Friday, March 29, 2013

Letting Go

I've just got to let go,
let You fill in the spaces
the places where I cannot reach.
There's so much I don't understand;
Questions rush down on me like a waterfall
and I sink under them.
There You are--reaching--with Your extravagant love.
You are the only Answer I need.
Trust secures me in Your arms
rocking me in memory
of how You've always taken care of me.
I sink no more
except in Your love, Your grace.
What You allow,
I accept.
What You give,
I receive.
I
let
go.

~AMY. 2013

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Submission Over Selfishness

"During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered..."
Hebrews 5:7-8

Submission is a hard word to swallow and even harder to do.  Everything in our nature is selfish.  We want to do things our way.  We want this and we want that.  We want to plan our lives around our dreams.  We want to satisfy our desires.  We want.  We want.  We want.  Then, when we don't receive what we want, we complain and we grow bitter and resentful.  We become full of disappointment and discontentment.  We challenge God with "why" questions, and we begin to distrust Him.  As a result, a rift begins to grow in our relationship with God.  I should know.  I've done this, but I also know now that through submission I can restore the rifted relationship.


Submission is pushing the selfish nature aside and doing the will of God.  Even Jesus, Son of God, submitted.  He also offered up prayers through the suffering, and selflessness is a form of suffering because you have to go against your nature, which means you may have to go against what you want.  However, complete submission is complete access to God.  It connects us directly to Him.  He honors those who are in submission to Him.  So, let us submit to the one true God and receive with gladness His outreached hand.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

What I Want

23 
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23:1

I have A LOT of wants.  I wanted creamer for my coffee this morning, but didn't have any.  I wanted this past year to have turned out differently than it has.  I wanted successes that I did not receive, I wanted dreams I could not reach, and I wanted a life I have not lived.  I'm drowning in a sea of unmet wants.  

Psalm 23 throws out the life ring to keep me from drowning: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."  I shall not want because if the Lord is the shepherd of my life, I have no need of anything.  He will guide me, protect me, provide for me, and give me more than I could have ever even wanted.  

As I write this, I sip my black cup of coffee with a new realization that most of my wants aren't what I really need and I can live an enjoyable life without them.  How much more will my life be once I live a life following my shepherd and His wants for me?  I am eager to begin a new journey: to want nothing but my good Shepherd.