13 years of God's mercy and faithfulness!

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary!

I thank God for the husband He gave me. I thank God for our kids. We have had our rough times, and difficult times, but God is ever faithful and merciful to us. His grace has always been there to sustain us. Where sin destroys, God restores. Where darkness casts a shadow, God turns it into light. Where fear is, God's perfect love casts it out.

Prov 19:14 says:
Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

This verse means I am God's gift and inheritance to my husband. I am from the Lord! :-D Woohoo!

But I would also like to say that my husband is also God's gift and inheritance for me. Yay!

God's provision is greater than Solomon's splendor

picture of a lily from the website of the Ohio Lily Society

2 Chronicles 9:22 says that

"King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth."

But what did the Lord Jesus say?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. "(Matt 6:28-29)

Luke 12:27 puts it this way:

"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

King Solomon may have been super-duper-ultra-rich, but the Lord Jesus says that Solomon was not dressed like the lilies of the field. The lilies were dressed with God's provision. The lilies looked that beautiful because God gave them their "clothing". God designed them like that.

Sometimes we are not grateful for the provision God gives. We don't love what God has given us. We complain that it's too small, too little, too bland, not enough, too ugly, poorly located, etc. Yet the Lord says, the lilies were dressed better than mega-rich splendidly-dressed King Solomon.


In Luke 12:28-31, the Lord Jesus goes on,

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

There was a time I whined to God (around 2005) about why we didn't have money to buy a need, yet some people were so rich they could buy any luxurious thing they wanted. The Lord spoke to my heart to read Matthew 6:28 and the verses following. The Lord asked me, in my heart, "what is the most luxurious place or thing you can think of?" I answered the Lord, "the Burj al Arab in Dubai, the 7- star hotel." The Lord said, "Solomon's splendor was greater than the Burj al Arab's splendor. But my provision is greater than Solomon's splendor."

When I heard that, I felt so ashamed for whining to God. His provision is greater than Solomon's splendor! Wow! No luxury can compare to what God has provided for me! Why should I look in envy at what other people have or what they can buy? What I have is the best because God gave it. I desire what God provides for me because that is the best. I don't want what someone else has.

I didn't whine anymore after that. I love what God has provided for me. It's better than Solomon's splendor. :-D

Where were you when God made the earth?

Many times, like Job, we like to complain to God and ask why certain things happen to us. I say give up the right to know why and instead trust God that He will give you the grace to stand during your trials and to withstand the fire.

Asking and questioning God if brought too far will lead us to doubt and anger toward God, which is the most foolish thing to do. God is our Creator, He is all powerful, nothing is ever a surprise to God 'cause He knows everything. And all His plans for us are for our good and not to harm us.

In Job 38:1-4 God answered Job's complaints and questions:

"Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:
"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?
Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand."

In our finite minds we cannot understand what we are going through. But our Infinite LORD, our Father, sees and knows everything. In Job 38 and the passages following God asked Job a whole bunch of rhetorical questions. God made everything;the mountains, fields, sun and moon and stars, and every animal, He knows everything, we are more important to God than animals.

Luke 12:6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

So in telling Job about how He knows and cares about creation, God was telling Job how infinite He was compared to Job's situation.

Job had accused God. He had justified himself instead in trusting in the Rock of Ages; he had discredited God's justice because of his situation. But God answered him:

Job 40:1-2,7-8
The LORD said to Job:"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!..."Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. "Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?

How did Job answer?

He recognized his unworthiness...and promised to stop complaining.

Job 40:3-5
Then Job answered the LORD:
"I am unworthy-- how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.
I spoke once, but I have no answer-- twice, but I will say no more."

He recognized his sin in what he said- how he had insulted God in questioning God, which was basically "darkening God's counsel". Job did not understand what happened, yet he dared question the One who understands all things.

Job 42:1-6
Then Job replied to the LORD:
"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.
'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.'
My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

Has this ever happened to you? It recently happened to me. I discovered lumps in my body, and thought of the possibility it could be cancer. In all the turmoil in my thoughts following the discovery, the Lord spoke to me in my heart: "Were you there when I laid the foundations of the earth, when I made the sun and moon? Watch and see what I can do in your situation."

A day later, lumps turned out to be benign cysts. But even if they were cancerous, I KNOW the Lord is TRUSTWORTHY. I will trust and love the Lord no matter what happens to me.