Showers of Blessings

"You heavens above, rain down righteousness;
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up,
let righteousness grow with it;
I, the LORD, have created it."
-Isaiah 45:8

"Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No, it is you, O LORD our God.
Therefore our hope is in you,
for you are the one who does all this."
-Jeremiah 14:22

"Take an example from nature. Clouds have passed over the sky every day for many weeks now, and I have very often said 'It will certainly rain today, and the thirsty fields will be refreshed.' Yet not a drop has fallen, up to this point. Still, it has to rain before long.
It is the same with God's mercy... 'The Lord is not slack concerning His promises, as some men count slackness.' (2 Peter 3:9) He has His own appointed time, and He will be punctual, for while He is never ahead of schedule, He is never behind it. In due season, in answer to the prayers of His people, He will give them a shower of blessing. All kinds of gracious blessings will descend from His right hand. He will tear open the heavens and come down in majesty, for 'God shall bless us.'" -Charles Spurgeon, Finding Peace in Life's Storms

Thirsty?

"As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?"

-Psalm 42:1-2

"I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it."

-Psalm 8:10

"For I will pour water on the thirsty land,

and streams on the dry ground;

I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,

and my blessing on your descendants."

-Isaiah 44:3

(Kevin, 3, and Annie, 7)

"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!"

And let him who hears say, "Come!"
Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes,

let him take the free gift of the water of life. "

-Revelation 22:17

When I Consider...

(9 year old brother Jonathan at Whetstone)

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

the moon and the stars which You have set into place,

What is man that You are mindful of him?

The son of man that You visit him?"

-Psalm 8:3-4

Peace... Be Still

This semester has been the most difficult so far, and the most unhealthy. Constant fatigue, endless homework and no energy left to do it, as well as catch up from being sick ever other week or so.

Every day I said, "Next week will be better, my life can get back to normal. I will be better next week." Well, "next week" hasn't come yet.

Today was a difficult day. After (another) trip to urgent care, and (another) week of plans changed because of sickness I was so frustrated! "Lord!" I cried, "this is disrupting my whole life!" Then He quietly impressed on my heart... "Your life?"

That was all, just the quiet reminder... "your life?" Indeed, "my life?" I gave my life back to Him... so it's His life.

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
-Colossions 3:2-4

If my life is hidden in Christ, should I question what He is doing with it? He is saying to my storm tossed mind "peace - be still!" If the One with whom my life is hidden knows what He is doing, all I have to do is to be still. Peace in the storm, for He is with me. Confident in the reassurance that the One in control does know - whether He chooses to tell me or not. Secure in the knowledge that my plans now won't matter in the whole scheme of things... Cherishing the reminder that it's not my life.

It's His.

Giving Back to Him...

"Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.
We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers.
Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.
O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided
for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand,
and all of it belongs to you.
I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.
All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent.
And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.
O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you."
-1 Chronicles 29:13-18

This prayer of David is so beautiful! "...we have given You only what comes from Your hand." How true this is! We are called to glorify God in all we do, yet He is glorious beyond our comprehension. Our praise cannot elevate Him any farther than He is, yet we give back to Him the glory that He already possesses.
Just like our lives, which we give back to Him. Just like our crowns, which we shall finally cast at His feet.

"But everything comes from God." -1 Corinthians 11:12b

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." -Revelation 4:11

Everything we give to God He has first given to us. We are called to constantly magnify Him and bring Him glory, yet He is ever magnificent and glorious. And the love we give to Him is in response to His love - for He loved us first.

Secure in His Promise

"No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised."
-Romans 4:20-21

I find it so easy to say "Lord, I trust You... just please tell me what you are doing to me!" I have to know the why, the how and the outcome, and then I promise to trust Him. What is wrong with this is that when we know what will happen there is no trust involved!

God made radical promises to Abraham, that He would bless an old man with a child, and make his descendents like the sand of the seashore. Abraham didn't demand to know the how and the when as years passed childless, he stayed firmly trusting that God knew what He was doing, "fully convinced."

A childlike trust is willing to believe when our eyes are shut to "how" and "when" and "why." A child is secure in the knowledge that Father does know best, and any worrying is needless and only self-destructive.

And if the One in control knows what He is doing, I don't need to know.

Blackmail

"Hey Jen, you got blackmail." Jonny casually informed me. I looked at my 9 year old brother. "Blackmail?? What are you talking about?"

Well, I had received one of those junk mail credit card applications, and the envelope happened to be black. Hence - blackmail. :)

I Think I was Meant to be a Blond...

I shut my fingers in the car window today... while I was cranking the window up with - ummmm... the other hand...

It hurt.


Somedays I amaze even myself... ;)

"Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you,
"Your face, LORD, do I seek."
Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!"
-Psalm 27:7-9