The Lord spoke to me last night as clearly as if He had been sitting right beside me on the pew. He has spoken to me in the past but not with that kind of clarity. His voice brought me up short and I sat there barely able to move. My heart began to race and I had to take a few seconds to get my concentration centered again on the Maundy Thursday Services. His voice was so loud and clear that I looked around to see if anyone else had heard Him speak. What a sweet and precious time, one of those rare moments when nothing else seems to matter. Sometimes in the past I have heard the Lord speaking to me and I have had my doubts and reservations. It wasn't like that last night. Last night I knew. Praise God for talking to me and praise Him for giving me His peace with His message. What is that Scripture in John? "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you"? I sat there and realized I was smiling. Thank You Lord Jesus, Creator of heaven and earth, Sustainer of every people and system in all creation. All things continue by the Word of Your mouth. You hold everything in the palm of Your hand and You put into motion everything that is in motion. You alone are God most high! You alone know the future and what is yet to be. I don't know why You have said this to me but I cherish that You did. Thank You, Abba Father.
I have company coming in tomorrow for the Easter holiday so I won't get back to posting for a few days. I've always stayed home on Easter morning because of our guests but this year I'm going to try to slip out for an hour or so. I don't think it will hurt their feelings if I do. If I get the feeling that they'll feel bad I will, of course, stay home. I cleaned on my house today, even changing our bedding, in preparation of their visit. John is allergic to cats so I had to vacuum really well for his sake. And I mopped all the floors and did two loads of laundry while I was at it. Now I just need to spiff up the bathrooms and clear off the kitchen counters and I'll say that's good enough. I pulled my sciatic nerve though and it's giving me fits! Hurts to sit and hurts to stand. If it isn't one thing it's another.
Heather is forever in my thoughts. She's going through so much pain having Eric just up and die on her like that. No warning at all, he had just finished shopping at a store and made it back to his vehicle and then handed his cell phone to his daughter who was with him at the time and told her to call 9-1-1. She is such an inspiration to me. This is God's will or it wouldn't have happened but we can't help but wonder why there has to be so much pain in our lives. Jesus didn't look forward to His pain either, that part of Him that was fully man. And even He knew death would NOT have the last say in the matter. But still the suffering was there for Him, it couldn't have been avoided. "Father, take this cup from me, yet not my will, but yours." Should it be any different for us? But be assured of this: our pain will not be a fraction of a second longer than it must be. And we can draw comfort from knowing that God goes every step of the way with us. He will not leave nor will He abandon us. And He isn't asking us to go anywhere He Himself hasn't already gone before. We are to share in His sufferings, yes, but let us share in His joy also because "... for the joy set before him endured the cross ..." Joy and suffering. Sometimes it seems they go hand in hand. Where will your heart be on Sunday morning?
Happy Easter.
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