Skip to main content

Bowing The Knee

  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

            And the pendulum swings. Over the past few days, I’ve been writing about trying to live more healthfully. But one of the books I’m reading brought up the valid question of whether I’m seeking to be obedient to God and follow where He leads, or I am trying to get a grip, get my act together, and take control of my life.

            Is exercising self-control bad? No. Self-control is one of the fruit of the Spirit, but am I exercising self-control for God’s glory? Or mine? There’s a sense of “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” rolling around my mind today, and part of me wants to stamp my feet and tell God and myself to make up my mind!

            You see, it really doesn’t matter that God knows the plans He has for me. I want to know them. I want to approve them. This is a deep seated thing for me, because I’ve had people make decisions about my life without consulting me. I don’t think I can even call it a pet peeve, because it’s worse. It’s a betrayal. It’s one of the things I’ve been venting about since March. There are people who seem to think they have the right to assume the role of my parents, my masters, or my God, and they have no such right. But what happens with the one who makes the decisions without my input is my Father, my Lord, and my God?  My brain says, “That’s different,” but it doesn’t feel different. And a question I have had to answer before comes roaring back into my life: will I bow the knee? Will I say, “Not my will, but Thine be done, O Lord“?

            Yes, I will bow the knee even though I’m not sure what that is going to look like. At least, that’s my goal.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more