I am thankful for moments like last night. At work and afterwards on the drive home I had an impromptu encouragement session w/ my brother, Marlyn Jeremy Hunter . I am amazed at how The Lord uses His people to communicate His heart to us so clearly. Even now as I meditate on what was discussed, there are three Truths that I am reminded of: 1.) Gods passionate love for us is too wide, high, and deep...it is foreign, unimaginable, and overwhelming at the same time. It is to the point that we fear it, run from it, and resist it. Lamentably, there are times where we even scorn it. But, oh that we would surrender completely that He would give us a supernatural capacity to comprehend and the power to receive and cling to His love! He is so zealous to have us as His own and has taken such excruciating measures through Jesus Christ to hold and to have our hearts. 2.) There is freedom in our full surrender to His Lordship. I am not there yet, but I have gained a deeper acceptance and appreciation of the Truth that if we hold on to our life we lose it and if we lose it for His sake then we really gain it. From moment to moment we are called to concurrently lose and gain our lives in His Lordship. I have had recent worries, insecurities, made comparisons, all in the interest of holding on to the reins of my life under the subconscious illusion of being in control. However, in our surrender and in our willingness to allow Him to be Lord, we simultaneously embrace His leadership. Therefore, to the extent that we are willing to trust and obey, He will lead us in the right way and cause our paths to be made straight. Where, why, and how we go on this journey...the means by which we get from point A to B is not our concern to worry about. It is our Fathers concern. Our concern is to simply abide in and pursue Him. Out of that sacred communion, we learn to move in the guidance of His sovereign instruction whenever, wherever, and however we must. 3.) With numbers one and two in mind we must learn to always remember who God is! Honestly...I do not yet know Him to the extent that I desire to know Him and I am not convinced that there is a place where we necessarily arrive. On the contrary, when we are in healthy communion w/ Him there is a perpetual, ever increasing growth in intimacy. I was grieved as I thought of how skeptical, irreverent, and ungrateful I have been in my thinking lately. As another brother, Anthony Haywood reminded me, our thoughts not only become actions but they shape us into who we are. I had allowed disappointments, hardships, and trials to dictate my disposition. Yet as I was reminded of Gods goodness my heart began to melt. I thought of my undergraduate years and how He led me into challenges where I felt way in over my head. Nonetheless, He walked with me and caused even my failures to be turned into victory. I was reminded of His mercy, of His compassion, His protection, His tenderness, His faithfulness, His discipline, His justice...of the sweetness of His presence and fellowship. It is in remembering who our Father is, that we find the strength to endure through lifes hardships, knowing that He is the One who cannot lie. He is the One who has placed His Word above Himself and out of that same Word promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He shares in our suffering, grieves w/ us as we grieve, rejoices as we rejoice, and causes ALL things to work together for the good of those who love Him. I am grateful for these simple reminders. My soul is truly filled with peace. :-)
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 10:00:56 +0000
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