Saturday, November 21, 2009

Ancient words ever true, changing me and changing you

Unhappy with my constant state of weariness, I grab my Bible and wait in the darkness of my bedroom. Waiting for a restless baby to find rest in the soft blanket and quiet dark. I grow weary of the waiting yet even more tired of the tiredness. I tell myself to turn on the booklight and read a little bit from the Word before I lay down. Emboldened by my growing dissatisfaction with the current schedule of life, I whisper to myself, "Yeah, like reading this book is going to change the situation at all." The next thought comes before I even have time to think it, "It's about changing you, not the situation. " And I know it's true. The growing stack of borrowed library books are about improving the situation, but there is only one read that can really change me. Smiling a bit now, I pick up my Bible. Thinking of the verse that has moved me over the years (long before I knew anything of interrupted nights and busy days at home) I decide I might as well read the whole chapter tonight.
"Comfort, comfort my people", says your God. Yes. Comfort. I've been longing for comfort. I read on. The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the LORD. And so it with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.
How did I so easily cast aside the eternal Word of the Eternal God for words written by a withering and fading people?
He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young. Words for me. A mother sheep with young. He's leading me. Gently.
Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. Never. Ever. What must that be like? Here comes the anticipated promise.
But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40) This is for me too.
The words of my son's catechism question ring in my ears.
Do I have a soul as well as a body?
Yes, I have a soul that can never die.
I have been given three everlasting souls to nurture and love. I don't want to grow weary of doing good.
So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4)
Forever. Comfort, comfort my people.

*note: I have found much clarity in the New Living Translation (NLT) from which these quotes were taken.

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:35 PM

    Heather,

    This was so,so beautifully written,and so very encouraging to me!
    Love you, and missing you.

    Julie

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  2. Anonymous2:27 PM

    Good stuff little mother:-)

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  3. Anonymous11:31 PM

    My dear,
    Even our Lord, Jesus became obedient by the things which He suffered.
    So, you are doing right by "looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith..."
    I miss you,Heather. love, mom
    Ps.147:10,11

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  4. Reading this is encouraging. Glad you too are finding that comfort from our God. Praying for you always. Norma.

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  5. So true. How tired we can become. And rightfully so! When I am exhausted and I wish for those times I could just jump into bed without a care - no one more dish to wash, or last load of laundry put into the dryer, lights off, animals filled up and emptied out for the night - it's that last check on the kids that reminds me the awesome responsibility God has given me. How blessed we are to be so tired! (praying for restful sleep for you dear friend)

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