The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 29:11

Woke up on the floor that morning.

"Where am I?" was my first thought. Then it came back to me. Oh, yes, I am starting the move and my furniture was carted away last night. I walked around the apartment, stepping around piles of books, linens, pictures and memories that had to quickly depart from the furniture before it was moved to the apartment of a student that I had worked with last year. Why am I doing this again...........? Another year, another move....?

I sat down and opened my Bible to Psalm 29:2 -5,10 "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon...The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever."

As I was reading this, I was thinking this must be a Psalm that talks about fearing the Lord and His might, and seeing and recognizing this might in a storm. He is mighty and in control. He is worthy of being feared. Then I read verse eleven,

"The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace."

Reading that verse provided hope in the chaos of facing the details of my move for the next few weeks. In the midst of the chaos of a storm, I receive strength & peace. In the midst of the piles of different items needed to be put into boxes, I receive strength & peace. Isn't our God good to provide for what is needed! I'm still in the process of moving, but when things are getting overwhelming, I look for God in the storm, in the chaos. And I see His strength & peace coming my way.

Written by
Theresa Zacher

HSBC Coffeebreak

“Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no sons? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”
Numbers 27:4 NIV

During my young formidable years, I was surrounded by the women’s liberation movement. I didn’t grow up learning God’s Word and wasn’t able to counter the lies of the culture. I seemed to mix a little of what I heard everywhere and came up with my own belief structure - one that was very confusing and unstable. When I trusted Christ as my Savior, it still took me a few years before I started to grow and learn about God and Truth. Once I began to learn, I was like a sponge. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn and life began to make some sense. Some sense.

It is easy to get the idea that women are of no significance. The world tries to tell us that and it can seem as though the Bible sends the same message. Let’s face it, women aren’t even listed in the genealogies. That seems to send the message that they weren’t even worth counting. Rules against slavery were more protective of men. How about when Aaron and his sister Miriam grumbled against Moses’ leadership and it was Miriam whom God struck with leprosy? Even the punishment for infidelity is much more severe towards women.

I was desperate for understanding of the female role. I wondered how to have a voice and at the same time, how to always submit. As I studied the Bible, I would find passages that lent to understanding and others that added to my confusion. Over time I realized that I had to trust God, even in the places that I did not have the understanding that I longed for. I must choose to believe that God is good even when it doesn’t feel like it. One day, while reading in the book of Numbers, I came across a gem that ministered to my heart. Zelophehad only had daughters. As the people were to enter the Promised Land, these women would not inherit any land. In that culture, if you didn’t have land, you didn’t have anything, as that is how you made your living. These daughters were about to get left out, overlooked, and were not to be provided for. If there was any struggle with feelings and how they should respond, it is not recorded. We get the bare facts. The daughters came boldly to those who were in authority. They stated their case. Their closing statement was, “Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

Moses heard these women’s concern and took it before the Lord. This started the whole process of making policies dealing with inheritances that have been useful and practical from that day forward. If these women would have thrown a pity party, they may have been so stuck on themselves that they personally remained without and nothing would have been established for the future benefit of others. I am sure they faced the possibility of rejection by going to the authorities and making such a bold request. But they went anyway. They left their feelings behind, spoke in simple straightforward terms and trusted God for the outcome. Their example of bold confidence while submitting to the authority structure is surely worth following!

Lord, may we find liberty in the midst of your perfect will and never apart from You. Amen

Written by
Liz Anderson

HSBC Coffeebreak

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

The first time I ever sang “Grace Like Rain” (by Todd Agnew) was at our church ladies retreat in the spring of 2004. I’ve never forgotten singing it that day, because the words changed my perspective on God’s grace.

I’m a former English teacher and song lyrics always interest me. The lines of the song I love most are “Hallelujah; Grace like rain falls down on me/ Hallelujah; all my stains are washed away…” I remember being intrigued with the comparison of grace to rain. Grace, something I enjoy, with rain, something I do not. My normal response to being in the rain is to duck my head. I tense up everywhere and try to get out of it as fast as I can, being hit by the fewest raindrops that I can.

As I sang the song, I realized that God doesn’t want me to “run through” His grace like I usually do rain. What if I would begin seeing rain as what it is to creation – refreshing, renewing and cleansing? What if I slowed down in the rain, lifted my face up to the heavens, opened my arms wide and let the rain truly wash over me. I realized that if I would view rain in this way, I would experience God’s grace for what it truly is – refreshing, renewing and cleansing.

Before, I knew that God’s grace forgave me. Now, I see grace as a gift that does so much more. God desires to make me clean and I long to slow down and enjoy the beauty of Him doing so when I ask. Everytime I sing that song, I cannot help but look toward the heavens. I want that rain to hit me square on my face. I want to feel new each time I go to the throne and humbly ask for forgiveness.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me as a sinner and for the awesome gift of grace you have given me through Jesus Christ. Help me to begin to understand the extent of your gift…help me to allow it to wash over my entire life, removing the shame and guilt…may it make me a new creation each time.

Written by
Holly Hauskins

Press the play button to hear the song: