The Bible is full of many wonderful stories of forgiveness, grace, mercy and sometimes you just don't see it coming. The parable of the prodigal son, Abigail's rescue of Nabal and his death, so many stories! How about a King born to save the world who is born in a manger? God can spin a story like no one else.
I am living in an incredible time in my life, in my church, in my neighborhood. There is adventure and mystery, excitement and hair raising events. I know God is up there at His loom adding threads here and there, creating a living picture of Himself around and inside us. Right now in this ministry I see many things happening at once. Some are glorious and some give me very real reason for concern. I have no idea what God is doing but I know my role in it. Tell everyone I can that the Savior has risen and will be returning soon. It is my job to tell about the salvation of Jesus Christ and the life-changing, life-giving difference He makes and live it out before them to see.
God has put me in a very unique position of having to depend on Him. I must admit He is providing. He is giving time and comfort and love and my church is modeling what a church should be. People are watching. God is watching. When I couldn't go out, He brought people to me. Where I was afraid to go, He allowed them to come to my house. I must admit my life is interesting right now. I cannot hide. God has made me to be a light on a hill. My life is no longer mine but His. I must do what I am called to do. It is not a matter any longer of convenience but of urgency. I must do what it is He's called me to do.
Pray I would have the resolve of Daniel and his friends, of David facing Goliath, of Mordecai before Haman. That I would revere His name above the ability of His enemies to make me uncomfortable. God may not call me to this degree, but I need the readiness.
I am not a hero or some prophet of old, who were just real people by the way. Don't think I don't feel concern or wonder what I am to do. I know there is nothing but a door between me and the enemies of God. They've stared at it every day. Now they come in. No lock holds out my foe, My God holds my door shut! To get to me, they must come through Him. God is my shield and fortress! Pray He holds me. Pray this story has an ending of epic proportions, so great that we'd never see that coming....
In Christ,
Jamie
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I was drawn to Psalm 138 today. I love verses 7 and 8 which say,
ReplyDelete"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.
The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever..."
God's people, missionaries in particular, have this constant concern, not so much that we will encounter trials and tribulations - we know we will- but that in the hour of our trial we will not fail Him. But, we won't fail. Not because of any inherent strength of our own, but because Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. The test isn't in the actual circumstances, frightening though they may be, the test is in our ability to rest on the promises of God. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Everything in our lives has a Kingdom purpose. If we choose to train our sights on Jesus, the Headwaters out of Whom rivers of living waters flow, then Jesus will touch people through our lives as an automatic thing. Kind of like a car wash. If people enter our world they are going to encounter the Living Water, because the Holy Spirit lives inside us. Our job is to choose to stay focused on Jesus alone so that can happen. If Peter had kept his sights on Jesus, he would not have started to sink when he tried to walk to Jesus on the water. We must not look at the waves. Just Jesus. Stay focused.
Jesus is fully able to accomplish what concerns us today. I am (as always) praying for you. Thank you so much for writing on this blog. It helps me know how to pray for you and your kids.