Chosen

“If God is pleased with me, why I am I so terrified?”

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I’m sharing a piece I wrote years ago that still feels just as meaningful today.

Have you ever been chosen to do something that seemed impossible? You know that you have been living your life to please God in every way. Yet, this circumstance seems unplanned and difficult, even if it is something good.  How did you feel? Perhaps, you felt uncertain or even “terrified”?

“The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God.” 

-Luke 1:28-35 NIV

The song, Be Born In Me by Francesca Battistelli, expresses some the emotions Mary may have felt, when she found out she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Can you even imagine how she felt? Luke 1: 29 says, “she was greatly troubled.” Initially, she must have felt terrified to see an angel appear and speak to her. The angel told her things, that seemed impossible. She must have also felt frightened. She must have thought about the severe punishment of those days for a woman who conceived a child without being married. Here she was: a girl engaged to be married. And, now all of these plans might change. But, at the same time she must have felt beyond honored and incredibly blessed to be chosen to be the mother the Son of God. At the same time, imagine the great responsibility she must have felt.  In Luke 1:46-50 NIV, “… Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,for the Mighty One has done great things for me holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. “ – Luke 1:46-50 NIV

She must have wondered why God would choose her of all of the other women in the world. In a similar way, we wonder why God would choose to love us. We don’t deserve  His great love. Yet, God sent a King, His only Son, Jesus Christ to earth to pay the ransom for our sins, so that we could spend eternity with Him in heaven. And, all that God ask of us are willing hearts. Will you let the love of Jesus Christ be born in you?

Think about the lyrics to the song, Be Born In Me by Francesca Battistelli:

  “Everything inside me cries for order
Everything inside me wants to hide
Is this shadow an angel or a warrior?
If God is pleased with me, why am I so terrified?
Someone tell me I am only dreaming
Somehow help me see with Heaven’s eyes
And before my head agrees, my heart is on it’s knees
Holy is He. Blessed am I…

All this time we’ve waited for the promise
All this time You’ve waited for my arms
Did You wrap yourself inside the unexpected
So we might know that Love would go that far?…

I am not brave
I’ll never be
The only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy
I’m just a girl
Nothing more
But I am willing, I am Yours

Be born in me, be born in me
I’ll hold you in the beginning, You will hold me in the end
Every moment in the middle, make my heart your Bethlehem
Be born in me”

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us (while we were still sinners) so much that you were willing to humble Yourself by coming down from your throne in heaven to be born in a stable and to make the ultimate sacrifice for us. Please give us willing hearts. Make our hearts Your Bethlehem. May your love be born in us. Amen.

Breaking the Bottle

As we journey through the holy week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, I’d like take a moment to reflect on one of the events leading up to His ultimate sacrifice and its significance.

Recently, I heard a beautiful song by Steffany Gretzinger and Tiffany Hudson named “Break The Bottle.”  

*”I’m going to break the bottle

I’m going to pour it all out

I don’t waste what’s spent on You

Even if they call me crazy

You’re the One who saved me

I’ll never waste what’s spent on You…

Pour me out like water

Pour me out like oil

There is not another

So worthy of it all”*

The moment I heard the lyrics, I was reminded of Mary (the sister of Lazarus and Martha) and her beautiful, extravagant act of worship—just a couple of days before the Last Supper and three days before the world would witness the most selfless act of love.

“Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

— John 12:3 GNT

Mary’s act wasn’t just about perfume. It was about value, devotion, sacrifice, and worship. In that moment, she symbolized what Jesus would soon do for all of humanity—be broken and poured out. And just as her gift filled the house with fragrance, Christ’s sacrifice would fill the world with the fragrance of redeeming love.

“Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, for Christ’s love for you was like sweet perfume to him.”

— Ephesians 5:2 TLB

It’s a powerful image: Christ’s love being like a sweet perfume to God. And now, Jesus calls us to follow His example. We are called to live lives so full of worship, surrender, and love that we, too, become a fragrant offering. May our lives reflect this sweet fragrance. May our acts of love, compassion, and surrender—no matter how costly—be poured out for His glory.

“But thanks be to God! For in union with Christ we are always led by God as prisoners in Christ’s victory procession. God uses us to make the knowledge about Christ spread everywhere like a sweet fragrance.”

— 2 Corinthians 2:14 GNT

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your beautiful sacrifice of love. Please give us Your Spirit of worship that overflows into our lives in a way so that we are broken and spilled out for Your glory, as a beautiful fragrance of love. Amen.

Immanuel: God is with us

Fir trees are laced with lights, tinsel, and ornaments. Lamp posts are garbed with garland and holly. Gift wrapped packages are everywhere. The music playing in stores yells “it’s the most wonderful time of year.”   

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You look around. You don’t feel very merry. The Christmas lights aren’t all that bright and the warmth of holidays just isn’t there. Maybe you are going through a difficult and dark time in your life. I don’t know what you are facing. If you are experiencing great loss, grief, pain, illness, brokenheartedness, sorrow, disappointment, depression, anxiety, stress, emptiness, fear, confusion, brokenness, family problems, work problems, deadlines, or financial hardships; then it’s okay to feel not okay. 

It’s okay if you don’t welcome the Christmas festivities. Trees, presents, and holiday foods are nice; but they are not the reason Jesus came. As the prophet, Isaiah, prophesied in the book of Isaiah, Christ came to be to “bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,”

 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,” 

– Isaiah 61:1 NIV 

 Christ came so we wouldn’t have to face the pains of this world alone.  

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”  

– Isaiah 7:14 NLT 

The same Savior, that came over two thousand years ago, is still with us; comforting our broken hearts, freeing us from bondage, and being a light to us in our darkest moments. In Matthew 28, Jesus promises to be with us always. “ … And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:20 NLT 

“Emmanuel
He is still with us
We’re not alone
Here within His love
Emmanuel
He is still with us…

 Mercy is falling, falling
Lift up your hands receive it now
Here in the presence of the Lord…

Be still and know He’s in control
Here in the presence of the Lord…

Pour out your heart before Him
Open your arms He’ll hold you now
Here in the presence of the Lord..

Emmanuel
He is still with us
We’re not alone
Here within His love”

-Lyrics to Here in the Presence by Elevation Worship

  

Dear Lord Jesus, our Savior and King, we thank You for coming to earth to not only save us, but also to be with us no matter what hardships or pains we are experiencing. When our faith is dwindling and our hope seems lost, please remind us that You are still with us. You are our strong refuge and our light in the darkness. You are our comfort in depths of our pain and our anchor in the storm. Your are our warmth on the coldest of nights. You are our healer and our protector. You are our loving Father and our Prince of Peace. Please make us more aware of Your beautiful presence. Please embrace us with Your infinite love and surround us with Your all surpassing peace this Christmas and always. Amen.  

 

* Emmanuel is the Romanized version of the word “Immanuel.”

Luz en Tinieblas

“Milagroso

 abres camino

 Cumples promesas

Luz en tinieblas

Mi Dios así eres tu…”

Este es un extracto de la letra de la canción, “Way Maker,” escrito por Osinachi Okoro. Me encanta esta canción. Nos recuerda de la fidelidad de Dios.

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 “Por la fe, Sara misma recibió fuerzas para concebir, aunque era estéril, y dio a luz, aun cuando por su edad se le había pasado el tiempo, porque creyó que era fiel quien le había hecho la promesa. Por eso también, de un solo hombre, que ya estaba casi muerto, llegó a tener una multitud de descendientes, tan numerosos como las estrellas del cielo y tan incontables como la arena que está a la orilla del mar.”

-Hebreos 11: 11-12 RVC

En Génesis 12, Dios hizo una promesa a Abraham y a Sara por medio de Abraham. “Pero Jehová había dicho a Abram: Vete de tu tierra y de tu parentela, y de la casa de tu padre, a la tierra que te mostraré. Y haré de ti una nación grande, y te bendeciré, y engrandeceré tu nombre, y serás bendición.”-Génesis 12: 1-2 RVR 1960 Años después, Dios confirmó Su promesa a Sara. Cuando esto sucedió, Sarah se rió con dudas. Génesis 18: 13-14 RVR 1960 dice: “Entonces Jehová dijo a Abraham: ¿Por qué se ha reído Sara diciendo: ¿Será cierto que he de dar a luz siendo ya vieja? ¿Hay para Dios alguna cosa difícil? Al tiempo señalado volveré a ti, y según el tiempo de la vida, Sara tendrá un hijo.” Aunque Sarah se rió con dudas, Dios aún cumplió Su promesa a ella y a Abraham. Como Sara, a veces luchamos con la duda.

Dios sigue siendo fiel!

No importa lo que pensemos o sintamos,

Dios sigue siendo fiel!

¡No importa cuáles sean las circunstancias,

 Dios sigue siendo fiel!

“Mantengamos firme, sin fluctuar, la profesión de nuestra esperanza, porque fiel es el que prometió.”

– Hebreos 10:23 RVR 1960

Si Dios fue fiel en su mayor promesa: hacer un camino para que recibamos la salvación a través de su Hijo, Jesucristo, podemos estar seguros de que cumplirá el resto de sus promesas.

Querido Señor Jesucristo, gracias por cumplir siempre Tus promesas. En medio de nuestras dudas, por favor ayúdanos a tener fe en ti y en tu fidelidad. Amén.

 

Publicado en 15 de noviembre de 2019

Posted in English on November 15, 2019

Click on the date to read this post in English.

Promise Keeper

“Way maker
Miracle worker
Promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God
That is who you are…”

This is an excerpt of the lyrics from the song, “Way Maker,” by Osinachi Okoro. I love this song. It reminds us of God’s faithfulness.

I for blog sarah MG-0047.JPG“And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.”
‭‭-Hebrews‬ ‭11:11-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In Genesis 12, God made a promise to Abraham and to Sarah through Abraham.
“The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” -Genesis‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Years later, God confirmed His promise to Sarah. When this happened, Sarah laughed in doubt. Genesis‬ ‭18:13-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬ says, “Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”” Even though Sarah laughed in doubt, God still kept His promise to her and Abraham. Like Sarah, sometimes we struggle with doubt.

God is still faithful!

No matter what we think or feel,

God is still faithful!

No matter what the circumstances are,

 God is still faithful!

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who

 promised is faithful.”

‭- Hebrews‬ ‭10:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

If God was faithful in His greatest promise: to make a way for us to receive Salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, then we can be confident that He will keep the rest of His promises.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for always keeping Your promises. In the midst of our doubts, please help us to have faith in You and Your faithfulness. Amen.

Will You Walk through the Fog?

“I have no words to say

Don’t know what I should pray

God, I need You

God, I need You

Oh Lord, my faith is tired

And tears fill up my eyes

But I will trust You, I will trust You”   

– lyrics to “Amen” by I Am They

Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever been afraid to trust in God or have faith in Him and His will for your life? Is your faith tired? Is your faith worn out? Do you have faith in God’s promises? Do you truly believe God keeps all of His promises written in the Bible? Do you have faith that God will never leave you or forsake you? Or does having faith seem difficult when walking through the fog? Have you felt let down in life? Do you feel like your hope is fading?  Do you still believe the promises of the Bible are not for you? Do you find it challenging to have faith at this moment in your life? 

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“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”  

– 2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV

God’s Word is filled with promises for us. I will only list a few:

  • Eternal life (read 1 John 2:25)
  • Christs’ return for us (read John 14: 1-3)
  • A heavenly home (read John 14: 1-3)
  • Spiritual blessings (read Ephesians 1:3)  
  • A new life in Christ (read 2 Corinthians 5:17)
  • Abundant life (read John 10:10)
  • Provisions (read Philippians 4:9)    
  • Comfort in trials (read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
  • Rest (read Matthew 11:28-30)
  • Peace (read Philippians 4:6-7)
  • Strength (read Isaiah 40:28-31)
  • Power of the Holy Spirit (read Acts 17:6)

2 Corinthians 1:2 tells us that all of God’s promises to us are answered “yes” in Christ. It is by the power of Jesus Christ, our Savior, and by his death and resurrection that we are answered “yes” to all of God’s promises.    

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Hebrews 1:3 NIV says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word…” John 16:33 NIV says,“….In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We can confidently walk through the fog knowing Jesus Christ sustains “all things by his powerful word.” No matter impossible the situation may seem, we can have faith in Christ, knowing that He is in control and that our victory in is in Him.

“Deep within my heart, I know You’ve won

I know You’ve overcome

And even in the dark, when I’m undone

I still believe it

I live by faith, and not by sight  

Sometimes miracles take time….

You’re faithful every day

Your promises remain

You’re faithful every day

Your promises remain”  

– lyrics to “While I Wait” by Lincoln Brewster

Dear Lord Jesus, thank for Your faithfulness. Thank you for being faithful to fulfill God’s promises in our lives. Please help us to have more faith as we walk through the fog. Whatever comes our way, please help us to be able to sing “Amen, let your kingdom come, Amen, let your will be done.” Amen.

When You Are Waiting for an Answer?

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“I live by faith, and not by sight

Sometimes miracles take time

While I wait, I will worship

Lord, I’ll worship Your name

While I wait, I will trust You

Lord, I’ll trust You all the same

You’re faithful every day”  

( lyrics to “While I Wait” by Lincoln Brewster)

Do you know what it’s like to hope for something with all of your heart? Do you know this feeling? Have you cried out to God asking for a request? In Psalm 27:7 NIV, the psalmist cries out to God, “Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.” What can we learn from the Psalmist? If you read the entire chapter of Psalm 27, you learn that the Psalmist faces many of the same enemies we face today. He faces fear and uncertainty. He knows that he could be harmed, abandoned, or take the wrong path. Instead of becoming overwhelmed and giving up, he chooses to focus on worshipping God. Psalm 27:4 says, “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” Psalm 27:6 says, “Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.” In the midst of uncertainty, the Psalmist found the faith necessary to trust in God and His promises. Psalm 27: 13-14 NIV says, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:13-14 NIV  In the same way, we can be confident in God’s faithfulness knowing that God is with us and God is guiding us even when we can’t see where we are walking. We can be confident that God is working in the midst of our worship.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about 

what we do not see.”   

– Hebrews 11:1 NIV

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your great faithfulness. Please help us to worship You as we wait for Your answers. Please help us to place our confidence in You and You alone. Amen.

¿Cuando te Sientes Roto?

“El sana a los quebrantados de corazón, Y venda sus heridas.”

-Salmo 147: 3 RVR 1960 

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¿Alguna vez te has sentido demasiado roto o te has caído demasiadas veces? ¿Te has sentido demasiado roto para Dios? En Isaías 57: 18-19, el Señor dice que Él sanará a los israelitas, a pesar de sus caminos. “He visto sus caminos; pero le sanaré, y le pastorearé, y le daré consuelo a él y a sus enlutados; produciré fruto de labios: Paz, paz al que está lejos y al cercano, dijo Jehová; y lo sanaré.” Isaías 57: 18-19 RVR 1960  Proverbios 24:16 RVR 1960 dice, “Porque siete veces cae el justo, y vuelve a levantarse…” Tal vez, sientes como los dolores de este mundo han sido demasiado pesados ​​para soportar solo. Solo recuerda que no estás solo. Dios no te ha abandonado. Romanos 8 nos recuerda que nada nos puede separar del amor de Dios. “Por lo cual estoy seguro de que ni la muerte, ni la vida, ni ángeles, ni principados, ni potestades, ni lo presente, ni lo por venir, ni lo alto, ni lo profundo, ni ninguna otra cosa creada nos podrá separar del amor de Dios, que es en Cristo Jesús Señor nuestro.”-Romanos 8: 38-39 RVR 1960 Pero, ¿tal vez sientes que alguien te ha lastimado o te ha roto al punto, donde ya no puedes ser reparado? Tal vez, esta persona te ha lastimado tanto, ¿que sientes que no puedes perdonarlo? Y, puedes sentir que no merecen tu perdón. Tal vez, has elegido castigarlos al no perdonarlos. Desafortunadamente, al no perdonarlos, les está permitiendo que ellos to continuamente lastimen en perpetum. Al no perdonarlos, te estás alejando del proceso de curación. Varias veces en la Biblia, se nos instruye a perdonar a los demás, así como Dios nos perdonó (Lea: Colosenses 3:13, Mateo 6: 14-15, Efesios 4: 31-32, Marcos 11:25). Incluso si ya no puedes hablar con la persona, quien te hizo daño, igual puedes perdonarlo/la. Hoy, te animo a soltar las heridas del pasado y seguir adelante sabiendo que el Dios del perdón está allí para consolarte, sanarte, enmendarte y darte paz. La palabra de Dios nos dice que, “Cercano está Jehová a los quebrantados de corazón;Y salva a los contritos de espíritu.”-Salmo 34: 18 RVR 1960 La canción llamada Mended (abajo), de Matthew West, describe cómo Dios nos ve, incluso cuando nos vemos como demasiados heridos, rotos o demasiado dañados para ser reparados.     

“Cuando ves roto más allá de la reparación, veo la curación más allá de la creencia. Cuando ves demasiado lejos, veo un paso fuera de casa.

¿Cuántas veces puede un corazón romperse?

Nunca se suponía que fuera así.

Mírate en el espejo, pero encuentras a alguien que nunca pensaste que serías.

Oh, pero aún puedo reconocer.

Aquel a quien amo en tus ojos manchados de lágrimas,

sé que es posible que no lo veas ahora, así que levanta tus ojos hacia mí …

Ves tu peor error

Pero veo el precio que pagué

Y no hay nada que puedas hacer, perder lo que la gracia ha ganado

Así que espera, no es el final

No, aquí es donde comienza el trabajo del amor Estoy haciendo todas las cosas nuevas

Y Haré un milagro de ti …

Veo a mi hijo, mi amado

La nueva creación en la que te estás convirtiendo Tú ves las cicatrices de cuando te caíste Pero veo las historias que dirán

Que ves que no valen nada, no veo valor. Ves dolor, pero Veo un propósito que ves indigno, inmerecedor Pero te veo a través de los ojos de misericordia

Cuando ves roto más allá de la reparación Veo curación más allá de la creencia No estás muy lejos Estás a un paso de tu hogar

Cuando ves nada más que bienes dañados Veo algo bueno en la fabricación Aún no he terminado, no

Cuando ves herido, veo reparado

Ooh, Veo arreglado

Woah, oh veo arreglado

No he terminado todavía

Cuando ves herido, veo remendado “

Querido Señor Jesucristo, por favor, ayúdanos a recordar que cuando nos sentimos rotos estás siempre allí para recoger las piezas y enmendarnos. Amén.

Publicado en Ingles el 12 de julio de 2017

Published in English on July 12, 2017

Are You Looking for Freedom?

Have you ever felt like something was holding you back? Have you ever felt like something was keeping you from reaching your destiny? Maybe you feel like a prisoner to bad habits or poor decisions?  Maybe you feel too broken to become whole again? Maybe you feel chained by pain, anger, bitterness, resentment, or past sins? Maybe you feel shackled by fears of failure and disappointment? 

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Two weeks ago, we had Vacation Bible School at my church. John 3:1a was one of the memory verses for the children.

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I love this verse because it reminds us of our God’s great love for us and of our true identity in Jesus Christ. God never meant for us to live like prisoners to fear, resentment, or past regrets.  John 1:12-14 NIV says “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” It is by God’s grace and mercy that we are freed from our past and the identity the world tries to give us. In Christ, we can find our true identity: the beautiful person God meant us to be.  John 8:32 says, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice on the cross so we could be freed from sin and hurts of this world.

“So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”  

Galatians 4:7 NIV     

Think about the lyrics to the song, “You found me,” by Switchfoot. 

“When I found healing for my wounded heart
I found mercy in Your open arms
I found freedom when You set me free
I found myself when You found me…
When You found me, I was lurking in darkness
When You found me,
When You found me, I was turning away
When You found me,
When You found me
When I finally found my redemption
You found me and You made me whole
Yeah, I didn’t know that I’ve been missing
‘Til You found me
When You found me”

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that You were willing to send Your only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to pay the ultimate price on the cross to redeem us from our sins. Thank You for the gift of salvation, freedom, and love we find in You. Amen.

 

 

¿Cómo Orar Cuando la Vida no Tiene Sentido? (Parte 2)

Y sabemos que a los que aman a Dios, todas las cosas les ayudan a bien, esto es, a los que conforme a su propósito son llamados.”  

-Romanos 8:28 RVR 1960   

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Si elegimos y oramos para vivir en la voluntad de Dios , debemos entender que a veces Dios nos permite luchar y sufrir no solo para cambiarnos, sino también para prepararnos para sus planes futuros. En Mateo 26: 36-42 (Refiérase a la Parte 1 de Cómo orar cuando la vida no tiene sentido [Parte 1]), Jesucristo fue con sus discípulos al Getsemaní a orar. Jesucristo sabía que era la voluntad de Dios dar su vida para pagar la deuda por nuestros pecados. Jesús oro “… Padre mío, si es posible, pase de mí esta copa; pero no sea como yo quiero, sino como tú.” -Mateo 26:39 RVR 1960 Cuando Jesucristo oró esta oración, esperó el mayor dolor y sufrimiento que jamás haya existido, la crucifixión (el sacrificio máximo para la humanidad). Dos veces, Jesús oró por la voluntad de Dios y no por su propia voluntad. De la misma manera, debemos orar. Las letras de una canción cantada por Hillary Scott son las siguientes: “Estoy tan confundida que sé que te escuché fuerte y claro / Entonces, la seguí / De alguna manera terminé aquí No quiero pensar / Quizás nunca lo entiendo / Que mi corazón roto es parte de tu plan / Cuando trato de orar / Todo lo que tengo se lastima y estas cuatro palabras / Hágase tu voluntad… ” Cuando oramos por la voluntad de Dios, debemos tener la actitud correcta. “Podríamos orar esta oración en una actitud de derrota. No lo dices porque lo quieres, sino porque Dios es más fuerte que tú. También puedes decirlo con amargo resentimiento y en ardiente ira hacia Dios. Sin embargo, Dios quiere que lo recemos en completo amor y confianza porque sabemos que Dios solo tiene nuestros mejores intereses en el corazón … Antes de que podamos estar en perfecta armonía con la voluntad de Dios …, debemos estar sintonizados con Su perfecta voluntad en amorosa sumisión (Solly Ozrovech, A Season of Hope, p. 14 de mayo).” 

“Justificados, pues, por la fe, tenemos paz para con Dios por medio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo; por quien también tenemos entrada por la fe a esta gracia en la cual estamos firmes, y nos gloriamos en la esperanza de la gloria de Dios. Y no sólo esto, sino que también nos gloriamos en las tribulaciones, sabiendo que la tribulación produce paciencia; y la paciencia, prueba; y la prueba, esperanza; y la esperanza no averg:uenza; porque el amor de Dios ha sido derramado en nuestros corazones por el Espíritu Santo que nos fue dado.” -Romanos 5:1-5 RVR 1960

 Romanos 5:1-5 nos recuerda que hay un propósito para el sufrimiento. El sufrimiento no solo nos da corazones más compasivos para la gente que nos rodean, sino que nos enseña a confiar más en Dios y a recordarnos la esperanza de la vida eterna que nos tenemos en Jesucristo. Así como Dios permite que la oruga lucha por sí misma para salir del capullo una mariposa, también nos permite soportar las dificultades para transformarnos en la gente, que Él predestinó a convertirnos. 

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“Las dificultades muchas veces preparan personas ordinarias para un destino extraordinario.”  

 

– C. S. Lewis

“La gente muchas veces elabora su propia agenda para Jesús y luego no esperan nada más de Él. Su trabajo se extiende mucho más allá de lo que cualquiera de nosotros podría pensar o soñar “.(Solly Ozrovech, A Season of Hope, p. 14 de mayo) Pero, tenemos que estar dispuestos a permitir que Dios nos quite nuestros planes simples y nos suplanta a los Sus planes divinos, incluso si significa sacrificar nuestros sueños y / o tomar un camino más difícil. Aquí hay más de la letra de Thy Will cantada por Hillary Scott: “Sé que eres buena / Pero esto no se siente bien en este momento / Y sé que piensas / De cosas que nunca podría pensar / Es difícil contar todo es alegría / distraído por el ruido / estoy tratando de encontrar sentido / De todas tus promesas / A veces tengo que parar / Recuerdo que eres Dios / Y no lo soy / Así / Tu se hará … Sé que me ves / Sé que me oyes, Señor / Tus planes son para mí / La bondad que tienes almacenada. Como un niño de rodillas, todo lo que viene a mí es / Hágase tu voluntad … ”

Querido Señor Jesucristo, por favor darnos corazones que son siempre dispuestos a someterse a Tu voluntad. Amén.   

Referencia: Solly Ozrovech, Una temporada de esperanza. Vereeniging: arte cristiano, impresión.

Publicado en Ingles el 31 de mayo de 2017

Published in English on  May 31, 2017

Please click on the date to read this post in English.