life lessons

Sometimes, I think that God tries to get our attention in the damnedest of ways.  He starts out subtle, of course, the way any good and kind Father would.  But then, when stubborn, willful, and ignorant people miss His divine subtlety... Whammo! He just clocks us upside the head!

I am not sure what God is going to teach me over the next several months but there are some things that I know for absolute certainty about my God:

1) He is faithful.  *1 Chronicles 16:34-- Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
 
2) He is good. *2 Chronicles 5:13 -- Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

3) He does have a plan.  Jeremiah 29:11-- "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future!"

The past  4 months have been the most delightful, happy, and carefree of my life; my life was going great, and believe me, I know who was the Orchestrator of all those things.  But as the rest of my life can testify, faith does not always experience growth in all the happy times, my faith is most stretched, tested, and ultimately demonstrates growth through difficult times.

Honestly, I have been waiting, with bated breath nearly all summer for the bottom to drop out.  Not "if" there was going to be some drama or bad thing going to happen in my family... but more like when.  It always does... it's the rhythm of my life, just like summer, school, breaks, school and summer again is the rhythm of my other life.  So I've been waiting, just waiting for something to happen.  Waiting so long, that I'd become adjusted and comfortable in my new-found happiness! Not a bad thing... but I was neglecting Someone. 

Nearly 10 months ago, I sat in prayer at a retreat center with the youth group and begged God to turn my life up-side down.  I wish I'd known what I was asking for!  He gave me a new job, a fabulous new best friend/boyfriend, a new small group- women who I love and adore, and most importantly, a new lease on life.  I thought he was finished, flipping me upside-down.... Silly Beckers...... He's only just getting started.

Ok-- Jesus.  So you have my attention. My full and undivided attention for the next several months. I will be your captive audience.  Teach me what you will!  Maybe it's back to the drawing board with me... "Be still and know, that I am God." Psalm 46:10.










* An interesting side note, the words  "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures 
forever."  appear in Scripture many times,  (according to my search on biblegateway.com) including the following:
1 Chronicles 16:34, 2 Chronicles 5:13, 2 Chronicles 7:3, Ezra 3:11, Psalm 106:1, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 118:1, Psalm 118:29, Psalm 136:1


Apparently the Israelites used this expression of praise as part of their liturgy; part of their oral tradition of worship, to remind one another of God's history of faithfulness to them, even in trying times.