What is God doing? I just don't know. I am trying to understand. I guess this reading I found on another site explains it all. Please enjoy--but, beware it does apply not only to our situation, but to yours also.
Others May - You May Not
by G. D. Watson (1845-1924)
If God has called you to be really like Christ in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility and put on you such demands of obedience, that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do. Others can brag on themselves, and their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works. The Lord will let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hid away in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His glory, which can be produced only in the shade. Others will be allowed to succeed in making money, but it is likely God will keep you poor because he wants you to have something far better than gold and that is a helpless dependence on Him; that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day - out of an unseen treasury. God will let others be great, but He will keep you small. He will let others do a great work for Him and get credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when He comes. The Holy Spirit will put strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do what He pleases with His own, and He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle you in His dealing with you. He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and let other people say and do many things that you cannot do or say. Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that others are not dealt with. Now, when you are so possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this particular personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.
_________________What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail? Do it anyway.
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5 comments:
Momma,
This was a great description of submission to God and those over us in the Lord. It's not about understanding what God is doing. It's not about LIKING what we are asked to do. It is however about being a willing vessel no matter the cost and letting the Lord mold and make us. It sounds like a great contradiction of terms, but it really isn't.
I will never be able to express how I feel about what you and my daddy are doing. I know it is hard and I'm sure lonliness and feelings of overwhelming inadequency will set in (if it hasn't already), but I have such respect for you for taking this gigantic leap of faith. You may never know just how much.
I am one of the blessed. See, this isn't new to me. I've been witness to the spirit of theocracy operating in my parents. No matter what we did without, no matter the verbal abuse and criticism. It was all worth it to know I'd see ALL my immediate family in heaven. How can we say we sacrifice if we don't give something? You are walking away from superb career and security. I couldn't be more proud and I couldn't ask for a better life for my children to pattern. I know your work ethic and I know you gift in nursing. I have always felt God called you to that. Your hands have touched so many and they will not stop doing that. New culture, new environments and likely new avenue of occupation will only enhance what God has called you to. It can only become more whole and complete. Looking back I see how you've been being prepared for this for over two years. Remember your trip to the north western states a few years ago? Remember all the times you excelled in school and moved up the ranks in so many faucets of nursing and other things? Just prep time with the Lord.
I wish I was worthy of a mother and daddy like you. I am in awe of how my children will be able to have generations in the work of the Lord. Not for clout and prestige. Not to say their grandpa was a national overseer. But in stead to know the immense sacrifice and endurance running you have invested. God sees. God knows. God rewards.
This is a time of relinquishing security and certainty in future plans to be held by the master's hand. Isn't He faithful? Hasn't He made promise and provision for us for all our lives? Do you remember telling me about being a little girl in your horrible circumstances and praying to God who you really didn't know and He always made a way. He always had protection that no one else could provide. He always had securtiy that nothing else could supply. Isn't He wonderful? This may seem like worthless blind faith. I know it feels like the ground is falling in under you--well, I can imagine that it does, but I know my redeemer lives and He will not let you be destitute. He will hold you when I can't. He will provide for your future above and beyond what your hands could hold. Thank you momma!
Thank you for the great example and the love you are showing us by following God's will for your ministry! See, this isn't just daddy's thing. You have a ministry that you have never failed to work. Keep it up.
We love you. Your grandsons are sooooooooooo impressed by you and your willingness (even in adversity and fear)to go. I can't express how Rick & I feel about the Godliness we see in you and my dedicated Daddy!
I love you my beautiful mother and sister! I love you!!!
I can't tell you how grateful I am to have a mom and dad that are willing to lay down all for Christ and His Church. It may seem, at times, that I don;t understand. I do, and I am praying for our strength. Yours, daddy's and mine. See, I am having issues in all of this too. I don't think it was funny what you said " Well, son, you wanted your independence..." Although I did and do, I never would have thought I'd be 3k miles away from ya. If you would have told me this when I was in High School, or after, I would have called the men in white to come get you. LOL. I shouldn't joke about that, that may be your new job in Canada. I am praying that you can get your License there, and be able to continue that ministry you have lived for so long. I have seen you come home after 12 hours, eat and nap for and hour or so, and get up and go back. You love God, and the ministry he has called you to. You are touching so many lives in that great work. Your circle of influence encompasses the globe a thousand times. You have shown the Love of Christ to everyone you have cared for, their families, the other staff, and your superiors. You have been a light in a dark world. God forgive me for taking my faith for granted!! You have fought and lived for him. along the way you have lost little bits and pieces of yourself, sacrificing for all the right things, all the right reasons. "Your reasonable service' you have surpassed in all your years of being a child of God. No one will ever convince me they had a better mother, in the relative or in the Lord.
I love you mom.
To my children:
I have felt alone in my life at times. But, God has always sent me a mother, a sister or a friend. I have felt deserted many times in my life, by friends and by some family. God has always came to me in my dark times, in my loneliness,in my exile (if you will) He has always been and always will be my redeemer, my resting place. I have been heartbroken. When Sis married, I was as sick and depressed as any human can be, that took time for healing, time for adjustment for me. I felt as if my whole life was split asunder. I love my Rick. He is our son. He is the best son-in-law in the world. I am thankful that God has placed him in our family. But, change is very difficult. Especially this type of change.
I know God will take care of us. I know He lives. I know in my mind and in my heart. But, knowing does not make this easy--not at all. I will need my family to continue to pray, support and encourage me. Be my cheerleaders. You three are so special to me. Love is not just a word...it is the way we live...it is the way we survive...it will be the way we die.
Love for God, Love for Jesus, Love for His Bride. I will admit my reservations, I will admit my inadequacies, I will admit my fear of the unknown, I will even admit my disappointment (in leaving our security behind). But, in admitting all that, I will say that God has never failed us---even when we have failed Him.
On this public blog I cannot begin to pour out my heart...but, I will say I know God will supply for us when we are obedient to Him. I pray that our children and Grandchildren will pick up the torch of obedience to God and His Word.
Sis. Mac,
I just wanted to tell you how big you and brother Mac are in my eyes!!!! You two have always been somebody i've looked up to and when u accepted this new challenege it made me love and respect you even more!! God will bless the work in Canada and i can't wait to hear about what God's gonna do up there!
Pray for us Jared. We are making a very quick move very far away.
Love you,
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