Life is weird. But God is good.

So… the blog has been quiet for a while - a lot longer than I meant for it to be. Some of you may be wondering, if a thought of me crosses your mind, “How is life there?”
 
Well... Life is weird. But God is good, gracious, overwhelming in mercy.

This semester – now finishing the sixth of 15 weeks – has come in roaring like a lion. I feel like it is a semester of pruning, where the Lord is revealing more and more in me that needs to go - or needs to grow. Sometimes the revelation comes clearly: “(fill in the blank)’s time is done.” And then comes the choice – because God tends to let us make a choice about it.

Release. Surrender. Submit.

And sometimes it’s not so clear… all I know is that something is not right between me and the Lord. Those times may be harder, because they start with confusion and pain.

Reveal. Release. Surrender. Submit.

The lesson that seems to be consistent this semester is that God doesn't waste anything, but that “all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose” So what is that good? It’s spelled out in the verse right after the more famous one: it is to be conformed to the image of Jesus. I have lots of conforming to do. But it’s been encouraging to me – and I hope to you also – that if God is for us, who can be against us? Not only is God “for us” in general terms, there is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus, because the only one who has the right to condemn is the one who gave up the glory of heaven to take on our sin! And not only does He not condemn, He stands at the right hand of God, making intercession for us. (See Romans 8)

Wow.

Think about that for a second – Jesus didn’t stop at trading His purity for your sin. Yes, He bridged the gap of sin between you and God with His own body (which He took on for that purpose) and yes, if you believe and accept that gift, God sees you as sinless. But even then, we are not on our own – Jesus stands and makes intercession for us. He goes to God on our behalf.

I don’t deserve that.

But because of it, there is nothing – not even the weirdness of this life – that can separate me from His love. (See Romans 8 again.)

So how is life? Well… it’s not separating me from the love of God… and God uses it all to conform me into the image of Jesus. So it must be alright. :-)

Until next time -- May the Lord bless you and keep you all – may He make His face shine upon you and give you peace.

Prayer requests:
*for me – for good health and sleep! Both have been hard to come by.
*please also pray for me as the Lord is teaching me a lot in this time
*our 10-day outreach to Split, Croatia leaves next Friday
            -we have 16 people going and we’ll be doing street drama
            -please pray for our team, for unity and health and for the Lord to be glorified
            -and for the people in Split

Thank you to all who pray!

"Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work."
-Oswald Chambers