(Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013) One of the clearest ways God has chosen to minister to me so far on this trip has been through your emails. Some have written out their prayers, others send a special scripture, words of encouragement or something God has been impressing upon them that applied to me. Each one is greatly appreciated. I meditate on them and read them over and over. God uses them to touch and feed my soul. He brings them to mind throughout the day. Thank you so very much for sending your thoughts to me.
One comment that has especially burned into my heart is that God wants to reward me by allowing me to see more of Him. God’s words to Abraham keep going through my mind. Genesis 15:1 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” God chose to bless Abraham for his obedience, and the greatest gift He would give Abraham was more of Himself.
I’ve always know God rewards and blesses His people far beyond what we deserve. I’ve always seen these as physical or spiritual blessings. But the dear sister who shared this with me opened my eyes to something I never thought of before. God wants to bless me (us) with something far greater – Himself! He is not just the gift giver – He Himself is the gift. What greater gift could He give than Himself! That’s what Jesus gave on the cross, and what God wants to give to each of us. So often we settle for lesser blessings but what could be better than a deeper revelation of Who He is. I am thrilled to think He wants to do that and eagerly anticipate it happening. It is something that won’t happen unless He chooses to do so. Who can know anything about God without Him revealing Himself to us! Clearly there are varying degrees of that revelation.
For many, many years my goal in life has been to know Him better. Philippians 3:7-14 has been the passage that has most spoken to me as well as expressing my heart’s desire over the years of my life. I’ve incorporated into the ‘motto’ of our church. Truly I want to know Christ – not just know about Him but to KNOW HIM. In fact part of that verse is my login to this laptop, something I type several times a day (sorry, I won’t tell you the exact phrase, only my IT man knows that!).
So instead of rewarding me with blessings that focus on me, the Lord wants to reward me with allowing me a closer revelation of Himself. How that will happen I do not know. Through pain or pleasure? Sudden or gradual? With deep feeling or none at all? Through missing Nancy and loved ones or through enjoying their presence? I have no idea. I know it is something He wants to do for me, and for all of you as well. Even just realizing this has given me a greater appreciation of and closeness to Him.
I will write more about this as it happens. Let me know how God blesses and rewards you with Himself. Please share your thoughts and experiences with me. I’m sure that will help me as well.
Philippians 3:7-11 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Pray I would be alert to what God wants to do in my life during this time in India. Pray for yourself, that you, too, would be desiring above all things, even above His other blessings, to know Him better. Pray that you would be open to Him being your great reward as well.