Lessons to be learned, Blessings we have received
Daily I pray it, ask it, wonder in the waiting…God, what is the lesson to be learned? What more do you require of us? How much more will You stretch us, change us, make us into the beings you would have us to be?
We are called in our walk with Christ to be His followers, to live wholly devoted and righteous lives that shine for His glory. We have a precious gift we’ve been given, life eternal with Him and because of His choice to sacrifice His Son for our lives, to save us, to forgive us, to show how deep the Father’s love truly is for us. What will we do with what He has given us? How far are we willing to go?
I was reminded once again in my devotional this morning, through the life of David, just how far God expects us to go in showing our devotion to Him. We know God recognized him as “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22) and yet we read David’s journey was far from perfect. He took some hits, he made some really screwy decisions and God answered by forgiving him but also requiring him to endure the consequences. None of us can claim to be perfect, only striving toward perfection in Christ. So it is easy when life knocks us down, like it has for us this past year, to get to the point we question, “God, what are we doing wrong?” “Where are You in this?” “What more do we need to do to see You move on our behalf?” I was further challenged and encouraged today by a message I read online by Marilyn Murphree entitled “Strengthening Your Faith in Troubled Times: Unwavering Faith”. The power of Christ knows no limits! Jeremiah 23:23-24 God says to us “Am I only a God near at hand and not a God far off? Can anyone hide out in a corner where I can’t see him? Am I not present everywhere, whether seen or unseen?” No matter where we are, who we are, what we are praying for and when, He hears us and He will answer! He will provide! He is capable; He will do it and all in His perfect timing!
We are on this journey for a reason, reasons that baffle ALL of us. We cannot fathom what God has for us, but we can stand firmly upon His promise to sustain us, love us, and prepare us for what lies ahead. He will not fail us---oh, how we have seen that in the ways He has blessed us over and over again this year, through our family and friends, far and near. You have met a need in one way or another, and I believe wholeheartedly that God will richly bless you for it! In my most desperate hour, days when I find myself holding it together until I have a moment to close the bathroom door and let go for just a few minutes—know this: my tears and my cries to God are not only because of my realization that I am completely and utterly helpless in understanding any of this, but also out of the joy in knowing how deeply the Father cares for us, that we are not forgotten, we are so deeply loved and we will be okay. Each and every one of you has made such a difference in our ability to go on, to put one foot in front of the other. Keep it coming. We are the body of Christ, we need one another, and we love you so dearly.
We are called in our walk with Christ to be His followers, to live wholly devoted and righteous lives that shine for His glory. We have a precious gift we’ve been given, life eternal with Him and because of His choice to sacrifice His Son for our lives, to save us, to forgive us, to show how deep the Father’s love truly is for us. What will we do with what He has given us? How far are we willing to go?
I was reminded once again in my devotional this morning, through the life of David, just how far God expects us to go in showing our devotion to Him. We know God recognized him as “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22) and yet we read David’s journey was far from perfect. He took some hits, he made some really screwy decisions and God answered by forgiving him but also requiring him to endure the consequences. None of us can claim to be perfect, only striving toward perfection in Christ. So it is easy when life knocks us down, like it has for us this past year, to get to the point we question, “God, what are we doing wrong?” “Where are You in this?” “What more do we need to do to see You move on our behalf?” I was further challenged and encouraged today by a message I read online by Marilyn Murphree entitled “Strengthening Your Faith in Troubled Times: Unwavering Faith”. The power of Christ knows no limits! Jeremiah 23:23-24 God says to us “Am I only a God near at hand and not a God far off? Can anyone hide out in a corner where I can’t see him? Am I not present everywhere, whether seen or unseen?” No matter where we are, who we are, what we are praying for and when, He hears us and He will answer! He will provide! He is capable; He will do it and all in His perfect timing!
We are on this journey for a reason, reasons that baffle ALL of us. We cannot fathom what God has for us, but we can stand firmly upon His promise to sustain us, love us, and prepare us for what lies ahead. He will not fail us---oh, how we have seen that in the ways He has blessed us over and over again this year, through our family and friends, far and near. You have met a need in one way or another, and I believe wholeheartedly that God will richly bless you for it! In my most desperate hour, days when I find myself holding it together until I have a moment to close the bathroom door and let go for just a few minutes—know this: my tears and my cries to God are not only because of my realization that I am completely and utterly helpless in understanding any of this, but also out of the joy in knowing how deeply the Father cares for us, that we are not forgotten, we are so deeply loved and we will be okay. Each and every one of you has made such a difference in our ability to go on, to put one foot in front of the other. Keep it coming. We are the body of Christ, we need one another, and we love you so dearly.
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