*Originally written on December 23rd, 2010*
Sorry, I know its been awhile but I've returned! I went for a run outside today in the beautiful, crisp, cold, December weather! It was awesome, no music needed as I spent some very important & missed quiet personal time with God :) As I ran, He reminded me about running with Him, not thinking of anybody else, what they were thinking, not who was competing with me, not how fast I could go, not how far-just Him. Being with Him, running with Him, for Him, running towards Him, my running being about Him, being surrounded in Him, through Him. It wasn't about what divine message He would reveal to me (which honestly was what I was expecting since its Christmas week & all) it was just about HIM. I AM, my personal Father, Prince of Peace, mighty Councilor, my Friend, my Savior, my God, my All. I suddenly became aware that I am nothing without Him, all that I am is involved with Him. He is in my heart, His cleansing blood pumping through my heart into my veins & throughout my body, keeping me warm & moving.
My love for giving to others is only there because of His presence in my life, my love for health, for art, for expression is His loves showing though me. He gave the ultimate gift. Himself. And more-so, in the fact that He didn't give because of any repercussions if He didn't, He gave all of Himself, His life, His being, His place beside the Father in heaven & did the ultimate gift of even separating Himself from His Father-something He'd never been through before, just for me, just for us, just because. That is a true gift from the heart. It is what our gifts strive for but will never measure up to.
Why? That's what comes to mind. As king David said who am I, God, that You are mindful of me. Why do you care? Sometimes I really wonder how the Lord can have so much faith in me, and if I've made Him proud more than I've let Him down.
As I finished up my run and began to stretch I overheard two gentlemen talking, I'm not sure about what really-but one of the gentlemen said stood out to me...that God said that He revealed His will to Him, not His perspective.
How simple of a concept and yet how deep and complex! Moses was probably closer to God than any man was and yet, he never knew God's perspective, only His will.
Isaiah 55: 8-13
8 “ For My thoughts
are not your thoughts,
Nor
are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 “ For
as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper
in the thing for which I sent it.
12 “ For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap
their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the LORD for a name,
For an everlasting sign
that shall not be cut off.”
We cannot and will never be able to comprehend His ways, for we will never see from His perspective. Nor do we need to try to, all we are called to do is focus on His will for our lives
Psalm 139:14-18
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully
and wonderfully made;
[b]
Marvelous are Your works,
And
that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When
as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
I will never see myself within the beauty that the Lord does, only He knows my full potential and all I can do is with His help try to achieve His will He reveals to me. To fulfill His plans-His book just about me. I'll never be able to fully comprehend all the many thoughts God has about me, or even honestly why He chooses to think of me as much as He does. I am just thankful that for whatever reason He has, He feels I'm important enough for Him to consider and that's enough for me!
As long as I keep my eye on the prize. Not on my running partners, not on my opponents, not on my surroundings, not on my traps and trails, not on the obstacles in my way...as long as I don't focus on the fiery furnace that I'm in, not on how hot it is, not on who's standing around watching and waiting for the flames to engulf me, hoping they will and stay focused on the Him, then He will pull me though. Then will I be given the power to finish the race. Just keep my reverential fear of the Lord, realizing that He is so far above me, and yet, loves me anyhoo. Remember that I am in His hand, and while He has the power to squish me into paste-He doesn't. He just gently holds me, guides me, and protects me from others and most importantly-from myself.
Malachi 3:16-18
16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,
And the LORD listened and heard
them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the LORD
And who meditate on His name.
17 “ They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts,
“ On the day that I make them My jewels.
[a]
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
18 Then you shall again discern
Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God
And one who does not serve Him.
Gotta love God, and those He brings along the way to speak to you! Just think, if that gentlemen didn't decide to go walk on the trail at the time he did, and if I decided to not run when I did, or go farther like I wanted to, or go shorter... if he didn't decide to share with his friend the message God revealed to him, this blog might not have ever happened! His revelation never would have come! Oh the glory of being in nature and among other believers! Lord give me the strength, wisdom, and revelation to achieve Your will! Whatever plans you have, let me achieve it. How much I love you Lord, I cannot fathom! For my love for You reaches within the depths of my heart and being that only You can fully grasp and understand...and yet, my love for You doesn't even come close to comparing to the love You have for me!
