...sovreign...

I never realized how much I like to be in control...until I came to the place where I was forced to surrender that "control" to the Lord.  I like feeling as if I have power over tomorrow...as if I have an effect on what is going to happen to me.  If you think about it, it doesn't really make sense to be that way, does it?

If my life is truly centered upon my God, if He alone is my delight, my hope, my expectancy, then to fight for control over my life, to fight to make much of myself rather than following the will of my Father, would be an absolute slap in the face of everything I believe.  If I cling to the words of Ephesians, that the Lord has chosen me "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4) for a purpose, and that He alone "works all things according to the counsel of His will," (Eph. 1:11), then I must believe that His control over my life will lead to His glory, and my good.

Perfect words...words of truth and grace...words that spark hope and life.  Yet, they are not always the easiest to follow...:)  My prayer is that I will find myself resting so completely in the Lord's sovreignty that I am fully surrendered to His will and His ways--which is, without a doubt, the best place to be.

The Art of Thankfulness...

I'm trying to teach my first graders what Thanksgiving's all about...they get that it has the word "thanks" in it, and so they can somewhat understand that it has to do with being thankful...but part of me wonders if they really understand it beyond saying a quick thank you right before they grab their tray in the cafeteria, or right after I share some of my caramel popcorn with them (that usually gets a lot of thank yous...and one or, "You're the best teacher ever, Mrs. Wilcox!).  But then, do I really even understand what it means to truly be thankful?
I was reading yesterday in Psalm 108, and found myself richly challenged by the words there.  David says, "My heart is steadfast, oh God!  I will sing and make melody with all my being!"   He said his heart is steadfast...pretty bold talk if you think about all that steadfast means.  He's saying, "my heart is immovable, sure, solid, holding, not shaken, confident..."  Can I say those words about me?  Is my heart truly steadfast?  Can I say that I am solid, confident, unshaken, bold?  More often than not, I find myself up and down, completely parallel with my circumstance at any given moment.  I let myself be so easily affected by what is happening, what I feel...far from being steadfast...
Why could David so boldly proclaim such words?  Because they were true.  He had no doubt his heart was steadfast, because he had completely put his confidence in the Lord.  As you keep reading his words, he makes it very clear where his hope and expectation lie:  not in his own power or might, not in his people or his army, but in his GOD:  "With God we shall do valiantly; it is HE who will tread down our foes." (108:13).  David had chosen to rest in, delight in, and rejoice in who the Lord is and what He has done....rather than being affected by his circumstances.  He truly had "set his mind on the things above" (Colossians 3:1), and in doing so, had found a source of hope and praise that would never fail...
Oh Lord, teach me what it means to be humbly, deeply, abundantly thankful to You.  Don't let my praise to You be based upon how well things are going in a given moment...rather, let me cling to You and Your glory as life, as passion, and as delight...teach me what it means to rejoice always in You.