I had big plans for myself this weekend. Big ones. It was supposed to be the most exciting weekend of my life when my fairy tale came true--my plans, and thanks to my precious Lord, weren't gonna happen. And I was sad at first, because I had built this up to be the best weekend ever because of this thing that I decided was best for me, that would make me happy. And then I get into a car accident involving seven cars. So needless to say, my thrill for this weekend had left..quickly. But God is so good. When my plans are not his, he first gently corrects me (though the tighter I hold onto my plans the less gentle removal can become...) and then he says "Look Sarah, I've got something better for you." In Habakkuk 1:5 the Lord says "Look at the nations and watch, and be utterly amazed, for I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told" In the end, this weekend was better than I had ever imagined, better than it could have been had my plans actually happened. I wanted to meet with a part of creation this weekend, but God planned for me to meet with my creator, the creator of the universe and of all things beautiful and good--and He did this because he loves me and he wants my praise because he is worthy of all of my praise. Thank you Jesus for that.
Some of the highlights of this weekend are all encompassed in what I learned from the Lord and his word. Romans 13:14 says "but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature"--I am such a sinner who is deeply in love with Jesus with a desperation to show the world His glory. But nothing I ever do or try to do will bring glory to the king; all that will bring him glory is what He does in me and through me. So self, it's time to step aside and let the Master do what he intended for my life...not what I intend. More of Him and way way less of me. I never understood how my total brokenness which I seem to encounter so often, could ever be anything positive, but in my brokenness, God's purpose and glory can be made more perfect and more complete. I still am blown away that after all the shame of my mistakes, God wanted so badly to meet with me intimately this weekend.
Another thing that has radically changed my perspective is that it is time to let God be the god of my life. My entire life I have professed God to be the god of my life, and yet the majority of my life is spent giving that title to something else. I am often more passionate about and sacrifice more for nursing school, boys, music---other gods aren't just idols, they are whatever we let have the focus of our hearts and desires that isn't God. I am done chasing after creations and starting let the creator and my maker rule and reign in my life.
It is almost funny to me that these things are so foundational to being a follower of Christ and yet I forget them so often. Submit to God, give him his rightful authority over my life, and remember the kingdom of God is at hand. They are so fundamental and yet I have never really felt like I have had such a clear picture. It used to be about wanting to do better, and to serve harder and to read my bible more and to preach more, but that's not it. Yes, I need to be a doer of the word, but the key step that I have always missed, is humbling myself before the Lord, and totally submitting and surrendering my life to Him. How have I called myself a Christian my whole life and forgotten that? It is by the grace of my almighty God that I have been brought back to the truth, which is only found in God and communicated with us through His word. I could continue to type forever about the awesomeness of God, and please if you are reading this, let's dialogue about it and pray for each other.
As a Christian, the core principle of my faith has never shaken me more radically; this God I serve is perfect in every way and darkness tries to hide from Him. And here I am, spewing out darkness from everything I touch. And yet he loves me so much, that in order to have a relationship with me, which couldn't happen because of my sin, he allowed his only, perfect son to carry my sin, my junk, my gossip, my attitude, my harsh words, my awful disgusting mistakes all on a cross, so that I could have a shot at a relationship with the Holiest of Holies...and its all for His glory. As a Christian, if this does not blow me away every day, then I have become complacent; I pray that this never happens. Romans 5:6-8 "You see, just at the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will someone die for a righteous man, though for a good man, someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love toward us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us"
Some of the highlights of this weekend are all encompassed in what I learned from the Lord and his word. Romans 13:14 says "but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature"--I am such a sinner who is deeply in love with Jesus with a desperation to show the world His glory. But nothing I ever do or try to do will bring glory to the king; all that will bring him glory is what He does in me and through me. So self, it's time to step aside and let the Master do what he intended for my life...not what I intend. More of Him and way way less of me. I never understood how my total brokenness which I seem to encounter so often, could ever be anything positive, but in my brokenness, God's purpose and glory can be made more perfect and more complete. I still am blown away that after all the shame of my mistakes, God wanted so badly to meet with me intimately this weekend.
Another thing that has radically changed my perspective is that it is time to let God be the god of my life. My entire life I have professed God to be the god of my life, and yet the majority of my life is spent giving that title to something else. I am often more passionate about and sacrifice more for nursing school, boys, music---other gods aren't just idols, they are whatever we let have the focus of our hearts and desires that isn't God. I am done chasing after creations and starting let the creator and my maker rule and reign in my life.
It is almost funny to me that these things are so foundational to being a follower of Christ and yet I forget them so often. Submit to God, give him his rightful authority over my life, and remember the kingdom of God is at hand. They are so fundamental and yet I have never really felt like I have had such a clear picture. It used to be about wanting to do better, and to serve harder and to read my bible more and to preach more, but that's not it. Yes, I need to be a doer of the word, but the key step that I have always missed, is humbling myself before the Lord, and totally submitting and surrendering my life to Him. How have I called myself a Christian my whole life and forgotten that? It is by the grace of my almighty God that I have been brought back to the truth, which is only found in God and communicated with us through His word. I could continue to type forever about the awesomeness of God, and please if you are reading this, let's dialogue about it and pray for each other.
As a Christian, the core principle of my faith has never shaken me more radically; this God I serve is perfect in every way and darkness tries to hide from Him. And here I am, spewing out darkness from everything I touch. And yet he loves me so much, that in order to have a relationship with me, which couldn't happen because of my sin, he allowed his only, perfect son to carry my sin, my junk, my gossip, my attitude, my harsh words, my awful disgusting mistakes all on a cross, so that I could have a shot at a relationship with the Holiest of Holies...and its all for His glory. As a Christian, if this does not blow me away every day, then I have become complacent; I pray that this never happens. Romans 5:6-8 "You see, just at the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will someone die for a righteous man, though for a good man, someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love toward us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us"
