A Love That Never Quits

Recently I read that Psalm 136 is a compilation of God's great works and his unending love.  It is a piece of David's poetry that you turn to, to remind you of a love that never ends.  I knew this writing, and read it zillions of times - times when I really NEEDED to be reminded that He was actually there and cared about me.  So as I returned to this psalm, it was good...until I hit on something I seemed to have missed in past readings.

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.  His love endures forever."

The Message version says..."His love never quits."  

Forever....a very long time.  Never quits...pretty definite and to the point.

Get through verse 9 and all seems to fit pretty nicely.  Then you hit verse 10...

"to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, his love never quits."  Babies were being killed and his love was not quitting.

verse 15..."...he swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; his love never quits" A whole army of men with families destroyed; they were obeying orders and serving.

verse 17 & 18..."to him who struck down great kings...and killed mighty kings...his love never quits"    More death.

Why?  Where is this never ending love being shown?

Now, in the context of this history, the Pharaoh, his army and these kings being referred to were known to be against the purposes of God.  They were "struck down" and "swept away" to rescue the chosen people of God, the people of Israel.  So, historically and in the eyes of God's people, his love never quits.

But what do we do with this truth today?  Does God's love stay and never quit in the middle of our daily questions.  In the middle of our wars.  While we are waiting to be rescued in the middle of our suffering?

When babies are being killed.....His love never quits.

When there is needless suffering and people are being annihilated.....His love never quits.

And maybe closer to home...

a young baby or child dies ...... His love never quits.

a husband leaves because he just doesn't want to be married anymore, or worse, he leaves for another woman (or vice versa)..... His love never quits.

a husband or wife is diagnosed with a debilitating disease....His love never quits.

a loss of a loved one suddenly and unexpected...His love never quits.

a job loss and no end in sight to the financial devastation.... His love never quits.

a child turns his back on God ..... His love never quits.

we are betrayed or misunderstood by a friend ..... His love never quits.

we cannot seem to get past our addictions and live in victory ..... His love never quits.

abandoned by a father or mother, abused by a dad or mom, or family member.... His love never quits.

a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, or fire which takes everything you own on this earth....His love never quits.  (And I have experienced the fire which takes it all)


What do we do with "His love never quits" in our world and the messiness of lives today?

I don't have neatly wrapped up answers, but I do know I can look back over what He has done in my life and remember His goodness.  Whatever battle or suffering I (or we) may face, I can recount His goodness. Which is what they are doing in Psalm 136.  When I remember, recount and rehearse in my mind what God has already done, I am encouraged to move forward.  In my tears and anguish, I know He is loving me and will take care of me.  When I need courage, when I need to have Him wrap His arms around me and remind me He is there, as I praise Him for what He has already done, I know He is faithful to meet me in my need.

Just yesterday, I was praying to the Lord for our financial need.  We are back in the "missionary" phase of our life, not traditionally employed, and trusting God for His provision as we minister and go to the people He has called us to.  Full time given over to teaching and seeing healing come to the lives of those who have been wounded by fathers or the lack of them.  And we rely on God and those faithful to Him for our provision.  So I was praying.  I was recounting His goodness in the past. And there was a whole lot of goodness!!   I was praising Him and not forgetting all His benefits (Psalm 103:2).  But I was wondering how we would survive the summer.  And I was wanting to see "His love never quits".

Afterwards, I checked our emails and God showed up in the form of family and loved ones....letting us know some funds were on the way to bless the ministry.  We would make it through July!  God's love never quits!

Yes, life is messy and it hurts.  There is pain and there is loss.  But I KNOW that TODAY God is the same.  We need to remind ourselves of the past and His faithfulness.    Financial pain can hurt; loss of life or devastating illness to a loved one can mean unfathomable pain, but I know He will not let go of us.  Remind yourself.  I think that is partially why God kept telling the children of Israel to "write it all down" because we so easily forget.

In the facing forward, sometimes we have to look back...

"He remembers us in our low estate, His love never quits
and He frees us from our enemies.  His love never quits.
He gives food to every creature, His love never quits.
Give thanks to the God of heaven, His love never quits....it endures FOREVER.:  verse 23-26

For friends of mine whom I know are hurting....whatever road you or I are facing today, my heart to you is.....HIS LOVE NEVER QUITS.

photo:  National Geographic.com 

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Passionate Patience

To be passionate:  showing strong feelings or intense believe or emotion

To be patient:  to be able to wait without becoming annoyed or anxious

One word shows action....the other leads us to believe "inaction".  Or rather action without stress or anxiousness.

Can we be passionately patient?  I found this paraphrase of Romans 5:3-5 in The Message:

"There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us,  and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.  In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary - we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"

Verse 6 follows this up with..."Christ arrives right on time to make this happen."

Christ shows up right in the midst of our troubles...our battles.  He calls us to ENDURANCE.  Other translations reveal "suffering....producing perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, HOPE."  The end result is HOPE.

Bo Stern shares in her book "Beautiful Battlefields"  that endurance is not a gift, it is a developed skill.  It is what we learn on the battlefields of our life.  One battlefield is the groundwork for what lies ahead.  The seeds are planted, the lessons learned (if we endure and do not give up...although even when we give up, lessons are hopefully learned in the long run)....and we are prepared for the next battle.  Every battle becomes practice for the next one.

Bo also says "Endurance will inevitably be required to achieve anything of value.  That's why we should be thankful for our battlefields."

Today, there will be those of us in church, worshipping and enjoying our friends and family.  We might have smiles on our faces.  But how many of us/you are fighting a battle that only you, or a few know about?  Or maybe your battle is well known.  Having someone "hold up your hands" in the battle is a treasure that we absolutely must have to survive.  

Today, ask yourself a question "What is on the other side of this battlefield if I endure?  Will I grow and be better for it?"  Another quote from Bo, which reaches into the very depths of my heart, "Love led Jesus to the cross; obedience and endurance held Him there.  I am so grateful that He chose to stay, to outlast the suffering, to ENDURE it all for you and me."  Oh, how that touches me so deeply!

Passionate patience.....a developed skill that I so ardently desire in my life.  Alert expectancy.  Can I feel strongly in the waiting, without becoming annoyed or anxious, to reach the hope He promises.  The hope that does not put us to shame.  The battle where Christ arrives right on time and makes it happen.  I pray in the midst of whatever battle you may be facing, now or the one that is ahead, you will have passionate patience and joy will show up in the middle of the war.

Image from "Walking with Jesus Online"

note:  I highly recommend Beautiful Battlefields - a testimony of finding joy, peace and endurance in the middle of our battles. 

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Bo Stern's "Beautiful Battlefields" Book Giveaway :)

Sometimes we come across a Scripture that resonates so loudly within our being and we want to share it with the world.  This happened to me yesterday and I meditated on this tasty morsel throughout the day.  However, upon waking this lovely Saturday morning, settling in with my coffee and Bible, my heart urged me to share in another way by encouraging a friend I have met in the past.

Oh, but first, the Word...

"Test me and try me, examine my heart and mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness."  Psalm 26:2, 3

My family and I are in a testing time.  Going through a transition.  We've had numerous injuries the past couple of weeks due to the fun of snowboarding season:)  We are transitioning back into full-time missions, which we served in for over 20 years in our earlier years.  We are nearly empty nesters.  My husband has always been a man "who can do anything, fix anything, build anything".  My daughter wrote recently that she was so glad "her daddy could fix anything...because she can break anything :) "   Well, our bodies are aging and we are realizing we can't do physically what we once did when we were in our 20's (and this has nothing to do with snowboarding...it has to do with physical 10-hour a day labor).  With medical costs, lack of employment and the transition we are in, it is a testing time of great proportions.  However, the  Word continually feeds me.

I am always mindful of YOUR UNFAILING LOVE and have lived in RELIANCE on YOUR FAITHFULNESS!  

We are in a battle...we knew we would be the moment God spoke to our hearts....I am taking you back into missions to continue the calling I placed on you years ago.  The work slowed down (my husband is self-employed construction); the invitations came to go back to Russia and surrounding nations.  My husband teaches and speaks fluent Russian. The fields are ripe with harvest....and the enemy is prowling to see whom he can devour.  We began to draw our swords.....

About 4 years ago I attended our church's annual retreat. Bo Stern an incredible woman from Bend was our guest speaker.  I was waiting on God for a word to proceed with something I felt He had laid on my heart.  God spoke to me through His servant.  She was back the next year and again, He spoke volumes to my heart.  I was privileged to be able to learn, glean and be encouraged from her life. She was smack dab in the middle of her own battlefield.  And because of her battle, she gave life to others in the midst of her own wielding of the sword.  I left with my sword polished, my armor fitted and a joy in this soldier's heart to keep marching.

Her book, Beautiful Battlefields, was released yesterday.  I already ordered it on Kindle at Amazon.  If I could recommend only one book this year...it would be this one.  Ladies, we are in a battle.  We need encouragement from each other.  We need our swords sharpened, our hearts reawakened, and our resolve deepened.  Our families and loved ones depend on us being able to wield that sword and fight that battle.  And you know what?  When He is in our battle,  in the end....WE WIN!!  There is no doubt on that!

“We march in step behind a brilliant Commander, He is not just a good God or a loving God; He is a winning God. When He fights, He wins, and if He is in our fight, then we will win too.”   an excerpt at the conclusion of her book

I've never done this before...and because this whole blog thing is still a challenge for me, I decided to do a new thing.  I am giving away a copy of her book.  I want so much to get it into your hands :)

Here's how you can win:

Follow my blog and enter to win a FREE copy of Bo Stern's "Beautiful Battlefields"

               Subscribe by email 

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               Join this Site with Google Connect 

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And don't forget to check out Bo Stern's Blog and Facebook page.

1)   “Like” Bo's Facebook Page.

2)  Visit and subscribe to Bo Stern's Blog  - you won't be disappointed!!

Lastly, IF you have subscribed by email to my blog earlier (entitled Woman2Woman), could you subscribe AGAIN...that blog title is no longer in use, so you won't get the email updates.  This way, by subscribing again.....you are also entered to win the book :)

The contest to win this book will run from today until midnight Monday, February 18th.  I will notify winner on Tuesday, February 19th.

If you feel comfortable, leave a comment in the "comments section" at bottom of this blog...what is your battle you are facing...and how can I pray for you?  You don't need to be too specific, just so I can uphold you in your battle!  From my heart to yours...be mindful of His unfailing love and live in reliance on His faithfulness!

Wielding our swords together in our battles,

Debby

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