"His favor is for life"

"But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus." Galatians 1:15-17

I began reading through Galatians this morning and just couldn't get past these verses. I wanted to stop and meditate on this for some time. These few verses are so loaded with truth! I love God's word. Ever wonder what you are supposed to do with your life? Right now I'm in the midst of raising three young boys, my oldest will head to K5 in the fall and my youngest will be turning one within a few months. It truly amazes me that I am a mother and sometimes I muse over what to do next. The past five years my life has been completely consumed with having and raising children. It will always be that way, I've been assured, just in different ways. However, as I'm looking to the future and my children entering school I've started to ponder what on earth will I do for a job? In my mind I can't just sit at home all day..but I want to be home when they get home, for spring breaks, summers...the list goes on and on..and I realize, going back to work isn't some flippant decision simply because my children are school age. I've been praying for about five years now, asking God to show me what to do for a vocation once the children are in school. It's so interesting to me as I'm reading through Paul's words, that God quiets my questions and reveals the simplicity of my existence is really just that I would live out the call I have on my life as a child of the King.

Specifically Paul was called to preach to the Gentiles, and God revealed that to him almost immediately, but what I love in these verses is that Paul shares with us, after God revealed Christ to him, saved him, and revealed what Paul was to do with his life (his call) Paul did not immediately run to "flesh and blood" and he shares that he did not immediately run to Jerusalem (which at this point in history was where most of the apostles were, so as to be instructed by them) but rather Paul traveled solo and spent time with the Lord to be prepared for service. I know in my heart that the Lord has called me to minister to fellow believers in the context of 1 Thessalonians 3:2, "to establish and encourage you concerning your faith." My heart's desire is to see believers in Christ grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, and see believers let the word of Christ dwell richly in them (Col. 3:16). It is a passion within me that I can not quench. I believe with all my heart that God can transform absolutely anyone and can change anyone's life for His glory, I've lived Him doing this in my life. I'm amazed by His mercy and seriously humbled by His grace in ways that I can not even wrap my mind around because He IS God. Being certain of this call that the Lord put on my life about ten years ago, I've waited...sometimes patiently sometimes not..waiting on the Lord to see how He would allow me to minister to His people. I'm excited to see what the future holds and how the Lord uses me. I am praying that the Lord would marry the passion He has given me for sisters in Christ with a vocation one day, but if He does not, I know that no matter what He calls me to, in everything I must seek to honor Him with all that I am and bring glory to His Name doing even the most mundane things in life. Am I any closer to knowing what "job" I'll find when my children are all in school? Well...no..not one bit. I do however know without a doubt that that answer belongs to the Lord and He will reveal it in His perfect time, and I know that no matter what job if any I have...God has been pleased to reveal His Son in me that I might make His Name known and give Him the glory for all that He is and does.

I would encourage you dear sisters, to be on your face before the Lord, and to beg the Lord to give you a hunger and thirst for His righteousness. If you're at all like me and wonder what you are to do with your life, and how you are to serve Him...ask Him. When He reveals it to you, maybe like Paul...keep it to yourself for awhile..ponder it, meditate on things and seek the Lord for the training. He will give it, that I can promise!! It is truly a blessing how the Lord Himself has given me a fervent passion to be His student. Over and over again God confirms to me that He alone is the prefect Teacher. He confirms in my heart my depravity and Christ's perfection. He leads me to His word, and allows me to seek Him at the foot of the cross. God is so gracious, He has called us all to something, to do something for His glory. Whether being a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, daughter-in-law, employee, teacher, disciple-maker. Whatever the "title" or "roll" is, God wants us to seek Him for the strength and rely on Him for the grace to let the call come to fruition.

Remember, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you." Jeremiah 1:5 I think about how as women the joy we experience when we discover we are carrying a child, and yet...to think the Lord Himself has known us before we ever were even formed in our mothers' wombs. It's so humbling to think of the knowledge of the Lord.

Let us seek the Lord's call on our lives. Join me in asking Him to reveal to each one of us what He has created us to do and then ask Him how we will live that out. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us each day and rest in the Sovereign arms of the Almighty.

Ladies, God is good! He IS truth. He is our all in all. He is matchless!! Let us echo the words of David before the Lord, "I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me O Lord, my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave, You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing raise to the LORD, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:1-5