On Tapestries and Pots

In this Biblical Thinking UPGRADE, Dawn says Christ-followers may not understand the mysterious workings of their sovereign God, but they must remember He is also a loving Heavenly Father—and His children can trust Him.

I love this picture. Two objects in the photo above are vivid pictures to me of God's loving, sovereign rule, and of my need to rely on Him.

Look with me a few minutes at these two objects:

1. The Tapestry

Tapestries are beautiful, traditional works of art. This one pictured above is a famous one, "The Lady and the Unicorn." * Tapestries inject great touches of style, personality, texture, and color into homes.

Some are simple designs. Others are intricate. But they all have something in common.

The backsides of tapestries are often a knotted mess.

Even if all the knots are neatly clipped, it's still can be challenging to distinguish the creator's design from the backside.

Unfortunately, we only see the backside of our lives.

God always knows the design He is creating in and through us—the Creator makes no mistakes, and His plan for us will be accomplished. But we may not understand all the whys of His working.

We are not omniscient—all-knowing like our God.

Besides that, His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways—they are far above and beyond our own thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Because He is God and we are not, we need to trust Him in the processes and outcomes of our lives.

2. The Pot

The second object in the photo that reminds me I need to rely on God is the pot next to the couch.

Pottery reminds me of God's sovereign rule. In the story of the Potter and the Clay (Romans 9:19-24) we're reminded that God can do with us as He wills. (See also these scriptures.)

It's a simple but profound concept.

God is the potter; we are the clay. God is the Creator; we are the created.

In a broad sense, God is the Potter and humanity is a lump of clay; and from this lump God makes various vessels.

It is His right to do with the clay whatever He desires, and He makes sovereign choices.

The giant lump of clay is dirty and flawed, but God pulls from the lump to create beautiful vessels of honor fit for His service.

And He makes vessels of dishonor that also serve His holy purposes.

(I know this scripture passage is controversial, and I won't go into all the ramifications of Paul's words here—but clearly he says God has the right to do with us as He wills.)

Paul makes the case: Who are we to "talk back to God"? Who are we to say that God is not just and fair? We're lumps of clay!

The point I want to make here is:

We humans have so much pride, tremendous arrogance, when it comes to God's sovereign rule. 

It's foolish that fallen, flawed creatures think they have a right to question and pass judgement on their Creator's actions. We have no right to demand explanations from the sovereign ruler of the universe! He owes us no apologies.

In an attempt to understand, we can ask questions of God as His creation and His children—David did; Mary did.

But we must not question God as judges.

Biblical Christians realize their desperate need for a savior, and that the Savior is Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, an irreverent attitude toward our Creator and our Savior can manifest itself even after we have received God's salvation. (That's why believers through the ages were told to fear God—to reverence and obey Him.)

Some Christians believe that once we are Christ-followers, we deserve "special treatment" from God. In other words, we have a right to never suffer, to never face tough circumstances, etc.

That is not biblical thinking.

We should expect trials and suffering, and in them, God calls us to cooperate with Him as He purifies us to make us vessels for "nobel use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work" (2 Timothy 2:20-21 RSV).

God has bigger plans for us than we can imagine.

And so, just like the potter smashes and reworks clay, the Heavenly Potter may purify us by:

• smashing some of our dreams,
• crushing some of our plans,
• and reworking the "clay" of our lives to better fit His purposes.

Becoming a smashed pot is painful, but it is necessary, because the Father who loves us wants to conform us to the image of His dear Son (Romans 8:29-30.).

I love to address God by the phrase "Father God," because it reminds me of who He is—not that it encompasses all He is, but that it helps me understand His working in my life.

1. He is my loving Heavenly Father. His purposes in and through me are for my growth and good, and for His glory.
2. He is the sovereign God of the universe—powerful and majestic, all-knowing, just and wise. Nothing takes Him by surprise, and nothing is outside His control.

Knowing these two great truths brings me peace, no matter my circumstances!

In a book promo for Heaven Rules by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, I read these words:

"Heaven is ruling, always ruling. That doesn't mean that we won't experience distress, but it does mean we can find a refuge by looking upward and letting His peace rule in our hearts." **

Though He owes me no explanations, I believe my Father God will someday help me make sense of the messy knots on the backside of my life tapestry—the abuse, the struggles with sin, the cancer. And I believe my Father God will use me for His purposes, as the Potter designs and uses the clay.

My Father God does this to make known the abundance of His mercy and the riches of His glory. And His gracious providence leads me to worship Him.

It also leads me to trust Him. As I look at the photo above, I imagine sitting down on that couch and relaxing in the midst of my tough circumstances. How can I do this?

My God is in control—and He loves me!

Do you flinch at God's workings in your life? How does knowing God loves His children and is powerfully designing their lives for their good and growth, and for His glory, help you trust Him more today?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

* The traditional woven tapestry in the meme, "The Lady & the Unicorn" is available at Art & Home.

** Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, Heaven Rules: Take Courage. Take Comfort. Our God Is in Control, Moody Publishers, 2022. (Quote is here.) 

When We Feel Like Jesus Doesn't Care . .

Kathy Collard Miller makes hard truths understandable and simple truths powerfully motivating. In this Faith UPGRADE, she reminds us that God is working in and for us in our most difficult storms of life because He deeply cares about us.

"We’ve all experienced times when our circumstances seem to indicate Jesus doesn’t really care," Kathy says, "We may feel overwhelmed, or our prayers aren’t being answered as we would like."

Yes, I (Dawn) have experienced that feeling many times. Once, I remember asking, "Lord, where are you? Do you see me?"

Of course, I knew He was present and He saw me. Years of trusting Him taught me that. But feelings in that moment threatened to rule over my faith. I'm glad Kathy is addressing this important issue.

Kathy continues . . .

A story in the Bible, in Mark 4:35-41, exactly addresses our heart’s longing to be cared about.

In this passage, Jesus and the disciples are in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee, and the storm is so extreme the disciples fear they will die.

God Cares about You in Your Struggle

1. Everyone, even the disciples, questioned whether Jesus cared about them.

You are not alone.

They ask, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Why do they ask? Because Jesus is asleep on a cushion.

I’d say that’s really uncaring and inattentive.  

The fact that these hardened fishermen are expressing feelings like wanting to be cared about is incredible and fascinating. Most men hide their feelings, but here they express their deepest longings:

Please! Someone! Care that we are going to die!

2. Our storms feel overwhelming when there’s no instant solution.

I can surely understand the disciples’ terror. They may have even thought nothing bad would happen to them because they are with Jesus.

But there truly was a reason for fear. Even though most of them were seasoned fishermen, this storm was obviously way beyond their comfort zone. They knew fishermen who had perished in storms like this.

The Sea of Galilee was famous for sudden windstorms. The boat was not just taking on water—it was “swamped.”

As they looked around for help, what did they see? Jesus asleep on a cushion. The man who should have been the first to take care of them was completely oblivious to their need and fear.

We, like them, can see the dangers of the storm hitting us, and it seems like Jesus is oblivious.

He isn’t answering our cries for help—the way we want Him to.

3. We interpret the 'silence' as 'Jesus doesn’t care.'

When the disciples can’t stand it anymore, they “woke him” (vs. 38).

• Did they jostle him? The boat was already being jostled.
• Did they call to him? The sounds of the wind were already screaming.
• Did they grab him and shake him? That’s what I would have done. Out of terror and feeling abandoned.

We can be tempted to express our terror and abandonment through emotional outbursts because we’re afraid we’ll hear, “No, I don’t care because you don’t deserve it” or some other lie.

I’ve been guilty of getting angry at my husband Larry, and only later realizing my heart was crying out, “Show me you love me! Maybe my anger, distress, or craziness will get your attention.”

I think we can have the same reaction to Jesus which expresses itself through doubt, distrust, and ungodly reactions.

4. Even when it seems Jesus doesn’t care, remember who He is.

After Jesus calms the storm and the danger is past, the disciples are filled with wonder and awe. They rightly ask, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41-42).

If they had asked each other at the beginning—“But remember what He’s already done for us?”—they might not have wondered if Jesus cared about them.

That’s most likely exactly why a story like the Sea of Galilee storm is included in the Gospel account.

I wonder how many times the disciples—who became the Apostles—said things like, “Remember that time Jesus was sleeping, but He woke up and immediately calmed the storm? We had to wait but He came through. He’s going to do the same thing for this challenge.”

We can do the same thing.

• We can reflect on his nature of omniscience: “This is no surprise to Jesus. He knows everything.”
• We can reflect on His nature of perfect love: “Even though He seems to be asleep on a cushion, He hasn’t stopped loving us or caring for us.”
• We can reflect on His power: “This storm is no problem for Him.”
• We can reflect on His wisdom: “We can trust whatever reason He is allowing this. He will solve it at the right time.”

Remembering the truth brings glory to God.

5. Jesus is compassionate even as He invites the disciples to have more faith.

When have you wondered if Jesus cares? The good news is He didn’t give up on the disciples even as He gently called for greater faith.

I wish I could have seen the expression on His face. I think it’s not one of frustration but compassion. And since He knows the future, He knows He will continue to strengthen their faith until they become powerful witnesses for the Kingdom.

Can you hear Him say to you, “Child, I do care! Trust me. I know exactly what I’m doing and it’s for your good and my glory”?

The next time it seems Jesus doesn’t care, what will you remember He already done and how it revealed His nature?

Kathy Collard Miller loves to help women trust God more through her 59 books and speaking in 35 states and 9 foreign countries. She is a wife, mother, grandmother living in Boise, Idaho, with her husband, Larry of 52 years. Her website/blog is www.KathyCollardMiller.com. Kathy’s newest book is a women’s Bible study on courage: Heart of Courage: Daughter of the King Bible Study Series. This post is adapted from Pure-Hearted: The Blessings of Living Out God’s Glory.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Dimitris Vetsikas at Pixabay.

Is Today, This Year, Your Watershed Moment?

Pam Farrel is a hope-builder. Through her writing and speaking, Pam encourages Christians to ground themselves in God's Word, and watch how He uses them to accomplish His purposes. In this Faith UPGRADE, Pam writes about watershed moments God brings into believers' lives.

"The Bible is full of promises," Pam says. "These promises become moments of personal choices of belief: a watershed moment that vitally impacts our future."

I (Dawn) learned what a "watershed" is in college. It's a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt into creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually it swells to outflow points like reservoirs, bays, or the big, wide ocean.

For a Christian to experience "a watershed moment" is to be so suddenly and deeply moved by something that it changes the believer's life and/or ministry.

Pam continues . . .

I was eight months pregnant when an invitation to a free marriage retreat arrived from Forest Home Christian conference center. Bill was a youth pastor at the time, so I leapt at the opportunity for a rare cozy weekend away for us.

At the Saturday evening session, we experienced a God-ordained watershed moment listening to the story of God giving the covenant promise in Genesis 15:5-6: (NIV)

"Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them. Then he said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Abram believed the Lord."

One of the preeminent watershed moments in the Bible was when God asked Abram to bring a sacrifice that was symbolic of the life and death commitment made in a covenant between two parties.

So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”  Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. …

"As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, …

"'In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here...”

"When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram” (15:9-18a).

God knew Abram was human and would fail, so He made a promise with HIMSELF to keep the promise.

The promises in the Bible are as good as the One making the promise.

God used this covenant process because it was familiar to the culture.

People knew that if a person broke the promise, the other could slay him as punishment.

God was proclaiming the same type of agreement. Because God made this promise, if He failed to keep it, He would have to die. But God cannot die.*

Revelation 1:8 says of God: “Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (NIV).

Because God is pre-existent and self-sustaining, He was never born, so He can never die—so He is fully able to keep every promise.

In OUR watershed moment, as we sat in a chapel at Forest Home years ago, Bill and I recommitted ourselves to be used, as a couple, to share God’s love and equip people to love wisely.

Others' Watershed Moments

Many others have had watershed moments at that same conference center: Forest Home. The founder, Henrietta Mears, brought young leaders to the mountain.

One of her famous quotes is,

“There is no magic in small plans. When I consider my ministry, I think of the world. Anything less than that would not be worthy of Christ nor of his will for my life.”

Years later, many former students—now leaders—assembled for a recommissioning and vision-setting gathering. They represented more than 50 Christian organizations.

Billy Graham—while a speaker at Forest Home at the start of his evangelistic ministry—laid down his Bible on a stump in his watershed moment.

He prayed, “Father... I will believe this to be Your inspired Word.”

Weeks later, Graham preached at the Los Angeles Crusades. More than 300,000 people heard the gospel, sparking the evangelistic crusades that defined the rest of his ministry.

Christ brings each of us to a watershed moment to make a choice to believe in Him, in His Word, and in His ability to keep His promises.

He brought the disciples to Caesarea Philippi, where worship of many false gods including the Greek god, Pan—half man, half goat—was taking place. Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do people say the son of man is? … Who do you say that I am?” 

It was their watershed decision point.

Peter rose and replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13-18 NIV).  

Hebrews 11:1 calls us ALL to this decision point: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (ESV).

• Faith is to have a solid conviction, to be fully persuaded
• Assurance is the picture of a land deed.
• So, faith is like the legal title to hope.

The definition of hope I formed when writing Discovering Hope in the Psalms is “to wait expectantly for God to show up and show off for your good and His glory.”

Hope believes God keeps His promises—even in the waiting.

Today can be YOUR watershed moment.

Are you fully persuaded that God loves YOU? That God’s Word is a love letter of truth to rescue, redeem and restore YOU?  Why not take a moment to write a declaration of your faith belief. Then hang your heart on the God who keeps ALL His Promises.

Pam Farrel is a bestselling author of 56 books, and the co-author of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament: A Creative Bible Study Experience. (This blog post is adapted from this ECPA award-winning Bible study from Harvest House Publishers.) Download Infectious Joy 30 Day Creative Devotional for a simple 10-minute-a-day faith builder. The Farrels co-lead Love-Wise and the Living Love-Wise Community.

Graphic adapted, Courtesy of Sergey Pesterev at Pexels.

* For further explanation of the ancient covenant sacrifice that Pam described, you can read here. - Dawn

Superheroes of Faith

Joanie Shawhan is deep in biblical wisdom, with a wide range of interests and talents. In this Faith UPGRADE, she points to other women she admires and emulates—women in the Bible and in modern-day life, and even some "unsung heroes" of faith.Joanie says, "I’ll never outgrow my need for superheroes."

I (Dawn) agree! My description of superheroes has changed over the years. There are many I admire—including Joanie! They inspire me and give me hope.

Joanie continues . . .

Superheroes use their extraordinary abilities to make the world a better place.

But not all superheroes wear capes.

My superheroes are women of faith empowered by the Spirit of God.

I am grateful to the Lord for the godly women He has brought into my life to mentor me. One in particular prayed for me and many others, despite her poor health and constant pain.

Her faithfulness, wisdom, and godly character offered me examples of love, hope, and courage that changed my life.

In teaching me the scriptures, she introduced me to the following women of faith. I devoured their stories of faithfulness in the face of opposition and even persecution.

1. Biblical Women of Faith

• Deborah

As a prophetess and judge in Israel, she led her people into battle, defeating their enemy. (Judges 4:4-16)

• Ruth

Her devotion to her mother-in-law and her humble service is a beautiful example of selfless love. (Ruth 1:6-18; 2:2-3, 11-12; 3:11)

• Esther

Even though a queen, she recognized the significance of her position and risked her life on behalf of her people. God had raised up Esther for a specific time and purpose. (Esther 4:16; 5:1-3; 8:3-6)

• Mary

When the angel announced the birth of Jesus, Mary believed the God of the impossible. She believed even when she didn’t understand. (Luke 1:26-38)

2. Modern-day Women of Faith

• Elisabeth Elliot

After her husband was martyred by the Auca Indians in Ecuador, Elizabeth took her young daughter and lived among the tribe who murdered her husband.

Her sacrifice resulted in the salvation of this unreached people group. She mirrors God’s bigger picture of love and forgiveness.

• Dr. Helen Roseveare

While establishing hospitals in the Congo, Dr. Roseveare was subjected to many atrocities for five months under the hands of rebel terrorists.

After her rescue, she rebuilt the hospitals that had been destroyed and continued to care for the needs of the African people. She persevered in her call despite persecution.

• Gladys Aylward

When a missionary board dismissed Gladys for her lack of language skills, she refused to be deterred from her calling.

She spent her entire savings, boarded a train, and traveled through Siberia to China. She recognized God had opened a door for her to preach the gospel when the Chinese government requested her assistance to travel the countryside and discourage the footbinding tradition.

During the Japanese invasion, she led more than 100 orphans over the mountains to safety. In her yes to God, she received a mother’s heart for the children of China.

• Corrie ten Boom

Corrie and her sister Betsy endured the brutality of the Ravensbruck concentration camp as punishment for hiding Jews in Nazi Germany.

Despite the starvation and cruelty, they prayed and shared Scripture with their fellow prisoners, offering hope in the midst of darkness. 

3. Unsung Women of Faith

• Overcomers

Women who have overcome adversity and tragedy.

Whether suffering a loss or a health crisis, they continue to serve Jesus with joy.

• Prayer Warriors

Women who persevere in prayer when the battle seems never-ending and they wonder if they have enough strength to carry on.

But they hold on to the promises of God and pray.

• The Faithful

Women who are faithful to the call of God, no matter how insignificant the task may seem.

• The Courageous

Women who continue to say yes to God.

Yes to the unknown. Yes to leaving their comfort zones. Yes in the face of fear. Yes to testifying to the goodness and faithfulness of God in the midst of fiery trials.

How God has impacted my life through the lives of women I have known—and those I've never met!

Not all are missionaries or Bible characters. But these courageous women, spanning the ages, inspire me with their wisdom and offer me hope.

Many would never consider themselves courageous or heroic. But they challenge me, teach me godly character, and provide me with a roadmap when I face adversity. Through their examples, I have learned to forgive, overcome obstacles, and love difficult people.

They make my world, our world, a better place.

Many are unsung heroes of faith—the unseen, living quiet, godly lives empowered by the Holy Spirit. But their works are noted in heaven.

These are the women I honor—my superheroes. They are followers of Jesus: everyday women who have faced challenges and overcome adversity.

They are not clothed with superhero capes, but with strength, dignity, and joy.

Charm can be misleading, and beauty is vain and so quickly fades, but this virtuous woman lives in the wonder, awe, and fear of the Lord. She will be praised throughout eternity (Proverbs 31:30 TPT).

Who are the superheroes of faith in your life?

Joanie Shawhan is a Selah Awards Finalist for her book, In Her Shoes: Dancing in the Shadow of Cancer. An ovarian cancer survivor and registered nurse, she speaks to medical students in the Survivors Teaching Students program and co-founded an ovarian cancer social group: The Fried Eggs—Sunny-Side Up. When not attending her book club or writing critique group, Joanie advocates for ovarian cancer awareness and enjoys swimming, knitting, and playing autoharp. Contact Joanie at  www.joanieshawhan.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Miguel Bruna at Unsplash.

When You Face a Problem, Follow Mary's Example

Debbie W. Wilson is one of two women I know who says so much in few words. In this Faith and Obedience UPGRADE, she points to a woman in the Bible who was a perfect example of how we can face everyday problems or problems that seem incredibly daunting.

Debbie says, "What do you do when you come up against an unexpected or impossible problem? Try to fix it, panic, or call for help? Mary, the mother of Jesus, models how I want to act."

When problems come, I (Dawn) tend to be a "fixer." I say, "I can handle this."

But how many times, I wonder, might Jesus have handled it differently? How many times have I short-circuited what He wanted to do in a situation. He still works, but do I get the glory, or Him? Debbie challenges our perspective.

Debbie continues . . .

At the beginning of His public ministry at age thirty, Jesus attended a wedding at Cana. Mary must have been helping at the wedding. When the wine ran out, she brought the problem to Jesus. You can read the account here: John 2:1-11.

Mary said to Jesus, “They have no more wine.”

That’s it.

No pleading, no explanation of how embarrassing or urgent this was, no pointing out how this might foster faith in His disciples. Just, “They have no more wine.”

To the servants she said, “Do whatever He tells you.”

Jesus told them to fill the ceremonial washing jars with water. They filled six 20-30-gallon jars to the brim.

“Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet,” He said.

I smile when I read this.

Did the servant hold his breath when the host tasted the water?

I picture his eyes sparking with relief when the master proclaimed, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

Personal Applications

1. Tell Jesus the problem—not the solution.

When I bring my problems to God, I often suggest ways to solve them.

There is nothing wrong with asking. But did you notice, Mary didn’t tell Jesus how to fix the problem? How could she?

Jesus did something that defied imagination. 

When I focus on how I think He should act, I miss the work He is doing.

2. Follow His instructions and leave the results with Him. 

Mary didn’t supervise Jesus’ actions. She told the servants to do what He said.

I’m sure His directions didn’t make sense to them. Because they obeyed, they experienced a miracle.

Trust Jesus with My Problem

Mary knew Jesus’ compassion. She trusted His love, wisdom, and ability.

• Perhaps Jesus had miraculously multiplied food for His family in the meager years after Joseph died.
  
• Satan knew Jesus could turn a stone into bread (Matthew 4:3).

After Mary told Jesus about the need, she left the problem in His capable hands.

If Mary didn’t feel a need to tell her son how to solve the problem, why do I think I need to come up with the solution for my Lord? I only need to trust and obey Him.

I can’t see His spiritual power at work anymore than I can see the wind.

But when I trust Him, I witness the result.

How can you apply Mary’s example to a problem you’re facing?

Debbie W. Wilson, drawing from her walk with Christ and decades as a Christian counselor and Bible teacher, mixes insight and encouragement to inspire readers to trust Christ with their lives. Her books include Little Faith, Big God, Give Yourself a Break, and Little Women, Big God. She and her husband Larry founded and run Lighthouse Ministries, a nonprofit biblical counseling, coaching, and Bible study ministry. Find free resources to refresh your faith at debbieWwilson.com.

Photo of Stone Water Jars from Land of Israel Tours.