Do you ever get so focused on something, that it distracts you from just about everything else? I do, and lately I have been, distracted. So distracted in fact I've been working on this blog post for 12 days now! Hard as I might, to try and concentrate on the task at hand, I still find myself obsessed with my thoughts lately! So I try and pray, and I do pray. I pray and I pray some more, but it never seems enough. I know I just need to "let go and let God", I need to trust that God has everything under control and although people and leaders will sometimes make the wrong choices, God can and will use it all for good, in the lives of those who truly love Him and are called according to His purposes. Sometimes, trusting and letting go is easier said than done though, and I'm positive I have A.D.D.! ;)
Well this blog is my attempt to get my mind away from my obsession and onto events that were life changing for me. A group of ladies and I just recently finished studying the book of Daniel and WOW, what an amazing study!! In the words of a good friend and pastor, B.G., one of my "biggest take aways" from the Daniel study, would be to heed the words of Daniel to King Nebuchadnezzar, "Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity." (Daniel 4:27 KJV) So what does it mean? Exactly what it says, turn from my sin pursue and live for Jesus Christ who is my righteousness, and show mercy to the poor...I like the way the Message translation puts it, “So, king, take my advice: Make a clean break with your sins and start living for others. Quit your wicked life and look after the needs of the down-and-out. Then you will continue to have a good life.” (Daniel 4:27 MSG)
I admit I am selfish. No, I'm not the MOST selfish person in the world, but I'm definitely FAR from selfless. I consciously make efforts to live for others, but I admit for me, it takes sacrifice. It doesn't always just come naturally! Anyway, I often think of the first time God provided for me to go on a G.O. Ministries mission trip to Dominican Republic and Haiti with South Hills Church and the great impact it has had on my life. I journaled daily while there, and I'm so glad I did because along with pictures, it helps me to remember vividly my thoughts, feelings, and the awesome God encounters I experienced. One of the most vivid experiences of the mission trip is when I arrived back to my house, sounds strange, I know. But It was then that it hit me like a ton of bricks. I am RICH. The realization hit me hard, that I'm rich not just because I am complete in Christ by putting my faith and trust in Him, but believe it or not, also because of my worldly possessions! It's not that I felt guilty when I drove up to my house and saw it with a new pair of eyes, but I knew in that moment when Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”, (Matthew 19:23, 24 ESV) it is talking about me, my family, all of us. WE are the rich ones. So the passage in Daniel mentioned above, was a good reminder for me, to not forget, to not lose sight, to not get caught up in Babylon out here in western civilization, and forget about the good work God began in my heart. I'm so thankful His Holy Word gives this encouraging promise, "being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6 NIV) And so I pray, keep working in me Lord Jesus, keep refining me, keep transforming my heart to be a reflection of Yours, because it is You I seek, desire and love! I want a heart that prefers You above all else!!!
I love this following quote from Jen Hatmaker-7, An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess.
"And I was so blinded I didn't even know we were rich. How can I be socially responsible if unaware that I reside in the top percentage of wealth in the world? (You probably do too: Make $35,000 a year? Top 4 percent. $50,000? Top 1 percent.)Excess has impaired perspective in America; we are the richest people on earth, praying to get richer. We're tangled in unmanageable debt while feeding the machine, because we feel entitled to more. What does it communicate when half the global populationlives on less than $2 a day, and we can't manage a fulfilling life on twenty-five thousand times that amount? Fifty thousand times that amount? It says we have too much, and it is ruining us."
"REMEMBER" (2011)
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