Psalm 118:24 “This is the day that the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Blessed. I am entirely blessed beyond all measures. As I have entered my walk into this new and unknown journey I have been blown away by the generosity of my community and the faithfulness of my God. I’ve met friends who are quickly becoming family, I’ve deepened my walk with Christ through the discipleship of those nearest to me and I’ve waltzed in joy from the encouragement and support of my community.
But some days, like I’m sure some of you have, I’ve questioned the reason for this season. It’s a weird space to be in, a space filled with clear calling but a seemingly still body. I leave for the race on September 5th. I’m finding that it’s really easy for me to look ahead, to count down the days, the dollars, (the classes) and even to wish away the days. I’m excited, I’m eager, and I’m expectant. I’m excited to love the people of these hurting places, I’m eager to be a vessel for the Lord, and I’m expectant of good and gracious deeds of the Father.
But wait.
I don’t have to be in foreign lands to love on broken people. I don’t have to wait to be used as a vessel. And God certainly is not pausing His good and gracious deeds through my season of expectancy. I too often find myself bracketing our Father, putting my own limitations on a limitless God. But here is the raw honest truth, His graciousness is among me NOW, and as miraculous as my God will be in 7 months, miraculous is He today.
Every time I question the purpose of this season I swear I can hear God laughing. The Lord has given me so many sweet reminders of why He has me here. A new job that makes me smile and gives me room for tremendous growth, a ceramics class and classmates that have taught me far more about the Lord than any form of art, the chance to watch old teammates play the sports they love, the freedom to hop in my car and go visit my friends in various places around the state, the flexibility to see my mom, dad, brother and sweet puppy whenever I want, the chance to talk with and get to know the absolutely splendid young men and women I will be serving alongside, a built in best friend that I happen to share an 11 x 16 ft home with, and Monday nights for lounging with friends and watching the Bachelor (okay maybe God didn’t line that one up.) To sum it all up, God knew just what He was doing when he called me to this exact season.
God isn’t calling me to stay still or to wait, he’s calling me to go, and although going may not look like drastic psychical movement in this moment, He will never stop calling me (or you) to go to Him. I can honor God in the familiar, I can praise Him in what I know, and I can seek him in the rhythm. So I will eagerly await my next journey but I will also rejoice in today, because THIS is the day that the Lord has made!
