Trusting in His Pursuit

Surely your goodness and love will follow me 

all the days of my life...Psalm 23:6 NIV

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me 

all the days of my life...Psalm 23:6 NLT

Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me

all the days of my life...Psalm 23:6 HCSB

I used to think this specific passage was God's promise to me. That His faithful goodness and love will pursue me. But if you look at the context, this verse is David's expression of faith. David is saying this to God as something he believes in faith. He has seen God's incredible provision. There were also MANY circumstances in David's life that were far from what we would perceive as an expression of  God's goodness and faithfulness. However, David was still able to proclaim this statement whether or not his life circumstances were displaying God's goodness in a way that he and/or the world understood.

Faith. That is what this man had. And that is what I want more of. I would like to live life in such a way that displays this kind of faith and trust. What does that look like?

I can tell you what it doesn't look like. Sometimes I find myself like a child who's arms are loaded down with carrying all her beautiful toys she's been given. Goodness and love keeps piling it on and she just doesn't want to let any of it go because it's all just so good. So her arms if full and sore from carry it all and she can't see where she's going. 

Ya, I think that it is time to let some of it go. To rejoice in the gift while it's given, but to let go to make room for the new gifts. And also never to forget that even the seemingly less beautiful things are gifts too!

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

This song pretty much sums it up....

If I give it all to you

will you make it all new?

If I open up my hands 

will you fill them again?

His Words

I journal. A lot. It's a way for me to communicate with God. It's my way to process all my thoughts. It's also a way for God to communicate with me. Some people may not understand this, but there are times when the Holy Spirit takes over. It's as if when writing He just takes the pen. The result is usually beautiful.

Today I was looking through my journal from this past semester. What I found in the pages written on March 11, 2013 are worth sharing. That day was specifically one of intense battle and one of my darkest days of the semester. Here is a small bit of the Truth God spoke to me copied straight out of my journal:

"Beloved, I died for all your weaknesses. Where you are weak I will be gloried. If you weren't weak why would you need me? If you weren't broken why would you need a Healer? If you weren't a sinner why would you need a Savior? For I am the One you need. No one but I could do the things you need."

Not even silver and gold (1 Peter 1:18), the most treasured things on earth could pay the debt I owed for my sins. I was a mess, Jesus. Lost and confused. 

But, Beloved, I saw your debt and knew paying it would not only bring you closer to Me, but also be the greatest expression of love you will ever know. I knew that dying on the cross would bring Me the most glory. Therefore, I humbled Myself and died. For you. For all the world.

Now, Beloved, because of the cross, you are redeemed. Admit your weaknesses, but I beg that you would not dwell on them. Do not let shame lie to you. For you are forgiven. Set free from all the shame and guilt sin causes/d in your life.

Beloved, My grace is sufficient. I am fully aware that you will never be perfect at loving and following me. I know. And I am okay with that because in your mess-ups I can reveal My crazy extravagant love. In your brokenness and weakness is where you find your need for Me. In this I take delight. When you are fully dependent on Me.

That's what I found in my journal from three months ago. That's what I wanted to share today. My life is lived for the display of His glory. Therefore, even if it's uncomfortable I will confess my weaknesses for the display of His crazy extravagant love.