Christ in you....

A number of years back, ten years to be exact, I wrote a manuscript which I've thought of trying to publish. It deals with the pain I endured while going through a divorce. For a lot of reasons, I have not yet seen it as the right time to get it published. But, I believe, one day it will be the right time.

It's a story which I believe could help other people through the difficult experience of a failed marriage. And the truth is, my story is not unique as they say that 50% of marriages in America end in divorce. Each story has it's own set of circumstances. But no matter the circumstances, pain is still involved in the process. And there is pain enough to go around to all parties - and the kids as well.

One book that I read during that time spoke of the two parties as "the dumper" and "the dumped". The "dumper" is the one who does something which causes the relationship to break apart. While the "dumped" is the one who is left behind feeling  mostly like the victim. I wrote my story from the perspective of the "dumped". That's what I experienced. I was dumped.

Let me skip right to a key point in my experience. I was sitting on the front deck of my ex-sister in law's home, overlooking a pond. As the sun shone down on me I began to feel like "You're going to make it, Vern. You're going to make it through this." At that instant, I also had another idea go through my mind. The idea was a KEY, a real physical KEY. I heard the words "You hold the KEY to your healing, Vern." I guess I had been looking to my ex to bring my healing. Maybe, I expected my kids to bring me healing. But the KEY really was me. It wasn't me alone. It was me and my relationship with God. Better said -- it was God's relationship with me. After all, God is the one who initiated the work He has done in my life. I can take no credit for it.

Let me close this blog with some words that Paul wrote which I have found so comforting at many instances in my life. (Colossians 1:27)  "Christ in you, the hope of glory". Read this in its context and let me know how you're affected by it. Perhaps God will help you through some difficult days in your life. Maybe, God will bring healing to you in some way. He has me and He continues that work.

Soulish Rest

There are certain times when we go from one thing to the next at such a rapid fire pace that we may think we're losing our way. And going at such a pace can be handled, for awhile. But I've found from personal experience that it is impossible to keep up that pace for an extended period of time.

God has built us to work and to work hard. But He has also built us to have a regular schedule for not being busy, but to rest (in Him). Now I know that many people may take the time to rest by doing something that is contrary to what they do regularly. A change of pace - a change of scenery - a change of what you do. I like to ride motorcycle and sometimes need to do that just for the 'change of pace - scenery - & what I do'. But I am not totally convinced this is what God really had in mind when He had in mind REST.

Resting in God is mostly for, what I call,  soulish-rest. My body needs rest. My mind needs rest. My emotions need rest. But what about my soul needing rest? What, I believe, God had in mind when he said "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord." (Exodus 31:15), that we need soulish-rest. 

Eugene Peterson said something about rest in one of his books. When we rest at night (or whenever we rest) we ought to say something within our own head like "Okay God, I know you don't rest and so I'm going to rest in the fact that you're working night and day. I, however, cannot do that -- I'm human and you're God. So, when I get back to work, before I start I'm going to check in with you as to what You've been doing and where it is that you'd like me to jump in and work alongside." In other words, it's God's work and He never quits. And our assignment is to "rest in Him". And that ain't easy. But it certainly will give us a better way of doing things. And we will really get, what I call, the soulish-rest we need. 

Is anybody out there "TIRED".