Witnesses for God

Isaiah 43:12c

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.”

Good morning Zebras,

In the evening when I walk in the park I often see the same man with his Queensland Heeler.  This dog is incredibly well trained and the man loves to show him off.  He puts the dog on a park bench and tells him to stay and then he walks away.  He doesn’t just walk a few feet either, he walks a long ways away, and that dog stays on the bench and he doesn’t jump down until his owner gives the signal.  But when that signal comes the dog flies across the park to be at his master’s side. 

The first few times I saw him I was impressed with the dog, but the other night my attention switched over to the owner.  You can tell just by the way he walks that he is proud of his dog. His dog is not like the other dogs in the park.  It is different, it stands out, it doesn’t get distracted by other dogs or people.  It is obvious who its master is.  And that makes the man happy.

And I thought “I hope God feels that way about me. I hope I make God happy. I hope my actions let everyone know it is God and God alone that I am following.”

And I’m guessing you feel that way too.

I love you little Zebras, let us live today in a way that is honoring to God, in a way that declares to everyone who is watching that the Lord is our God and we do exactly what He tells us to do, even if it is just sitting on a bench.  

Love,

Jill

Stand Firm

1 Peter 5:8–9  

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Good morning Zebras,

Today’s verse is one I use all the time when explaining the vision of Zebras.  Our enemy is prowling around looking for someone to devour and just like the lone zebra it is the lone Christian who is easy prey.  Today, however, I looked the verse up in the Bible to read it in context and found the next verse works as well.

1 Peter 5:9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Knowing there are other zebras out there standing firm for our faith encourages me every day to do the same.  Hopefully it encourages you as well.  You are not alone, even if you feel like it.  As God told Elijah there are thousands out there who have not bent their knee to Baal.

Paul told us in Ephesians to “be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”   Every time I see zebra stripes I do just that and I know many other zebras do as well.  So be encouraged today little zebra, knowing that people you don’t even know are praying you will remain strong and resist the devil.

Love,

Jill

Waitimg

Acts 16:28b

Don’t harm yourself!  We are all here!

Good morning Zebras!

Recently I’ve been contacted by a few zebras inquiring about my well-being.  So I wanted to let you know I’m doing well, I have almost completely recovered from hip surgery and I am just waiting on God to show me what’s next.

A few weeks ago I asked God if staying silent and remaining inactive was what He really wants me to do, it just flies in the face of our busy American culture.  But He reassured me that waiting is more honoring to Him by reminding me of Paul’s experience in prison as recorded in Acts 16:16-37

As you may recall Paul and Silas were thrown in prison for removing an evil spirit from a slave girl.  As they sat in prison singing songs of praise to God there was an earthquake and the prison doors flew open and their chains were loosened.  When the jailer awoke he drew his sword to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had all escaped.  He stopped when Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself!  We are all here!”

Paul’s choice to stay in prison, even when he had the chance to go free, brought honor to God and resulted in the jailer and his family accepting Christ.

Now obviously I’m not in prison, I have the freedom to go and do whatever I decide to do and there’s nothing physically stopping me from writing z-mails every day.  But I feel God is telling me to stay silent and wait because it is the waiting that honors Him the most.

I know I am not the only one out there who is waiting on God, I know many of you are going through the same struggles that I am.  So here is my encouragement, if you feel like you are in a prison of God’s making, and you are tempted to wiggle your way out of it, wait with joy because miraculous prison breaks are possible and He has a purpose for the trial.

I love you little zebras.  Thank you for the prayers.

Love,

Jill