Wednesday, August 29

Do not fear

Wow, what a week this has been so far. Side by Side, a recovery ministry I help with at my home church had their session last night. It is amazing to me to see the growth of this ministry after a year of service.
Lamentations 3:57 says "You came near when I called You and You said, 'Do not fear.'" I know that God walked in my life a few days ago on Sunday when I faced the greatest challenge I've allowed myself in a long time. You know, if you don't try it you won't fail, kinda thing.
But God is prepping me for something, something that is going to require me to step out in total and heartwrenching fear, so that He can wrap me in His grace to succeed in the purpose He's called me to.
It could be in the Chaplain ministry, or in the Men's ministry, or something totally different that I'm blind to right now. But just as Gill states in his commentary;

"When a person draws nigh to God in the way of duty, and particulary in prayer, calling upon His name, God responds in kind, drawing nigh by grace and mercy---manifesting Himself to them."

The book of Lamentations is supposed to be an awesome support for those who suffer depression and I looked up this verse (through God's guidance) almost a year ago today. My friend Mark Gotberg had passed on and I was dealing with a particularly harsh episode of depression. I was dealing with the rejection of the leadership of my church in my petition to go to Chaplaincy school, endorsed by the church......

"The opinion of the leadership may be that I am not adequate to the task I'm called to, that I am too eager to go here, do this, or be that without specialization. And that I am too 'young' in my faith, too unstable in my finances, marriage, and future. They are right, if that is what they believe."

But as the song, "Awesome God" states:
But my God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above. In wisdom, power, and love......"
And my statement (a year ago August 30th) states it all too clear:

"But my God is none of those things. And, if I go about my Father's business under a flag of total surrender ---all things are possible."

Wow......what a year it has been!

In Christ,
Jim