Sweet resurrection. The moment when life is returned where it was once lost, sucked dry, or abandoned. An impossible reversal, humanly speaking. In fact, the very concept of resurrection brings with it ideas of transition, so it seemed timely to process it here in light of the most cherished celebration of our Conquering King. The sheer volume of change I have encountered in my life is staggering, and I'm sure you could say the same.The other night I wrote out the number of times I've physically relocated in the course of my life and it came to 13 (I think), and that's not even counting the times where I've switched jobs or churches, or the times a relationship of any kind has undergone a season of difficulty looking different on the other side. This begs the question, "Why so MUCH, Lord?" Yes, it is to make us rely and depend on You, to deepen our relationship (THANK YOU for loving us that much!), but what if it is also intended to remind us of the Victory that is synonymous with Your Name? What if every time it is to remind us of his PAST SALVATION that we might gain hope for the IMMINENT DELIVERANCE of our present circumstance? How would transition look different if our thoughts went to His Resurrection every time and STAYED. FIRMLY. FIXED. THERE? My Lord and my God always know when to appear, when to prove that my faith in Him is worth its weight. One of the coolest things about this facet of His person is that even before He reveals Himself, he encourages faithful perseverance by His Spirit. Even today, I witnessed His divine orchestration and knew His Spirit was affirming His presence in one way, that I might be encouraged to persevere across all the other proverbial boards in my life. What kind of God does that? The kind Whose Power can bring Himself back to life because death has no hold on Him. Look at the uplifting words he utters TO US, His followers: "'Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed'" (John 20:29). Did you see that? BLESSING (literally meaning, well off, experience the highest form of good!) is in NOT seeing yet believing anyway. That's right. Big news. And maybe something no one has told you before. Because of the faith required in transition, it is RANK with blessing. When that attitude shifts to seeing change as blessing, it becomes the deodorant to our often foul mistrust, making us the once again pleasing aroma to our God. God's domain is in the seen and in the unseen and probably whatever third, fourth and fifth dimensions of which we are unaware. He is THAT thorough with His authority and dominion. He is our Guide when we are being led in a way that we don't presently know, nor have known before. He is our Light in the darkness of change, our Road Roller for the uneven places in the asphalt of our lives, never once forsaking us or keeping things hidden any longer than absolutely necessary (Isaiah 42:16). So, if all of this is true, why would we want to forfeit our own "highest good," the blessing His grace longs to bestow by ignoring, sleeping through or trying to rush what our Perfect, Timely and Never-Wasting God is out to accomplish? I don't know that we would--I don't know that I would--want to vainly attempt to thwart His activity. Oh, may He open our blind eyes to see all that is eternal! "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:11
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Brittany Van RynWorking out thoughts with HIM. Archives
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