Psalm 51:12-13
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels (sinners), and they will return to you.
The work of God always begins with us....
If we aren't brought into the kingdom work of change in our own personal lives...then how can we tell our story to others. In fact, we don't even have a story. Maybe that is why the very last step of the Twelve Steps is the "going out to share the message with others" step.
Step #1-3 ---have peace with God
Step #4-11...have peace with myself
Step #12----Give it away.
I love the verses from Psalm 51...(correction) I love the entire chapter. King David has been uncovered because of his affair with Bathsheba. Not only that, but David had her husband killed so he could have Bathsheba for himself.
David turns back to God.....and there in the pain, embarrassment, the guilt, and the other emotional baggage that comes with being uncovered....David confesses, repents and turns back to God. But it is the way he phrased his return that always gets me.
Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation!
A complete understanding that God is the one, and the only one, who can make us right before His presence. God is the only one who can cancel sin and raise us back up to a place where we are filled with Joy. From this place of restoration, we can begin to share our story with others.
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yesterday was a kind of hallmark day for me. I drove out to Rapha for the Monday Bible study, and was in my office getting my things together, when a thought floated through my brain. Wasn't a big thought, only took a millisecond to make the trip. But it did catch my attention. "Have your class in the chapel". Huh? Have class in the chapel? But I don't like the chapel since it was gutted by the owners. It just wasn't the same as it was when we had church there on the compound on Saturday nights. "Have your class in the chapel". I walked over to the chapel, opened the door and stepped inside. It felt sterile and it echoed when you walked through the room. As I moved to the front of the room, I was flooded with memories....then God spoke. "You have memories of all the things that took place in this room....the salvation's...the teachings....the deliverance's......but did you notice you don't have any memories just about the building." He was right, I didn't. So basically what came next was a big ol' "Get over yourself, and be about my business." In fact, I came to realize that part of my hesitancy about being in the room had no basis for fact at all. It was a room. Granted a room where we saw God do a lot of cool stuff, but a room none the less.
So, yesterday, we had Bible study in the chapel at Rapha.
It was the first time I had taught a class in the chapel in over 17 months. Do you know what was wild? At the end of the class, when I began to pray over the ones who had attended, God came in power. We saw the beginning of a healing that came to one of the men. May not seem big to some, but it was confirmation that I was in the right place, doing what God wanted to be done at that time.
I guess from now on, I'll be having my Bible studies in the chapel.
Who knows what God is doing in this old/new room.
But I'm anxious to see and experience His goodness and grace.
God on you....
mbb
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