Friday, December 27, 2013

In the Hallway


There are times in life when we must wait. It is in our waiting that our true nature comes out. I think it's safe to say that we are not patient creatures. We expect God to answer our prayers the second we pray them. We think that if a prayer goes unanswered, God has forsaken us. But it's not that simple. What if God allows us to roam the hallway for a while so that we can draw closer to Him? What if it is an act of love rather than an act of negligence? What if the Creator of the heavens and earth is merely seeking intimacy with His beloved creation?  

Our constant struggle to get out of the hallway might as well be considered a rejection of His love. Imagine if your husband set aside some time for the two of you to enjoy each other without any distractions and the whole time you were just praying it would be over soon because you believed there was something better out there. Putting it in the context of a marriage really demonstrates how rude and ungrateful we can be.

I believe that the hallway will become a precious place when we learn contentment, enjoyment, and redamancy. We will treasure those moments of waiting because they are times set apart for pure enjoyment of the Father; times to love Him and receive His love What's even sweeter is that God still opens doors, He still answers prayers.  

The open doors are gifts of grace from our Beloved; shall we not delight in waiting and the opportunity offered to just sit with our Beloved for awhile?


Sunday, December 22, 2013

As Long as You Are Glorified

Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings yet not welcome any pain?
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine yet grumble in days of rain?
Shall I love You in times of plenty then leave You in days of drought?
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest, but when winter winds blow, then doubt?

O let Your will be done in me. In Your love I will abide.  
O I long for nothing else as long as You are glorified.

Are You good only when I prosper and true only when I'm filled?
Are You King only when I'm carefree and God only when I'm well?
You are good when I'm poor and needy.
You are true when I'm parched and dry.
You still reign in the deepest valley.
You're still God in the darkest night.

O let Your will be done in me. In Your love I will abide.  
O I long for nothing else as long as You are glorified.

So quiet my restless heart in You.

καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐγνώκαμεν καὶ πεπιστεύκαμεν τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν ἔχει  θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν. Ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν, καὶ  μένων ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐν τῷ θεῷ μένει καὶ  θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷμένει. 

"We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." - 1 John 4:16

To God be the glory in all things.