Monday, October 9, 2017

Faithful Friends

Last Tuesday, while reading from Francis Chan's book The Forgotten God, I heard very quiet but very distinct words in my spirit, "I want you to drop out of choir."  Anyone who truly knows me will tell you that this should have made my eyes grow large and have me standing and loudly saying, "WHAT?! WHY?!"  I truly LOVE singing God's praises to anyone who will listen.  I don't enjoy the spotlight so much, but I DO enjoy singing.  As a matter of fact, when I told two of my dear friends and coworkers at church, they even said I probably did just those things.  However, as soon as I heard those words, a peace and joy flooded my being as new words were spoken, "I want you to focus more on your Sunday school class."  Those who truly know me also know this....I live to teach God's Word.
It is not just something I really enjoy, it is what gives life to my being.  When any opportunity to do so arises, I cannot not teach. 
Years ago my husband thought I was suffering from burnout and asked me to take a year off from teaching.  What he didn't know was it wasn't burnout, but immature frustration regarding what I perceived as apathy in others. Can you say, "critical spirit?" I know that now, but didn't then, so I listened and took time off.  After two months of sitting in a class with him and him having to keep me from (in his words) "taking over" the class, he took me aside and said these remarkable words, "You HAVE to go back to teaching!!"  So, amazingly, I did NOT get upset at the thought of dropping choir, but rather excited instead.  However, even though I knew what I needed to do, I also needed to pass it before my husband, who usually tells me I need to be in choir as well as teach.  When I asked his opinion though, he told me to do what I felt needed doing. 
I once wrote an analogy of husbands and wives, where the wife is a china tea cup, very fragile if dropped, but strong enough to hold the heat of any day, especially when she knows her husband, the saucer is holding her in order to catch anything that boils over and to keep her from falling. However, she feels completely secure when she knows that her husband is held by the hands of almighty God through salvation in Jesus Christ.  My husband is such a man.  Because of this, I know I can go to him with anything.  Sometimes I need to wait until he is really awake, as his job is very demanding and makes him physically exhausted, but I know, when he is physically able, he will listen and tell me what I need to hear even if it is not what I want to hear. He is not just a good friend.  He is a best friend.
His birthday is Wednesday.  A couple of months ago I got an amazing deal on two tablets where I only paid a third of the price.  I decided these would be our birthday gifts, as we didn't need them per say, but they do come in useful at times.  He agreed.  However, now as his actual birthday is approaching, I find myself wanting to do something extra special for him.  So I went to the One with the answers and He gave me the best answer possible.  This entire article, for lack of a better word, has been written in order to pass this idea forward to anyone truly seeking to bless their spouse.  I told God that I could make my husband his favorite meal of hamburgers, potato salad, and Angel food cake with strawberries and frozen vanilla yogurt, but I wanted to do more.  SO, I asked God to bless him with a stirring of the Holy Spirit inside him; to help him feel His Presence and know that he knows God is not just sitting there, but is at work revealing a dream that is bigger than anything he has ever dreamed before.  Then I asked that He stir up joy and peace regarding that dream and a determination to see it fulfilled regardless the cost.  I can think of no better gift than this, because there simply isn't one.  So, if you really want to do something EXTRA special for your loved on, pray a similar prayer for them, then pray that God prepares your heart to receive it as well!!
God bless any and all who read this...in Jesus' name!!
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18

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