It has been awhile, but the Lord has continued to work in me! Keep reading...
Have you ever watched an hourglass sand timer? If you watch one of these for long enough, you realize that each grain of sand makes a difference. Each speck changes the dynamic of the whole group and moves it downward through the minuscule hole into the greater portion of the hourglass. Our lives are very similar. Each action we make changes the dynamic of the whole group - whether it be in our families, our work environments, our service situations, our relationships...all these things are affected by the way we live. The choices we make touch every part of our being - not only us, but people we encounter.
Realization of the Day:
Song of Solomon 6:3 states, "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine". First and foremost. He calls me to be His own, to share in His plan of creation by my everyday acknowledgement that I am His. Before the beginning of the world, before the sunlight gave it's rays to the earth, I belonged to God. Everything I do should be for Love of Him. He knows me completely and wholeheartedly. He set before me a plan that has been taking decades to fulfill. Yes, decades (and probably even more). Like, seriously, if people hadn't make the choices and decisions that they did before I came onto earth, I wouldn't be here. We wouldn't have the life we have unless someone had made a choice. My choices are now shaping the future of my life and for those who will come after me. Every little word can make a difference. Are we thinking about what we say, how we act, who we might be touching before we speak?
Are the day to day issues, actions and thoughts really something that can change the forever after? YES!!
When I was little (can't remember the exact age- but probably around 9 or 10), I said "Yes!" to the Lord, and every couple years since then I have renewed my "Yes". Now, I come to find and believe that it is really an everyday response that I need to give. I need to declare my firm and steadfast "Yes!" These come through my daily actions - in work, fun, relationships, struggles, prayer...my answer is what the Lord wants from me. Not my over-committed schedule or taxing myself on work or growing in anxiety for the things to come...although my schedule and work have a place in my life, they shouldn't be at the forefront of what God wants to do in me. He wants my obedience. He wants my complete abandon!
His need for me is that I claim myself as His! Confusing? Let me restate it - I need to have the vulnerability to say, "Father, I am yours. Do with me what you will." From here he has the ability to take every joy, every sorrow, every action or hardship and make it completely beautiful.
A couple weeks ago, a friend shared with me something that her priest had shared with her. He said, "The model of obedience is Christ crucified. But look past the cross to the Resurrection - because the Fruit of Obedience is the Resurrection." (Fr. Anthony Strauss)
As we are focusing on the passion of Christ during these 40 days, let's continue to look to the cross as our model, but know that there is life and joy and mercy in the Resurrection!
