Job 1: 21
Today on the eve of my 24th year as I sit here typing away, I am pondering just how exceedingly unpredictable God is in his wonderful ways.
Only 6 weeks ago, I thought that at this moment in time I would be in Malawi, East Africa shadowing a lovely Canadian doctor called Chris in a small rural health clinic on the shores of Lake Malawi! I thought I would be learning lots of tropical medicine and making (I admit) a miniscule difference to the health of the people of Malawi, whilst taking in the breathtaking beauty of that nation. What an image is now conjured up in my mind. (I pray and hope this is still part of my plans for next Autumn!) As usual, God, in his wisdom had entirely different plans and in the last month he has demonstrated to me the truth of those verses that describe how His ways are higher than ours. The last few weeks have been transforming, spiritually, mentally and definitely emotionally. I knew that character formation was a key component of this year, but I didn't quite expect for my present character to be completely stripped away so that I could be exposed to all of God's transforming power, and man it sure is transforming and its pretty bloomin powerful too!
Most of all I can only thank God for the honour of joining in partnership with him as he does his stuff. Recently in a Via session, one of the guys had an image of a fire engine hosepipe with the water gushing out representing God's Holy Spirit at work in our lives. It was suggested that sometimes he just sprinkles gently, and we get gradually soaked in him, its slow but sure and we take one long drink. But at other times, he puts the pressure on full, and hoses us down from our heads to our toes. Its powerful, its transforming and it certainly does the job - but the man behind the hose has to be pretty sure he knows that the object of his pressure hose can take it. At times along the way, I did feel like I really couldn't and I questioned everything that was happening, but now on the eve of a brand new year (at least chronologically speaking) I am assured that he is the one that I want to be using the hose, no one else will do. And I feel that I can totally re-affirm Job's own experiences in the reference I have quoted. I acknowledge, any trials I may feel I have gone through were not due to a test from God, but most probably due to the fact that I have accummulated so much grime along the way that God needed to hose me down - it was the only intervention, that would get rid of the stuff! And in no way do I want to devalue Job's testimony, a man who remained righteous and did not sin in the face of such great suffering. But I do recognise that right now these verses seem very true in my life. What is man, that you are mindful of us?
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised".
Job 1:21
Only 6 weeks ago, I thought that at this moment in time I would be in Malawi, East Africa shadowing a lovely Canadian doctor called Chris in a small rural health clinic on the shores of Lake Malawi! I thought I would be learning lots of tropical medicine and making (I admit) a miniscule difference to the health of the people of Malawi, whilst taking in the breathtaking beauty of that nation. What an image is now conjured up in my mind. (I pray and hope this is still part of my plans for next Autumn!) As usual, God, in his wisdom had entirely different plans and in the last month he has demonstrated to me the truth of those verses that describe how His ways are higher than ours. The last few weeks have been transforming, spiritually, mentally and definitely emotionally. I knew that character formation was a key component of this year, but I didn't quite expect for my present character to be completely stripped away so that I could be exposed to all of God's transforming power, and man it sure is transforming and its pretty bloomin powerful too!
Most of all I can only thank God for the honour of joining in partnership with him as he does his stuff. Recently in a Via session, one of the guys had an image of a fire engine hosepipe with the water gushing out representing God's Holy Spirit at work in our lives. It was suggested that sometimes he just sprinkles gently, and we get gradually soaked in him, its slow but sure and we take one long drink. But at other times, he puts the pressure on full, and hoses us down from our heads to our toes. Its powerful, its transforming and it certainly does the job - but the man behind the hose has to be pretty sure he knows that the object of his pressure hose can take it. At times along the way, I did feel like I really couldn't and I questioned everything that was happening, but now on the eve of a brand new year (at least chronologically speaking) I am assured that he is the one that I want to be using the hose, no one else will do. And I feel that I can totally re-affirm Job's own experiences in the reference I have quoted. I acknowledge, any trials I may feel I have gone through were not due to a test from God, but most probably due to the fact that I have accummulated so much grime along the way that God needed to hose me down - it was the only intervention, that would get rid of the stuff! And in no way do I want to devalue Job's testimony, a man who remained righteous and did not sin in the face of such great suffering. But I do recognise that right now these verses seem very true in my life. What is man, that you are mindful of us?
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised".
Job 1:21
Comments