God has beautiful things for ALL of us – ALL of us! He does! But those things cannot be found in our credentials, our careers, our families, our relationships, our bank accounts, or in our homes. The things that God has for us are found only in one place, and that place is at the Cross. When you seek HIM, you find those things……..
That was precisely what I told someone during my son and his bride’s wedding reception. I explained that because Holly and Rory were both pursuing a relationship with Jesus (at the Cross), they found each other – there where the Lord had each of them planned for the other. And I truly believe this!
“But from there you will search again for the LORD your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.” Deuteronomy 4:29
But as I walked away from that conversation, the Lord spoke quite clear to me, and told me that what I said was true, but that I did not believe it for mySELF. I couldn’t help but ponder this again the following morning. That evening, I went with some girlfriends to see Third Day in concert, and when a man, I sware, at least 6’7″ tall stood up in front of me, I became suddenly VERY annoyed. And then the Lord spoke to me again………. “Why are you here? Did you come to worship ME? Or did you come to SEE the band? Get to the Cross. I have good things there for you.”
Later in the week, I attended the first day of my yearly Bible study. But what normally feels like that exciting first day of school, felt like a routine, mundane “task” to get off of my calendar, and felt as if it had become a weekly scheduled social event. I sat in class thinking that for the past 5 years I have pursued Jesus through study with a passion and a hunger that I KNOW was His doing, but if it has now become something I’m just used to doing because it’s on my calendar, perhaps I am there for all the wrong reasons. Perhaps He will give me NEW ways and opportunities to know Him. And then clear as a bell, again, He tells me, “Get to the Cross.”
Time and time again this week the Lord has stopped me, and each time He has caused me to examine the motives behind each of my “activities.”
One son married, the other moved to Chicago – My house is quite empty. I’m not sad. I’m not depressed. I’m just on uncharted waters right now. It’s scary AND exciting all at the same time. The Lord is speaking to me clearly to get to the foot of the Cross. He DOES have good things for us all there, EVEN ME!
Change is coming – BIG change. What does that look like? I have no clue. But what I DO know, is that He is rearranging my schedule, causing ME to examine my motives, and completely changing the desires in my heart……. And EVERY time I head in a wrong direction, He redirects my paths with such immediacy this week that it absolutely astonishes me. He is continuously reminding me that it is HIM I am to obey, HIM I am to please, and ONLY HIM I answer to.
I’ve got some days off, and I know JUST where I’m going to spend them………..
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him,
and He will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
Rita, Pastor’s example yesterday was a ” blank” check…..made out to God. That, and the cross, is the correct compass for our lives. Thank you for re-setting my compass!