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Thursday, June 28, 2007

Time away...

I am late getting this post published for today because I am sitting on a flight heading west to a conference for several days with my husband. My children are at home being well taken care of by their grandparents. I had tried to post something last night in our hotel room, but I was having trouble with the wireless connection in our room. It was getting late so I decided to go to bed since we had an early morning flight to catch.

I have been looking forward to this time away for several weeks. We have only been gone for twenty four hours at this point and have already enjoyed the quiet moments of talking and sharing with one another. Over the next several days between meetings and other events, we hope to spend time resting, reading and reflecting on our life.

I just finished re-reading a small book by John Piper titled, “When the Darkness Will Not Lift”. The words he shares in chapter two page 35 spoke to my heart so powerfully as I sit here high above the earth looking out at the beautiful skies and the soft puffy clouds which seem to be carrying us through the air. I have pondered his words and the scripture he shares as I reflect on those places in my heart where I am waiting for the darkness to lift. So, I thought I would share them with you today:


“Then comes the king’s cry: “I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” One of the reasons God loved David so much was that he cried so much. (Have you ever been there) “I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.” (Psalm 6:6) “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” ( Psalm 56:8) Indeed they are! “Blessed are those who mourn” (yes, it says “blessed”) Matthew 5:4. It is a beautiful thing when a broken man genuinely cries out to God.

Then after the cry you wait. “I waited patiently for the LORD.” This is crucial to know: saints who cry to the Lord for deliverance from pits of darkness must learn to wait patiently for the Lord. There is no statement about how long David waited. I have known saints who walked through eight years of debilitating depression and came out into glorious light. Only God knows how long we must wait. The prophet Micah experienced prolonged and painful waiting. “I sit in darkness…until the Lord pleads my cause and…will bring me out to the light.” ( Micah 7:8-9). We can draw no deadlines for God. He hastens or he delays as he sees fit. And his timing is all-loving toward his children. Oh, that we might learn to be patient in the hour of darkness. I don’t mean that we make peace with darkness. We fight for joy. But we fight as those who are saved by grace and held by Christ.


What comfort I found in these words in confronting those places in my own life in which I am struggling in my fight for joy! I pray that they would bring comfort to you as well.


In Him...Chris

Visit Chris at her personal blog Come to the Table






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7 Comments:

Blogger Denise said...

Thanks for sharing this lovely post, bless you.

June 28, 2007 at 6:19 PM  
Blogger Darlene Schacht said...

I hope that you are having a great time. Thanks for posting--even late :) It's timely with a post on "waiting"

June 28, 2007 at 6:23 PM  
Blogger Judy said...

Chris, The insights you share seem to always touch a place where I'm in need of wisdom and encouragement! Thank you for your faithfulness in the midst of your busyness! You and your DH are truly a blessing! Have a wonderful, restful, relaxing time together! SYS!

June 28, 2007 at 7:20 PM  
Blogger Linda said...

"And His timing is all-loving toward His children." What comfort in those words. It's what makes the wait bearable - even bringing the peace we thought impossible in the darkness. We wait knowing He will do what is best for us.
Thank you for sharing this Chris. You always enrich my spirit.

June 28, 2007 at 8:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chris,

The scriptures inthis post are powerful indeed. It is the waiting that is confounding and difficult but it is in the waiting that God does His best work. Thank you

June 28, 2007 at 10:25 PM  
Blogger melanie said...

have a wonderful trip both of you!

June 28, 2007 at 10:34 PM  
Blogger Pearls of Wisdom said...

Dear Chris,

I hope you have a lovely time. I loved the scriptures you wrote. Thanks for sharing this post.

In his endless love,

Angel ( Angel Mama )

June 29, 2007 at 4:43 PM  

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