waiter
05-24-2008, 04:04 AM
Her name is Bailey. She was given to me as a "birthday present" on my 40th by the kids. We went for walks when she was a babe, and would begin to cry when she got tired, and then I would carry her. She got used to that nicely. She has always been loving. Always. I could not tell you of one day she was not. I realize that to her I am like Dad or Mom. We've been together pretty well from the beginning. I've grown to really care for her.I've let her know more and more that I care about her. Just by simple affection. I now recognize when she smiles, when she is happy. Her eyes shine and her mouth opens up in a big smile when she is. She receives love like anyone of us.
I've learned a lot from her. I remember noticing for the first time how she would turn round and round a few times before settling on her blanket in the living room. I wondered about this but did not dwell on it at first. She also would automatically and always turn around once completely when I took her to the back door to let her out for a pee.
I began to think about this. One day it came out of the blue what the turning about before settling into her blanket was about. She was going by instinct, feel, and it is no different than me sitting down in a chair and wriggling a bit this way, that way and then finally settling into what is a comfortable position for me. For someone else that same routine might assume a different position. We all have our preferences.
And God said that in one's life, we must seek and find out through the
"instinct" of the Holy Spirit what is "just right" for ourselves personally in smaller and bigger ways and things. This is a process, but the more we zero in the leading of the Holy Spirit in all things at all times as a way of being and of life, the more alignment we will come into with God and his purposes for us. And the more we will be in the center of God's will.It is a process. There is a final place, and there are places along the way. There is a process and there are processes along the way. The critical thing is that we be in the way of the Lord, that we be involved, that we be learning. That we look not at our failures over much, nor our successes over much. That we temperately deal with both, not overplaying failures, and not overplaying successes, but with his balance responding to them. Our goal is at all times to do the will of God, to be in the will of God. This takes practice if you will, but it is not really practice, it is involvement with God and learning as we go. It is strange how much time is spent or has been spent in judging one another rather than living a life in God and in that realm of living in him, there is far less interest in judging, criticizing, comparing, and all sorts of other sins. We are too busy enjoying the life of God and walking with him where ever he leads.It is a life filled with many things. Many joys, many hardships, but always a wonderful sense of God's reality and presence in growing measure as we better and better understand the cross and that there because of the blood I may come anytime to find grace and mercy. And this grace and mercy is the gentleness which David spoke of as that which made him "great".
God's forbearance and genuine love grew him. And that is what the cross is, the declaration of God's forbearance. The cross answers all things....except unbelief. Which is our choice. At every junction, smaller and bigger, we are choosing, activating our will to say yes to Jesus in order for him to have his way in all details. This life requires much if not everything of us because our life is required of him in order for us to have his life. This obedience on our part is a way of life every minute of every day. The basis of our obedience if the acceptance first of the cross thru the shed blood. Which gives us a freedom to then choose God's will out of seeing and experiencing the love of God. We want then willingly to love him by doing what he asks. And as we set our heart to this kind of life, we discover it's realities, it's joys and pains. The greatest thing we discover is the reality of God in our own experience, in our own soul, in our own world. And there is no substitute for knowing God personally. The greatest growth occurs when God touches us personally and we feel also that we have touched him in a relationship where there really is no one else who is first to us but him, and where to him feel and are first to him. He can do that because he is God. He can devote himself completely to me and be true and sincere, and yet at the same time do the same for my neighbor. He can be God completely and solely to me and I can have all of him. This is one amazing thing about his nature. He is all there for each one of us, giving us his completely undivided attention. This relationship is the greatest thing we have in this world, and all good things proceed forth out of our lives as a result of this relationship. It is our greatest calling, to know and worship him. It is the first order of business at all times and how incredibly much there is to learn about this on a practical level. The great need of the world is not better methods of evangelism for the great need evident in the world. It is a closer walk with Jesus whereby is imparted power and life to direct and meet the need of our world where ever we walk. Jesus lived that kind of life.He did only what he saw and heard with the Father. This makes hearing the Father and walking in covenant relationship at all times the critical factor. If one takes care of this, all else shall be taken care of. It is a law of spiritual life. Our application of this is something to be developed, learned. I believe this is what Paul was implying when he indicated he had not yet attained to perfection but that he was striving and pressing in toward that goal.He had laid hold of the critical truth of how faith in God actually works in life. It was personal and real to him. We can start anywhere, no matter where we have been or how much our faith has been pathetic, poor, or just not really worked. There is a way that it works. Praise God that it does and that whether it is to other believers or to unbelievers we can say with honesty and conviction that yes, taste of the Lord and see how good he is.
I've learned a lot from her. I remember noticing for the first time how she would turn round and round a few times before settling on her blanket in the living room. I wondered about this but did not dwell on it at first. She also would automatically and always turn around once completely when I took her to the back door to let her out for a pee.
I began to think about this. One day it came out of the blue what the turning about before settling into her blanket was about. She was going by instinct, feel, and it is no different than me sitting down in a chair and wriggling a bit this way, that way and then finally settling into what is a comfortable position for me. For someone else that same routine might assume a different position. We all have our preferences.
And God said that in one's life, we must seek and find out through the
"instinct" of the Holy Spirit what is "just right" for ourselves personally in smaller and bigger ways and things. This is a process, but the more we zero in the leading of the Holy Spirit in all things at all times as a way of being and of life, the more alignment we will come into with God and his purposes for us. And the more we will be in the center of God's will.It is a process. There is a final place, and there are places along the way. There is a process and there are processes along the way. The critical thing is that we be in the way of the Lord, that we be involved, that we be learning. That we look not at our failures over much, nor our successes over much. That we temperately deal with both, not overplaying failures, and not overplaying successes, but with his balance responding to them. Our goal is at all times to do the will of God, to be in the will of God. This takes practice if you will, but it is not really practice, it is involvement with God and learning as we go. It is strange how much time is spent or has been spent in judging one another rather than living a life in God and in that realm of living in him, there is far less interest in judging, criticizing, comparing, and all sorts of other sins. We are too busy enjoying the life of God and walking with him where ever he leads.It is a life filled with many things. Many joys, many hardships, but always a wonderful sense of God's reality and presence in growing measure as we better and better understand the cross and that there because of the blood I may come anytime to find grace and mercy. And this grace and mercy is the gentleness which David spoke of as that which made him "great".
God's forbearance and genuine love grew him. And that is what the cross is, the declaration of God's forbearance. The cross answers all things....except unbelief. Which is our choice. At every junction, smaller and bigger, we are choosing, activating our will to say yes to Jesus in order for him to have his way in all details. This life requires much if not everything of us because our life is required of him in order for us to have his life. This obedience on our part is a way of life every minute of every day. The basis of our obedience if the acceptance first of the cross thru the shed blood. Which gives us a freedom to then choose God's will out of seeing and experiencing the love of God. We want then willingly to love him by doing what he asks. And as we set our heart to this kind of life, we discover it's realities, it's joys and pains. The greatest thing we discover is the reality of God in our own experience, in our own soul, in our own world. And there is no substitute for knowing God personally. The greatest growth occurs when God touches us personally and we feel also that we have touched him in a relationship where there really is no one else who is first to us but him, and where to him feel and are first to him. He can do that because he is God. He can devote himself completely to me and be true and sincere, and yet at the same time do the same for my neighbor. He can be God completely and solely to me and I can have all of him. This is one amazing thing about his nature. He is all there for each one of us, giving us his completely undivided attention. This relationship is the greatest thing we have in this world, and all good things proceed forth out of our lives as a result of this relationship. It is our greatest calling, to know and worship him. It is the first order of business at all times and how incredibly much there is to learn about this on a practical level. The great need of the world is not better methods of evangelism for the great need evident in the world. It is a closer walk with Jesus whereby is imparted power and life to direct and meet the need of our world where ever we walk. Jesus lived that kind of life.He did only what he saw and heard with the Father. This makes hearing the Father and walking in covenant relationship at all times the critical factor. If one takes care of this, all else shall be taken care of. It is a law of spiritual life. Our application of this is something to be developed, learned. I believe this is what Paul was implying when he indicated he had not yet attained to perfection but that he was striving and pressing in toward that goal.He had laid hold of the critical truth of how faith in God actually works in life. It was personal and real to him. We can start anywhere, no matter where we have been or how much our faith has been pathetic, poor, or just not really worked. There is a way that it works. Praise God that it does and that whether it is to other believers or to unbelievers we can say with honesty and conviction that yes, taste of the Lord and see how good he is.