January 11, 2008

Rearranging Scripture

I'd like to re-write just a tiny little part of the bible. Wait! Before you rush off to another blog where you know the person writing it isn't a heretic, can I explain what I mean?
For years and years my "favorite" bible verse has been:

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9

That verse has kept me going through years of homeschooling. Times when our 2 oldest fought so often my biggest fantasy was military boarding school. If they wouldn't go, I was ready to pack up and go myself just to escape the misery.

That verse kept me going when people told me if I didn't put our sons in public school I was going to permanently screw up their lives.

That verse kept me going through times in our marriage when Mike was the last person on earth I wanted to see walk through the door.

That verse is what I clung to 2 years ago as I battled (and won) my weight, and lost 30 pounds.

That verse is what I'm clinging to as our family goes through a metamorphosis. The whole flavor of our family is changing. We have 2 adults, plus one very young adult, and things are changing in the way we relate to each other. I'm confused about it. Sad. Excited to see what the Lord is doing in our adult children's lives. Fearful about some of it.

So, what does all this have to do with rearranging the bible you ask?
Tuesday morning I was praying and reading my bible. Basically I told the Lord, "Lord, that verse just isn't cutting it anymore. I am weary. I am hurting. I am so thankful for the things we have reaped in our family. I am fearful. It's a good verse, but really, I'm just tired. I want to run away from home."

It was then that I "stumbled" onto Psalm 37:3. It's almost a duplicate verse, but not even close.

Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

It's a list really.
1. Trust in the Lord.
2. Do good.
3. Don't run away from home (my paraphrase)
4. Feed on His faithfulness.

So, all I want to do is scooch Galatians 6:9 backward several pages and stick it into Psalm 37. It could be Ps. 37:3 1/2 or something like that. It's all well and good to read about not growing weary, but Ps. 37 tells me how.
Do you have any idea how long a list could be compiled about the Lord's faithfulness? It's evident everywhere in the "me" posts on this blog. It's evident in the bible from Genesis to Revelation. I just need to take my eyes off myself, which is what I usually feed on, and feed on Him. I love that phrase "Feed on His faithfulness." We feed on chocolate. We feed on TV. We feed on blogging. We feed on sleep. We eat 3-6 meals a day plus snacks. I need to look at His character, remember it, trust Him, and nibble all day long on that.

That is living in eternity and that is how I won't grow weary.

3 comments:

  1. WOW! Great stuff as usual. I think that we all THINK we're in some sort of crisis all the time--and maybe we are--but God puts it all in perspective for us and even gives us a recipe for trusting.

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  2. Yep, that's my honey's picture in that weird symbol above this. Isn't that great? But Judy, this is such a great reminder. I remember when I realized that James and Ephesians were "how-to" books. I think we all appreciate being told HOW to do the things God commands us.

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  3. Great reminder to all of us in whatever we're going through. Its much easier said then done but definitely something to aspire to!

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