Not by Chance

Life is not by chance but by design.

Chance means the absence of any obvious design.  I recently have had a number of timely connections that remind me this life is not by chance.  There is purpose in the series of occurrences we find.  It’s not by chance that a friend calls just when we needed some encouragement.  It’s not by chance that you didn’t get the job you thought you wanted that sets you up for a better one.  It’s not by chance that you met that person who has a similar story as yours.  We often chalk things up to chance or coincidence.  But, what if we saw the design in all of it? You can only render so many things as chance before there’s no room for chance anymore.  What if even the things that have not shown any design yet are still purposeful.  Each season of our life is preparing us for something next.  This life is not by chance, your story is not by chance and who you are is not by chance.  No, who you are is a careful, purposeful design.  

“…declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’…I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.”

Isaiah 46:10-11 ESV

Isaiah prophesies of both the destruction and the glory of the days to come.  His prophesy reveals that both the judgment and the victories to come are not by coincidence, but rather by God’s design.  I recently found that the word coincidence is the Greek word synkyrian, which is a combination of the words: sun and kurios.  Sun means 'together with,' and kurious means 'supreme in authority.’ So when you put them together it means that  “what occurs together by God’s providential arrangement of circumstances.”” (gotquestions.org/Bible-coincidence.html#ixzz3VRPI1gbb).  This sounds much different than our definition of coincidence which means to be without any connection.  God’s purposeful design is at work in your lives in the hard parts and the awesome parts.  We can trust the One who purposefully designed us to keep designing something purposefully beautiful with our lives.  He has spoken and He is faithful so He will do it.  

Certain as Dawn

Truth never moves

Hope stays the same

Love still remains

As certain as the dawn

Life can be as ever changing as the weather.  For much of the country you never know what the weather will be, even in the most knowledgable predictions the weather never ceases to surprise us.  I’m finding this to be true here in Colorado.  What I love about the weather is that although it can be a bit all over the place going from 80 one day to 40 the next (yes that happened last week), the sun still rises every day.  Now I may not experience the warmth of the sun every day but that doesn’t change the truth that every single day the sun comes up.  I love that because it reminds me of the things in my life that are true although I experience them differently daily.  When my world is falling apart hope stays the same; When I feel alone love still remains; When things feel shaken truth never moves.  Truth, hope and love are just like the dawn…certain.  

"So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth."

Hosea 6:3 NASB

Hosea paints a beautiful picture of God’s unconditional love for us.  It’s a love that keeps seeking even when we turn away.  Although Hosea’s wife continues to run after other lovers his love remains faithful, as does God’s love for us.  In light of God’s loyal love Hosea encourages the people to press on towards the Lord.  It was their lack of knowledge of God that destroyed them (Hosea 4:6).  Thus, he calls them back to knowledge.  In knowing God and His loyal, steadfast love we are compelled to know Him more.  When we know His presence is constant, His provision is timely and His restoration complete we can press on to know Him.  So let us know, yes let us press on to know Him, the One who is already madly pursuing you.  Even when nothing feels certain, He is always certain.  

You can also enjoy more insight from Spurgeon on this verse: 

“Notice, again, it is a repeated gift. He shall give the former rain and the latter rain. If you have had grace once the Lord has more for you. Did you have happy times when old Dr. So-and-so was your pastor? Well, the doctor is dead, but God is not. Were you very much delighted when you used to sit in such-and-such a church, in years gone by, and have you moved into the country now? Yes, but God has not moved. He is in the country as well as in the town. You tell me you had such happy times when you were young. Yes, but God is neither younger nor older. Go to him, for he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Do you suppose that, because he gave you the former rain, he has emptied the bottles of heaven?” (Spurgeon)

Flip Flop

When life brings you flips and flops you must hold onto the truth that the flops can get flipped.  

I’m not talking about the sandals, although I do love my Rainbow flip flops.  Instead I’m looking at something that gets changed around. Flip means to cause to turn over with a sudden movement and flop means a total fail.  We all have those stories when something that you thought was a disaster gets flipped into something great.  It happens at levels large and small.  The cancelled appointment that gives you space for rest or the job you lost that sets you up for something more than you imagined.  This concept often reminds me of the job I didn’t get as a resident assistant.  I was devastated.  I thought I was a perfect fit for that job.  However, another job opened up in the leasing office that turned out to be a much better fit for me.  It felt like a flop, a total fail in that moment.  Yet, not getting that job allowed me to take the other job.  My flop got flipped and turned into something better.  While not all flops get flipped, it happens more than you might think.  The things that feel like a total fail in our lives can take on a whole new hope when we remember they could change into something great.  Let’s start flipping our flops into something great.  

“Come, let us return to the Lord.  For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.”

Hosea 6:1 NASB

One theme we see through the Bible is God flipping death into life.  When He steps into the story the Red Sea parts bringing life to doom; Saul the killer of Christians becomes Paul the one leading people to Jesus; the death of Jesus on the cross brings salvation to all.  Just when it looks like all is lost God reverses it.  He is the great flipper of our flops.  He is in the midst of both our flips and our flops longing to be the one to bring hope and life.  He loves to heal, bandage and restore us to life.  Even the biggest flops that seem unredeemable.  Yes, even those can be flipped.  Here in Hosea there is much impending doom due to the people of God continuing to turn away from Him.  Yet, even in their turning away God is ready to restore if they will only return.  Those are the places God loves to enter.  Just when it looks like all is lost, He revives.  Remember all those times He has restored in the past.  He is still the same God.  Yes, even here in the midst of desolation He can bring new hope and life.  

ideas taken from Old Testament survey teacher notes

A Different Question

Stop asking what you can’t do.  Start asking how you can thrive.

Kids seem focused on the rules and even more focused on how far they can go.  We don’t have to look much farther than a toddler to understand our inherent leaning towards breaking the rules.  Even once they’ve been told no they seem to want to see how strong that no will remain.  The problem is sometimes we don’t grow out of this desire.  We still want to push the limits.  While sometimes the limits need to be pushed, there are other times where we need to ask a different question.  Sometimes we are so focused on the limits that we miss the sweet spot where we can really thrive.  So the question is not as much about what is off limits to us but the question instead is where do I thrive.  Let’s keep asking questions.  Questions that are less focused on pushing the outside limits and more focused on expanding our internal limits.  

“Stop judging based on the superficial. First you must embrace the standards of mercy and truth.”

John 7:24, Passion Translation

Sometimes we like the Pharisees miss the point.  Here in John the religious rulers are focused on the rules and what the law says, but they miss the bigger picture.  The laws are to help us follow after truth and mercy and not the other way around. It is first about seeing Jesus and following Him.  Those rules and limits were put into place to help us along that path and to show us our need for Jesus.  So then we like the rulers need to change the questions we are asking.  The bigger question is not whether it’s right or wrong but does it help me follow Jesus.  Throughout history our tendency is to look to a list rather than to the Creator.  Glance first to your Creator when you ask your questions.  Stay there a while that He might show you what questions He wants you to ask.  Listen to His whispers to your questions.  Let Him lead you to that place not only free from sin but free to run free.  

Check out what Jon Piper has to say about the question, ‘Does it help me run?’: 

Running - John Piper Sermon Jam

by Refresh Ministries

Before the Ice Melts

There is beauty to be found if you’re willing to brave the storm.

I recently braved the cold of Michigan ice on the pier of Grand Haven.  With wind chills in the negative twenties it was definitely a feat for this Southern California raised girl.  While I generally avoid the wind and cold at all costs I found there is something beautiful that the cold creates, especially at extreme temperatures.  The way the ice forms on the water is amazing.  Normally I would say that I put up with the snow because it’s fire prevention for the summer months.  Yet I was reminded that even in the midst of the storm, and even before the ice melts, there is something beautiful to be found.  The same is true in the winters of our lives.  Usually I am waiting for the storms and the hard seasons of my life to pass while still knowing it is producing something good in me.  What if we also found beauty in the midst of the storm?  I wonder if we might find that even before the ice melts there is something beautiful happening in the midst of adverse conditions.  So while it feels cold, and the wind is blistering, look around and you might see, even here, even when there’s ice, there is beauty. 

“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”

Job 42: 5 NIV

Job knew a few things about rough conditions.  He lost his family, possessions, health and hope.  After much venting from Job God speaks to Job with a long discourse putting him in His place with questions like ‘where were you when I created the earth’ and ‘who do you think creates all these marvels of weather.’  Job begins to see the beauty of God even in that place of loss.  Although God does restore his possessions and his health it’s before God brings any physical blessing that Job finds the greatest blessing in the midst of his current conditions.  For Job finds God in all His beauty.  He had heard and known of Him but now He sees and now He truly knows.  This is our greatest blessing that our eyes have seen the Lord.  Can you see Him?  Although the conditions are rough there is beauty in that place that you find Him.