Monday, June 21, 2010

One of those weeks

Thursday, March 11, 2010

One of those weeks....

I haven't written in a while, because it has been one of those weeks.  By one of those weeks, I don't necessarily mean bad, just rough.  But of course, isn't that were we learn and grow?  I do have my rebellious moments when I think "enough!  I have enough character, already", but then I know I don't and that my Father loves me enough to see me further refined.  It seems that God reveals to me just what I need to know when I need to know it.

A few months back, I was reading the beginning of  The Book again, and I was getting more than a little weary by all of the laws that the children of Israel had to follow.  The laws just seemed to come one after the other, multiplying, growing, developing a life of their own.  That rebellious nature in me kept thinking "this is IMPOSSIBLE - no one could lead a normal life!"  A woman would be out of her house for at least a week every month, every cold, infection or blemish could render you unclean - blood sacrifices would be continual.  And then it hit me - God is holy.  All of these laws are what are required for holiness.  I am to be holy - these laws were the only way to attain that holiness.  As I read my Bible, it became more and more clear to me what Jesus did on that cross.  Not only did He die for me, He became my holiness!  No longer do I have to chase after an unattainable standard.  He completely and totally and eternally fulfilled that standard for me!!!!!  I am so excited!  All of that to get to this....recently we met a family whose eldest son was quite intent on courting our eldest daughter.  They are a wonderful family and we were thrilled to know that some one else saw and appreciated the qualities that we have endeavored to instill in our daughter.  However, the more we got to know this family, the more reservations we had.  This family attempted to keep all of the old testament law.  They disregarded many new testament scriptures.  They wouldn't speak the name of Jesus.  How thankful we were for God's timing.  Through the reading of His word, He had shown us the futility of trying to attain salvation outside of Him.  He had prepared us for just this occasion.  He had given us a firm foundation on which to make a stand.

After learning about His holiness, it was on to the next lesson.  This was even harder.  The lesson was this - God's plan is perfect, even when it appears to be anything but perfect and even when He is using flawed, sinful humans to accomplish His will.  His book is FULL of illustrations of His Perfect Plan.  Jacob, who lied, cheated and stole became the father of a nation.  Joseph, whose brothers sold him into slavery, saved the entirety of Egypt and the surrounding nations devastated by the famine.  God used these flawed men, to serve His purposes.  He used circumstances and situations that anyone looking from the outside (and even those in the midst of them) would have deemed hopeless.  Our family has been in the process of trying to sell our home and move closer to family.  We have been making plans and excitedly anticipating our future and dreaming of what tomorrow holds.  Our direction has suddenly turned.  I feel lost in a tumultuous sea of fear and dashed hopes.  But God and His character is unchanging.  He keeps showing me time and again how a situation that looks hopeless and rife with confusion, can, in reality, be for His glory.  My job is to trust Him.  Not to second guess, what if, or ya but...  Once more, God proves a trustworthy foundation!

So, it has been one of those weeks.  But even in those weeks, God speaks with His still, small voice.  He speaks of trust and obedience and blessings.  He speaks of prospering and not harming.  He speaks to me, his daughter, of His great love.

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