A City of Jewels
Isaiah 54:10-14
10. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. 11. "O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12. I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones. 13. All your sons shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the prosperity of your sons. 14. In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
I’m in a really “odd place” in my life right now. In the last two years our daughter left home for college, my husband quit his job and started a new one, we sold and bought a house, and I am to start a new job on July 11th! There have been a couple of pretty challenging situations at church, as well, and at my former job. I joked with a friend the other day that Post Traumatic Stress was going to hit me at any moment! I was only half joking, though because I have been some really crazy dreams! And some nights I don’t sleep well. Don’t get me wrong! We’re very happy with our new house, my husband has been so pleased with his job, and our daughter is doing just great! Our son is working hard on graduating from high school next year. I could go on and on with everything that is good and wonderful in my life.
So why have I been feeling kind of in a funk? I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure it all out. And I really can’t—though I am pretty worn out from all this change. So I’ve decided that all I can do is “keep on keepin’ on.” I know that God is working in me and through me as he has been my whole life. I know that he sustains me through all the transitions in my life, and through all the challenges as well as the times of rejoicing. I know that though “mountains may depart and the hills be removed,” God will not abandon me or lead to a place of harm. So I turn to him every day, every hour, and sometimes, every minute. I really want to know “what’s up” but I also really want God to use me as he sees fit.
So funky or not, I’m in this for the long haul. I rejoice at the love and joy and good fortune with which I have been blessed! And what about my un-ease? I offer it up to God. Of course, I do ask him – rather disrespectfully I suppose – to please. . . please . . . hurry up and establish his righteousness within me so I can not be fearful and afflicted with doubt and uncertainty! I know . . . God’s already been where I’m going. And I do long for heaven! But some days I struggle with the waiting.
I hope it doesn’t seem as if I’m whining. (I despise whining!) What I really am trying to say is that it may seem to me that future is uncertain. It may seem as if each time we’ve made a change, it was a big, monumental deal because we’d not ever done that before. But really, God had it all under control! He always has! And he already knows what the future holds. Since he loves me more than I could ever imagine, I really don’t need to worry. Cause he’ll be there waiting for me!
My prayer for you today is that you’ll offer up all your doubts and fears to the God of all love. And that you’ll look forward to moving to the city of jewels he has prepared for us at the end of time.
Mary
