Category: God & Bible

It Is Written

MaryAnn Ward 2 Comments God & Bible, Inspirational Blog , , , , , , , ,
It Is Written

When Jesus faced the first major trial of His spiritual life, He overcame with the simple words, “It is written!” Although testimony remains a powerful weapon against enemy attacks, Jesus refused to respond with testimony alone. He never said, “Let me tell you what just happened.” Recounting the heavenly affirmations of His Sonship with the Father during His recent baptism, though significant, would not suffice to quench the firey darts of this vicious enemy.

In these three words, “It is written,” Jesus gives us the key to living free and victorious.

As the president of a condominium corporation, I often must navigate between the messy disputes of he-said-she-said. Everyone views an experience from a different vantage point. Getting to the true truth, at times, becomes complicated, but with persistence and a solution-based focus resolutions take form. Contrary to popular opinion truth is not relative; truth is certain and unchanging.

Every time we read these words in Scripture they point to the divine authority of God’s unchanging Word, recorded for all generations. Jesus, and everyone else, can stand eternally firm in this certainty.

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4

No matter what sly treachery the enemy threw His way, Jesus responded by standing on the divine authority of the Word of God.

God Said It, I Believe It

Satan has nothing new in his arsenal of tactics to bring about our downfall.

In the beginning, God had prepared a beautiful garden for our first ancestors, Adam and Eve. They walked with Him every day in close communion. Everything was perfect. Nothing was lacking. They were given only one command, one rule, one guideline for life in this earthly paradise.

“And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
Genesis 2:16-17

And what does Satan do? He causes them question the validity of God’s words. That sleazy serpent asks, “Did God really say? (Genesis 3:1)”

Anytime the enemy lures us into questioning the Word of God, we become an easy target for deception and vulnerable to a disastrous fall. Let’s not allow overconfidence to deceive us into believing we will escape the trap. Jesus didn’t! Neither should we. To walk in freedom our response should ever be, “It is written!”

Stand Firm

The inerrant Word of God provides our only solid foundation. Lord only knows how many battles have been fought by declaring and decreeing God’s Word over a situation or swirl the enemy throws our way. He cannot touch those who stand firm on the truth of God’s Word.

We become wise in learning and knowing, really knowing, what God says, allowing it to become a daily part of our thinking and living. The way we think leads us to the way we actually live.

Jesus lived what Paul later instructed,

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2

God’s ways run in complete contradiction to our own. “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8). Left to our devices we lean toward fear, anxiety, and stress designed to protect and keep ourselves safe. These natural instincts and the current pressure to validate our own truth, determine our own way, or follow our hearts, however, never leads to a productive or meaningful life.

God's plan is brilliant

Falling for Anything

Paul talks explicitly to us through Ephesians 4:17-24. Futility of thinking marked our former way of life before we knew God or His Word. That pattern led to “darkened … understanding and separated from the life of God … Having lost all sensitivity … given (ourselves) over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and … full of greed.” When we don’t stand upon the Bible we will inevitably fall for anything.

But there is hope!

“That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Ephesians 4:20-24

With God’s help, we can recreate our thinking, renewing our minds! The old must go, making room for the new way of thinking and believing. The way we think predetermines our destiny.

It Is Written

Let these few verses begin to solidify the immeasurable importance of God’s Word:

  • Psalm 119:89 — “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”
  • Isaiah 55:11 — “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
  • 2 Timothy 3:16 — “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
  • Hebrews 4:12 — “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
  • Proverbs 30:5 — “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
  • Joshua 23:14 — “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”
  • Psalm 12:6 — “And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.”
  • Matthew 24:35 — “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
  • Psalm 119:9 — “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”
  • Job 23:12 — “I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.”

For All

We fix and settle the Word of God within us through feasting on it daily, even multiple times a day. As we read, study, and meditate upon it, our minds become aligned with the truth. And as we add Bible memorization, we hide that Word where no one can steal or corrupt it. Soon God’s words becomes part of our daily language and the foundation of our prayers, bringing ourselves into agreement with God’s thoughts and ways.

If God said it, that settles it. It is a sure and solid foundation for every generation, for all time. May we absorb it as life and strength. Then we will be able to stand against every assault of the enemy, knowing clearly, “It is written.” Praise His Name!

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The Master Gardener — A Modern Day Parable

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment God & Bible, Inspirational Blog, Purpose and Calling , , , , , , , ,
The Master Gardener — A Modern Day Parable

A Master Gardener led a small child with His hand through a vast and magnificent garden — the width and breadth stretched beyond eyesight rising over the distant hills and upward into the mountains. Every shape and color imaginable co-existed within His garden. Brilliant oranges and yellows danced in the wind between the mauves and purples. The child leaned into the sweet aroma of the rose garden, carefully avoiding the thorny stems. She pinched her nose tight desperately trying to avoid the putrid aroma of the white lilies.

“Which is your favorite, Master?” she asked.

“Favorite?” the Master responded with twinkling eyes. “I don’t have a favorite. I love each one deeply. Every plant in my garden has a special place in my heart and purpose for being here.”

They silently walked on together. The child wondered how He could ever love them all. Some, yes! That she could understand. But all? Beside some flowers she lingered, noting the delicate beauty of petals and leaves. Others, she passed by without giving them even a glance. Yet, the Master hesitated over each fragile plant, gently running His fingers over the upper tips as if to encourage them to greatness.

The Master Gardener

I, like the little child, silently wonder how God could love us all. You see, I have an unwritten scale of perceived worthiness — from the understandably admirable, to the obviously twisted but tolerable, and even to the outright vile. Yet, the Bible says that His love reaches to everyone.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16

God so loved the world that He withheld nothing good from even the worst of us. God so loved the world in a way that welcomes everyone into relationship with Him. Yes, God so loved the world, gently touching us with His redemptive hand restoring to life and purpose. The world. That’s all of us.

His perfect love makes Him a perfect Lover. Selfless. Generous. Gracious. Not overlooking our imperfections and outright sinfulness but breathing life (eternal life) into and over us.

I, like the little child, must be continuously reminded of His tender love. As I look into the vacant eyes of one who has lost capacity to reason or recall, I must remember. As I sit with a young woman from the streets with mucous and vomit falling down her shirt, I must remember. When someone says or does something cruel, I must remember.

I must remember not only the Master Gardener’s love, but my own thorns, pungent odors, and unsightly fragmented state.

Immeasurable Love

As far as the eye can see and so far beyond, the love of God reaches. Through nations and generations, it flows, never diminishing, ever increasing.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8

As beautiful as roses may be, how bland the world if only roses bloomed. Trees void of blossoms would remain unfruitful. Tiny violets would never speckle the mossy forest floor with glorious color. Sunflowers would never turn their bold faces from east to west each passing day until full maturity. Who could imagine it? Foolishness! Right?

What if everyone was exactly like you? Or worse, like me? How empty and incomplete the world would be.

No. The Master Gardener knows and loves us all. Not just when we reach the prime of beauty, but now … in our broken, wounded responses … in our selfishness. He loves us. Period. Full stop.

But, He loves us far too much to leave us as we presently are. With open arms He waits for us to respond to Him, turning our gaze upward in humble submission.

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”
1 John 4:16

Great Mercy

The Master’s Gardener perfects the fragrance of His love through His mercy and grace.

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2:4-5

Made us alive with Christ. It is all Him. He does what we cannot.

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They walked together through the fields and forests. He bent toward the ground pointing out the dried leaves of a plant which once flourished. “This one sleeps,” He said, “sending its roots deep into the soft summer soil even while it rests. One day it will push its blooms through melting blankets of snow, announcing the coming of spring. And this one,” He continued, “drawing my attention to a lush clump of green. Though you cannot see even a hint of a blossom, when the days shorten and evenings carry a chill, it will shoot its radiant bloom skyward, filling the meadow with beauty when others have faded. Each has a season, Little One. Each has a purpose. In my perfect time, they fulfill their design.

“How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”
Psalm 36:7

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El Roi — God Sees, Knows, and Understands

MaryAnn Ward 1 Comment God & Bible, Inspirational Blog , , , , , ,
El Roi — God Sees, Knows, and Understands

The Hebrew name El Roi describes the Lord God who sees, knows, and understands us more completely than we or anyone else could. Perfect God sees perfectly. All knowing God, knows like no other. The One who hold the fullness of understanding, understands all things.

Growing up, my concept of God was of some high distant power who controlled the world at whim — not only distant from humanity but most certainly disconnected from my little life. I always seemed to believe there was “a god” but I did not know Him. Certainly, He felt irrelevant to my day-to-day life. Can you relate? But as a teenager, someone introduced me to this wonderful Holy Person, an amazing and loving God, who sees, knows, and understands the dilemmas of all mankind — even wretched, broken, twisted, tiny me.

The Bible gives us many names for God. Each name identifies a different aspect of His being and character. In Genesis, we find the name El Roi. El is the generic Hebrew word for God. Roi carries the meaning of shepherd, or as seeing, looking, or gazing. It is perhaps the most unlikely person who identifies God with this descriptive name.

We share more than a few similarities. Hagar’s very name means flight or stranger— an unworthy Egyptian slave alienated from God. Her mistress conscripted her to bear a son through her husband, Abraham. Hagar represents every manipulative effort that flows from human desire. When Hagar realized she was pregnant she “began to despise her mistress (Sarah)” (Genesis 16:4). Abraham gave his wife Sarah full permission to deal with the situation however she saw fit. Unfortunately, Sarah responded by mistreating her now-pregnant servant.

I perhaps would have done something similar — something vengeful, something retaliatory! Dysfunction boils over even in those chosen by God for great purposes. Hagar saw no option but to escape. In this raw reality, we all find comfort. Hagar stopped running just long enough to quench her thirst at a desert spring. Here, on her knees with hands cupped to her lips, she meets God.

“The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert … And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
Genesis 16:7-8

Where Are You Going?

God always touches the root of our problem when He speaks. “Where have you come from, and where are you going?”

He asks us similar questions. “Where have you come from, and where are you going?” Let’s stop for a moment to consider our answers. I thought I had stopped my running decades ago. This Sunday, during church service we were singing a popular song called “The Goodness of God” by Bethel Music. The bridge of the song says, “Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me. Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me.”

In the middle of the song, I realized again how intensely God’s love has been pursuing me. However, I was running away too. I felt the Holy Spirit ask me almost the same words as He asked Hagar — not with a where but with a why. “Why are you running? Why are you running from my love?” Instantly, conviction hit me. One part of me was running toward Him, while another part was running the other way.

Goodness Of God (Lyrics) ~ Bethel Music
Watch this video on YouTube.

If someone, anyone other than the Holy Spirit would have asked that question, I would have been in denial. There is no denying the Holy Spirit. He sees, knows, and understands even when we don’t. I stopped singing, allowing Him to search me heart. Why? Why do I find it so hard to stay … to receive His love … to stop running away when He gets uncomfortably close? What am I afraid of? That He will abandon or reject me? That He will mistreat me like Sarah did to Hagar?

These painful, honest moments with God are always redemptive, always healing, always restorative.

“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

Little Sparrow

“So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

We believe, yet at the core of our being do we fully believe … so we fear instead … Such acknowledgement is difficult, but there is no way to lie to El Roi, the God who sees, knows, and understands.

Redemption never comes from running away. It only comes by running toward. God offers it to those who will face their disappointments and fears. As His grace covered Hagar, it covers us.

“Then the angel of the Lord told her, ‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her‘ … for the Lord has heard of your misery.”
Genesis 16:9,11

Whatever our “it” is — that thing that keeps us running — God sees, knows, and understands. He calls us to turn around, go back to Him, to stop our running, and find a place of rest only found in Him.

How long, sweet friend? How long have we been running? What is our why — our frail reason for not submitting to Him? The answers rest between us and the loving God who sees, knows, and understands us more than we understand ourselves.

He Sees

Don’t we all long to be seen, known, and understood? Isn’t that the hunger within every heart?

Hagar met The One. Here by a spring in a vast desert, she saw Him, El Roi. For the first time, He became intimately personal. The One who knew and heard her misery.

“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”
Genesis 16:13

Like with Hagar, He meets us even in our frantic running and endless wandering. May we stop long enough to see what Hagar saw that day long ago. May we see El Roi, who sees, knows, and understands everything about us — not with judgment but with grace, not with condemnation but with love, not to destroy but to rebuild.

No one has run so far that they have outrun Him. May we each experience our own Holy Spirit moment right now. Like the song goes on to say, “With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now, I give you everything. Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me.” Let’s lay it down, sweet saint. Let’s lay it all down in surrender and stop running from His love that radically pursues us.

Charity Gayle - Because of Jesus (Live)
Watch this video on YouTube.

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Glorify God — Ascribe to the Lord Glory, Honor, and Strength

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment God & Bible, Inspirational Blog , , , , , , ,
Glorify God — Ascribe to the Lord Glory, Honor, and Strength

King David, as a wise king, taught the worship leaders how to glorify God, ascribing all the glory, honor, and strength due His Name. Songs and hymns of worship form the most common way we give glory and honor to God, but they are not the only way to exalt Him. God doesn’t need our worship. We, however, become the best version of ourselves when we worship Him. When we neglect to worship Him, we inevitably worship something, or anything, other than The One who is worthy.

From birth, we instinctively desire attention. Left to our immature selves we become gods of our own demise — self-centered, self-focused, and self-promoting. Therefore, we teach our children the courtesy of being thankful and showing appreciation to those who have been kind and generous to us. How much more important to acclaim God, giving Him credit, recognition, praise, and thanks for who He is and what He has done. By ascribing to the Lord glory, honor, and strength we worship — a worship He alone is worthy of receiving.

“Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the Lord glory and honor and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory and honor due His name; Bring an offering [of thanksgiving], and come before Him; Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”
1 Chronicles 16:28-29

But what does that really mean and how do we do it?

Glorify God

Christian composers release approximately 22,000 new worship songs each year. Such magnitude gives a symbolic representation of the passion musicians and composers have for exalting the Name of our God. But music and worship is only one of many ways we have to give Him glory, honor, and praise.

Matthew 5:16 says, “… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Day by day interactions with others speak louder than any Sunday worship service. Are we honest in business dealings and do we genuinely care for the needs and concerns of others? How we live out our Christian faith makes a big difference in what others thiink about God. Our actions speak louder than our words.

In I Corinthians 6:19-20 we read,“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” Our spirits will live for eternity, but we live in temporary bodies. For God to fulfill His desire in and through us, we must learn to honor God by treating our bodies as His holy dwelling. Do our daily habits of eating and exercise honor God and bring Him glory? Are there ways we could improve in taking care our physical beings?

Okay, we understand our bodies need special care, how about our hearts. Psalm 86:12 says, “I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.” The CEB (Common English Bible) puts it this way, “Make my heart focused only on honoring your name.” Does this honestly define our hearts? Are we focused with whole-hearted devotion to glorify Him?

Oh friends, I have a long way to go in this area. What about you?

In Community

The Bible also talks about ways to glorify God as we live together in community.

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 15:5-6

One mind and one voice united incorporate worship and adoration. This kind of unity commands God’s blessing (Psalm 133:1-3) and speaks louder than any words we proclaim. In the private places of consistent and intimate communion with Jesus Christ comes a corporate blessing of fruitful lives — lives entwined in love and unity.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
John 15:7-8

Fruitful living brings glory to God. The reward comes to us and returns to Him as we praise Him for His works, trust in His Name, and obey His Word. There is no one like Him — holy, gracious, loving, majestic, wonderful, and wise. He is perfect and trustworthy in every way. Could we ever praise Him enough? Certainly, He is worthy of so much more.

For His Praise

Paul prayed for the church in Philippi,

“… that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:9-11

Whether through our active worship and praise, the stewardship of our hearts and bodies, our everyday words and actions, or good works toward each other, may God be glorified. As God’s children may we learn how to glorify Him, enthusiastically and publicly lifting up the Name of our God in every way possible and acknowledging His greatness.

“I am the Lord, that is My Name; My glory I will not give to another…”
Isaiah 42:8

So may we return to the counsel of the wise king, David, and with people around the world may we too

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.“
1 Chronicles 16:23-24

For He alone is worthy! May there be a holy, unhindered release from the depths of all we are, to acclaim Him when no one is watching and when everyone is watching. We live for an audience of One. Praise His Name, forever!

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Bitter-Sweet Moments — Easter Triumph

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment God & Bible, Inspirational Blog, Victory , , , , , , ,
Bitter-Sweet Moments — Easter Triumph

Often the times that most influence our lives come from bitter-sweet moments; times of deep distress mingled with times of unspeakable joy. Which bitter-sweet moment instantly comes to your mind? A wrong turn that made you late for an appointment but prevented you from being involved in an accident? Having to relocate, leaving good friends and neighbors only to connect with amazing people in your new location? We all have them, don’t we? Bitter-sweet moments or as my grandchildren call them “sappy” — a combination of sad and happy.

As mothers, we know the intensity of birth pangs followed by the joy of holding a newborn baby. We have watched that same infant become a teetering toddler, repeatedly falling before learning to walk with confidence. We have bandaged wounds, comforted aching hearts, and waved goodbye to mature progeny, venturing out on their own. Each stage carried with it bitter-sweet moments — moments of pride mixed with closing of chapters in our relationship.

Just like every mother, Mary, the mother of Jesus, witnessed all these moments and more.

Could any bitter-sweet moment be compared to Good Friday — the betrayal and murder of One completely innocent? On the heels of Jesus’ triumphant entry came His execution. Did the heart-wrenching pain of Mary’s sorrow allow her to remember the words of the old prophet, Simeon, spoken years earlier over her infant son,

” … This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Luke 2:34-35

Bitter-Sweet Moments

Then the resurrection! Bitter-sweet moments encapsulating time and releasing the pivotal events which define Christian faith. Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday fulfilled thousands of years of prophecy. Salvation, redemption, and victory over sin and death burst forth in magnified voice, “It is finished!”

Roman powers could neither hold Him to the cross nor keep Him in a grave. Christ’s substitutionary death took our place and paid for our sin, not His.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5

In those bitter-sweet moments, Jesus demonstrated the enormity of His love for us:

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8

The resurrection of Jesus Christ proved His divine nature while guaranteeing eternal life for all who would believe in Him.

Life Within: Aeron Brown Art

Slow Down and Listen

As Christians, we may easily lose the wonder of these significant events. Their repetition dulls our hearts to the magnificent of grace of these bitter-sweet moments. This Easter may we slow down enough to listen — to hear the age-old story with fresh vision and tender hearts.

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
Colossians 2:15

All creation groaned, waiting for the day that long-time slaves would be freed from the bondage of sin and death. Far more than historical, Jesus’ death and resurrection must also become personal and transformative.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.“
Galatians 2:20

Believe and Receive

Do you believe Jesus’ death paid the price for your sins? That His death paid a debt you owed to God and could never pay? Will you receive His sacrifice on the cross as a substitute for you? The transfer cost Him everything and us nothing.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Romans 10:9-10

In some ways, this might sound far too simple. And yet in another way, it requires us to confess Jesus Christ as Lord in full submission to His will and ways. When we will believe these things in our hearts and confess Him as our Savior, we participate in the salvation He has provided. Far more than lip service, this leads us to radical life transformation.

What an exchange! What a marvelous, outrageous extension of unmerited grace! The worthy giving Himself for the unworthy. The holy becoming a substitute for the vile.

There is no more powerful or significant message. May those bitter-sweet moments that occurred over two thousand years ago become more than a historic event. May they become personal and transformational. With all my heart, I invite you to receive Him today.

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God, The Master Engineer

MaryAnn Ward 1 Comment God & Bible, Inspirational Blog, Purpose and Calling , , , , , , ,
God, The Master Engineer

When you think about God as the ultimate Master Engineer, what comes to your mind first? Would it be the intricacies of the universe? Or the way every element of creation works in perfect harmony and rhythm? His mastery reaches far beyond the magnitude of the physical universe and could never be fathomed by even the most brilliant human minds.

Several years ago, I worked for a manufacturing company. Although far removed from the engineers who transformed ideas from concept to completion, I was intrigued by their ingenuity. They turned every problem into a solution as they tweaked their inventions until each one became a fully functioning tool. They redesigned and improved their products with each adjustment. From a front row seat, I began to appreciate the meaning of “engineering” — “to design, build, and maintain structures, machines, and systems that solve real-world problems.”

God, the Master Engineer, created you and me with specific design. He is committed to us as His creation, perfecting us to “solve real-world problems.” Although we may feel far removed from such a magnificent task, we each form a strategic piece in His infinite design.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Ephesians 2:10

Infinite Design

Maybe the J.B. Philips translations of Ephesians 2:10 gives our mission and design more clarity. “No one can pride himself upon earning the love of God. The fact is that what we are we owe to the hand of God upon us. We are born afresh in Christ, and born to do those good deeds which God planned for us to do.” Beyond any doubt, what we are we owe to the hand of God upon us. Yes, we are all born afresh in Christ … to do those good deeds which God planned for us to do.

God’s design, His purpose, has been woven within every fiber of our being.

We all face “real-world problems.” My “world” may be a much smaller sphere than yours. We each live, move,and breathe within the confines of our individual worlds. Who could deny that a stay-at-home mother faces “real-world problems?” In your place of employment, you face “real-world problems.” While volunteering in your community, you face “real-world problems.” How we live affects real people and situations in more ways than we can imagine.

We may feel insufficient for such a noble task. Yet, God works out His infinite design in each of us. Despite our weaknesses and failings, the Master Engineer continues to work in and through our lives, bringing us to our full potential and His divine purpose.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
2 Corinthians 12:5

Hope

I never witnessed any engineer throw away their creation. They were committed to bring each one to completion.

God cares far more for us than any man-made object. We are His chosen and beloved sons and daughters. His love for us goes beyond understanding, and His commitment to us endures through every season of our lives.

Did you do well today? Wonderful! Did you fumble and falter? God is bigger than our failures. Nothing changes God’s love for and His devotion to us.

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9

Though discouragement may want to creep into our mindset, the Master Engineer is not discouraged with your progress. He sees your final end, the polished product, the perfect person you will eternally become. Despite our ongoing struggles, may we place our hope in His power to complete what He has begun in us.

The Master Engineer continues to work with and in us for our good and His glory. In this, we have hope. We may fail. He does not. When we fall short, He picks us up and sets us back on track. Nothing and no one can or wil change His perfect plan for our lives.

Is this religious rhetoric? Hardly! It is the truth. Philippians 2:13 reminds us that “it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Therefore, we rest in His redemptive process.

Real-World Problems

Let’s face it; we all face “real-world problems.” Few, if any, reading this blog are rich or hold great power. Most of us are ordinary workers, homemakers, and average people. We care for the emotional and physical needs of our families, settle everyday disputes and differences, and just try not to drown in our busy and demanding schedules. We often feel consumed by the day-to-day, moment-by-moment, aspects of living — food on the table, roof over our heads kind of stuff.

The Master Engineer chose to include His disciples in the everyday aspects of His life when He walked on earth. Yes, Jesus solved the greatest “real-world problem” for us all by taking care of the overwhelming issue of sin within every heart. Feeding the hungry, healing the sick, setting demoniacs free, embracing children, and showing kindness to outcasts were also key ways He alleviated “real-world problems.” He flipped more than the tables of the moneychangers. He continues, even today, to bring hope and help to millions of lost and helpless ones.

My “real-world problems’ may seem frivolous to you. Yours might very well seem overwhelming to me. Big or small, we all deal with them. As we release God, the Master Engineer, to have full dominion over our lives, every “real-world problem” comes under His divine authority — one word and action at a time.

Maybe someone told you that you can’t, but I’m here to say, “You can!” Whatever you face today, you can! You can become and you can overcome. With Christ, you can fulfill His design for your life.

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13

Together

Each engineer where I worked led their own projects while at the same time worked in collaboration with others. With dedication to the task, they willingly sought the counsel of others. Team synergy enabled them to accomplish much more than they could have individually done.

In a similar way, wisdom will lead us to seek counsel and support to be able to reach our God designed goals and purposes.

“Where there is no [wise, intelligent] guidance, the people fall [and go off course like a ship without a helm], But in the abundance of [wise and godly] counselors there is victory.”
Proverbs 11:14

I reflect on the many people God has placed in my life. He chose to use the strength and wisdom of others, to help me overcome situations that would have otherwise brought me down. The Master Engineer designed me, you, and us to work together in rhythm with His design — challenging, encouragement, inspiring, and motivating each other to excellence.

I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but “You can! We can! Together, we can become the “real-world problem” solvers God intended.”

Bless you, my friend.

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Knowing God: The Outer Fringe of His Works

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment God & Bible, Inspirational Blog , , , , , , , , ,
Knowing God: The Outer Fringe of His Works

How can we as finite creatures of limited understanding know a God so infinitely awesome? At best, we only see the outer fringe of His works.

Yuri Gagarin, a faithful Christian from Russia, became the first cosmonaut. His mission on April 12, 1961 only lasted 108 minutes. The political leadership at the time purported him to have said, “I went up to space, but I didn’t encounter God.” Although these famous words became inaccurately associated with his name, what he really said portrayed a much different narrative: “An astronaut cannot be suspended in space and not have God in his mind and his heart.” A respected colleague of Gagarin commented about Yuri, “He always confessed God whenever he was provoked, no matter where he was.” Whether circling the spectacular globe we call earth or with his feet firmly planted on the ground, Yuri expected to see and experience God.

We see whatever we expect to see. If our minds and hearts are turned toward God, we cannot but see Him everywhere and in everything — even if only the outer fringe of His works.

Thousands of years ago, Job pondered God’s creation from a more lowly position. He knew that Someone bigger, wiser, and greater created everything that surrounds us. When Job stood in awe of the vast expanse of sky, the rhythms of the seasons, or the thunderous roar of unstoppable storms, he saw God.

“And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”
Job 26:14

Every Christian yearns to know Him — the One who can never be fully known, the One with whom we glimpse but a thread of His majesty and might.

Majesty

Unfortunately, for the most part, we have lost our sense of wonder. Fifty years ago, A.W. Tozer lamented the depth of our loss.

“The Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking … not deliberately, but little by little and without her knowledge … with our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence.”
A. W. Tozer

However, we are not at a complete loss or without hope. God’s desire for us to know and see Him far exceeds any innate desire we might have to know Him..

It is astonishing how many times in the Old Testament, God says, “Then they will know Me.” Again and again, God provoked for His followers to know Him — to experience the fullness of His being, the wonder of His majesty, the power of His love.

“But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.”
1 Corinthians 2:14

Holy Spirit awakens our spirit to the knowledge of God. And so we must live in between catching only a glimpse of the outer fringe of His works and a vibrant, experiential knowledge of His power and grace upon our lives. A friend, pondering the nature of God, recently wrote,”

“Power and Grace Together
Omnipotence without grace would be terrifying.
A God strong enough to crush but unwilling to save.
Grace without power would be empty.
A God willing to forgive but unable to redeem.”
– Doug S

Settle

So, even as we, like Moses, cry out to know God more, we must temporarily settle for seeing Him through the outer fringe of His works.

“ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” “And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
Exodus 33:18-20

God responds to our cry to know Him. In response, He reveals His goodness toward us. In the Bible, He declares His attributes and the qualities of His being. The Holy Spirit continuously unveils His character — revealing Him, piece by piece, like segments of a puzzle with parameters beyond our view. He is so vast that only eternal seeking will uncover the unending revelations of His goodness, glory, and majesty.

Though daily we seek His face, longing to know and perceive the grandness of who He is, yet we understand that we will only glimpse a thread of the vastness of Eternal God. In settling with our human limitations, we cannot nor will not settle. The ever stirring to know and be known drives us to seek Him. Is Tozer right again when he says,

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us?”

Perhaps. If it is true, how much more important that we hold accurate thoughts and perceptions of Him. In this, the Bible becomes our greatest resource. The indwelling Spirit never contradicts what God has written about Himself in the Word. The two perfectly align.

The Question

Jesus asked His disciples who other people thought He was. Then He asked them, and us, a pertinent question.

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Matthew 16:15

“God, who are You?” The question for which we all must find the answer.

Once I thought of God as a cruel monarch who ruled with an iron fist from a place far away — distant and disconnected from humanity — especially from me. Then I encountered Him in a personal way that revealed He was intimately near and lovingly concerned about even the smallest detail of my little life. The more I came to know Him, the more overwhelmed I became of His perfection — the perfection of His love and mercy, His grace and goodness, His justice and righteousness, His wisdom and faithfulness … on and on it goes, never reaching sufficient understanding through my finite mind.

Our answer to this critical question becomes more complete the longer we walk with Him and grow in faith. As we read His Word, we discover wonderful things for which we once possessed no previous comprehension. Is that not the journey of all love? A ever-unfolding awareness of the depth and beauty of the One we love.

He waits, ready to respond. Delighted to reveal Himself to us. Again, I refer to Tozer. ” The knowledge of the holy God is a free gift to men who are open to receive it.” A free gift. One we simplyreceive.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Matthew 5:8

We don’t need to launch into outer space, like Yuri Gagarin, to see or know God. We don’t need to wait until we reach heaven’s eternal gates and see Him face to face. From wherever we are, if we look, we will see Him in the outer fringe of His works and everywhere. Then, like Job, we may with hushed voice utter,

“My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
Job 42:5

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Holy Spirit Presence and Power

MaryAnn Ward 1 Comment God & Bible, Inspirational Blog , , , , , , ,
Holy Spirit Presence and Power

We all carry a presence and power wherever we go — a presence and power capable of shifting the environment around us for better or worse. I’m sure you have experienced it: optimism, dispelling gloom; hope, displacing discouragement; faith, disarming fear.

Do you remember the classic stories of Winnie the Pooh? Each character perfectly captures and contributes a special essence. The adventurous and fun-loving Christopher Robin befriended an array of imaginary friends, beginning with the spontaneous and deep-feeling Winnie the Pooh. My favorite character was the talkative, impulsive, and competitive Tigger. Rabbit always insisted on being in charge, using a practical and logical approach. Who doesn’t empathize with Eeyore, stuck under a heavy cloud of defeating routines and negative feelings? Don’t we all need a community-minded and friendly Piglet in our inner circle of friends? In each story, someone with a positive outlook would enter the scene and shift things for the better — good ultimately triumphed through each one of Pooh’s stories. But alas, they were only well-written fictional children’s tales.

We, however, live in the land of reality. But haven’t we all felt a little like Eeyore until a real-life Tigger showed up? Or doesn’t every Rabbit personality need a touch of Piglet friendship? There is good news! As Christians, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, bringing us exactly what we need when we need it. To a far greater extent, His presence and power carries the capability of shifting both our internal and external realities.

The One

“In the beginning, the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Holy Trinity and fully God, hovered and breathed over a formless earth, darkened and confused, creating an atmosphere for life to spring forth.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
Genesis 1:1-2

There He was! And since that moment, He continualy hovers over humanity, relentless to protect and bring order, vigilant to perform His part in our re-creative process. The way He began over the world, He continues in us today.

“And I (Jesus) will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now, and later will be in you.”
John 14:16-17

The word “Advocate” means One who guides, defends, comforts, and consoles. But there is more! We find hidden within the meaning “a redeemer who ends the curse.” The Holy Spirit comes to end the destructivework of the curse of sin in our lives and to save us from its effects. Only God could orchestrate something so marvelous!

Our Need

Ever since the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the infant church in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit has come to meet our needs, large and small. The Spirit of truth breaks the power and deception of every lie. Our Defender protects against the vilest of attacks. As Comforter He brings solace and strength.

We see weak-kneed disciples suddenly filled with courage and boldness, equipped to stand before any opposition (Acts 4:13, 19-20). Stephen, moments before martyrdom, radiates the presence of God. Filled with the Holy Spirit, He sees an open vision of Jesus, waiting to receive him (Act 6:15, 7:55-56). And filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul disarmed those in opposition to the Gospel so that people could freely accept Jesus as Lord and Savior (Acts 13:9-10). Later, Peter encouraged believers facing extreme persecution saying,

“If you are insulted and reviled for [bearing] the name of Christ, you are blessed [happy, with life-joy and comfort in God’s salvation regardless of your circumstances], because the Spirit of glory and of God is resting on you [and indwelling you — He whom they curse, you glorify].”
1 Peter 4:14 AMP

The Holy Spirit makes what is humanly impossible possible. Even joy and comfort in persecution!The fullness of the Holy Spirit, in His presence and power resides in us, equipping and helping us “regardless of … circumstances.” Oh! May this encourage us all!

The Gift

The Holy Spirit comes pre-wrapped with the gift of salvation. When we commit our lives to Jesus Christ and receive Him as our Savior, we also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Two in One!

“The Spirit is the guarantee [the first installment, the pledge, a foretaste] of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own [purchased] possession [His believers], to the praise of His glory.”
Ephesians 1:14 AMP

All those wonderfully positive traits we found as children in Winnie the Pooh and his friends, we discover in over-flowing abundance through the Holy Spirit. He becomes the missing link to all we need or desire, producing in us spiritual fruit to share with others.

“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control …”
Galatians 5:22-23 AMP

Oh, my friends, may we consider again the beauty and wonder of the Holy Spirit who resides in each believer of Jesus Christ. With grateful hearts may we acknowledge His presence and power at work in us.

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Psalm 23:1 — The Lord is My Shepherd; I Shall Not Want

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment God & Bible, Inspirational Blog, Psalms Meditation , , , , , ,
Psalm 23:1 — The Lord is My Shepherd; I Shall Not Want

Most people who are familiar with the Bible have read or heard about this popular verse: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” These nine little words have taken on greater meaning for me lately.

Although my husband and I farmed and ranched for many years, we had no practical experience as shepherds. It didn’t take us long, however, to understand that the animals we owned needed consistent care. Food, water, medical attention, as well as protection from predators and severe weather presented their primary needs. We tried to make sure all their needs were met throughout the seasons.

Psalm 23:1 in the Passion Translations reads, “I always have more than enough. He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.” While the New American Standard Version says, “The LORD is my shepherd, I will not be in need,” implying both present and future provision.

“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
Psalm 23:1

Sometimes simple, uncomplicated words speak the loudest. Each word has an opportunity to settle within our hearts in a powerful way.

The Who

The who behind any statement gives it credibility. The solid ground for this verse comes from non other than Yahweh, Jehovah God. Every name God reveals expresses an attribute of His character and nature. The LORD, Jehovah, speaks of God as the unchanging, eternal. self-existent God — the “I AM THAT I AM.” He loves completely and unforsakingly, loving in virtue of His relationship with His people.

He comes to us far more than “a” shepherd. He announces to everyone and anyone His desire to become our Shepherd — even “my” Shepherd.” Right here I stop in amazement! The all-surpassing God, exalted and glorified, has become “my” Shepherd, taking responsibility to meet all and every need.

Let’s wait in that exquisite thought — resting in it.

Do you know Jehovah God in that way? Do you daily experience Him as your Shepherd — not just of your souls but One who is concerned about every aspect of who He created you to be? I hope so. If not, you can.

Although we provided well for our livestock, inevitably there would be that one “fence-jumper.” A cow that decided another field or pasture looked better than the one we offered. Because fence-jumpers create so many problems, It would quickly be sent to market before it had an opportunity to influence the rest of the herd in their vices. Fence-jumpers want things their way, in their time, refusing to respect boundaries or receive what is provided.

In a similar way, people struggle with surrendering to God’s agenda and insist on doing things their way. This propensity becomes one of the greatest hindrances to receiving Jesus as their personal Shepherd. When we choose to submit to Him and confess Him as our Shepherd, allowing Him to direct our lives, we receive the full benefit of an unending relationship with the One who loves us the best and most.

My Shepherd

The Good Shepherd lives with the sheep and knows each one individually. He notices a tilt of an ear, a slight limp, or an individual isolated from the flock. He sees and understands when one of His sheep acts out of character or responds in unusual ways. Quickly, He comes beside little lambs or aged rams to bring aid.

By continuously watching over my cattle, I also knew each one’s personality. Some were aggressive, while others were more compliant. I knew each one’s history and why they responded in the herd certain ways. I knew the “easy keepers” and those that were more demanding. When one was acting out of character, I knew they were in trouble and needed help.

Relationship! We thrive within loving, trusting relationship.

For so many years, I believed God was distant and disconnected from humanity — from me. I believed He existed, but His existence played no relevance to my life. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
Psalm 24:1

Everything and everyone already belong to God. However, only when we come into a personal relationship with Him, receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior, will we experience that reality.

“My Shepherd!” What comforting words! Trusting in Him, we find “a resting place … in his luxurious love.“ Here’s another thought worth thinking. God loves you with luxurious love — right where you are, even in your messy life situation.

I Shall Not Want

Oh, Lord! Too often we fence-jumping people come with our long list of demands, stating our dissatisfactions and selfish desires. But if we will for a moment stop and rest in God’s luxurious love, we will find that He has already provided everything we need. And more!

Love breeds contentment. Contentment births peace. Peace matures into sincere gratitude.

 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:11-13

“I shall not want,” becomes both our present reality and future confidence. I appreciate the author’s transparency here. Contentment was something he learned. Contentment didn’t come naturally for him or for us. We are a wanting people. But as we settle and rest in the Shepherd’s love, everything (even a little) becomes more than enough to satisfy.

I find that the more I verbally declare God’s Word, the more it becomes my living reality, aligning my heart and desire to His. These words, “I shall not want,” have become a solid foundation for me in times of distress. As I speak these words, the Holy Spirit seals them within my heart as foundational truth — a truth I can always rely upon. May they become the same for you.

Prayer

Oh, Lord, thank You for the simplicity of this truth. You are my Shepherd (our Shepherd) — the One who has brought us into covenant relationship with Yourself as Your children, the sheep of Your flock. Lord, You care for each one of us deeply and intimately. You promise to provide for our every need. Thank You, for Your grace — for healing our brokenness and pouring Your salve into our wounds. May faith arise to believe that You are more than enough. You are the Bread of Life that sustains us, the Living Water that refreshes us, and our shelter from the fiercest storm. You stand between us and our enemies, defending, protecting, and constantly on guard around us.
Lord, help us to know Your voice as You speak to us in ways that we can understand, inviting us to draw closer in relationship with You. You do not hide Your face from us but reveal Yourself to us, showing us your luxurious love. May we be sensitive and responsive to You, our Shepherd. Remove our fence-jumping ways of rebellion and obstinance. May we be quick to respond, receiving Your love and provision. May the declaration of our lips ever be, “The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”
Oh, wonderful Shepherd, we also ask that You would continue to draw others into Your fold — that they, too, may experience the wonder of Your love and fullness of Your grace. There is always room for more! More than enough for all!

Here is further reading on the names of God:
The LORD of Hosts: Jehovah Sabaoth
The Lord is Peace — Jehovah Shalom 
Adonai Jehovah – The Giver – The One Who Pours Out

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Abba Father — Adoption as Sons and Daughters

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment Christian Living, God & Bible, Inspirational Blog , , , , , , , ,
Abba Father — Adoption as Sons and Daughters

We may know God intellectually, but do we continually experience Him as our Abba Father through adoption as sons and daughters. Within this Father-child relationship we discover the most intimate form of knowing God. Abba is the word Jesus often chose when talking with His Father God. Now through spiritual adoption as His sons and daughters, we share in that experience of knowing Him.

I am not sure how it went in your family, but I coaxed each one of our infant children to say “Mama.” Yet, without fail, their first words were “Dada.” Our relationship with our fathers forms a strategic pattern by which every other relationship rises or falls. How we perceived our fathers colors our lives either with clarity or distortion. Although it’s true, God also gives fathers an added measure of grace and an abundance of new chances to try again.

Only One Father meets all the expectations of His children. That Father, of course, is our heavenly, Abba Father.

I would be amiss to present to you a weak Father image of God, too soft to lovingly discipline His children. His unfailing, uncompromising, unconditional love runs too deep for such complacency. As I meditate on Galatians 4:4-7 and other passages, I see a depth to our adoption as sons and daughters in a fresh and inspiring way.

“…we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”
Galatians 4:3-5

Knowing

No one needs to waste time trying to convince me what a slave I have been to sin. Sadly, all too often I return to one prison or another for a short, but painful, visit.

But God! But God came by His grace “when the set time had fully come.” He came as an innocent and vulnerable baby, born in human flesh, to live a sinless life. Why? To buy people, like me, out of the slavery to sin. He came to fulfill every requirement of God’s law, paying the penalty for the sins of humanity. He purchased us back to Himself as a people holy and separate unto Himself. And what a price He paid! The shedding of His own blood!

Now, we can all know and understand these truths in our heads. We can even believe them in our hearts. Multitudes of people openly confess their faith with my mouths and are secure with their eternal futures in heaven. By doing so, we also become His true children — brought from darkness to light and from slavery to freedom. But understanding and knowing the truths of Scripture isn’t enough to transform our lives.

A relationship with Abba Father must be experienced to become our life-changing reality. Unless we begin to experience Him in His fullness as our Abba Father, we will remain distant and unchanged in our daily lives.

Jesus did everything He could to pave the way for us to experience this relationship with our Heavenly Father. On the cross, He spoke in triumph,

“It is finished!”
John 19:30

One thing remains. Will we receive our “adoption to sonship” with open arms. Only through receiving and experiencing this good news will we actually be changed into the people He calls us to be. Through Him, we may know Abba Father in a personal way.

Saskatchewan-based acrylic artist MaryAnn Ward captures a majestic adult lion and its cub in a realistic manner, contrasted against a deeply hued backdrop.

Adoption

Adoption today carries less weight than adoption in biblical times. Everyone then would have understood the depth of an adoption transaction as recorded in Scripture. The adoptee was given a new name and would no longer answer to any aspect of their old identity. They would receive a new social security. The legal transaction of adoption wiped their record clean of every former guilt and felony. A full pardon! The adoptee also was given a perfect credit score — debts forgiven, mortgages gone, and bills paid in full. They also received equal rights as any biological heirs and equal access to everything the Father owned.

No wonder we find such granted favor difficult to comprehend.

“… that we might receive adoption to sonship.”
Galatians 4:5

Through Jesus Christ we have become blood-bought children within the family of God. We are now joint heirs with Christ. Through adoption, God demonstrated that He fully embraces and values us as sons and daughters. Adoption can never be earned by self-effort; it is fully bestowed by the Father. Through adoption, He welcomes us to use the most intimate term for father — Abba or Daddy.

We won’t believe it, however, without experiencing it in our hearts. The old bondage mindset of slavery fiercely fights against the Father’s love and our adoption as sons and daughters.

Saskatchewan acrylic artist, MaryAnn Ward, masterfully illustrates a lion's head with intense focus and a grand mane.

The Father’s Love

Because I experienced my earthly father’s love from early in life, I always knew that he loved me. But it was in a moment of absolute desperation and crisis that his love became even more tangible. As I rocked on my bed in a fetal position, void of hope, and unable to speak, my father came with the most tender embrace and affirmed his unshakeable love for me. In an instant, every wall of oppression collapsed in the face of pure love. Though my earthly father has gone to his eternal home, I long for the day when I will run to him, throw my arms around his neck, and weep with joy, “Daddy!”

That’s what Abba Father desires for each of us to experience with Him right now

“Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.“
Galatians 4:6-7

The Holy Spirit helps to move us beyond human understanding toward a living heart experience with our Abba Father. These precious words were once foreign to us. Now the Spirit gives us a new voice. Like a little child learning to speak, we utter those beautiful, endearing words, “Dada!”

It is the voice of affection and joy. It shouts down highways and byways, “God is my Father! He paid the full price to make me His child. He loves me, wants me, cares for me, protects and provides for me. It is finished! God is my Father! I am an full heir to all He owns.”

A Voice

Where once voices hung mute, now they sing with joy.

“Calls out” is the same Greek word translated in Matthew 21:9 as “shouted.” People of all ages had lined the streets of Jerusalem, waving palm branches during Christ’s triumphal entry. Some versions use the word “cry,” which we could easily misinterpret as a mournful wailing.

“The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Matthew 21:9

Experiencing God as Abba Father swells within us as a shout of exuberant joy. He is here! Daddy is with us! This type of deep heart-stirring comes not from head knowledge but an unshakeable heart awareness of how deep, wide, and long the love of God has become.

Prayer

Today, my prayer comes directly from Scripture. I offer Paul’s heart-felt prayer with you.

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).
Oh, Lord, may it be so!
Amen.

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