Acceleration

Went on a retreat last week. I didn't feel like going but I heard that voice in my soul saying I would be glad I did. He was right. I feel so refreshed, restored, back on track - all that good stuff.

In some recent journaling, I started to realize that God seems to be accelerating activity. He seems to do that, you know. Increases what he shows us and speaks to us and how he heals us, like waves, that come in and fall back. Well, I enjoy journaling, especially when I get to use a good fountain pen (a means of grace!) and also especially when I realize I'm doing something the ancients did - rehearsing and repeating back to God what he's done in the past. The Psalmist did it all the time. The apostles did it (see the prayer in Acts 4:24-28 for example). So when I journal back what God has been doing, I think it's a good thing. And then I get the benefits (there are always benefits. God works that way. He works for those who wait for him. And remember, behind every command is a promise. See? Benefits.) So the benefits in this case were recognizing that there seems to be an increase in what God's doing. It really very encouraging. You would do well to jump in the fray.

I was praying for someone on Sunday morning. The worship team was playing for ministry time. As I prayed, I noticed the singer saying the same thing I was praying. I changed the topic of my prayers 3-4 times. She changed topics with me. I thought, "Is she reading my lips?" "Does she start praying then I subconsciously follow?" (Did I tell you I'm a natural skeptic? It can hinder, for sure.) In the end it was really cool to know the Spirit was leading all that. Go back and read 'Profound' a couple of entries back to see something else he did.

He has spoken several personal things to me lately that are really encouraging too. One struck right at some of my personal doubts. Journaling about that gave/gives the Spirit opportunity to expand and expound on the topic. (Can you tell that I'd like to encourage you to exercise the spiritual discipline of journaling???)

Another thing he spoke to me hurt and encouraged at the same time. During worship at the retreat, I suddenly was reminded of a sin I commited 23 years ago. That's odd, I thought. It was kind of piercing in my heart. Made me cry a little, even though I had repented and all that, long ago. The Spirit said, then, "You have sacrificed much at the altar of _____ _____. Then I realized that over the years, I have continued to be dogged by the weakness that caused that long ago sin. I've still kept it around and haven't dealt a death blow to it. I'm very encouraged God is doing surgery now, and I'm lamenting what I may have missed, what opportunities have been thwarted, how often I've quenched the Spirit, for the sake of keeping this sin alive. I don't know if I ever want to know what all I've sacrificed at that altar.

Even so, I wanted to know if all was lost. The Spirit pushed me to read the story of David and Bathsheba. I had in mind the part where Nathan came and spoke the judgement - surely that's where I'll find more conviction, right? But that's not what God wanted to show me. Do you know the story? (2 Samuel 11-12) To sum it up, David did evil by marrying Bathsheba. It was sinful, wrong, and self-serving. But when it was all said and done, and God had disciplined David appropriately, David and Bathsheba had Solomon. Here's how it goes:

2 Samuel 12:24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba; he went and slept with her. She gave birth to a son and named him Solomon. The LORD loved him . . .

He comforted her after their firstborn baby died, part of God's judgement for taking Bathsheba and killing her husband. Then God redeemed the situation. He loved the by-product of the sinful relationship.

I sure do like God.

He encourages me that he will redeem all my stuff.

And he does. . .