Winter

The third and fourth blow came last night in one hit - safe to say, it's been a tough week of disappointing news and events!

However, I cannot begin to describe the joy and peace I have in my heart. I know that this is a more sombre post than my usual rants on life and other such thoughts, but this one is definately on my heart to share.

 

I look around me at sorrowful circumstances, yet I can't help but rejoice in the security of my relationship with Jesus Christ. I have been waking up each morning to actively place my hope in Him through 'Worship Walks'. During these times, I let my soul sing that Jesus is my treasure. There is nothing like commanding the soul to remember that each morning. 

Financially, I haven't had a job since Febuary so I am so poor, but God has been blessed me in extraordinary ways so I can fulfill the call to be generous, and to complete all he has asked me to accomplish. 

Compared to friends my age who have finished their degree, have moved out of home and are in a healthy relationship, I have nothing to boast of. But I possess everything I need, want and can imagine in Christ. In Him, I have someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for. My riches are found in Christ - and all of those comparisons fall to the ground in light of my Saviour. I yearn for Him and seek to know how to treasure Him more and more in my parantal finanical dependance, and my study filled, single life.

My hope is not built on the sand of the Charity that I'm involved in, nor the efforts or grades that I work toward. Because when those things fall apart, I am steadied on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. A thousand may fall at my right side, and ten thousand at my right hand. But it will not approach me, I will only look with my eyes.I will see and still find Jesus as my dearest, greatest treasure. 

I caught up with a friend last week for coffee, and I came home beaming. The conversation was just so edifying, encouraging and hopeful for the future. However, I learned later this week from others who had also recieved messages to catch up with her was so that she could sell us something. Pride immediately stung me with embaressment and I was tempted to disregard her friendship. But I was quickly rebuked in my Spirit - had this not just exemplified the true sovereignty of God?! He had the capacity to completely hi-jack a fleshly conversation and to guide it to fulfill his purposes of edification and encouragement. He was glorified throughout the conversation, and left us feeling so inspired to live further rooted in His promises for our lives. If that's not an encouragement to commit every conversation to God before we have them, I don't know what is!

I am also learning in this Winter that the people who are suffering around me, and the organisations that I supported which have crumbled ... are not my responsibility. The blood of Christ covers all and sustains all. I pray that He takes care for everybody involved in tumultous times, and I can be still, resting in the knowledge that He is God and He will reign. His blood is over those ones that need care, rest, love, healing and rebuking, and his Blood Covenenat is more powerful and effective to fulfill it's purpose than I am educated on to understand.
May the cross crucify my over-involvement.

Dear God, I pray I would prove to be a faithful servant and not to entangle myself with civillian affairs, seeing life with earthly eyes. Let not the winters of my life determine the mood or affect of my soul. May my soul always be obedient to the Spirit of God in me! May things be stripped from me so that I may learn how to deepen my roots in Christ, causing me to be a more steadied, quitened, more fruitful disciple and ambassador for His kingdom.

2 Corinthians 4.8-12

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

And I just like this picture.