It seems that we go through life thinking that the things we face are impossible. I now know that is not so. Last night at Church, I sang the song, "The Anchor Holds." I later testified how steadfast, immovable Christ is. He is the leaning place, the anchor, deliverer, shield...No matter what we have faced in our lives, He is more than sufficient. He is superfluous. We have all been through things in our lives that really tested that. We learned about grace and faith and are still learning.
Well, the brother in charge of the service began to tell his story. Al that he had faced in his life. His title was "Getting Past Your Past." He told the story of Joseph and how he was his OT hero. He went through so much at the hands of his own family and yet was merciful toward them later. He was used as an instrument of God to save His covenant people. The brother's story was unfathomable. He was subjected to all forms of abuse beginning at age seven. "Rescued" by DHS only to be passed around from family member to family member where he only suffered more abuse. One year after coming back from basic training he felt impressed to go to Church camp. He had to quit his job just in order to be there. Once there he went through each service and nothing happened. Until the next to the last night, the Lord prompted him to tell his story. The nature of some of the abuse was so hard to talk about that he was reluctant especially in front of the young crowd that was there. He refused to do it. The Lord dealt with him all night long until the next day he told his counselor that he wanted to testify. That night he told all the details of his story. The altar filled with those who thought they were the only ones who had faced such abuses. Some of the campers had held things in even from their parents. Suddenly there was a moment of relief.
I thank God for the mercies He has shown in my life. I for the most part have had a good life with few scars to haunt me. I just thought during all of that, this man forgave and overcame that. How small are the things, mostly trivial, that stand between people today! We really must get past our pasts. I have endured nothing like this brother. O' may mercy and grace be just as superfluous from me.
5 comments:
AMEN! I barely have the strength to carry myself, much less allow myself to get weighted down with bitterness, anger, hatred, unforgiveness and anything else that you can think of. Laying aside the sin and the weights that so easily beset us is what God's Word tells us to do. I don't need all of that extra weight and I don't want it, so I've let it all go and I'm not picking it back up. *WHEW!* I feel so much lighter! ~smile~
Neat story.
I just wanted to stop by and say HOWDY and let you know that I finally took the time tonight to go back and read all of your recent posts that I've been missing out on. (I've fallen so far behind!) I can't remember what to comment on at this point. The only thing I can think to say is... That cat of yours freaks me out!
Great testimony. Praise God for the precious blood of Jesus that washes away all our sin, all our grief, and all our past.
Mushu is completely harmless. Exept to the from he ate yesterday. It was not a toad, it was a from and no match for the wiley feline.
It really as an amazing service. I was handed a letter from someone earlier that at first was a bit offensive. During the service it seemed petty and insignificant. People can do some crazy (dare I say stupid) things. Often times they feel it is for the greater good. The past is past. There is no need to keep delving into it. It is settleed in my heart. I am beyond it. Let's move on. God is so good to us. I want to be good to Him and to others.
Here is just a thought. Have you ever noticed that God gets dragged into a lot of things he had nothing to with? I fear it is blasphemous to say God told us to do something when it is nothing more than the flesh. I want to follow Him closely and make sure that what He tells me to do is done and that I give Him no credit for the other crazy notions that pop into my head. How did I get off on this tangent?
Post a Comment