In the most unexpected ways, He speaks and reveals Himself.
There's nothing like sharing His Word with someone who is hearing for the first time, but even more amazing is that I can read it for the millionth time and it speaks into me in a fresh new way...
Sitting across the table from a dear friend, talking about Mark chapter 1, it hit me. God spoke into my circumstances through looking at the life and work of Jesus. Here's how it goes: John the Baptist came out of the wilderness, fulfilling an age-old prophecy, and preparing the way for the Messiah. "God in flesh" gets baptized himself and the Spirit of God and audible voice of God affirms Jesus' identity as God's Son. Jesus' "out front" ministry was about to begin!
And then...
Mark 1:12-13
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan...
Just when He was about to carry out His work!? He had people to save and a Message to share, yet the Spirit of God sent Him away, alone, into the wilderness. The Lord DOES work in mysterious ways. Over wontons and spring rolls He spoke clearly to me in this. When the rest of us would think it was time to "get straight to work" and "get the job done", maybe Jesus, in His humanity was ready to do the same, yet the Spirit DROVE him out! He obviously was obedient in that but I wonder what He thought when He knew what was to come and to what He was called. The Spirit drove Him not to the garden, to a place of comfort, but to a place of discomfort and suffering to prepare Him for what was about to begin. It doesn't make sense to the legalist in us, who wants to work for our worth, or to the humanist in us who tells us to do what's comfortable. or to the independent in us who wants to do what he or she wants to do, whatever that may be...
6"Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;7let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.8For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
call upon him while he is near;7let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.8For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
(Isaiah 55)
Looking at the life of Christ, the redeemer of the World, who walked through all of suffering and discomfort and even appearances of failure to the foolish mind, I can fellowship with Him there. I can appreciate a unique path to a greater goal that I could not fathom had he not taken me into the wilderness. I praise Him today for that!
I remain humbled today and am reminded it's all about Him: His name being made famous and His glory. This reality orients my thoughts and life in such a way that I know I cannot find true rest and peace until I align my entire being this this truth. I am so thankful to be His! I do not deserve it, I did not earn it, I am nothing apart from Him, who, in His great mercy and grace, rescued me and made me new!!
26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.
Not many of you were wise by human standards;
not many were influential;
not many were of noble birth.
27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;
God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—
and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,
29so that no one may boast before him.
30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,
30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,
[WOW!!!]
who has become for us wisdom from God—that is,
our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
31Therefore, as it is written:
who has become for us wisdom from God—that is,
our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
31Therefore, as it is written:
"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
(1 Cor. 1)
(1 Cor. 1)
Who am I Lord, that you are mindful of me, and that you would speak to my heart?
I am your beloved daughter, favored and treasured in your eyes and you, in your grace, speak to me.
Thank you.
