Amazing Grace

Transformation

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18

I was invited to share some thoughts at our women’s brunch yesterday about how God has transformed me since calling me to Himself. The timing was fitting, as one of the most transformative events of my life occurred 29 years ago today, when I became a widow at 38.

This post is based on the comments I made at the brunch.

Looking Back

There are challenges that come with getting older, but there’s one thing I truly cherish: gaining a long-term perspective. I was baptized and made a public profession of faith shortly before my 16th birthday, just over 51 years ago. I didn’t know much theology back then, but I knew I was a sinner in need of a Savior, that Jesus loved me and died for me, and that I wanted to live a life pleasing to Him in gratitude for all He’d done for me.

When I consider the habits and attitudes that characterized my teen years, I cringe. God had replaced my heart of stone with a heart of flesh, yet I still had a long way to go when it came to looking like Jesus.

Gains and Losses

God blessed me with a mother who embraced and embodied her faith and was my prayer warrior. He also gave me a godly husband, grounded in sound theology and more mature in character, to help me grow in the faith. God brought me to Georgia nearly 34 years ago, where I came under Susan Hunt’s sound teaching on Biblical womanhood. Each of these people and relationships was key to my spiritual transformation.

Equally important are the hardships and losses God providentially placed in my life:

  • God called my husband, Ray, Home on April 19, 1997, leaving me a widow with two elementary-aged daughters to raise.
  • Years later, after my daughters were grown and on their own, my 30-year career ended when my position was eliminated.
  • More recently, my parents have gone to be with the Lord.

To borrow a phrase from a friend’s husband, each of those losses further unbolted me from my love affair with the world, transforming me from a woman too driven by immediate circumstances into one who embraces an eternal perspective (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Those hardships have also drawn me closer to God and deepened my awareness of His faithfulness and enduring love.

Whose Strength?

As I’ve persevered through challenging times, various people have said, “You’re so strong. How do you keep going?” My reply? “It’s not my strength!” If God’s power had not been made perfect in my weakness, I would have crumbled long ago (2 Corinthians 12:9). His grace is sufficient, and He’s never forsaken me.

Sometimes I wonder if Ray would recognize me if he came back, not so much because of the wrinkles and other effects of physical aging, but because of the changes God has brought about through the power of His Spirit at work within me. Would Ray see a gentler, quieter spirit, more patience, peace, and selflessness than when he last saw me?

I think he would. Ray always thought more highly of me than I did of myself. During premarital counseling, we filled out various forms, including one that asked us to list the top five strengths we saw in our future spouse. Ray’s list included, “She’s serious about her faith.” He saw the potential and what I could become in time as the master Potter shaped and molded me (Isaiah 64:8), and he was willing to marry me, even though I had plenty of flaws.

Mighty Makeover

Even more significantly, God knows who He created me to be and has been patiently transforming me into the image of His Son. Sometimes, especially during times of great loss, it’s felt like He was using a sledgehammer. At other times, it’s been more like fine-grained sandpaper and a polishing cloth. Regardless of His method, His commitment has never wavered.

God knew every sin and flaw in me, yet He chose me before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), sent His precious Son to die for me (John 3:16), and has promised to complete the good work He began in me when He calls me Home (Philippians 1:6). That’s true for every one of His children.

All of us are at different stages of transformation, and God will use diverse means to bring about the desired changes. We can be confident He will do so, because those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29).

We are being transformed from one degree of glory to another. We will be like Jesus when our faith becomes sight and we see Him as He is (1 Corinthians 13:12).

To God be the glory!

Rejoice!

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.
Matthew 28:6

Happy Easter, dear readers! Easter is my favorite day of the year. Joy fills my heart as I wake up thinking, “He is Risen!” I pray that you, too, are filled with joy knowing Jesus is alive and seated at God’s right hand, interceding for us (Romans 8:34).

The beauty of springtime adds to my delight as all creation reawakens and joins the chorus of praise to our Creator. Bright green leaves, colorful flowers, baby birds – signs of new life that remind us of our new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Thus, I will let Scripture and a few photos do most of the talking in this post, a tribute to our Risen Savior. (Please note: the added emphasis in the passages is mine.)

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words (Luke 24:1-8 ESV).

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words (1Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV).

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:1-5 ESV).

God promised to send a Savior (Genesis 3:15) and He did (John 3:16).

Jesus promised to return and take us to be with Him (John 14:3). He will.

Because God always keeps His promises. Therein lies our hope. Let us remember His words and encourage one another with them.

Training for Godliness

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
1 Timothy 4:7b-8

Watching the Winter Olympics last month reminded me how fitting the Apostle Paul’s comparisons of spiritual and physical training are.

Helpful Analogies

Like millions of other people around the world, I watched countless hours of coverage. I caught myself holding my breath multiple times, as athletes went hurtling down hills at speeds comparable to those I drive on the interstate, and did flips and tricks that left me mesmerized and marveling that human bodies can even perform such stunts.

As I viewed the various events, I kept thinking about how hard the athletes had to work and how many years they trained to reach the Olympics. You don’t just wake up one morning and master triple toe loops and backflips on an ice rink, or develop the stamina for cross-country skiing and speed skating overnight. 

All this pondering reminded me of Bible passages that call us to apply the same discipline and dedication required of elite athletes to our spiritual development. These two came to mind in addition to the introductory verse:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

Key Parallels

There are several parallels between physical and spiritual training:

  • Discipline: Just as athletes need ongoing physical discipline in areas like diet and exercise, those who follow Jesus also require discipline in spiritual practices such as prayer, Bible study, and worship. Serious athletes wouldn’t think of eating a steady diet of junk food or going for days without practicing. Likewise, we must feed on God’s Word, pray, and participate in corporate worship, not occasionally or when we “feel” like it, but consistently.
  • Endurance: The Christian life is often compared to a marathon. Having seen my daughter train to run that distance several times, I know it requires not only physical preparation but also mental toughness. Jesus is our ultimate example of endurance. He persevered through all of the trials set before Him, including death on the cross, remaining focused on the joy that awaited. Because of His work on our behalf, we can be confident that we, too, will finish the race and be seated in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:4-6).
  • Fans: Athletes receive support from devoted fans and enthusiastic followers, including fellow athletes who have competed in the past. Believers have a great cloud of witnesses who testify to God’s faithfulness (Hebrews 12:1). Their lives serve as examples of what faith and perseverance in hardship look like. I imagine them cheering us on toward certain victory in Christ (Philippians 1:6).
  • Coaches: Skilled coaches who know their sports and can teach and motivate their athletes are priceless. Similarly, those who are further along in the Christian walk can exhort and encourage those who are younger in their faith; in fact, they are instructed to do so (Titus 2:1-8), and there are multiple examples in Scripture, such as Moses and Joshua, Naomi and Ruth, and Paul and Timothy. What’s more, we have the Holy Spirit, the ultimate coach, who counsels and empowers us (John 14:26).

Key Differences

  • Effect: Because of the Fall, our physical bodies will wear out over time. No matter how much training we do, fitness and strength will decline. Not so with spiritual training, which helps us become more and more like Christ and produces eternal fruit (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22-23).
  • Prizes: In sports competitions, only one athlete or team wins. Even then, the medals and trophies will eventually tarnish and decay. But every child of God will receive an imperishable prize of far greater value than a gold medal: eternal life with Him!

Though we will never achieve perfection in this life, we must continue practicing, training, and pressing on toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14), knowing that we do not strive alone. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, empowered by the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, and accompanied by a perfect Savior who has promised never to leave or forsake us.

Through the Desert

/ Patsy Kuipers / 2 Comments

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Psalm 32:8

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 31:8

A Desolate Route

Last summer, I joined my family for a portion of their epic road trip. I flew into Albuquerque and out of Las Vegas, visiting places like the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, and Joshua Tree National Park along the way.

After touring the latter, we stopped by a Starbucks to pick up lunch and some snacks to keep us going as we drove to Vegas, about 220 miles away. While waiting for our order, we pulled up directions. One route option would take almost an hour longer. Not paying close attention to the details and wanting to get to the rental house and its pool sooner rather than later, we selected the shorter option. Who wouldn’t?

In hindsight, I wouldn’t! At least not at night or alone.

In our haste, we failed to see that our chosen route would take us straight through the Mojave Desert and mile after mile of desolation. After enduring a couple of hours of the same vast vista with few signs of life, I understood why the barista shook his head and smiled knowingly when I asked if there was another Starbucks between 29 Palms and Las Vegas. “No ma’am. There’s really not much of anything between here and the Nevada state line.”

No kidding!

Frayed Nerves

We didn’t have cell service for most of the trip, but fortunately, the map app kept working. Each time the directions indicated a turn in the next X miles, I would get my hopes up that after I made the turn, I would see civilization. Nope! Though turns weren’t numerous, the ones we did make revealed more of the same scenery stretching to the horizon.

Multiple repetitions of the hope-turn-more of the same landscape cycle taxed my mental strength. I began to think we might never make it out of the desert, and my empathy for those who made the trek before there were roads, much less towns, deepened. I could understand how they might snap before ever reaching their final destination. After all, I was in an air-conditioned car, not a covered wagon or on horseback!

Sustained by caffeine and my daughter’s assurance that we would eventually emerge from the seemingly unending desert, I continued to follow the directions, one after another. Finally, after what felt like days instead of hours, we made a turn and saw I-15 in the distance. I’ve never been so happy to see an interstate!

Spiritual Parallels

As I pondered that trek across the desert, several spiritual parallels came to mind.

We were quick to choose the route we thought would be easier. It was indeed shorter, but it was fraught with potential perils. How often do I opt for what I perceive as the less challenging route in life, only to find hazards and temptations I wouldn’t have encountered had I taken the time to submit my plans to God and His word before proceeding?

Yet, there are times when God providentially ordains that we walk through the wilderness, something we would never choose. He uses those experiences to conform us more to the image of His Son, who endured His own wilderness experience (Matthew 4:1-11). We may wonder if we’ll ever come out safely on the other side. When we do, we emerge with our faith strengthened, ready to comfort those with the comfort we’ve received from our compassionate Father (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).

Having food and a traveling companion made the desert ordeal more bearable. Never underestimate the sustaining power of God’s word and the blessing of having a fellow believer come alongside you during wilderness wanderings. Even when we don’t have another person with us, we’re never alone. God has promised to go before us, never to leave or forsake us, and the indwelling Spirit is always with us.

Epilog

Several weeks after my journey through the desert, I visited relatives in South Dakota. There are multiple routes to choose from when driving from the Omaha Airport to Platte, the small town where my husband grew up. I picked one based on a timely stop for dinner. I thought I had chosen the same route for the return trip, but halfway through, I realized I no longer recognized any of the scenery.

As I followed the map prompts, making turn after turn that took me along roads bordered by flourishing fields of corn and soybeans, doubts similar to those I experienced in the Mojave crept into my mind. “I don’t know where I am or how long it will take me to get through this maze! What if I’m late for my flight?”

Almost as soon as the misgivings materialized, I shook my head as I realized how much I’m like the Israelites who forgot about God’s miraculous deliverance and provision a few short days after the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 16:2-3).  

Not trusting a GPS is one thing, but not trusting God? That’s an entirely different matter! Whether I’m traversing deserts or wandering through lush landscapes, God is Sovereign over every detail of my life and will never lose sight of me.

And when this life is over, God will receive me into glory, my ultimate destination (Psalm 73:23-24).

Overwhelmed, Christmas 2025

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 1:3

Despite my best intentions, there comes a point in the weeks leading up to Christmas when I nearly have a meltdown, wondering how I’ll ever get everything done. I lose sight of what we’re celebrating, and the wonder and joy of the season ebb away. When that happens, it’s time to refocus on eternal truths that will remain the same regardless of how many to-dos I cross off my list this holiday season.

Perspective

What came to your mind when you read the title of this post? Was your initial reaction positive or negative? Usually, when I say I’m overwhelmed, I’ve reached the point of waking up in the middle of the night, wondering how I’ll ever get everything done.

A quick check of Merriam-Webster online yields results that support the negative connotations of the verb:

1: to upset, overthrow

2a: to cover over completely: submerge b: to overcome by superior force or numbers c: to overpower in thought or feeling

However,  inspired by our pastor’s sermon series on Ephesians, I began pondering a more positive take on the word. In Ephesians 1:3-14, the Apostle Paul gushes over God’s blessings in Christ:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

I’ve read that passage many times, but the idea of Paul gushing over God’s goodness was new to me. Yet that’s precisely what he’s doing! I imagine him exalting God, nearly breathless, as he recounts all our blessings in Jesus. Our pastor encouraged us to do likewise and allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by God’s goodness toward us.

The Holiday Hustle

As the holiday season ramps up, so does my sense of overwhelmedness. When I contemplate adding cherished holiday traditions to my already bulging to-do list, restless nights are sure to follow. But each year, the message from Ephesians and our pastor’s frequent invitation to embrace and embody our identity in Christ have encouraged me to approach the season differently. Rather than letting my to-do list have the final say, I pray I’ll be overwhelmed instead by all the blessings that are ours because God chose to send us the best gift ever – His only begotten Son.

A Positive Practice

Several days after I originally wrote this article, my 90-year-old father had a stroke. I’d been preparing to do battle with my usual holiday stresses when a barrage of new responsibilities hit. In those early days, as I tried to ensure Dad received the proper care and managed day-to-day logistics once he returned home, I was tempted to ignore the holidays altogether. Over and over again, I thought, “I feel so overwhelmed.” And each time I did, the words I’d written came back to me, and I reminded myself of all the blessings that are mine in Christ.

After several weeks of this practice, the sequence became instinctive. I would sense the stress starting to build, sometimes multiple times a day. “How will I ever handle this?” ran through my mind, quickly followed by, “I feel so overwhelmed!” The once-negative word triggered the new, positive response, shifting my focus to the realities greater than my circumstances, realities that are valid year-round and forever: I have all I’ll ever need in Christ, plus the promise He’ll never leave or forsake me:

He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” (Hebrews 13:5, Amplified)

An Invitation

Will you join me? Pick one or more of Paul’s affirmations to meditate on the next time you feel weighed down by cares or responsibilities: In Christ, we are blessed, chosen, blameless, adopted into God’s family, redeemed, forgiven, sealed with the Holy Spirit, and destined to receive the inheritance held secure for us in heaven. Just reading this makes my heart sing!

Take another look at the last definition above, “to overpower in thought or feeling.” When the truth of Who God is and all He’s done for us in Christ overpowers our worries, fears, and anxieties, it is a most blessed conquest indeed.

Dear Lord, as we shift our gaze from the immediate to the eternal, I pray our thoughts and feelings will be overwhelmed in the most positive way by Your amazing grace and all You’ve blessed us with in Christ, to the praise of Your glory.

Romans 8:28

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.
Romans 8:28 (Amplified)

Hello, friends!

I’m immersed in preparing items for our church’s Operation Christmas Child[1] event tomorrow evening. We’re hoping to pack 300 shoeboxes, so it takes a team effort to get ready for our packing party!

Since I don’t have time to write a lengthier post this afternoon, I thought I would share John Piper’s quote about Romans 8:28, one of my favorite passages of Scripture, instead:

“When it comes to the architecture of future grace and the buildings we call the promises of God, Romans 8:28 shares the tribute of being one of the two or three greatest. This structure is staggering in its size. The infinitely wise, infinitely powerful God pledges that in this building, future grace will make everything beneficial to his people!  Not just nice things, but horrible things too – like tribulation and distress and peril and famine and sword (Romans 8:35-37) . . .   If you live inside this massive promise, your life is more solid and stable than Mount Everest. Nothing can blow you over when you are inside the walls of Romans 8:28 . . . Once you walk through the door of love into the massive, unshakable structure of Romans 8:28, everything changes.  There come into your life stability and depth and freedom.  You simply can’t be blown over anymore.  The confidence that a sovereign God governs for your good all the pain and all the pleasure that you will ever experience is an incomparable refuge and security and hope and power in your life.  When God’s people really live by the future grace of Romans 8:28 – from measles to the mortuary – they are the freest and strongest and most generous people in the world.”[2]

“From measles to the mortuary,” our heavenly Father is sovereign over every detail of our lives. I pray that assurance will comfort and encourage you today, dear readers, whatever your circumstances.

[1] Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse. You can find out more at samaritanspurse.org

[2] John Piper, “Future Grace,” (Colorado Springs, Multnomah Books, 2012), pp. 118-119.

What a Friend

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalm 139:23-24

Muddled

Do you ever find yourself in a muddle, lost for words to even explain to yourself how you’re feeling, much less to be able to convey your disquietude to someone else? Maybe your miserable mindset is the result of one big blow, or maybe it’s the result of a series of smaller disappointments that, when added together, launched you into the abyss.

I’ll admit I’ve been struggling with the latter scenario the past week. When I find myself slogging through a sea of hopelessness, Satan, the father of lies, seizes the opportunity to pile on. Thus, I decided to set aside the topic I had lined up for today’s post and instead turn to Scripture for perspective, creating a lifeline of Truth to climb out of the pit. I pray it will be helpful for any of you who may be floundering in your own slough of despond.

Jesus Knows

We don’t need to verbalize or untangle our emotions before we turn to Jesus. A simple “Help!” is sufficient.  

Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
Psalm 139:4

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 8:26-27

Jesus Understands

When the Son took on flesh and dwelt among us, He experienced unimaginable grief, sorrow, and affliction, enabling Him to sympathize with our weaknesses.  

He was despised and rejected by men,
    a man of sorrows and acquainted withgrief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:3-4

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15

Jesus Cares

Jesus has compassion on those who turn to Him for solace. He doesn’t despise our frailties or minimize our sorrows.

You have kept count of my tossings
put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book?
Then my enemies will turn back
in the day when I call.
This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
Psalm 56:8-11

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
Isaiah 40:11

Jesus Hears

We never have to worry about Jesus being inattentive or too busy to listen.

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    and his ears toward their cry.
Psalm 34:15

I love the Lord, because he has heard
    my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
Psalm 116:1-2

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
Psalm 40:1-2

Jesus Invites Us to Come to Him

Jesus offers us rest for our souls, the rest we desperately need when our thoughts are running amok and we’ve succumbed to Satan’s lies.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7

Jesus Provides

Every need supplied, not just a few or every now and then – that’s what we’re promised in Christ.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27

Jesus Guides

As we begin to unravel our emotions and understand what brought us to the low point, we may not know what to do about the situation. How do we have the hard conversations, or ask for forgiveness, or flee Satan? We can turn to God for wisdom:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
James 1:5-6

Jesus Delivers

When we’re struggling, the temptation is to turn to the world for comforts of various kinds or to allow ourselves to continue to wallow in our distress. Neither approach honors God nor provides a way out of our misery, but we can trust Him to provide a way out:

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

Jesus Preserves

At times, our thinking can get so off track that we may believe, “I really messed up this time. There’s no way out or back.” That’s a lie, friends! Nothing will ever separate those who are in Christ from God’s love.

Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:33-35; 37-39

So, dear reader, if you find yourself in a muddle, barely able to put words to your distressing thoughts, remember that regardless of how you got there, there is One who not only understands you better than you understand yourself, but who is also attentive to your cries and ever ready to welcome, provide, guide, deliver, and preserve to the end.

Precious Jesus, thank You for humbling Yourself by taking on flesh, dwelling among us, living a sinless life, taking the penalty we deserved, and ascending to the right hand of the Father, where You continually intercede for us, so that we might have abundant life now and eternal life in Your presence. Help us to remember that we are never alone.

My grandmother’s favorite hymn, “What A Friend We Have in Jesus,” has been playing off and on in my mind as I’ve been writing. The lyrics beautifully summarize elements of my post:

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged:
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our ev’ry weakness—
Take it to the Lord in prayer!

Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our Refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Words: Joseph Scriven (1820-1866)
Music: Charles D. Converse (1866)

Lost and Found

/ Patsy Kuipers / 4 Comments

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
Luke 19:10

Futile Search

I got a Fitbit several years ago and have been wearing it daily ever since to keep track of my steps, resting heart rate, and sleep quality. Recently, I spent an intense couple of hours working outside, clearing one of my overgrown garden beds and racking up plenty of zone minutes. After toiling in the afternoon sun, I was ready for a cool shower, followed by a refreshing salad.

While preparing dinner, I realized I didn’t have my Fitbit. I went upstairs, expecting to find it on the bathroom counter. When it wasn’t there, I returned to the kitchen and searched. No sign of it there either. Realizing I would have to conduct a more extensive search, I turned my attention back to garnishing my salad.

I could barely focus on my dinner companion, a novel I’d been engrossed in the previous dinnertime when my mind wasn’t concerned about the whereabouts of my Fitbit. After more futile searching inside, I headed outside. Not finding my Fitbit in the garage, I crept outside to poke around in the soil and among the plants where I’d been working. By then, it was dark, and I was in my PJs, hoping my neighbors wouldn’t see the light from my phone bobbing around and come over to check on me. Nothing.

In a last desperate attempt, I texted myself in hopes the tracker would light up or buzz. Still nothing. Dejected and wondering if I’d ever see it again, I gave up and went to bed. Despite the exhaustion produced by the afternoon’s labor, restful sleep eluded me. I’d doze off only to wake up with another idea of where my Fitbit might be and how to find it.

Success!

Morning dawned, bringing with it renewed hope and another plan, albeit one tied to a concerning possibility. What if my Fitbit had fallen into the large brown paper sack where I’d stuffed the weeds? Or, shudder, what if it was in the plastic bag full of poison ivy?

Fortunately, my Fitbit was still connected to my phone. I went to the garage, picked up the paper sack, and walked back and forth a few times. No steps registered on the app. I eyed the bag containing the poison ivy, thoughts teetering between hope and dread, yet knowing I wouldn’t let poison ivy keep me from retrieving my tracker. I donned my gloves, picked up the bag, and started walking, delighted to see the counter recording my steps.

I set the bag down, peered in, and shook my head as I saw my tracker looped around one of the disposable gloves I’d worn the day before. In my haste to discard the glove and the itch-causing oil on its surface, I didn’t notice my poor tracker went into the bag with it.

The Ultimate Seeker

As I scrubbed the band of the Fitbit before returning it to my wrist, I couldn’t help but think about God’s unwavering commitment to seek out the lost. Though I was determined to find my Fitbit, if repeated attempts to do so had failed, I would have eventually given up. Or what if I’d found it, but it was in a bag filled with scorpions or venomous snakes instead of poison ivy? My resolve would have evaporated like the morning mist.

But God never gives up on us. He has been steadfast in seeking out the lost and those hiding in shame ever since He replaced Adam and Eve’s fig leaves with garments of animal skins, foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice of His beloved Son, the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:8-9).

God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him (Ephesians 1:4). He would stop at nothing, even the death of His precious Son, to secure His treasured possession, a people for Himself (1 Peter 2:9).

The Good Shepherd

The spotless Lamb is also the Good Shepherd, the One who came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), who will not break a bruised reed or quench a faintly burning wick (Isaiah 42:3). He knows His sheep, each one entrusted to Him by the Father, and none will be lost (John 10:27-29).

Lambs aren’t the only ones that ramble off. Even mature sheep can wander, enticed by greener tufts of grass on the far side of the pasture. It’s comforting to know our watchful Shepherd won’t allow us to roam forever. We’ll hear and recognize His voice and return to His side. When we do, there will be great rejoicing, just like in the parable wherein a man left his 99 sheep to search for the one that went astray (Matthew 18:24-14).

Don’t Despair

I expect many of you reading this have at least one unbelieving friend you’re praying for, or a loved one who once walked with the Lord, but who’s wandered away from the faith. It’s painful for those of us who experience the goodness and mercy of our faithful Father to know some of those we care most about aren’t savoring the sweet fellowship and saving grace we depend on for our very life. At times, we may even despair of their ever joining or returning to the fold. It’s then that we must remember the One who seeks them is the very One who promised, “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak” (Ezekiel 34:15).

So, dear readers, keep praying, keep believing, knowing that the One who seeks the lost will never give up until all of His sheep are in the fold! Unlike my Fitbit and me, God doesn’t lose sight of any of us. He knows exactly where we and our loved ones are all the time and will stop at nothing to draw us back (Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24).

The Whole Truth

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.
Psalm 25:4-5

Assuming the Worst

I removed the receipt from the gas pump and gave it a quick glance before putting it in my wallet. 18 gallons? It seemed like a lot, since I can only fit 11 gallons in my similarly sized CR-V when it’s nearly empty. Maybe the rental car had a bigger tank? Regardless, I needed to get ready to meet relatives for dinner in less than an hour, so I let it go.

Two days later, I was back at home reviewing the receipts from my trip, including the rental car statement. I’d added more gas a few miles before reaching the airport and returned the car with a full tank, which was duly noted – 11 gallons upon leaving and 11 gallons upon return.

Woah! How had I managed to put 18 gallons of gas in a car with an 11-gallon tank? Was the pump wrong? Had I been taken advantage of?

Incensed at the possibility, I tried calling the station – no answer. Then I tried calling my brother-in-law to see if he knew the owners since I’d been visiting a small town where everyone knows pretty much everyone. No answer there either.

I turned to Google to find out the tank capacity of the rental car’s make and model – 14.5 gallons maximum. I spent a considerable amount of time trying to make sense of the situation, time that I could have devoted to other post-vacation chores.

Fuming, I went for a walk, thinking the worst. Had no one else in the tiny town fallen prey to the faulty pump? I decided I would try calling another of my brothers-in-law, one with years of car experience. Hopefully, he would have an explanation for the discrepancy. Then again, it was “only” $20. Perhaps I should just let it go instead of bothering anyone. But it was the principle of it, as Mom used to say. Right is right!

After my walk, I focused on more productive activities and didn’t get around to making the call to my other brother-in-law. I’m thankful I didn’t and equally thankful that no one answered my previous calls either.

Pertinent Details

Why? Because later that evening, I re-examined the receipt. The total gallons weren’t the only thing that didn’t add up. The timestamp was earlier than I’d stopped at the station, and the credit card listed wasn’t mine. Armed with all the details, I sheepishly realized that the person who used the pump before me hadn’t taken their receipt, leaving it for me to grab, which meant I left mine to flap in the stiff South Dakota breeze.

When the correct charge showed up on my credit card statement the next day, a simple calculation confirmed my suspicions. The rental car took 11.8 gallons of gas. The pump was accurate. No one had tried to take advantage of me.

If only I hadn’t gotten fixated on one puzzling detail and been consumed by negative thoughts, I would have saved myself a lot of time and worry.

Doubting Others

But this was just a gas station receipt. What about times when I’ve made a snap judgment about a relationship or an individual, based on incomplete information? I let my imagination run wild, assuming the worst instead of giving them the benefit of the doubt. As chastened as I was about the receipt, thinking about instances where I haven’t shown others the grace I would like to receive leaves me truly remorseful. I wish I had expressed confidence in their character, admitting I didn’t know the whole story, instead.

Doubting God

Let’s take it a step further. As bad as it is to waste time fretting about a receipt that was correct all along, or maligning a fellow image-bearer, it’s even worse when I let an event or circumstance sway my perception of God or lead me to doubt His goodness. Sadly, Scripture provides ample examples that I’m not the first of God’s children to do so. Consider these three scenarios:

  • Exodus 16 tells us that in the second month after God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, they were hangry, so hangry in fact that they wished He’d left them in Egypt to die by their pots full of meat instead of dying of starvation in the wilderness (Exodus 16:3). As someone who deals with hypoglycemia, I understand getting irritable when your blood sugar drops, but God’s people allowed the rumbling of their empty stomachs to eclipse their memories of His miraculous deliverance. Despite their grumbling, God provided them with abundant food (Exodus 16:35), though not before disciplining them for their complaining (Numbers 11).
  • After two years of traveling and experiencing God’s provision, His people neared the Promised Land. Instead of trusting God’s pledge to give the land over to them, they decided to send spies, one from each tribe, into the land to scope things out first. When they returned from their mission, the spies confirmed that the land was indeed flowing with milk and honey. Still, ten of the twelve emphasized the size and strength of the inhabitants instead of the land’s bounty and God’s promise, swaying the decision of the assembly, which refused to proceed. The fateful decision and its dire consequences are recorded in Numbers, chapters 13 and 14.  
  • 1 Samuel 17 recounts another instance of God’s people cowering because of a giant. This time, it was Goliath, champion of the Philistines, who was parading around taunting King Saul and the members of his army. Then a young shepherd boy arrived on the scene. Unlike Saul and his men, David had unwavering faith in God’s ability to deliver them (1 Samuel 17:37). Moreover, he knew God would avenge His name (1 Samuel 17:46-47).

The Bigger Picture

So, dear readers, are you fixated on a detail, believing a partial story, or listening to someone’s subjective account of a situation, allowing it to influence your opinion of a fellow believer or draw you away from what you know to be true about God?

If so, endeavor to look at the whole story recorded in the Bible, the one that tells us God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to save us from our sins by paying the penalty we owed (John 3:16). Having done that, He will work everything else out for our good and not withhold any lesser thing from us (Romans 8:28,32).

Remembering all God has done for us, may we extend the same grace and compassion to others, withholding judgment when we’re not fully informed or qualified to evaluate the situation.

Dear Lord, it’s so easy for us to get waylaid by details that draw our attention away from the great big story of Your love and care for us. Please help us to dismiss the distractions that threaten to derail us. Instead, may we keep our hearts and minds focused on all we know to be true about Your goodness and faithfulness.

Too Lofty

/ Patsy Kuipers / 1 Comment

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9

High-altitude Hijinks

My daughter and I got off the plane that brought us from Atlanta and headed to baggage claim in the Albuquerque airport. I usually walk at a brisk pace, a trait that led my daughters to describe it as my “airport walk,” and declare on many occasions as they were growing up, “Mom, slow down! We don’t need to airport walk!”

But on that afternoon in Albuquerque, my body was the one pleading for me to slow down. Heart pounding and breathing labored, my backpack felt more like a rucksack army recruits are required to carry on long hikes instead of the lightweight bag I’d packed when I left home.

Flights don’t usually have that effect on me. What was going on? And then it dawned on me.

“Jessie, do you know the altitude here?”

When my daughter replied that she didn’t, I turned to Google and discovered that Albuquerque, at 5,312’, is the highest metropolitan city in the US, slightly surpassing mile-high Denver.

That discovery led to more googling for symptoms. Elevated heart rate and increased breathing rate were at the top of the list. Relieved to know I hadn’t contracted a fast-acting ailment on the flight, I slowed down. There would be no airport walking for me in the heat and heights that provided the backdrop for our adventures over the following days as we traveled to Flagstaff (6821’), visited the Grand Canyon (7000’), and hiked several trails at Joshua Tree National Park (average 3000’).

I wondered if people who live at elevations above 5000’ adjust. More googling. Why, yes, they do. In addition to the short-term adjustments I experienced, people who make their homes at high altitudes undergo even bigger changes, including increased production of red blood cells, improved oxygen utilization, and increased lung capacity.

Trouble, Trouble Everywhere

By now, you may be wondering where I’m going with all this. My consternation over current events merged with my newfound knowledge of the effects of high altitude, reminding me of the introductory passage above from Isaiah.

Though I limit my consumption of news, even a glance at the headlines informs me of natural disasters, wars, and other calamities. But I don’t have to watch the news to be disquieted or find things to be concerned about. Members of the small congregation at the church I belong to have experienced a variety of challenges this year. Surgeries, deaths of loved ones, the hospitalization of a months-old baby because of seizures, and a young mother diagnosed with cancer – our prayer list grows with each request for supplication.

Like the rarefied air at high elevations stressed my physical body, these events, both near and far, can leave me breathless spiritually and emotionally, wondering, “Why are these things happening to people who love You, Lord? What’s next?”

Slowing Down, Shifting Focus

Just as I had to slow down and up my water intake on our vacation, I need to slow down and drink deeply of God’s word to recalibrate my thinking. Like the lasting changes that occur in the bodies of those who live at higher altitudes, the powerful indwelling Spirit will use scriptures, living and active, to transform my mind, making it easier for me to discern God’s will (Romans 12:2).

Even so, as a finite being, God’s thoughts and ways will always be higher than mine. Thus, I pray to be like David, who declared that he did not occupy himself with things too great for him, but was depending on the Lord, quietly and calmly, acknowledging his limitations and trusting in God’s sovereignty (Psalm 131:1-3).

Dear readers, we, too, can trust the Lord, regardless of what’s going on in our lives or around the world. As we focus on all we know about His character and cling to the assurances found in His promises, knowing He’ll keep every one of them, our anxieties will subside and we’ll breathe easier (Psalm 94:19).

Promises to Ponder

  • God will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8).
  • Jesus is preparing a place for us and will return to take us to be with Him (John 14:2-3).
  • God is making all things new, including us (2 Corinthians 5:17; Revelation 21:5).
  • God works all things together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).
  • God provides sufficient grace in our times of trials (2 Corinthians 12:9).
  • The Lord is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18).

When things become particularly perplexing, I remind myself this world isn’t all there is:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Like God Himself, the beauty and perfection of the eternal things are too lofty for us to comprehend!

Dear Lord, there are so many things we don’t understand. You are high and lifted up, yet You also live with those who are humble. Please help us to remember that You are sovereign over all and that You are moving history toward a magnificent conclusion, as You work all things together for our good and Your glory.