Category Archives: Submitting to God

Used by God?

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All of us who’ve committed our lives to Christ are daily hoping for his approval. Although the world says we ought never to let ourselves be “used” by others, being “used” by God is a privilege. I know from experience that when I let him do what he wants with me, the results are always good. Maybe not immediately, but eventually.

Always.

As my friend Claudia says, “The Father has a way of taking our griefs and hurts and making them diamonds for the Church’s good.” Losing my husband to pancreatic cancer wasn’t “good.” But what God did, as that “bad” settled over me, was to quietly begin laying a foundation that would bring something good in due time.

I’ve been astonished watching him do this for me repeatedly since Nate died. For example, as I struggled to get used to my new widow-status, he urged me to write out my feelings, which ultimately became a devotional book for other widows. Then, when they read how God had stepped into the places Nate had stepped out of, those grieving without hope understood that God was going to bring them, too, out of sadness and into joy.

Revive Our Hearts.Later, God sent along speaking opportunities and radio interviews, giving me new places to “boast in the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 10:17) One set of interviews was with Nancy Leigh DeMoss for her radio broadcast “Revive Our Hearts,” and yesterday I received this exciting information from her office:

Coming up next week on “Revive Our Hearts” broadcast with Nancy Leigh DeMoss: “Hope for an Aching Heart,” with Margaret Nyman

Margaret says widowhood is a beginning. It’s an opportunity to walk with the Lord in new ways, taking on new challenges.

Sept. 16, 2013 – Sept. 20, 2013

On these scheduled airdates, the streaming, download, and podcast audio of this broadcast and a written transcript will appear on our radio page— www.ReviveOurHearts.com/radio/revive-our-hearts/.

On this page you will also find a list of local radio stations that carry the program in your area.

*                 *                 *                 *                 *                 *               *

This email was simultaneously thrilling and threatening. Since our recording sessions took place over a year ago, I’ve forgotten much of what was said in the 5 programs and today became very nervous. Did I contradict myself or say things that might offend listeners? Did I mix up the details or misquote my own book?

Radio interview

As stomach butterflies demoralized me, God tapped me on the shoulder. “Don’t forget,” he said, “these opportunities were my doing, not yours, so I’ll take full responsibility for the results.”

I had two quick responses:

  1. Whew!
  2. Can’t wait to see the results!

To win God’s approval, all we need to do is step squarely into whatever plans he makes for us (no matter how unnerving), expecting him to manage the unknowns. When we do, we’ll realize the highest of callings: to be “used” by him.

“I’m only concerned with your plans for me. I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can’t contain your commands!” (Psalm 119:95-96, The Message)

 

Eye Contact

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Those of us who love Jesus Christ look forward to one day living in the place he’s preparing for us. The greatest perk of our hope is not that it’ll be a fabulous, beyond-imagination place, but that we’ll be able to look at and talk to Jesus himself.

Scripture includes several passages where eye-to-eye contact with Jesus changed everything for people. The most famous was when he locked eyes with Peter the night before he was crucified, but there were others. Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell the story of another important look-see, this one between Jesus and a woman.

The Bible tells us she was a follower of Jesus, someone who believed he was who he said he was. She knew he had healing powers and since she was sick, she desperately wanted to connect with him. She’d been hemorrhaging for 12 years without a let-up, like a woman whose period just never ends.

This was a terrible state of affairs, because in biblical times she would have been considered unclean. Surely she wasn’t married, since no man would have been allowed to touch her, and my guess is she was anemic and weak from all that blood loss.

Reaching for healingShe made the bold decision to touch Jesus without him knowing it, and for some reason she was close to the ground. Maybe after losing so much blood, all she could do was crawl. Whatever the reason, the best she could do was finger the bottom of his robe. But that was all it took, and she was healed (though her encounter with him wasn’t over).

Jesus abruptly stopped walking, turned around, and looked for her. Of course he knew where she was, knew her name and health history, and had consciously acted to heal her. But he wanted to pursue the relationship a bit.

As he scanned the crowd, surely she was watching his face, and suddenly their eyes locked. Scripture says she began “trembling with fear,” probably wondering what Jesus might do to her for her sneaky scheme. Would he be angry? Or maybe curse her for such boldness?

She fell flat in front of him as the crowd made room, and the words of her story came tumbling out. Jesus responded with kindness and affirmation of her faith. “Take heart,” he said. In other words, “Cheer up! Don’t be afraid!” And then he let her know he’d healed her purposely as a reward for her faith in him. But that wasn’t all.

The lookBefore he left her, he gave this unclean, outcast woman a brand new label, one she badly needed: he called her his daughter.

So on that day she received 5 divine gifts: healing from her disease, words of encourage- ment, an affirmation of her faith, daughter-status, and that wonderful eye-to-eye look.

And now she’s enjoying that loving look, every single day!

“Jesus…. turned around in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched My garments?’ And He looked around to see the woman who had done this.” (Mark 5:30,32)

Growing Pains

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Early morningThis morning Nelson and I set off for the airport by 5:25 AM where he once again boarded a plane back to Youth With A Mission, this time in Montana . As we drove through the dark we enjoyed talking, knowing we wouldn’t have another face-to-face conversation until Christmas.

This morning’s exchange of ideas centered on our usual: God and how he does things. Nelson is facing a new teaching position that has him working diligently on complicated preparations. None of it is easy, and he vacillates between excitement and concern. I know he’ll do an excellent job, but that’s easy for me to say; I’m not in the hot seat.

Webinar.Yesterday, though, I experienced a similar leap of stress when an email arrived from my publisher describing an assignment he thinks I should take: a webinar on handling grief. My only response was, “What’s a webinar?”

[It’s a seminar online that lets participants see and hear the presenter(s) as they answer interview questions or conduct discussions. By way of the internet, listeners interested in the topic can participate live, if they wish.]

Not only is this foreign to me, it’s scary. My contact assured me I didn’t need to be an expert on grief in general, just on my own grief experience. The goal will be to encourage people who are struggling with sorrow, letting them know they’ll be able to move forward again one day with fresh joy in their lives.

Of course that purpose is valuable, just like Nelson’s teaching is, but for both of us these new challenges are intimidating. It would be easier to dwell in a “comfort zone” and stick with that as the ongoing status quo. Learning new skills and conquering feelings of inadequacy can really take it out of a person.

But as Nelson and I talked this morning, the bottom line always has to be, “What does God want us to do?” If any request comes because he sent it, a “yes” is the only good answer. We ought to acknowledge our own shortfalls and then quickly melt into his capability, knowing that’s the only way these challenging tasks can ever get done well.

Maybe that’s the reason God asks us to do hard things in the first place. He isn’t about setting us in places of comfort or ease but prefers we stretch and grow, not as much for our own benefit as for someone else’s. There’s another possibility, too. The current “new thing” he asks us to do may simply be his chosen way to lead us on to something else, i.e. Step A toward his Step B.

Or C.  Or D.  Such a thought is unnerving.

Last dinner together for a whileBut Nelson said yes, and I did too, so we’re both off and running….  straight to God.

“Be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)