Hello friends! All 18 of you! ;) Another term of school begins (another year for those of you who are not still trudging your way through the swamp of academia) and I am so excited for all that this next term holds. For serious, even though I just referred to my life right now as a "swamp of academia".
As you may have noticed, my posting decreased quite a lot last term. God was revealing so much to me last school term and I was just learning an abundance about myself, and my faith and just about life in general. Classes were interesting, or if the classes themselves weren't the course readings were. I was getting to know new people and develop deeper friendships with many people that I love. God also provided for me, in His perfect timing, a friendship that has encouraged me, blessed me and challenged me in incredible ways. I found myself more involved in life around me and while I was pondering things the same amount as before I just found myself sharing it with those around me more.
God has a funny way of working things sometimes. In fact, that's why I came on here to write, because of the funny ways that God works. When I write funny I mean the amazing, incredible, shocking and yes, sometimes humourous ways God works. Just this morning as I was thinking more about this post I had a moment where the peace that I had been praying for all morning just settled in. And it was at the moment when I had stopped praying about it and thinking about it...all of a sudden it was there.
Sometimes I think this is what is Philippians 4:7 means by "a peace that surpasses all understanding". It is not only that it is an incredible peace that goes beyond what we can comprehend and reaches into the depths of our souls, it is also that it is a peace that sometimes surprises us and arises when we least except it to. Peace settles into my soul at times when my brain tells me I should be the most distraught and in that moment all I can think is "Thank-you God". Who else could bring that kind of peace?
This is a long preamble to a longish point my friends. This weekend I was back at my parent's home in the great big metropolis of Newmarket. Normally, when I am back "home" we (meaning Rob and I) will go with my parents to church. (Side note: I still have a hard time deciding what to call home...both Newmarket and Waterloo are home, especially at this time in my life.) I hadn't been to their church since the summer, I think I wrote about it on this blog somewhere actually. The past couple of time we had been visiting my parents we had gone to my friend's church, I love the sermons...so I love going there. ANYWAY, this is why I need to go back to school...so I remember how to focus.
I wasn't sure what this time of fellowship and worship held, but I was excited because a friend of my parents was speaking who has an absolutely astounding story. I was also excited because I love my parent's church. I cannot count the times that I have come to their church needing something but not knowing what it was and finding it there. Be it a reminder of God, be it a reminder of God's promises, be it joy, be it peace, or be it a place to just be in the presence of my Father. Sunday morning was no different. The songs seemed to speak to my situation or my thoughts or in any case spoke to things that those I love were going through. As I was just standing there in the presence of my King feeling peace and overwhelming joy the worship pastor lead us in reading a verse together. It was Lamentations 3:21-26. It hit me, so deeply, on so many levels that I didn't have time to analyse it. I just smiled to myself and said to God, "Good one".
As Rob and I were driving home (see there it is, I bet you're all confused now. You're thinking, "Is she going to Newmarket? Waterloo? Why is she not more CLEAR!?" I'll tell you why it's because I have two homes...three actually...) yesterday evening I decided to start reading through Lamentations because I could not remember the exact verse but knew that I needed to spend some time reflecting on this verse. As I was reading through Lamentations, I started to wonder if I was really reading the right book. But yes, I knew that it was Lamentations, so I kept reading. If you've never read Lamentations before understand that the name of the book says a lot. It's a lament, a cry from Jeremiah. He is broken for the fallen city of Jerusalem, for the fact that they turned from God and that it brought disaster. Chapter 2 verse 11 says "My eyes fail from weeping, I am torment within, my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city."
I get to chapter 3 and I'm feeling a little distressed, quite sad and I'm wondering, "Is this ever going to get happy?!" Then all of a sudden in this midst of this cry, in the midst of this lament and this distress comes this phrase, "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope..." Well, this definitely perks my interest, I want to know how Jeremiah has hope. And this is what follows:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,
"therefore I will hope in him."
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
Jeremiah calls to mind that God's love NEVER ceases, and that He is ALWAYS merciful, and that God is our hope and portion. There is so much goodness in this small verse. So much goodness I could write a book on it, about all the ways that this verse speaks to me, speaks to all of us! But there you go. That ramble led to that verse. When we read that verse tears welled up in my eyes, tears of joy. To know that in the midst of any pain, sorrow and suffering that we may face in this world that we who know God have this hope that God's unfailing love is so great. What a great and glorious truth.
As you may have noticed, my posting decreased quite a lot last term. God was revealing so much to me last school term and I was just learning an abundance about myself, and my faith and just about life in general. Classes were interesting, or if the classes themselves weren't the course readings were. I was getting to know new people and develop deeper friendships with many people that I love. God also provided for me, in His perfect timing, a friendship that has encouraged me, blessed me and challenged me in incredible ways. I found myself more involved in life around me and while I was pondering things the same amount as before I just found myself sharing it with those around me more.
God has a funny way of working things sometimes. In fact, that's why I came on here to write, because of the funny ways that God works. When I write funny I mean the amazing, incredible, shocking and yes, sometimes humourous ways God works. Just this morning as I was thinking more about this post I had a moment where the peace that I had been praying for all morning just settled in. And it was at the moment when I had stopped praying about it and thinking about it...all of a sudden it was there.
Sometimes I think this is what is Philippians 4:7 means by "a peace that surpasses all understanding". It is not only that it is an incredible peace that goes beyond what we can comprehend and reaches into the depths of our souls, it is also that it is a peace that sometimes surprises us and arises when we least except it to. Peace settles into my soul at times when my brain tells me I should be the most distraught and in that moment all I can think is "Thank-you God". Who else could bring that kind of peace?
This is a long preamble to a longish point my friends. This weekend I was back at my parent's home in the great big metropolis of Newmarket. Normally, when I am back "home" we (meaning Rob and I) will go with my parents to church. (Side note: I still have a hard time deciding what to call home...both Newmarket and Waterloo are home, especially at this time in my life.) I hadn't been to their church since the summer, I think I wrote about it on this blog somewhere actually. The past couple of time we had been visiting my parents we had gone to my friend's church, I love the sermons...so I love going there. ANYWAY, this is why I need to go back to school...so I remember how to focus.
I wasn't sure what this time of fellowship and worship held, but I was excited because a friend of my parents was speaking who has an absolutely astounding story. I was also excited because I love my parent's church. I cannot count the times that I have come to their church needing something but not knowing what it was and finding it there. Be it a reminder of God, be it a reminder of God's promises, be it joy, be it peace, or be it a place to just be in the presence of my Father. Sunday morning was no different. The songs seemed to speak to my situation or my thoughts or in any case spoke to things that those I love were going through. As I was just standing there in the presence of my King feeling peace and overwhelming joy the worship pastor lead us in reading a verse together. It was Lamentations 3:21-26. It hit me, so deeply, on so many levels that I didn't have time to analyse it. I just smiled to myself and said to God, "Good one".
As Rob and I were driving home (see there it is, I bet you're all confused now. You're thinking, "Is she going to Newmarket? Waterloo? Why is she not more CLEAR!?" I'll tell you why it's because I have two homes...three actually...) yesterday evening I decided to start reading through Lamentations because I could not remember the exact verse but knew that I needed to spend some time reflecting on this verse. As I was reading through Lamentations, I started to wonder if I was really reading the right book. But yes, I knew that it was Lamentations, so I kept reading. If you've never read Lamentations before understand that the name of the book says a lot. It's a lament, a cry from Jeremiah. He is broken for the fallen city of Jerusalem, for the fact that they turned from God and that it brought disaster. Chapter 2 verse 11 says "My eyes fail from weeping, I am torment within, my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city."
I get to chapter 3 and I'm feeling a little distressed, quite sad and I'm wondering, "Is this ever going to get happy?!" Then all of a sudden in this midst of this cry, in the midst of this lament and this distress comes this phrase, "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope..." Well, this definitely perks my interest, I want to know how Jeremiah has hope. And this is what follows:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,
"therefore I will hope in him."
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
Jeremiah calls to mind that God's love NEVER ceases, and that He is ALWAYS merciful, and that God is our hope and portion. There is so much goodness in this small verse. So much goodness I could write a book on it, about all the ways that this verse speaks to me, speaks to all of us! But there you go. That ramble led to that verse. When we read that verse tears welled up in my eyes, tears of joy. To know that in the midst of any pain, sorrow and suffering that we may face in this world that we who know God have this hope that God's unfailing love is so great. What a great and glorious truth.
Comments
Post a Comment