I have been walking with the Lord now for 30 years. The journey of knowing him only continues to grow as life goes on. There are times when I feel "flat," or am unfaithful. There are days where I wonder at the constant love of a Father who never seems to tire of me, even when I continue to be head-strong, impatient, and unbelieving. No, these things don't please him and should be ever decreasing as I grow to be more like Jesus. I'm just being honest: I'm a sinner and I'm so far from where I want to be.
Just this week I was in much need of a mental health day but instead I was having a break down. Life was more than I could handle (or so I had decided to believe). The love God was asking of me, the forgiveness he wanted from me, the patience he was demanding, I just couldn't give anything more (or so I thought).
I walked into the kitchen past the picture of my grandparents on my fridge and was stopped. There she was, smiling. I could hear her voice, her laugh, her admonitions, her patience. I could see them, kissing, laughing together, praying together, supporting one another.
God uses others as an example to us and in that moment I needed this reminder of Grandma and Grandpa's love for the Lord, for one another, and for others. They, too, have walked difficult days. Days of sickness, sorrow, disagreement, disappointment, and overwhelming grief. But they never were crushed, never gave up, never stopped pressing into and leaning hard on the arms of Jesus. They were faithful, even in the storm. Oh, how I, in the pit of my brokenness, needed to hear that.
Tough days are still to come. But God is more than enough. I know this from the Word. I know this from my own life. I know this from the lives of the faithful like my Grandma and Grandpa. Marriage and parenting, ministry and work, all these things the Lord calls us to are part of something so much greater. My grandparents marriage was something so much more than just two people in love choosing to live together. Their marriage is to me an example of faithfulness, perseverance and so much sweetness. Their love for their children through the good and the bad, spurs me on to love mine. Their love for the lost and continuance in ministry, spurs me on to love the lost and to continue. Their faithfulness in reading the Word each day, praying together spur me on to stay grounded daily in the word and to pray persistently. And on days that are tough, his grace is greater still. On days when I wonder at the challenges God is asking me to trust him with, I am reminded of this amazing couple and the purposefulness of their life together because the knew that they were part of something so much greater.
So, as I love my husband, sms my daughter, homeschool my son, and serve overseas for the sake of the kingdom, I will remember, this is all part of something so much greater. Faithfulness with the little things, love for the difficult person, grace for the graceless, forgiveness for the unrepentant, are all part of loving his ways more than mine because to be in Christ means to be part of something so much greater and you never know who might be watching and wondering.
I celebrate 65 years of my grandparents love for one another for many reasons. But this week it has specifically been used in my life as a reminder of this: My marriage, parenting, relationships, work and ministry are all part of something so much greater and that even in impossible circumstances I can take heart and be courageous for God is able to do far more than I can ask or imagine, keeping me faithful to the end.
It's with their example I am reminded that regardless of the circumstance, I have a good, good Father who will make all grace abound to me so that in everything, at all times by his power I can live life with the aim of pleasing him. O may I be found faithful in the end.
aiming to please him just like my grandparents have,
m
Just this week I was in much need of a mental health day but instead I was having a break down. Life was more than I could handle (or so I had decided to believe). The love God was asking of me, the forgiveness he wanted from me, the patience he was demanding, I just couldn't give anything more (or so I thought).
I walked into the kitchen past the picture of my grandparents on my fridge and was stopped. There she was, smiling. I could hear her voice, her laugh, her admonitions, her patience. I could see them, kissing, laughing together, praying together, supporting one another.
God uses others as an example to us and in that moment I needed this reminder of Grandma and Grandpa's love for the Lord, for one another, and for others. They, too, have walked difficult days. Days of sickness, sorrow, disagreement, disappointment, and overwhelming grief. But they never were crushed, never gave up, never stopped pressing into and leaning hard on the arms of Jesus. They were faithful, even in the storm. Oh, how I, in the pit of my brokenness, needed to hear that.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 2Cor. 4:7-11
Tough days are still to come. But God is more than enough. I know this from the Word. I know this from my own life. I know this from the lives of the faithful like my Grandma and Grandpa. Marriage and parenting, ministry and work, all these things the Lord calls us to are part of something so much greater. My grandparents marriage was something so much more than just two people in love choosing to live together. Their marriage is to me an example of faithfulness, perseverance and so much sweetness. Their love for their children through the good and the bad, spurs me on to love mine. Their love for the lost and continuance in ministry, spurs me on to love the lost and to continue. Their faithfulness in reading the Word each day, praying together spur me on to stay grounded daily in the word and to pray persistently. And on days that are tough, his grace is greater still. On days when I wonder at the challenges God is asking me to trust him with, I am reminded of this amazing couple and the purposefulness of their life together because the knew that they were part of something so much greater.
For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:15-18
So, as I love my husband, sms my daughter, homeschool my son, and serve overseas for the sake of the kingdom, I will remember, this is all part of something so much greater. Faithfulness with the little things, love for the difficult person, grace for the graceless, forgiveness for the unrepentant, are all part of loving his ways more than mine because to be in Christ means to be part of something so much greater and you never know who might be watching and wondering.
I celebrate 65 years of my grandparents love for one another for many reasons. But this week it has specifically been used in my life as a reminder of this: My marriage, parenting, relationships, work and ministry are all part of something so much greater and that even in impossible circumstances I can take heart and be courageous for God is able to do far more than I can ask or imagine, keeping me faithful to the end.
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 2 Cor. 5:6-9
It's with their example I am reminded that regardless of the circumstance, I have a good, good Father who will make all grace abound to me so that in everything, at all times by his power I can live life with the aim of pleasing him. O may I be found faithful in the end.
aiming to please him just like my grandparents have,
m
No comments:
Post a Comment
Reflections