Reading through a Bible Study book this morning and the author had written this Psalm.
It's Sunday morning. I'm home with a sick kiddo. So many people who attend our church are out of town or sick this morning. We have visitors coming and my pride is stirring deep in my soul. Fears that they will walk in and not see many people and leave to never return haunt me.
Lest you think I'm overly dramatic, let me also state: The hubs has worked hard on his sermon this morning. Hours of labored studying late into the night each night after his full time job and I'm feeling distraught at the fact he has prepared this beautiful sermon for only a handful of people.
Now, do I know there will only be a handful of people for sure? Nope, I don't. But in my flesh... I am certain nobody is going to be at church this morning. I am lamenting and frustrated that I cannot even go myself! Nevertheless, I send my sweet husband and precious healthy children off to church while I wave goodbye listening to the sick child call for me once more.
Afterwards, I sit down to read some of my already mentioned book and read that Psalm. Oh how the Lord loves to correct us in our sinfulness. I love to be corrected by Him. (Weird.. I know.) Although it is often painful and not a fun process.. I love that it brings me back into the fold of His arms and His strength and makes me relinquish my own will.
So I read this Psalm from above and the Lord spoke truth over me...
He is our portion! He is *my* portion. When my desires or plans don't prosper. When my perceptions & ideas fail. My portion is Him! Forever! He is my strength when I feel disappointed. The hubs pastors this church and I serve this church (we both so dearly love & cherish) for Him and Him alone! Not for anyone else.
So I prayed for revival this morning within our church. My prayer is the Lord will strip away all the preconceived notions that I have (which I think He did that already, don't you?) Because it's not about our songs/music. It's not about special readings. It's not about sound boards or nursery workers. It's not about how many people are in those pews to warm them today. It's only about Jesus!
As I felt the same stir of feelings earlier this summer on my way to a breakfast I had planned for our church ladies, then the Lord showed me the same thing. It's not about the food, the people, the visitors, etc. It's about Me, He says. So I prayed for the Lord to strip it all away and make it about Him! Oh He is SOO good, because He did that! We had an amazing prayer service (which I had not planned) and even a woman was saved!! How great and how good the Father's love is for us!
Ephesians 3:20 says He will go exceedingly beyond our wildest dreams...
"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Then I sat down and began reading the book of Mark and was blessed by something I hadn't noticed before. Mark 3:7-8.
7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him.
Have you ever read these verses and passed them over? Holy smokes... these places listed were no where NEAR the Sea of Galilee! (In chapter 2 He was stated to be in Capernaum, right on the edge of the Sea of Galilee, so we know that's what sea they're referring to in Chapter 3. Plus, my commentary says so too!)
People coming from Idumea... Isn't that nuts? They were walking or on camels/donkeys too, ya'll. Let me just say... they weren't on airplanes! All the way to see Jesus! Whether they wanted healing or to just check Him out. Some were scribes who wanted to find fault with Him. Nonetheless, He preached the truth. He healed. He saved. He comforted. He loved. He called. He equipped. He served.
He did what the Father sent Him to do and because He did, then his ministry was fruitful! People came from all over to be apart of His ministry!
So the Lord showed me... even though we are a small little church in a country setting surrounded by corn.. if we do His ministry with Him in mind (and not ourselves) then He will be fruitful to multiply us... if (and when) He so chooses. Location cannot stop Him!
Everything else may fail, but He is our portion! He is our strength! Truly... we desire nothing on this earth but Him being glorified. It is only, ever, all about Jesus!
