us the virtue we need to go and share the good news of the gospel with others. 

©2010 Phillippa Brown

JUST AS SURE....

(This is an article I wrote for the devotional book, Penned From The Heart.)


       They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.”  Psalm 107:4  

I trudged dejectedly down the busy streets of Kingston, Jamaica. The empty, hollow sound of my shoes against the pavement was an echo of the discouragement in my own soul. I felt things couldn’t possibly get worse. First, it was the miscarriage, and then the car caught fire. If that was not enough, my client-based business was failing and we were losing money. My husband wanted me to close the business down.

“This is like a dearth,” I sighed. “It’s just like a wilderness.” 

Suddenly, I heard the voice of the Lord speak in my heart, “Just as sure as there is a wilderness, there is a promised land.”  These words kept hope alive during the difficult days that followed. Like the Israelites journeying through the desert, our problems seemed overwhelming. We prayed and waited and then prayed some more.Change did not come quickly, but it did. Slowly, the business recovered and began to make a profit. About a year later, I gave birth to a baby girl.

Not all wilderness experiences are the same, but we all experience loss, grief, and hardship. And the illusion is that it will never end. But as sure as it began, it will end.  The wilderness does not last forever. God keeps His word. He will sustain us through the hard times then bring us into a time of rest and renewal. 

Prayer:  Father, please help us have faith that endures during the hard times.

Blessings!