Forgetfulness of God's Faithfulness can lead to disobedience

The title of this blog was the title of the sermon I received this morning from the Pastor. It was EXACTLY what God had intended for my heart to hear. I just got to talk for but a moment with Steven this morning, and it was SO wonderful, but still SO difficult to hear his voice, and not get to be near him. After talking though, I had one of the best times with Jesus I have had yet, here in Bangalore. I don't know truly what it is, but everytime I get excited about going home to see him, God says to me, "Surrender him to me. Surrender all." It is just so difficult everytime! I think it is because when I am so focused on home, and the possibilities I have there, I am not able to fully commit myself to the work I have before me.

God prepared me before I left for India to die...Now, that might sound morbid, but only He truly knows what is ahead, and I think He was saying to me, "If you are going to be able to handle and walk in obedience to all I have called you to on this mission, you are going to have to be SO surrendered to Me that you would be willing to die for My name." I don't know truly if He is speaking of dying physically. I have had to surrender all claims to my life here on earth to Him, but I think He is more so talking about DYING TO MYSELF.

After talking to Steven this morning, though, I began thinking, "What if I really did never set foot back in the States, because God called me home before then?" Then, my heart turned to Steven and my family. I prayed that if God would call me to such a task that He would have to PROMISE to take care of them all!!...Then, I knew instantly the voice of my sweet Savior when He said to me in that moment of grief, "Do you not remember all the times I have proved faithful in your life so far?!? Do you not think that I would be able to comfort them and take care of them? Don't you know that if I was taking you home, it would only be at the time when it would create most glory for Me?!?" iam brought to one of my favorite Psalms...It is when David is struggling with sorrow in his heart, but then at the end of it he states with certainty, "But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoiuces in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for He has ben good to me." Psalm 13:5-6 So, once again, I cried out to Him, saying that I surrendered all, knowing that He is better than any such person or anything that He has blessedly ALLOWED in my life. These things that He has given me, are "on loan to me", like my mom says, to bring Him glory! My enjoyment and cherishment (I think I made that word up) of them can most CERTAINLY bring Him glory, but only when they are in their proper place, submitted to the Father!...

Wow,....talk about heavy stuff!!!...I hope this does not bring any discouragement to anyone, because more than anything, I want it to be an encouragement that Jesus is more than enough!! He is literally stripping me of EVERYTHING while I am here! Not physically, because these wonderful people are still in my life (THANK THE LORD), but He is bringing me to the place, where I know that He is better, He is worth living for, dying for, better than my words can even describe!! My prayer is that God will strip all of you in the same way, even if you ARE in America!

So, going to church this morning and hearing about how forgetfulness of God's faithfulness can lead to disobedience was just another reminder not to forget. The reading was out of Deut. 8, and oh what a blessing it was to hear of the LORD's faithfulness, and hear Him speaking over me, "I have been faithful, and will always be! Trust Me! I have gone before you, I WILL lead and guide you!"

Then, after church, I ended up meeting a wonderful woman who might be able to help me advance my career!! She was a nurse and talked to me about working and her journey to Bangalore when she was only a nursing student. She is so wise, and just a light to be around. I had met her kids the Sunday before. Then, they invited me to go to lunch with them, and our conversation about life and nursing only continued! I think her son is going to take me to the shops tomorrow (He's 10, so you don't have to worry about him trying to steal my heart, Steven! :) )! I am SO excited!! God says He will provide, and He does!! What a glorious God we serve! I know I keep saying that over and over, but the angels in Heaven, who are seeing God face to face keep saying over and over "Holy Holy Holy is the LORD God Almighty..." and that never gets old, so I don't think our praise of Him ever could get old either!...

I pray, church, that we NEVER forget the faithfulness of God, but rather it would SPUR us on to love and good deeds!