The last bit of sand has made its way to the other end of the hourglass. What's been most surprising and ultimately supernatural is that I haven't been just sitting around watching it deplete. He's been keeping me otherwise occupied with Himself, reminding me that He is far better to look at than some kind of glass stopwatch. I felt so drawn to return to the scene of the glorious sky crime from last week, to see if another sunrise held any glory, and boy, did it ever, as you can see, which was really only a fraction of the experience. This moment came on the heels of the reminder to let God inflate my hope to something bigger and better, and really more eternal than merely this earthly short-sighted dreams like, you know, a place to live. This morning, I read Acts 9, and the account of the healing of Aeneas and the resurrection of Tabitha/Dorcas really stuck out. I just kept seeing this word pop up. "And Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; RISE and make your bed.' and immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord." v. 34-35 "But Peter put them [the widows and others] all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, 'Tabitha, ARISE,' And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord." v. 40-42 It is with those words running through my head that I gazed at the colorful heavens before me. Suddenly I heard another reminder: "From the RISING of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!" Psalm 113:3 And all this on the dawn of the next chapter He is reading to me after a season of waiting. It's time.
For the next two weeks, I'll be staying with a gracious friend who God sent and who sought me out, and then I'll have another week with an additional friend. After that, I have a potential semi-permanent place to lay my head, but as those adjectives imply, even that is open to change. It would seem that my God is choosing to keep me close with opportunities to trust and that He is instructing me to praise Him all this day/chapter/season/adventure long. That includes declaring and testifying to any who read this. I have to tell you, urge you to know that He always comes through and is more faithful than the morning sun (yes, that's a Skillet reference). I wonder how often Aeneas and Tabitha told of what Jesus Christ had done for them through Peter. I wonder if his words resonated in their head, if their hearts leapt when they heard someone say the word, "Rise" in any context, knowing the positive change it brought in their own lives. It doesn't surprise me that that word in Greek is associated with making FIRM, fix, and establish, Of course He would emphasize my Word of the Year in this emotionally fragile moment to remind me of His Solidness. am thankful for a place to sleep tonight, for all those who sacrificially gave of their hearts and time in prayer for me, and mostly for the steadfast love and faithfulness of my One True Love. I look forward to continue to sojourn with him in both spiritual and physical ways and watching Him continue to provide and show Himself off.
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Brittany Van RynWorking out thoughts with HIM. Archives
February 2017
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