I woke up this morning singing Mandisa's "Good Morning" and immediately was blessed. I thought, "My goodness, God, You sure knew I needed some encouragement after the night I had." He was quick to remind me that He was with me throughout all the times of waking up. He also reminded me the importance of doing this…
Wave away my yesterday
'Cause I'm leaving it behind me
Hello sunshine, come what may
I feel something new inside me
Tomorrow is gone. Today is another day. How I choose to live it is up to me but the Lord hopes I will live in the way He so desires of me. As I was looking back over my writing these last four months I was amazed at how many times I was going through a major issue with my health. MS flair-ups, back/hip pain and now neck/arm issues. I have to wonder why I've been hit with multiple issues so close together. Part of me wonders if I've missed something He has tried to tell me. Another part of me wonders if it's like what He has told me before that people need to see Him glorified through me. No matter what the reason is I know I can sing these words and know them to be fact…I can feel the hope...That's rising up in me.
I have hope in the Lord. I love the words of I Peter 1 that give me the encouragement I need to continue on the path of a holy life no matter what I go through on this earth.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Verses six and seven are the key to what I need to hold onto. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Woo hoo! I was wondering why I was going through physical issues and now I know. The end result will be “...praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” That’s good enough for me! I don’t need to know timing or even have to worry about “if” because He has given me enough in this answer. I am so excited this morning to be His. He is so awesome in the way He quiets our hearts even when our bodies may be in turmoil. Woo hoo!
Matthew Henry puts it this way:
Happy are those whose hearts the Holy Spirit sets on this inheritance. God not only gives his people grace, but preserves them unto glory. Every believer has always something wherein he may greatly rejoice; it should show itself in the countenance and conduct. The Lord does not willingly afflict, yet his wise love often appoints sharp trials, to show his people their hearts, and to do them good at the latter end. Gold does not increase by trial in the fire, it becomes less; but faith is made firm, and multiplied, by troubles and afflictions. Gold must perish at last, and can only purchase perishing things, while the trial of faith will be found to praise, and honor, and glory. Let this reconcile us to present afflictions. Seek then to believe Christ's excellence in himself, and his love to us; this will kindle such a fire in the heart as will make it rise up in a sacrifice of love to him. And the glory of God and our own happiness are so united, that if we sincerely seek the one now, we shall attain the other when the soul shall no more be subject to evil. The certainty of this hope is as if believers had already received it.
“...the trial of faith will be found to praise, and honor, and glory. Let this reconcile us to present afflictions.” Oh my! Yes! I will embrace this time of the arm pain and numbness and allow the Lord to enable me to find the way to see Him be glorified through it.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for today...for this song...for the way You revealed to me through this scripture. Lord, I am overwhelmed by Your love. I sit here with tears of joy flowing because of the way You spoke to me this morning. I feel unworthy of Your love yet I know You not only died on the cross to save me from my sins but You also came back to life so that I may live in You. Lord, thank You, thank You, thank You. Father, I pray for more of You and less of me so that I can continue on this path of holy living. I pray for more people to experience You in this manner. Lord, I also pray for a greater depth in my relationship with You. Right now I feel like I’m ready to burst with Your love but I know there is more for me to experience. I am singing the words to this song this morning with a whole new meaning...I can feel the hope...That's rising up in me. You are my Hope and for that I am so grateful. You have given me hope for the time I am on this earth and You have given me hope for eternity. Thank You Jesus for being My Revealer. Amen.
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