A silly fear is now a powerful hope

A silly fear is now a powerful hope

Six years ago as Jesus was calling out to me I learned of God’s sovereignty (among so many other of His traits) which for me first meant He was everywhere, all the time…even when I was in the shower? I don’t like to be with me in the shower and now the King of Kings is hanging out with me…naked? Last night at Life Group we discussed God’s sovereignty and two of us thought these questions weren’t even worth asking, “What are the upsides to God being sovereign? Are there any downsides or negatives?” Of course now my Holy maturity level is grown up and informed so at first I scuffed, the world may see negatives with it but I am grateful for it, it is all an upside until the Holy Spirit gently reminded me how freaked out I once was by God’s sovereignty and possibly the Heavenly Realms looking over me…in the shower. I confessed amidst laughter and realized now, my body so riddled by the effects of my underlying terminal condition I can sometimes only shower twice a week and that is with a shower chair allowing me to stop and rest, I pray harder and more constantly for God during those showers than at any other point in my day! I am desperate for Jesus and the angels to be there protecting me, giving me strength to not only get through the shower but be able to get out without cracking my head on the side of the tub and then I still have to get dressed and comb through this lovely head of hair.

               This morning it had me reflecting on a subject God often brings to my heart: perspective. Oh how fragile a concept when we let our feelings rule our thoughts and choose to dwell in hurts, pain, sadness or even pleasure and happiness instead of letting God lead and rule our thoughts. As we are two weeks away from Christmas Day, in the middle of the Advent Season where we are focusing our hearts and minds on, “The true Reason for the Season,” Christ Jesus many of us have heartache looming around the corning, have fears about facing family on a day that should most defiantly be one of merriment and celebration, worry that we won’t be able to enjoy the abundance of food without over indulging and being left with guilt and even shame. During Advent we are all making an attempt to stop and remember Jesus, to rejoice in His birth but I strongly believe that Jesus also wants us to look around and remember that those dark places we have in our own hearts the person next to us had too, labels may be different but the feeling of isolation, loneliness and stress are the same.

I am going to spend the next fourteen days intentionally checking my perspective so I can both rejoice over the birth of my Savior and gently encourage and comfort during this Holiday season so at least one person in my sphere of influence can take a refreshing breathe of, “ME TOO” and I can boldly live out Matthew 25:40 MSG “Then the King (Jesus) will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’” As so many of for me. 

Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people. Colossians 3:23 CEB

Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. 3:23-24 MSG