Learning to Praise While God Moves.

In the past week or so, I have had a couple of experiences which lead me to believe that God is teaching me to focus on Him while he fights the battles that come up in my life.

The first situation was last Thursday night, while my body rebelled at the artificial hormones I'm putting into it to retard endometriosis growth, I couldn't get the worship songs out of my head that I had just practiced with my worship team. As my heart pounded quickly in the throes of a hot flash, my mind woefully sang "Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is Your name ... ". I became frustrated, was there no part of my body that I could control? The only thing I wanted to do was SLEEP!! Finally, since abrupt sounds were triggering my hot flashes, I stuffed ear plugs in and succumbed to humming worship songs. I was, finally, able to sleep.

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat was facing battle with a "vast army" (vs. 2). He stressed out about it but immediately brought it to the Lord. He acknowledged his people's weaknesses and inability to defend themselves against so many. He was told (vs. 15) "the battle is not yours, but God's." In verse 21, we learn what Jehoshaphat & his people did to "win" the battle:

²¹ After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."

The singing caused such confusion and distraction amongst their enemies that they (the enemy) set about destroying each other instead of the Israelites. Not only did the Israelites win the battle, but they reaped so much bounty from the dead enemy it took them three days to collect it all.

The second situation was the homeowner's meeting last night regarding the security screen door that the Board asked me and 12 other people in my community to remove. Mostly, I believe the Board has a personal preference against these types of doors and in their attempt to "clean up the neighborhood" they have a misguided perception that security screen doors are contributing to a tacky neighborhood. Nevermind the true causes (such as dirty diapers sitting atop the garbage bin housing, abandoned cars taking up much needed parking spots, teenagers on motorized scooters who ride endlessly around the neighborhood, children who skateboard and bike off stairs into busy streets ... the list goes on and on).

I've been praying about this situation since July, increasing my prayers as the Board's immovable attitude increased. I felt led to canvass the neighborhood with a petition. When someone who I trust in his honesty told me not to waste my time, I still felt led to canvass, but focused specifically on people who have doors like mine.

Two nights ago in my nightly devotions, I read Ezra, chapters 4, 5 & 6. This text refers to the Israelites rebuilding their Lord's temple. Satan moved against them with false friends, frustration, discouragement and a misinformed king. The people, however, stayed honest & forthright, respectful of the king and true to the Lord. They consistently put the Lord first in all that they were doing. The Lord did what only the Lord could do ... he changed the king's heart, who then allowed the people to continue and complete their work.

Ezra 6
²² For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

Last night at the Board meeting, it appears that the Board may be having a change of heart. They are allowing us to, for now, keep our security doors. I wonder, though, what the Lord's purpose in this could be? For this cannot possibly be just about a screen door.

Singing praise to the Lord, staying steadfast and faithful in Him doesn't, on the surface, seem so hard to do. And, yet, I perpetually find myself asking God for strength to do even that. Ahhh, how weak I am without Him.