Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
I had a couple days this week that I was sure I would never be able to write a blog post today that had any sort of joy. One day, in particular, I got back from school and went into the baby house, the cook asked me if I was okay and I promptly burst into uncontrollable sobs.
Through the kindness of our heavenly Father and His many blessings, I can write with thankfulness and honesty this afternoon, 'it is well with my soul.'
One of my favorite words that I have learned so far in Spanish is 'misericordia' or mercy...
God is great in mercy, and His faithfulness reaches from beyond the depths of the earth and surpasses the height of the heavens.
Psalm 136:1-9,23,26
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever."
He says, "I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish."
Jeremiah 31:25
"I will bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted about all things your name and your word. On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased."
Psalm 138:2-3
"Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness."
Romans 6:13
"Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
1 Corinthians 10:13
Throughout the week and in the message this morning, I have been challenged and convicted of my need to love my Savior more, to worship Him, and to be thankful in all things.
One of the first things that brought my need for thankfulness in prayer to my attention, was earlier this week when I sat down to eat with the kids. I didn't pray over my meal and little Jose Luis looked at me in shock,
"Tia! You didn't pray!"
I was embarrassed to be chastised so when I was supposed to be the missionary, truly God can use anyone for His purposes!!!
"Do you want to pray with me?" I asked.
He smiled and nodded, he put his hands together and began to sing the prayer that the children always sing before their meal, but then he paused and looked at me, the normally naughty little five-year-old stopped singing and simply thanked God for the food that He had provided and for the day that He had given us.
I was touched... Jose Luis had never done anything like that before!
I was convicted of how often I forget to pray before a meal.
Being on my own and in a different language I don't normally have anyone to pray out loud with for most of my meals, and so I forget to do it all together.
My Lord forgive me! Are my prayers really only from a heart that wants others to hear?
Jesus needs to be my everything, no matter where I am, no matter who can hear. Have I become like the Church in Ephesus, forgetting their first love? Doing good deeds but forgetting the one who prepared those deeds and gave them the ability to walk in them? (Ephesians 2:8-10)
Revelation 2:2-5
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."
Is all I have really Christ, or do I think that I also have fine words, good deeds, etc?
If all was taken away, would I still rejoice?
If heaven was filled with my loved ones and yet without my Lord, would I still want to go?
If I never have a family of my own, will my Savior be enough?
If I'm faced with death or simple teasing, hardship in grand proportion, or in small, would I remain true to Christ who gave Himself for me, or would I love myself more?
I cannot "rejoice in the Lord always," if my eyes are fixed on myself.
Until I love Him more, more than life itself, my joy can never be full. For, in HIM ALONE is true joy and contentment found.
Matthew 10:37
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
I don't love Him like that... and yet it is commanded that I must... He is to be my all.
Psalm 86:11
"Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name."
Despite my selfishness and failure to worship and love Him for who He truly is, our God is great in mercy and steadfast love.
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
2 Timothy 2:13
"if we are faithless, He remains faithful- for He cannot deny Himself."
Hebrews 12:1
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."
Hebrews 12:3
"Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted."
Praise be to God for His 'misericordia,' His never-ending faithfulness, His steadfast love, and His unfailing grace, and His compassion towards His children.
Psalm 103
Lamentations 3:22-23
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
No comments:
Post a Comment