Series: Blessed Be
Psalm 113:3 ESV
Matthew 19:26 ESV
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV
Psalm 37:5 ESV
Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV
I am ever so grateful that I had the privilege of going to Seminary years ago.
I have to admit that when God first approached me with the idea I was not onboard.
I was in my early 50’s and I was working a full time job and a part time job at my church. I tried really hard to ignore the “nudge” but as time wore on the “call” was more than a nudge. I knew that Seminary was a very long comprehensive program. I knew the financial implications. I knew it would mean a great deal of personal sacrifice.
Because of that, I kindly asked God to let me excuse myself from going to seminary. I did the research and I preferred the idea of getting a Masters in Psychology. That would have been more conducive with my schedule.
As I sat with God the nudge did not go away. It only became stronger as time passed.
I wanted to do what God wanted but this seemed like a crazy plan!. My Spiritual Director at the time helped me to re-frame that thinking so I would be able to receive what God had for me.
In other words it wasn’t about about what God wanted me to “do”. It was about what God had for me from the context of “being” in God.
In Psalm 113:3 the writer tells us, “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!”
As I continued to open my hands and pray I came to realize that each minute of each day belongs to God through Jesus.
As an undergraduate at the University of Missouri I studied Communication. One of the courses specifically looked at communication and culture and I had some idea about how Americans view time and space. I knew Americans tend to see time as limited and linear.
At the time re-thinking my schedule seemed impossible. I kept thinking about how many hours I have in a day to study and I could not figure out how to re-structure my schedule. I was single income and was no where near retirement age.
The thought of adding such a huge commitment was much more than I could deal with. Looking back I now know the Spirit was whispering to me, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
While I continued to want to see ahead (before the fact) how it could work out I know now that God wanted me to trust.
Everywhere I turned I saw, found, or was told to trust.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Jeremiah 29:11 told me, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Psalm 37:5 instructed me to, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”
In Jeremiah 17:7-8 the prophet wrote about the impossibility of life reminding me that even though it seemed like there was no way I could make time to add Seminary to my schedule, if God wanted me to go to Seminary I needed to trust God.
The scripture says: ““Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream,and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green,and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
And so, I applied.
A Master of Divinity degree is 144 hours.
I completed the program in 7 years.
It was impossible.
God commanded it.
God was IN it.
God made every day possible.
In addition to that, through the whole process God miraculously gave me joy.
I’m not saying it was easy. I’m saying it was an incredible wonderful roller coaster ride.
I loved every minute of it!
What I totally did not expect is that it changed how I think. It changed my view of life and God and love and joy. When the heat came (in terms of Jeremiah 17:7-8) and it DID come during Hebrew II as I studied a Hebrew Grammar, I felt like I was at my wits-end and there was no way I could ever finish with a passing grade, but somehow I did pass. Then the sky opened up in Hebrew III and I saw glimpses of light. The miracle came in Hebrew IV from an older experienced professor who gave Biblical Hebrew life. He made everything make sense.
Because God chose, God called, and God stuck with me, God worked everything out.
So, here’s my question for you…what impossible thing is God calling YOU to? The only real question you need to ask is will you say yes to God?
Spiritual Practice: Say Yes
Even if you do not understand why or how or when, all you really need to do is continue to say YES to God.
In God, Deborah
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