Consumed and Refined

I've been contemplating a little bit over this last week, what did I do with this last year that the Lord gave me? To be honest, the answer was not what I wanted it to be. I think for me I can sum up last year in one word, "Survived." Yeah, sad isn't it? I mean I survived, that's about all I can say. I know I did not use the gifts God has given me the way I should have, I know I failed at many things, I know that I continued to learn the depths of my depravity, which in turn pointed me to the depths of the riches of Christ, which tremendously blesses my soul.

I've decided to adopt a new Bible reading plan this year, one I've really kind of made up myself....I'm going to read and reread through the Pauline Epistles, and complement them with the Psalms and Proverbs. I want to do to this daily, and not just a morning quiet time, I want to be consumed with a passion for Jesus. I don't want to waste time or opportunities anymore...I'm 31! I feel like I need to wake up! Today I picked up a book my husband has been reading and it talked about this very issue. Yes life is tough, but it's in the everyday challenges of the mundane where we prove our commitment. I want my commitment to be steadfast to the Lord so much so that it radiates from me to win my childrens' hearts for Jesus! I want to pursue Christ to bring Him glory, and to point others to Him.

I am thankful that the Lord sent Paul, an apostle to the Gentiles, because I am one of them! I am not Jewish I am not of the house of Israel. I am a gentile...and yet Christ died for me!! Hallelujah! I am expecting that I will find in the Word of God surprising statements of the depths of Christ's love. I think I will be compelled by the love of Christ in all life as I saturate my soul with His word. I believe it with all my heart dear sisters, and I know He will do the same for you. I am coming before God this year, with an expectant heart crying out with Jeremiah as the Lord told him to, "Call to Me and I will answer you and teach you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3. I am calling out to God for Him to teach me His truths! Ladies, I wonder would you join me? This may sound repetitive...but really I believe it's a bit radical. When you choose to believe that Christ is the answer for every problem we face on this earth, you are a radical. You are living outside the comfort zone of modern day Christianity. I heard recently, "well that's great preaching, but not practical living." Ladies, DO NOT FALL FOR THAT! Guard your mind in Christ Jesus, delve into the Word of God and allow the truth of Christ to envelope your soul so much so that you are transformed and routed in truth, you will then not merely survive yet another year, I guarantee you will thrive....and I'm not talking the prosperity gospel. I'm talking about the gospel. The truth that Jesus Christ takes raggedy, disgusting broken people and make them whole by His atoning blood and gives us each a passion and a purpose in life to do things for His glory. Which means we will live our lives for a reason! In the mundane we will find joy, because it is the "mundane" that Christ Himself has set before us to live out for His glory...by HIS grace!

Let us, be consumed with a passion for His word as David in the Psalms, "For zeal for Your house has consumed me" Psalm 69:9 and let us ask God to refine us, "And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'" Zechariah 13:9 That we may when we have been consumed and are refined we...may then always know the voice of our Shepherd and follow Him in the mundane...the everydayness of life..so that in all things we can choose Christ.