Great is thy Faithfulness

God is so faithful.

Isn't if funny how we always are led to say that only after He 'shows up', as if in our times of darkness or doubt he somehow left the building and we have to catch up with Him?

I know I feel like that a lot of time. Wondering, 'God, where are you? Where did you go?'

When Wifey and I moved down here from Oregon, we came with a sense that even though we didn't really understand all of why or how, that God had called us. We came with faith.

By that faith I quit my old job before I accepted this new one or its financial package, by faith I moved out of state with my new bride to a place neither of us had ever lived and didn't know anybody but family. By faith I moved back into a field I didn't want to be in, and by faith, we've been living at a deficit of $250 dollars a month buried in debt and moving expenses since we've arrived.

So Wifey has been scrambling for a job (and hasn't found one yet) and I've been looking for side-work, just to make ends meet -- and sometimes in the quieter moments wondering why Jesus is running late. Not irked, not upset really, just stood up at a restaurant, wondering what's keeping Him. Wondering.. 'gosh, why are we supposed to be here.'


At church we've been going through James, and that bit at the beginning where he writes:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds"

Seriously James?

Well... yeah. Nobody likes trials, they're hard, they drain us stretch us, exhaust us. Some of them last for days, some for weeks, and some for the rest of our lives. And I used to think that I had to consider trials joy, which seemed just a bit crazy to me; but that's not what James writes; he writes, 'consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds". It's not about the trial, it's about the opportunity that we've been given to learn to trust upon a faithful God, even in our shakily faithful experiences. It's been a challenge, but I'm trying to refocus my eyes -- like those magic eyes. Do you remember those? They just looked like a mix of colored confusion, but if you stared at them, and focused your eyes as if you were looking through them, you'd see a 3D picture emerge. What are the opportunities I have, to see a dynamic God at work through my confusing and often painful / difficult circumstances?

What about you?


I was talking to my sister on the phone just the other day; she's in college and has had a pretty rough semester so far, between 2 jobs, pre-med classes and some personal obstacles. She was telling me that some mornings, all she could do to get through her day, was pray, 'Jesus I believe in your victory today, and I need your victory in my life.' What an honest, humble, and powerful prayer. Yesterday, Wifey and I were driving, and fell into one of those rare and beautiful moments of honesty and prayer, and prayed that prayer together.

Today, just before sitting down to write to you, I opened my paycheck and sat down to wrap up our November budget. I zeroed it. I can't explain how, but somehow the $250 deficit is gone, and we've even got a little extra some months to save and pay down debt.

God is so much bigger and better than I give him credit for, so much of the time. It's refreshing to be reminded that I can't make God out to be better than He is. Think about that for a moment. No matter how good or loving you know (or hope) God to be, He's better still.

Truly, truly Jesus you are worthy of our praise. Forgive our narrow perspectives and fickle hearts, and help us to praise you through the good and through the bad, knowing that over all of it you are LORD.