Have you ever had that feeling that everything about your life is splintered? Little fragments of moments, weeks and years that once made up a life, now broken into shards? That is how I feel tonight.
Just this morning I was praying over the Scripture in Mark, "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." And as I read it I was reminded of how many times I have not denied myself - but I have followed the desire of the flesh. Each one of those instances caused a splinter. Some of the splinters remained deeply buried until I made a decision that I would walk in truth before God and others.
Now each splinter must be lanced, removed and the wound cleansed. That does not mean that there will not be scars. Some of the scars are deep and have penetrated into my very soul. Yet, Jesus said that we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. The cross that He asks us to take up is to surrender our will to His. But, if we truly do want to follow Him then the cross must be taken up and our own wills must be denied.
Oh Lord Jesus, as I have prayed in the past I pray all the more earnestly now - please guide me into the center of your Will. Teach me the path that I must take in order to live a life that is congruent. Take the splinters of my life and make of them an altar. An altar where I can pour out my life as an offering that is a sweet smelling fragrance to you.
"O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!"
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace."
Helen H. Lemmel
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1 comment:
Here's the good news...my plastic surgeon told me that scar tissue is actually stronger than your normal skin. Its a good thing for me, since I have been split open across my belly from one hip to the other. My scar is now just a thin white line. But there's a lot of strength in it to keep me together.
Remember that friend. There is a lot of strength in your scars.
God is always MORE than conqueror. He doesn't just even the scoreboard, he blows the other side out of the water.
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