Our Peace in His Presence

I love how C.S. Lewis sets the scene of Gabriel’s announcement to Mary. Lewis says that God’s great plan “narrows and narrows until at last it comes down to a little point, small as the point of a spear— a Jewish girl at her prayers.”

Later, after she’s had time to ponder it all, Mary bursts into song at what she has learned about the goodness, power, and faithfulness of Israel’s God.

My soul magnifies the Lord,

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

For He has looked upon the humble state of His slave,

For behold, from this time on, all generations will count me blessed.

For the Mighty One has done great things for me,

And holy is His name.

And His mercy is upon generation after generation

Toward those who fear Him.

He has done a mighty deed with His arm;

He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones,

And has exalted those who were humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

And sent away the rich empty-handed.

He has given help to Israel His servant,

In remembrance of His mercy,

As He spoke to our fathers,

To Abraham and his seed forever.

(Luke 1:46-55 LSB)

In the moments leading up to Gabriel’s appearance, Mary would have had no idea that the time had arrived for God’s ancient promises to come true and that she was to play such a pivotal (and painful) role in fulfilling those promises.

In the moments before Gabriel appeared and changed her world (and ours), all Mary knew was that Yahweh had made lavish promises to her people and that He had demonstrated His fearsome power in delivering His people from their bondage to Egypt.

We are all Mary. In the dark circumstances of this moment, in the utter chaos of our world, we, like Mary, may never find outward security. But we can know this much: God keeps His promises, and His timing is always impeccable.

We can also know that when He calls us to play our role in His work, He will give us the grace and strength to say, with Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.”

Whatever God asks of you, say yes. 

During the years I lived aboard ships, I knew that whenever I heard the “all hands on deck” order, it was intended for every crew member not already engaged in essential work.

No one questioned whether to report for duty. Often, extra help was needed to load provisions delivered to the dock. Men and women dutifully formed a long human chain that wound over the decks and down to the food store. We hefted boxes from one person to another. The job was accomplished swiftly and with good-natured banter. After all, we knew we would all benefit.

When we become followers of Christ, we are, in effect, signing aboard a ship that will eventually carry us to heaven. Christ paid a big price to make this possible, and there is no free passage. Each of us is assigned duties to help the ship sail, and we are glad to perform them out of love and gratitude to our Captain. Additionally, we can expect times when “all hands” are called to a particular task. The Captain often challenges us to get involved with opportunities above and beyond the routine.

Christ did not give His command to carry His Good News to the world to just a handful of followers two thousand years ago. He still waits for some of us to obey. None of us are exempt. And until we take part, we cannot expect to receive His “well done” when we finally reach port. 

Be grateful for the privilege of serving under God’s command, then commit to obeying His orders, whenever and wherever they lead.

Each fall, ladybugs inundate us, with thousands showing up and doing their best to get into our house to survive the winter. I spray the outside of the house with a special product I bought online. It does a great job but leaves the windows with a transparent stain that’s difficult to remove, especially from the second story. I can spray the windows with an outdoor cleaner, but I can’t reach them to squeegee the cleaner off. Hence, we have spotty or streaky windows on the second floor. I must respray the windows with the cleaner. Although annoying, my wife says closing the drapes isn’t an option.

I often fail at something because I’m in a hurry and really don’t want to read directions or think things through—like putting the kids’ Christmas gifts together when they were young or fixing something motorized or mechanical. Even when I write these devotions, I must read them a few times to ensure I don’t say anything lame.

God reminded Job of people’s frailties and limitations and that God does all things without any limitations. Job responded as we all should. And God’s perfect purpose for us is that we are redeemed.  

That’s the difference between us and our Lord. He does everything perfectly the first time, every time. During creation, He created something new every day and said it was good. He put everything into motion so that the world and its creatures could maintain and sustain in the circle of life. Such as the rotation of the earth, the revolution of the earth around the sun, the perfect amount of elements in our atmosphere, the complexity of our bodies, and how every organ interacts perfectly for us to live. It’s all good.

Determine to live like a redeemed child of God. After all, God bought you with the price of His perfect Son. 

One day, years ago, I walked out of a department store carrying a dust mop I hadn’t paid for. I had slung it over my shoulder while shopping for other items. I had not set out to steal the thing, but when I returned to my car and realized I still carried it, I felt justified in keeping it. After all, someone should have noticed me leaving without paying. I actually felt good about getting something for free.

Later, my outlook on right and wrong changed when I became a Christian. I studied Scripture and attended church regularly, learning what Jesus expected of us. I eliminated a few choice words from my vocabulary—ones I’d often used when frustrated—and decided certain television shows and movies were not appropriate for me to watch. I also developed a conscience.

One August day, I forgot to pay for a case of soda I’d stuck under the grocery cart. I knew returning to pay for it was the right thing to do. Yet I rationalized that it was the clerk’s responsibility to have noticed it when I checked out. Besides, it was an honest mistake. The temperature was 95 degrees, and I was hot and tired. No one would know what I’d done. Well, no one except God. So, I trekked back across the parking lot to pay.

Paul proclaims that those who accept Christ are made new. As representatives of the one who made us, we’re supposed to emulate Him as much as possible. I was no longer the person I had been and could no longer behave like my former self.

Our human nature will continue tempting us to do wrong, but if we listen to God, He will guide us to do what’s right. Being a new creation in Christ is worth millions of times more than a case of my favorite soda.

Determine to let the new change the way you speak and act. 

Whether working furiously waiting on that next job promotion, waiting expectantly for Mr. or Miss Wonderful to come into our lives, or waiting for the healing of a chronic illness, waiting is not for sissies. It takes great patience and perseverance to wait well.

For me, this waiting became real as I trudged through the woods, listening to God’s still voice regarding my husband’s perpetual suffering. The beauty and silence around me struck me. My natural surroundings declared the glory and sovereignty of a Mighty God who had everything under control. Nonetheless, my heart cried, “When, Lord, will my beloved husband find relief? When will You answer my prayers for him? This wait is so hard!”

The Bible says, “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.” This verse encouraged me in three ways. First, God is outside of time, and we are not. He invented time for His glory and the good of His creation. That is why God never changes in His love or care for us. He sees the beginning and end and knows what we need to get there.

Second, God knows that although He has fashioned us in His image, we are but dust and can only learn perseverance, character, and hope through suffering and the passing of time. Providentially, God has ordained that we need time to grow closer to Him and more like Him.

Third, God’s Word says that with the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day. Although the waiting seems endless to us, it is like a drop in a bucket to God.

The process God takes us through as we wait on Him is for our good and His glory alone. Pray that He will make you strong so you will dare to wait on His perfect timing, not your own.