In less than 24 hours I will be sitting on  a plane headed to Israel - which seems almost surreal.  I had to actually stop and count and this will be my 5th trip to Israel since 2004.  It is amazing to me that Jesus has given me the privilege of journeying to “His city” with such frequency.  It has been a rough ride leading up to this particular trip, yet somehow it came together and God has once again made a way. 

Been learning lots about the “ways” God makes.  Sometimes He supernaturally opens doors and ushers you in on a red carpet, but other times it is more like you have to breakthrough on a bulldozer.   And the funny thing is, it’s not like one way is more “God” than another.  We tend to view the times the Lord supernaturally lines stuff up for us as evidence of His favor.  And sometimes it is.  We’ve all heard the nifty little platitude “where God guides, He provides”  and at times that is true.  I’m convinced He actually subjects Himself to playing  by those rules in certain situations simply to engage us!  But if we really want to go deeper with Him and eventually end up in partnership with Him, sooner or later the platitudes will end up out the window.   

God will engage us at the level we are willing to engage Him.  It takes a lot more faith to put your trust in a living breathing relationship than in a set of rules that God is supposed to play by.  There are times when circumstances do not play out in a way that fits neatly into any of our theological boxes, but that does NOT mean the absence of His favor, nor does it  provide “evidence” that we are “out of His will.”  It takes a deeper level of faith to keep believing when things don’t make sense and a greater level of trust to keep moving forward even when the ducks don’t line up.  It is far more important to me to be able to look up and see His smile than it is to look out and see the circumstances that the church has traditionally looked for as evidence of His favor. 

So, needless to say, getting to this trip has been more like being on the bulldozer than walking the red carpet. But that’s okay-I did get here.  And I am absolutely convinced that it WAS and IS God’s desire that I do so.  

There will undoubtedly be more hard ground to “bulldoze” when I return, but for now I’m simply grateful for this…tomorrow I am getting on that plane.  And I’m very glad.  I know Jesus is too.  

Psalm 139:1 O Lord, You have searched me and You know me.

I have the blessed privilege of spending my life on earth - and throughout eternity - getting to know the heart of God.  But as amazing as that is, as I am getting to know Him sometimes I need to simply remember that He already knows me.

He knows when I sit and He knows when I rise.  He knows my thoughts from afar.  He knows when I’m doing well and He knows when I’m not doing so well.  He knows my strengths and He knows my weaknesses.  He knows my victories and He knows my failures.  He knows what causes me to draw near and He knows what causes me to pull back.  He knows my needs and He knows my desires. He knows how I see myself, how others see me, and most importantly - how He sees me.  He knows exactly who I was created to be. I can’t hide anything from Him and I don’t have to explain anything to Him.  He knows everything about me.  And, more than anyone else on the planet, He “gets” me.   

Jesus knows me.  He really, really knows me.  And even though He knows every single thing about me - good and bad - He loves me.  Even more than that - He likes me!  He enjoys my company.  He has plans and dreams and desires and purposes - all custom designed - just for me. 

He knows you too.  And when there isn’t another person on the planet who understands exactly how you think or feel - sometimes you just need to remember that He does. 

Thank You Jesus for the simple yet profound truth that You - the awesome and glorious King of all creation - KNOW me.     

Psalm 84:10 Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere.

There have been select times in my life when I have been blessed with entire days that I was able to completely “waste” in the presence of the Lord.  Not too long ago, I once again had the wonderful privilege of spending just such a day and had the startling realization that a single day spent in His courts - a day spent doing “nothing” but engaging His heart in intimate communion - was more valuable in His eyes than nearly 3 full years spent on lesser pursuits!  And if a day in His courts is better than a thousand elsewhere – is it also possible that even an hour of focused and engaged communion with Him can yield more lasting fruit than than weeks spent on various other “activities?” 

Of course if we belong to Him, He is always with us, so in a very general sense we are always “in His presence.”   And while I suppose this verse could be applied in that same general sense, I think the psalmist had a deeper reality in mind.  “Yearning” for the courts of the Lord doesn’t sound like mere intellectual assent to a theological truth—it sounds like a heart longing for communion.  When Mary of Bethany set aside all of her other tasks and took the time to simply sit at Jesus’ feet, He said she had chosen to do the “one needful thing.”  

Intimate communion with Jesus is still the one needful thing. His desire has always been, and will always be, for relationship.  And it is impossible to have a truly intimate relationship with anyone without spending time set apart to connect at a heart level.  Since this is His desire and “a day in His courts is better than a thousand elsewhere” I can’t help but wonder if it is only during those times of intimate communion - simply sitting at His feet or even putting our ear to His heart as John did when he leaned up against Jesus’ chest at the last supper – that restoration begins to work its way through every other part of our hearts and lives.  

Jesus is the great Redeemer. After all, in the book of Joel the Lord reveals that He is the One who can even restore lost years.  Let’s see… A day in His courts is better than a thousand elsewhere –and– He restores the years the locusts have eaten.  Hmm…does that mean a single day spent in His courts might restore two or three of them?!  

My soul yearns and even faints for Your courts, Lord!  

Romans 4:18 “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.”

Against all hope – yet in hope we believe.  What does that look like?  Romans 4:19-20 goes on to say about Abraham: “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead…yet he did not waiver in unbelief regarding the promise of God.”  Faith isn’t the denial of “reality”—it is the acknowledgement of a greater reality—the goodness of God and the truth of His Word.  Anyone who knows the story of Abraham knows that there were more than a few moments along the way when Abraham certainly appeared to be wavering in unbelief, but faith can’t be reduced to mere appearances.  We all have feelings that oppose the truth from time to time and, as a result, may have the momentary “appearance” of unbelief.  But what is your heart reality in God?  What do you really believe about Him?  Abraham knew God.  And because Abraham walked in close, intimate friendship with God, when all was said and done, the reality of his heart was that he believed God.    And because Abraham believed God—that He was who He said He was and that He would do what He said He would do—against all hope, in hope Abraham believed.        

Lord, may that be the overriding reality of my life–to know You so intimately that even against all hope, in hope, my heart will continue to believe.  Amen.

I’ve set up a new category to keep an updated schedule for The Well on this blog.  I will endeavor to keep it current!  You can also get updated info by calling 909.856.1766 or emailing: info@waitingatthewell.org

Here are the schedules:  September Calendar  October Calendar