Trust God No Matter What

This (2023) has been a year of unprecedented hardship and heartache for so many.  Just as we emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, global warming and gun violence blindsided us and took the top spot in the news. Mental health issues, addiction, chronic illness, financial hardship, unprecedented natural disasters, war, human trafficking, and immigration have all escalated as well, making ever more certain the reality that we live in a fallen world that is careening toward death and destruction.  But there is hope!

Those of us who know God, know that we can TRUST GOD NO MATTER WHAT.  We know that He remains in control, sovereign over all, and that this world is not all there is.  We have the hope of heaven and the assurance in His Word that in heaven, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4, ESV).  Praise God!  What a lifeline He has given us in the midst of a stormy sea!  His is the Unshakeable Kingdom.  His is the peace that surpasses all understanding, promised to those whose mind is fixed on Him.  “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3, ESV).  Although circumstances may be unbearable at times, we can have joy knowing that God the Father cares for us, that Jesus still saves, and that the Holy Spirit lives and moves within each of us who have called on the name of Jesus for salvation.

Many people, including me, believe that we are living in the last days, but no one truly knows how long “the last days” will last or when Christ will return for His Church.    Even Jesus doesn’t know the day or hour of His return.  In Matthew 24, Jesus said, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only…Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (vs. 36, 44). 

Are you ready?  Have you received Jesus as Savior and surrendered your life to His Lordship? Are you reading His Word and living in the light of His promises?  Are you actively engaged in worship and fellowship with a Bible-teaching church?  If not, I pray you will invite Jesus into your life today by acknowledging your sin (we are all sinners, by the way), seeking His forgiveness purchased for you on the cross, and receiving His salvation.  It will be the best decision you ever make.  Then look for a Bible-believing church where you can be taught and built up in your newfound faith and enjoy the fellowship of likeminded believers.  As one separated from my own family, I wouldn’t take one dime for my church family!  I know that when things get tough they will be there to pray for and encourage me.

But what about those who don’t know God?  How can we who believe reach the ones who have no hope?  We need to live out our faith with authenticity, love others as Jesus did, pray for them without ceasing,  give and serve to meet their needs, and be obedient to God’s Word, not only as it pertains to us but also as it pertains to them.  God’s Word has much to say about the lost and how we are to treat our fellow humans.  Sadly, we sometimes fail to exhibit the winsome character attributes of Christ by choosing what the world values rather than what Christ values and teaches, and in so doing lose the opportunity to reach and impact those who are lost.  How tragic for them and shameful for us!   

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace…You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.  (2 Peter 3:9-14,17-18, ESV).

As believers and Christ-followers let us resolve to TRUST GOD NO MATTER WHAT.  May our faith in a good, gracious, loving Heavenly Father be the light that draws the lost to Jesus and brings hope to others in these troublesome times.

 

Copyright © 2023 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.blogspot.com

A Prayer for More of God

Lord, as we close the book on all the sorrow and sadness of 2020 and anticipate with hope a better year ahead, give us more in 2021.  Not more stuff.  Not more happiness.  Not more money or jobs or security.  Give us more of you.

Without you we are nothing but hopeless, miserable creatures struggling to get through the challenges and heartaches of living in a fallen world.

With you all things -- even impossible things -- are possible.  Because of you we have hope.  You are Immanuel, God with us, not just during Advent and Christmas but throughout the year, in good times and in bad.

You are our Provider, Protector, Peace, Healer, Savior, Redeemer, Strong Tower, Deliverer...the God who works all things together for good for those who love you and are called according to your purpose (Romans 8:28).

You forgive us when we sin, weep with us when we are sorrowful, and rejoice with us when we are happy.  You get us, because you created us.

The greatest thing we can pray for in the coming year is to know you more.  In knowing you more we will love you more, and in loving you more we will love others more.

Lord, open the eyes of our hearts to see others as you do and more importantly, to see ourselves as you do -- holy, pure, and beloved because the blood of Jesus has made us so.

Lord, give us more in 2021.  Not less heartache, not less stress, not less illness, but more faith in the One who will never leave us or forsake us, no matter what may come.  Lord, give us more of you.  

In Jesus' name and for your glory, amen.

Copyright © 2020-2021 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com

Reflections on Christmas 2020

To say that 2020 has been a difficult year is the understatement of a lifetime, certainly of mine.  We all have witnessed the unthinkable -- a pandemic that has changed our lives in ways we could never have imagined and taken the lives of those we know and love.  It is safe to say that most of the families I know have been touched by sickness, sorrow, and loss.  Ours certainly has, but one thing has not changed this Christmas -- the Savior whose birth we celebrate.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Steve and I are celebrating our first Christmas as empty nesters.  Our son moved out in July, 2020 and our daughter moved back home to Tennessee Thanksgiving weekend.  Because of the pandemic we made the decision not to travel out of town, or even across town, to visit family for Christmas, opting instead for a quiet holiday at home.

Rather than buying for each other, Steve and I decided to bless our kids and those less fortunate, as generously as God's provision would allow.  Even though Steve lost his job in October because of pandemic-related downsizing God provided another job so that we would have the resources to give even beyond what we thought was possible.  We learned this year that it is truly more blessed to give than to receive.

Many friends and family lost loved ones this year, even as recently as in the days leading up to Christmas.  My prayers that God would provide the comfort and healing they and their loved ones need are coupled with the awareness that I will eventually face the same kind of heartaches that so many have this year.  It is not something I fear -- I know the heartaches will come -- but I pray daily for the grace and faith to meet those challenges in such a way that others will know Jesus truly does save and care for his own.

The year we thought would never end will soon be behind us. Sadly the days ahead don't look to bring any meaningful relief.  More than ever we all need to press hard into God because he is the only hope we have.  

God's word is filled with promises of his presence, peace, grace, power, and provision.  If you don't spend much time reading the Bible or talking with God in prayer, then resolve in 2021 to make doing so a daily habit.  It won't cost you anything but a little time each day -- an investment that will pay you the rich dividends of a closer walk with God and the peace which passes understanding.

Copyright © 2020-2021 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com

Broken Sacrifice

Lately many of us have struggled with emotions.  The coronavirus  pandemic has created stress we did not anticipate, yet has provided a golden opportunity to look at present circumstances and determine if we are living our best life, or if there are some changes we need to make.

Much of what we have experienced is heartbreak, plain and simple.  There is a grieving process we go through -- or grow through -- when things change.  Whether it is the loss of a job due to unforeseen circumstances or a shift in our ideology brought on by outside forces, it is natural to mourn the loss and be anxious about whatever changes we may need to make.  For the introspective among us, deliberating and thinking about these things can bring on a brokenness and guilt that is oppressive.

As I was praying about my emotions, I felt led to write the words of Psalm 51 in my journal.  It is a familiar psalm to many of us.  Of particular comfort to me were the words in verse 17:  "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (ESV).

If God regards a broken spirit as a sacrifice, and does not despise a broken and contrite heart, then why should we feel guilty about the emotions and sorrow we may feel during this very stressful season of our lives?

God is merciful.  He understands.  Rather than fret over our lives and the hard challenges we may be facing, let us offer up our broken hearts as a sacrifice of praise.



Copyright © 2020 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com

The Challenge to Change

The coronavirus pandemic has given many of us the opportunity to reassess our lives and make changes, whether we want to or not.  Some of us have viewed this uncertain time as a curse while others have taken advantage of this season to sit back, take stock, and reassess our lives in hopes of finding a better way to live going forward.

For many families the pandemic has resulted in financial difficulties they never saw coming.  With little warning, jobs have been lost, businesses have closed, and income has stopped. Bills have continued to arrive and savings accounts have been quickly depleted.  Difficult decisions are being made.  Do I pay the utility bill or feed my family?  If I don't pay the car note and my car is repossessed how will I look for a job or get to work after all this is over?  If this ever happens again, how can I do things differently so that the consequences won't be so devastating? 

Our family went through a financial reversal during the last recession after my husband lost his job.  We were sitting on a mountain of debt with absolutely nothing in savings.  Yet God met all our needs.  Some of his provision came in the form of food stamps and unemployment benefits, but much of it came from caring friends and our church family.  I believe that our obedience in the area of tithing to our church while we were both employed resulted in God's generous provision in our time of need.  We learned a lot of hard lessons about financial management during that time and determined to do everything in our power to more prudently handle money once the crisis had passed.  We changed habits, slowed our spending, paid off our debt, shared the lessons we learned, and positioned ourselves to not only be able to face the next crisis with greater financial stability but to also be able to help those in crisis.  As we reassessed our lives during that time of financial hardship, we changed our reality with God's guidance and the help of others.

I love the story of Job.  He was a righteous man who loved God wholeheartedly, yet suffered great loss in a very short period of time.  While God didn't cause Job's suffering, he allowed it.  He allowed Satan to have his way in Job's life -- to strip away everything of value, including Job's family, possessions, and health -- yet God forbade Satan from taking Job's life.  Job did not blame God (Job 1:22).  In fact, when his wife urged Job to curse God and die he said to her, "Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil" (2:10)?  Job experienced his own season of doubting, complaining, and questioning God.  After all, he was human.  His well-meaning friends fanned the flames of Job's disappointment and despair.  But in the course of time, as he continued to seek answers to the hard questions brought on by his calamity, God revealed himself to Job, perhaps in ways Job could never have experienced otherwise, and Job repented his sins of self-pity and doubt. Scripture tells us the LORD restored Job's fortunes and "blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning" (Job 42:12).  Don't you just love a happy ending?

As you take the time to reassess your life during this season of uncertainty, what are the lessons God would have you learn?  Are there changes you need to make in order to more fully live out the purposes God has for you? 

In chapter 23, verse 10, Job declares of God -- "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold."  May we all allow God to use the challenges we face to fit us for his purposes and change us to be more like him.





Copyright © 2020 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com

Winds and Whispers

I love wind, especially a cooling breeze when I'm doing yard work or taking a walk at the end of a warm day.  The way the wind sets water in motion, causing waves to splash along the shoreline or the pine trees to sway, is nothing short of wondrous to me.  But a strong breeze is not always welcome, especially if I am cleaning up leaves or walking up a steep hill.

The coronavirus is the storm we didn't see coming -- the BIG one that has blown us all off course and resulted in death, destruction, and a virtual shutdown of our lives, our economy, and our world.  It has forced many of us to change the way we work, worship, and interact with others.

There are several references to wind in the Bible but the one that sticks out to me in this season of upheaval is found in the story of Elijah's encounter with God in 1 Kings chapter 19.  In verses 1-8 we read that after learning from Ahab that Elijah had killed all the prophets, Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah threatening to kill him.  In fear he ran for his life, traveling into the wilderness, where he sat under a broom tree and asked the Lord that he might die.  After being roused from sleep and fed by the angel of the LORD, he arose and ate and drank, and journeyed forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.  Picking up in verse 9:

There he came to a cave and lodged in it.  And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"  He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts.  For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away."  And he (the LORD) said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD."  And behold, the LORD passed by and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.  And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.  And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.  And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.  And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.  And behold, there came a voice to him..." (1 Kings 19:9-13, ESV).

The coronavirus pandemic has created a perfect storm which has forever changed our lives.  But I also believe it is providing fertile ground for God's Word to go forth and for many lives to be saved as we adopt to a new normal.  God has promised to be with us in times of trouble and his Holy Spirit still moves like a mighty rushing wind (Acts 2:2), filling us and empowering us to do his will, no matter how battered we may feel by the storm in which we find ourselves.

Whether you are sheltering in place at home or working the front lines of the battle, step into the stillness of God's presence and listen for the whisper of his voice.  "Be still and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"  (Psalm 46:10, ESV)


Copyright © 2020 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved.  www.deedeewike.com