Mark 5 Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.
Psalm 107 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, who He has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in: hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and He delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man! For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.
As Thanksgiving approaches I am thinking more and more about all the things that I have to be grateful for, thankful for. As I look at this past year compared to the years of the past I am overwhelmed at what the Lord has been able to accomplish in my life....If you will give Me your life, I will make something beautiful out of it.....And He is always faithful. I have been given another chance, another life, another day, another heart.
It seems to me that God was pleased to crush me; that is my old will. And since I would come to Him no other way, He allowed me to choose the route that would bring me to Him. I would not come by pleading. I would not respond to mercy. I had no love of being wooed by Him. The road of sorrow led me to Him. I was too stubborn to come another pathway. He destroyed me. And that was the best thing for me. It was the road that led me home.
Over the last few years the Lord has been redeeming my life. My love for my mother, my children, my sisters, my extended family and finally, myself. Not that there is anything good in me, save the Holy Spirit, but He has taught me to value life, beginning with my own. He has graciously restored to me the relationships that I thought I might never have again. Slowly, and over time, because of the great devastation that I had created, He began a rebuilding process in me. Redemption.
It has been a long road, especially for my children, who suffered so much at my hand. They have been graciously learning to forgive me and I am trying to forgive myself. But this I know, God is in the business of restoration. Reconciliation. He is the Master Builder and the restorer of the breach. He began the work with the tearing of His own flesh and He accomplishes His will in us daily. Relentlessly seeking the lost and bringing them back into a relationship with Him.
That is the goodness of God. That is the miracle of who He is and what He does. And to this I say...Father to You alone belongs all praise. You alone are worthy to receive worship. You are the only God and I will adore You. With all that I have and all that I am; for You have redeemed me. From death. From hell. From the grave. From sin. Who but You, O Lord, could have saved someone like me? Worthless. Broken. Destroyed. And You became my good. My intercessor. My sin bearer. My life. You lifted me from the pit. You are my glory and the lifter of my head. You have made me glad. I cannot help but speak of the things that I have seen and heard.
Psalm 108 Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples: I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your steadfast love is great above the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth!
I have been redeemed by the Only One who is able to do so. Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so!!!!
Psalm 107 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, who He has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in: hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and He delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man! For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.
As Thanksgiving approaches I am thinking more and more about all the things that I have to be grateful for, thankful for. As I look at this past year compared to the years of the past I am overwhelmed at what the Lord has been able to accomplish in my life....If you will give Me your life, I will make something beautiful out of it.....And He is always faithful. I have been given another chance, another life, another day, another heart.
It seems to me that God was pleased to crush me; that is my old will. And since I would come to Him no other way, He allowed me to choose the route that would bring me to Him. I would not come by pleading. I would not respond to mercy. I had no love of being wooed by Him. The road of sorrow led me to Him. I was too stubborn to come another pathway. He destroyed me. And that was the best thing for me. It was the road that led me home.
Over the last few years the Lord has been redeeming my life. My love for my mother, my children, my sisters, my extended family and finally, myself. Not that there is anything good in me, save the Holy Spirit, but He has taught me to value life, beginning with my own. He has graciously restored to me the relationships that I thought I might never have again. Slowly, and over time, because of the great devastation that I had created, He began a rebuilding process in me. Redemption.
It has been a long road, especially for my children, who suffered so much at my hand. They have been graciously learning to forgive me and I am trying to forgive myself. But this I know, God is in the business of restoration. Reconciliation. He is the Master Builder and the restorer of the breach. He began the work with the tearing of His own flesh and He accomplishes His will in us daily. Relentlessly seeking the lost and bringing them back into a relationship with Him.
That is the goodness of God. That is the miracle of who He is and what He does. And to this I say...Father to You alone belongs all praise. You alone are worthy to receive worship. You are the only God and I will adore You. With all that I have and all that I am; for You have redeemed me. From death. From hell. From the grave. From sin. Who but You, O Lord, could have saved someone like me? Worthless. Broken. Destroyed. And You became my good. My intercessor. My sin bearer. My life. You lifted me from the pit. You are my glory and the lifter of my head. You have made me glad. I cannot help but speak of the things that I have seen and heard.
Psalm 108 Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples: I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your steadfast love is great above the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth!
I have been redeemed by the Only One who is able to do so. Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so!!!!
SO!!!!!!
ReplyDelete:-)
Oh, how this blessed me...as do all of your blogs, but particularly certain personal portions of this, as I am aware of the past, and now the very changed future. Oh what a wonderful, merciful Savior. Oh what a Friend.
It seems that the most precious work our Father does, is that of re-shaping our damaged clay into a fresh new piece of His marvelous art!
I am so thankful, too. I was just thinking tonight...not just am I thankful for all the wonderful, merciful gifts in love He has given me-but to get to the place of thanking Him for all the "junk" that had to be...in order for us to draw nigh unto Him. Oh what victory! Oh what a Savior!
"Thank you God", not just for the goodies-but for all the yuck too...as it IS goodie in your sight, to see it bring us closer to You, and cause others to head toward You! Bring on the rain. It is for our cleansing!!!!
Let's have church.
:-)