"I have Loved You"

"I have loved you,

but you say,

'when?','how?', 'in what way?'

Yet, I loved."

"I have loved you,

you were precious

I was gracious

So I loved"

"Everlasting

Love I show

That you may know

I have loved thee"

~Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Rev. 1:5

~&~

in all these things we are more than conquerors

through him that loved us.

Rom 8:37

Under the Wire

I waited patiently for the LORD;

and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

Ps 40:1

Today at the end of morning meeting, a short word of ministry was given on Ps 40:1-3. The message hit home for me, so I've decided to share it.

The speaker opened by reading Psalms 40:1-3. Then he looked at the rest of us, and said "Listen to this verse" and promptly mis quoted it. It jarred me. He quoted "I waited for the Lord, and he inclined unto me." I waited for him to correct himself, but he didn't.

He continued to say how he likes to "slip under the wire" when it comes to this verse. Slipping in under the "I waited" and failing to "Wait PATIENTLY". He said that we know God will work his perfect work regardless of us, and it will be in his timing, ultimately. So, "I have to wait, I have no choice, but am I waiting patiently."

Ah, my mom once said to me when I was about 11 or so, "Be careful, if you don't learn patience now, God will teach it to you eventually. And the lessons we fail to learn the first time, seem to be a lot longer later on. " Truthfully, I shrugged it off, I'd be patient eventually, but it did nag at me for a long time thereafter.

Not too many years later, I began to see what she meant. Patience is not an easy thing to learn. But I was encouraged today by the ministry. Encouraged to wait patiently, because the Lord will incline unto me. This is the idea of a King on his throne, learning forward in interest, interested in what you have to say, listening. Wait Patiently, don't try to slip in under the wire.

Thank God that He listens!

Except the Lord Build the House

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:

except the LORD keep the city,

the watchman waketh but in vain.

Have you ever worked hard at something and hoped it to work out perfectly only to find out it was a total flop? I once read a story in the readers digest of a woman who made excellent omelets & egg souffle. One day, newly married she decided to make a egg souffle for supper for her husband. She told how she looked forward to the souffle, knowing it would be perfect. Well, you know the end of the story. When he came home, she proudly took the souffle from the oven, only to find it was a flop. (I think it was one of those 'My-Most-Embarrassing-Moments' stories.) But this story reminded me (then and again recently) of the verse about the Lord building the house. "Except the Lord build."

I have been thinking about success lately. What we call success, what we expect from others in way of success, even how we criticize others based on our view of success.

What is success? I have asked myself this question for weeks, maybe years. I used to know. (I laugh at that last phrase, it should read "I thought I knew".) However, essentially, I did know, for I knew deep down inside I knew that success was doing what God wanted you to do. Although had you asked me, I probably would have had a list.

My old list went something like this....

License

Finish High School

Car

More school

Decent job

Pay off school debt

Take time to enjoy life

Funny thing is, when you have checked off your list you start to realize that golden vision of success is still as far away as ever.

Now, I am not saying not to try. There is nothing wrong with my list (in and of itself). But my list does beg the question as to the significance of each item. Are these successful? Or is sucess when you have enough money to own five Toronto Sky Scrapers and have your name listed in Forbes Magazine?

I beg to differ, success isn't any of these things. Meeting your goals is good--builds character in perseverance, responsibility, integrity, and more. But true success is inaccessible apart from God.

The verse clearly talks about building a house and protecting a city, but the concept is the same for everything. Apart from God, I can do nothing. I think we forget that our accomplishments are only because he gave us the opportunity and the means. Our job is to work hard, honestly before God. Our job is to follow the plans He has for us. God will do the rest. Amazing, is it not?

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; Ecc 9:10

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phil 4:13

Jesus said... for without me, ye can do nothing.

Joh 15:5

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:16