I'm cheating...

I've had a really cruddy day today, and don't feel like writing anything fun. And I have had doubts about my blog from last night. Thinking maybe it was TMI and I made myself sound crazy. So, I'm going to cheat today and put someone else's blog on here. Lysa Terkeurst is my new favorite Christian writer, and I get her blog by email. I highly recommend it. I also am reading her book, "Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl" off and on. So here is her blog from the other day that I just read today and made me feel better about my rantings from last night.

Well Pleased
Last night my soul was so stirred by something Pastor Steven shared on the webcast. He was talking about how our identity must come before our activity.

As he read the Scriptures, my heart finally settled into place. A good place. A place without webcast stress, a racing pulse, turning stomach, and whispered fears. A quiet place. A place deep in my soul where just me and Jesus go. And though it was Pastor Steven’s voice reading the Scripture, it was God Himself breathing sustenance to my spirit.

“This is my Son, whom I love; with whom I am well pleased,” (Matthew 3:17).

This was Jesus’ identity being established before His activity was to be executed.

Oh how we need this. But we’re not Jesus. Jesus heard God, believed God, and remained filled.

Our humanity makes us leaky people. Truth comes in and fills us up but our cracks and crevices and circumstances are like drains pulling the truth out and leaving a hollowness that can haunt. Daily, hourly, moment by moment we must stand in the reality of our identity before we resume our activity.

Pause.

Hear the sweet whisper today. Grasp the truth and rub it deep. Let it sink in quickly and resist the drain of the day’s pull.

“You are my daughter, whom I love; with whom I am well pleased.”

Well pleased because of who you are, not what you do. Well pleased because of an unfathomable, unconditional love- not earned but simply given. Well pleased. Well pleased. Well pleased.

And isn’t it interesting right after we read these words at the end of Matthew 3, Matthew 4 starts off with Jesus being tempted. But if we know our identity before we jump into activity, we don’t have to guess how to handle the vicious lies of the enemy.

It is written. It is written. It is written. Jesus didn’t engage the enemy. He deflected the lies with the truth. Because His identity was established before His activity was executed- I am loved. I am accepted. I don’t need more to be whole. I don’t need to displace God with inappropriate physical pleasure. I don’t need to displace God with trying to get something from my material wealth it can’t ever give me. I don’t need to displace God because I crave the acceptance of others. I am loved. I am accepted. I am whole.

It is written. It is written. It is written.

Oh that the ink on the paper fine pages of Truth, be inscribed, engraved, tattooed in the most permanent of ways on our hearts.

Well pleased.

It is written.

Well pleased.

Well pleased.



Isn't she good? Here is her website so you can subscribe to her email blogs. http://lysaterkeurst.com/
Its amazing how when I'm struggling with something, I open up her emails, and it speaks right to my heart.