February 3, 2014
Rainy day outside. One of my favorites!! Love it.
It's been awhile since I've caught up on my blog online =( Feeling a little bad about that.
This week I have two days off and though it makes things tight financially - I've got a lot of stuff that needs to be taken care of outside of work.
I was talking to Joann briefly yesterday at Sally & Dee's SuperBowl party. It was good to see her before she heads off to the Philippines in a couple of months - Possibly to stay for a couple of years.
She shared that she felt that You've been showing her that Christianity is less than all the things we "don't" do - or shouldn't do - and more about all the things we should do - And I thought that was kind-of funny because it feels this past year You've been telling me it's less about what we DO and more about WHO we are BEING. At the same time I was struck on our way home by the thought that: Faith without works is like love without action...
And suddenly that whole dichotomy in James slipped into place in a way I hadn't understood before but now made sense.
I was also thinking about ------ at Bible study who was sharing how she has been struggling to spend time with You on a regular basis - and remembering how I was there - I've been there so many times in my life... And I don't honestly know what turned that around for me recently. I sometimes wonder if You keep us from easy access to You because You want our hunger and desperation to grow for You. It sounds kind-of wrong - but sometimes I have begged and pleaded for You to help me because I feel I can't accomplish something on my own - and despite that - I still can't change myself and I don't see any change happening - so I can't help but wonder if it isn't Your will.
And sometimes it's asking You for good things - like an increase in relationship with You - or diligence to spend time with You - or like recently - me wanting to know and live out what it means to "Live IS Christ" - and maybe the change is happening but we can't see... or maybe it isn't happening in the way we asked or thought it would be - or maybe it isn't happening at all as we had feared... But through it all I think we have to keep looking for You and Your work in our lives and still fighting to hold onto the promise that You are author and finisher of our faith - and we can't get ourselves to the finish line. We just run - and ask You to get us there...
And You've promised that you will ... It'll just be in Your way and Your timing - which sometimes looks radically different than what we thought or imagined.
Lord - life is so full of Your goodness. I feel so awesomely blessed even in the midst of us not having enough to satisfy the "money god." It's days like today that I know I need to trust You - and that You will accomplish Your will if we just stay ready and willing.
I felt convicted yesterday that Jason and I haven't been asking You (not really) to help us out of debt. It feels like something we haven't been able to conquer despite what I believe is our best efforts - so Father - would You help? I know it is a burden on us and an unnecessary hold on our lives - so however You deem appropriate - whether changing our spending habits - increasing income - or some way we can't see - Would you help us to be financially free?
Psalm 87
On the holy mount stands the city he founded, (v. 1)
Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God. (v. 3)
And of Zion it shall be said,
"This one and that one were born in her;"
For the Most High himself will establish her. (v. 5)
The Lord records as he registers the peoples,
"This one was born there."
Selah (v. 6)
Singers and dancers alike say,
"All my springs are in you." (v. 7)
The Lord establishes us as His dwelling place - His temple - His church - His body... it is He who founds us and establishes us and accomplishes all things in and through us.
Of the glorious things that are spoken of us - of all the offspring and life we produce - all the fruits of the Spirit - all the works of our hands - they are contributed to God...
He records each one of them -
for ultimately it was He who accomplished them all... He is the source of all our inspiration - all our ability - From Him springs all our life and joy and capability of doing anything good.
Father - I pray that You would establish us today - and make us springs of living water that flow from You to refresh and bring life to a dry and weary and desperate world. I pray that for myself today - and not just for myself - but for others too - For your Church - and more specifically - for Joann and ----- because I know that has been their heart cry before You as well... Make us springs of living water founded and flowing from You.
In Your name I pray.
Amen.
