Unlikely Prospects

Failure is real!

My failure to love God and the people around me gets me so down sometimes. That is when I wonder: Does God still want to use someone like me -- a people pleaser, a glory hog?

Aaron, Moses' brother, must have felt the same way:
What use could God have for a man who, in his eagerness to please people, turned all of Israel away from God by fashioning an idol for them to worship?

What use could God have for a man whose own appearances were so important to him that he covered up his guilt with a blatant lie?

What use could God have for a man who sought his own glory, striving for a leadership position not meant for him?

To me, Aaron would be the most unlikely candidate to be chosen by God as high priest.
Why would God want him?
Why would God want me?

God's eyes of grace see differently. Aaron' life teaches me about a God who does not let go and who does not see any sin as unredeemable. God chooses us in spite of our failure.

What a gracious and compassionate God we have, who calls unlikely prospects into his service!

Conclusion (The Father's Blessing)

What a wonderful journey to the Father's blessing this has been! We have learned the value God our Father bestows upon us and the acceptance we experience in Him. We have been called out to deeper waters in learning to grant and accept forgiveness. We have been blessed to realize the impact of God's presence in our lives and His provision for us. Our heavenly Father is faithful; He will never abandon us.

Our questions of – "Am I loved? Am I good enough? Am I liked? Will I fulfill the purpose for my life?" – have all been answered with a resounding "YES!!!"

What should our response be? We need look no further than our original Bible passage:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." (Eph. 1:3-14)

·       Circle any phrase in Ephesians 1:3-14 which shows why God the Father has blessed us.

The blessings God has bestowed are "to the praise of His glory" and "to the praise of His glorious grace.” In blessing us, God the Father is true to His own nature as He acts "according to His purpose." Let us act according to the purpose for which He has made us by praising our Father for His good gifts and by walking in them.

·     Look back over each week of this study and summarize what you have learned.

Week 1:                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                            

Week 2:                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                            

Week 3:                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                            

­­Week 4:                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                             

Week 5:                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                             

Week 6:                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                              

·       How do you want this to impact your future? Write a prayer below, asking your heavenly Father to help you walk in the truth you have learned.

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

"Blessed be the God... who has blessed us." (Eph. 1:3)

I will always be there for you! (Week 6, Day 5)

God the Father's faithfulness towards us knows no limit. It transcends our time on earth making us look forward to a time of unbroken communion with Him. He proves this by giving us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee for what is yet to come. Do you find it hard to imagine what heaven will be like? I do too – and we are in good company.

·       According to 1 Corinthians 2:9, who can imagine what heaven is like?

                                                                                                                   

One thing that helps my limited mind is to think of a baby in its mother's womb. There is so much that awaits her: the fragrance of flowers, the colors of the rainbow, the embrace of her father and the feeling of freedom when running across an open field. But the baby cannot imagine anything better than the warmth and comfort of the dark womb. Compared to heaven, it is as if we were living in our mother's womb right now. We cannot fathom what awaits us and we dread having to go through death in order to see God, the light that never dims. Sometimes we even worry that God will confront us with all our sins when we get to heaven.

·       According to Hebrews 8:12, how does God view our sins?

                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                         

When we arrive in heaven there will be rejoicing, not condemnation.

·      Look up the following verses and write a prayer of thankfulness for all that He has prepared for you: Revelation 21:3-7, Revelation 22:1-5.

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

He is faithful - He will do it!

I will never send you away! (Week 6, Day 4)

When living in Uzbekistan, I occasionally saw women dressed in their traditional garb. I could not understand why they would wear so many layers of clothing and so much fine jewelry in the desert heat. It was explained to me that, according to Uzbek custom, a husband was free to send his wife away without notice. This insecurity led wives to carry around their greatest possessions on their bodies at all times. In the same way, I used to burden myself with the fear that others around me or God Himself would send me away. How could I be sure? After all, my father had sent me away at age 16. It is normal to project our experiences with our fathers onto our expectations of other people or of God. We must unlearn that fear by holding on to the truth.

·       Read God's promises in John 6:37 and Isaiah 49:16a and write a prayer in response.

                                                                                                            

                                                                                                             

                                                                                                             

                                                                                                             

                                                                                                             

I will never abandon you! (Week 6, Day 3)

I was three when my dad moved out. He took "Ringelnatz" the cat, but often left me waiting in vain when visitation weekend rolled around. I wondered what was wrong with me. "Deep down inside me there is something hideous," I concluded, "that makes my father not want to be around me." I really started believing the cat was more valuable than I and started keeping people at arm’s length, fearing that they could get to know me well – well enough to realize that deep down inside me I had a secret hidden flaw that would appall them. I had translated my father's abandonment as "Something must be wrong with me". Only when I learned that God the Father, who knows my innermost being, is not appalled by what He sees and will never leave, was I set free from this false thinking.

·       Read the following promises and write your response to God your Father:     Deuteronomy 31:6, Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:6.

                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                    

My plans never change (Week 6, Day 2)

"Kerstin, you would not pass for a blind person in a million years!" said my friend, Christopher. In spite of his blindness, he was determined to live a normal life. He attended regular high school, went swimming with us in the lakes around Berlin, and played the piano in a jazz-band. Christopher adapted amazingly, but his steps were uncertain because he always walked in complete darkness. The day I borrowed his cane and confidently walked down the sidewalk with my eyes tightly shut, he heard by the speed of my steps that I knew where I was going. I had seen the path only seconds earlier – an advantage my blind friend didn’t have.

As believers, we sometimes feel as if we are walking in darkness. We don't understand what God is doing and he feels far from us. I am not talking about a separation caused by sin, but a feeling of distance from God, sometimes resulting from a traumatic experience, exhaustion, or even without an obvious cause. God wants to use this time to mature us in our faith. We are given the choice to either grope around uncertainly in the darkness, believing the lie that there is no hope and that God does not care, or we can cling to God by standing on His unchanging truth.

·       Below are some verses, which are helpful to remember in this situation. Look them up and write the one that is most meaningful to you in the space below :
Nahum 1:7, Malachi 3:6, Isaiah 58:11a, Jeremiah 29:11, Job 42:2.

                                                                                                              

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This is where our walk can be different from that of someone who does not know the Lord because, in spite of the darkness, we have a clear picture of who God is and what His plans are for us. Our feelings may change, but our God does not. Let us not be mistaken for a blind person in a million years!

"Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God." (Is. 50:10b)

·       Which specific truths do you want to remember in times of darkness?

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I will keep my promise! (Week 6, Day 1)

The Father sealed us with the Holy Spirit, which is proof that we are believers. By putting the Holy Spirit in us, God our Father has given us a guarantee that He will keep His promises. The Holy Spirit demonstrates He is at work in us through the spiritual gifts He gives us (1 Cor. 12:1-11), and through seeing Him grow the fruit of the Spirit in us (Gal 5:22). This is a tangible way for us to recognize the seal God has placed upon us.

·       What are two names that the Holy Spirit goes by according to Romans 8:15 and John 16:13?

                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                         

The Holy Spirit’s role is to reveal the truth of God's Father-heart towards us. He wants us to enter into the tenderness of God's heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you about God the Father, to teach you the truth that God loves you as much as He loves Jesus and that you are His favorite. Write your prayer below.

                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                           

The Blessing of Stability (Week 6 Intro)

"In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory." (Eph 1:13-14)

The Father's faithfulness to us is especially hard to comprehend for those of us who did not grow up in a stable home. The staggering statistics reveal an increasing number of children whose fathers are absent. It becomes all the more important, then, to know that God our Father keeps His promises and that His plans never change. He is speaking to you when He says, "I will never abandon you! I will never send you away! I will always be there for you!"

You are talented (Week 5, Day 5)

"What is your talent?" Sarah Beth asked, notebook at the ready. Tonight Camp Joy was holding its talent show and each special needs camper was expected to participate. What struck me about Sarah Beth's question was her conviction that each camper, no matter how handicapped, had a God-given talent to share. One camper sang "Jesus Loves Me," while another's talent was to rock in a rocking chair. My personal favorite was the camper who decided to pick flowers from the hotel's landscaping. His talent was to let everyone smell them. Their joy in being who God had made them to be was so contagious, and each camper received great applause. 

The Bible makes it clear that everyone has at least one talent (Matt 25:13-40).

·       How would you answer if someone asked you what your talents are? If you are unsure, ask someone who knows you well.

                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                       

·       Where do these abilities come from? (John 3:27)

                                                                                                                        

·       Why do we have these talents? (See week 5 Day 4)

                                                                                                                        

·       How will you use your talent(s) for His glory?

                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                         

"Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1 ESV)

You will do well in life! (Week 5, Day 4)

This morning at 6:30,  David, my 5-year-old, was already thinking up a storm. While playfully moving his toy animal along his mug of hot chocolate, he threw me a tough one: "Why did God make dinosaurs that are so big and dangerous?" Trying to squeeze God's creativity, might, sovereignty and  wisdom into a child's vocabulary, I suddenly realized that David knew the answer already. Remembering last night's catechism practice, I asked him, "Why did God make you and all things?" A wide smile spread over David's face as he replied: "For His own glory!" Yes, often the simple answers are the most satisfactory. David's reply not only helped him understand the world around him, it is also having a great impact on my day. Everything I look at, God created for His own glory. We will we be able to receive the blessing we long to hear, namely: "You will do well in life!", only when we realize that our purpose is to bring God glory.

On a recent trip to town, my 8-year-old daughter, Toria, sat beside me, happily drawing a picture. Her silence was interspersed with questions about heaven, the theme of her art work: "Mom, are there castles in heaven? How about dogs? Will we share things?"
That last question caught me off guard. Of course, in heaven, we can share smiles, songs and stories of what God has done, but the kind of sacrificial love, demonstrated through giving to the point of suffering loss, will be impossible in a place where there is no want. Only here on earth can we forgo sleep to take care of a sick child, or food to see someone else filled, or warmth by giving our jacket to provide someone else comfort.

Christ has demonstrated this love to us by leaving the glory of heaven to live a life of poverty and suffering. He demonstrated it even more by giving His life to save ours. We could not understand even a glimpse of this kind of love if we had we been born in a perfect world. Only here do we have the privilege of following in His steps, giving sacrificially as an act of worship to Him.

·       What is your calling according to Romans 12:1?

                                                                                                                  

·       Over the coming week, write how you put this into practice.

                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                   

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You can be courageous! Week 5, Day 3)

Paul, my 12-year-old, seems naturally courageous. He is athletic, handsome, intelligent – and fearless. I am not. I was the kid who hid under her mom's skirt when anyone approached, stranger or not. I would miss out on a lot of things because I was too timid to speak up. It might surprise you, then, to learn that my son's popularity is very concerning to me. His success in whatever he does could cause him to miss out on what really matters. Being oblivious of his own weaknesses will keep him from recognizing what God has prepared for him. Even when it didn’t feel pleasant at the time, I am grateful to God for guiding me to places of struggle and allowing me to be broken over 

                                                                                                                 

my own sinfulness,
my human frailty,
my lack of wisdom,
my past losses and hurts,
my present hardships, and
my worries about the future.

Brokenness is one of God’s most powerful tools. He uses our struggles to teach us that we can do nothing without Him (John 15:5), but all things through Him (Phil 4:13). He provides strength for the weary (Isaiah 40:31) and comfort for those who mourn (2 Cor. 1:4). When we reach the end of ourselves, we can hear the Lord whisper in our ears: "Be strong and courageous" (Deut. 31:6). This is not just an empty command. The Father enables us to do what He has called us to (Phil 2:13). Knowing our brokenness and bringing our broken hearts to God opens the door to finding strength in Him. True courage originates where we realize that His grace is sufficient for us. "For His power is made perfect in our weakness. That is why I am content in weakness,… For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor. 12:9+10).

·       2 Corinthians 2:3 and Psalm 34:18 describe God's heart towards the hurting. Read these passages and describe His character.

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                       

·       Which of the points of struggle mentioned in today's devotion are areas of weakness for you right now?

                                                                                                          

                                                                                                          

·       God the Father wants to use these things to teach you to depend on Him. He wants to make you courageous. Use the space below to write a prayer to the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort to make His power perfect in your weakness.

                                                                                                            

                                                                                                            

                                                                                                            

                                                                                                            

                                                                                                            

I care for you completely (Week 5, Day 2)

After graduating from high school, I felt called to spend a year in Uzbekistan. All summer long I worked as a nanny in order to purchase my plane ticket. The next hurdle was coming up with the funds I needed for living expenses. I had never heard of the concept of support-raising. The day before my departure, I was still penniless. This was a Sunday. On my way to church, I poured my heart out to the Lord: "Father, you know that I am supposed to have $75 for each month in Uzbekistan. You have brought me this far; please show me where to get $900." After the service I positioned myself at the exit in order to say goodbye to my beloved church family. As they filed past to give me hugs, many also unexpectedly pressed money into my hands. This body of believers truly sought to support me in any way they could. Not until I was back in my apartment did I count all that I had received. It was exactly $900! God came through in the last minute. I understood that God had made me wait in order to teach me to trust Him. From this, I jumped to the conclusion that God always waits until the last moment to answer prayers.

Fast forward six years. By then I was living in Aberdeen, Scotland, and was preparing to fly home to Germany. This time I didn’t lack money, but my passport, which was held up by the British Immigration Center in London. I was so sure of my "Last-Minute-God" that it came as a complete shock when my passport did not arrive until four weeks after the scheduled departure date. "What is up with that?" I questioned God in confusion, while having to buy a whole new ticket. "Why did You not come through this time?"

A month late, according to my schedule, I finally arrived in Berlin on the exact day that my grandmother passed away. God had planned this all along so I could be there for my mother when she really needed me. I learned that God is not a "Last-Minute-God," but He has his own time schedule and He does things at just the right time.

·       What did God do at just the right time according to Galatians 4:4?

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·       Our Father God goes way beyond meeting our needs. He is so generous! What does He want to give us according to Romans 8:32?

                                                                                                         

As I am writing these lines, my oldest kids are at camp. I had so much fun putting together little care packages for them. Not because they needed anything, but just because...   If we who are sinful are like this, how much more does God want to show his generosity towards us?

·       Read Matthew 7:9-11. Look for specific ways in which God shows His kindness towards you. List them below and thank Him for them.

                                                                                                           

                                                                                                            

                                                                                                            

                                                                                                            

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I want you to share in everything I own. (Week 5, Day 1)

When life gets the best of me, my first response is to find solace in a chocolate bar. And oh, the desolation when supplies run low! I sometimes rummage through the entire house hoping to find a forgotten morsel. How silly and senseless of me to seek comfort in food, rather than in Christ! During the past month, I have chosen to forgo chocolate in hopes of learning to run to Jesus when times get tough. It has not been easy to change old habits, but it has helped me to realize that I am only skimming the surface of what Jesus really desires me to surrender.

·       Read Matthew 13:44-47. What does God expect us to give up for the sake of receiving God's kingdom?

                                                                                                                      

One thing must be clear: when God wants us to give up everything, he is neither greedy for our possessions, nor does He desire us to suffer want. On the contrary! He wants what is best for us and He is able to fulfill His promises. Therefore Jesus is asking:

Will you abandon your striving to earn God's favor
so that I can shower you with loving-kindness and compassion?

Will you stop wrapping yourself in unforgiveness, bitterness and vengeful thoughts
so that I can enable you to love Me and others through experiencing My forgiveness and love?

Will you give up your desire to make a name for yourself
so that you may experience the beauty of following the plans and talents I have prepared for you?

Will you choose not to concern yourself with pleasing others
so that you may know the comfort of belonging to the One who desires you?

Will you cease to be anxious about your daily needs
so that you may know the peace which comes from trusting in My provision?

Will you submit to My will in your marriage
so that I may show you the riches of My counsel?

Will you surrender your control over your children
so that you may rest in the assurance that I love them even more than you do and am able to do far more than you could ask or imagine?

Jesus knows that the things we hold so dear are just emptiness and filth, and yet we grasp them so tightly. He wants us to loosen our grip on our false wealth so that we may embrace Him instead. The only true treasures come from Him. It is up to us to surrender our ashes for the beauty Christ has for us.
And that is so much better than chocolate!

·       What are specific things that God is asking you to lay down in order to experience His kingdom in your life? Write down a prayer of surrender.

                                                                                                        

                                                                                                         

                                                                                                         

                                                                                                         

                                                                                                         

The Blessing of Provision (Week 5 Intro)

"In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory." (Eph. 1:11-12)

Sometimes it is hard for us to believe that our Heavenly Father wants to take care of us completely. He challenges us to look at the flowers in their beautiful attire and at the birds with their worry-free nature (Matt. 6:26-32). Instead of worrying about life, God wants us to look to Him for everything we need. This week, hear the Father's blessing as He speaks over you: "I want you to share in everything I own! I care for you completely! You can be courageous! You will do well in life! You are talented!" 

Your thoughts are important to me! (Week 4, Day 5)

Have you ever heard a sermon on Job? If so, it was probably an exhortation to emulate Job's submissive and worshipful attitude in the midst of loss and suffering. While Job's initial response to his catastrophic experiences is honorable and praiseworthy, if this were all we could glean from this Old Testament book, reading chapter one would completely suffice, rendering the following 41 chapters superfluous. In doing so we would miss the raw emotions Job experiences throughout the rest of the book. He feels angry at God and he unashamedly approaches God with his accusations. 

Job feels like God has made him His mark (7:20), firing arrows through him (6:4) hitting him with a rod (9:34) and throwing him into the mud (Job 30:14). He accuses God of contending against him (10:2), oppressing and despising him (10:3), and destroying all his hope (14:19). Job even has the gall to call God his accuser (9:15), a title usually reserved for Satan. Doesn't it then seem surprising that, in God's eyes, Job never sinned in what he said (42:7-9)?

After Ani's death, I felt angry at God for taking my precious daughter. I thought I was wrong for feeling this way and my perceived guilt kept me from approaching God. When I could stand this tension no longer, I confided in a professional grief counselor who explained to me that only once in his entire career had he encountered a grieving parent who did not have feelings of anger towards God. While it was a comfort to me that I was not alone in this dilemma, I wondered what kind of spiritual saint this one parent must have been. I was totally surprised as my counselor provided the eye-opening reason she wasn’t angry at God: She was an atheist. She couldn’t possibly accuse a God she didn’t believe in.

In understanding that anger toward God is a natural response, and in reading the book of Job, I learned once again that God is much bigger than I had thought. God is not weak. He is not afraid that His name will be marred by our negative thoughts or emotions towards Him. We are permitted to come to Him and bring our complaints. He allows us to beat against His chest and scream in rage. He can take it! Moreover, He already knows how we feel and what we are thinking. He does not reject us but desires to gather us in His arms and show us that He is for us and with us, even when we do not understand, even if we are angry at Him.

This made me fall in love with the God of Job. If we skip over Job's painfully raw emotions towards God, we miss knowing that it is okay to be absolutely real with Him. God is greater, even greater than our emotions.

·       Read 1 John 3:30 and write your honest feelings to God.

                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                   

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