Oh So Good

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For behold, those who are far from you shall perish, you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God. I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of your works. " Psalm 73:26-28 ESV

As I was working through the Bible study that I am doing with one of my best friends, Chelsea, I came across the above verses. I read them and re-read them. For some reason they really hit me today and I am not sure why. Here are my quick observations about the Scripture:

• My heart and flesh fail all.the.time.
•  I do not have to try alone, God is the strength of my heart and He is enough for me
• Christ is my portion forever. I do not need to want for more
• If I am far from Christ (not saved I am assuming) I would perish
• Christ puts an end to everyone who is unfaithful to Him. Everyone who is unfaithful. Strong words!
• It is good, oh so good, for me to near God
• The Lord is my refuge, my safe place in times of uncertainty
• Because of His greatness, I tell of His works

I know that God reveals certain passages of Scripture to us just at the right times. For me, this was that Scripture. I am failing, daily I am failing and for some reason I feel the need to battle alone, to go to work against Satan alone. I do not have to battle alone, God is my strength and He is enough for me. Many times I look for God + something, I struggle with God being enough for me but He should be enough, right? If God took everything away from me, would I still praise His name? Would I call Him good? Would I say He is enough for me? I doubt it and that is my flesh failing and that is why I pour myself into the Scripture to be taught that He is enough for me. If I am unfaithful to Christ, He will put an end to me. Sometimes I imagine that God is this guy who is like "Oh, you messed up? Better luck next time" and pats me on my back and sends me off. It doesn't sound like that from this passage. It sounds like if I am unfaithful, He will put an end to us. I believe in grace, trust me but I also believe that I cannot read Scripture and see the words and do the opposite. I believe Christ demands obedience from me and not some half-hearted, water-down Christianity.  That is why it is so good to be near God. The more I allow the Word of God to change my heart, the more God teaches me it is good to be near Him. And because I believe it is good for me to be near him, I will tell of His works, His Grace, His Forgiveness and His love!

I just think it is so ironic that the very issues I am struggling with are addressed right in these few verses. God knows what He is doing. He constantly shows me that He knows what He is doing. I just need to trust Him. 

His Perfect Timing

Today our Pastor, Scott, challenged us with the fact that God's timing is perfect. It is perfect during all circumstances, every day, every minute, and every area of our life. He asked if we really believed that? Do we really believe that His timing is perfect? Honestly, my first thought is no, it is not perfect. If it were perfect then so many things in my life would be different. My husband's family would be back together, my college loans wouldn't have snuck up on us, people that I love wouldn't be hurting, and certain boy in ET would have more than he needed instead of selling gum on the side of the road. No God's timing is not perfect. But then Scott said, is perfect supposed to mean good? You see all of these earthly things that I need fixed so that my life would be "perfect" aren't necessarily the same as God's perfect timing.

You see, I think that the things I need corrected in my life would make God's plan for me perfect and it would enhance His perfect timing, but as our pastor reminded us, my way is not His way. For whatever reason, God has chosen not to reveal His plan to this control freak. His thoughts are better than my thoughts (as hard as that is swallow) and here is the proof:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" Isaiah 55:8-9

I cannot even begin to imagine His thoughts because He is God and I am not. I think in my little brain that I have life figured out and that all these bad things should not happen but what in the world do I know? I mean seriously I was not there when God created the world, I do not command the waves to stop, nor do I know what tomorrow holds so I do not know His ways nor His thoughts. What I do hold to is that God has my best interest in mind; He loves me, He is gracious towards me, and He knows the perfect timing on my life.

I am thankful for the reminder today of His perfect timing. I do struggle with believing that God's timing is perfect but I believe that is apart of my journey and my story. Every opportunity in my life good or bad is an opportunity to direct glory to God.

And the other truth is that throughout different situations in my life, one thing always remains and that is God's love. I absolutely love the song that I have shown below, it really moves me and reminds me that while I am going through God's perfect timing (good or bad) His love remains. And that is the truth my friends. His love remains. Amen right?