Catching up again

Okay, so I was in the bathroom yesterday and read this beautiful note on the building posters.

"A Love Prayer of Surrender"

Jesus,
I am humble, lowly servant. Take me... all of me. Add anything. Take anything away. At any cost. Make me yours completely... wholly. May I not be remembered for the way I wear my hair, or the shape of my face, or the people I know, or the crowds I've addressed. May I be known for loving you... For carrying a dream... For building bridges to the hurt and broken and lost in the world. Make me what you would be if you lived in person where I do. May everything accomplished through my simple life bring honor and glory to you. Take my human flaws and failures and use them to remind those who know me that only you are God and I will always just be... (Your name). Amen.

In Logos Sunday morning, we learned about the Passover in exodus. From that we learn that God keeps His word, Judges sin, and that Jesus was the ultimate sacrificial lamb. We also talked about how tradition is important to keep, such as remembering the resurrection on Easter and God coming in Human form at Christmas. Here to remember that God delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians in keeping with his promise. Although, the Israelites did have to suffer and the release wasn’t immediate it took several plagues until Pharaoh gave in. Thus even when we suffer and wait a long time upon the Lord to deliver us He is there working in the situation and always come through.

Then at Church, Pastor Mark Vanvalin asked what do you really know? He told a story of a man who had an ongoing nightmare for 1yr and 4 months. He dreamed that he was going down a very long tunnel and they wanted to kill him. One day he had went to a church and stole the cross that was behind the podium and slept with it that night. Thus, that night in his dream he was carrying a cross with him. Then at a service he came on the alter call. He fell on his knees weeping then he hears a voice that he thought was the pastor saying, "not your tears, but my blood" but when he looked up it wasn't the pastor who said it. - How cool is that! He said, "I know whom I believe" The Pastor Mark went on ... "Do you possess an unshakable hope? Does it show? Do you choose to suffer for what is right? Has anyone asked you lately what is different about you? Could you give a thoughtful and genuine answer? When is hope most apparent? (In suffering) sometimes life just happens - Hope is brightest when things are most difficult.

Next, last night in my devos was John 15:12-14 "My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friend. You are my friends if you do what I command." The last part really stood out to me, the concept of obedience. God knows best, so why wouldn't we follow what he wants us to do? Well, there are many reason we don't none valid. No matter what excuse, the hindrance is often fear. More specifically, fear of pain, of suffering, of having to sacrifice something in order to do what God is asking of us. That is where we must surrender all. Lay everything down at His feet withholding nothing.

Lastly, in Chapel this morning Carlos Garcia spoke on suffering. He shared with us how it was hard for him to watch his daughter suffer and he wanted God to fix it Now! but he never took into account that God could have been doing somthing in her life. he asked "what are we doing with God while we are waiting" in the midst of suffering circumstances. Are you using your experience of life to improve your experience with God? or have you been using God to improve your experience with life? He listed three things that all humans need. 1 physical comfort 2 Good relationships 3 Joys only coming from God. *note 2 cannot fulfill 3 C.S. Lewis said "If i find in myself a desire which no experience in the world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that i was made for another world" In the Lord's prayer, God's will is listed before daily bread. Thus it is more important. It's okay to hurt, and be upset. but it is important to fix our eyes on Jesus. After all did he not suffer in one day more than we will ever will in one lifetime. What prevents you from inticing Christ? My last note from this chapel says, we need to realize sin and then bury daily. Meaning put it behind, don't let it hold you back it's in your past. Repent confess and move on. God has greater things and he will still use you.