In my recovery from my encounter with the vicious mongrel-psycho beast name “Rusty”, I’ve been trying to learn what it is the Lord would have me take from this. I spoke some about this in my last post, but I wanted to flush it out a bit more here.
The first thing I’ve learned is that God alone is the source of provision for my family. I have been worried and stressed for sometime about the state of the industry I work in, and the economy in general. I gave lip service to the fact that “my God shall provide all [my] needs,” but in reality, my faith was in my hands and feet to provide. When the crazed canine Rusty took the use of my right arm (temporarily), I realized very quickly that the Father is the One Who provides, not me. He has blessed our business the past few weeks in many ways, with everything from orders called in without soliciting, and to big deals with customers we hadn’t sold before. He is Jehovah Jireh, my Provider.
I have also become aware in a very clear way that I have NOT been spending enough time in the Word. I have been substituting service and ministry for time spent with my Lord. Ministry is a good thing, a great thing, but it should stem from relationship. It’s just like with my wife: I can serve her a thousand ways, but if I’m not communicating with her and listening to her, the relationship suffers. During this time of recovery from the wounds inflicted on me by the golden-haired behemoth Rusty, I’ve been able to spend some time in the Word that has really impacted my heart. I pray that, once I’ve recovered fully, I won’t forget the lessons learned “in the valley.”
And last, but absolutely not least, I’ve learned that Christ alone is sufficient for me. Only in Jesus am I complete, on only by His grace am I saved. It is His mercy alone that allows me to wake each day, and I have long taken Him for granted. How it is possible to take for granted so great a love, I do not know. I just know that I’ve done it. I pray that, once the bones have mended from the mauling taken at the hands of the demon-dog Rusty, I will remember the Truth of the Gospel that has impacted my heart anew this week. I pray that it will be ever new in me each day.
I read the following this morning. It’s from a collection of prayers called “The Valley of Vision” (copyright Banner of Truth Trust, 1975). This is a prayer that offers the Only thing we have to bring to the feet of the Father, the sacrifice of Christ:
“Accept His worthiness for my unworthiness,
His sinlessness for my transgressions,
His purity for for my uncleanness,
His sincerity for my guile,
His truth for my deceits,
His meekness for my pride,
His constancy for my backslidings,
His love for my enmity,
His fullness for my emptiness,
His faithfulness for my treachery,
His obedience for my lawlessness,
His glory for my shame,
His devotedness for my waywardness,
His holy life for my unchaste ways,
His righteousness for my dead works,
His death for my life.”
Amen.
The Wading Pool 