Picture of Rest~
Two painters each painted a picture to illustrate his conception of rest. The first chose for his scene a still, lone lake among the far-off mountains.
The second threw on his canvas a thundering waterfall, with a fragile birch tree bending over the foam; and at the fork of the branch, almost wet with the fall's spray, sat a robin on its nest.
The first was only stagnation; the last was
rest.-Streams in the Desert
The moment i read this i knew it was from the heart of God to me. The past year has been that of trial after trial. I have been sick and then more sick, and basically, as a result, emptied. But this allows me to know my weakness, to be broken and in essence to be completely His. Why would being completely His be so painful? Why does it hurt in more ways than one? Because it takes absolute brokenness to be allowed and to be held in the presence of God to such great intimacy that His eyes are the only that you have the strength to know and to look into. I am in no way claiming that I have reached that point, but I have been closer than ever before in my life. I see that "apart from Him I have no good thing." (Psalm 16).
In Acts 14:22, Paul writes, "Through many tribulations, we must enter the kingdom of God." We will encounter trials. The question is, will we cling to Him in the midst, or will we withdraw and in that withdrawing sacrifice His peace, His promises, His grace to endure.
So how would I characterize this past year? It was one of endurance. It wasn't glamorous, but it was that of total surrender, of coming to the end of myself everyday, of realizing who I truly am in Christ. I'm clinging to Him. I refuse to let go.
Holding tight to grace, Kate
thank you for your past and continued prayers- it is the prayers of the saints that move the heart of God - it is those prayers that have aided me in strength, hope and endurance. Thank you-
