If The Story isn’t Good, God’s Not Done Writing

If the story isn’t good, God’s not done writing.

That’s a phrase that surfaced at church yesterday. I thought about it throughout the day, wondering about circumstances where the story seemed to end NOT good.

The one that had me stumped was a friend who lost a child far too early…& that doesn’t seem good.

Maybe what matters is how we define, “good”?

Today I read about the Good News of how Jesus conquered death so that we might too. Long before Jesus is born in the stable, God promises to raise Him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave.

There’s nothing more good than knowing that there’s life after death, & even more good that Jesus guarantees anyone who believes in Him is made good with God, SO THAT we can spend eternity in the Presence of His goodness!!

When we are in the middle of a mess, hopelessness can settle on our spirits.

I can only imagine what the disciples feel when their Teacher, Friend & Messiah dies before their very eyes. I can’t say that I would’ve seen any good in it…

Kinda like watching a movie we’ve already seen, we all know how the story ends-that He conquers death & appears to them again!

But for the disciples? They walked through a murky middle moment probably pondering Jesus’s last words, “It is finished.”

What’s finished?

The story?

This is how it ends?

Those are all questions I would’ve asked. I’m sure they’re questions my friend & husband asked.

Yet, when I talk with her now, even though there’s a longing for her daughter, there’s also an inexplicable peace that comes from knowing sweet Maya is with her Messiah.

Loss is hard & most times doesn’t feel good.

I’m not sure what unfinished chapters you’re facing this morning, but may this post be a reminder that if it’s not good, He’s not finished writing. And sometimes? The good unfolds on the other side of heaven.

It might not feel good for us, but it is good because we know our loved ones who believed in Jesus as Savior, have been made good with God & are now with Him for eternity.

Father, You’re the Author of our lives & we trust You even when plot twists seem hopeless. Even though things might not feel good, You’re our Living Hope Who IS good & we trust Your timing with our story.

#OneYearBible

June 20th One Year Bible Readings

1 KINGS 22:1-53

ACTS 13:16-41

PSALM 138:1-8

PROVERBS 17:17-18

Is There Any Part of my Life that I Withhold like a Fraction from The Father?

Walking in a way worthy of the Lord is impossible apart FROM Him. If we desire His Presence, there’s a wholeness required that can only be attained by HIS holiness.

Psalm 15 begins by asking who may enter God’s holy Presence.

What follows is a list of qualities, all pointing to one thing: integrity. That word shares the same root as, “integer”, which is a whole number with no fractions.

Verse 2 tells us that those who lead blameless lives, do what’s right & speak truth with sincere hearts will stand firm forever.

One version says, “to walk uprightly”. “Walk” is often used to refer to life as a journey & “uprightly” means complete in all of its parts, not defective. Kinda like a whole number with no fractions or decimals! 😉

Heres where it gets tricky. When you read the list of what makes a person worthy to worship before God, there can be a temptation to 2 directions:

1) Determine within to keep promises, be kind, not gossip, etc. but that kind of determination only lasts as long as our resolve…

2) Continue in our partially godly life & stamp the word GRACE on the flagrant sin in which we continue to walk 

Neither are good options.

Walking, doing & speaking truth with sincere hearts requires a transformational encounter with the personhood of Truth!

When someone finally realizes their own propensity for sin & need for a Savior, something remarkable happens…the striving for wholeness ceases & the desire to hold a fractional part of ourselves from God fades!

We can’t fully enjoy the perfection of God when we choose imperfect lives (& “perfect” simply means whole!) So the question that surfaces is this:

Is there any part of my life that I’m withholding like a fraction from my Father?

When we let Him reveal the fractional part of our hearts, we can confess, repent & become whole through the salvation of the Holy One!

Father, reveal hidden parts in our hearts that restrain us from experiencing the wholeness of your Presence! The only way we can walk, act & talk in truth is by allowing Truth to have His Way! Jesus, Your alone are The Way to wholeness through Your holiness! Remind us of the much we’ve been forgiven so we might fully give You every part!

#OneYearBible

June 19th One Year Bible Readings

1 KINGS 20:1-21:29

ACTS 12:24-13:15

PSALM 137:1-9

PROVERBS 17:16

Don’t Let the White Noise of Hardship Drown Out The Still, Small Voice of God

Sometimes seeing doesn’t always solidify believing because hard circumstances have a tendency to speak WAY louder than God’s still small voice…& that can be hard.

That’s where I find the prophet Elijah this morning. He’s so distraught by Jezebel’s death threats that he sits under a tree & prays that he might die.😳

He doesn’t just want to be done with life, he PRAYS for it to happen! Jezebel’s threats fill his ears like white noise drowning out the voice of God.

God hears his desperate plea to die, but when He sends an angel, He doesn’t address Elijah’s prayer. He simply provides & tells him what’s next.

When Elijah arrives at the mountain of God, God asks him why he’s there. Elijah complains that even though he’s zealously served God, the Israelites have turned away & are now trying to kill him!

God seems to ignore the prophet’s complaint & tells Elijah to go stand before Him on the mountain.

As he does, the Lord passes by & then Elijah witnesses:

- a mighty windstorm that tore the rocks loose, but the Lord was not there

- then a terrible earthquake, but the Lord was not there

- & lastly, a fire, but again the Lord was not in the fire.

Ater the fire, however, something truly awesome happens. The Lord allows the wind, earthquake & fire, but He’s not IN them.

It was only in the still space AFTER the tumultuous events that Elijah hears the gentle whisper of the Lord.

The wreckage of the windstorm, earthquake & fire litter the scene before Elijah, but it’s in the middle of the mess that he hears the whisper of the Lord.

I heard a song today & it felt like a whisper from the Lord for hopeless moments like this. May the lyrics act like white noise, drowning out circumstances so you can tune your ears to the faithfulness of our Father:

I see you trying

Though you can't see me

And I know your thoughts

Before you even think

I heard every last prayer you prayed

Though I answered all the time

You just didn't hear my reply

And I know it's not easy, oh

Don't you give up on me

'Cause when the night's at its darkest

That's when the light hits the hardest

Don't you give up on me

You ain't seen what I promised

Child, we're just getting started…

~Your Father Who Sees You

#OneYearBible

June 18th One Year Bible Readings 1 KINGS 19:1-21 ACTS 12:1-23 PSALM 136:1-26 PROVERBS 17:14-15

P.S. The song is, “Don’t You Give up on Me” by Brandon Lake