Missing Out

I have been sick with the flu over the last week and it has not been fun. I traveled to Baton Rouge with my family for my nephew Truett’s 1st birthday, in hopes that today would prove a better day and tomorrow I could enjoy our family celebration for him. Unfortunately, that did not happen. My fever was relentless and I hardly left my bed. So, my video camera is taking the trip over to the big birthday bash tomorrow and I will have to enjoy it via video. I cannot believe he is a year old already. And I can’t believe I am going to miss his birthday party. He took his first steps a few days ago and I was so hoping to see him walk! I hate that I am missing out but I am grateful that he will be too young to remember that I wasn’t there.

As I was laying in my bed feeling sorry for myself and what I’ll be missing it did occur to me that while that is my story of missing out on an experience with my nephew, this could be the story of so many people missing out on their experience with God. Perhaps they don’t have the flu, but are sick with the disease of sin. They want to be part of something great and significant and wonderful but are missing out on what God has in mind because they are confined to their old thoughts, addictions, and desires. I believe there are so many “parties” God has planned to celebrate the Great and Mighty works that He wants to do, but we miss out. While I am praying and believing for my health, that is not necessary for sin. We don’t have to wait for it to run its course or do enough works or self help and hope we can get better. We have the blood of Jesus that instantly takes the sickness of our old sinful nature and makes us a new Creature in Him. We don’t have to miss out on any parties, or any “new moves” that He is bringing about on the earth! And the good part is, while God is certainly “old enough” to remember what we missed out on, He chooses not to! He is just excited when we do show up!

On Whose Behalf?

I am making my way through the book of Genesis and it is taking me awhile because I keep getting caught on different stories and the wonderful truth they reveal about our God! This latest one is the story of Abraham pleading with the Lord not to destroy the righteous with the wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-33). It caught my attention that while it says the outcry of wickedness was so strong from the city and the Lord was ready to pour His wrath out upon it, He was ready at Abraham’s first request of 50 people, He was willing to spare the entire city on behalf of those who were righteous. Abraham whittled the number down, eventually to 10, and still the Lord was willing to spare the entire city on their behalf. It was clearly the desire of God not to destroy them but to save them. The problem was that He is a Holy God and cannot ignore sin. God forgives sin, He will never embrace it. Even then, under the Old Covenant He was willing to show mercy and grace because His desire has always been for our freedom. The Bible states that it is His desire that none should perish. I could not help but think, as I read this account, that this same story is lived by many today. While perhaps God is not “destroying” people today like He did then, maybe God spares the wicked rebellious child in other ways on behalf of the righteous praying parents. Maybe it is the few godly students in the youth group that allows the Holy Spirit to show up rather than withholding His presence.

I just wonder if we were to honestly evaluate our lives can we say He would be able to spare others on our behalf?

A New Season

I have not posted a blog since September, though I have tried to sit down and write a few times. I am in a very different season of life than I expected to be in but I actually am incredibly grateful for that. My last post refers to a wedding, a move and a new ministry. None of those are in the picture now. I called off the wedding a little under a month away and with that decision I left Springfield and the ministry there and moved back to Hot Springs. Bottom line is we were not right for each other. I am grateful it was realized before the wedding and not after. So this new year and new decade were entered very differently than I had anticipated, but I am so full of hope! I took some time to slow myself down and pray and seek the Lord on what next step to take. I have moved into a wonderful little apartment, started serving in our church’s youth group again, connected with some wonderful new friends, started a business that I believe will be the financial means to having the freedom to be available to do many things that are in my heart, and have a few travel plans in the works! I have a new nephew on the way and cannot wait to welcome little Graham Taylor Wilson into the world in May! My other nephew Truett Jackson Wilson will be 1 this Friday and I cannot believe how fast he is growing! I am heading down for his birthday celebration next weekend!!!! That is a small recap on where I am in life now. I must say it is not often that I don’t have a 5 step plan and a very certain goal in mind, but I truly am in a place right now where I am evaluating and waiting. I am learning to love being able to say each day to God, “Father, what is it you want to do today?” and have the freedom to do it!