Monthly Archives: January 2018

Middle of the Night Shufflings

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As I sleepily shuffled to the toilet in the pitch black early hours of the morning a few days ago, I distinctly heard God’s voice speak to my semi-conscious mind,

“I have not forgotten you. I just need you to trust me”.

Trusting God has been a recurring refrain from our Father’s heart to these two stubborn, self-sufficient, fix-it types over the last few years. The lesson has come in all sorts of forms and guises and we don’t seem to be getting much quicker at learning. (Well ok, we might be learning to trust Him in incremental fits and starts!).

As I have mulled over these two brief statements that came to me in the literal darkness of this new year, I have come to feel that it’s right to share them with you. God says to me and He says to you, “I have not forgotten you. I just need you to trust me”.

Come with me on this life-long journey of trust in the One who is infinitely faithful and forever trustworthy. Let’s start again today. Let’s do what He says and trust Him. What have we got to lose?

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A song of joy; rebuilt with treasure – Isaiah 54

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“Sing, O childless woman,
    you who have never given birth!
Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem,
    you who have never been in labor.
For the desolate woman now has more children
    than the woman who lives with her husband,”
    says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge your house; build an addition.
    Spread out your home, and spare no expense!
3 For you will soon be bursting at the seams.
    Your descendants will occupy other nations
    and resettle the ruined cities.

4 “Fear not; you will no longer live in shame.
    Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you.
You will no longer remember the shame of your youth
    and the sorrows of widowhood.
5 For your Creator will be your husband;
    the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name!
He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
    the God of all the earth.
6 For the Lord has called you back from your grief—
    as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband,”
    says your God.
7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you,
    but with great compassion I will take you back.
8 In a burst of anger I turned my face away for a little while.
    But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
    says the Lord, your Redeemer.

9 “Just as I swore in the time of Noah
    that I would never again let a flood cover the earth,
so now I swear
    that I will never again be angry and punish you.
10 For the mountains may move
    and the hills disappear,
but even then my faithful love for you will remain.
    My covenant of blessing will never be broken,”
    says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

11 “O storm-battered city,
    troubled and desolate!
I will rebuild you with precious jewels
    and make your foundations from lapis lazuli.
12 I will make your towers of sparkling rubies,
    your gates of shining gems,
    and your walls of precious stones.
13 I will teach all your children,
    and they will enjoy great peace.
14 You will be secure under a government that is just and fair.
    Your enemies will stay far away.
You will live in peace,
    and terror will not come near.
15 If any nation comes to fight you,
    it is not because I sent them.
    Whoever attacks you will go down in defeat.

16 “I have created the blacksmith
    who fans the coals beneath the forge
and makes the weapons of destruction.
    And I have created the armies that destroy.
17 But in that coming day
    no weapon turned against you will succeed.
You will silence every voice
    raised up to accuse you.
These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;
    their vindication will come from me.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!

(New Living Translation)