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The Lord Will Bring Fruit from Your Suffering {No Matter What Monday}

July 10, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

A few summers ago, my kids helped their dad plant a garden. Among the tomato plants and varieties of lettuce (all of which they will not eat), they planted one of their favorites—a strawberry vine.

But here’s the thing about strawberry vines: they don’t produce fruit right away. Nothing in the first season. You might see fruit a year later, during the second season. And when you’re just five years old, waiting more than 20% of your lifetime for a piece of fruit you could buy at the store this afternoon—well, it seems a little crazy.

In James chapter 5, suffering is compared to planting a garden. It takes patience and endurance, and at times it seems fruitless. But the Lord has a purpose.

James 5:10-11: As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

James says to take the Old Testament prophets as an example of patience in suffering. The lives of many of them, when taken at face value, look like dismal failures. Many of them were ridiculed, ostracized, or even killed. And yet, James says we consider them blessed. They had the privilege of suffering while proclaiming God’s Word and foretelling His promised Messiah. In their suffering, they put the Lord’s compassion and mercy on display.

James tells his readers they have already “seen the purpose of the Lord.” God has shown us the certainty of His compassion and mercy in our salvation. We can trust Him to bring beautiful fruit from our patient suffering.

No matter what you face this week, the Lord’s compassion and mercy are at work in your patient suffering.

Prayer Binder: Adoration

September 15, 2010 by Marissa 2 Comments

For the introduction to my prayer binder, click here.

Ever since I learned the Adoration-Confession-Thanksgiving-Supplication prayer tool many, many years ago, I’ve known it was a good idea to praise God for who He is before presenting my laundry list of needs. But to be honest, this was the most awkward aspect of prayer for me for a long time. I’d usually throw out my usual, “Lord, you are holy, you are good, you are loving,” and then move on.

Last summer, I studied God’s character and attributes with a wonderful group of ladies–I highly recommend the study, Behold Your God. It was very helpful to study God’s omniscience, omnipotence, faithfulness, sovereignty, immutability, and more . . . basically, a study of what God has told us about Himself and what it means for our lives. And one fabulous by-product of this study is that I was armed with Scripture about the Lord that I can use to praise Him for His character.

In the Adoration section of my prayer binder, I write attributes of God with Scripture listed underneath.

I’m constantly adding to this list, and the added Scripture breathes new life into this part of my prayer life. As I read God’s Word, I’m watching for new verses to add to my Adoration section. If you’re interested in starting an Adoration section in your prayer journal, here are some verses to get you started:

God’s love: Jeremiah 31:3, Psalm 106:1

God’s wisdom: Psalm 32:8, Isaiah 55:8-9

God’s power and strength: Job 9:4-9, Psalm 46:1-3

What are your favorite Scripture that speak of the character of God and lead to worship of Him?

O magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together! Psalm 34:3

How Deep the Father’s Love

August 22, 2009 by Marissa 2 Comments

This summer I studied the attributes of God with a wonderful group of women using Behold Your God, by Myra Alexander. (I highly, highly recommend this study.) It amazes me how God ordained the events of the summer of 2009 for me and for my family, and He knew exactly what I would need to learn about Him in the midst of those circumstances. He knows our every need and provides for them all!

One thing that stood out to me from the study is the nature of God’s love toward us. God is perfectly loving and good, and He also does not and cannot change. (See Jeremiah 31:3 and Malachi 3:6). That means that God’s love for you is always exactly the same. He is just as good to you today as the day He nailed your sin to the cross with His Son. It is easy to flippantly say, “God is good all the time.” But honestly, it feels like there are some days that God’s goodness is a little less prevalent in our lives. With our narrow vision, with our earthly perspective of what is and isn’t good, God’s goodness seems to vary.

But when God tells us about Himself in Malachi 3:6, He says He does not change. His goodness does not waver. Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus–His perfect, steadfast, unchanging love.

I thought of this today as I was singing “How Deep The Father’s Love For Us.” This is one of my all-time favorite songs. It is a powerful reminder of the love God showed when He turned His face away from his dying Son in order to transform rebellious people like me into His sons and daughters. And He shows me this exact same love and goodness every day of my life. He is just as loving today as on the day He set me free from sin, guilt, death and hell. Praise Him for this wonderful truth!

“How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”

Words and Music by Stuart Townend

How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure,

that He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away,

as wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon the cross, my sin upon His shoulders;

ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished;

His dying breath has brought me life–I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom;

but I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer,

But this I know with all my heart; His wounds have paid my ransom.

A New Life Verse

July 30, 2009 by Marissa 7 Comments

I think I have found my “Life Verse.” I’ve never had a life verse before, but I know people who do. The verses are usually very inspirational, something along the lines of reaching the nations or future generations for God. Good stuff, really. My favorite verse thus far is Romans 8:1, but it didn’t seem to fall into the Life Verse category.

But a couple of weeks ago when I was doing my Bible study (Behold Your God–an awesome study of God’s attributes which deserves many, many blog posts that I don’t currently have time to write), I came across a verse I’ve never noticed before:

2 Chronicles 20:12: We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.

Some context for those of you who don’t have 2 Chronicles memorized: King Jehoshaphat and the Israelites are watching multiple nations of enemies coming against them in battle. They know there is no way they can defeat this multitude. Jehoshaphat calls the people together, and they cry out to the Lord, asking what they should do. It specifically mentions that they are all standing before the Lord, along with their wives and children. Can you imagine this picture? Standing there, clutching your children to you, watching the enemy come, knowing you are powerless against them and crying out to the Lord for help. (To see how it ends, see 2 Chronicles 20.)

This has definitely become my Summer Verse, if not my Life Verse. For one thing, this verse is very easy to memorize. It rhymes and has lots of 2’s in the reference. And if there is one theme in my life right now, it is that I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to encourage my 5-year-old to not become a prideful Pharisee who craves approval and does all the right things only when someone is watching. (It takes one to know one, and that kid is just like me.) I don’t know how to encourage my 3-year-old to put his poop in the potty rather than in his pants. And I certainly don’t know how to encourage my sister-in-law as she battles the most formidable enemy we’ve faced in a long time: breast cancer.

I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on the One who is my refuge and strength, an very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). He promises His perfect wisdom is ours for the asking. (James 1:5). He hems me in, behind and before, and lays His hand upon me (Psalm 139:5). When my eyes are on Him, I can choose to be overwhelmed by His love and goodness toward me, rather than being overwhelmed by my circumstances. (With thanks to my summer Bible study leader for this last thought.)

I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on You.

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