One day, the Lord is coming for His Bride, the Church. In the meantime, while I was vacuuming today, I had an entire bag of popcorn seeds fall out over everything in our pantry and the floor, the Cheerios were about to do the same, and the cheesecake spices had not been put away. The Lord spoke to my heart Psalm 46:10, " Be still, and know that I am God..." I continued to vacuum and waited for Him to speak to me again from His Word, and He brought this portion of Scripture to my mind:
1 Thessalonians 5
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
12 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
I thought long and hard over what normally would have made me very angry and would have created a response of grumbling and complaining and thought about what the Lord was saying to me. Today is not going to be a day of anger or complaining. The Lord has other plans for me today. Today, He chiseled away a piece of me that looked nothing like His Son. Today, He reminded me that He is coming and time is short---I am of the day and have spent more than four years of my life studying His Word and should be sensitive to this everyday. Some days, I am not. Time is short for each of us anyway. Do you know how many days He has given you?
Beyond the expectation of His soon return and the gift of His face to face presence all the time, He pointed me to the portion starting at v12 and let me sit there, thinking on a Christ-like response rather than one from the flesh. I pray that I do not attempt to put that chisled piece back. Looks better without it for sure.
These things are not a tragedy. I have a Dyson Animal and time to clean it up. Praise the Lord. I got to thinking on the passage as I kept at the popcorn and Betsy ten Boom came to mind: a Christian, in a concentration camp for helping to hide Jews in her home in Holland during WWII, and she praised the Lord for the fleas. FOR THE FLEAS. The last time there were fleas in my home, they were not on me but a pet, and I was not rejoicing at all! These were ON HER and the other women there! Can we all not learn from her Christ-like response to something so horrible and ugly, knowing that God is incapable of doing anything but love us, works all things for the good of the believer, and says that He showed us His love when His Son hung on the cross and died for our sins, rather than looking at our circumstances? Can I learn this? Can I learn this while it is only popcorn seeds on my floor? When I look at the cross and at my Jesus, do I not see that ALL things work for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose? If Betsy ten Boom rejoiced in thanksgiving for fleas, surely the Lord would like me to thank Him for the popcorn seeds all over the floor and provide a better perspective.
That promise to work all things for good is Romans 8:28. It's a conditional promise to believers only. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior, the One who bought you and paid for your sins, I encourage you to pray in faith asking Him to reveal Himself to you. He is the friend of sinners and is ready to receive ALL who call on Him in earnest. That is not a call to a building, to a denomination, to a priest or pastor, to works: He says, "Come to Me." Me is Jesus. He is waiting to receive you, sinner, if you will allow Him into your heart. He is a kind and loving master, and His plans are so much better than our own, even if they involve popcorn seeds or fleas.
Thank you, Lord, for the family that You have given me: a wonderful husband and four beautiful children and one in Heaven with Your Son waiting for us. A roof over our heads, food, a working car, that our home is warm. Thank You for my husband's job and that my job is caring for my family and our home--please help me to serve them as if I am serving You. Thank You for all the big and small ways that You care for us---they are too numerous to count. Let me remember to intercede in prayer for those who are lost, who are hurting, to do good to all and to rejoice in You at all times and to be thankful at all times for Your chisel. I know that I am a long-term project. Thank you for any opportunity to share the Good News found alone in Your Son Jesus. Amen.
