"DAVID AROSE FROM THE GROUND."
2 SAMUEL 12:20

Get back up!

Look at David: standing on his balcony looking the wrong way at another man's wife. Then follows a night of sin, an unplanned pregnancy, a failed cover up, a pre-meditated murder, a royal wedding, a public exposure and a dying child.  It doesn't get much worse.  Covered in sackcloth and ashes he lies on the palace floor pleading for the life of the newborn child.  For a whole week he cries, then it's over. "Is the child dead?" he asks. Yes!

Listen: "David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; then he came into the house of the Lord and worshiped."  Facing circumstances he couldn't change, receiving forgiveness he couldn't earn, learning a lesson he'd never forget, David closed the book and moved on. 

In Psalm 51 he prays, "Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God" (Ps 51:9-10 NIV). And God answered his prayer.  Listen: "I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble" (Ps 59:16 NIV).

No doubt about it, our sin offends God.  But our unwillingness to repent and receive His forgiveness offends Him even more!  And that's what we do when we remain stuck in our failures.  God never intended such a waste of life! 

The way to honor God after any failure is to get back up, corrected and redirected, and carry the message of His grace to others who have failed!

I DECIDED TO QUIT

One day I decided to quit...I quit my job, my relationship, my Spirituality... I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God. "God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" His answer surprised me...

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo." He said.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there w as nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle." He said to me.

"Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?"
"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

Where there is pain, I wish you peace and mercy.  Where there is self-doubting, I wish you a renewed confidence in your ability to work through it.

Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I wish you understanding, patience, and renewed strength.  Where there is fear, I wish you love, and courage.

Keep the faith

ONE LINERS

GOD DOESN’T CALL THE QUALIFIED,

HE QUALIFIES THE CALLED.

 

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IF GOD IS YOUR COPILOT – SWAP SEATS!

 

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PRAYER: DON’T GIVE GOD INSTRUCTIONS – JUST REPORT FOR DUTY!

 

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THE TASK AHEAD OF US IS NEVER AS GREAT AS THE POWER BEHIND US

 

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THE WILL OF GOD WILL NEVER TAKE YOU TO WHERE THE GRACE OF GOD WILL NOT PROTECT YOU.

 

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WE DON’T CHANGE THE MESSAGE,

THE MESSAGE CHANGES US.

 

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DON’T PUT A QUESTION MARK

WHERE GOD PUT A PERIOD.

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When you are DOWN to nothing,

God is UP to something.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It's Not Whether you get knocked down;

it's whether you get up again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 What you think about…

You bring about!