Pages

Monday, November 19, 2012

I am Restless 'til I Rest in You, Oh God

Perfect Peace ~ Laura Story

Stay close by My side,
Keep your eyes on Me,
Though this life is hard,
I will give you perfect peace,

In this time of trial,

Pain that no one sees,
Trust me when I say,
I will give you perfect peace,

And you'll never walk alone,

And you'll never be in need,
Though I may not calm the storms around you,
You can hide in Me,

Burdens that you bear,

Offer no relief,
Let Me bear your load,
Cause I will give you perfect peace,

Stay close by My side,

And you'll never walk alone,
Keep your eyes on Me,
And you will never be in need,
Though this life is hard,
Know that I will always give you perfect peace,
I will give you perfect peace...


Life. It has its ups and downs. Its times of making sense and confusion. Its time of peace and turmoil. Life is a journey. I am grateful for the journey. I am grateful for a Savior who knows every step of my journey, those that have passed and are yet to come.
What a wonderful comfort to know that nothing ever takes our Lord by surprise. He is All-Knowing and His plan is always perfect. This brings a smile to my face every time I think about it. What a wonderful God!

Today is a day of music and song. Of reflection on Who Christ is no matter where life takes us. 

Restless ~ Audrey Assad


You dwell in the songs that we are singing,
Rising to the Heavens, rising to Your heart, Your heart.
Our praises filling up the spaces
In between our frailty and everything You are
You are the keeper of my heart

And I'm restless, I'm restless

'Til I rest in You, 'til I rest in You
I am restless, I'm restless
'Til I rest in You, 'til I rest in You
Oh God, I wanna rest in You

Oh, speak now for my soul is listening

Say that You have saved me, whisper in the dark, the dark.
'Cause I know You're more than my salvation
Without you I am hopeless, tell me who You are
You are the keeper of my heart
You are the keeper of my heart

And I'm restless, I'm restless

'Til I rest in You, 'til I rest in You
I am restless, I'm restless

'Til I rest in You, 'til I rest in You, Oh

I wanna rest in You

Still my heart, hold me close

Let me hear, a still small voice
Let it grow, let it rise
Into a shout, into a cry

Still my heart, hold me close

Let me hear, a still small voice
Let it grow, let it rise
Into a shout, into a cry

And I am restless, I'm restless

'Til I rest in You, let me rest in You
And I am restless, so restless
'Til I rest in You, 'til I rest in You, Oh God
Let me rest in You. 

My heart has been overwhelmed with life recently. I feel like I have been existing more than I have been living. I have been focusing on the outward life more than the inward life. Appearances more than heart. 

My heart is in need of Life. Of Living Water that fulfills and overflows. I am grateful for the opportunity to take time and pour out my starving heart to my Father. I am grateful for open arms that have been waiting while I've been floundering in living life in my own strength.

What love. What grace. What peace. What joy. What rest. What hope. What perfection is found in Christ. Everything that I can ever need or desire is fulfilled in Christ.

There is Nothing ~ Laura Story



Lord I come before You
To honor and adore You
For who You are and all that You have done
Lord I am not worthy
My heart is dark and dirty
Still somehow You bid for me to come

So clothe me in humility
Remind me, that I come before a King

And there is nothing
There is nothing
More precious, more worthy
May I gaze deeper
May I stand longer
May I press onward to know You Lord

May our time be sweeter
May I be a keeper
Of the promises I make to You in song
Lord may I remember these moments of surrender
And live my life this way from this day on

So clothe me in humility
Remind me, that I come before a King

And there is nothing
There is nothing
More precious, more worthy
May I gaze deeper
May I stand longer
May I press onward to know You Lord

So clothe me in humility
Remind me...that I come before a King

And there is nothing
There is nothing
More precious, more worthy
May I gaze deeper
May I stand longer
May I press onward to know You Lord

May I press onward to know You Lord



Jesus thank You for bestowing Your grace upon me today. Thank for the opportunity to be filled with You; for time of rest and time of productivity. Thank You that You know me. Thank You for taking me as I am. Thank You for Your lovingkindness. Thank You that You love me too much to let me stay the way I am. Thank You for working in my heart and my life to mold me and make me into the woman that You desire me to be. I love You so much. You astound me. I am in awe of all that You are. May I not get distracted in life and loose sight of the wonder and awe of You. May I remember You in all things. You are Life. You are Jehovah. You are Savior. You are God. Thank You for blessing me today with such sweet time. Amen.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Letting Go

I have been living life in my own strength. I feel like I'm barely making it through each day. Trying to look all put together on the outside while the inside is slowly sinking with no hope on the horizon.  

Why do I insist on carrying my own burdens?

Why won't I let go?

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who labor, are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease, relieve, and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief, ease, refreshment, recreation, and blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne."

I hold so tightly to appearances and to the way I think that life should be. I so easily forget that the Lord has a plan. That His plan is perfect in His eyes (Romans 12:2). That I have no need to worry or fret, and that I am commanded to not worry (Matthew 6:25-34). Oh boy!

I am so earthly minded and I hate it. I long to be heavenly minded. To think of His kingdom above this earth. To think about my forever life in heaven rather than my limited life here on earth.

Why won't I let go of this world?

I want to hold on to Christ like my life depended on it (which it does) and hold onto this world like I could take it or leave it...but too often it's the other way around. And oh how ashamed I am to admit it!

But I will choose to cling to the grace that He freely offers rather than to wallow in my own self-pity. I will cling to Him no matter my failings. I will turn back to Christ no matter how many times I turn away to my own selfish ways. 

I will bask in the wonder of His lovingkindness; His merciful forgiveness; His gracious sacrifice. He is everything that I can never be and yet He longs to daily make me more like Him. What a wonderful God.

Abba. You are amazing and wonderful God. You truly take my breath away. I do not understand Your love for me and yet I thank You with all of my heart for bestowing it upon me. Thank You for calling me Your own. Thank You for wanting to mold me and make me into the woman You want me to be. I give You my heart and my life to do with what You will. I am Yours, use me. May I daily remember that each day is a gift and that You long to live it with me. Don't let me forget Your throughout the day. May I remember You always. Amen...let it be.

Depth...

...is beautiful, colorful, binding, rich, peaceful.

...is found in friendship, marriage, relationship.

...makes you stronger, wiser.

...increases your longing for someone. God, husband, friend, parent, sibling, child.

Roots

Father God, may I grow in the depth of my relationship with You. May I seek You above all else. May my desire for You continually grow deeper and deeper and may I never have enough of You. You are my everything. May I live in light of that Truth. Amen.