We all have had times in our lives when we needed someone to stand up for us, to help us fight our battles or maybe even fight them for us. It could have been your older brother or sister who was a senior in high school when you were a freshman and defended you against the bullies that walked the halls of your school. How about the best athlete in the neighborhood who always picked you to be on his baseball team when everyone else overlooked you. Maybe it was a teacher, a coach, a parent, or even an organization. Regardless of who it was, there came a day when that person was no longer able to stand up for you. Your older sibling went off to college. That neighbor moved away.

Life’s battles never end. We all need other people to help us through life, and that is especially true when we face difficult situations. Maybe these days your battles are not with people, but rather with what life has thrown your way. As much help as people are to us, our ultimate source of help comes only from God. Other people can be a great source of help to us, and often are, but in the end, we are called to put our trust and faith in God and God alone. He always fights for us.

A story in the Old Testament very beautifully paints this picture of God fighting for us. In Exodus 14, the Israelites were running away from Pharaoh and the Egyptians who wanted to kill them. The Israelites were trapped. In front of them was the Red Sea, on both sides were mountains, and chasing them was an angry mob. The Israelites were backed into a corner, they had no place to turn, and no one to stand up to fight for them. They complained to their leader Moses and even lamented to him that it would have been better for them to stay slaves to the Egyptians than to die in the desert.

We pick up the story in Exodus 14:13 – “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.’”

That announcement must have been very comforting news to the Israelites, but likely they still wondered how anything good could come of the situation. To their way of thinking, options were limited. Who was going to fight for them?

Sometimes God simply calls us to rest, to wait on Him. In fear, the Israelites might have retreated, running right back into the arms of danger. Despair could have caused them to surrender. If they had been impatient, they likely would have acted impulsively, possibly causing them to enter the water before it was divided. Yet here we see God simply telling them stand firm, be silent, hold their peace, until He revealed His plan, that good and perfect plan. Have you ever been in that uncomfortable spot?

You know the rest of the story … the Red Sea parted so the Israelites could cross it safely (14:21-22, 29), and but with the Egyptians in hot pursuit, the Lord then caused the waters to return, flooding over them and killing them all (23-28).

Maybe today, you face a battle that you are trying to fight alone, and with every passing day you feel closer to surrendering. In v.14, Moses told the Israelites – “The LORD will fight for you, and you need only to be silent [hold your peace].” I believe those words to be true today as well.

So, right now, give your battles to God, trust in Him, stand confident, and let Him fight with you and for you!

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Think of a time in your life when you were in the right place at the right time, or maybe the wrong place at the wrong time. Imagine that you are an understudy in your school’s musical while playing a small non-speaking role, sort of lost in the ensemble. Suddenly, the day before the opening night, the lead actor comes down with laryngitis, and you step in and “steal the show.” It could be that years later, you reflect upon that “perfect timing” moment as the launching pad for a career in theater that has taken you places you never imagined going.

Last month Robyn and I were sitting out on our back patio enjoying a glass of wine when a brief evening rain shower occurred. Just as we looked toward the front of our house, we saw a full double rainbow. I took what I believe to be a perfect timing picture.    

When we vacation at the beach, we get up most every morning to watch the sunrise. Every sunrise is beautiful in its own way, but sometimes the beauty is beyond words. One morning last week while in Virginia Beach, just as the sun was high enough to reflect off the ocean’s surface, a fishing vessel passed through the reflection. I took what I believe was a perfect timing picture.   

You have heard it said, maybe even seen it in your own life, that timing is everything. And sometimes that timing works to our advantage, while other times, to our detriment. God’s timing, on the other hand, always works out best for us. In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, as Abraham and Sarah waited and waited for God to fulfill His promise of a child, they most likely had doubts about God’s promise to them. We read in Genesis 18:13-14 these words – “Then the LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

A few chapters later we read – “Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he has promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God has promised.” (21:1-2)

Notice the key words in that passage – “at the very time God has promised.” God’s timing is perfect, but we must learn to wait for His timing and trust that He will do things “at the very time” He promises.

Despite Abraham making a few missteps along the way, and at times doubting God’s timing and promise, God kept His promise and blessed Abraham with a son from whom the lineage of Jesus would come. The certainty of God’s promises are made clear to us in Hebrews 6:13-15, When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater than him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. 

So, today, do you, or maybe better asked, will you seek God’s way and wait for His timing? His timing is always perfect!

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On the anniversary of what is arguably the darkest day in our country’s history, twenty years after that dreadful day, the culture in which we live continues to be a steady stream of negative, tending to suck the life right out of us. Any good news is often like the sun as it rises in the morning, hidden behind the trees and its beauty lessened in the mist.

Does your soul feel dry? If you are like me, when I find myself parched, it is sometimes hard for me to experience the closeness of God. Are you having a hard time feeling the presence of God? Has it been weeks, months, maybe even years, since you experienced God’s sweet intimacy?

Psalm 13 is a short six verse lament in which the psalmist (David) feels forgotten.

v.1 – How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

2 – How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 – Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

4 – and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 – But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 – I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.

The first two verses reveal what David sees as the problem. Do you see the depth of David’s despair? Four times in these two verses he cries out “How long?” Maybe right now you find yourself crying out, “How long God must this go on!”

In v.3, David petitions God. Look what he says – “look on me and answer” and “give light to my eyes.” Can you hear the urgency in David’s voice? Maybe you have that same urgency today.

V.4 has David praying for victory. If losing wasn’t bad enough, the sting of hearing the victor boast after the victory was almost too much to bear. One of the hallmarks of David’s psalms is his awareness of both God and the enemy.

We see in v.5, despite his agony, David declares God’s mercy. Even if he can rejoice in nothing else, here we see David rejoicing in God’s salvation, just possibly in that moment the only solid ground David is standing on.  What are you rejoicing in today?

David began this psalm by pleading and in v.6 we see a huge transition. David’s pleading changes to praise! In the midst of David crying out to God, David’s eyes were enlightened, and he moved from a place of woe is me to a place of praise, from a place of despair to a place of declaration!

So, today, amid whatever it is that you are facing (and we all are facing something!), will you allow yourself to sing Yahweh’s praise because He has been good to you?

I will end with these words from the hymn “Approach, My Soul, the Mercy Seat” (written by John Newton). Allow God to speak to you in these words – “Poor tempest-tossed soul, be still, my promised grace receive; ’tis Jesus speaks; I must, I will, I can, I do believe.”

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Today, as we celebrate Labor Day, do you know its history and meaning? According to the U.S. Department of Labor website, “Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is the creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”  

There is debate as to whether Peter McGuire, cofounder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) or Matthew Maguire, who was secretary of the Central Labor Union of New York, first proposed this holiday to celebrate the labor force. Again, according to U.S. DOL, the form of the celebration was to be a street parade followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of workers and their families. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on September 5, 1882. Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day a state holiday and in 1894 President Grover Cleveland made it a national holiday.

Here is a little known bit of information – In 1909, the AFL designated the Sunday preceding Labor Day to be Labor Sunday, a day “dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.” It was meant to be a day for churches to pray for workers and to raise congregations’ awareness of issues of injustice surrounding workers’ rights and wages.

Now that you know the history and meaning of Labor Day, let me shift gears and focus on a verse found in John Chapter 6 – “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval” (v.27).

First, let me say what this verse does not mean. It is not saying that you are not to work hard to earn a living for you and our family. This is not a verse advocating laziness or sloth. In fact, in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 the apostle Paul says this, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

Then what exactly is the verse telling us? What it does say is that you are not to focus upon your ability to work for anything more than meeting your “earthly” needs, because your job (or your ability to earn a living) can be gone in the blink of an eye; it can “spoil.” Jesus is telling us that we are to put our faith and trust in Him for meeting all our needs, including our ability to work and earn a living. Later on in that same section of scripture Jesus says this, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35).” To read this story in its context, I encourage you to take a few minutes and read John 6:25-59.     

So, this Labor Day, as you celebrate the social and economic achievements of the American workforce, remember this – take a break from your hard work, celebrate your success and accomplishments, and most of all, rely on Jesus for your strength, prosperity, and well-being.

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Note from Dave: I will be taking a short break from writing as I step away to rest, relax, and recharge. Thank you for reading my blog posts. See you soon.

Have you ever witnessed a thunderstorm over the ocean? We enjoy spending time at the beach. And when we go for any extended period of time, we usually stay in an oceanfront hotel. When at the beach we hope for sunny days to relax in the sun, sand, and surf. But also, there is something fascinating about seeing lightning out over the water as the wind blows across the ocean and the ominous clouds pelt the sand and sea with rain, especially those storms that occur at night.

Experiencing a thunderstorm from the safety of a hotel balcony is one thing, but to be out in the water during that storm, not the place you want to be. It would be very dangerous, maybe even life threatening. The waves would be rough, the winds fierce, the skies dark, the rain heavy, the saltwater stinking your eyes.

Maybe right now you find yourself in the midst of a storm. It could be you are facing a serious health issue. Your finances are a disaster. Your marriage is on the rocks. You have aging parents that need constant looking after. The continuing pandemic, the upcoming election, the uptick in racial discord, all things that as you look out over them, cause the seas to look stormy. You are fearful that the storm is (or could be) too big for you to handle alone. You feel as if the water is rising quickly and it will soon be over your head. The good news is that you are not alone!

Amidst that storm I want to offer a bit of hope. Scripture tells us that regardless of whether the storm you are facing was forecasted or it came as a total surprise, one thing remains – Jesus is with you and is your anchor in the storm. Jesus calls us to have faith in Him, to put our complete trust in Him. He is able to keep you steadfast despite the turbulence of the storm, He is your mooring in the changing tides of life. 

Hebrews 6:19-20 declares this promise – “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

Those verses say two things. First, like an anchor holds a ship from drifting away, your hope found in Jesus keeps you safe, He is a steadying anchor in the whole of life. And second, the inner sanctuary language takes us back to the tabernacle in the Old Testament, where a curtain separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place; that very place where God resided, but the people were not allowed to enter it; only the high priest was allowed to enter on behalf of the people. When Jesus died on the cross that curtain was torn in two (see Matthew 27:51) giving us personal access to God, no longer needing someone to enter on our behalf.

So, today if you have not yet put your trust in Jesus, pray and ask Him into your heart and accept all that He has for you. If you are already a follower of Jesus but find it hard to calm your inner soul, then right now pray and ask Jesus for a peace that passes all understanding, a peace that is stronger than the storm, a peace anchored in Him.

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I once worked for a company where the owner changed the rules as often as the ocean tides. What was expected yesterday was often very different from what was required today. We needed a staff meeting every morning just to give that day’s marching orders. And as the manager charged with carrying out those marching orders I found that challenging, confusing, and exhausting. 

We all know people who have said they did this or that in their past only to find out that either they have clouded memories or they simply did not tell the truth. I have done a lot of hiring and what some people put on, or left off, their resumes bears witness to that sad reality. Right now in this country, we are facing a crisis in truth and facts, one that is creating deep mistrust in both people and institutions. Sadly, for many, the answer to “How do you know if he or she is lying?” is simply “When their lips are moving.”           

Not only are people’s words often false, at times, their actions do not align with what they speak. While in ministry school, the director of the school pounded into us the need to avoid compromising situations, yet about a decade later, he resigned due to sexual impropriety. Several years ago, a well-known pastor of one of America’s largest and best-known megachurches got caught up in a scandal, forcing him to retire early. While he spoke publicly of integrity, what he walked out appears to be full of inappropriate attitudes and behavior. Seemingly not a day goes by where we hear of someone who says one thing but does another.

I think you will agree that these days it has become very difficult to find and know real truth. Our culture says that everything is relative and what is true for one might not be true for someone else. And what is truth anyway?

Because there is so much deception in the world, it gets harder and harder to trust anyone. We need to know where we can go to find truth. We need to have a place to go to make sense of the world around us. That place is God; His character is trustworthy. God does what He says He will do, every single time! David prays a prayer of thanksgiving in which he praises God for being faithful and trustworthy. In 2 Samuel 7:21 we read this, “Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.”    

In Psalm 119:160 we read this, “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”

And God desires to lead us in truth as well. Psalm 25:4-5 tells us, “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior.”

So, today, in a culture filled with lies and deception, and competing views of what is true, ask God to reveal His truth to you by becoming grounded in Scripture, and as Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

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