Waiting

Advent. A time for waiting. I realized a moment ago that I have not been waiting for Christ this Christmas. He is coming. Without His sweet presence none of the warmth of this season would be possible; it would not even be needed. We sing this song in my church during this time.

Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art;

Dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

Will you all wait with me? I felt I needed to write a short note as a sort of public pledge to begin my waiting for Christ. Come Thou Long Expected Jesus. You set us free from our sins. We find our rest in you. Thank you for your grace.

Another song I've been touched by recently. "Thy Mercy My God" by Sandra McCracken. Thought you might enjoy the lyrics.

Thy Mercy, My God

1. Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart. and the boast of my tongue;
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affections, and bound my soul fast.

2. Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here;
Sin would reduce me to utter despair;
But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive,
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.

3. Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart;
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground,
And weep to the praise of the mercy I’ve found.

4. Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own,
And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son;
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.

Happy Waiting Everyone.

Done

Done.

One of the most blissful feelings a college student can feel. The end of another semester.

One of the sad things about the end of the semester is that we wish for it so much. We get so wrapped up in studying and working that we want it all to be over.

But last night when I laid down, or this morning when I woke up (I don't remember which), I realized that I only have one more end of the semester to hope for. Then, on to the world! I am deeply excited about those opportunities and possibilities, but respectfully scared in the same way. Not a fearful sacred in which I do not trust, just a respectful consideration of what all of this change will mean.

I think I have adopted Psalm 143 for this phase of my life (refer to previous post). God revealed it to me one night during the stream of studying I completed over the course of a week and a half. I read it in the middle of the night on Monday night when I was pressing through to finish 2 research papers.

In this phase of transition I pray that God will show me the way I should go, that He will show me His unfailing love and will take care of the soul I entrust to Him. That He will lead me by His Good Spirit on level ground.

That way, when I am "done" next time, it will be time to "begin" the phase of another great adventure. That next "done" is something I need and hope for, but may it not be something that causes me to miss what happens in the meantime. Because I think the meantime will prepare me for my next "begin".

Finals and Research Papers

I spread out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land...

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul...

Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground....

for I am your servant.

- from Psalm 143

Love is the Excellence.

I've been thinking a lot lately about love. About it's redemptive power and about it's excellent way. The other day I took a moment from studying in order to quiet my spirit and seek after a moment with Christ. Love came up again as a theme. Here are my musings (the verses are mostly paraphrased).

A prayer from an Advent devotion I'm reading: Father we only see dimly now but even in diminished light help us to firmly grasp hold of your persistent love Give us enough of a glimpse of your love to overwhelm us and push us to reach out to those around us in that love. Amen.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect diasppears...We see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13: 9-12).

I imagine that mirror cracked and with a need of cleaning.

If we only have the ability to see dimly, no wonder our perception of self and other is tainted with deception of the the enemy.

We do many things "in part" according to the scripture, but it tells us when perfection comes the imperfect disappears. The imperfection of doing things only in part, believing or loving only in part. Perfection is not perfectionism's poison of the impulse to strive to gain worth through a lack of mistakes. Perfection is all about excellence. Just striving to live with the excellence of Christ each day. Taking more and more of His excellent, perfect character. In 1 Corinthians 13 we learn "the most excellent way".

Love. Is. Patient, kind. No envy or boasting. No pride or rudeness. It will not seek its own good or get angry easily. This love says that your past is not recorded, your wrongs are forgotten. Love would never be spiteful and would never love seeing another hurt. That isn't love. Love rejoices with the truth. Overall, love's power protects, perseveres, trust, and always hopes.

What do I hope for?

Loving and living in the most excellent, perfect way. The way of the Perfection that will cause my imperfection to disappear in order that the reflection of my life may be fully beautiful.

Perfection is Christ.

When Perfection comes; Christ comes.

Faith. Hope. Love.

Love is the greatest. The excellence.