learning to rest... in His way... not mine...

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV

His way... it's hardly ever the way we would do things...

and at times... it's a struggle to rest in His way...

I see the tears...

hear the crack in the voice...

feel my own frustration...

of those...and me... trying to trust in His way...

rest in what He's up to...

He tells us plainly...

My thoughts... are not yours...

My ways... are not yours...

I'm greater...

So why are we surprised...?

when things don't go our way...?

the way we think they should...?

Really... it's time to rest...

rest in His sovereignty...

His love...

His way which is so much higher... greater...

trusting Him... to fulfill what He promises...

in His time... and His way...

It's a lesson for a lifetime...

learning to trust... in His way...

not mine...

resting in Him... to make me light...

"You are the light of the world. ..."

Matthew 5:14 ESV

Jesus told His disciples... 

in His sermon on a hill...

You are the light of the world...

And it struck me a while back...

the truth of this statement...

what He meant...

what He was saying...

you... are... the light...

I... am... the light...

in a very... dark... world...

There is no other light... in all the world...

only His disciples carry His Spirit in our hearts...

only we can let His light shine...

we alone have light to shine...

You... I... we... are... the... light... of... the... dark... world...

An overwhelming... awesome... task...

when you think of all the darkness...

come face to face with it daily...

through family... friends... community... church...

There is a great darkness...

and we... His people... are the only light...

A song sung in praise and prayer recently...

set me to wondering about being light again...

There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the helpless, confused and torn

Hold out your candle for all to see it

Take your candle, and go light your world

Take your candle, and go light your world

Frustrated brother, see how he's tried to

Light his own candle some other way

See now your sister, she's been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor

Hold out your candle for all to see it

Take your candle, and go light your world

Singing... tears welled... ran down... 

You see... I feel as if darkness has been running to me lately...

frustrated brothers... sisters robbed and lied to ...

I know these people... love these people...

but feel helpless... to light their way...

So I ask Him...

Show me how... to be light... in the dark...

And I rest in this prayer...

and I listen for His way...

and I try to obey...

His quiet promptings...

give...

be quiet...

respect...

I don't do it perfectly... but I try...

it doesn't feel like being light...

because each call causes me suffering...

not a lot... but some... in small ways...

denying self... to be light for Him...

And I wonder...

Do they see it as light...?

will it make a difference...?

His Word calls His followers...

lay down your life in love...

so I find myself...

resting in Him... to make me light...

His way... not mine...

and experiencing...

some of His suffering...

I come to know Him better...

But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings,

that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

1 Peter 4:13 ESV

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Looking forward... to His glory... being revealed...

The Journey Readings: Week 153... and questions...

Last week's readings... took us through the book of Zechariah...
a prophet given words of encouragement...
both the comfort kind... and a sharp stick in the side kind...
to move His people forward in obedience...

Zechariah received a series of visions... messages...
brought by the angel of the Lord...

Zechariah saw... but he didn't understand...

"I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse!

He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen,

and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.

Then I said, 'What are these, my lord?' The angel who talked

with me said to me, 'I will show you what they are.' ..."

Zechariah 1:8-9 ESV

And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns!

And I said to the angel, "What are these?"

and he said to me, "These are the horns that have scattered

Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."

Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. And I said,

"What are these coming to do?" He said, "These are the four horns

that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head.

And these have come to terrify them, to cast down

the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns

against the land of Judah to scatter it."

Zechariah 1:18-21 ESV

And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line

in his hand! Then I said, "Where are you going?"

And he said to me, "To measure Jerusalem..."

Zechariah 2:1-2 ESV

These are just a few of his questions in response to what he saw...

God revealed...

Zechariah questioned...

God answered... clarified...

I see a lesson to remember...

when He reveals... in Word or vision...

we will not always understand...

but we do have the responsibility of humbly asking...

What...? Why...? Who...?

embracing our... I don't understand...

By faith we hear... see... what He reveals...

and by faith we pursue with questions...

Too often we assume He doesn't speak in visions anymore...

He doesn't speak and share what He's doing with His people...

but He does...

He is the same... yesterday... today... forever...

Open your heart to embracing ignorance...

when it comes to the surrounding spiritual reality...

Open your heart to questions...

when you believe He's revealed...

but you don't understand...

ask...

He will answer...

This week's readings...

Monday                Revelation 1:1 - 2:11

Tuesday                Revelation 2:12 - 3:22

Wednesday           Revelation 4-6

Thursday              Revelation 7-9          

Friday                   Revelation 10-11

resting in change...

"... The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound,

but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.

So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

John 3:8 ESV

Change...

it's generally something we don't look forward to...

it comes with too many unknowns...

too many things to work out...

too much work...

Routine can be comfortable...

empowering even...

When we know what's coming...

and exactly how we're going to handle it...

we deceive ourselves into thinking we are in control...

This is the comfort zone of the flesh...

control...

But life with the Spirit is different...

we must accept right up front...

we are NOT in control...

To follow the Spirit is continual change...

not in core truths...

but in methods... modes...

The Spirit changes direction...

the Word says... it's like the weather...

winds shifting... and we are to follow...

unknown to us why... or where...

It came to mind over the last couple of weeks...

this new "series"... rest in Him...

I thought it would be like the two before...

lean on Him...

wait on Him...

But it's been completely different...

I tried at first to make it like the others...

searching the concordance...

noting verses...

going through the list... one by one...

seeking truth... and what He had to teach...

The list of rest verses...

has been abandoned...

as these days of writing rest in Him...

comes with a phrase or word picture...

He brings to mind...

of what it looks like to rest in Him...

He leads me to Scripture depicting rest in Him...

without using the word... rest...

So I've followed...

reluctantly letting go of the list...

the comfort of knowing what comes next...

but finding myself wondering...

how long will this series go...?

where is it going...?

will I know when it's done...?

Following the Spirit...

is learning the art...

of resting in change...

Reminders we are not in control...

and we don't need to be...

because He is...

Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:

"I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;

I will take you by the hand and keep you;

I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,

to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

from the prison those who sit in darkness.

...

And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know,

in paths that they have not known I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light,

the rough places into level ground. These things I do,

and I do not forsake them. ..."

Isaiah 42:5-7, 16

Amen...!

rest in brokenness...

Brokenness...
I've heard a lot lately...
the heartbreaking kind...

In crying out to Him...
on behalf of the broken...
I find a place to rest...

His incredible love...

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son..."

John 3:16 ESV

His grace...

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons,

for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor, they fell down, with none to help.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

Psalm 107:10-13 ESV

His power to work evil for good...

"... But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant if for good,

in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. ..."

Genesis 50:20 NKJV

His plan and purpose for all...

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on 

all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods

and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should

seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.

Yet he is actually not far from each one of us...

Acts 17:26-27 ESV

In interceding for the broken...
I find rest in Him...
trusting Him with those He loves...
more than I...
trusting Him to work good...
through His power to redeem...
trusting He knows what He's doing...
when I can't see...

Is there brokenness you need to trust Him with...?

Carry it to Him in prayer...
find a place...
to rest in brokenness...