The Battle is Not Done

Yesterday, being Father’s Day, I chose to sing “This is My Father’s World,” at Discovery Villages. This is not only one of my favorite hymns, but with war raging, both in the Middle East and Ukraine, it is easy for our hearts to become anxious. We close our eyes and imagine the bombs bringing down buildings. What was once only a distant possibility, has become a daily nightmare both in Israel as well as Iran. Along with military targets, innocent men, women and children are buried under rubble, others are fleeing for their lives, wounded and terrified. “Where is God in the midst of all of the chaos?” the world asks. That is when the assurance of the final stanza rings loudest, “Though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” This hymn rings true to our hearts, not only because of the poetic mastery of the hymn writer, but because it is a reflection of a deep truth of scripture.

Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

Now we may not all be in the middle of a warzone, but every believer has their own battles and battle scars to prove it. When we are in the middle of the worst, we need to remind ourselves that God has not fallen asleep at the wheel. No matter our situation, God remains firmly in control of both our lives as well as the affairs of earth. But we like children riding in the backseat, want to know, “When are we going to get there?” In my experience, God rarely tells us the answer. Instead, He helps us to learn how to trust Him, even when we don’t get filled in on all the details. Whatever you need to trust Him with today, why not take a moment to be still, and then pray, “God teach me to be still. In the middle of this battle and help me to trust you with every detail of my heart!”

Faith Opened the Door

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 ESV

Worry wrapped around my hands and caught my feet
Fears chased me through the town down every street
Until I found I had no place to hide
Though I looked still alive inside I died

For I had tried my best with all I could
Yet inside me I knew there was nothing good
And I wondered if there was some other way
Till in the quiet I began to pray

“God I know You’re there, but I can barely see
And I’m grateful for the grace You’ve given me.”
Then I saw in Christ His love just as He said 
And faith opened up the door and out fear fled!

Faith Opened the Door
By Peter Caligiuri
Copyright© 2023
All rights reserved

Photo by Harrison Haines on Pexels.com

“Jesus Tells Us to Be Brave”

Our area has been captivated recently by the story of Peyton, an eight-year-old girl, who went out to compete alone in a cheerleading competition, because the rest of her team didn’t show up. I watched her performance and the interview with her, while she was sitting on her mom’s lap and was touched by her final statement, “Jesus tells us to be brave.” Many of us who are older Christians need to follow that advice. When I was a teenager, I remember my grandmother telling me, “Old age isn’t for sissies!” and I used to think it was cute or sweet, but now I know the truth. Growing older sometimes leaves us in positions where we feel just like Peyton. The family we grew up with, some of our neighbors and close friends are gone. The world we once knew has changed forever and we feel very – very alone. That is when I turn to one of my go-to verses, like Psalm 34 –

I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:4 ESV

That is when we need to remember that Jesus tells us to be brave. We are never alone. He hears us. He is with us. He promises to walk with us through the competition and to deliver us from ALL our fears. So whatever you are facing today, bring it to the Lord Jesus. Surely no one understands better than He what it means to be alone, misunderstood or abandoned. He loves us and has allowed us to face these things alone so that we can discover that He can deliver us and bring us through…. P.S. Peyton won first place!

See Peyton perform here