You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

 Psalm 23: 5a    Psalm 145:16 NLT

Our monthly family dinner is a time of beautifully controlled chaos. Bursting with good food and loud conversation and chattering grandkids and craziness and drama and laughter and spilled drinks … and family. Talk of the latest ball game or promotions or inevitable life challenges can be heard mingled with the sounds of forks mindlessly hitting the plate to entwine bites of homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Family dinner in all it’s beautiful chaos. We love it.

As I read Psalm 23, I was struck that God prepares a table for us, but unlike the family dinner table, this table is prepared for us in the presence of our enemies. Right there, smack in the middle of enemies, our Lord is able to treat us to a meal. Enabling us to relax and sit at His table that’s overflowing with His peace, His presence, His provision. Not by removing the “enemies” but right there in their presence. In spite of them.

What “enemy” is in your presence today?

What “enemy” is in your presence today?

Grief. Loss. Rejection. Illness. Financial collapse. Fear. Despair. “What if” or “Why” questions… The Lord has prepared a table for you, for me…right there. Right smack in the middle of real-life.

Yet whether or not we sit and enjoy His offerings is our choice. We can be so distracted by the enemy that we miss His table all together. Or perhaps we’re waiting for the enemies of life to go away before sitting down to the table of His peace and presence and provision.

During family dinner, I can easily get so focused on the meal and spills and serving, that I neglect the gift of family right in front of me. As we encounter the enemies of life, we too can become so focused on coping or “doing” that we neglect the table He has prepared for us right there in the middle of our enemies.

Practically speaking, what does “sitting at His table” look like? A simple prayer of “Help” (no need to get theological, just cry out to Him) then opening His Word to read aloud a Psalm (23 or 37 or 46 are great places to begin). Together, let’s stop. Pull out a chair and sit at the table of His presence. Though there’s probably no Italian meatballs on the menu, what our Father God offers is beyond any culinary delight. He opens His hand and offers us His very peace and provision to fully satisfy the longing soul.

I do not shield you from hardship. I give you victory while in the throes of adversity.

– Francis J. Roberts

Father, Thank You for Your provision – for Your table in the very presence of my enemies. Grow in me a depth of faith that is able to relax at Your table regardless of what swirls around.  You are entirely faithful! How I love You! In Jesus’. Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus.

He knows what is in the darkness…

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path.

Daniel 2:22b NASB   Psalm 142:3a  NASB

The unknown. We all fear it. We avoid situations that cause it. We try to prevent it. But it’s unavoidable isn’t it? We have no idea what the traffic will be on our way home from work let alone the weighty unknowns of life. The unknown factors at work in our world, our country, our health or our families. Will a spouse walk out? Will a pink slip be handed us? Will a terminal diagnosis be given? Try as we might, there is no adequate preparation for the pain and shock of such unknowns. For such times of darkness. Darkness that has the capacity to cause us to feel overwhelmed by the fear of the unknown.

As I pondered the idea of the unknowns of life, my eyes fell on this, circled and highlighted in orange, sentence in my Bible; “He knows what is in the darkness.” Though I don’t recall why I highlighted the verse – at this moment, it jumped off the page at me. His Spirit speaking directly to me. “Becky, I know.” My Father knows what the darkness conceals. He knows my path, He illumines my darkness. He knows. I found genuine comfort embedded in that reminder.

Whatever form of darkness you’re facing today, trust the One who sees into the dark unknown and follow His lead through the murkiness of your circumstance.

Becky White

The unknowns, the around-the-corner issues of life are like a darkness that conceals what we desperately want to know. What’s next on the agenda of life’s challenges? A toddler’s sniffles or a marriage in distress? A cancer diagnosis or a broken-down car? A career move or a sudden death? A child’s rebellion or an out-of-my-comfort-zone season? Whatever the “darkness”, He sees, He is aware.

Whatever form of darkness you’re facing today, trust the One who sees into the dark unknown and follow His lead through the murkiness of your circumstance.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night, “even the darkness is not dark to you the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. Psalm 139:11-12 ESV

“Now, I know in my experience that Jesus’ light is stronger than the biggest darkness.”

Corrie ten Boom

My Father,

Try as I might, I can’t “prepare” for every potential difficulty that may occur (And You know I try!). Grant me the ability to rest in the knowledge that You see into the darkness of my challenges and have already made provision for all that will come my way. You are never caught off guard. Thank You Father!

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

There is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death. Proverbs 16:25 AMPC

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your path.  Proverbs 3:5-6 AMPC

My husband is very particular about our lawn. He spends most summer weekends manicuring the green carpet to perfection. No weeds, golf-course style trimmed and perfect lines. So, I felt pretty good about myself when he gave up the task a few times several summers ago and let me do the mowing. Let’s just say, our neighbors could tell the difference! No matter what I did, I couldn’t get perfectly straight lines like my husband always seemed able to create. Then I remembered something I’d once read about how pioneers used to plow their fields in straight lines and I began applying it to my mowing. Before you knew it, straight lines began appearing!

The pioneer plowman would focus on a distant, though straight-ahead tree or a fence post. Not diverting his gaze from the fixed point ahead, he resisted the temptation to watch the plow. Trusting the fixed point to guide him rather than what appeared straight. Such focus enabled him to successfully plow straight lines.

In our own lives, it’s so easy to take our eyes off the distant fence-post of God’s Word, relying instead on our own understanding rather than His Truth as revealed in His Word. Oh so subtly, our focus begins drifting (not unlike my lawn lines!), as we start trusting our own insight – trusting what we see, or hear or feel or what’s popular rather than His Word. And before you know it, we have crooked lines of confusion, anxiety and fear.  Crooked lines of bad decisions and broken relationships. And if not corrected, crooked lines that lead us to eternal consequences.

God’s Word reminds us that there is a way that seems straight and right, but at the end of it is the way of death. He tells us to trust Him with all our heart and not to rely on our own insight or understanding. Simply put – He wants to be the fixed point we gaze at, the “fence-post” we trust in. And cautions us of the danger in trusting in ourselves.

God’s Word reminds us that there is a way that seems straight and right, but at the end of it is the way of death.

My husband never once complained about my lack of mowing skills, always showing me grace as he smiled and said “thank you.” How much more our heavenly Father will respond with grace to us as we ask Him to help us shift our trust back to Him and the authentic Truth found His Word.

My Lord, It’s so easy to drift away from the Truths found in Your Word, and Oh so slowly begin trusting my perception of things instead. How easy it is to walk by sight! Please forgive me and enable me to fix my gaze straight ahead – to You. Thank You! In Jesus name, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

http://www.DevotionsForDifficultDays.com

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Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.  2 Timothy 3:12 ESV

But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The LORD knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the LORD must turn away from evil.”  2 Timothy 2:19 NLT

“The Church is going to Babylon”

This message from Pastor Tim Dilena, of Times Square Church in Manhattan is most timely – I would even say urgent for the Church. Pastor Dilena shares a rock-solid Biblical response to the chaos swirling around us…even as the foundations of America are shaken – The Foundation, The Cornerstone of our faith remains. Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

As the body of Christ, especially in America, we are entering a season Pastor Dilena describes as Babylon. A time of captivity and suffering, a time of refining, and most of all – a time of testing. And yet as in the days of Daniel, God always arises in the midst of such challenges for His trusting and obedient servants. Not to necessarily remove the trial, but to walk us through – for His glory!

This message is for you. For me. For such a time as this.

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you.

John 10:19 NASB   John 14:27 AMP

Has an everyday challenge morphed into a seemingly hopeless circumstance?  Has a crisis become an unexpected tragedy? Have your best laid plans fallen apart before you? Have your expectations been dashed by reality? Are you bent low in emotional pain even as the world sees you “standing” deceivingly tall?  Has something brought you to a room “with the doors locked for fear?” 

Political chaos

Loneliness

Isolation

Relational struggles

Emotional trauma

The unknown

COVID

O precious one – The only Sovereign, the Omnipotent One, the Lord Jesus Christ, stands in your midst. In the midst of your tragedy, your crisis, your fear, your worse-case-scenario and speaks, “Peace be with you.” Receive that today.

I don’t know what you’re walking through or what crisis has caused you to “close and lock the door” in fear, but I encourage you to trust His *Word more than what you see around you. The enemy wants us cringing in fear as if our Lord had been caught by surprise…He has not. He is aware and has already made provision. Dear one, stand in His Peace as the storm swirls and then passes.

Peace be with you.

My soul finds rest in God alone.

Psalm 62:1

Father, Cause Your peace to overflow and overtake our soul.! I exhale in peaceful calm…. not because the storm has ended but because You are in it with us and are in complete control. I choose to walk in Your Peace. Thank You Father. In Jesus’ name, Amen

By Becky White for the Lord Jesus

#Peace

*If you’re not sure where to begin in the Bible, start with the Gospel of John or the New Testament book of Romans. If you’re looking for comfort and encouragement, start with the Old Testament Book of Psalms.

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. 

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. 

John 11: 5-6   Job 13:15 NASB

If you’ve never read the Biblical account of Lazarus (or it’s been awhile), grab a cup of coffee, open your Bible to John 11, and prepare for emotional whiplash. And questions. Lots of questions, and possibly a whole new perspective on the “dead” things of your life.

Let me give you the cliff-note version. Jesus, who was given news that a beloved friend was near death, chose to wait two days before even beginning the long journey to see him. In fact, the Word tells us that because of Jesus’ love, He purposefully waited. Waited while the sisters, who had sent word of the illness, longed for a miracle. Waited until death had occurred. Waited until there was no hope. At all. Only then did the Lord of glory show up on the scene.

On the outskirts of the city, Jesus was met with the guttural cry of Martha, “Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died!” Moments later, the other sister, Mary, uttered the exact phrase as well. Can’t you just feel the pain of their heart? The questions of “Why?” or “How could You let this happen?” must have been nearly unbearable.

In their blinding pain and disappointment, it never occurred to them that this Jesus, whom they sought in order to bring healing for their brother, would instead, raise him from the dead. That He would allow such tragedy as a vehicle to bring such glory. That He would risk being misunderstood and misjudged as uncaring, in order to grant them the gift of seeing God’s miraculous power first hand. On their behalf.  To be shared for all time – to encourage others in their “dead” circumstances. To know where Jesus Christ is, there is always hope.

Truly, I don’t know what has “died” in your life or how impossible it looks right now. But He knows. Maybe, like these two sisters, you’ve cried through tears, “Lord if You had been here,” or even, “Lord, how could You?”  No judgement call here, I’ve done it myself a time or two or ten…But I’m here to testify that He has faithfully used my pain, walked me through the pain or done the impossible by bringing life out of a “dead” and painful situation. I have learned that if He has allowed “it”, He has a purpose and a plan for it and I can trust Him. And so can you dear one. So can you…

There is nothing–no circumstance, no trouble, no testing–that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose.”

“There is nothing – no circumstance, no trouble, no testing -that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose.”

– Alan Redpath

Oh Father,

I admit that I have thought, even if left unspoken – “If You had been here…” I am ashamed at my lack of trust in You Father. Who am I to think when difficulties happen that You don’t have a plan? That You have lost control? That You can’t bring life from what has died? You are good and You are faithful…and You are for me…I love you. In Jesus name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

I know that it’s almost Christmas, but this message is in His perfect timing…

Thanks – giving

We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.… Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Psalm 75:1   ESV    1 Thessalonians 5:18   NLT/ESV

Be thankful. Be grateful. Give thanks. Those phrases get tossed around quite a bit this time of year. Heck, I have plaques all over my kitchen shouting it! Yet these expressions can ring incredibly hollow when this is your first holiday after the death of a child, or a spouse or a parent…or a marriage. Or you’re in a locked prison cell, or overwhelmed with loneliness forged by a pandemic. Or your lap doubles as a dinner “table” as you sit on a curb eating while others pass by – ignoring your exitance…Even the loneliness of monotony can rob us of a thankful heart.

Rather than anticipating laughter and fun around the family dinner table – some anticipate pain, heartache, loneliness and loss.Yet…oh dear one…allow me to oh so gently encourage you…

This Thanksgiving Day, I encourage you…be thankful. Even if that means giving thanks in spite of your present crisis. In spite of your difficulties. In spite of crushed dreams and expectations.  In spite of your pain. When all is stripped away – His great love is enough to be thankful for. Don’t allow this season to be overshadowed by a pandemic, “Black Friday” or Turkey Day or whatever else the world has morphed this holiday into. Give thanks to and for the One who holds your very breath in His loving hands and gave the life of His Son for us.

Search if you must. Sift through the debris of your life if that’s what it takes – but find something and then give thanks. Even if it’s being thankful for the transforming power of pain…

While cleaning my hall mirror (wiping away grandchildren finger prints) I was struck with my own ingratitude. Why do the fingerprints on the mirror cause me pause more than the beautiful little fingers that smeared them there? How did I go from on-my-knees thankful for a warm bed, full cabinets and the peace-filled serenity of my home – to grumbling about check-out lines and slow drivers? How??

How do we go from being in awe of the Cross of Christ that saved us to finding church another duty to fulfill? Why is it so easy to overlook His bountiful blessings of breath in our lungs, a clear mind, a bed to sleep in, a grandchild to clean up after or a little one to hold? Some reading these words would give anything to have such priceless gifts.

If WWII Nazi concentration camp survivor, Corrie ten Boom, could thank God for fleas/lice in her prison bunk, surely, we can find something to thank Him for.

Magnificent Father, giver of all good gifts, thank You for saving me and lavishing me with such things as peace in the midst of difficulty, calm in the midst of storms and security in the midst of such uncertainty. Enable me to focus on what You have blessed me with rather than what I perceive as lack. You are good and You are faithful. How I love You!  In Jesus’ name. Amen

Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus