It's morning... and this is usually the time of day when I'd be slowly making my way through Isaiah and the accompanying Matthew Henry commentary... but this morning, God has seen fit to allow an ocular migraine into the picture, so I have this annoying shimmering thing in my right field of vision that makes it difficult to focus on reading. About ten minutes ago, it was in my central field of vision (where it usually occurs), and that would make it impossible to do anything on the computer, but since it's on the side now, I can tap out a quick reflection.
The sermons at church these last few weeks have been about Exodus and in particular, Moses. I love Moses. He is one of my absolute favorite Biblical characters. He lived an amazing life because He walked with God for the vast majority of it. He saw God perform miracles in his presence, from the burning bush to crossing the Red Sea, to winning battles with an outstretched arm, to eating manna from heaven and obtaining water from a rock. He also had the patience to endure the desert for 40 years and another 40 years leading a stubborn people through the wilderness. I can't imagine having his type of patience. Of course...the Bible tells us that he really wasn't all that patient, and often pleaded with God for a change in his circumstances. Sometimes God relented, and sometimes He didn't. And in the end, he made a hero out of Moses.
I don't need to be Moses, in that... I don't need to be a hero. But I would like to experience the same type of walking with God, the same level of obedience to God, the same closeness of encounter with God. In the relatively recent past I have often been stricken with discouragement and sometimes despair. But I know God has been speaking to me through people, speaking to me through His word, speaking to me through the sermons, assuring me that He is in control, and that is a good thing. And He may require me to wait, and He may change His plans, and He probably won't tell me about it until the last minute. And...that's just something I need to learn to accept. I need to grow in my trust in Him. God has been faithful before, and He will be faithful again. The pastor talked yesterday about how God often waits for long periods of time, but when He calls us into action, He can move very quickly--in an instant--and call for our immediate response. I have experienced this before--several times--and I know that it is true. I am excited for it to happen again, and I am eager to know what this desert was for.
In the meantime, I'd like for my prayers to focus now on:
- remembering that God is my boss at work and in life
- learning to shed my fear of man...learning to remember that God is my only judge
- unclenching my fists daily and opening my heart for whatever God may call me to do...being fully open-handed and open-hearted (and I guess open-minded, while we're at it)
- doing well the work that He has given me now, with a good attitude
- loving well the people He has given me now, with a good attitude
- being patient, being trusting, being hopeful
My shimmering thing is now gone. Bye-bye, ocular migraine. Ready to start out the day, go forth in God's strength and make it a good one.
No comments:
Post a Comment