He's Worth Following

I'm still in the process of working through Beth Moore's study "Breaking Free" with two girls I went to Australia with. It has been quite an eye-opening experience for me. It's requiring me to dig up some past memories and work through them appropiately instead of merely just trying to forget that they ever happened. I have found so much freedom from this and I have literally been "breaking free" from the bondage that my past sin has kept me in.

This morning I studied "God's Daily Rule" and one of the questions posed was: 

"Why is walking with God so much wiser and personally fulfilling than asking God to walk with us?"

I responded with something like this:

The Lord knows what is best for us, Jeremiah 29:11 couldn't make that any more clear. Why would someone who could see clearly go to the blind for guidance? The blind should jump at the opportunity to be lead by someone who can see!

Beth never ceases to amaze me with her scenarios and wisdom in putting the point into such great perspectives...this is a dialogue she wrote to follow that question.

You: "Father, are those my footprints every day, and is the second set of prints when You joined me?"

God: "No, My precious child. The consistent footprints are Mine. The second set of prints are when you joined Me."

You: "Where were you going, Father?"

God: "To the destiny I planned for you, hoping you'd follow."

You: "But, Father, where are my footprints all those times?"

God: "Sometimes you went back to look at old resentments and habits. Other times, your footprints can even be seen on another person's path because you like their plan better. At other times, you simply stopped because you would not let go of something you could not take with you."

You: "But even if I didn't walk with You every day, we ended up OK, didn't we?"

God: "Yes, child, we ended up OK. But, you see, OK was never what I had in mind for you."

You: "Father, what are those golden treasure boxes on certain days?"

God: "Blessings, My child, I had for you along the way. Those that are open are those you received. Those still closed were days you did not walk with Me."

Learning to trust and obey is an ongoing process in my life. You can't do one without the other, they're interdependent of each other. Saying you trust Him, but then neglect to do what He says is showing that trust was never present.

My discipler challenged me yesterday with this: make sure your faith is the same in your mind, your thoughts and your actions. They all should produce the same result, if not...there is work to be done, motives to be evaluated and a heart to be checked.

"For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:11-13

It's a classic, but these are the lyrics that came to mind this morning while spending time with the Lord...

Trust and Obey

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

[Can you say that you trust and obey this truth from God?]