Peace and Passion

A few days ago I received a phone call from someone I had tried to help several years ago. We chatted a bit (I couldn't even remember who she was until after I hung up the phone) and then she began to ask me how things were going in our family. In short, she told me she would pray for us. I very much appreciated her call. Then, shortly after that call, another lady called who I had met and gotten to know better at campmeeting this past year. She has been a spiritual encouragement to me in the past and this time was no different. She also asked how things were going and also told me she would be praying for us. She asked me some very personal spiritual level questions about my relationship with Jesus and encouraged me to persevere in taking more time with Him daily.
My Lord has been nudging me along in this line through other avenues as well. Things I had been reading and others who I feel confidence in have also mentioned similar things to me.

After the above experiences I asked the Lord what was His priority for me at this time. I was impressed to commit myself to taking time three times a day (minimum), to 'stop' other activities and spend time with Jesus. I chose a time to begin and decided to 'help' myself by writing down at least some of what transpires during those times. After about a day or so it seemed that the 'middle' of the day time was getting 'forgotten'. I was concerned about the trend and was praying about it. The Lord reminded me that the first time I 'missed' I had thought something like 'O, I'll do it later' and my brain simply 'erased' that 'weak' committment.

I asked the Lord to forgive me and I re-pented (chose to come back within God's will ['pent' - within peremiters],) and asked God to give me the determination to spend that time with Him each day. I noticed that when I made that choice, the impression to stop in the middle of the day was again there. This time I did not think 'I'll do it later' but rather 'When is the best time I can do it, if not right this moment', or similar.

The first time that happened I was getting lunch for Duane. I was impressed to take just a few minutes right then, which I did. When Duane got home I shared with him a concern I had abouta matter relating to our place and we ended up praying together also about this situation. It wasn't the situation we are praying for so much that impressed me but the fact that when I stopped, even for a few minutes, I believe the Lord blessed and enabled us to pray together as well as my personal time with Jesus alone.

This evening I had already jumped into bed when I realized that I had missed my time with the Lord. I decided to get up to talk with my Beloved even though it was getting late.

As I began to look back over this past day the devil tried to get me to be discouraged. While I was 'unpacking' Psalm 43 this morning, I had noted that David had similar temptations.
I am beginning to believe Jesus wants to mentor me as to how to 'act' in my life as I listen to how David handled similar circumstances in his life. It is short so I'm going to put my whole paraphrase as I understand the meaning of it here as well as in the link to the right. I was impressed with how much passion David expressed. I noted also words that describe how God felt toward David (and me). A few of those words include 'defend', 'Supreme', 'Strong' and the phrase "Your happiness and trustworthiness transport me into Your sacred, uplifting Presence where You reside".

Psalm 43
1. Govern me, Strong and Supreme God, and defend me before those who are not religious, kind or courteous. Slip me away from those who are false and distorted.
2. My Supreme, Strong God and Defender, why do I feel You are failing me or letting me go? Why am I so distressed because of those who are hostile to me?
3. Let Your happiness and trustworthiness transport me into Your sacred, uplifting Presence where You reside.
4. Then I will come into agreement with the Almighty God who loves me to be in His presence. With music I will dance with intense emotions while lifting my hands to You in worship, O my Supreme God.
5. Why do you sink down in depression, O Self? Why is there so much tumult and clamor inside? Be patient and hope in my Supreme God. I will continue to raise my hands in worship to Him who delivers me, makes me joyful and is MY God.

I am sensing more and more that God is passionately in love with me. And not only is He in love with me but He also looks at everything I do (or don't do) through that passionate love for me.
As part of my 'quiet' time with my Lord this evening I was asking God what He thought about 'my day'. Did He see me as 'lazy'? No. What about what I considered 'disorganized'? Not really. So how did He see me? He sees me as His daughter whom He loves very much. He also sees me as who I am becoming through His love flowing through me. WOW! He also sees me as one of His children who hasn't had a good mentor here on earth who can 'show' me what it means to respond to His love as well as how to share His love through me to others. But as I have been opening up the Psalms God has been using David to help me learn at least some of those lessons.

Verse 5 above is a good verse to illustrate that. Why do you, (Olive), sink down in depression, O Self? Why is there so much tumult and clamor inside? Be patient and hope in my Supreme God. I will continue to raise my hands in worship to Him who delivers me, makes me joyful and is MY God.

When that kind of Joy - the deepening realization that God loves for me to be with Him - is combined with the quiet realization that because God loves me, I have genuine peace enabling me to wait patiently in and on Him and restfully hope in His will for me as I see what He is doing in me and for me and through me. That is Peace and Passion combined and that is real power.

May the God of peace bring you ever closer to Him and enable you to experience His passionate love for you as well.

Bringer of Peace