I am quite liking this whole commute-conversations thingy. Bus rides let me read, let me pray and allow me to just "be". ^_^ God has been speaking to me this whole weekend via "Captivating" and I'm so glad I am re-reading it again. Where once tears were shed when I read those words in Korea last year, this year I am experiencing such joy and liberation in Him.
It has been building me up to read about knowing my place and position in God's heart- but it requires me to deal with myself first. =) I love Stasi Eldredge's honesty in writing about her life experiences. It just gives me courage to deal with my own issues in life. So another extract:
AN IRREPLACEABLE ROLE- IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
Eve is God's relational specialist given to the world to keep relationship a priority. Men have a way of letting these things slip. They'll go months without checking on the health of their relationships. Years even. And the world simply uses people, then spits them out when they are worn out and no longer "on top of their game".
Our Enemy despises relationships, hates love in any form, fears its redemptive power. This is why God sent Eve. Women are needed to protect relationships, bring them back to center stage where they belong. You might at times feel like the only one who cares. But as women we must hang on to this- that because of the Trinity, relationship is the most important thing in the universe. Let us not give way or yield our intuitive sense of the importance of relationship for anything.
It is here starting in our circles of intimacy, that we are first and foremost women. It is here that we must first turn our gaze to ask, "What does it look like to offer my Beauty, my fierce devotion, my love? How do they need me to their ezer?" You have an irreplaceable role in your relationships. No one can be to the people in your life who you can be to them. No one can offer what you can offer. There are many things God calls us to do, but loving well always comes first. And don't your relationships feel opposed? Of course. They must be fought for.
Satan knew that to take out Adam, all he had to do was take out Eve- his ezer kenegdo. It worked rather well, and he has not abandoned his basic plan ever since. Your place in the world as God's heart for relationship is vital. All the Enemy has to do to destroy people's lives is to get them isolated, a lamb separated from the flock. To do this, he removes the ezers in their life. He makes a woman feel like, "What do I have to offer, really? They are probably doing fine." Don't you believe that for a moment. You have been sent by the Trinity on behalf of love, of relationships. Fight for them.
I found this to be so true in my life and work so far. (Esther, you're only 23 years old, what could you possibly know?) haha. a lot my dearests. I have been through quite some storms in 23 years and this has been true in the lives of my closest guy friends and me.
In accordance to what that extract said above, I'm glad I fought for relationships. I mean, I gave up some along the way and did not fight- and now I have no clue what they are up to and where they are spiritually. But the ones whom I've stood by and fought for/ with... are very different people now ten, 5 years later. I'm glad I never stopped loving them.
I guess some of you would know who I'm talking about but I had a guy friend whom I was just inexplicably drawn to about ten years ago and he was mean to me. LOL. Bullied me, verbally abusive and not supportive of my decisions when I worked with him all those years ago... but now...he's completely different. He is among the first people to respond to an emo sounding comment that I post on facebook or read a post I published about God and he encourages ME. He tells me how I am capable and strong and more deserving of better treatment and love. But I credit it to him seeing God's love and intervention in my life. Of the absolute crazy change that I underwent because of Jesus Christ. But I could never imagine that standing by and sticking to this relationship even though I cried buckets and wept nights of tears would eventually result in HIS transformation. Praise God. ^_^
I find it funny how God seemed to highlight something to me this weekend- don't forget your brothers. LOL!!!! It seems really natural for me to just slip into the God given ministry to women and be comfortable- but He is asking me to challenge my brothers' relationships. Challenge my brothers' actions and words. And He is also challenging mine- "how faithful and 'sticky' can you be? Even if you were to be taunted, humiliated by some, will you still be willing?" Which was why I was a bit shocked to hear this song playing in the background over tea just now. God was asking Esther's heart "WHAT ARE WORDS?" To say "I'll live for you" is one thing... "what are YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?" *challenge acknowledged*
So I came home and spent time teaching my younger brother how to play the guitar (he knows how to play G-Em-C now!!! hee hee. SO CLEVER!!!! like me. LOL!!!!) And recommitting my time to him to help him study and to help him grow. He needs my "irreplaceable role" at home. And I thank God that my next job will be flexi-time and agile-working. I'll need all the time I can get to stimulate my lil brother's growth. =)
p.s: need to hunt down "wild at heart" LOL! <3
No comments:
Post a Comment