Today I was thinking about how incredibly astonishing God’s creation is. I was marveling at the trees standing out stark against a fading sunset. The top of the sky was still beautifully blue set off by a soft purple eventually followed by pinks, yellows, reds and oranges. My heart simply ached with the magnificent display by my abba Father. My Daddy painted that sunset in the sky. He wooed and whispered the trees into being. He forethought and created each and every process necessary to sustain their life, from the sun’s light to the chloroplast harnessing it. My God is an awesome God. As I marveled I felt Him speak clearly into my soul: Child you are my most beloved creation.
I heard His words with perfect understanding. I willingly, openly marvel at everything He has made and with the same heart and mind rip myself to shreds.
Do I believe my LORD? The question is not do I believe in God but do I believe God. He tells me:
-He made me (and you!) with intention
Psalm 139:13 - 18 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
As one of my favorite Bible teachers, Beth Moore, would say “Oh, I know somebody wants to say Amen!”
I’m simply giddy with the reading of it. I often ask my Father to sing over my children as they fall to sleep. I want them to learn His voice. It is dear to me to think that He was singing to them long before I had even seen their precious faces.
-He knew me, loved me and chose me long before He began to knit my earthly body together
Ephesians 1:4-5 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
He has never stopped knitting me together. He, to this very second, is at work carefully and often painfully suturing wounds. He pointed something out to me recently in my time in Jeremiah. Very near the beginning of the book, presumably not long after the young Jeremiah has been called to be a prophet to rebellious Judah He tells the young man:
Jeremiah 1:10 See,today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, todestroy and overthrow, to build and to plant
Some things must be destroyed before others can be planted. He has done miraculous work in me. I am a living breathing miracle. Now,He calls me to uproot and to tear down to clear the way for what He will plant.
He asks me: will you as My beloved choose to believe that you are precious and holy to Me? Will you choose to step into your purposely planned and chosen role (Eph 2:10) with My mighty power and strength (Acts 1:8, Eph 6:10) or will you continue to believe Satan’s lie (Jn 8:44) that you aren’t good enough?
God tells me I am precious and chosen (Col 3:12) and that I am a warrior (Eph 6, 1 Tim 6:12). I will not allow Satan to convince me otherwise. I invite you to believe Him with me!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Questions...and answers
Right now the LORD has me in Jeremiah. It's a painful book to read but, as is so like Him, He is showing me His glory through even the darkest days of His children.
One of my favorite things about God is his willingness (and I believe eagerness) to teach. Maybe it's the teacher in me that loves this about Him but it's more likely that it's the eternal student!
I've long known that God is a teacher. From the moment I desperately reached for Him and He began to woo me He has always answered my questions. Often the answers are painful or slow in coming. Sometimes they are healing He speaks directlly into my soul, most often they come from His Word. I've come to expect to find answers in my study time with Him. I didn't really expect to hear Him confirm His teaching character amid the darkness of Jeremiah, however.
In chapter 2 when He is calling out to His precious chosen people who have prosituted themselves to idols He says: why didn't you ask "where is the LORD?" twice. This hit me upside the head. Part of Judah's problem was they weren't asking questions! The Spirit began to bring to mind scripture after scripture referring to questions and answers.
keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking - Luke 11:9, Matt 7:7
You should keep asking each other, 'What is the LORD's answer?' or 'What is the LORD saying?' - Jer 23:35
Seek me with all of your heart, soul and mind - Matt 22:37, Mark 12:30
We learn songs about the wise and foolish builder from childhood but our songs omit a criticle component of the story. Luke tells us that the 'wise' builder "dug down deep" and laid his foundation on rock! This is how Jesus describes those who "come to me, listen to my teaching, and then follow it". They dig!
So often we seek to omit our minds from the equation. Christians walk around with their heads down desperately trying to 'be good' and 'stay out of trouble' that they never wrestle out their own belief!
Are you free? It's a simple question.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. - Gal 5:1
God does not call you to a life of looking at your shoes. He calls you into intimate, deep, sincere relationship with Him.
A simple man believes anything but a prudent man gives thought to his steps - Prov 14:15
Do you have questions? He longs to teach you! And He already knows what they are. Bring them before Him and let Him make you stronger.
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. - Jer. 33:3
One of my favorite things about God is his willingness (and I believe eagerness) to teach. Maybe it's the teacher in me that loves this about Him but it's more likely that it's the eternal student!
I've long known that God is a teacher. From the moment I desperately reached for Him and He began to woo me He has always answered my questions. Often the answers are painful or slow in coming. Sometimes they are healing He speaks directlly into my soul, most often they come from His Word. I've come to expect to find answers in my study time with Him. I didn't really expect to hear Him confirm His teaching character amid the darkness of Jeremiah, however.
In chapter 2 when He is calling out to His precious chosen people who have prosituted themselves to idols He says: why didn't you ask "where is the LORD?" twice. This hit me upside the head. Part of Judah's problem was they weren't asking questions! The Spirit began to bring to mind scripture after scripture referring to questions and answers.
keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking - Luke 11:9, Matt 7:7
You should keep asking each other, 'What is the LORD's answer?' or 'What is the LORD saying?' - Jer 23:35
Seek me with all of your heart, soul and mind - Matt 22:37, Mark 12:30
We learn songs about the wise and foolish builder from childhood but our songs omit a criticle component of the story. Luke tells us that the 'wise' builder "dug down deep" and laid his foundation on rock! This is how Jesus describes those who "come to me, listen to my teaching, and then follow it". They dig!
So often we seek to omit our minds from the equation. Christians walk around with their heads down desperately trying to 'be good' and 'stay out of trouble' that they never wrestle out their own belief!
Are you free? It's a simple question.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. - Gal 5:1
God does not call you to a life of looking at your shoes. He calls you into intimate, deep, sincere relationship with Him.
A simple man believes anything but a prudent man gives thought to his steps - Prov 14:15
Do you have questions? He longs to teach you! And He already knows what they are. Bring them before Him and let Him make you stronger.
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. - Jer. 33:3
Insecurity
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. - Philippians 1:6
I have not posted for quite some time. There are a number of reasons I have not, some of them entirely valid. I believe my silence was God initiated. In my relationship with Him it is very important that I have raw one on one time with my LORD and He drew me into on such seclusion for a time. However, recently I have felt drawn back to my keyboard only to end a writing session in frustration after only a few lines. There are so many things my Savior, my LORD has been teaching me that I have desperately wanted to share with you but I just couldn't get the words to sit right on the screen. Today He confirmed a suspicion that has been rising in my soul for a number of weeks. My continued silence is due to one thing: Insecurity.
My precious LORD and Savior has drawn me from the depths of the pit and crowned me with love and compassion (Psalm 103)! He has healed wounds I was sure were fatal. He has restored me. And today I am reminded that He is not finished with me yet. I will never me 'good enough'. He will heal every wound, even those whose roots run down to the very core of my being. So today He corrects me and though conviction is painful I rejoice because if He is correcting me He is still talking to me!
I have not posted for quite some time. There are a number of reasons I have not, some of them entirely valid. I believe my silence was God initiated. In my relationship with Him it is very important that I have raw one on one time with my LORD and He drew me into on such seclusion for a time. However, recently I have felt drawn back to my keyboard only to end a writing session in frustration after only a few lines. There are so many things my Savior, my LORD has been teaching me that I have desperately wanted to share with you but I just couldn't get the words to sit right on the screen. Today He confirmed a suspicion that has been rising in my soul for a number of weeks. My continued silence is due to one thing: Insecurity.
My precious LORD and Savior has drawn me from the depths of the pit and crowned me with love and compassion (Psalm 103)! He has healed wounds I was sure were fatal. He has restored me. And today I am reminded that He is not finished with me yet. I will never me 'good enough'. He will heal every wound, even those whose roots run down to the very core of my being. So today He corrects me and though conviction is painful I rejoice because if He is correcting me He is still talking to me!
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