“The shadow and hollowness in all things is one way God keeps us restless until we rest in Him.”
i can’t figure out who said that. it’s just written in my journal with quotations around it which sadly means that it wasn’t me.
over a steaming cup of toasted almond coffee and a strawberry cake doughnut (which i unfortunately dropped on the ground and let sit past the 5 seconds accorded by the ever-famous 5-second rule but will eat nevertheless), i am rejoicing in this day that has been made. i’ve been a bit wary to talk about the sabbath because its such a weird issue these days. should we adhere to the sabbath or should we not? is it “outdated”?
i cannot speak on anyone’s behalf, but this semester, God has really moved during the times that i have set aside for the sabbath. so if that’s something that has been on your mind recently, as it was on mine, i strongly recommend that you provide space for that to come to pass. i don’t care who you are, you have time for it.
that being said, this morning, i feel like i understand a little bit more those who have said “You fill my cup to overflowing.” because in His presence, i feel alive. in His presence, at times, my heart literally feels this fullness that cannot be explained any other way. it has happened during the most painful of times, and during the most joyful of times.
as it stands right now, the sabbath to me seems to be a time when our faces are turned towards Him. it doesn’t have to be an entire day and it doesn’t have to be a time of like 5 hours of sitting in silence, though if i could do that, i’d be pretty stoked. i’ve spent some time painting, time reading the Bible, time cleaning my kitchen, time sitting outside and listening to music, time praying in my closet, time lying in bed while looking out my window at the cloudless sky, time with a dear friend, time buying allie and meghan flowers. and now, time blogging. once, i fasted. i just kind of move where i feel led, and sometimes that means taking our 409 bottle to the crumb hamlet that exists on our kitchen counters. sometimes that means reading the psalms. i don’t know. whatever i am doing, i feel filled up and refreshed.
i heard a song last night that moved me to tears. it’s called swing wide the glimmering gates. the whole song is beautiful but there is one part in particular that, in a really strange way, lined up with my soul. it says “one day, i believe i will open my eyes to see the good work that was begun and i’ll be the only thing i’ve ever wanted to be, and i’ll know that i belong.”
when i heard that, i knew it was true. and that is every reason to rejoice. right now, i experience glimpses of that. i sense movement that occurs within me and within others. as i quoted at the beginning of this, the hollowness of all other things led to a rest in Him. a rest that is possible because He began a work in me and sees me as that completion. and He will bring me, and all others, and all of time unto that completion. i can’t think of any other word to express my emotion about the truth of this than excited.
talking about hope at community church has fueled that excitement for what is going on here and now. so often, we see christianity as being this thing where Jesus Christ saves us from this “god-awful” world. we can’t wait to get out of this place where everything is messed up and be in heaven. so we just try to be good people until that day. i’ve been immensely encouraged by what thad has said about the connection between heaven and earth.
heaven and earth are not opposites. yes, they are different. but, they were made for one another. like marriage, two things that were made for one another will one day come together. so life, here and now, is completely significant. and we are freed from having to build the kingdom for ourselves as He empowers us to work on it. (1 cor -17) we are not saved just to be saved from earth and its suffering. but we are rescued that we may participate in what the Lord is doing. the bigger picture is the coming of the future kingdom of which NOW is a part.
i have wanted to say that for a long time.
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on the immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that was written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it into completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
i swear that i read a verse that really encouraged me in that God looks at us as what we are going to be, the completed version of us that is whole and who He is forming us to be. but i can’t find it. am i crazy or does someone know what i am referring to?
