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Written by Wendy Neill, Advancement Coordinator for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Searcy, AR
I have a math problem for you. Ready? What is the solution to this formula?
((1,874,309 / 45) + 593,482 – (23 * 497,833) + 4,349 – (4 * 597)) * 0
I hope you didn’t work too hard on that. Did you catch the part at the end? The “times zero”? That changes everything. The answer is simply zero.
It doesn’t matter how complicated or lengthy the math problem. If you add “times zero” at the end, everything is made simple. The answer will always be zero.
It is the same way with these two words: “but God.” When you add God to the mix, everything changes. Today we are going to talk about how adding God to a relationship can redefine the relationship.
Let’s look at Daniel. Daniel was a servant and a captive of King Nebuchadnezzar. The king had besieged and conquered Judah and hauled off the strong and talented young men to serve him. In chapter one, we see Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to defile themselves with the king’s food. They risked the king’s anger with this refusal, but it paid off. This was their first test.
In chapter two, things heat up a bit. This time, the king has a frightening dream. He demands that someone among his advisers not only interpret the dream, but also describe the dream. If they don’t, he will kill them all! This includes Daniel and his friends.
Daniel doesn’t try to calm the king or reason with him. He doesn’t try to call in favors, pay bribes, or work political angles to avoid this fate. He turns to God in prayer. And it changes everything. Daniel goes to bed as a servant of the king who was under a death sentence. But God reveals the dream to him during the night and within 24 hours the king makes Daniel a ruler over the entire province of Babylon and places him in charge of all its wise men. God completely redefines the relationship between Daniel and the king!
What other relationships in the Bible do you see redefined when God is added to the mix? What relationships in your own life are complicated and hard? Have you asked God to come into the middle of that relationship? What might happen if He did?
This Saturday, May 8th, at 9:30 am CDT we will have our monthly virtual ladies Bible study on “Relationships Redefined.” I will be speaking to the English-speaking women and Brenda Brizendine will be speaking to the Spanish-speaking women. I will be delving further into this topic, but I also want to hear from you during that time. Join us and share your own insights on how God redefines relationships.
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Written by Abigail G. Baumgartner, intern for Iron Rose Sister Ministries
Middle school is not often remembered fondly. We see old pictures, then laugh and cringe as we remember the awkwardness of every phase. I certainly have memories like that, but I treasure them as memories of how I've grown. One such memory comes from my eighth-grade year. I had already given my life to Christ at that point, but I was facing some hard things, and I was lonely. Until, one day, I awoke with indescribable joy! This joy came from a feeling that God was walking through life with me. God felt closer than ever before, and this joy was the deepest emotion I had ever experienced. At age 14, I was sure I had reached the pinnacle of Christian maturity; I would feel this joy for the rest of my life.
But, over time, the feeling of God's daily presence faded, and my joy faded, too. I was still pursuing God, but suddenly I did not feel that same rush of joy. I thought I had angered God somehow and that He withdrew from me because He no longer loved me. I felt frustrated, fearful, and discouraged.
What had I done that God would leave me?
I battled that question for years. Thankfully, the adults in my life encouraged me to continue pursuing God by reading His Word, praying, and seeking Him with all my heart. Eventually, God showed me that He never left me alone; He was just calling me to a greater joy, and I had to let go of my old ways to make room for the new.
The joy I discovered in eighth grade was rooted in feeling God's presence emotionally. If I felt Him with me, I was joyful, but if I did not feel Him there, I was not. That joy was based on my feelings. But my feelings often change based on what I have for dinner. I am inconsistent.
God, on the other hand, "… is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb. 13:8, NIV). I know He never left me because, in Matthew 28:20, He says He is "...with [me] always" (NIV). In fact, as a Christian, nothing can separate me from His love (Rom. 8:38-39, NIV).
Through His Word, God redefined joy for me. I now understand that True Joy is rooted in God and His promises, not in a feeling. Joy in the Lord is my response to who He is and all He has done for me.
Feelings of joy are beautiful blessings from God, but I can still be Joyful with or without those emotions. In my Christian walk today, my Joy is securely rooted in who God is rather than how I feel (Phil. 4, NIV).
Just like remembering middle school, when I reflect on my spiritual journey, I am amazed by how much I've grown. When I reach points in the journey where I am content to stop and enjoy the view, God still calls me to something more and draws me closer to Himself. I cannot think of a better reason to rejoice!
How has God redefined Joy for you? How have you grown as a result of pursuing Him?