Trust

In a few weeks, my family and I will be taking in my two nephews and niece

for a period of about eight months.

We will be going from a family of four to a family of seven (!) in the time it takes

for these little bundles of joy to walk through our door.

(smile)

I will refrain from going into all the details here,

but I will say that we are so very excited

about this upcoming change in our family dynamics.

Last evening, I was sharing with my girlfriends that at times,

if I really think about all the things that are going to change,

all the things that will be asked of me,

I can find myself feeling a bit overwhelmed.

But last night, after returning home,

I remembered my devotional that I had read just that morning.

(Can you guess what book it's from?)

*smile*

Yes - Charles Spurgeon's "Morning by Morning and Evening by Evening".

As I thought over the words I had read,

I found myself asking (yet again)

why it is that I could so easily feel overwhelmed by the coming changes.

As God leads us to this new place in our lives, I do know this...

HE WILL NOT EVER, EVER LEAVE US.

It is a weak faith (mine) that wonders if it will all be ok -

that wonders if it's going to be too much-

that dares to questions God's will.

Here are the words that I read in the few quiet moments of yesterday morning

and they challenge me to my core...

"And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul."

1 Samuel 27:1

The thought of David's heart at this time was a false thought,

because he certainly had no ground for thinking that God's anointing him by Samuel

was intended to be left as an empty unmeaning act.

On no one occasion had the Lord deserted his servant;

he had been placed in perilous positions very often,

but not one instance had occurred in which divine interposition had not delivered him.

The trials to which he had been exposed had been varied;

they had not assumed one form only, but many-

yet in every case he who sent the trial had also graciously ordained a way of escape.

David could not put his finger upon any entry in his diary,

and say of it, "Here is evidence that theLord will forsake me,"

for the entire tenor of his past life proved the very reverse.

He should have argued from what God had done for him,

that God would be his defender still.

But is it not just in the same way that we doubt God's help?

Is it not mistrust without a cause?

Have we ever had the shadow of a reason to doubt our Father's goodness?

Have not his lovingkindnesses been marvellous?

Has he once failed to justify our trust?

Ah, no! our God has not left us at any time.

We have had dark nights, but the star of love has shone forth amid the blackness;

we have been in stern conflicts, but over our head

he has held aloft the shield of our defence.
We have gone through many trials,

but never to our detriment, always to our advantage;

and the conclusion from our past experience is,

that he who has been with us in six troubles, will not forsake us in the seventh.

What we have known of our faithful God, proves that he will keep us to the end.

Let us not, then, reason contrary to evidence.

How can we ever be so ungenerous as to doubt our God?

Lord, throw down the Jezebel of our unbelief, and let the dogs devour it.

...

His last statement is a powerful one and I am convicted of my own doubting spirit.

I am more like Thomas than I'd like to admit...

Lord, strengthen me - such a feeble one, I am.

Help me never to doubt that You will see us through.

Yes, there will be difficult days, but with You at the helm,

my ship of this mothering life need never be lost.

You who can calm any sea,

who commands the winds and waves to obey,

You will see me through.

And so I rest in the palm of your hands.

I lay down my burden of doubt and care at your feet...

And leave it there.

~You are my Jehovah Jireh~