But God...He Already Knows

"...but your Father already knows your needs."

Luke 12:30

These words from Luke 12 jumped off the screen at me today: "..but your Father already knows...." I was immediately comforted and reassured by them. Have you ever had a "discussion" with a teenager and he/she replied with the conjunction "but?"

"But I want to..."
"But it's not fair..." 
"But I need to.."
"But mom..." 

Isn't that the case with us and our relationship with God? When something is not what we want or if we don't get our way we say, "But God..."?!

I've had some "But God..." moments. And by moments, I mean many, many moments.

"Angelica I need you to pay for this woman's pretzel." 
"But God, I don't want to make a scene."

"Angelica, I need you to study my Word every day when you wake up."
"But God, I am not a morning person."

"Angelica, I need you to be patient."
"But God..."

Oh, yes, I've been a "But God" BRAT many, many times! I tend to think I know more about what I want or need than God. So, when I read these words from Luke this morning, I was not only comforted and reassured, but I was also pierced with truth.

The surrounding verses talk about all the things we fret over, and verse 30 begins, "These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world." All my "But God" moments were about me fretting and not putting my faith in Him. Just like teenagers tend to do with adults who care for them and know what is best. We can be assured our Father in heaven cares for us and knows what is best. In fact, He already knows our needs before we do.

"Angelica I need you to pay for this woman's pretzel." 
"But God, I don't want to make a scene."
"But Angelica, I already know you're afraid of being foolish. I got you."

"Angelica, I need you to study my Word every day when you wake up."
"But God, I am not a morning person."
"But Angelica, I already know that, which is why I'll wake you and provide the energy you need."

"Angelica, I need you to be patient."
"But God..."
"But Angelica, I already know. Wait for me. Trust me."

I just need to change my "But God" worries into "But God already knows" or into "But God has this," and instead of questioning Him with a "But God...," I can now confidently respond with a "Yes God." That's the comfort and reassurance and truth I have.  I hope you do, too.

Directed Steps

"A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?"

~Proverbs 20:24

When my friend Amy and I got off the plane and through customs at the San Jose del Cabo airport in Baja California Mexico, we didn't know what to expect.  We just knew we had to find the exit and a ride to our resort.  We had gone through our last checkpoint and started walking only to realize we did not know where we were going.  There weren't any signs.  

We entered a section of the airport that I would name, if given the opportunity, "Beware: White Overload and Vultures."  This was the only way to go.  So signs or not, we were heading in the right direction.  The "vultures" were timeshare salesmen and women.  They were lined up in a row (behind the counters and in front of them) on either side of us from the moment we stepped into this section until the moment we actually exited out of the doors of the airport, and everything was white.  The walls, the floors, the counters were all white, and, again, there were zero signs to give direction or explanation.  It was all overwhelming and intimidating to say the least.

It's so easy to feel lost and confused without direction.  Satan stands by and waits to devour us at our most vulnerable moments.  Meanwhile, God is there already at work directing our steps.  He's just waiting for us to follow Him.  Sometimes we hesitate because we are unsure about where He's taking us.  Sometimes we refuse because we are afraid.  Sometimes we decide to go our own way because then we at least know and understand and have control over the direction we are heading.  But if we were to let go of the need to understand, face our fears, and step out on faith to follow God, then we would discover a life worth living for and many beautiful things we wouldn't have otherwise experienced.  

Amy and I did make out of the airport and safely to our resort.  God put the right people in our path to help us, including one of the "vultures" who set us up for a shuttle ride and who failed to win us over with his sales pitch. We had an amazing time in Cabo, and I know that if I were to fly there again, I would be so much more confident walking through the "White Overload and Vultures" section.  My advice to you is to not let uncertainty, fear, or confusion to keep you from following God's plans for you.  He is good.  All the time.  Trust Him and see where He takes you!

Purely Powerful Faith

"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation."
Isaiah 12:2

Dwell on that phrase from Isaiah 12 with me for a moment: "I will trust and not be afraid." That's a pretty powerful statement. In fact, I don't think you could say anything more powerful than that to God. Take a look at our past patriarchs. They exemplified this kind of faith. Abraham, Noah, Moses, Joshua, Daniel, Elijah, Gideon, and many others trusted in the Lord and were not afraid.

My favorite story of all that shows this kind of pure faith is from Daniel chapter 3. This is the story when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to bow down and worship any other god than the Lord God Almighty. Listen to their statement of faith after they were told they would be thrown into a fiery furnace if they did not bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's gods or idols: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king." (verse 17) They go on to say that even if God doesn't save them, they will never worship the king's false gods. This truly is an example of the purely powerful faith, "I will trust and not be afraid."

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's faith in God was so deep, so unadulterated that the possibility of death didn't make them quiver one iota. They even knew that if God wanted them to die in the furnace, then God knew best. They trusted God's decision, God's control, God's purpose in this matter. How about you? How about me? Do we have this kind of faith, this trust? Do we really believe God knows what's best for us? Can we like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego proclaim God will save us from this cancer, this debt, this tragedy, this heartbreak, this job loss, this divorce?  Can we proclaim that even if He doesn't, we will still serve Him?

This amazing story ends unexpectedly. Those three walked right into the furnace. (Oh, to have that kind of faith!) They did not die. In fact God was with them, literally, in that furnace. When they came out--here's the coolest part--not a hair on their heads was singed and there was NO SMELL of fire on them (verse 27)!  Awesome! Praise the LORD!  POWERful faith!  POWERful God!

Have a some purely powerful faith in your life today, whatever you are facing. Know the God the Almighty, whom you serve, is faithful and just and He will deliver you.  Even if He doesn't, still serve Him.  He knows best.  He knows more.  His deliverance may not be here, now, and the way we want; but trust this: HE WILL DELIVER.  Amen.