What does it mean to be God's witness? How does it manifest? Where do I see it bearing fruit? How does the light in my soul, planted there by faith, shine when other things are stripped away? A life pared back to the bone is a great calling.
How closely I am being watched. My friends want answers. They want evidence of God's care and oversight in our trials. But lately nothing has happened as they expected. I can give them no reasons for this. I just don't know why.
They wonder aloud if God is using this to make me more like Christ. They ask about what we are doing. Have we done all we can? It doesn’t make sense. There must be something we have neglected.
Heads shake. We should not have taken such chances. See? This is what happens. It falls down, the life we try to build on a vision.
I can give them no defense. God is mysterious. He doesn't always explain to us the reasons for our battles. Not here, not in the middle of our story.
The last two years have shown me how we tend to treat God as a paradigm. Follow Biblical principles. Make good choices. It will all work out. Blessings come to those who obey and trust. Blessings look like this: a good life, marked by health and abundance and happiness, which touches others.
What happens to the paradigm when nothing fits it?
I'll tell you what happens. It's here that I've watched God shine like the first evening star when day fades into darkness. The glow rests in the heart – more striking against the deepening gloom. God’s presence fills us and spills into our night like lamplight from a door flung open into a long wilderness. It fills because it is, it always was, and it goes on forever.
I've moved from paradigm to Person, from method to mystery, from performance to praise. And here, in mystery and awe, I have at last embraced the Holy, the One Lord and Creator of All, as someone completely other than myself. It's made me more alive than I've ever been.
I still send up a prayers. But not for deliverance. He will deliver us when he thinks it best. Now I ask, I plead, that my life may be a light -- that when all is stripped away, the glow in my heart spills across the long wilderness, filling it up with a life that is truly alive.
How closely I am being watched. My friends want answers. They want evidence of God's care and oversight in our trials. But lately nothing has happened as they expected. I can give them no reasons for this. I just don't know why.
They wonder aloud if God is using this to make me more like Christ. They ask about what we are doing. Have we done all we can? It doesn’t make sense. There must be something we have neglected.
Heads shake. We should not have taken such chances. See? This is what happens. It falls down, the life we try to build on a vision.
I can give them no defense. God is mysterious. He doesn't always explain to us the reasons for our battles. Not here, not in the middle of our story.
The last two years have shown me how we tend to treat God as a paradigm. Follow Biblical principles. Make good choices. It will all work out. Blessings come to those who obey and trust. Blessings look like this: a good life, marked by health and abundance and happiness, which touches others.
What happens to the paradigm when nothing fits it?
I'll tell you what happens. It's here that I've watched God shine like the first evening star when day fades into darkness. The glow rests in the heart – more striking against the deepening gloom. God’s presence fills us and spills into our night like lamplight from a door flung open into a long wilderness. It fills because it is, it always was, and it goes on forever.
I've moved from paradigm to Person, from method to mystery, from performance to praise. And here, in mystery and awe, I have at last embraced the Holy, the One Lord and Creator of All, as someone completely other than myself. It's made me more alive than I've ever been.
I still send up a prayers. But not for deliverance. He will deliver us when he thinks it best. Now I ask, I plead, that my life may be a light -- that when all is stripped away, the glow in my heart spills across the long wilderness, filling it up with a life that is truly alive.
~~~
Thanks to Cassandra for this beautiful guest post. Whenever I visit her blog, MoonBoat Cafe, I feel led to read her words aloud. She chooses stunning quotes and flowing prose to express her poignant thoughts. Really, she had me at Donald Miller. When I saw her review of "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" I knew we'd made a connection.
Beautiful as always, Cassandra! What a wonderful surprise to find you over here on Wendy's blog today!
ReplyDelete"I've moved from paradigm to Person, from method to mystery, from performance to praise." This line really spoke to me. I think it's the nudge I needed! Thank you!
Lovely put. A wonderful reminder. :O)
ReplyDeleteWonderful post Wendy. Thank you for sharing. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteThis post brought me to tears and moments of soul searching. Thank you for sharing! What a blessing this post is!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouraging comments!
ReplyDeleteI've put a link to this up on the Moonboat with a short article about why faith makes a difference in our ability to create.
Blessings to you, Wendy. Oh, and did I mention how much I enjoy your new wallpaper? :-)
LOVE this. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou are proof that there's beauty in the battle. Especially if we let Him do the fighting for us.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, and a wonderful reminder of what it truly means to follow/love Jesus!
ReplyDeleteHer words are poetry! Thanks for this post and all the truth it contains, Cassandra and Wendy!
ReplyDeleteAmy
Beautiful post Cassandra -- I love your comments about the mystery of it all -- and great to meet you here with Wendy!
ReplyDeleteLovely. Just lovely.
ReplyDeleteCassandra writes like liquid poetry. Thank you so much for sharing that so beautifully. Hugs to both of you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post! I'd want to do my posts on my blog if I can. JUst come to my blog and we can talk.
ReplyDeleteShe does write beautifully in a way that leads me to connect and totally get it:) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks to both of you for sharing this. Good food for thought.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Karen
The part Jody quoted was the part that spoke the most to me as well. Beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteJust lovely! Thank you :D
ReplyDeleteExquisite words and encouraging perspective. Thank you for writing...
ReplyDeleteReally nice... I was just talking with someone the other day, at work of all places, about the mysteries of God. How we aren't meant to understand everything just yet. I esp love " God is mysterious. He doesn't always explain to us the reasons for our battles. Not here, not in the middle of our story." Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words. Thank you for sharing:)
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post! I'm inspired by wonderful writers like yourself and Cassandra and appreciate you sharing those gifts on your lovely blog.
Angel @ findingtheinspiring.blogspot.com
Cassandra does have such a beautiful way with words. Thanks to you both. :)
ReplyDelete