Author: Meredith Beatty

When I trudged up to bed last night, my half-asleep husband lifted his head and asked what the results of the election were.  When I told him he muttered, “cr#$%p”, and went back to sleep.  That’s pretty much how I felt when I realized Mitt Romney would lose.  Disappointment, disbelief and confusion swirled around me.  I’m thinking most Republicans have felt the same way these past 24 hours.

But, although my party identification is Republican, my core identity is a Christian, so I tried to take solace in the Word last night as I went to bed.  And I began thinking about how a Christian should respond.  It’s a tricky thing living in this world and not of it.  This nation is a unique place; I don’t believe there has or will ever be anything like it.  The founders, despite their faults, put together with much wisdom and humility a government that is a brilliant design of checks and balances. To see that unravelling makes my heart hurt.  Every time I’ve stood in front of the flag lately and heard the national anthem, I listen with more of a sense of love for country and a greater appreciation for the freedoms we still have in this land. 

Yet, I am truly a citizen of a different kingdom.  Should I despair that Mitt Romney was not elected?  I don’t think so.  God is still on His throne.  The more I read in the Bible, the stronger my faith is in the God who rules history.  I must remind myself of His attributes.  He has perfect knowledge and always acts in wisdom, though I can’t hope to fully understand it.  His ways are not my ways.  At times I must put my hand over my mouth and just stop speculating about His will in all this.  This nation will not last forever, and sometimes I put so much stock in winning the political arguments, like that will save this nation.  No.  Government and politicians were never designed to be our saviors.  Neither Republicans nor Democrats have the ability to usher in a perfect society, free from inequality and injustice.  Maybe now I can refocus my faith on our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who calls me to put all my hope and trust in Him.  He is worthy of my trust and is seated right now at the right hand of God until all His enemies will be made a footstool for His feet. 

It is okay to love your country, especially this one, in my opinion.  But let’s be careful as Christians to put our heavenly citizenship on a higher plane of importance.  As Peter says in 1 Peter 2, we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…and we are aliens and strangers in this world.  As a result, we are to, “show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the King.”  1 Peter 2:17

What is important in my life?  Day to day my mind swirls with all the things I want to do, all the things I think I ought to do, and all the things I dream about doing.  Add to that the ever available Facebook and Twitter and I can end my day utterly confused about my direction in life and my priorities.  The other day though I had one of those times in the Word when God got my attention and I just had to pause and ponder what He was emphasizing.  In Jeremiah 15 God is telling Jeremiah of the upcoming judgment on Israel because of their idolatry and disobedience.  In verse 1 He says something interesting: “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people…'”  I started flipping back to the front of the Old Testament to read the cross references about Samuel and Moses.  I think all of us tend to evaluate people by what they do, what they accomplish in this life.  Rarely, if ever, do we see the inner lives of people.  Even our closest friends and spouses don’t know what is going on in our hearts and in our private devotions with the Lord.  With Moses and Samuel we definitely remember what they did – Moses parted the Red Sea and came down from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments; Samuel crowned Saul king and anointed David later on.  But do we remember their most important role, the one that imparted so much responsibility?  Psalm 99:6 says, “Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.  They called to the Lord, and he answered them.”  Psalm 106 describes the Israelites forgetting God and in verse 23 says this, “Therefore he [God] said he would destroy them – had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.”  In Exodus 32 Moses implores his God not to destroy the Israelites after they worshipped the golden calf.  God relented.  In 1 Samuel 7 the Philistines are coming up against Israel and the people ask Samuel to pray to the Lord on their behalf.  Samuel does and the people are delivered.  In chapter 8 Samuel inquires of the Lord concerning Israel and God answers him.  In chapter 12 Samuel gives his farewell address and is so bold as to tell them that he will call upon the Lord to send thunder and rain as a witness against them.  God answers Samuel’s request “and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.” (v.18)  Then the people ask Samuel to pray on their behalf and Samuel says, “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you…”  (12:23)

Now, coming back to Jeremiah 15, God says that even if Moses or Samuel prayed on Israel’s behalf, He would not relent.  But don’t think that means their prayers were not powerful.  It’s just that Israel’s sins had piled up so high that it had reached a tipping point with God.  He could not allow them to go any further in their disobedience; He had to exact discipline.  Yes, Moses and Samuel were just men, but God, in a kind of backhanded compliment,  lifts them up in this case and sets them up as an example of powerful intercessory prayer. 

The most important role Moses and Samuel played was coming before the Lord on behalf of the people of Israel.  For whom am I coming before the Lord?  For whom am I standing in the breach?  Don’t believe the lie that all that matters is what you do, what you accomplish before men.  You have the awesome privilege and responsibility to stand in the breach before the Lord on behalf of your husband and your children. Who else will do this?  There will always be another toilet to clean, another dish to wash.  There will always be someone to take that job or serve in that role.  But who else can stand in the gap for your family before the Lord?  This is something nobody will ever see except the Father.  But remember what Jesus said, “pray to your Father who is in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)  And believe this word, “The effective prayer of a righteous person has great power.” James 5:16

Do you ever find yourself praying for people or situations and using the same phrases over and over?  They can even be phrases and prayers straight out of the Bible.  The end of 2 Peter has a wonderful prayer for the believers to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I pray this for my children and other people’s children all the time.  I have faith that God hears and honors these prayers.  But am I always praying with a sincere heart or am I just whipping out these tried and true phrases?  Am I lifting up people to the Father and asking Him how I should pray, or am I just going through the list to get it done?  Jesus talks about Gentiles heaping up empty phrases thinking they would be heard by their many words. (Matthew 6)  Man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)  The Lord tells Samuel that He doesn’t see as man sees.  And Jesus tells his disciples that the Father sees in secret and rewards those who pray with sincerity.

Sometimes I think I need to add just one more trusty biblical phrase (Prov. 3:5-6; Col. 1:9; Ps. 119:9,11; etc.) to make sure my prayer for this person is properly rounded out.  But this Scripture clearly speaks of how the Lord sees things. 

“The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.” Ps. 11:4

Let us take delight in fearing His name, especially in prayer.  He is painstakingly scrupulous in His knowledge of us and our hearts. (Hebrews 4:13)  And yet He is our Father and delights to hear our prayers. (Let the little children come to me.) They are sweet smelling incense before His throne (Rev. 5, Ps. 141)  Let us keep this tension alive and fresh before us.  A great price was paid to tear the veil in two and give us access to this throne of grace.  Go back and read Leviticus sometime and remind yourself of what it took to gain access to our God.   

We have a precious and holy boldness now.  Treasure this and never take it for granted.

I have grown in so many ways since I began running. A certain freedom has inserted itself into my personality and the Lord is letting it invade oh so slowly into different parts of my life. Yesterday I was running the Georgia Marathon. It was hot, humid and really hilly. My friends and I had met this guy named Walter. Walter was from Sacramento and he’d done 67 marathons in 10 years. Whoa!! This guy was serious but a great running companion too. He said we’d probably pass him and never see him again but we kept catching up to him and encouraging him along the way. One time when we were running down Spring Street during the last 3 miles of the race we caught up with him and the Lord clearly wanted me to ask him something. I hedged for a second but then said clearly without reservations, “Walter, do you know Christ?” I don’t think I’ve ever done that with anyone let alone a stranger I’m running the toughest miles of a marathon with. But the Lord knew what He was doing and I talked with assurance and purpose to Walter. Walter needs to come home to Christ. Please pray for him. Maybe I’ll see him again in another marathon. Lord willing.

Yesterday I was finishing up a hard long run with my new running bud.  She was hurting and I had been praying for her, siliently, during the run.  She said her pain had almost gone away.  I was pleasantly surprised. 

Do you ever explain away Jesus’ teaching on prayer?  I’ve been reading a lot in the gospels lately and it seems I keep reading the same stories about Jesus healing or Jesus praising someone for their faith.  Time and again, I will explain away the promises Jesus makes to people about prayer.  Why? 

We’ve all prayed for people who were sick, and most have not been healed instantly.  We’ve prayed for others who are going through trials but the Scripture says that God uses these things sometimes to mold us and shape us into His image.  So how do we pray with a boldness and faith expecting great things when we don’t know God’s ways?  This is why I doubt my own prayers.  I pray with caveats.  “Lord, I know you can do all things, but if it’s not your will….”

Yesterday, as I was explaining this to my running friend, the Lord brought to mind a story of Jesus and a blind man. Jesus comes upon this man and asks him what he wants.  I’ve always had this reaction to that story – “Um, Lord, can’t you see this guy is blind?  Duh?”  (Yes, this is my raw, ungodly reaction.  He knows my thoughts anyway, right?)  But yesterday, in a split second, the Lord showed me why He asked the blind man that question. 

Of course Jesus knew what the man wanted and needed.  But he wanted him to ask.  He wants me to ask.  No pretensions or qualifications.  He wants this relationship with me with all my doubts and wonderings.  He’s not waiting for me to analyze the situation to make sure I’m praying according to what I think is His will.  He is God!  I am just a child, a wandering sheep of the fold without a clue as to His eternal purposes.  But in His great mercy and love, He wants me to ask, full of faith, without worry for the results.

I started reading more of the Bible several months ago.  I’d followed a reading plan pretty closely the last couple years, but I wanted to read more.  It began with just wanting to read through the whole thing in a year, but soon grew to be more than something I would check off my list.  Yes, I’d tried this before and soon gave up after missing a few days and getting far behind.  This time, when I would get behind (we all do) I decided to catch up.  Sometimes I had an hour to myself being lunch monitor at my oldest’s school.  So I would read chapter after chapter of Ezra or Genesis or Matthew.  Soon I realized the benefit of reading bigger chunks, not just that one day’s assigned chapter.  I could get a bigger picture, a grander scope.  But then I had days when I just didn’t want to read.  These were days when my spirit was just off kilter; I wasn’t abiding in Him, and I thought another food (or no food) was more desirable and more beneficial to my soul than the nourishment of the Vine.  In spite of myself, I read.  Sometimes I would feel something, sometimes I wouldn’t.  But I was coming to know more deeply the importance of this abiding, this connecting to the source of life and living water.  I know I was tethering myself back to Him, coming back and placing my feet on solid ground, on Truth.

Last week I was sick for a couple days and didn’t read.  When I’m sick I like to just turn on the TV and stare at it.  I didn’t think I had the energy or desire to read anything.  When I was feeling better later on in the week I went back to the Word to catch up.  I was thirsty.  I missed it. 

There really are too many other things grabbing for our attention in this world.  Things that we quickly gulp down but end up tasting like dry sand.  No wonder Jesus cried out to the people in John 7 to come to Him and drink! 

So read the Bible, all the time.  When you feel like it or not.  The Word is your food, your drink, your very life.

When my children were in the preschool and baby stage it seemed I couldn’t wait until they were older so I could share and converse with them about many different things.  But now that my children are at that age (14, 11 and 10), I’m finding it’s not so easy to converse.  I find myself asking,”Do they really care what I’m saying?”  This is happening mostly with my oldest.  There are some things we can really enjoy together and converse freely about.  One of those things is women’s soccer surprisingly.  He likes soccer a lot and I had never gotten into watching it until recently.  I guess I realized that perhaps this would be a good thing to share since there are fewer and fewer opportunities to really connect with him.  Sometimes I catch myself wanting to relate to him like a good friend and then I’m disappointed when he doesn’t seem to respond in kind.  Well, duh!  We’re not supposed to be friends.  Not yet at least.  This is so different and at times more difficult than when they were little.  The words of the psalmist bring comfort even though I’m sure he was in a much more dangerous situation – “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”  Psalm 27:14

A lot of my struggles as a wife and mother come from comparing myself to others.  But sweet freedom comes when I am real with another woman about struggles and sins.  My assumptions get blown wide open and true community can happen.  Why do we hide from each other?  I do it.  I admit to avoiding people I know in public sometimes.  Why?  Is it selfishness?  Yes.  Is it lovelessness?  Yes.  I just want to be alone, but I don’t express it in the surly, annoyed way that has suddenly shown up in my 10 year old daughter.

Community.  Relationship.  This is something God is teaching me.  You cannot grow in the fruit of the Spirit as a hermit.  Most of these fruits are cultivated in the soil of relationships and community.  Love, patience, kindness, gentleness, etc.  And extending the metaphor, we cannot enjoy the fruit unless we are actively working out this salvation and allowing the vinedresser to prune, weed and fertilize the soil of our hearts.  I can tell you this:  when I have obeyed and put myself out there in relationships I’ve never regretted it.

Let’s be real ladies!!  Don’t believe the lie that everyone else has it all together.  It is a scurrilous lie!  Confess your weaknesses to one another and extend grace to each other.  We have so much to learn from one another.  We are the body of Christ, not individuals without any connection.