Day 342/ 365
1003. Thank you, Lord, for your Spirit, who has taught me all along. Thank you because you are so loving and know what's best for me. I couldn't imagine my life without You, without Your guidance. Thank you for giving me time to pause and to know Jesus more. Help me to wait upon You.
Just a few more days and we'll be changing the calendar again. I read a book last 2019 written by Ann Voskamp entitled "One Thousand Gifts" about discovering God's blessings every day. Each day, you need to quiet your soul and search for God's blessings, count them, write them down and you'll see how beautiful life is.
Thanksgiving creates abundance, and the miracle of multiplying happens when we give thanks. Life is not an emergency. Life is brief and it is fleeting but it is not an emergency.- Ann Voskamp.
I remember when I was still working, I was always in a hurry and usually burn out. There are many things on my table. I was more like Martha, anxious and troubled about many things. I was cramming and hurrying just to complete the day. I thought God wanted my doings more than my being. I remember during those days, I'm gonna rush in my work- tons of paperwork, meetings, and deadlines in a week, and during weekends going out for ministry. For almost five years, it has been the scenario. I am grateful for those experiences but I quickly get worn out and tired during those times.
And these past few months, I learned it the hard way. God wants me to be still, to pause, to wait, and to rest upon Him. During the first few months, I wasn't stable because I wanted to do more, I thought God measures my worth in my productivity but I was so foolish, God is kind and so loving that He loves us not for what we can do for Him, He loves us because that is His nature- He is love. He calls us worthy because of Jesus Christ alone. We don't need to strive for it because the truth is we're undeserving yet His saving grace allows us to experience His forgiveness and fullness.
And in the stillness and quietness, God remains God, He is still at work and we can rest on Him.
And finally, I understood the story of Mary and Martha. When Jesus said that Mary has chosen the good portion because He chose to sit at the Lord's feet and listen to his teaching while Martha is so distracted with much serving.
God wants us to know Him more, to know Jesus more, and to be like Him in our character and conduct; it starts with making Him the ultimate priority of our lives. Dwelling and enjoying His presence, reading and understanding His Words, and seeking His desires and will. I recall how our pastor frequently reminded us that man's main purpose is to exalt God and enjoy Him forever. And just like what John Piper said, "God Is most glorified when we are more satisfied in Him. "
Do I enjoy God's presence now?
He is so loving that He removes all the things that have been distracting me and sees what matters most in life now. Just like Ann Voskamp mentioned in her book, "when my priorities are rather all things unseen-it's only then that my life began to have substance and weight."
God is too good to be unkind, - He allows me to pause so I can lean on Him and trust His goodness, He knows what's best for me, and He knows me more than I know myself. He gives me rest and peace that surpasses understanding. How loving He is!
Your goal is to exalt God and delight in Him eternally, but you can only do so when you put your faith in Jesus Christ, acknowledge your need for Him, and repent of all your sins. You'll sense His presence once you start to put your trust in Him and submit to Him. Our good deeds won't get us into heaven; God declares us worthy only because of Jesus Christ; it is only through His grace that we are able to serve Him. And after you've accepted Him into your life, He'll give you a helper—the Holy Spirit—to empower you to work on His behalf.
God continues to astound me. And since I don't really know much about Him, I'm always looking for His Word to learn more. He is too good to be unkind. Let's learn more about Jesus, just like Mary did!
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me. But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.
Luke 10:38-41
