God's Story

It's been far too long since I have had something to write here. I pray that God will put things on my heart more often in the future. But for now, I want to share something with you. When you look at your future, and what you might want to do, how do you plan? Do you do so as if it is your future? Or as if it is someone else's. Because, in truth, it simply isn't your life to plan or your story to write. I understand this is not something you want to hear, but it is the truth. It is God's story. Now hear again, it is not even your book that God is writing. This story, the grand and intricate story, is God's. Completely. He writes each word, each page, each chapter. Perhaps He will write your tiny part in His story as something that, in the eyes of the world, is grand and "world-changing". But no matter how exciting He writes your story, it is not better or longer than anyone else's story. So, my friends, don't write your story, and don't pretend that you are even the editor. You are the reader. This isn't to say that your whole life is planned out minute-by-minute for it; it only means that God is the author, not you. So read with excitement your part in God's fantastic story, and be honored! Carry on!

Trust

Trusting God. I do believe it is the hardest thing we must ever do in our lives. And right now I am in the middle of that battle. It is too often so hard. It is hard to trust God and His sovereignty. It is hard to believe that He has the best in store for you. It is so very hard to wait for the future, for that moment when you know that you've finally arrived, even if it is just a tiny fraction of that which you have been trusting in for so long. Why is it so hard? That is a question I ask myself often. God has promised that He will take care of us. He has told us that so many times in the Bible. Yet why is it to hard to trust, to believe that? I will never understand. I guess as humans we know what we want and we want it now. And with God, we have to wait, for what He will give us. I know what I want, and I just want God to give me a hint at what He is going to give me. I guess we just have to pray the hardest prayer, "Your will be done." Maybe that's what trust is; handing your day over to God and asking Him to do whatever He wants. It's time for us to start giving everything to God, it's time to stop being our own. We were never our own in the first place, so what gives us the right now? We have always been God's, it's time to start living like that.

Thy Will Be Done.

"...Your will be done..." (Matthew 6:10b) This tiny phrase is part of the Lord's prayer, but for me, it holds the most weight. Think about it. Do you really understand what that is saying? "Your will be done." We are asking God to do His will through us. That is a huge step to take. To say that, and genuinely mean it as your prayer, means complete surrender of yourself, your goals, desires, interactions, words, and thoughts. You are asking God to be in you completely and work through you powerfully. There are so many parts of our Christian faith that we simply brush over or say because it is what everyone else is saying; and the Lord's prayer is one of those things. My mom told me about this, she told me of how is has helped her, to pray those four simple words. It may seem simple but that is the hardest prayer also. As humans, we desire to cling to our worldly aspirations and interactions, but if you pray "your will be done", you are asking God to take over all that you are. That is no easy task. I began to pray that prayer. Every morning when I wake up, before my feet touch the floor, I pray the prayer of surrender, and I mean it with every fiber of my being. It has altered my life. I find that when I get discouraged or sad, I remember the prayer I prayed that morning and know that God is faithful. He will fulfill my cry to Him. I challenge you to take on the prayer of surrender. See what it can do for you. Just remember, those words should not be taken lightly. Think about what those four simple words mean, ask God to help you do that, and then show the world that you mean it!

The Lord's Prayer

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'" (Matthew 6:9-13) Have you ever truly read to Lord's prayer to understand it? They are amazingly powerful words! As you read this well-known passage of the scripture, for it is a Bible verse, there are many seemingly simple phrases that are amazingly powerful, but so it is with everything else Jesus said. The first is when He says "This, then, is how you should pray." What a broad statement. So many people seem to take the Lord's prayer as WHAT we should pray. Jesus simply asks that we pray like that. And here is how I interpret that. In the Lord's prayer, there is no begging or asking for things of this world. In his prayer, Jesus never asks that his burden of redeeming the world be taken from him. His prayer is simply a request to be more Godly. To be more worthy. I think we should take a cue from that. When you pray, don't only beg for things of this world that you desire, ask God to help you give the world what He desires to give them. It says "your kingdom come...on earth as it is in heaven." What a powerful statement. As followers of the most high God, we are to ask Him to do His will and through that heaven will be evident on earth. What a beautiful mission! God calls us to greater things, even in our prayer! I ask you, next time you open your Bible, turn to Matthew 6 and read Jesus' instruction to us. It is not a command or a recitation. It is simply a suggestion. God truly only desires to connect with us deeply, but He still likes to give us some help. So read the beautiful words, and maybe learn something. I know I did! There are great things in store for you, if you will only step out. And prayer is the greatest way to find God!

This is not where I belong.

"All I know is I'm not home yet; this is not where I belong. Take this world and give me Jesus. This is not where I belong!" This is the chorus to an inspiring song by Building 429. On my way to school today, this song played on the radio and set my mood for the whole day. I listen to the radio every morning and pray that God will give me a song for the day. Today, it was this song. And what a beautiful song it is. Look at the words, read them, soak them in. What a beautiful revelation that is! This earth may feel like home, with all it's responsibilities, burdens, and people. But you are not of this world. You were called to greater things. As the words of the song say, take away this world, remove it, erase it, let it fade away; all I need is Jesus. God has something greater and more beautiful waiting for you in heaven. This is only a stop on your journey Home. Live this life in such a way that you are striving to be worthy of the awesome(to be used in the most traditional and classical sense of the word, see definition at bottom of post) reward God has given you. No, reward is not the right word. If it were a reward, no person would ever reach heaven. What God has prepared for us is a gift, paid for with the precious blood of our savior and friend Jesus Christ. And what a gift it is! So I challenge you, live this life as if it were only a stop on the true journey home. Live this life like you were striving to deserve the gift you have been given. Live this life with nothing but Jesus. And make those beautiful words your prayer! awe·some /ˈôsəm/ Adjective 1.Extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear. 2.Extremely good; excellent.