He is the God of this city. He is the King of these people, even if they don’t know it. He is the Lord of this nation that mocks and dishonors and disdains His name. And there are none like Him. Not even close.
Much of what I wrote the last time I did were complete understatements, overused thoughts and ideas that give little to no justice of the transformation my heart has undertaken. I’ve been thinking about the concept that of everything I’ve ever made sense of in the world, so little makes sense in Love to me these days. Things are not easily explained anymore. I’ve been thinking about a little tidbit my sister gave me a week or so ago. She said something to the effect of:
“Don’t you know the apostles were real people? Don’t you know those stories aren’t just stories?”
Of course I knew that.
But did I? Those “stories” are history; those stories are real accounts of real people, real miracles, real unexplainable love, real God.
Real small servants being blessed and used for glory and honor by a real big God.
Those stories are every bit an example of what we have the potential to be. And the funny thing is that it’s not asking much.
We see quite easily that the only “heroic figure” in the Bible capable of perfection was Jesus. The apostles weren’t flawless; they were faithful. Aside from Jesus, none of God’s servants were perfect; they were obedient.
Yet, their lives were abundant and rich. They lived in the same world we live in and they didn’t look like they belonged to it.
That’s what we can be. Rich. And maybe we’ll never have anything to hold in our hands, but we’ll have treasure stored in our souls.
I have such hope for this city. I have such hope resting in Jesus’ love for us, in His desire to draw us near to Him, in His power to change minds and hearts. I have such compassion for these people, believers and unbelievers alike. I have such compassion for their strife, for their struggles, for their brokenness, and for those weights they’re carrying on their shoulders, unable to hand them off to the Comforter who offers rest. This inability to trust in the God who saves, who delivers, who redeems us.
And I despise my own unbelief; I reject my untrusting heart that cries its claim that I can’t do something. True, heart, true. I can do nothing.
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it. –1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
But I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). Because it’s not by my own strength, or by my own will but by the will and strength of God. That’s real. That verse isn’t meant only to give us hope in times of personal grief and hardships as we so often use it, but also so greatly to empower us in the strength of His Spirit for the grief of His Spirit over His people, to be His vessels and the workmanship of His hands, yielding every good work He has prepared.
And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
– Isaiah 30:21
I have so much faith in His direction.
Friends, could you be very faithful so as to pray for my(/our) campus with fervency and trust in God’s grace and mercy this same encouragement that Paul sent to the church in Colossae.
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
– Colossians 1:9-14
Brothers and sisters, much Love given only through our Lord and Creator.
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