Getting a Taste of My Own Medicine

You know, I've been a believer for a while. And at my age, I have had quite a few opportunities to come along-side other believers to encourage them in their walk (especially with the number of years I worked with youth).

And I have seen "themes" of questions and "themes" of my typical responses. This is not bad nor good, just fact. The interesting revelation as I sit here this morning is that these themes have come back to me ten-fold in the past week. While, in the past, my responses have been God-focused, sincere, and true, I have just recently seen a deeper context of them. I think that's what my Sunday School teacher meant by the deep things of God.

Let me explain...

1) Waiting on a bigger revelation

This is very often a source of confusion for many believers (myself included). When people question what God is doing (especially when they don't readily see Him) , I often use something that I learned from an "Experiencing God" class I took 15 years ago. It involves looking at the story of Mary and Martha with respect to Lazarus. And the analogy that if you are confessed and prayed up on sin, you have to believe that God is about to make a great revelation (like with Lazarus).

This came back to me ten-fold on Thursday. I received a Christianity Today Singles article on waiting. However, the analogy didn't really come to me at the time; it only occured to me later that I have used this same story as encouragement in waiting. What I learned new this week is that waiting has its own reward. And that waiting is not some sort of "boot camp" that you must endure to get to the next step. And that God is right there, in the midst of your waiting, and not just right here, but grieving right here along with you. "Jesus wept" with Mary and Martha. And Jesus weeps right here with me. I don't think I would have experienced the presence of God that I have recently had I not been in wait.

I see His presence.

2) Look for God's face, not just His hand

Now this one I've used often. And I confess now that I might have used it a little piously. While it is true and right to do this, I don't think I fully had the concept down. It wasn't until Thursday when I saw this quote somewhere on facebook - "When you don't understand what God is doing in your life, trust His character." (author unknown) - that I got to thinking about His character. And who He is!

And on Sunday, when I saw this scripture, I received it bountifully! For it talks about God's character.

"if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." 2 Timothy 2:13

I'm also reading a great book called "Life with God". The whole book is on reading the Bible not for knowledge but to be transformed! To know His presence. I remember Rich Mullins saying that "I don't think you read the Bible to know truth. I think you read the Bible to find God, that we encounter Him there."

This has also happened to me latey as I've been delving more and more into the scripture itself and not relying on others, my class, etc. to do it for me. Now, this has been a desire for me for over five years. And I'm only seeing the manifestation of it now. Unfortunately, my (somewhat limited) desire was for knowledge. I had no idea He would actually meet me there.

I know His presence.

3) God is seldom early but He is never late

This is a saying that a friend told me almost 15 years ago and I've hung on to it since! But it came home to me (again) ten-fold on Saturday. Let me first tell you that I like to long distance cycle. It gives me a lot of opportunity for uninterupted talk with the LORD. But it's not easy. I often "hit the wall" with endurance. And I also confess
that I will use an ipod (with just an earphone in one ear) while cycling. A few years ago, on the MS150 ride, I was struggling to get to La Grange. Just as I turned the curve to head in, the song "Everlasting God" came on. I felt like God arranged that especially for me.

And again this Saturday, while cycling, I hit the wall; and just as I said to myself, "I don't know if I can finish", that song came on again! I realized then that God's timing can wait until the exact moment that you can go on no longer! I'm using that revelation for other parts of my life.

I feel His presence.

And lunch on Friday with a friend help seal this for me. God is showing me practicing the presence of Him.

This is good medicine!

All for now,
Lisa