I'm watching the sunrise as I sit here and write this blog. The sun is rising in the East and I'm reminded that God is constant. I love the mornings because they remind me that everything is the same but different. How can that be you might ask? Life changes moment by moment. We can never be sure what today will hold but every day when we get up the sun rises and every night as we look to the West the sun sets. The best thing is it happens in every part of the world. God set the timing and although man thinks they control everything, they don't control that, ever!
Have you ever thought how wonderful it is that God arranged the morning to have a time and for our rest He gave us night? It really is interesting how every single detail in a humans life is orchestrated by a God many don't even believe in. And if we do believe, I think we ask way too often, what's in this for me? I know I have a time or two. This point was brought to light definitively for me. As you know my life verse has been Jeremiah 29:11. I walk by this verse because I need to know daily that God has a purpose for all the road blocks, windy turns, and rocky climbs. I need to know that I have support that's stronger and larger than me. I need to know that all of the craziness of this life boils down to one thing, Jesus and yet, I know, just like you, I have thought, "What's in this for me?" Right now as I sit and write I'm waiting to see what God is going to do in my life. It would be easy for me to say to Jesus, "I've spent more time with you, believed in you more, so where in the world are you and the blessing Jeremiah 29:11 promises?" Probably not a good question to ask. Why? Because He is with us always and because as smart as some of us feel, we just can't know what He's doing or where we're headed without Him aligning every step. For a person like me that's extremely difficult. I love to know and yet, every morning when I get up, my future and my finances are in His hands. I have no idea what tomorrow will bring and if I try to map out all the details, organize them and put them into compartments, I will miss out on the greatest blessing of my life and so will you.
The question should never be, "What's in it for me?" The question should be, "How hard do I need to seek you so that I can know your will?" It doesn't matter what's in this journey for me because it was never about me. If Jesus had that mentality where would we be? We would be lost and not saved that's for sure. Do you think He had the luxury of saying to His Father if there was something in it for Him? He should have been put on a pedestal. He should have been praised by the masses. He should have watched everyone kneel to Him and yet, His Jeremiah 29:11 was to lose His life for you and me.
This is the picture that has been placed in my mind over the last months and it's the only thing that has kept me directed and walking toward Him. My husband who is a sometimes believer lives by, "What's in it for me?" So when this journey didn't go as planned he really didn't understand. He even said to me that I was the one that read my Bible, prayed and went to church. He thinks God owes me because I do all those things. God never owed me anything. He walked beside me, He watched over me and He righted my path when I didn't even know if it could be righted. He has comforted me like no human could and He has given me more purpose, more passion, more verve than I've had in 10 years. He has taught me to rely on Him and not myself. He has given me hope when I was hopeless and rest when I was weary. He has molded me and reminded me that as I seek Him, I will find Him. There is no greater gift than Jesus. So if your asking yourself, "What's in it for me?" You might not get what you want but you will get something far better. You get to sit at the feet of the maker of heaven and earth. You get to stand next to the maker of the sun, moon, and stars. You get to feel the presence of the great one, the only one, Jesus, the Son of God and experience the Holy Trinity. You get to transcend this life to Him.
I don't know what today will bring. I can't even fathom what today will hold. What I can tell you is today will be as complicated and messy as the world makes it but I'm going to be led by a shepherd who has made me, who loves me and who will use me however He wants. He will get all the kinks and cracks out of me and eventually I will be a pot worthy to be with Him. Until then, I will pray that the word is spread throughout the world and that many will seek Him and find Him.
At the end of the day, there's really only one thing that's in it for me and it's not a new car, home, boyfriend, husband, baby or job; what's in it for me is Jesus. Take that to heart as you go along today and thank Him for bringing you to a place where you yearn for Him moment by moment.
The Scripture following Jeremiah 29:11 is Jeremiah 29:12-14 and here's what it says in the NIV version.
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.[a] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Lord we call upon You to guide us and to bring us out of captivity! Be well my sisters and pray this prayer for God loves when we spend time with Him.
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