Living in or running to the shelter?

In my previous post (Crush that serpent!) I wrote that Psalm 91 is one of my favorite psalms. I keep finding new insights, truths, and wisdom there 😁. Don't you love it when that happens?

I mean, let's take verse one... If you read the Bible regularly, you should know this verse.

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Some translations say 'those who dwell in the shelter...' It is a verse of promise and comfort and safety. I love to meditate on those words.

Then, the thought came to me 👉the shelter of the Most High is not a place we run to when in trouble, when afraid, or when panic hits.

No! It is a place where we live, a place where we dwell continuously. It is a permanent place. It is the only place where we will find rest, but not when we have the habit of rushing in and out.

When in trouble, danger, or pain, everyone calls for God (even if it is using swear words) and He is so loving and gracious that He will come to the rescue. But His true will for us is that we live in His shelter, that we dwell in His presence.

It is kind of what I wrote in my post Rush or linger? a few weeks ago. I want to leave you (again) with that thought: Does He have a permanent place in your life?

Rush or linger?

The other day I joined a breathing exercise class at my work. The teacher asked how people arrived at work that day.

To my surprise most had arrived in a rush. Some because of chaos at home, children to drop off at school, and leaving too late. Others because of chaos on the freeway, parking challenges, and appointments waiting.

For many life is a rush.

We rush through our tasks, we rush to get groceries during lunch break, and we rush home. Yeah, we might even rush through Bible reading. A scripture here, a scripture there, a quick prayer, and off we go again.

I strongly believe the Lord is looking for people who dare to linger. For people who are not afraid to stay in His presence without agenda, who want to listen, and who are not afraid to be silent.

Who dares to linger?

Exodus 33:11 intrigues me: So the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Joshua lingered in the tent of meeting, in the place where God's presence was so tangible. He was young, and he wanted that close connection with God that Moses had... face-to-face. About Zacharias the priest, it is written: And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. He experienced the presence of God.

Do you seek His presence?

The choice is ours and the crazier the world gets, the more we need to linger, to sit with the One who loves us. The One who loves us says to you and me today: 'Sister, you are worried and troubled about many things', just as He said to Martha when He came into her house (see Luke 10:41-42).

Are you worried and troubled about many things?

Maybe it is time to reconsider. Maybe it is time to master the art of lingering. Not just when on vacation, but maybe even more so in times of turmoil. Jesus explained it to Martha:

There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.

Will you discover it?

Wellspring of life

Yesterday a thought came to me. Well, actually it was a Bible verse.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

You can find that in Proverbs 4:23. Above all else... I find these words intriguing. What else? All else! Yes, as in... everything else. Why? 👉Because a contaminated heart results in a contaminated life.

If we let anger, hatred, bitterness, disappointment, discouragement, fear, anxiety, or worry linger in our hearts, it will contaminate our wellspring of life. It won't take long before dirty water will come out of our mouths, so to speak.

If we let anger in, we become an angry person. If we let worry in, we become a worried person. If we let fear in, we become a fearful person. It is quite simple really.

Guarding our hearts, that is something to meditate upon these days.

Jesus said: Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me (John 14:1). Do not let... again, very intriguing words. No one or nothing has the right to trouble our hearts, we are the ones allowing it to happen. Jesus says, do not let it happen. We must, therefore, guard our hearts.

Maybe you think, 'well, that is easier said than done, Marja.' Personally, I speak against negative influences that are trying to settle in my heart. Go away, in Jesus' name. I am not worried, I am not upset, I am not bitter, because I trust in God and His peace sustains me.

Besides speaking against negative influences, I fill my heart with the Word of God, not with the words of the world. The choice is yours.

It is spiritual warfare at the most basic level. Guard your heart!

Physical exercise and more...

Today I am reminded of a blog post I wrote several years back. I think it will be a good start of your Monday :)

"As I spend many hours working behind a desk, I enjoy a good work out. It takes me half an hour on my bicycle to get to work and when the weather permits it, I go for a power walk during lunch time. But nothing beats a spinning lesson at my local gym! The exercise strengthens and excites me and quite often I feel much better afterwards.

Reading through Isaiah I stumbled upon a verse that talks about biblical strength, In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15). Now, that's a total different story!

Although I am all for physical exercise and building up some muscles, I also realize that our real strength is not physical. It is not intellectual or mental either. The Bible teaches that our strength is in quietness and trust. I really had to think that over because it goes so much against the standard the world has set. Real strength cannot be measured according to the worldly standards. It cannot be found in exercise, education, status or importance. Real strength is in God and in godly attributes like quietness, trust and joy (Nehemiah 8:10).

It is with the psalmist that we can cry out to God: Strengthen me according to your word (Psalm 119:28)

When we can stay quiet during arguments or difficult times, when we can trust God (Read: when we do NOT worry) when all goes wrong, then... we are showing strength. The apostle Paul's prayer for the believers is this: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being (Ephesians 3:16). What a great prayer! The Holy Spirit will strengthen us with power in our inner being."

Don't you just love it when Monday starts like this?!

No worries (4)

Do you read or write Tweets? Personally I think it is a great exercise to announce something funny, serious or new in 140 words (or less). There is already so much talk, writing and debate. A little shorter doesn't hurt :)

There are few people who seriously master the art of composing a short but powerful message for the public. My greatest example is the Lord Jesus Himself! He was able to silence a crowd with two sentences. He made comments that impacted like a bomb. His words had, and still have, enormous influence and effect on people's lives.

In my previous blog posts I wrote about His words on 'worrying' about someone or something. Let's continue to read in Matthew 6. Verse 34 records one of His most peculiar sayings, Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Tomorrow will worry about itself? Haha, that has to be a joke, right? Days do not worry, people worry. Personally I think this is quite a radical statement Jesus makes here. If there is one thing we worry about, it is the future: tomorrow, next week, next month or even next year. I sometimes feel like Jesus is making a little fun of us here, as in: come on folks, are you serious? You do not even know what this day will bring, so why would you think you have any influence on tomorrow or the rest of this week?

Living per day, completely normal in the biggest part of our world, but an abnormality in the rich West. Possessions, knowledge and activities seem to increase our pain and worries... The words of Jesus are not a joke, but a very serious warning and command: daily manna, daily bread... that trouble is more than enough.

Don't be afraid to pray: Lord, I want to live day by day.

PS: His words do not imply that we should not make plans for tomorrow, but merely that worrying (about those plans) is a sin.

No worries (3)

Seeking instead of worrying. That is my focus this week. No worries about small or big things, but purposely seeking His Kingdom. In other words: seeking peace, joy and righteousness, because that is the Kingdom of God.

Let us continue to read in Matthew chapter six (verses 31-33), Jesus is speaking here: So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

That is not too complicated, isn't it? But maybe you are thinking, well, it is easy for Jesus to say this. He multiplied bread when there was not enough to eat, He healed everyone who was sick and when a storm nearly shipwrecked the boat He was in, He calmed the storm with his hand. Yeah, it is easy for Him to say this...

Yet, Jesus'message here is very clear and simple. Worrying about daily stuff is a pagan thing, don't fall for that, don't go there. Your heavenly Father knows what you need... So, we don't need to tell Him all the time. Do you recognize this? In prayer we often have a tendency to tell God what is lacking and what is worrying us. Often we feel the need to even explain things to God. Yep, that's us. And God seems to be saying, 'I know, I know...'

Don't get me wrong, we can freely talk with God and tell Him our daily business. But we have no excuse to worry.

I want to change my focus this week from worrying to seeking His Kingdom principles and presence. Is that easy? No. Is it possible? Yes. I want His wisdom, His solutions and His guidance in my daily situations. I hope you will seek this as well.

No worries (2)

In the Netherlands (where I live) it is quite normal to start the day with reading the news paper. In other countries it is custom to start the day with watching the news on television. Through internet and mobile phones we even have more ways to receive the bad news. I don't know how you like to start the day, but I like to start with the good news.

That doesn't mean I ignore everything going on in the world, but it means I purposely choose to focus on God's promises and truth. From that point of view I can optimistically do my share (www.traveling-light.nl) to make this world a better place. Worrying about drama and disaster doesn't change a thing, we must act! Jesus constantly warned the people about worrying too much: be careful folks, don't go there!

In my previous post on the subject of worrying I quoted His words as found in Matthew 6:25. Let us continue to read (verses 26 and 27), Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Again, two very interesting questions from our Lord.

Are you not much more valuable than birds? Yes, of course we are. Does that mean we do not need to sow and reap (read: work)? No, of course not. It means we should not worry. God will provide us with the things we need. The way I see it, it also means we should not put our trust in the drama and crisis stories the secular media is trying to push down our throats. Or, to make it practical: stop repeating the bad news! If we read God's promises with the same zeal we are reading the news paper with, things will change. We will begin to believe what the Word says! It would be wonderful if we began to speak about God's Word with the same assurance we often use when speaking about things seen on television.

And then His second question. Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  No, of course not. Worrying does not have added value.

How do you deal with the daily news?

No worries (1)

To worry or not to worry... that's the question, or isn't it? Personally, I am not a worrier by nature, but I know many people who are. Well, whatever the case in your life or home... I have decided to write a series of short blog posts on worrying. I hope they will inspire and encourage you.

'Worrying about something or someone'... Probably one of life's biggest and most repeated sins we commit. Yes, I am calling it a sin, because 'worrying' goes against the words of Jesus. Let us take a look at what He says about this subject, for example in Matthew 6:25,

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Simple words and clear questions we have learned to skip. Yes, skip... because if we are honest we must admit that food, clothing and body (health/beauty) issues are exactly the things we spend much time, money and worries on. A crazy thought really, because here in the Western world most of the people are clothed and have food to eat. There are television networks and magazines solely dedicated to food, fashion and health. And yet, despite our abundance we still worry.

By the way, Jesus does not say that eating, drinking or clothing ourselves is wrong, but that worrying about those things is wrong. Instead of worrying, we should rather be busy making sure that no one on this planet lacks these basic necessities!

Do not worry about your life! To me, that is a wonderful thought at the beginning of yet another year in which the media will probably try to convince me that I lack many things. I really want to take Jesus' words very seriously. I do not want to worry about my daily stuff, I want to care for the daily stuff of others, who are less fortunate. In doing so I will shift the focus from self to others.

I have tried to answer Jesus' intriguing questions:

• Is not life more than food? Yes indeed!  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21)
• Is not the body more than clothes? Yes indeed! Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

What have you done to stop worrying?