The first thing I want to cover about last weeks' study is the statement Lysa made "We are chosen people; chosen, as in handpicked by God." Love this thought! Put your name in the place of "we" and just see how comforting it sounds. I'll wait while you do it...........Melinda is chosen, as in handpicked by God. I don't know about you but that really speaks to me! First it assures me that God will never leave me, I mean really he chose me so why would he leave me? Next, it tells me that the life I have was handpicked for me by God Almighty Himself! How cool is that? Sometimes I feel like I got short-changed in the spiritual gift area. Why couldn't my gifts have been something like compassion or hospitality.....who wants to be a Martha when you could be a Mary!!!!! But this statement reminds me that God gave me the gift of administration, even if it doesn't sound glamorous. It's just that us Martha's get a bad rep while the Mary's seem to get all the praise. Now I sound selfish, but I'm just sharing my heart. Let me get back to the fact that I am handpicked by God and I am thankful for that. I am thankful also that God provides others in my life with the gifts that I do not have to make sure the task at hand gets done! Hence, "I am not equipped to handle what they have-----both good and bad."
The other thing that really spoke to me was on day 4 where we were to read Psalm 139. Hold on...I've just got to stop and read it again! Ah, yes! If you did not get this far in the study last week, please, please, please stop right now and read Psalm 139, I'll wait for ya! Question 6 on that day asked me to right down the part that spoke most personally to me. I listed verses 3 and 5. Verse 3 tells me that God is familiar with all my ways and verse 5 tells me that God will hem me in and lay His hands on me! WOW - I can just see God hemming me in with His hands when I get out of line!!!!
Ok, I'm not even going to get into chapter 9 but I will end with this from that chapter...."A friend who guards her words is a gift." Now if you didn't read chapter 9, put it on your "to-do list"!
Believing God ~ Melinda