Revelations

Do you ever say something and as you're saying it you realize that God is giving you a revelation while you're speaking? That you would never have gotten the point He's trying to make to you if you hadn't said it out loud, even though you didn't know it beforehand?

Yes, I know this sounds weird, therefore I shall explain what I mean through an example of exactly what I'm talking about.

Tonight at Bible study we were talking about a variety of things so I don't really remember how we got onto the topic, but somehow we got to the topic of relationships and how we love God. I said something about how our relationships show us more about God and how to love God in new and different ways.

As far as that goes, I understood that, but God made it real to me tonight and revealed a deeper understanding of His purpose for having relationships with people in the first place. I said something like about how I know how to love God in certain ways because I am a daughter, sister, friend, and mentor, but that there are more ways and deeper ways to love God that I don't even know about yet because there are certain relationships that I don't have yet, such as that of being a wife and a mother and a grandmother. In turn, there are ways that I don't understand about the way God loves me back because I don't have these types of relationships yet.

And the more I talked about it, the more God revealed to me how I need to view these relationships. Not just something for myself, but yet another way to love God and another level that He loves me. I can't even fathom the fullness of His love simply because He is God and I am not, but I don't grasp even a fraction of what I am to understand in this life simply because I'm not there yet.

I can't wait to get married and see the new ways that God is revealed to me through my husband, the deepness of love that I will be able to understand of God when I enter into that covenant. And through realizing that tonight, it's helping me to appreciate that time of waiting that I am in right now. I've been doing pretty good for awhile now, but every once in awhile I begin getting impatient. Realizing that this future relationship is going to define yet another aspect of God's love for me that I will never understand until I enter into it, helps me to rest in what I understand it to be in the here and now. Regardless of the relationships I make and whatever form I understand God's love, He is always faithful to me. All glory to God, my friends, all glory to God. :o)

Exhilaration

Pastor Larry said on Sunday that God will move mountains to reach His children.

Here's to holding fast to truth and to the faithful promises of the Lord.

Rwanda, here I come.

I think my work place is cursed...

5 managers in less than 2 years is a tad excessive if you ask me.

That's right...the fifth manager I've worked under since being hired at the hotel starts after next week.

But it's a guy this time. Never had a guy manager at the hotel before. Obviously women weren't working out too well - I guess we'll give him a try. :P

(I'm not being sexist...just observant)

Until next time!

Priorities

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it."

~Matthew 10: 37-39


Have you ever read a piece of Scripture that was hard to take in during the initial reading of it? But then as you read it again and pray about it, you begin to discern what the passage is really saying and even if it's still hard to swallow, that understanding brings you hope.

Well friends, this passage isn't one of those for me. It's one of those passages that is not only hard to take in at first, but after praying about it, I'm still in the same boat I was before. The passage hasn't somehow revealed something I didn't see before. Rather, the passage is obvious in its meaning and I am the one that has to change.

Scripture is quite clear in this passage that God must be loved more than all other things or we are not worthy of Him. Now, I think this is one of those things we all know, but do we ever take the time to really think about what that means for our everyday life? What does it mean to love God above everyone, including our family?

I'm a relational person (aren't we all?) and I love my friends and family. But as I meditate on this passage of Scripture I'm convicted over how much of myself I dedicate to working out these relationships and how little of myself is leftover for God. Leftover! I should be giving Him myself first, not what's left in the foil from last night's dinner.

I spend so much time trying to keep my relationships alive and in tact. I even pray about the ways that I can be a better friend, sister, daughter, whatever, but even when I'm having my quiet time, God gets the last part of me, if there's any left. It sounds good with 'thank yous' and 'I beseech you Gods' and any number of other phrases that make our prayers sound more relevant and worthy to be brought before our King.

But the whole time I'm missing that still, small voice whispering to me, "Love Me first and with all you have. I have done everything for you - just give me all of you in return and see what I can do with it."

Too often I forget that this life isn't about the relationships I form over the years, but rather the glory I can bring to God. We are relational to bring God glory, not to make sure we ourselves have an easier time of things while we're here. I need to give myself, my love, my devotion completely to God and what a blessing in return if there are some great people alongside me. But even if I stand alone, the Cross is before me and my God, my King, my Savior, my Lover, and my Best Friend is waiting for me with outstretched arms.