Would We Even Notice?

So I say to my soul,
    “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed.
    For I know my God will break through for me.”
    Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again.
    Yes, he is my saving grace! -- Psalm 42:11, The Passion Translation

With everything that is going on in our world today -- the COVID pandemic, natural disasters, mayhem in Afghanistan, poverty and hunger, human trafficking, escalating crime, political corruption, and social unrest -- many of us are spending much time in prayer and doing what we can financially to help those in need.  Yet our prayers seem ineffective and our money insufficient to provide any meaningful relief. We might even wonder if God hears our prayers.  

Many of us are in constant prayer for God to remove COVID from our midst, to ease the tensions and bring peace to Afghanistan, to restore and rebuild lives and livelihoods that fires and hurricanes have destroyed, and to do away with all the evils in our world.  To what end?  If God were to miraculously and instantaneously remove the scourge of COVID -- something he is totally able to do -- would we even notice?  Would we acknowledge his hand in such a miracle and fall to our knees in worship of the one true God, or would we simply breathe a sigh of relief and go on our way, unchanged and unworthy of his great mercy?   

Lately, I have wondered how God would have us pray in response to all that is happening in our world.  Concerns for family, friends, and our fellow humans across the globe may be overwhelming to us, but they are not to God.  Perhaps prayer alone will never bring about the changes and solutions we so desperately long to see.  But what might God do if we pause our repetitious prayers and simply begin to worship and place our faith in him?  Would he even notice?  Somehow, I think he would.  In fact, I am convinced that worship is the key to touching his heart.  

God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power at work in us (Ephesians 3:20).  He is worthy of our praise, even if we feel unworthy to offer it.  

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

Life Doesn't Have to Be This Way -- Hope for the New Year

Happy New Year!  I really mean that.  There is not a reason under the sun why we must experience another year of misery as we did in 2020.  Sure, many of us had the dickens kicked out of us by adversities and loss, sickness and suffering.  We couldn't see coming everything that life dished out.  But, the past is past and if we change our focus a little, I truly believe we can live above our circumstances and experience joy in 2021.

Here are a few of the things that 2020 taught me:

1.    God is in control.  Now it may not seem that way to you, but nothing takes him by surprise.  Neither is God to blame for all the bad things that happen to us.  God doesn't cause natural disasters, racial riots, political misconduct, or anything else that man brings on himself or his neighbor because of his own sinful nature and willful misconduct, but he does allow us to suffer the consequences of those choices.  

        The Bible is filled with scriptures that attest to the sovereignty of God (Proverbs 19:21), his presence with us (Joshua 1:9), his promises for protection (Isaiah 41:10), and the assurance that he works all things together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).  We know, and have seen, that God can take what man has intended for evil and use it for good (Genesis 50:20), increasing the faith of those who believe, saving those who are lost, and fostering generosity toward others.  Think of 9/11 or recent natural disasters and the many ways communities came together to help one another rebuild lives and homes.  Even in the midst of this pandemic, communities are working together to provide food for the hungry and meet the financial needs of those who have lost jobs.   

2.    God is faithful.  If God is faithful, then why did my husband lose his job?  Why did my loved one get sick and die?  Why did ________ (you fill in the blank)?  There isn't a single one of us that hasn't asked the "why?" question in recent months.  I'll even go so far as to say that we don't deserve what happened to us in 2020.  But does the adversity we experienced mean God is not faithful?  All through history good people have had bad things happen to them.  Look at Job.  He was a man of great faith yet God allowed Satan (yes, the devil himself) to strip Job of everything -- his family, his great wealth and possessions, and even his health.  God allowed all of it.  Let that sink in.  Jesus certainly didn't deserve to die a criminal's death on the cross because of our sin.  In Matthew 26:53-54 (ESV), Jesus said:

 53Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”

Jesus was faithful to the promises of scripture that a Messiah, a Savior, would die on a cross and be raised from the dead to forgive our sins and assure us of an eternal home with him in heaven.  I'm so glad that Jesus was faithful even when it cost him everything!  

3.    The difficulties we face should not define us; our faith should.  The world is watching us to see how we handle the hard circumstances of life.  People need to know that this ugly, broken, sick world is not all there is.  We need to believe that too.  Christians are not immune from life's troubles. In John 16:33 (ESV) Jesus said, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."  Why, then, should we be surprised by anything that happens or by circumstances we cannot control?  Jesus said, "you will have tribulation."  

        As people struggling to reclaim our faith in these difficult times, may we be reminded that Jesus has overcome the world and that one day, those of us who know him will join him in the holy city, the new Jerusalem, where "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).  Let us be defined by our faith in Christ, not in the circumstances and heartbreaks we will experience in our time here on earth.

There are some reading this who may not know Jesus, or who may have wandered from the faith.  If that is you, please know that you can never wander too far from the loving embrace and forgiveness of our great God.  Jesus didn't just die for my sins.  He died for yours, too, in order that you might have a personal relationship with him in the here and now.  Eternal life with Jesus doesn't begin when we die, but rather when we ask for his forgiveness and invite him into our hearts to be our Lord and Savior.   

My prayer for you in 2021 is that you will experience the joy of a personal relationship with Christ by receiving his free gift of salvation (you don't have to earn it, just ask for it) and by choosing to surrender your life to his leading.  I learned a long time ago that life is so much better when lived God's way instead of my own.  God's word will tell you everything you need to know to live joyfully and victoriously if you will make reading the Bible a part of each day.  Living God's way and discovering his purpose and plan for your life is the greatest adventure you will have!

        

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

The Next Right Thing

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  --  Colossians 3:17, NIV

During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 many people with time on their hands have ramped up their reading.  Recently I finished a book that impacted me, The Next Right Thing -- A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions by Emily P. Freeman.

Because of stay-at-home orders and the need to social distance many of us have worked remotely, lost jobs, or simply quit altogether.  We have struggled not only with downsizing our budgets and isolating ourselves from those we love but also with finding motivation to do mundane tasks we would typically delay because of busy schedules.  "Do the next right thing" has become a mantra for me and has helped take the sting out of job-hunting and waiting for an offer.

Doing the next right thing can be as simple as opening the door and walking outside to pluck a few weeds from your garden, or taking a break from TV to put on a load of laundry.  These may not be the things we want to do but when we actually begin to do them, suddenly we find ourselves doing the next right thing, and the next right thing....

It is easy to beat ourselves up over the things we don't accomplish, when in fact it is far better to list the things we have done in the course of a day.  Focusing on what we have done helps eliminate guilt over what we haven't done and gives us the motivation to stay the course.

Since COVID-19 is going to be with us awhile longer, cut yourself some slack.  As you navigate your "new normal," take baby steps and just do the next right thing!


Copyright © 2020 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

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

Lesson on Coronavirus from the Birds Outside My Window

If anyone had told me we would ever experience the disruption to daily life or the stress of being without certain commodities we have come to take for granted in America, I would never have believed it.  Yet here we are.  COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, has been declared a world pandemic by the WHO.  What started as an outbreak in China has quickly spread around the world and invaded our shores -- an unwelcome enemy threatening not only our physical and mental health, but our economy as well.  Schools, churches, and businesses have shut down as people have been urged to self-quarantine to protect themselves and help slow down the spread of this potentially deadly virus.

The entire country of Italy is on lock down, with Europe currently the epicenter of the virus.  In the U.S., major sports leagues and franchises have canceled sporting events, including the NCAA tournament.  Colleges have extended their spring breaks and advised their students that courses will now be completed online.  Disney, Universal, and other studio theme parks have closed.  Broadway has turned off its lights and canceled performances. Store shelves are bare and small businesses everywhere are feeling the trickle down effect of lost revenue as a result.  The news gets worse by the hour as the number of deaths and confirmed cases of infection continues to grow.

The seriousness of all this caught up with me when I received word that our church would be shutting down for two weeks and that all worship services and activities would be canceled, an unprecedented but prudent and precautionary move designed at keeping our congregation healthy and doing our part to slow down the spread of the virus in our community.   As I prepared the press releases and social media posts I felt nearly overwhelmed by the stress that has become familiar to so many.

Turning off a news cast, I looked outside at the birds eating happily at my feeder and it occurred to me that they know something which many of us have forgotten -- God is in control and we have no need to fear.  Jesus said,  "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows" (Matthew 10: 29-31, NIV).

For the birds outside my window nothing has changed.  God is still God.  The sun still rises.  No matter the storms they must weather, they still sing the praises of the One who cherishes and cares for them.

If you feel stressed and anxious because of this pandemic, just remember that you, my beloved, are worth more than many sparrows!



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