Reach Up for the Sunrise

It's funny how things can come into your life and although you knew they were coming, you're somehow blown away by their arrival.

I last wrote in April and have had so many changes occur in my personal life since that post. To chronicle all of them here would take up pages and pages of space; I don't expect my readers to want all the details, so I will spare you. (Let's just say it's all good and I'm loving what God has done and is doing!)

The topic of my last post was about God's timing. This month I want to talk about our response to His invasion of our lives. Isn't that what it sometimes feels like when we give ourselves to him-spirit, soul and body? Maybe "invasion" is a strong word, and perhaps it implies an undesired entrance into our realm, but for me, I have to say the invasion was not unwelcome. I invited Him into my situation, into my life at every level. I expected Him to show up and show out and let me say this: He did exactly what I expected Him to do!

The part I'm having a tough time with is the adjustment to being so blessed and so alive in the light of His love for me. I spent a very long time living in survival mode. I was barely able to maintain my home, my job, and my most important relationships. Money, distance, and even the flagging economic climate we are in all contributed to this "maintenance mode" I was stuck in.

Don't get me wrong. I was doing pretty well by some standards. I was better off than I had been in a long time. Even spiritually, God was showing me things in the Word and teaching me about Him and His character. I was growing by leaps and bounds in those areas. But I knew that things were getting ready to change for me. I had this sense of impending....acceleration. (That's the word I've been looking for!)

Much like the feeling of being on a roller coaster as it climbs to its peak. You know that very soon you'll be speeding down that steep drop and every muscle in your body is tense and you hear the click-click-click slow down...then suddenly....WHOOSH! That's what I'm trying to convey here. Everything is speeding by you at a rate of speed that makes it all a blur! You're euphoric and terrified!

That, my brothers and sisters, is where I am! I am screaming my head off and laughing uncontrollably in sheer delight and complete awe. God has moved mightily on my behalf and I'm loving every minute of it.

So, why is part of me stunned that I'm here if I knew this was coming?

Quite simply, I've been overwhelmed by the grace, goodness and excellence of our Father. He has blessed me in so many ways over the past few months, but I can't figure out why! Why would He do this for me? What did I do to make Him want to bless me like this? I can't figure it out.

I was pondering this earlier in the week when I realized I was being really arrogant! This blessing had nothing to do with anything I had done. This whole scenario I was walking out was completely and totally God's doing! I hadn't done one thing to make Him bless me. He just did it because He is God and He wanted to bless me.

Oh, how we have to get past the whole concept of Performance-Driven salvation! How we have to get that whole lie out of our thinking! Blessing doesn't come from our goodness, folks. Blessing comes to us because God loves us, and because He is good! GOD IS GOOD! He has wonderful things stored up for us! Scriptures tell us that, "... No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him". (I Cor 2:9 NIV)

That definitely describes where I've been the past few days-living out this scripture, trying to wrap my head around the turnaround He has worked out in my life in such a short period of time. I knew it was coming, I just didn't know it was coming so soon.

My last post, I referred to the birth of my son. His coming was not a surprise. But when he finally was lying in my arms that hot July night (nearly 7 years ago) I remember thinking, "Gosh, I am so glad you're here. I've been waiting for you for such a long time!" As he stared at me with those big wide eyes I knew that this was the beginning of something wonderful-a tremendous blessing had been given to me and I wanted to handle it right. I think that's how we should approach the blessings that God bestows to us. We should enjoy the blessings with our whole heart, and we should steward them with the utmost attention.

I want to handle the blessing well. I want to revel in the generosity of my Heavenly Father. I want Him to know that I welcome this invasion of my old ways of thinking and being...because I know enough to know that I can't stay in "survival mode" when He is bringing me into Abundant Life.

The first place I start this new way of thinking is realizing this: I didn't do it. He did it. He didn't do it because I'm so wonderful. He did it because He is so wonderful.

Personally, I'm really glad He is so good. Everyone should have someone that good in their lives. I want to make sure I introduce Him to as many people as I can!

Go be a billboard for the goodness of God. Ask Him to invade your space and take you on the ride of your life...I promise you won't regret it. It's the adventure of a lifetime!

Be Blessed-

Jennifer H. Barnes
Editor
UPLIFT! Today