Sitting at His Feet
Travis Cottrell’s new CD, When the Starts Burn Down
Please leave a comment on this post OR email Trish (specifying which gift you are interested in) to be entered. All drawings will be on September 8th at 5pm MST to give everyone a chance to enter.
This particular giveaway is released on September 13, 2011, so there will be a slight delay (but oh so worth it) for this wonderful CD!
The greatest places in our lives of faith are by a worldly standpoint dangerous, outside our comfort zone, don’t add up or make sense and LOSS occurs. We lose friends’ support, family support and even places of worldly position or honor. However, God sets up and deposes–His will cannot be thwarted. Our position may be as Esther’s for such a time as this or it may be the widow’s last meal with her son before God sent his prophet Elijah. God’s intervention and intention in both situations, in every situation really, are secure and sure.
I asked myself this question: If I had to lose all and gain Christ at my points of greatest weakness (my children, husband, family or friends, even secure things like my home), would I choose to? Could I be a martyr of the faith and NOT deny Jesus as my Savior? Must I think about such things or must I WALK it out everyday, knowing not only Him as my Refuge, but also as my Sovereign? I have heard Beth Moore call it the greater “yes” of Christ. My choices do not have to be conceived in my mind and carried out, but they should be conceived in the mind of Christ and applied to my heart. My willingness to obey and authenticity in carrying out these steps are vital to living victoriously.
I do not have to initiate or come up with my calling! Remember Christ promises to give us the words when we stand before our accusers. The simplicity of it all is that whatever God has for us to do–He will do it. It’s called vessel living. He pours in me, I pour out. I do not pour in. I do, however, need to spend time in His Word and practice His Presence. That means that I am simply acknowledging in my heart and mind that He is always present with me. He is near.
I guess I have all this on my mind, because this Christian walk is hard….sometimes, we make it harder by trying to be so together and in-control. He is in control. I am not.
So if our country one day becomes like Corrie’s Holland, we will be okay. We can walk it out in victory and with great joy…just like Paul and Silas in prison. I don’t think God intends for us to look like we have it all together. I think He wants for us to walk in trust. And sometimes, that means we will lose everything, but Him. He is enough. This world is not our home, but He went to prepare a place for us…and it is GOOD.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap [their] hands. – Isaiah 55:12
As I sit here looking out the sliding glass door at the trees with their burdened branches because of a heavy ice that came as a result of a rare Southern storm, I am reminded of our Elohim – or God, The Mighty Creator.
One of the things that inevitably draws me closest to my Father is getting out into His incredible creation. Whether it’s standing by His majestic sea to be in awe of His extraordinary power, or admiring the intricacies of the tiniest snowflake, to holding a baby only hours old, it causes my heart to worship the God that has formed every bit of it.
Dearest Abba, may we never cease to see You in all of our beautiful surroundings. Tune our eyes and hearts to recognize the work of your holy hands in everything that our senses behold. May it cause us to reflect on your gentleness, your unfailing kindness, and your incredible power. Thank you, Father, for all that you have given to us. In Jesus Name, Amen.
It feels like just an ordinary day. The kids are all home, and I am their cruise director, chef and captain for the day. The laundry is in process. I have breakfast dishes to wash by hand, until the blessed part comes in the mail to fix our dishwasher. Water is boiling on the stove with orange peels and apple pie spice–to add humidity to our dry Colorado air and to bring a delightful scent in the air, as well.
I have packages to wrap and one final gift to finish knitting. I have gingerbread cookie dough to prepare and chill, as well as chocolate chip cookies to complete the platters I will give away to family tomorrow. My heart is at rest.
Even my devotional in “Streams in the Desert” this morning spoke of being still and quieting ourselves before the Lord. And so I have.
Every part of my body is at rest and peace. I feel no hurry or scurry–no worry. Even though our circumstances may be financially tight, I feel completely at peace about every bit of it. This is the kind of peace that comes from my waking early to kneel at the manger and be reminded of no ordinary day.
This morning I awoke with a choral song called “Kneeling at the Manger” in my mind. The words go something like this:
“Kneeling at the manger,
only half aware
Mystified and awe struck
Shepherds stare.
Still amazed at hearing
Angels in the sky
Singing of God’s glory
from on High.
I am as a shepherd
brought in from the wild
mystified and awe struck
gazing at the Child
kneeling as a sinner,
trusting as a lamb,
Kneeling at the manger,
Lord, here I am.
(leaving out second stanza)
You became their king then,
as you now are mine!
Kneeling as a sinner
trusting as a lamb
kneeling at the manger,
Lord, here I am.”
Can you even imagine? This tiny baby, I imagine, was bursting at his very skin to contain His Glory. Jesus. The Son of God. Wrapped in more than swaddling–wrapped in majesty. Our Peace, who walked a journey unlike any other man. Our Hope, who never gave up hope. Even in giving up His own life on the cross, this man, who is God’s one and only Son, would keep His power contained for a greater purpose–His resurrection and our salvation.
So today, I am listening, as a shepherd. I am listening for the angels’ chorus–singing the Wonderful story of Awesome God Incarnate!! I am gazing at this child in a feed trough and mystified by His Presence with us.
I am trusting Him with my whole life, until even my own skin will burst to contain His glory. For my Jesus is not only with me, He is IN me.
Won’t you kneel with me? Won’t you listen to the chorus? Let this song resound in your soul and bring you peace that transcends your understanding. Let this babe be your King of kings.
For you will find that with Jesus, even an ordinary day can be extraordinary.
