You've been so self-sacrificing...
What about some time for yourself...rest?
You've had some hard things over the years...
These were concerns expressed during a couple of recent conversations regarding our adoption. It's nice to be loved and looked after that way. It's funny how people can think more highly of you than they ought! Obviously, they lovingly see past my self-centered, prideful, rebellious heart. I do not see myself as sacrificial at all. I know nothing of real sacrifice. As far as time and rest go, I've wasted too much time in my life on meaningless, trivial things. Hard things? Life can be hard. However, it is usually then that I find myself most desperate for Jesus. Yet, again, I believe that I know very little about "hard things".
While those concerns expressed for my well-being are sweet...precious. I cannot see much truth in those things.
The truth I can see is in this...
There's this really lame commercial with this guy on a motorcycle who says he wants to "leave this life exhausted". I've adopted that phrase as my own. I want to leave this life exhausted.
Of course, Jesus rested and spent time away, alone with the Father. That's not what I'm talking about here. I struggle on a daily basis, often moment by moment, but at the end of it all, I want to have exhausted my time, my energy, my heart, my resources...my life "to the glory of God the Father". (Phil 2:11) I've been given this one, brief life. I'll have an abundance of rest when I reach my home in heaven!
and in this...
"Instead He emptied Himself..." (Phil. 2:7)
While I don't always get it right, my heart's desire is to "make every effort" (Phil 3:12) to follow my Savior's example of living a life emptying myself' for His name's sake.
and also in this...
Galatians 2:20 has always been incredibly significant to me. While the entire verse is profound, I'm consistently drawn back to the "who loved me and gave Himself for me" part. While I'm often my own worst enemy, I long to give my life as an offering to the One "who loved me and gave Himself for me".
and again in this...
"When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died...
...love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all." (Issac Watts)
I believe this adoption is only one part of all of that...
While I see no truth in those a fore mentioned concerns, I hope that as we go through the adoption process and continually give ourselves over more and more to God's purposes for our lives, that I really will know Him more intimately through sacrifice and hard things and rest in Him whose yoke is easy and burden is light.
~M
What about some time for yourself...rest?
You've had some hard things over the years...
These were concerns expressed during a couple of recent conversations regarding our adoption. It's nice to be loved and looked after that way. It's funny how people can think more highly of you than they ought! Obviously, they lovingly see past my self-centered, prideful, rebellious heart. I do not see myself as sacrificial at all. I know nothing of real sacrifice. As far as time and rest go, I've wasted too much time in my life on meaningless, trivial things. Hard things? Life can be hard. However, it is usually then that I find myself most desperate for Jesus. Yet, again, I believe that I know very little about "hard things".
While those concerns expressed for my well-being are sweet...precious. I cannot see much truth in those things.
The truth I can see is in this...
There's this really lame commercial with this guy on a motorcycle who says he wants to "leave this life exhausted". I've adopted that phrase as my own. I want to leave this life exhausted.
Of course, Jesus rested and spent time away, alone with the Father. That's not what I'm talking about here. I struggle on a daily basis, often moment by moment, but at the end of it all, I want to have exhausted my time, my energy, my heart, my resources...my life "to the glory of God the Father". (Phil 2:11) I've been given this one, brief life. I'll have an abundance of rest when I reach my home in heaven!
and in this...
"Instead He emptied Himself..." (Phil. 2:7)
While I don't always get it right, my heart's desire is to "make every effort" (Phil 3:12) to follow my Savior's example of living a life emptying myself' for His name's sake.
and also in this...
Galatians 2:20 has always been incredibly significant to me. While the entire verse is profound, I'm consistently drawn back to the "who loved me and gave Himself for me" part. While I'm often my own worst enemy, I long to give my life as an offering to the One "who loved me and gave Himself for me".
and again in this...
"When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died...
...love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all." (Issac Watts)
I believe this adoption is only one part of all of that...
While I see no truth in those a fore mentioned concerns, I hope that as we go through the adoption process and continually give ourselves over more and more to God's purposes for our lives, that I really will know Him more intimately through sacrifice and hard things and rest in Him whose yoke is easy and burden is light.
~M