God said No to my desperate prayer

Maybe it was a prayer for a loved one that was dying and you desperately prayed to God for healing, but they died shortly after. Maybe you've been asking God for a baby and you hear friend after friend announcing they're pregnant, but your prayers haven't been answered and you've been barren for years now. Maybe it was a prayer for someone to be free from addiction and that person is still entangled. They've surrendered to the lifestyle and God hasn't set them free. Maybe it's a job, a future mate, a failing marriage, or a sense of stability. Whatever the case, you feel like losing hope in prayer.. And in God. 

You're not alone. In mark 14:36, Jesus prayed in the garden the night before his crucifixion asking God for one thing. "Take this cup from me." But God didn't. He knew that this was what needed to be done. It was for our good that God said no. But no one could see the bigger picture except for God. God saw the resurrection coming. The moment when death defeated the grave and our debt was paid in full forever. 

There is a resurrection coming for you. Death is not the end. Your barren womb is not the end. Your failing marriage is not the end. Through the death, redemption is found, the savior comes, the spirit leads, eternal life is given, God's love was poured out, life began, a promise fulfilled. 

The no is for our good and only He can see it all. Be expectant, be faithful, and be hopeful because the pain will end. And there will be rejoicing. It may not look like we thought, but something great will happen because of that "no." Just ask Jesus. 

Wash their feet or shake their hand?

How many of you get annoyed during the greeting at church? I used to HATE just shaking hands with people at our old church.. I always got stuck shaking someone's hand that just coughed into it, sneezed into it, or just overall smelled like garlic. Now, our church home wants us to be super involved with our neighbor. It was definitely an adjustment. My husband and I would try to get there early and sit on the end, or sit between friends, all in fear of the dreaded "blah blah blah to your neighbor." It's not just hand shaking, but one-liners, story telling, high fives and hugs... TOTAL discomfort. It was so awkward at first.

My dad got me to lighten up a bit, talking about how it wasn't for me, it's for the person that does need that acknowledgment; the person that feels like no one "sees" them; the person that comes to church but still feels like a stranger. Now, I've gotten to the point where i trust my pastor and that there is a reason behind all of this. It's actually been nice to kind of recognize faces, remember names and reach out to people I would have never talked to, otherwise.

These past couple weeks, God's been laying something on my heart, that shifted my perspective even more off of myself and more on to others. He lead me to the verses, where Jesus washed the disciples feet in John 13 (MSG).

A couple things stuck out to me. First, this passage mentions they have already had baths, and we can assume after traveling on foot, their feet are probably the dirtiest thing on their body, and Jesus chooses to wash them.

⁸ Peter persisted, “You’re not going to wash my feet—ever!”

Jesus said, “If I don’t wash you, you can’t be part of what I’m doing.”

⁹ “Master!” said Peter. “Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!”

The second thing that sticks out, is what Jesus said. If we change the word "wash" out and substitute "shake your hand," "hug," "high five," "speak," etc, it becomes a little more personal. If not shaking their hand, means they can't be part of what the Holy Spirit is doing, then I'm missing an opportunity. There's something that Jesus wanted us to be a part of when He washed the dirtiest part of our heart and let us be a part of His redemption story. When we extend our hand, we break down a barrier of separation that the devil has piled on. We create community.

The third thing is the command Jesus gives us.

v13-16 "So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do."

Jesus is commanding us to wash each other's feet. Our Pastor is not even asking that of us, yet we still gripe and complain. Jesus is telling us to find the dirtiest part of our neighbor and TOUCH it. Jesus is not telling us to find what is comfortable for US, or to do the minimum, or to turn to just one person, but to humble yourself, step out of your security box, and obey so that WE can all be a part of what God's doing.

v17 " If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life."

And lastly, the passage ends with "live a blessed life." If we have been blessed, (and we have thanks to the precious blood of Jesus) we need to act like it! We need to overflow with love for our neighbor. We need to have a smile on and be ready to talk to a stranger or celebrate with a friend. It doesn't cost us anything. There's a blessing that comes from community, a blessing that comes from obeying, and a blessing that MAY just end up helping your neighbor find Jesus.

How to Find JOY on Sleepless Nights

          Sometimes our joy can be dependant upon our situation. If you are making good money and loving your job, your countenance probably reflects your happiness with your situation. If you are unemployed and you've only been facing rejection and frustration, you might not be going through your week with a smile on your face. When I go through tough situations, I tend to let it take over. I let it determine my mood and pray for the situation to change.

             Recently, I have been praying so hard for The Lord to give me sleep. Maclaren didn't sleep through the night until after she turned one and then for the past couple months she has been getting all her teeth at once. Momma needs her sleep!

             I heard a sermon about changing our pattern, so I started going to bed earlier to be prepared to wake up earlier. Then she started waking up a 2am or 4:30am and my 3 year old basically doesn't go to sleep until I do. When you pray for your situation to change and it doesn't, what do you do?

         The Lord spoke to me at church on Sunday, and said, "I'm not changing the situation, I'm changing YOU. Until you can have joy on those sleepless nights; until you can have joy that's not dependant on your situation; until you can have joy solely because I died on the cross for YOU, saved you from death and gave you life, your situation will not change." I thought, whoa, my situation hasn't changed because I haven't. I can't just be short tempered, in a funk, in a bad mood, temperamental, expecting people to cater to my needs, rude to others, etc and blame it on my sleepless night(s). 

           Pastor also said, "our joy is our job". I need to put that on my sticky notes this week. I can't let my joy depend on my daughter sleeping through the night. We can't let joy depend on our job, our medical diagnosis, our spouse, our empty bank account, our weaknesses, our brokenness, our divorce, our barren womb, our past, our family life, our neglect, our DNA, etc.
          We have to decide that we will start our day off cheerful. We will count our blessings. We will focus on what is lovely. We will remember what Jesus did for us. We won't compare. We will root our day in the truth of God's Word.
          I want to be a better mom, a better wife, a better daughter, a better sister, a better friend. I want to work on my joy. Do you?

To hear more of the sermons that have been changing my mood.. click here.