The Beginning of -fullness

Job 42:2   -   I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.

I find myself in awe at the presence of His Spirit.  Sitting - alone - at my quaint painted-one-million-times hammy-down table, I feel Him.  His tender whispers to me transform my ugly flesh.  With each breath, He unveils to me my faults, my human-tendencies only to bless me with his promises - truth.

From this, now, holy place I at which I sit, I can watch His creations - birds, squirrels, the well-fed stray cats.  This old coral-painted flea market chair holds me.  The well-stained tabletop serves as my desk, dinner surface, work bench.  It's a place that only I know and a place only I would consecrate as spirit-filled.

It is here where I found a promise letter He wrote to me.  I hear Him sing the Psalm (vs. 37:4),

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

How true do I find this verse now!  I am on a new adventure - one like never before.  My soul transformation endeavor is long overdue.  I awake every morning with a new song on my heart, Oh, how I love Jesus, because He first loved me.  I am discovering that the closer I get to Him, the more like Him I try to become, the moments I seek him in the stillness, I find Him near me.  I find His Spirit driving my very existence.  The laundry seems less painful if I'm full of His hymns.  The mountain of dishes looks a little smaller with His sweet hand-written promises taped on the cabinet above.  The load of work on the job seems less exaggerated with His joy in my heart and His verses on my mind.

He is calling me.  It started with a simple resolution to be less like the world, to put a harness on my mouth and purify my heart's thoughts.

Psalm 19:14   -   Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. 

This verse has become my daily mantra.  It is plastered on my planner, on my desk at work, on my refrigerator, and even in my car.  Because I know, that unless I can walk according to His word and try my best to be less like the world, I will not be used by Him.  Through Him, I can shine.  Through Him, I can be a light to the world and only through Him.  Through Him, I can see the daily grind with His eyes, seek opportunities for sharing His mercy, love, and peace.  Through Him, I can reach the lost souls.  Through Him, I can love better.  Through Him, I can find joy, beauty, peace, wonder, abundance, hope, you name it!  Through Him, life is better.

I am on a journey to be -full.  His -fullness is the only thing that can truly overload our souls.  Not with a temporary -full, but a -FULLNESS that exceeds any worldly pleasure or ecstasizing high.  We can be forever -full.

But we must put forth an effort.

First, we must be assured of our salvation.  Salvation means deliverance from our fleshly bodies by the saving grace of His death on the cross.  If you are reading this and have never come to  know Jesus as your savior, let me promise you, it is the best decision you will ever make.  I can't let this opportunity pass by.  Allow me to share with you His love.

First, you must ADMIT that you aren't perfect.  And there are things that you've done and said that you can never take back on your own.  You must come to the realization that you are a sinner.  We all are.  The Bible says in Romans 3:23,

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Next you must BELIEVE that Jesus died on the cross for YOU!  And that He would have died on that cross just for you, regardless of everyone else.  John 3:16-17 says,

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Can we add some exclamation points to "life" and "saved"?  How exciting is that!  Jesus came to earth - sent by His Father - to die on the cross for you and I.  After being saved for 16 years, I still can not come to understand that kind of love.  I don't believe I ever will.

Lastly, you must CONFESS that Jesus Christ is Lord and proclaim your decision to those you love.  Maybe it's your family, your husband, your best friend, your pastor, your children.  This decision isn't one to be ashamed about.  It is one that can be shared with pride and courage.  It is the decision that will change your life forever.  Romans 10:9-10 shares with us this:

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

If you have just made this decision, I pray you tell someone about it.  You could even take a moment and send me a message about it.  I would love to hear your story so that I, too, can share in your excitement!

Maybe you have already assured your life with Christ.   Maybe you have been a Christian for a long time, but you're struggling to find the time for Him.  Your days drag on, yet you wake up every once in a while and realize that the years are flying by.  That your life needs more.  That your moments need to be -fuller.

Maybe you're a new believer; you're trying to figure out this whole Christ-filled life.  You need strength, wisdom, courage.  You desire to seek Him with your all, but you find it hard to let go of the person you used to be, the things you used to love.

Let's journey together!  Each and every one of us!  I am finding that in my -fullest moments I am enveloped by His love and seeing through His eyes.  I am finding joy in the mundane, beauty amongst the bland, grace covers regrets, peace during the flurries of life.  I have yet to find all the -fulls He has to offer.  I want to be filled.  I want to be beautiful, graceful, joyful, thoughtful, purposeful, truthful.  Join me in this adventure.  I promise His grace will fill you - eternally.

Lord, this is your servant Elizabeth.  I pray, God, that you will fill me with Your presence.  Allow me to see today as a blessing and provide me the opportunity to share your word.  Make me see the beauty of each moment you create.  Help me to transform my mind and purify my heart.  Keep my words from being what I want to say to what would be glorifying to You.  Thank you, Lord, for dying on that old rugged cross for me!  You are too wonderful for me to fully understand.  But thank you for always guiding me and loving me, despite my sinful ways.  Thank you, Lord.  Amen.