Strength for weakness: an unsearchable understanding

Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? – Isaiah 40:13,14
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. – Isaiah 40:28,29

Who is he who knows the Lord? For there is no one who can speak of all of what the Lord has done or is going to do. But yet He is knowable by those who seek His heart. Those who know they are weak and weary…They are the ones to know His power and strength.

I got to experience this first hand on the missionfield, God’s great strength in the times of my many weaknesses. Right now in this moment financial gain is my weakness. Or should I say the lack of financial gain. I have realized that I despise need…always have. I would rather rely on my own doing than to accept gifts from others. This pride is my weakness. It has caused me to hate the Lord’s provision. Not very good stuff. So, I am trusting God…it (scripture) says “He causes you to profit” but with this I must also trust God and share this burden and it’s pride with others. Not easy stuff. Still learning, still needing God’s strength…realizing I do indeed need others.

Lord I ask for your help. Kill this pride within me. Cause me to come before you with thanksgiving within my heart when I receive your goodness. May I learn not to rely on my own strengths or understanding but to rely on your great Spirit and unsearchable understanding. Amen

Loosing Sight of Beauty

Scripture)

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

-Psalms 27:14

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

-Psalms 27:4

Observation)

This “waiting for the Lord” is an active pursuit, not stagnant sluggardness. Its driven by a deep love and passion for the Lord. Just as a lover cannot wait to see the one he loves, so it is the same here. It would be one thing to say “be strong and courageous” for strength and courage are very good attributes…but the strength is needed for a purpose; I believe that purpose to be love. The church of the Ephesians were spoken against by Jesus himself for this very reason. The Ephesian church had sound truth, good doctrine and patient endurance (again excellent qualities) but Christ had this against them: that they had lost sight of their first love.

Application)

All my life I have had a passion for wisdom and truth but this year those very haunting were spoken in my direction, straight to my heart, “YOU have forgotten your first love”. And so my time is to be spent in active pursuit of the one that I loved, to take up strength and gaze into true beauty. For if I loose sight of love I become void…useless clanging of a cymbal.

So how do I fall into love again? This is an issue many couples go through (I cannot personally speak from experience but I have observed this quite a few times) How does passion come alive again? I am reminded by Paul Overstreet’s song “even when it don’t feel like it, its still love.” My focus here is not then on the feeling of love, nor is it on the action that pour out as a response to love…rather my focus is on the one that I love.

Prayer)

Lord, guide my focus back on to you. Make place for my heart that I may dwell where you are. Let me gaze upon your beauty once again.

Amen

Costa Rica Day 10

July 9 2012
God’s Word for the Day)
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
-1 Peter 4:10-11

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
-Romans 1:16

My thoughts on God’s words)
Ones use of his or her gifts are accompanied with the awareness of the gifting but more so a divine awareness of the gift giver. The best operative of a holy gifting is the moment of weakness where you have nothing else but God’s strength. God is a provider and will equip His servants with every need that in everything we do: We worship the Lord through the grace of God to bring a holy and worthy worship before our king.

I heard God when)
No caffeine today he said, and I understand it as being a method against lies of doubt saying my attitude or strength is found in a mug of darjeeling. (postnote: I draw comfort from this very much so; God still showed up and the joy of the Lord was my strength despite my lack of “Cafe con Leche”)

My words to God)
Lord help me teach the kids tomorrow when I run the lab. Give me Your words and more importantly Your heart for these children. May You be glorified and praised by my actions, lips, mind, spirit, body, emotions. All to give You glory and be the light You have called of me. Amen

Events of today)
First VBS at Cucal, an impoverished town with kids full of wonderful energy, strength and vigor. “Rascals” as they are called. I was tired and not operating out of caffeine but in the Spirit of God. Doubt started to seep into my heart but I addressed it (and asked Larry to pray with me) before it had the chance to spring into despair. Laura (she leads the VBS) talked with me, we shared some of our similarities and realized we both celebrate holidays as orphans (postnote: as the reality sets in of living everyday as a missionary, I realized the amount of sacrifice God calls of us all as we obey his voice…for me, Laura, her daughter, and Andreas we do not have time with family…so even more is this a call on our lives to find our family within the body of Christ) Got to have more personal time with the kids by assisting with games. Afterward we ate lunch at the restaurant and left to the “Blue Banyon” resort near the rainforest where we saw many endangered species of monkey while getting snacked on by Mosquitos (first bites of the trip…yuck) The evening brought more ESL classes and Beef Stroganoff at B&D’s. Got to spend more solitude in their treehouse.
-Bryan Switalski

The path of honor

Scripture)
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.
-Psalms 23:3

Observation)
God gives us the strength to walk the path set before us. He knows that His way is more difficult for us but He also knows that it is the best way. These path strain us to trust in His strength rather than our own. As we continue to live life on these paths we are an example to others around and bring honor to God.

Application)
I choose to live a life that honors God, one that will please Him and ultimately show an example of Christ to others around me. I know that as I rely on His strength I will become stronger, leading others to the One who continually makes me strong.

Prayer)
Lord continue to lead me Your way, Your conditions, Your style. Make me like You and make me to be a person that continues to bring You honor. Amen