I imagine Him standing next to His Father and looking past all the comforts of home. Looking past all the friendly faces of the angels. Looking past His position. Until He saw me and said, "It's worth it!"
I imagine Him kneeling in the garden and looking past all the beatings. Looking past the name calling. Looking past the blood and tears. Looking past the nails. Until He saw me and said, "It's worth it!"
I imagine Him hanging on the cross and looking past death. Looking past eternal separation from His Father. Looking past the excruciating pain. Looking past the grave. Until He saw me and said, "It's worth it!"
I imagine Him standing next to His Father in Heaven and looking past all my mistakes. Looking past all my failures. Looking past all my doubts and fears. Looking at me and saying, "Yeah, it was worth it and I'd do it again just for you!"
That's what I am thankful for. And it's only By God's Amazing Grace.
Little Bit has a mind of her own. Well, I would hope so. It would be pretty bad if she had to share it
with someone else. But she is very
independent and she tries to make decisions for herself. So when she has her mind focused on
something, it is really hard to district her and to refocus her on the matter
at hand. Like going to bed. Yep, that is the hardest part of the day. But when we do need her to refocus, to pay
attention to us verses the markers in her hand preparing to redecorate our
place, we have to tell her multiple times what we want. “Little Bit, put down the marker. Little Bit, marker. Down.
Little Bit, the marker. Drop it.”
Once does not work. EVER.
Sometimes twice works because we got a smidgen of her attention by
saying it once. I’m sure you have no
idea what I’m talking about as your children listen the first time you tell
them to do something.
But what if I am teaching Little Bit something new? For example, teaching her the letter
sounds. I show her an apple and say “A,
apple, ah”. She got it the first time.
NOT. But I told her again. And again.
And again. Tonight she came up to
me and showed me an A and said, “A says ah.”
Then proceeded to run off to return to her daily scheduled routine. I want her to know her letter sounds. I couldn't just tell her once. I had to tell her and show her multiple
times.
Adults are the same way.
Sorry to disappoint those that thought it eventually ended and you could
tell someone something once. HA.
Recently I discovered that God has done this. Yep.
In a period of twelve verses, we are told something four times. Four.
Goodness. Does He think we aren't
listening? Well, it is probably
true. But in Joshua 1 verses 6, 7, 9,
and 18, we are told to be strong and very courageous. Man, that must be really important if we are
told four different times to be strong and courageous.
Unfortunately as a human, I am innately weak and
scared. You turn all the lights off on
me and I will scream like a little girl.
No joke. So how am I supposed to
be strong and courageous? What does that
strength come from? “He gives strength to
the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
Isaiah 40:29. “But those who wait
on the Lord will renew their strength.”
Isaiah 40:31. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13. “Finally be strong in the Lord and in His
mighty power.” Ephesians 6:10. “My grace
is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness…For when I am
weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9,10.
I could go on. But our strength
is not man made. It is God’s strength. He gives us the strength that we need.
You don’t need to be Arnold Schwarzenegger to have the
strength that we are told to have in Joshua 1.
But we need to rely on God to have the strength we are told to
have. You can be weak physically but
through God, you are strong spiritually.
That is more important. You can
be a body builder and be the weakest person.
It is not about muscles. It is
about God.
I want to be strong and courageous. I know my strength comes from Him. I just need to “wait upon the Lord.” This is only possible By God’s Amazing Grace.
