First, let me began by saying how incredible each of your comments are! Caitlin, it is so wonderful that you have had the opportunity to witness what other countries are experiencing... and for you to have the realizations of excess! Trust me, you are not alone!
And Mac, I think it's a great idea to start thinking about the holidays and how to give instead of concentrating on what we receive!
Emma, keep up... haha only joking! Your thoughts do make sense and are not ramblings!! Thank you for your insight!
I love how CS begins the chapter... there are so many moments in life where I just need a good song. Several times I have had 'thank you' moments where I hear a great song and I think "life is going to be ok." And most often times it is a song that has nothing to do with religion or faith. But the lyrics and the tune are so compatible and the moment I am in just makes me take note that their is some higher being at work.
In addition to the Esther qualities in Chapter 3 that I strive to acquire, I would like to add one of my own. Gumption. Definition: initiative; aggressiveness; resourcefulness; courage; spunk; guts.
I'm always praying for more gumption. The courage to act out on how I truly feel. And CS calls us out on it: we need to "be loyal to a cause that is greater than ourselves" (94). Kipling says it even greater! "If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings-- nor lose the common touch" (94) HOW TRUE!
How often do we sacrifice what we believe, and risk our comfort for the sake of others' comfort, because it's harder (and not the norm) to stick to our guns? How often to we ignore the subject of religion and Jesus because others might be offended with what we believe? But in reality, isn't our faith and what we believe offended daily with songs on the radio and t.v. shows and mainstream society in general?
Something my 10th grade English teacher shared with the class always hits home when I think of things like this. "Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking"- Jackson Browne.
Isn't that the truth? How we spend our time and what we think and say and do when we are alone is the soundest example of who we truly are, because we are not at the influence of others. I feel so convicted at times when I think of this. Do I really want to go and volunteer because I want to help others? Or do I want to help them because it makes me feel good about myself? Or do I do it just so people will witness it and know??? Just something to think about (Whew... being real honest here...)
I only pray that when it is my time I will have the gumption to act on it. I just am so scared that the time will come and I won't be there. What if that one person in 1776 decided not to vote and German ruled out over speaking English in America? BUT this gumption is being created in me right now. In this period of waiting.
I am still learning to understand that I need to be "determined to wait on the Lord and allow Him to guide [my] thoughts and help [me] frame my words" (CS 97).
Right now I feel like I am in a waiting period. (I know I talk about this a lot, but bear with me.) I do love my job, but I know this isn't what I am going to be doing for the rest of my life. But how thankful I am for this time! God put me here in Birmingham to work where I work. My job makes me more outgoing and it is easier for me to strike up conversations with people. I am going to a solid church and am reading a book by the pastor of the church that is challenging me in ways and with thoughts that I never would have thought I would have teetered with. And I am able to spread my love for Him with each of you! Each time I talk about Him, I am left energized! I am gaining new perspectives of what it means to be prosperous and successful in life and that is making all the difference!!!
We need to share with each other what we are doing and what we are learning while we wait. Cause right now, we are gaining "new strength, getting a better perspective, storing up extra energy, deepening our determination to persevere" (paraphrased CS 98). We need to support each other during this wait so we don't get discouraged and think our time is wasteful!
"As she prepares for her finest hour, she must wait, think, pray, stay quiet, fast, and listen in her soul" (CS100). If we fully put our faith in God, what a great comfort we can have to know that he will fully stock us with all the supplies we need for OUR great task!
On page 100 CS goes in to describe how Esther enters before the king. What. A. Vision. Can you imagine what she looked like? The confidence she portrayed?! AND I would also like to take this back to a love story.
This weekend we went to a friend's wedding. And I told Emma how incredible the act of marriage is when you think of it as a Godly thing. Two people are professing their love to each other in front of the people who mean the most to them. But even more importantly is how we view this marriage as something God wants us to have, because it is the love that Jesus has for the church. RETHINK THIS: When you put God at the center of marriage, you can share in the same love that exists between Jesus and the church. Jesus and His people. And let me remind you, Jesus died for His church. He died for His bride so that we may be saved. God created marriage as another thing to glorify Him. He wants us to have it. But with marriage, we must glorify him! NOW look at how the king looks at Esther!
"The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes." Proverbs 21:11
"And it happened when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it will be given you." Esther 5:1-3
The king could have been angry at her. He could have thought "how dare she enter my presence without me calling on her!" Remember how Vashti frustrated him and bruised his ego?... Esther had NO idea how he would react. She just knew God was WITH her and was comforted. And instead the king replies "Esther, my love. Why are you upset? how can I (THE KING) help you? How can I comfort you?"
And Esther continues to emit such grace. The king found favor in her. And she is tactful with each move. "God was at work in the waiting, filling her thoughts with a plan" (CS 101). Here, again CS reminds us how important our waiting period is. What we do in that time of waiting can impact our preparation while also pulling us closer to God.
"When you wait on the Lord, you don't have to sit in a corner[...] mostly you go right on with your business. You press on with your regular activities. You just focus more fully on the Lord in the midst of it. You stay preoccupied with Him. You think His thoughts" (CS 102). This is what we are doing!! Isn't that SO COOL???!!!!!!
CS REALITY check #5,751 happens on page 103. Reread it. Let it hit home. From the first round I did this Bible study I have written on this page that God is more concerned with making us holy than he is worried about our comfort. We know that. But do we understand it? Do I fully grasp this?
Here's where CS challenges me: "Are you still open to the unexpected? Are you really waiting on the Lord to do His will? Let's say you're single and you really want to be married. And you're waiting on the Lord to do... what? Find you a mate? But are you ready for Him to say 'Surprise! You will find happiness in being single for the rest of your life'?"
Ha. Ha ha. Ha. WOW! I know that if I live according to His will that I will love doing it. I will be happy. He will be my comfort. But do I understand what that might entail? Do I fully grasp this happiness in my mind? He might at one point have me risking my life like Esther. He might not have marriage as something in store for me. Thoughts. Thoughts. Thoughts. Prayer. Prayer. Prayer. I need your thoughts on this. What on pages 103-104 hit home for you?
CS gives us yet another great outline on page 107.
1. "When preparing for an unprecedented event, wait on the Lord before getting involved." Right now I'm focusing on prayer. I'm really bad about saying "I'll pray for you" when reality it just turns in to my thoughts. Not my intentional purpose to pray. I need to learn to wait in prayer.
2. "When dealing with an unpredictable person, count on the Lord to open doors and hearts." Again, I'm praying he will choose my next path, and praying to know the door I'm supposed to go through when He presents it. I used to feel like that I was praying all the time for the next step of my life, and now I am slowly finding myself that I am less anxious about what's to come and more excited about this waiting period. People have told me about options and opportunities and I pray that He will guide me through those people.
3. "When working through an unpleasant situation, trust the Lord for enduring patience." I am learning an incredible amount of patience and humility. Every. Day.
4. "When standing against an unprincipled enemy, ask the Lord for invincible courage." All we have to do is ask. Ask Dad.
I can't wait to read what happens next. It is so incredible. God's timing is perfect. I am so thankful for each of you and look forward to your feedback. It is such a joy to be able to share all of this with you! And how wonderful it will be when one day we can look back on this and examine how God was working in our lives and our incidents and words to sharpen each other!! Incredible!!
always always
loveandprayers
