I’ve missed blogging!!!
So I’m taking a moment to procrastinate from schoolwork to catch up on the blogging I’ve been procrastinating on… things even out, it’s ok ;)
Sometimes, and depending on how “fast” life is flowing at the moment, a mere day or two without being still in my Father’s sweet presence leaves me feeling – y’all it’s the strangest feeling – pure out of body, absent!
A night or two ago “it” hit me after dinner, the most uncomfortable feeling like life was going on around me and I was not part of living. Then suddenly I realized it had been, what, two…three… days since I’d set apart time with Him???
That same night I was also slammed with the realization that…well, I’d withdrawn. From everything – friends, family, the Lord. Me of all people (who thinks, feels, LIVES like 100 mph) had taken an uncomfortable step back from everything.
It was initially protective. Gran had died. The day finals began. Feelings were in overload. I had to turn them OFF. And off and off and off and off. For two long, miserable weeks. “If I can make it until break then I can process…”
Break came (a glorious break, mind you), but the processing did not.
What finally, finally hit me was the sudden “fish out of water”, gasp-y need to be still with the Lord. To hurt, feel, be vulnerable – all that icky/painful stuff… And it hurt so good.
“It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Thy statutes.” Psalm 119:71
But right now I’m REALLY excited to share an incredibly simple “trick” that has assisted my Scripture memory by leaps and bounds. It’s not spanking-new or genius and some of you may have seen it already. It’s just… amazingly effective.
The Lord had convicted me a few weeks ago about my mediocre efforts at HIDING Scripture in my heart. I had shared a post or two ago about how I had been keeping the verses I was working on in a teeny journal that I could take with me wherever I went.
Here is where the “new” part comes into play. After writing the verses down in the journal and meditating on them for a few minutes, I would write down the first letter of each word that was in the verse on a tiny note card. Like this:
Hilarious-looking, I know… But simply having the first letter is just enough “memory prompt” and just enough “memory recall.” It's PERFECT!
Whole passages were able to be “tucked away” inside in a day or two! It was so BEAUTIFUL! I was so EXCITED!
Here was the passage I did last weekend (it’s long, but pay attention to each word!)
“Let love be without hypocrisy.
Abhor what is evil; Cling to what is good.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love;
Give preference to one another in honor;
Not lagging behind in diligence, Fervent in spirit, Serving the Lord;
Rejoicing in hope, Persevering in tribulation, Devoted to prayer,
Contributing to the needs of the saints, Practicing hospitality;
Bless those who persecute you; Bless and curse not.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, And weep with those who weep.
Be of the same mind toward one another;
Do not be haughty in mind, But associate with the lowly.
Do not be wise in your own estimation.
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.
Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
Never take your own revenge, beloved,
But leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written,
‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.
‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him,
And if he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.’
Do not be overcome by evil,
But overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:9-21
I can’t quite put it into words well enough what it feels like having Scripture like that hidden in my heart.
“May Thy compassion come to me that I may live, for Thy law is my delight.
I will never forget Thy precepts, for by them Thou hast revived me.
Thy testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul observes them.
The unfolding of Thy words gives light…”
Psalm 119:77, 93, 129, 130
Or for that matter, I feel like I can’t even put into words well enough what it feels like knowing Who my Lord is – and knowing He knows ME.
“‘Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;
and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”
Ezekiel 36:26, 27
That Scripture puts it perfectly. It’s like I felt alive the first time I met Him, and like I only feel alive through Him and His Word.
Ohhh, I’ll put this out there too (and give you the benefit of the doubt that you weren’t thinking this anyway…) My relationship with the Lord –
Is. Not. A. Crutch.
It’s like what Shelly Moore sings on ‘Whisper’:
“If left to our own choosing
We’d worship our own ways.
Pennies in our pockets
Would lead us to our grave.”
Romans 12: 9-21. The passage I memorized and shared earlier. If my faith was a personal, pleasing “crutch” – believe you me – that passage would absolutely say the
complete opposite.
But God knows me. And through Him, I know me. And God knows – I desperately need Scripture like Romans 12:9-21.
DESPERATELY.
“Not only do we not know God except through Jesus Christ;
We do not even know ourselves except through Jesus Christ.”
- Blaise Pascal
Please email or Facebook message me if you need to talk. About this. About Him. About Scripture. Anything. I love hearing from you guys (yes you!) even if I don’t know you that well. I’m always here to listen or lift up things with you to my Lord.
Now off to bed, because if there is one thing I consistently don’t procrastinate from = it’s SLEEP!!!
Blessings - Katie
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