Trust and Obey

I have been running a marathon in writing a book that I felt had to be written in order to start the non-profit "Our Village Hands."  Having experienced the ministry of fostering and the committed step into adoption, with the feeling that we are now out on a tight rope, my questions led me to the Word, and I kept hearing God say, "I will take care of you and all the children I've given you."  This sounded a lot like the promise I heard when I was dating Chris:  "Just wait, I'm doing something with him, he is the right one for you."  I entered that covenant with God 17 years ago, and my eyes still don't always see clearly what He, (or he) is doing.... But every time the questions and doubts pop up, I remember clearly, as if He's saying it again, "Just wait, I'm doing something with him."  

This walk of trust and obedience is personal, but my desire is to encourage others:  sit at His feet, and He will comfort, provide, and prevail over your situation and your relationships.

The "just wait" has required my prayer, and my personal relationship with God to grow.  Anxiety overcomes me when I focus on the area I think there is lack, scarcity, or a threat.  God shows me I have security in Him.  This same thing I must apply to the family that He's given us.  "Just wait, I'm doing something with them, You are secure in Me."

I cannot fix, change, or restore my children, but God can.  What I need, is to prostrate myself before Him, so that what I think needs to happen to others happens to me.  This leads me to my latest study, with Warren Weirsbe's "Becoming New".

Where will my help come from?  It comes from the Trinity of God.  He is my Father, my Counselor, and my Redeemer.  I have security in the unfailing character of God:  I must trust Him and obey Him.  When I am living seeking to obey Him, His Spirit will never leave me.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
John 14:15-15:4
15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”

23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.

30 “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, 31 but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

Just as Jesus sought to do what the Father required, so I must choose to do what He requires.  His grace is sufficient for my blunders:  He will get me back on my feet, when I choose Him.  I can choose to turn back, and stop following Him, but that would only be to my detriment.  When I am seeking Him, I am as a branch on the Vine.  I am going through a time of pruning now.

Jesus, the True Vine

15 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 

John 14:15–15:4 I have the promise of the Holy Spirit to continue to guide me as I obediently follow Christ out of a love relationship.  This is the love that is deep and wide and goes through troubled waters.  This is the kind of love that trusts and says, "despite the road ahead, despite the consequences of my obedience, I must follow Him."  It's a reflection of His love for me, that is abundant and never-ending, because on my own I could not produce such love and devotion.  This is the love that obeys Him, not seeking the approval of others, even when others are involved.  This is the walk that must be in close relationship with God, guided by the Holy Spirit, and dependent on Christ my savior. 

Lord, as I enter this day that You have made, I surrender myself to you.  Thank you for Your Word, and that You want to continue to speak to me, that you dwell with me.  Lord, I want to live by the Spirit, to keep in step with Him (Gal 5:25), to live fully with You.  I lift up our time with our Grand-neighbor, the resident grandma to our children, as we want to bring Your comfort to her upon the passing of her husband.  Thank you for bringing them into our life, and us into theirs, and for the love they've poured into our children.  Guide us today, to be a blessing to all we meet- because we are seeking You.  I love you, Lord, I trust You, I want to obey You.