It's part of growing up. ahhahah this morning i deliberated very hard and then decided i'd forgo DAY2 of the one star kayaking course for the benefit of my arms tt i need to play the cello for thursday. i woke up at 7am and washed up and what not and decided at about 7.20am. Anyway this post isn't all about my decision! AHHAH. it's just about the THINGS that God showed me when i decided to have my breakfast and then do my disciple hw! :)
was supposed to read Nehemiah 8 and other parts but i chanced upon the heading of Neh 4 "Opposition to the rebuilding" and i felt that inside of me something clicked. So i pored through the chapter and chap 6 as well (i think that's when the wall was finally built) AND GOd really spoke to me through His word! :) I'd like to share it here, cos i think some of you read my blog (: AIYAR can all you phantom pple own up and email me or smthing if you do read (: so i knowww and can send u more cool stuff if i happen to read things hahaha.
difficulties while building the wall
insults from people
discouragement
tired workers/worn out/no strength alr
FACT screaming at you : the wall's only half built and u're alr so tired
Your 'own people' warn you about impending difficulty and try to deter you out of good intentions 'for ur own good'
False accusations or accusations that confuse you to being unsure of YOUR OWN intentions and whether you're doing what God wants.
YET:
Work with all your heart!
Each at your own work
Station forces at your weak points-cover your loopholes and common 'weak points', like if you're prone to giving in to lies about ____, protect that!
YOU MIGHT BE DISCOURAGED, but NEVER STOP THE WORK.
FINALLY, after 52 days, the wall was COMPLETED. and (i like this part the BEST)
'When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realised that this work had been done WITH the HELP OF OUR GOD.' Nehemiah 6:16
and what struck me about what Neh said to the people even while they were discouraged " Don't be afraid of them, Remember the lord... and fight for....' (Neh 4:14)
then he prayed 'Now strengthen my hands' (Neh 6:9 part2)
i've never been one person who was so scripture-ish and bible-ish at all, and honestly i used to be satisfied with just remembering and quoting a few verses and relying on the relationship with God to keep me going, but i've realised, thru disciple and all this, that His word has SO MUCH. It's like talking to your lover and spending time tgt but then forgetting this ONE ULTRA LONG love letter that He has already written for you which tells you EVERYTHING about HIs love. dont' u wanna read it!??! I WANT TO! hahahaha.
and i realised it's stupid to think the bible is unreal and made up like a fiction book, cos if it was, they'd definitely miss out the boring parts like the numbers and the number of people and the family lines cos no one does that unless they're recording REAL history. I mean who wants to market a book and waste space with that :P
anyway i've digressed, as usual.
What struck me of the first verse i typed was that it didn't say 'The wall was finished because God did it.', neither did it say 'They finished the wall by trusting God'. IT said the work was done WITH the help of OUR GOD.
Phil 4:13 'I can do all things THROUGH christ that gives me strength.
it wasn't 'God can do all things for me cos He has the strength'. I mean, u get the picture, HE HELPS you do it, but you must work hard. People were tired. I know how they feel. You get tired of WAITING, tired of SEEKING. Tired of trusting. But you know what, it's ok to be tired, but it's NOT OK to give up.
RIght now i'm at the FOURTH picture of my journey, which is very interesting. IT's like i've climbed the mountain already and i've reached this plateau like thing- and i'm standing there feeling like -.- WHAT, this is what i've been working for? nothing? maybe i shouldn't have even come, where's Your glory, where's the sunrise i was looking for? It's almst like i see a dead end, a desert plateau. Nothing in view, just sand, parched, boring, land. All i see is desert land.
YET I know, yet i will always ever praise thee, for You are the God, all sufficient, all knowing, unchanging God whom i love and kow that if i have You, i need nothing else in this world
God is my everlasting God.
this is the part where i thank God i've gone for disciple :)
Deuteronomy 7:6 'For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has CHOSEN YOU (yes you!) out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession.
i have a ton other verses, but i'd encourage you to read them yourself instead :)
Deut 7:9, 7:21, 8:3, Jer 31:33, Psalm 73 and there's also the ultra long Neh 9:6-37 IF YOU ARE GAME :)
man don't u feel joyful and overwhelmed after that? even though at times OF COURSE i struggle with A LOT OF THINGS. hahaha, somehow deep inside it's just really awesome to know that i have a God who is all that i ever need or want :) yayyyness.
Whom have I in heaven, but You?
There is nothing on earth I desire besides You
My heart and my strength
Many times they fail
But there is one truth
That always will PREVAIL
God is the strength of my heart
God is the strength of my heart
God is the strength of my heart & MY PORTION forever
(this song is taken from Psalm 73 btw!!)
shern:)