Let me talk to you about my job. I love it. I love my job! Its great. I hang out in a place all day I'll never be able to afford to live with kids who, for the most part are decently behaved. We did a shaving cream art project that they enjoyed and we will probably do another one on Monday. I'm thinking of having them make little books this summer and they can work on them intermittently.
I wake up every morning in my apartment and I'm loving it. I write. I go to work. I come home. I read and pray. Repeat. I'm about to add scrapbooking to that. Like...my life is kind of amazing.
I Corinthians 14:3-4
But [on the other hand], the one who prophesies [who interprets the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching] speaks to men for their upbuilding andconstructive spiritual progress and encouragement and consolation
He who speaks in a [strange] tongue edifies and improves himself, but he who prophesies [interpreting the divine will and purpose and teaching with inspiration] edifiesand improves the church and promotes growth [in Christian wisdom, piety, holiness, and happiness].
This passage reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend. She said "You know...you're hard on me. You don't really take any mess." I started laughing. She went on to say "But, you actually live this out. You actually live the way you talk about and you challenge me to go deeper into my faith and walk that out in reality. You inspire me." Yea....I definitely stopped laughing.
What I love about the practice of reading and writing about the Bible and seeking His Word for myself, is that it edifies me. It helps me do the things He's called me to. I couldn't walk this walk without the Bible. I need to read and think about what God has to say. Its a no brainer that having written about 175 devotionals might cause some of that good Bible to seep into you and then manifest from the inside out. The thing that blows my mind is the inspire part. I started this just for me. It was for my own edification. God's saying "hey girl....that wasn't the whole point." I'm so thankful to serve a God who always has a greater purpose. I love that what I think is happening isn't always what's happening.
I Corinthians 14:15
Then what am I to do? I will pray with my spirit [by the [e]Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will also pray [intelligently] with my mind and understanding; I will sing with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will sing [intelligently] with my mind andunderstanding also.
I have a prayer language. I don't pray in it often but I do have one. I remember when it started I use to pray in it all the time. It was an foundational part of me engaging God more. One pivotal experience in my life started because of my prayer language. When I was rooming with a girl during a summer research experience, she didn't stay in our room often because she went to school there and had housing elsewhere. When I got off work everyday, I'd play music and lay on the floor and pray in tongues. She walked in a few times. When her parents died, she called me...the girl she'd known 10 weeks. She said on the phone that I had "the most faith of any one I know." <---that's what she said to me between the death of her father and the death of her mother 12 hours later. Praying in tongues was a demonstration of faith to her....and walking out that experience with her and my mentor changed my life.
What I do now is that I play music so I'm not entirely sure of what all I pray about when I pray. Though I pray in English, its often a stream of consciousness and unless you record it I won't know what I prayed for. <--when the music is turned up for the prayer turn up. Sometimes I pray with music playing quietly, then I know what I prayed for for real.
I don't know if this happens to y'all but when I sing about the Lord.....oh when I sing about my God I either smile very goofily or I cry. He's just so profoundly good to me despite that fact that my sin deserve nothing of the sort. Worship y'all....it'll move things in your life or it'll move you!
I Corinthians 14:39-40
So [to conclude], my brethren, earnestly desire and set your hearts on prophesying (on being inspired to preach and teach and to interpret God’s will and purpose), and do not forbid or hinder speaking in [unknown] tongues.
40 But all things should be done with regard to decency and propriety and in an orderly fashion.
Apparently I must need to polish off my prayer language and use it a little more. Alright Jesus, I hear you loud and clear. Its interesting that the Bible is talking about teaching and just last night I got an email from the tutoring ministry at my awesome church. I wanted to serve and clearly, though this thing me and God do is special, I think I'm better qualified to teach academic subjects.
This blog is the living interpretation of God's will and purpose in my life. Its a manifestation of my relationship with Him. As my friend JT says "That blog is your witness." And so it is....
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