Psalm One Thirty Nine

The absolute coolest thing happened tonight. I know that I never really get personal and into details in my blog but I just have to share what has transpired tonight! My boyfriend Jonathan and I have been really rocky lately. We came to a point in our relationship where we really needed to make the choice: Do we want to put God in the center of everything we do and therefore obtain His blessings in our life’s, or do we want to continue in the life of doing things our own fleshy way and occasionally seeking Him when we feel like it. Basically, are we going to continue being 'lukewarm'. Needless to say, we took some time to ourselves separate from each other to reflect on God, who He is and who He needs to be in our lives…on the throne and reigning in every aspect. After really delving into His word and seeking answers, Jonathan and I decided to meet at the coffee shop in town to talk about what we have been learning over the past few days of our time with solely God. It was an extremely relaxing and refreshing evening…we drank our coffee and read God’s word together, pouring out our thoughts and prayers that we had. We discovered that over the past few days apart God had revealed scripture to us in such a way that was just indescribable. I remember I was putting my make up on in my bathroom three days ago and felt God’s voice telling me to go and read Philippians 3. Of course after that happened Satan intervened in my mind and began lying to me (isn’t he just so infamous for that?) telling me that I was crazy and not to even bother looking it up. Guess what I did? I said GET BEHIND ME SATAN and I ran to my bed stand, grabbed my Bible and opened to Philippians 3. Holy Moly! The whole chapter is about having NO confidence in the flesh! Not trusting my own flesh and leaning on God! Look at the verses that my eyes came upon: vs.13-14 ‘But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’ Praise Jesus! FORGETTING what is behind! STRAINING toward what is ahead: the PRIZE! It’s so awesome how the God of the universe can speak to me… one who is so full of sin and shame. And yet He reminds me that I am not who I once was! I am not who I was yesterday! He gives us as many chances as we need to get right with Him. What other religion can testify to that? NONE! So the same day that God revealed that chapter and lesson to me, Jonathan later told me that he prayed about God revealing to him what his heart needed to realize when he opened his Bible. No lie, he opened right to Isaiah chapter 42. Look at what verses lit up on his page! Vs. 8-9 ‘“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” WHOA! The former things have taken place…. AND new things I declare to you! God is the God of second, third and fourth chances! He says yes..those things in your past have taken place. That day you forgot about Me and made that decision based on your flesh? That is the former. BEHOLD, I have declared new things! I can make your life fresh and wash your sins as white as snow! I love it! So crazy cool, right? We are sharing these verses with each other at the coffee shop and Jonathan starts telling me his need for a small group. He wants a group of guys to come along side him in his journey with Christ. I mean after all, the Bible calls us to surround ourselves with believers who will lift us up and call us to be more faithful men and women of God. Not even five minutes later a few guys and a girl walk into the coffee shop. Jonathan leans in and tells me that he thinks he knows that guy.. ‘that guy with the pea coat and glasses and slick haircut.’ But the next statement that he made really puzzled me. He told me that that same guy used to take home school classes with him years back and Hunter (the guy’s name) was a major druggie and alcoholic with long hair and a beard. He said it didn’t surprise anyone if Hunter came into class stoned or completely drunk… sometimes even drinking in class! Hmmm. And Jonathan was so shocked to see him clean cut and all dressed up! The guys and the girl all began to sit down at some tables over near the other side of the café. But this is where it gets so good! Hunter looked over and noticed Jonathan. He came right over and started talking to us. I immediately noticed that Hunter was so full of life. He lit up when he talked about his girlfriend, when he talked about how God had changed his heart in the years since Jonathan had known him. He turned to Jonathan and I and he told us that he was there with a few people doing a Bible study! He said that he had started it a few months ago because he felt God calling him to do it. He then invited us to join in his Bible study! AH! I immediately said yes without consulting Jonathan. Which Jonathan has since thanked me for ;) The Bible study was SO relevant to what has been going on in me and Jonathan’s lives and our relationship. The struggles that each of us had been dealing with were brought up by others who were dealing with the same things! We didn’t even have to mention them! The verses that were discussed were just so relevant to our lives and our needs. Hunter later told Jonathan that last week after the Bible study he decided that he was done..it was over. He had gotten so discouraged with the lack of discussion brought forth by the group. By the Lord’s will he came back tonight for one last study… and when Jonathan and I were there and agreed to join his study, he was filled with joy! It was answered prayer for HIM! He needed the encouragement. Hunter has now decided to continue with the study! Praise the Lord! How cool is our God?! God ORCHESTRATED this all together tonight. Before Jonathan and I even prayed about Jonathan being able to join a small group… God answered that prayer! He is the God of answering unanswered prayer! Miraculous. After the study ended, Jonathan and Hunter went back to Jonathan’s house to talk and catch up. EXACTLY what Jonathan was yearning for just a few hours ago. This has all just made me see how FAITHFUL God is. How he hears the cries of our hearts before we even cry out to Him. It is just proving the point in the Psalms when so many times David cries out to God., “God you KNOW my heart!” God is so worthy of our praise and of our lives. He can turn the ugliest things into the prettiest things. After all, he is so faithful to make beauty out of the ashes of our lives.