... some not...
A call to add another...
A much needed reminder... to be placed... on the wall opposite the door... the wall seen each time the room is entered... a wall often covered... with piles...
The Word previously placed... most of it took time... printing font... making a stencil... cutting with x-acto...
But today... I was to free-hand a stencil... no "word perfect" font allowed...
Supplies gathered... I began to plan... straight lines... a canon to follow... then several attempts at free-hand font... no success... frustration creeping in...
I do not have time to do this today... what am I thinking...?
The thought... not mine... continues to come... just cut...
So I began... cutting letters... one at a time... not even able to see what I've done because of all the practice with pencil... and... pen...
By faith... I cut... If this is You... it will be finished...
By faith... I continued... letters appearing...
By faith... we obey... and that's when things happen...
Just ask the Levites... stepping into a flood-stage river... carrying the Ark... crossing into the Promised Land... the step based on a promise received by faith...
"...And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord --- the Lord of all the earth --- set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap."
Joshua 3:13
(emphasis added)
(emphasis added)
Not until the foot stepped...
did God's promise...
come to pass...
Acting in obedience... there is no faith without it... to live by faith... is to step when... and where... it seems most unreasonable... to take time to cut... and stencil... when it makes no sense...
Finished... still unsure what it looks like... I tape the free-hand to the wall... with paint... and brush... I begin...
The lesson... one I was just reading... confirmed...
For faith is only real when there is obedience, never without it, and faith only becomes faith in the act of obedience.
---Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Only when we obey His call... whatever it is... can we say... that we... have... faith....
He knew... knows... I need this humble reminder... in a place where I see it... multiple times... a... day...
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Galatians 5:13 ESV
A day spent exercising my freedom... serving... the elder-in-law... in love...
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