I'm reading Crazy Love, by Francis Chan along with the very end of Lisa Bevere's Fight Like A Girl. I found a prayer that apparently was in another book written by Tozer that I felt hit home with me.
O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I wave wandered so long.
Watching James the last couple of days, I've seen him finally come to grips with the reality of losing his job. It's been awful. I don't feel like I know what to do, other than pray, obviously. I feel like as his wife, I should have some other practical thing I could do but then I'm not even functioning like I should be. The dishes or laundry or dinner. None of them seem to be calling my name. lol
I did read some Scripture though that I really thought was for him at this time and so I sent it to him to be encouraged.
Psalm 103
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
Praise God, what an encouragement. I really believe for James that he will enter a season of renewal and healing, if he will quiet himself before God and hear what God speaks to him.
I'm not waiting for James to hear from God though. I am waiting for God to speak to James. I'm removing the "pressure" off of my husband. My prayer is that the author of confusion will not be allowed to have a place in our lives or in our minds. We will experience clarity and peace and when God speaks, we will be ready.
I don't like waiting, but it's not about me, unfortunately. haha. I was speaking with another friend in ministry and I was telling her about how nervous I was about not being able to make a house payment. She asked me if I would be okay with God even if we couldn't make a house payment. Hmmm, I had to wonder. Would I?
God redeems my life from the pit. He heals my disease (both physical and emotional). He crowns me with compassion and lovingkindess. He satisfies my years. I don't deserve ANY of it and yet his mercies are new every morning. He grace abounds to me.
I like how you can identify areas that need improvement or that are victorious in your life because that means I'm not alone! Ha! But, for me, the radar seems to get stuck on the areas I need to change. (You touched on that in a previous post too.) I'm amazed that if we were to ask people to list our good attributes they could rattle off quite a few. But if we had to make that list - ugh... (I'm assuming you're similar to me. Forgive if that's not the case.) And that psalm is excellent to re-read and review often. It reminds me of the 40 I Am's, who I am in Christ. [Want me to send them to you?]
ReplyDelete(I'm losing my train of thought now! Ha!) Hope you keep writing!
What a lovely post and I *adore* those verses. They are very familiar, but struck me anew as I read and reread them. Wow! Very timely.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your heart here. Love you!