Am reading a blog post about a group of women reading John 21, of the disciples gone fishing, Jesus coming to find them and invite them into the new journey.
"We'll, there's the fact He asks us to trust him when it feels like we've been in a long night and caught nothing and we will trust Him, do what he says, when he asks the unconventional of us: 'Throw your net on the right side of the boat".... (Ann Voskamp)
She notices they have counted the fish, counted the blessings, seen and lived out hope and faith in the one who has given all. Even when there was no reason to continue.
I was reading James 1 yesterday like it was the first time- all of it- no sub headings. What if we carried faith like that- above and beyond the 'natural', seen, reasonable to believe for. What if we carried God's word in such a way that we got through the long night to the dawn of the next day and all it holds. Seems impossible and often relentless, but am so glad for the pockets of refreshment, and restoration, and just enough encouragement to carry on. We are gifted with glimpses of what is to come even if it is above and beyond your wildest expectations of what God might want to do in and through you, for you, or task you to go out and do.
But. What might be risked, and possible in God's revelation and abundance.......????
Whatever and whenever, it's going to be worth the wait!
James 1
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
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