(Such a droll title. I'd much prefer something like, "Return of the Dragon Slayer" or "Return of the Roving Warrior" or even "Return of the Troll." Oh well. )
For any wanderers who happen to observe this poorly neglected site, my name is Rae--I am the delinquent who has not blogged in almost an entire year. :) However, I have duly repented me of my ways and have decided to attempt some semblance of ruminations in the year 2008. For those who despaired of ever keeping contact via the world of Internet...I'm afraid I may not be able to offer consistency, but I do offer sincerity. :)
The Year 2007 in a NutShell:
I struggled.
The Lord faithfully and lovingly guided.
One of my very dear friends got married.
I completed my first year of Grad School without getting kicked out.
I completed my first year as a most unorthodox secretary without a) getting fired or b) getting my boss fired.
The first (and thankfully last) Summerlude class was completed and goodbyes to two of my closest friends were said in one very difficult week.
I attempted to water-ski, I water-tubed, and I flew for the first time ever (please note that these are not intentionally inter-related.)
The Lord allowed me to meet and form relationships with various impacting people.
I went to China.
I ate cow stomach, ox vocal cords, goose intestine, and rabbit heart (please see the above statement.)
I met 31 very special Chinese kids and greater learned the depth of my inadequacies and pride.
I came back to Northland for my last year of Grad School.
I did not get engaged or married--nor did I elope.
I was given pretty much the best present ever--a ginormous, cute, soft teddy bear.
I forgot how much I love my home and where I was raised...I forgot how much I dislike radishes...I forgot how much I love to laugh...
And as I look back on the past year, the clear hand of my Father is so overwhelmingly present.
I was faithless. He was faithful--He can be nothing but.
I faltered. He rooted and grounded me in love.
I suffered. He healed the broken hearted and bound wounds.
I fell. He bid me rise--and carried me.
I strayed. He shepherded me, chastening me, guiding me, restoring my soul.
I questioned. He did not deign to answer me--revealing the greatness of His ways and thoughts and my desperate need to wait on Him.
I rejoiced. In His presence there is fullness of joy.
And I triumphed. Thanks be to God Who always causes us to triumph.
"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." I John 5:20
Monday, December 24, 2007
Saturday, January 06, 2007
The Strength of Weakness
What caused the apostle Paul to write, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness...I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me...for when I am weak, then I am strong"?
Perhaps he had learned the glory of pain.
Perhaps he had learned the sacrifice of praise.
Perhaps he had learned the strength of weakness.
Perhaps he had learned the brokenness of healing.
In a rough paraphrase, someone once wrote, "The circumstances of life are sacraments of God's will." What a beautiful picture...every-day events of our lives, however large or miniscule, are living, breathing, visible manifestations of an invisible Father. His love, His sovereignty, His mercy, His faithfulness, His very Presence.
The past weeks have been filled with praying through and processing the events of this semester, of the last 4 and 1/2 years, and of all of (my short) life. And I have been brought back to this one, over-riding Truth that has governed my best intentions, my greatest attempts, my feeble understanding, my pervasive self-righteousness: Weakness.
The pain, confusion, and frustration of past choices, present circumstances, and future dreams have brought me again and again into the presence of the One Who loved me and gave Himself for me. The One Who heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds. The One Who is well pleased with the sacrifices of a broken and a contrite heart. In God's Sovereignty, they have brought me to one conclusion and allowed me to stray to no other: my complete and utter weakness. In every arena of life.
A good friend brought to my attention the utter difficulty of ministering when you feel as though your heart is breaking, your soul is in turmoil, and your spirit is shattered. He's right. It is incredibly difficult. But I have come to realize that brokenness precedes healing; and I am beginning to learn that pain is not innately bad. Suffering happens by virtue of life. It is our response to that pain that dictates its results. And oh, the comfort of the Cross! To be rooted and grounded in His love, to be in His presence, is nothing but fullness of joy. The questions and cries of a pain-filled heart need no answers...only Christ and His love. For He is the true Solution, the only Solution.
Perhaps he had learned the glory of pain.
Perhaps he had learned the sacrifice of praise.
Perhaps he had learned the strength of weakness.
Perhaps he had learned the brokenness of healing.
In a rough paraphrase, someone once wrote, "The circumstances of life are sacraments of God's will." What a beautiful picture...every-day events of our lives, however large or miniscule, are living, breathing, visible manifestations of an invisible Father. His love, His sovereignty, His mercy, His faithfulness, His very Presence.
The past weeks have been filled with praying through and processing the events of this semester, of the last 4 and 1/2 years, and of all of (my short) life. And I have been brought back to this one, over-riding Truth that has governed my best intentions, my greatest attempts, my feeble understanding, my pervasive self-righteousness: Weakness.
The pain, confusion, and frustration of past choices, present circumstances, and future dreams have brought me again and again into the presence of the One Who loved me and gave Himself for me. The One Who heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds. The One Who is well pleased with the sacrifices of a broken and a contrite heart. In God's Sovereignty, they have brought me to one conclusion and allowed me to stray to no other: my complete and utter weakness. In every arena of life.
A good friend brought to my attention the utter difficulty of ministering when you feel as though your heart is breaking, your soul is in turmoil, and your spirit is shattered. He's right. It is incredibly difficult. But I have come to realize that brokenness precedes healing; and I am beginning to learn that pain is not innately bad. Suffering happens by virtue of life. It is our response to that pain that dictates its results. And oh, the comfort of the Cross! To be rooted and grounded in His love, to be in His presence, is nothing but fullness of joy. The questions and cries of a pain-filled heart need no answers...only Christ and His love. For He is the true Solution, the only Solution.
Paul's theology of weakness is paradoxical indeed--and so typically Christ-pre-eminent. The failures of life, confusing circumstances, physical infirmities, discouragement, past decisions: we shrink at these, pull back, fear, doubt, waver. Paul not only accepted them, he embraced them! To what end? Paul walked in the reality that only in our weakness can we truly ever be strong. His live exemplified, "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." Not, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, keep grinning and bearing it. Rather, accept your weakness, acknowledge it, even exult in it. For the strength of Almighty God comes to meet us in our weakness. Only ever in our weakness are we strong--for then we are Divinely enabled and empowered. "To those that have no might He increases strength."
To summarize this lengthy post, God is glorified in our weakness. "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us."
May we learn the glory of pain.
May we learn the sacrifice of praise.
May we learn the strength of weakness.
May we learn the brokenness of healing.
"Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that aknowledge His name. " Heb. 13:15
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