from Sarah Young's Jesus Calling devotional book today:
"Come to me for rest and refreshment. The journey has been too much for you, and you are bone-weary. Do not be ashamed of your exhaustion. Instead see it as an opportunity for me to take charge of your life.
Remember that I can fit everything into a pattern for good, including things you wish were different. Start with where you are at this point of time and space, accepting that this is where I intend you to be. You will get through today one step, one moment at a time. Your main responsibility is to remain attentive to Me, letting Me guide you through the many choices along your pathway.
This sounds like an easy assignment - but it is not. Your desire to live in My presence goes against the grain of "the world, the flesh, and the devil." Much of your weariness results from your constant battle against these opponents. However, you are on the path of my choosing, so do not give up! Hope in Me, for you will again praise Me for the help of My presence."
Sometimes you read or hear something and you know that this is Jesus calling. This was it today. I just told my sister-in-laws last night that I feel tired, all the time. Weary. Yes, I'm pregnant...that's a lot of it =) Every time I sit down to read or pray...I fall asleep. But some days it's a tiredness that seems to run deeper. In my soul.
One pattern in my life I have seen clearly the last few months is how I often resist God's plan...actually not just His plan, but God Himself. I seldom embrace where I'm at - the cup He has given to drink and the bread He has given to eat. Especially if it involves pain. I end up asking a ton of questions. Like: "Who am I? Who is He? Can I hear Him? Is He speaking? Why don't I feel Him today? Why is this the path You have chosen? Are Your promises true? Why am I tired? Why am I afraid? Because I really just don't like this, Jesus. I don't like that this is where I am. This is where you have me. Oh...this is where You have me. This is where You have my heart. I should repeat that 1,001 times today.
Last night my father-in-law led a simple little song at prayer meeting called "I'll say Yes, Yes, Yes". A flood of memories came rushing back because my dad would often start our school mornings out with this song when I was very little. It was easy for us to remember, I guess. I hadn't thought of it in years. I smiled because we were never impressed when he made us sing in the morning. But last night as we were singing Jesus was calling...
Calling me to stop asking questions. To stop despairing in this exhaustion. To stop resisting His plan. To stop resisting where He has my heart. He was calling me to simply open my tightly clenched fists in a "Yes, Lord...Yes. This is where You have me today. So THIS is where you intend for me to be. This is where you have my heart."
This is not easy for me. Everything in this world is against it. Because it is embracing something eternal. It is embracing hope.
The other day I opened the book Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler (another refreshing read!) and flipped to the name of God, [Miqweh Yisrael] Hope of Israel. She mentioned that when you trust the Hope of Israel you are believing in the God who saves and delivers. The One who will deliver us forever and give eternal joy. And might I add - everlasting rest. She says: "Hope gives us supernatural staying power [my weary soul wants that!] so that we can endure until the day God fulfills the greatest of all His promises - inviting us to spend the rest of our lives forever in His presence [and my weary soul wants that!]. That's where true hope will lead you if you let it."
Perhaps this ache. This longing. This weariness...is really an ache, longing, and pining for His presence...not just today, but forever. The flesh, the enemey, the world has resisted it terribly. In my weariness I wonder if He is speaking and if I can ever really listen like I should.
But He is calling...Jesus is calling...
calling me to say: "Yes, Lord. Yes."
calling me to Hope.
Yes, thank you Jesus, Hope of Israel. <><
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for morning
more than watchmen wait for morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with Him is full redemption. [Psalm 130:6-7]
"Come to me for rest and refreshment. The journey has been too much for you, and you are bone-weary. Do not be ashamed of your exhaustion. Instead see it as an opportunity for me to take charge of your life. Remember that I can fit everything into a pattern for good, including things you wish were different. Start with where you are at this point of time and space, accepting that this is where I intend you to be. You will get through today one step, one moment at a time. Your main responsibility is to remain attentive to Me, letting Me guide you through the many choices along your pathway.
This sounds like an easy assignment - but it is not. Your desire to live in My presence goes against the grain of "the world, the flesh, and the devil." Much of your weariness results from your constant battle against these opponents. However, you are on the path of my choosing, so do not give up! Hope in Me, for you will again praise Me for the help of My presence."
Sometimes you read or hear something and you know that this is Jesus calling. This was it today. I just told my sister-in-laws last night that I feel tired, all the time. Weary. Yes, I'm pregnant...that's a lot of it =) Every time I sit down to read or pray...I fall asleep. But some days it's a tiredness that seems to run deeper. In my soul.
One pattern in my life I have seen clearly the last few months is how I often resist God's plan...actually not just His plan, but God Himself. I seldom embrace where I'm at - the cup He has given to drink and the bread He has given to eat. Especially if it involves pain. I end up asking a ton of questions. Like: "Who am I? Who is He? Can I hear Him? Is He speaking? Why don't I feel Him today? Why is this the path You have chosen? Are Your promises true? Why am I tired? Why am I afraid? Because I really just don't like this, Jesus. I don't like that this is where I am. This is where you have me. Oh...this is where You have me. This is where You have my heart. I should repeat that 1,001 times today.
Last night my father-in-law led a simple little song at prayer meeting called "I'll say Yes, Yes, Yes". A flood of memories came rushing back because my dad would often start our school mornings out with this song when I was very little. It was easy for us to remember, I guess. I hadn't thought of it in years. I smiled because we were never impressed when he made us sing in the morning. But last night as we were singing Jesus was calling...
Calling me to stop asking questions. To stop despairing in this exhaustion. To stop resisting His plan. To stop resisting where He has my heart. He was calling me to simply open my tightly clenched fists in a "Yes, Lord...Yes. This is where You have me today. So THIS is where you intend for me to be. This is where you have my heart."
This is not easy for me. Everything in this world is against it. Because it is embracing something eternal. It is embracing hope.
The other day I opened the book Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler (another refreshing read!) and flipped to the name of God, [Miqweh Yisrael] Hope of Israel. She mentioned that when you trust the Hope of Israel you are believing in the God who saves and delivers. The One who will deliver us forever and give eternal joy. And might I add - everlasting rest. She says: "Hope gives us supernatural staying power [my weary soul wants that!] so that we can endure until the day God fulfills the greatest of all His promises - inviting us to spend the rest of our lives forever in His presence [and my weary soul wants that!]. That's where true hope will lead you if you let it."
Perhaps this ache. This longing. This weariness...is really an ache, longing, and pining for His presence...not just today, but forever. The flesh, the enemey, the world has resisted it terribly. In my weariness I wonder if He is speaking and if I can ever really listen like I should.
But He is calling...Jesus is calling...
calling me to say: "Yes, Lord. Yes."
calling me to Hope.
Yes, thank you Jesus, Hope of Israel. <><
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for morning
more than watchmen wait for morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with Him is full redemption. [Psalm 130:6-7]
Thank you for sharing. I needed this too. I think I might have to buy that book. :)
ReplyDeleteBless you, my dear daughter-in-law! I think it's neat how I sense that not only does God have His hand on you, but He also has you in the palm of His hand.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! Powerful.
ReplyDeleteWow....I hadn't read the "Jesus Calling" devotional yet today. I think I need to re-read it and digest it. It was good to hear and read some of your journey today. Love you, dear sister-in-law!
ReplyDelete