For You are the glory of their strength,
And by Your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the LORD,
And our king to the Holy One of Israel. Psalm 89:17-18
My Sisters in Christ,
In my seeking time with the Lord I was pummeled by a question this past week and pass it on to you. I felt the Lord was asking: Which would you rather have Arlene, a smooth path without speed bumps or a path so rough hewn and irregular I am compelled to draw near at every step to empower and rescue you?
At different times, without my consent, my whining reveals the truth! I would too readily choose a smooth path, remaining uninjured and certainly not bruised, instead I would float on a cloud all the way to my reward. Seriously, considering all this means, would I really ‘choose’ such a path knowing God would have me count it a peculiar privilege to be whole-hearted for the Son of His love? There is no more perfect path for me than the one He has chosen. O that we might emerge on the other side, after passing through deep waters, and find our testimony is not the trial, but the Lord of Life who never left our side. For now we know Him better.
The soul is tested by affliction to reveal how active our flesh is in us. It is God’s purpose for us to learn ‘what’ we are and 'who' God is for us. His faithfulness and loving watch-care are over us as we are weaned from the world and drawn to the Savior and the heavenlies.
Do you measure how ‘successfully’ you are living the Christian life by the amount of joy in your life? It is tempting and may seem a viable way to measure how you are doing. It is not. The enemy is repeatedly clever in method and execution. The result of such a tactic is our eyes turn inward away from Christ.
We are pulled kitty-wampus by so many desires and ideas. Until we acknowledge our life is safely hid with Christ in God, we will never be free from the enemies harassment. I have learned there is a vast difference between the shaming, nagging, finger-in-your-face condemnation of Satan and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
“The enemy speaks in generalities, seeking to discourage and undo us by an uncertain sense of failure, confusion, heaviness of spirit and uncleanness. Our answer to this:
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1
The Holy Spirit speaks specifically, and His conviction, although rebuking us, is sweet and clean and true and acceptable. He points out some exact and immediate action by which we have temporarily give in to sin. Satan points downward to despair, but the Spirit points upward to cleansing. M.J.S.
God has provided everything we need to live strong in the LORD! Read the verse from the opening again. As we stand strong in trial and another is impressed because of how we handle things we know God is giving us the strength. It is Him they sense..... by His favor our horn (strength) is on display! He lets us reveal Him to a lost world! His joy is our strength. His favor is our strength. His grace is our strength. His glory is our strength! The word glory here is “God’s moral beauty and perfection as a visible presence.” Though it is not a substance He allows it to be visible through us.
I hope you are sitting down and letting these words bathe your whole being. I tear up and my hands are raised at such blatant love with which He loves me. Do you sense His love for you? It is immeasurable. Next time you look in the mirror say this aloud with your name in the blank: “You are so loved _________ by God Himself!”
Abba, Protect and keep these precious women you delight in and love so endlessly. I pray in Jesus name.
By faith... I choose the rough path, for the nearness of God is my good,
az
