I see now that like a seemingly endless ocean the waiting seems to have no end.
The key word is seems. For years or months or days you can travel the waters and it looks like the sea which tosses you about has nothing but more of the same. But every voyage must come to an end, and everything eventually washes up on dry land. To the Jews at the time of Christ the sea was symbolic of something that is uncontrollable and seems in defiance of God. So Jesus calming the waters was as much a symbolic message as a literal one. As was the walking on water miracle. The message here is that it does LOOK like it's going to rip you apart. However, God is in control. If we ask, he will help us ride out the storm. He will calm the waters, or better still help us walk out on them. Nothing, absolutely nothing is too big for him. It's all insignificant compared to what he's already done. He's raised the dead, freed slaves, delivered battle after battle to people that should lose because of inferior numbers. He cured the sick, made lame beggars walk and the blind see. Every time someone tries to put him down he gets stronger. Even being put in the ground didn't phase him, it all worked out for his plan to save the lost. He sacrificed it all, and he is the most loving one you'll ever meet.
At the moment, look, I'll be honest, it can seem pretty bleak around here. I see bugs everywhere, I'm fighting a cold, and my finances aren't much better. I've been waiting three years and I'd wait thirty more because I know he's got something better in store for me. See, you can't crush me because he that is in me is stronger than he that is in the world. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. You can't beat me, because I've been so far down I couldn't see up, and I've been so lost I didn't think I'd ever be found. I've seen and heard things that make grown men shake in fear, and I've taken it more calmly than anyone could. I've survived more and come out stronger and smarter. God's been by my side since the very beginning, he answers my prayers, and he'll answer this one too. When you see him show up he'll show you what God can do.
What no one gets is how literal the fact is that he is my source. He created everything, no matter how you slice it. He invented resources, do you think anyone who loves him and asks will really lack? He invented water, who can thirst who knows God? He put minerals in the earth, the animals in the field, men wouldn't have anything if he hadn't made it first. He is the source and he knows where it will all go. No man who walks with the Lord is lost. No, and though his timing is difficult to understand, it's for the best, he counts the cost before he make the investment. He makes sure you are READY for the blessing before he gives it to you. And oh, when he gives it to you, when God pours out his love on you, your heart overflows. Simple words can explain it. When God shows up nothing on earth can contain it. His abundance is the greatest spring there's ever been. He humbles great nations and makes mountains of men. He said if you believe in your heart that he will answer your prayer, in his abundance, you'll move mountains. He wants to establish you and set your walls with precious stones. He calls us beautiful in his sight. Beautiful, how wonderful it is to be called beautiful by one who sets the standard of beauty. How great to be loved so much that you can't ever understand it or measure up. You don't have to! He loves you just the same. You can get lost, doubt him, think that it's all over, he's just waiting. Waiting for you to come for his comfort. He knows that even the worst hurts of your life aren't too big, not when he covers you with his grace. Even those that cause fear shall fear he who loves you.
I have met monsters and one thing I know, they fear God. Ohhh they do. They try to tear apart good men, because they fear God will use good men to drive them from the earth. He will too, they are quite right. A good man is God's weapon, God's foot soldier. He can call on the power of God and change things. God relies on good men to show the world who he is. We can't let him down on this. Oh how I long for a generation of men so filled with a sense of duty that they would be good if only as a reflection on their creator. If evil things have set themselves against you, you must be something amazing. The evil one does not waste his time attacking people doing what he wants them to do. He doesn't attack those who aren't effective, he saves his worst weapons for those he really is scared will change the world. His weapons may be subtle. He may attack you by letting you settle for less than the best God has for your life. By convincing you that you have gone as far as you will ever go. But God has more, and if you miss it you'll miss the best thing in your life. I thank God so completely for letting this life rip away everything that is less than the best. Take my wife, take sex, take drugs, take anything that tries to get between me and him. Because when we're on the same subject going the same direction..... what could be better? His love endures forever. Try him. Don't try to get him to perform like a circus monkey, try loving him. If you can't love ask him for his love, he'll give it to your freely. He'll even show you where you missed that he was loving you all this time. He was waiting for you. He's waiting for you now.
He might keep you waiting, but he knows as well as you will by the time he's done that good things happen while you're waiting. You don't want new wine, the best wine has been developing for years. Even now they are making fresh wine that will be bottled up and stored away, some for a year, some for five, some even for ten or more. Then one day a rich man will go out to eat. The waiter will offer him a vintage wine, vintage 2013. He might ask the waiter "Oh, 2013? Is that a good year?" And I can tell you, it is a very good year. It is the year the Lord has opened my eyes wider than they have ever been opened. I know that soon enough, as soon as he is ready he will uncork the fine wine of life and experiences I've been waiting my whole life to see and do.
The key word is seems. For years or months or days you can travel the waters and it looks like the sea which tosses you about has nothing but more of the same. But every voyage must come to an end, and everything eventually washes up on dry land. To the Jews at the time of Christ the sea was symbolic of something that is uncontrollable and seems in defiance of God. So Jesus calming the waters was as much a symbolic message as a literal one. As was the walking on water miracle. The message here is that it does LOOK like it's going to rip you apart. However, God is in control. If we ask, he will help us ride out the storm. He will calm the waters, or better still help us walk out on them. Nothing, absolutely nothing is too big for him. It's all insignificant compared to what he's already done. He's raised the dead, freed slaves, delivered battle after battle to people that should lose because of inferior numbers. He cured the sick, made lame beggars walk and the blind see. Every time someone tries to put him down he gets stronger. Even being put in the ground didn't phase him, it all worked out for his plan to save the lost. He sacrificed it all, and he is the most loving one you'll ever meet.
At the moment, look, I'll be honest, it can seem pretty bleak around here. I see bugs everywhere, I'm fighting a cold, and my finances aren't much better. I've been waiting three years and I'd wait thirty more because I know he's got something better in store for me. See, you can't crush me because he that is in me is stronger than he that is in the world. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. You can't beat me, because I've been so far down I couldn't see up, and I've been so lost I didn't think I'd ever be found. I've seen and heard things that make grown men shake in fear, and I've taken it more calmly than anyone could. I've survived more and come out stronger and smarter. God's been by my side since the very beginning, he answers my prayers, and he'll answer this one too. When you see him show up he'll show you what God can do.
What no one gets is how literal the fact is that he is my source. He created everything, no matter how you slice it. He invented resources, do you think anyone who loves him and asks will really lack? He invented water, who can thirst who knows God? He put minerals in the earth, the animals in the field, men wouldn't have anything if he hadn't made it first. He is the source and he knows where it will all go. No man who walks with the Lord is lost. No, and though his timing is difficult to understand, it's for the best, he counts the cost before he make the investment. He makes sure you are READY for the blessing before he gives it to you. And oh, when he gives it to you, when God pours out his love on you, your heart overflows. Simple words can explain it. When God shows up nothing on earth can contain it. His abundance is the greatest spring there's ever been. He humbles great nations and makes mountains of men. He said if you believe in your heart that he will answer your prayer, in his abundance, you'll move mountains. He wants to establish you and set your walls with precious stones. He calls us beautiful in his sight. Beautiful, how wonderful it is to be called beautiful by one who sets the standard of beauty. How great to be loved so much that you can't ever understand it or measure up. You don't have to! He loves you just the same. You can get lost, doubt him, think that it's all over, he's just waiting. Waiting for you to come for his comfort. He knows that even the worst hurts of your life aren't too big, not when he covers you with his grace. Even those that cause fear shall fear he who loves you.
I have met monsters and one thing I know, they fear God. Ohhh they do. They try to tear apart good men, because they fear God will use good men to drive them from the earth. He will too, they are quite right. A good man is God's weapon, God's foot soldier. He can call on the power of God and change things. God relies on good men to show the world who he is. We can't let him down on this. Oh how I long for a generation of men so filled with a sense of duty that they would be good if only as a reflection on their creator. If evil things have set themselves against you, you must be something amazing. The evil one does not waste his time attacking people doing what he wants them to do. He doesn't attack those who aren't effective, he saves his worst weapons for those he really is scared will change the world. His weapons may be subtle. He may attack you by letting you settle for less than the best God has for your life. By convincing you that you have gone as far as you will ever go. But God has more, and if you miss it you'll miss the best thing in your life. I thank God so completely for letting this life rip away everything that is less than the best. Take my wife, take sex, take drugs, take anything that tries to get between me and him. Because when we're on the same subject going the same direction..... what could be better? His love endures forever. Try him. Don't try to get him to perform like a circus monkey, try loving him. If you can't love ask him for his love, he'll give it to your freely. He'll even show you where you missed that he was loving you all this time. He was waiting for you. He's waiting for you now.
He might keep you waiting, but he knows as well as you will by the time he's done that good things happen while you're waiting. You don't want new wine, the best wine has been developing for years. Even now they are making fresh wine that will be bottled up and stored away, some for a year, some for five, some even for ten or more. Then one day a rich man will go out to eat. The waiter will offer him a vintage wine, vintage 2013. He might ask the waiter "Oh, 2013? Is that a good year?" And I can tell you, it is a very good year. It is the year the Lord has opened my eyes wider than they have ever been opened. I know that soon enough, as soon as he is ready he will uncork the fine wine of life and experiences I've been waiting my whole life to see and do.
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