My Safety Deposit Box is Secure

For years, my husband and I had many important documents in a safety deposit box at our bank. Ours held only documents, but my dear friend had some very precious, rare, expensive jewelry in hers. I wondered "Why have those items if they can't be worn or used?" But to both of us, we didn't want to risk our items being stolen, broken, or burned up, so we took them to the bank and entrusted it all to the protection of a safety deposit box.

The key word is ENTRUSTED. We entrust our home's protection to a security system. We entrust the care of our children to a day care or school system. Even more than a bank lock box, our home's security system or our children in someone else’s care, whatever we entrust to God, we can be assured that He is going to take care of it. We can count on it. He has a perfect track record. Other people and systems may not have a consistent track record of taking care of things for us. But whatever we entrust to God, we can be assured “It’s done and done!” A long time ago when we were young, inexperienced and green in just about every area of life, we entrusted all we had to God – and that included what concerned us – from the huge pressures to the daily details of making ends meet.

Maybe today there are worries, concerns, family, children, husband, wife, and every situation that is on our minds today that need to be entrusted to God. All of it – from the least to the greatest – needs to be entrusted to the safety deposit box of God’s love.

Worry is, in a way, like atheism. We act like spiritual orphans who don’t have a Father in Heaven Who loves us and Who can be trusted. Worry is unbelief. It’s saying we don’t believe the thousands of promises God made in His Word. The most difficult time for us to put our "stuff" in God’s safety deposit box is when we’re in pain. When we are suffering, we don’t want to trust even God. We want to pull it back and hold it to ourselves. St. Paul knew this, but he also knew that when we’re in pain, that’s when we need to trust God the most: “I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that He is able to guard what I have ENTRUSTED to Him until the day of His return.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

Maybe, like me, you need to take all those concerns and worries today – let them go, give them – ENTRUST them to God’s safety deposit box. That's when we have been convinced God is alive and well and He can be TRUSTED to work ALL THINGS for our good in due season.

My Anchor Has Holding Power

I prayed with a friend a few days ago, and out of the blue (that “blue” being heaven, I’m sure) I said: "Lord, anchor her so she doesn’t drift with the winds and the storms. May her anchor hold fast and no matter the winds and the waves, may she stand strong, unscathed and unwavering."

You see this young woman was struggling with family concerns that had her looking from a natural, going-under mindset. We all understand those times. We have winds and waves vision that doesn’t see the possibilities of a better day and outcome. We can only see that HUGE wave coming to take us down. Remember Peter when he asked to go to Jesus Who was walking on the water? Jesus told him to come and his faith got him out of the boat and, with his eyes on Jesus, he was literally walking on the water toward Him. But, then, instead of keeping his eyes on Jesus, he turned and looked at the rough waters and he began to sink. We know the beautiful ending of that story. His loving Friend, the Lord, picked him up and saved him. I’ve got to hand it to Peter. He, at least, got out of the boat!

I think we can all agree that we are in perilous times and the winds and the waves are all around. If ever we need to be sure-footed, and sure-anchored, it's today. We will fall to the pressures and concerns when we aren’t “anchored” to our “Solid Rock”. When we think of an anchor, we usually picture the heavy object that's tied to a ship that keeps it secure to the bottom of the sea. In Scripture, an anchor is used to represent God and faith -- that which keeps us steadfast and gives us hope during the trials and storms of life. Hebrews 6:19 tells us that it is our hope that is the "anchor for our soul".

God provides Himself as our anchor so sure that no storm can overwhelm us. An anchor brings “comfort” to sailors because it gives them assurance that they’re not completely at the mercy of the elements. And our Anchor gives us assurance that we aren’t at the mercy of our circumstances. Believe me. I’ve been at the mercy of the storms -- feeling hopeless. But when I grab hold of my Anchor -- and hold fast to Him as He holds fast to me, I find my peace and confidence.

God is our HOPE ANCHOR. Hebrews 6:19 " We have this HOPE as an ANCHOR for the soul, firm and secure." His anchor draws us to Him for peace, joy, comfort, refuge, balance, security, wisdom and all those other "necessities" that cause us to be strong-footed and tethered to THE ROCK that keeps us unwavering in our hope and faith. Today I pray that you are anchored in God so that you don't drift with the winds and the storms. May your Anchor hold fast and no matter the winds and the waves, may you stand strong, unscathed and unwavering. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Let's Play Hot Potato With Our Cares

Do you remember playing the game of “Hot Potato” as a child? We got in a circle and we tossed around a small ball, instead of a potato, but the object was to pretend it was a a very HOT potato. It was way to HOT to hold so we wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible. Either music was played and stopped or someone was designated to shout out “HOT” and whoever was holding the “potato”….er…ball, would be out of the game. It was a great opportunity for practicing motor skills involving eye-hand coordination and catching.

I think it's time for us, as adults, to play that HOT potato game with the worries, concerns, challenges, fears, intimidations and any other adverse taunts that the enemy sends our way. He plays games with us, so why don’t we play games with him? When we play offensively against our arch-enemy #1, with the power of God’s Word and His Spirit within us…..he will be the loser every time. 1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” I love that. Casting is like playing Hot Potato – getting rid of that potato as soon as possible, and getting rid of our worries and anxieties by casting them on He Who is our worry-bearer, our care-bearer, and all our other concerns-bearer.

Anything that causes us anxiety takes a lot of space in our brains. Let’s trade those thoughts for “I am expecting things to turn around for me. I am expecting blessings. I am expecting the answer to my problems. I am expecting God to take over all my concerns. I am expecting good things coming my way. I am a faith-filled, fully devoted follower of Christ, therefore, there is no space in my place for doubt and worry. I can’t help but overcome because THE GREATER ONE LIVES in me and occupies ALL that space in my brain, in my thoughts and in my actions. I speak to the enemy “Liar, Liar – pants on fire – you lose. I win, because I am on the winning team!