Sunday, May 31, 2009

Divine Appointments (cont.)

How is it that over the past several months that the LORD has decided to get HIS hands on me? It feels as if all of a sudden He has caused me to wake up and pay attention to what is going on - what HE wants me to do. Since January every devotion I read, every sermon I hear, every Bible study lesson could definitely have my name inserted into it for a personal invitation to take heed and apply the Word spoken. It's as if every message delivered was for me personally. When I think of it, it was. He must be ready to do something BIG in my life that He has gotten my attention in this way. I don't know if I've just been so blind up to this point, however, in my prayers I have been praying to grow into a deeper relationship with my Jesus.
Whenever we gather, or hear the Word of God, it is personally for us. God speaks to us where we are. He has a message for all of us. We may be needing to apply it differently, and obviously are living in different circumstances - but as the Bible says -

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Heb 4:12

The fact that God's Word is active says that even though it doesn't change - it is able fit and to apply in 3 different circumstances of 3 different women studying the same passage in a Bible study. That is amazing to me. God is so personal that He provides His word to me.

I must confess that the obedience to which I am being called causes me fear. I'm not being asked to leave the comforts of home to travel to a far away land to share the Gospel. However, I am being asked to give up something that brings me some amount of comfort and security. There is a conflict within me. My old self thinks that it is CRAZY to give up my comfort and security. My old self is quick to bring up all of the "what ifs". "What if this doesn't work?" "What if the kids get sick?" "What if Jeremy loses his job?" "What if?.... What if?... What if?" On the contrary, my spiritually controlled self is excited to see how God is gonna work this one out. It is a HUMONGOUS GOD THING!!!! This is the kind of thing that only HE could pull off. And it's so easy for HIM. What is too hard for Him? NOTHING! My spiritual me wants to see my faith grow, and this is how God is gonna do it. My spiritual me is ready to see something miraculous. I'm excited to be on the other side of history in this situation, as if it's already the past, to see what God has allowed and how He has worked His miracles. The awesome thing is that God is already there... in the future, as if this situation is history. He knows how I've handled all that will happen to our family. My utmost prayer is that whatever comes, be it joy and pleasure, or pain and suffering, that I bring glory to His name. For He alone is worthy!

This is a great segue to my May 30 Bible verse -

Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

2 comments:

Heather said...

a reminder, taken from our godly hero... beth.

"We talked about how the enemy and our own self-destructive natures combine to taunt us w/ "what-ifs." Once we are in Christ, Satan has no authority to destroy us, so he settles for the next best thing: threatening to destroy us...

To the Devil, the irony is delicious: Our distrust of God tattles on us, telling our enemy how to get to us. Many of us habitually rehearse, "If ______ ever happens, then I'll just ______ ." Our fears become like long, bony index fingers pointing to our vulnerabilities. Once Satan sees what we believe would be the end of us, he threatens and torments us w/ it.

Our natural human defense is to grovel before God and plead w/ Him not to let those things happen. Our conditional trust not only makes us an open target for enemy torment; it also positions us as negotiators and beggars before God instead of secure children who trust their lives to their faithful Father...

Don't misunderstand me, I'm a big proponent of praying against what we fear and for the desires of our hearts. I also believe we're free and safe to voice our worst nightmares to God. In times of crisis and demonic attack, however, our vulnerable souls need something more. The most critical breakthrough of faith you and I could ever experience is to let God bring us to a place where we trust Him-- PERIOD. We don't just trust Him to let us avoid what we fear most. We determine to trust Him no matter what, even if our worst nightmare befalls us. We have no greater victory and can render Satan no harsher blow."

(Esther, pp 107-108)

I'm loving you my friend-- TRUST the One who saved you~ there's no greater security than that which you'll find nestled in His sweet embrace.

"Our only steadfast defenses against life's certain uncertainty is unconditional trust in a Savior who loves us more than His own life." (p 108)

Heather said...

June 2:

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear Gretchen,
Happy birthday to you!

Hope you have a wonderful day, dear friend!

love,
me