Stumble Upon

I love the app stumbleupon. If you don't know about it or use another form of it online, stumbleupon is an online discovery engine that, after your put in what things you like, discovers websites that you might find interesting.  All of that at a click of a button.

Similarly, when I'm reading the Bible or listening to a christian radio station I will stumble upon encouraging or at times helpful verses/lyrics.  Now, you might think that when you read the Bible there will always be that verse that catches your eye or when your listening to the radio that part of the song that does just that too (to your... fill in the blank... ear...).  In some way yes, but sometimes not so much.  You might be struggling with something and you switch on the radio.  You might not get your answer but you did hear some good news.  You might be struggling with something and you open your Bible.  You might not get your answer but you did read some good news.  Well, I guess not always good news if your reading that your a sinner.  But if you were to keep going the fact that you are a sinner is solved by what Jesus did for you and me when he died on the cross.

"... We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?  Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." - Romans 6:2-7

 Getting back to my topic of discussion...  I'm sure you have had times in your life where you have no answer or maybe you think you do but only more questions and problems come after you have tried to fix it your way.  We all do.  Now, I'm not saying a problem as that my feet are cold.  Well, I'll just put on some socks.  My feet are still cold.  Maybe a warmer pair of socks or even some shoes might do the trick.  No, I'm talking about instances where someone is hurting and you don't know how to console them.  Instances where you worry yourself about getting the bills paid.  Times when your family is in some turmoil and even when you do everything in your power to fix the issues.  You get the idea.

I'd love to tell you that if you open your Bible you will find your answers.  That might lead though to you opening your Bible up and turning to Exodus 26 you find that that chapter of Exodus tells of how the tabernacle in those days was to be constructed.  The curtains are supposed to be what color!?  Thank you blue and purple curtains for fixing my day.  Not to belittle that chapter of the Bible because it does have some real significance to the faith but I'm just pointing out that by just opening up your Bible you will find your answer.

Sometimes, though, you stumble upon something in there that really hits home.  I am doing my best to read the Bible each day.  It is easier some days than others but it is something that I want to make part of my daily life.  Today, I got some terrible news which I am extremely hurt by.  I'm not hurt because it hurts me directly but because others are being hurt the most.  I want to be able to pat them on the back and say its going to be ok.  I want to tell the hurt you are doing bad things and to stop, but I can't.  It is so hard to stand on the sideline and although I can yell, "keep on going, your doing great, that was a nice hit, its alright you'll get'em next time," it doesn't solve anything.  This is one of those times where you need to put the issue in the hands of the Lord.  And I stumbled.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." - Romans 8:26-27

I was let onto this verse in my Bible study that I was a part of at school but hadn't read it myself in its full context.  I am making my way through the book of Romans right now and so happy to have read that verse today.  I'd like to say by sharing this verse it has solved all of our problems and by sharing it I'd have done the right thing and handled it the right way.  But then I'd be wrong.  Sharing a verse from the Bible is one thing but for that verse to have any meaning the person receiving the verse would have to put it to good use.  This is where God tells me to read the verse and put it to good use myself.  I am in a state of weakness now.  I don't know what to pray for.  I am trusting the Spirit to intercede for me when I pray because I believe the Holy Spirit will speak for me.  I have the Holy Spirit in me and I have to trust the Spirit to move me.  Its not an easy concept for me to fully grasp but because He is in me I must have faith.

God, Today Please Remind Me That You Love Me

Saturday, January 7, 2012 - 6:00PM CT

This morning I prayed for God to remind me that he loves me.  I don't think I asked how much.

I woke up around 8 this morning, which is early for me by the way, to get ready for a coaches meeting I had to be at at 9.  After showering and getting out the door I headed to Brookhaven Country Club.  On my was there is when I am pretty sure I prayed the prayer, "Lord, please today show me, remind me that you love me."  My mom had had a meeting a couple of days before with our pastor at PCBC about wanting to rejoin the church.  He told her he prayed a similar prayer every day.  Finally today I prayed it.

I got lost on my way to the country club and was actually a couple minutes late.  I was so worried about making a bad impression with one of the dads that was going to be there as well.  I got there finally and he couldn't have been more awesome about it.  I had met him once before and he was a super nice guy to begin with.  The meeting went great and I got out of there in time to just barely make it to my 11am shift at the restraunt I work at.

The restraunt was very stressful today with some of my coworkers not being in good moods.  I went abou my business but still complained aloud to other coworkers and mentally in my head.  Just not the best day at work although all the customers I had were actually very pleasant and I was happy to serve them.  That made the shift not as bad as I was trying to make it seem.  During that shift when things weren't so bright I prayed the prayer again knowing that I was stressing out about things too much.  "Lord, please remind me today that you love me."

When I got off work I went home to meet my friend about looking at apartments.  My mom, also being our realtor, my friend and I went downtown to look at some places.  It was a good experience and we got a lot out of it as far as knowledge of what we were looking at.  It was cool with the three of us and happy we all got to go together.

When we got back home it was finally time to go see friends and relax for the night.  I headed to Tom Thumb to pick up some beer for me and my friend.  When I got back to the parking lot to head to my friend's new awesome apartment I sat there for a second.  I thought, "It doesn't seem like God answered y prayer today.  Did I miss something?"  So I prayed the prayer again sitting in the parking lot with the radio off.  I realized today wasn't even over and maybe there was something extraordinary he had in mind.  I prayed a third time, "Lord, please show me/remind me that you love me."

It was like I had a revelation.  What was I thinking!  God had been showing me all day how much he loved me.  When I say revelation, I mean that I can't even write down how many times throughout the day God HAD shown me.  It wasn't one or two things, it was continuous!  Sure, sin was still in my life and had invaded my day, but God revealed to me how much he loves me all the time.  The story of my day that I have written above does no justice for accounting for the love God revealed to me when I prayed for the for the third time in that parking lot.  I drove from Tom Thumb to Henderson Avenue dealing with some traffic with the radio off.  The love I recalled through the day kept being revealed to me one by one, one thing after the other.  I didn't get moved to tears but I got emotional and felt the Holy Spirit inside me more than I have felt in a while.  I had to write it down.  Now, I need to blog it.

On that drive to Henderson Avenue I felt God calling me to blog things like this.  I haven't written in a long time.  I realized that I have always felt a need to share God's love and still don't think I'm meant for the pulpit or anything.  I think though that God has a way, multiple ways, this being one, to use me to share his love.   I am still on my journey and will be for the rest of my life but if this is a step in the right direction then Praise Him!  All Glory to God in the Highest!