- let us press on to know the Lord -

I'll be honest, in the past week or so I haven't been feeling the Lord. I haven't felt as absolutely, deeply in love with Jesus as I have in the past couple months. Normally every morning He reveals so much truth to me to as I feel His presence but it just hasn't been there. But you know what He has revealed to me? My feelings do not change Him. They just don't. He is constant no matter how my emotions are. Instead of being led by my emotions, to be led by His Spirit is so much more fulfilling for me and glorifying to Him.

Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;

    His going out is sure as the dawn;

He will come to us as the showers,

    as the spring rains that water the earth.

Hosea 6:3 (ESV)

We’re ready to study God,

    eager for God-knowledge. As sure as dawn breaks, so sure is His daily arrival. He comes as rain comes, as spring rain refreshing the ground.

Hosea 6:3 (MSG)

This verse is packed with so much truth. Let us press on to know the Lord. That "pressing on" happens at times we think are inconvenient. When He calls you to put down whatever you're doing and just draw near to Him. In the the morning in the silence of the dawn, earlier than you'd ever want to be awake, seeking His presence until His arrival. His daily arrival. But we must obey Him. That little tug at your soul--- "Come sit with Me a while and seek me. Let me reveal Myself to You. Press on to know Me.". That tug is His Spirit and those seemingly inconvenient times are opportunities to obey and to be led by the Spirit. He wants to reveal Himself to you. Press on. 


P.S. --- If you haven't read Hosea, do. I read it for the first time about a month ago waiting at the doctor's office (random...) and it blessed me so much. So much symbolism in the relationship between Hosea and Gomer. Oh, I do love me some symbolism. 

- the good portion -

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42

I am such a Martha. I'm the one cleaning up. The one trying to impress everyone with how perfect my life looks from the outside. I want people to like me. And for some reason in my mind that translates to perfection. Outfits. Decorating my room. My car being perfectly clean all the time. My handwriting being "cute". Instagram likes. Retweets. I am anxious and troubled about many things. 

This morning the Lord pointed me to this little story about Mary and Martha. When God put this in the Bible, He knew it would be convicting for so many women. I think it resonates so much with us because so many of us are chronic Marthas. We feel like we have to do everything and do it perfectly. But all that is required of us is to come near to Jesus. He tells OCD Martha that only one thing is necessary.

nec·es·sar·y

absolutely needed; required to be done, achieved, or present; essential.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His teaching is absolutely needed. It is required to be done. It is essential. Everything else falls away but Jesus and He holds us to a standard of grace, not perfection. He loves us on our worst days. He accepts us, not because of anything we do to impress Him, but because that's just how He is. He is love.

-branching out-

I've always been an introvert. And that probably isn't going to change anytime soon. God crafted my personality perfectly to fit His purposes and goals for my life. But, lately He's been revealing to me His heart when it comes to relationships and community. 

First of all, prayer is so powerful. Every time I've prayed over a time I would be with people who I know God is calling me toward, He has been so faithful to answer my prayer. My eyes have been opened in the past months to see what friendship truly is. Friendship is to encourage, to love, to build each other up. Friendship is real conversations. In light of that truth, I've realized all the people who I claim to "know", I don't know. And I've never even noticed that until recently. Now I pray for real conversations and He answers those prayers in ways that I would never have imagined.  

Also, my own insecurity blocks off those relationships God wants to develop in my life. I always assume people don't like me. But that isn't true. It's a lie from Satan sent to hold me back from reaching out to love people who need to be loved. He has commanded and called me to love them, even if it is intimidating. Fear of rejection keeps me from having relationships that are built on Christ. That is the most encouraging and beautiful kind of friendship. The power that raised Christ from the dead is alive in me and it is strong. Own my own I can't build relationships. I don't build them, I'm not able. But the Holy Spirit is alive and moving and God can and will build those relationships. In his time and in his way. And this is where I'm just thankful for His sovereignty. He will do what He wants and what is for my good and His glory. I can trust Him. He is in control. 

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 

Philippians 2:1&2