“Do not hide Your face from me, do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my Helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.” – Psalm 27:9-10
Does it ever feel like God is hiding from you? As if God is absent? The Bible says He is always actively at work for His children (Philippians 1:6). He also promises in Scripture to never leave you, but always be with you (Hebrews 13:5). The believer’s help comes from the Lord. He says we belong to Him, sinful though we are. Sanctifying faith wrestles with our feelings on a daily basis! The temptation to despair and throw in the towel is a spiritual fight straight from Hell. The Lord will not let you go if you belong to Him. He has received you. This is the greatest news a soul can hear. You, dearly beloved Christian, are accepted by God, loved by Him and sustained in your faith by Jesus. He prays for you, interceding on your behalf to the Father’s ear because the Perfect Sacrifice is also your Great High Priest.
Even if all others turn away from you because your pursuit of God in practical holiness seems too zealous, too self-righteous for some, trust that God knows your sincerity. Sincerity is vulnerability of worship and this God will not despise. When we come to our Father in humble transparency, He will honor this posture of worship. We bring nothing to the Father but our sin and need. As the old hymn says, “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling.” The Lord receives the contrite heart (Psalm 51:16-17). Even if all others reject you or disappoint, God will not. He has been our faithful helper and will continue to be as we serve Him. God gives enough grace for this small day to put our hand to the plow. Perhaps the work you do isn’t considered “spiritual”? It all matters to God. All work done for His glory is worship and “spiritual”. Whether you change another diaper, write code for computer software, wait on tables, plant a garden, or drive a loved one to another doctor appointment- the attitude we have determines whether it is pleasing to God or not.
The Lord will never turn His face away from His own, but how are we living faithfully in return? If God is not ashamed to call helpless rebels His adopted children, do we shame His Name by our grumbling and thanklessness? Let us not grieve the Spirit with callous hearts. This is the day that the Lord has made. He commands us to rejoice in it, to enjoy Him and His blessings (Psalm 118:24). Even when life is bleak and gray so that putting one foot in front of another is a challenge know this: the Sovereign Lord who sent His Son to die for you will never cast you off even when it feels that way (John 6:35-40). God always proves Himself faithful as a constant friend and helper, even if all others fall away. Remember what Christ endured for you so that these truths could become your reality.
Jesus bore the Father’s wrath and rejection so you never have to. “The LORD will receive me” is a precious promise for the Christian pilgrim to carry. You are His, but do not grieve Him with shallow faith and an anxious heart. Grow deeper, by His grace, and drink deeply from the cup which never runs dry. His mercies are new everyday. Truth and grace are freely given to the one who asks. His storehouse is abundant, His vow to you unbroken and constant.
Faith over feelings will sharpen your spiritual vision, helping you patiently endure God’s will for your life. One day when you look back on it all, the loneliness and hardship of following Christ will be worth it (Romans 8:28-29). Becoming more like Jesus is costly, but it is a priceless treasure which will never run out or wear out when we are Home.
Grace upon grace,
April
O MY LORD AND SAVIOUR,
Thou hast also appointed a cross for me to take up and carry,
“Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of You, “Seek His face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.” -Psalm 27:7-8
Does the Lord hear us when we pray? Is He ever too busy to listen? Are some of our cries not important enough? We may doubt whether God hears our prayers sometimes, and that is why it is crucial to answer our questions Biblically. God in Heaven will always bend an ear to hear His people’s cries and act according to His wisdom. This is God’s nature. The Creator ministers to the created without reservation. When David pleads for God to be merciful to him and answer his prayers, he is asking the Lord to be Himself. God is already merciful. This may mean at times that God does not act as we expect, but He is never wrong in His decisions. It is we who must adjust our expectations, trusting in His Sovereignty.
King David asks for the Lord to see his plight and act on his behalf. He doesn’t yet know the outcome of his prayer request, but David still responds to the Lord with worship. This is an example every Christian can pattern. No matter how God chooses to answer our pleas, the consistent character of worship should be the makeup of our hearts. We seek His face regardless of circumstances because Yahweh is the best refuge for any situation. Even when we don’t like how He answers a prayer- perhaps ‘wait’ or ‘no’ was given? How does the believer respond? What does that do to your faith? Shaken but not shattered.
When our faith is sifted through trials, we can have confidence that Jesus intercedes for us. He prays for our faith to stand firm, just like He did for Peter (Luke 22:31-32). When the dust settles and the shock wears off, the Christian can choose to grow bitter and jaded, or take their broken hearts back to the throne room of grace, crying for more mercy. More trust in His providence, more love to rest secure, more of God to find strength for another day. Perseverance of the saints is grace and mercy at work. The Spirit will bless the believing heart with this lion lamblike quality of humility, trust and boldness after the living God.
Bending to the will of God produces spiritual maturity. God is after a harvest in our hearts, using whatever means necessary for abundant growth. Pray and pursue. Trust and obey. These commands are woven throughout the entire Bible because it is for our good and God’s glory. Believer, you have the privilege of living before the face of the One who made you and saved you. He hears our heart cries. The Lord is most merciful.
What has God’s strong arm accomplished for you? Eternal salvation. Praise Him!
Who is at God’s right hand interceding on your behalf? Jesus Christ. Praise Him!
How is God at work in your life this moment? Daily sanctification. Praise Him!
When will you behold the face of God, faith becoming sight? In earthly death. Praise Him!
Where is the Holy Spirit? In my heart forevermore. Praise Him!
Not by our merit, but of His great mercy.
Even if God were to strip away every temporal blessing He has given you and me, like Job, we would still have the Lord. The Lord is my Shepherd, He is all I’ll ever need.
The Lord “watches over the way of His saints.” -Proverbs 2:8
“difficulty is a normal part of life in an abnormal world.” -Stephanie O. Hubach
We live in a fallen world. As much as we may try to keep this reality at bay, it is evident in our culture, current events, and even in ourselves. Since we all bear God’s image, unbelievers also recognize things are not as they should be. They seek to create a human utopia through climate change, man’s sense of justice, or any other philanthropic endeavor to turn the world’s axis right again. Others may bend under resignation, with a fatalistic mentality, and live just for themselves- eat, drink now and be merry.
But neither of those options are any good. Mere outward reform and indulgence are fleeting. As Christians, God calls His people to engage others while still trusting in His Sovereign plan. “Hehasshowed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To seek justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). How are Christians living out this mandate right in their own backyard? It can take many forms because the needs around us are many, as we experience life in a broken world. Believers are called to be Spirit-led when serving, as God directs our hearts in the work He has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10). All Christians are called to be the hands and feet of Christ in whatever capacity, gifts and ability God has given them.
In her book Same Lake, Different Boat, Stephanie O. Hubach argues for the Church to recognize the need for ministering to the disabled. Disability is a broad term which includes physical, intellectual, developmental, mental or sensory. Under this umbrella consist people with autism, blindness, deafness, spina bifida, Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy, to list a few. Besides the fact that God commands us to care for the least of these, meaning those who require the help of others long term or short term, one might ask, “What does this have to do with me?”
Before my son was born, the special needs world was not on my radar. It wasn’t that I didn’t care, it just didn’t affect me personally, nor did I know many people who were disabled. Then the Lord lovingly assigned it to me. Now I see a need which mostly flies under the radar, because those with disability typically need an advocate. Advocacy normally falls on the parents or caregivers, who already have a limited supply of energy and time. Their net covers just the one in their care, not spreading out to the larger disabled group. This is a great opportunity for outside help, particularly in the Church. Back to the question, “What does all this have to do with me?” Well, when we remember our own brokenness and the free grace which has been lavished on us, it should prompt every Christian to turn around and offer acts of mercy to a hurting world. We tell others the Gospel by also showing it to them. Hubach puts it this way:
“The first thing that motivates us to identify with others is a proper perspective of ourselves. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought” (Romans 12:3). We must recognize that we all have needs- that is a normal part of life in an abnormal world. Our brokenness and vulnerability as humans is universal; how it manifests itself is variable. Same lake, different boat.”
Just as Christ acted on behalf of every redeemed sinner in the most monumental, supernatural work of atonement, Christians are called to serve others sacrificially, although imperfectly.
If you agree that Christians have a responsibility to bless and serve the overlooked or forgotten, but don’t know how to help, here are a few suggestions. A good starting point is in your local church. Is there a Sunday school class offered for special needs that you can help with? Or perhaps there is a need for care during the main worship? Some with special needs may not be able to sit for an entire service, or will make involuntary disruptions such as noises or hand flapping. This can cause the entire family to feel self-conscious, not to mention distracted as they try to participate in the service, while keeping their loved one quiet. What a blessing to be able to minister to the family by providing a space where their loved one is cared for, so they can focus on the sermon and receive spiritual nourishment.
Another way to minister to someone with a disability is to look in your community. There are care facilities and special needs sports/art/music/camp programs which I’m sure would love more volunteers. I have found over the years that I receive possibly more encouragement than the ones I attempt to serve when taking part in the special needs world.
Although the building itself is not the church, but the people inside it, the structure of a church can be very beneficial in welcoming those with special needs. Does your church facility accommodate those with disability by making the entrance handicap accessible, providing a family restroom for diapering needs, or have an unused quiet room for when a sensory overload meltdown occurs? Are these things in place or do they need to be implemented? The way a church does or does not provide accommodations speaks volumes on whether the welcome mat is laid out for special needs or pulled up tightly. A church can unknowingly act like a country club by passively excluding those who are different, or make its members uncomfortable. The function of a church operates out of its particular culture in what it values, not what it says it values, but actually does.
Are there persons with special needs who regularly attend your church? Are they an integral part of the body or kept on the fringe? Is your church missing this vital role? Please don’t misunderstand the reason for this post. My goal is not to pile on a guilt trip. These are however, good questions to consider by bringing awareness in an area of ministry that might need attention. What a great opportunity the church has to show the love of Jesus to this particular group. We are made up of the body of Christ and need each part. “The eyecannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other” (1 Corinthians 12:21-25).
A word of encouragement to someone who feels intimidated in serving people with disability. That’s okay and I think normal. Those who take the care of others seriously will have a bit of trepidation. We don’t want to add to their burden by our ignorance in how their medical equipment works, or how difficult it might be to relate. I have no educational background in special needs. I’m just a mom who knows her son. The vast spectrum of disability and my lack of knowledge overwhelms me too! But here’s the good news. We don’t have to do any of these things in our own strength. That isn’t just a pretty little saying, but absolutely true to those who claim it by faith. God will give wisdom and help as we ask for it. The needs will vary in a case by case situation, but God has promised to provide the grace and strength we need for this day, to carry out the work He has given us for this day. With that said, it is my hope that those with a disability and their families will be gracious receivers, knowing we are imperfect and may not get it right the first time.
Ministering to those with special needs is an opportunity to become more prayerful and Christ dependent, rather than go rogue and seek only outward reform. The point of inclusion for special needs families is ultimately to point them to Christ, just like everyone else. This is the heart need every soul longs for. Do they belong too?
Stephanie O. Hubach’s book Same Lake, Different Boat has greatly ministered to me. She is a parent of two boys, one with Down syndrome. Hubach has insight, practical wisdom and Biblical encouragement, beneficial for every Christian whether you are directly affected by special needs or not. As Christians we are called to come alongside those who are in need, like those touched by disability. I appreciate how Hubach does not come across as demanding, angry or self-pitying in her experience and analysis. She shoots straight with a heart of compassion and a dose of humor.
We are solution oriented people. If something cannot be fixed or improved upon, our tendency is to shy away instead of lean in. It is not wrong to try and make things better. As image bearers, one aspect of this is healing. But the kind of healing Christians can most meaningfully co-labor with God in is spiritual. We bless others when we truly see them with dignity as fellow image bearers. We likely cannot fix the visible disability, but we can be a friend. Believers can demonstrate the Gospel by speaking up for the weak, serving in kindness, laced with humility toward those the world does not highly value.
Hubach speaks of the worth of each person as the starting point to understand the reason we serve others by saying,
When the image of God within is central to our understanding of humanity, it sends a powerful message about human value to the world around us. Our culture often measures personal value as a function of productivity. The degree to which we are able to contribute to society is the degree to which we are valued. In God’s economy, however, human value is defined by the Creator Himself through the imprint of His image in humankind. Others take notice, not merely when we say this is true, but when we live like it is true in respect-based relationships. Our actions ought to declare, “You are incredibly valuable!” to everyone we meet.
In the same way, the powerful message of the gospel is demonstrated when we respond to others in grace-based actions. Our competitive culture is uncomfortable with weakness. When people see us acknowledge our frailties and intentionally engage others in the areas of their brokenness, we live out the gospel of grace in powerful ways.
This kind of service bears fruit that is pleasing to God. This kind of healing when God is at work is of eternal value. May God direct all of our hearts in His love as we do His kingdom work, persevering in His strength.
Grace upon grace,
April
Here is a helpful link in understanding the statistics of children and adults with special needs in the Church, as well as how their families are impacted.
I love Christmas hymns. They speak of what God has done for us through Jesus’ birth and perfect atonement. It was all part of God’s plan from the beginning. This means that chaotic world events, personal sorrows, and sin has not caught God off guard. He is still at work. A friend shared with me her favorite Christmas hymn a few years ago and it was one I wasn’t familiar with. ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’ is now one of my favorites too. Part of it goes, “And in despair I bowed my head, ‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said, ‘For hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.’ Then rang the bells more loud and deep, ‘God is not dead, nor does He sleep, the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.'”
These words are true because every Christian worships a Living Hope. This is our greatest joy because Jesus Christ is our greatest Gift. There is forgiveness, access to the Father and comfort for every believer. This is a beautiful hymn, full of longing but certain hope. Jesus came in grace. He is coming again. Now we see through a glass darkly, as if we are only half-awake, but one day God’s children will enjoy His Presence and Peace forever when we see Christ face to face. God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Sin and death will be no more. Praise God!
“I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commands.” -Psalm 119:176
The psalmist is honest before the Lord. It is deeply personal. There is no hiding from Him who sees and knows all things. When we rightly understand the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father, there is no need to run and hide like our first parents, Adam and Eve, in the Garden. Even when we sin, we have a great Mediator to go before us. Our Great Shepherd will always leave the ninety-nine sheep in the safe pasture to go look for the one that wandered away.
David (likely the psalmist), prays to be sought by Jehovah Yahweh, the Keeper of his soul. He knows God’s commands are not only life giving but life saving, which is why he is determined to remember them and live accordingly with God’s help. Our lives in God’s hands are very much like a sonnet. There are boundaries constructed around the perimeter. We must be diligent to acknowledge the set structure He has given us and submit to His authority. Yet the colorful freedom within the sonnet is our liberty. To live, create, work, play and enjoy His many blessings is our joy and His delight! This is the beauty of man’s will working inside God’s will. To stray outside the cadence would be to our peril. The Lord knows this, loving His sheep too much to let us wander off the path, bleating aimlessly. Our Lord Jesus suffered in the place of each redeemed sinner so that you and I never experience one day apart from Him, the Savior and King.
As this psalm closes, it is good to pray like the psalmist does- “Seek Your servant”. Every Christian has a position before the Lord, as a justified, sanctified believer. Those hidden in Christ are adopted into God’s family, given a heavenly inheritance without end. This is because of Jesus. Faith in Jesus Christ transforms depraved sinners into redeemed ones. The grace of God has reached down and taken hold of every born again image bearer. He will not let His beloved go but intends for His mercy and love to follow you all the days of your life. This is the Christian’s greatest blessing because the goodness of God does not end when we die. It is only the beginning of our blessed eternity with the One who has always loved us first and best of all. God is faithful to pursue His children, and lead them all the way into His Kingdom, our Forever Home.
Grace upon grace,
April
Growing deeper: Psalm 23; Isaiah 53; Luke 15:1-7; Hebrews 7:24-28; 1 Peter 2:24-25
“Let me live that I may praise You, and may Your laws sustain me.” -Psalm 119:175
It isn’t just physical life the psalmist seeks after, but to drink deeper from the Wellspring of Life. God is the sustenance for every believer, strengthening us according to His good Word. He provides common grace to all people, supplying each breath, allowing good things even for the wicked to enjoy, albeit temporal. But the psalmist has spiritual eyes, a divine hunger to experience fellowship with the Holy God that is fresh and richly satisfying. Give me life is his cry.
More of God flows into more love of Him, more gratitude over our blessings, an awareness of His ocean of mercy, delighting in His beauty all around. The goodness of God is not found merely in what He gives us, but also in how He keeps us. He holds our salvation securely, with every believer’s name permanently written in the Book of Life. God restrains sin in the world and in us. The world is chaotic but consider how much worse it could be. The Lord in lovingkindness has given His laws to protect us from harm, so we do not destroy ourselves in sin. The surest way to ruin our lives and witness is to not live within the secure boundaries God provides. King David certainly understood this principle, as his sins toward Bathsheba and Uriah carried grave consequences which lasted the rest of his life.
Just like King David, Israel, and all sinners, we learn the hard way the cycle of sin, conviction, repentance, and restoration. There is forgiveness when we turn from God’s ways, momentarily not finding them enough. But what sweet blessing for the one who stays firmly planted in God’s garden, drawing sustenance from His vineyard. This is what life abundant in Jesus Christ looks like. He who abides in God’s laws is the one who truly lives and will indeed inherit everlasting life. Christ’s righteousness covers the redeemed sinner and the Spirit enables this new life to walk in holiness, freedom from the enslavement of sin. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Praise God for His wondrous love, measureless grace and boundless mercy!
“I long for Your salvation, O LORD, and Your law is my delight.” -Psalm 119:174
The psalmist longs for the completion of his salvation. When he wrote this psalm (likely King David), he saw only a shadow of the promise, a foretaste of the Great Messiah who was to come. He knew the promises but longed for God to fulfill them soon. But what is “soon” to the One outside of Time? To the Keeper of Time? We know on this side of the cross that Jesus Christ is the Messiah who has come and will come again. Only He fulfilled the Law, keeping it perfectly. Yet we follow God’s laws (commands) today as we wait for Jesus to come again once and for all. This is the Age of Grace as we learn the holy ways of our Lord. Like a child learning to ride a bike, first with training wheels, this is our training ground.
Charles Spurgeon says believers develop a “holy hunger” for God the more we are satisfied in Him. The Christian’s appetite is whetted for what is good, beautiful and true. Redeemed sinners have received their salvation in part, meaning in Christ we are forgiven and no longer condemned. But one day, our faith will be made sight as the whole of our salvation is consummated in Glory at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9). Jesus is throwing a big party and you who are adopted into His family are invited. While we wait in the interim of the already and not yet, the Christian’s purpose today is to love the Lord above all else, love our neighbor and glorify God by keeping His commandments. We are called to walk worthy. Do you love God’s Word which contain His law? Do you delight in them? Walk in His ways even when your faith is small or weary. The Lord is faithful to transform our disciplined duty into delight for those He has called to Himself.
Grace upon grace,
April
Growing deeper: Matthew 5:17-19; 2 Peter 3:8-18; Revelation 22
“May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.” -Psalm 119:173
After two verses of responding in praise to God, the psalmist turns his attention back to a plea for God’s mighty hand to intervene. Is there any better prayer than asking for God’s help? His request does not presume upon God with entitlement. He is not our genie and should never be approached with selfish motives. But Christians are His dear children. We come to Him in childlike, dependent faith. We are to serve Him, not the other way around. And yet, the wonder of it is God’s delight to bless His children. The Lord has given the psalmist a desire to follow His ways. Therefore, God will be faithful to help him walk in obedience. The grace of God enables earthly, weary saints in the power of the Holy Spirit.
From his commentary The Golden Alphabet, Charles Spurgeon observes from this verse: “If grace has given us the heart with which to will, it will also give us the hand with which to perform.” God does not call us to tasks we cannot accomplish. If they seem too great, we have His ear to cry for help in our time of need and He will strengthen and sustain. A parent of a young child does not demand they do a task beyond their intellectual or physical ability. The parent knows the child’s limits and sets responsibilities accordingly. In the same way, our loving Heavenly Father knows our frame and asks we rely on His strength, not our own. He has never commanded us to do something so ludicrous, like create the stars and throw them up in the sky. He calls us to trust in the One who made the stars and placed each one by name in the heavens.
It is right that we tremble before an Awesome Powerful God. Yet the pathway to His Throne is covered with the blood of Jesus. Those who belong to God in Christ are never more secure, loved, helped and heard by our Gracious King. Because of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice on the cross, we may go to Him with confidence. The Lord has promised to help the believer on their pilgrim journey and God always keeps His promises. Only saints choose the way of God, longing to run the race with endurance and finish well. God’s people love His holy precepts because they love a Holy, Holy, Holy God!
“May my tongue sing of Your Word, for all Your commands are righteous.” -Psalm 119:172
The heart response of every Christian should be to speak, shout, and sing of the Lord’s lavish love! The spoken word is a great blessing and responsibility given to man. With our tongues we have the power to bless or curse, speak truth or a lie. Not only do we worship King Jesus with songs of praise, but He also commands us to go and tell others about Him. He is righteousness itself. He is Truth. Walking in obedience to God’s commands requires faithful lips, whether we are singing to our Redeemer or speaking of Him with others.
The Sunday School material for my son’s class had a quote recently which said, “Life is full of everyday choices to either make Jesus known or remain silent.” The treasure which we have found in God’s Word is not to be kept to ourselves. Is our joy for Jesus contagious? Can we but help speak of Him when others are around us? Matthew Henry exalts this verse in his commentary saying,
“The more we see of the righteousness of God’s commandments the more industrious we should be to bring others acquainted with them, that they may be ruled by them. We should always make the word of God the governor of our discourse, so as never to transgress it by sinful speaking or sinful silence; and we should often make it the subject-matter of our discourse, that it may feed many and minister grace to the hearers.”
Dear Christian, you are God’s ambassador. Represent Him well with the voice He gave you.
redeemed in grace 