The Word is good
Sophie - February 24, 2010
This afternoon I was doing some of my week six homework in Esther: It's Tough Being A Woman, and something Beth wrote really resonated with me:
"Glance over at your Bible. Think what you've been through with God in those pages....Think of the hope, guidance, assurance and affection you've sought. Think how thankful you are that God wrote something you can hold to your chest, rocking back and forth, when your heart is shattered and your sight too blurred to read. Every Bible is the Word of God, but with no ears to hear it, hearts to love it, or hands to warm themselves by the fire of it, man is tragically lost to it."
I underlined every single bit of that in my member book. Just so you know.
Here's the thing. This morning I woke up with a heavy heart, and as I was making coffee and getting breakfast ready, I told God how I was feeling. I didn't ask Him to make all my troubles disappear; I just told Him that I was feeling discouraged and needed to remember how much He loves me. Needed to feel how much He loves me, even. It may sound a little crazy, but I really wished that there was a way for God to give me a big ole hug.
Perhaps I've overshared. :-)
Anyway, just a few hours later, I was in a chapel service - still dealing with the heart heaviness - when someone read Psalm 86:11-13:
"Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave."
And then Jeremiah 32:38-41:
"They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul."
I try to be careful that I don't assign more meaning to things than they deserve, but let me tell you: I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that those passages were for me. They were for other people, too, of course - but I felt like God used His Word to give me a big ole hug. He's sweet like that, you know.
So when I read Beth's reminder that God gives us "hope, guidance, assurance, and affection" on the pages of His Word - well, I may have amen'd a little.
Because I know it's true.
Melanie
Melanie
Sophie
Sophie
Paige
Paige
Kris
Kris
Comments (3)
Sophie,
I love you dearly for your “realness!” I’ve no doubt that God intended that very good Word just for you! Receive it!
And in the sharing of it here, you’ve passed on to me…one who needed to hear it.
Love how His Word can be specific for the one and specific for the next one and specific for the next one and so on and so on and so on…
(Reminds me of that shampoo commercial!)
Thanks, friend!
Blessings, Dori
Posted on February 24, 2010 10:26 AM
Isn’t it wonderful how the Lord knows exactly how to communicate to us His love!
At a time in my life when things were very dark, I felt abandoned -like I wasn’t even a blip on God’s radar. I wondered if I had moved so many times that God didn’t get my last forwarding address. I wouldn’t have admitted that in my church circle, but I certainly felt that way in my heart. And I topped if off by beating myself over the head for my lack of faith.
One day I read Psalm 32:22 which says: As for me, I said in my alarm, “I am cut off from before Your eyes!” [ie:not a blip on God’s radar] NEVERTHELESS You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to You.
He encouraged my heart that day, and He placed people in my life that lifted me up, encouraged me along and were like “God in flesh” for me. He is indeed a good God.
Posted on February 24, 2010 5:55 PM
I just had the pleasure of leading Esther, It’s Tough Being a Woman Bible study at my church to a small group of wonderful women. Today, as I viewed the last session in preparation for my class, I sat here in my living room and cried like a baby because it was coming to an end. I love how Beth brings the scripture alive and makes it relevant in the lives of the women she teaches. The women in my class love her teaching also, in fact, we are going to continue our morning class with Beth’s study on Breaking Free.
Yes, it is tough being a woman, but our God is tougher!!
Thank you, Beth, for your wonderful ministry. May God richly bless you!!
Posted on January 14, 2011 1:23 PM