Thursday, May 21, 2015

Chapter 19 - Update #15 - May 21, 2015



On the last night I was in Uganda, we had something happen that I have had a hard time putting into words.  Because we were going to drive by the house in the morning on the way to the airport, we did not have to do our traditional plan of saying bye for now and driving away shouting “strong and courageous.”  So we had an extended time as family just rejoicing and praising God.  After some time, we moved into a special time of prayer.  But tonight was different.  Godfrey led this time of praying by encouraging everyone to walk around the house, inside and out.  He said to pray over the house, pray for one another, pray for all of you...just spend time with Him and thank Him for all He is doing.  

I watched some go outside alone.  I watched some take the hand of another and pray together.  I watched little Jael take the hand of her daddy, Godfrey and walk with him praying to their Heavenly Father.  I watched some face the wall and cry out to God.  I saw other walk the grounds of the house outside. It was so beautiful to hear all the voices of these precious children praying to their Father in thanksgiving and praise for close to an hour.  

I went outside to pray.  As I prayed, the dark night revealed in the distance flashes of lightening.  There was no rain.  There were no sounds of thunder.  The only way that I can explain it was as if it were a fireworks show.  I marveled because there are numerous times in my time in Uganda, that when I am speaking outside, I can see lightening flashing in a distance.   We would always comment on how God was with us.   This particular night the lightening show went on for a good 15-20 minutes or more.  I stood praying and crying because I have never seen such a sight. The Lord’s presence was so powerful that it was overwhelming.  

That night we continued in prayer & praise.  We talked about the fact that this particular trip was characterized by love.  This trip was about the absolute love our Father has for us.  It was about the love I have for them as their Mum.  It was about the love they have for me as my children.  It was about the love they have for you and for those around them.  

I was so amazed when I came home to receive confirmation in a way I had not expected.  On Wednesday nights I lead a Beth Moore study called, “Breaking Free.”  That week, the chapter was “God’s Unfailing Love!”  I was blown away!  So much of that week’s study, I had just lived out in Uganda!  Day One started with this, “This week we study the life-saving love of God.  The word, compassion, in Isaiah 54:10 comes from the Hebrew word racham, meaning “to soothe; to cherish; to love deeply like parents; to be compassionate, be tender ... this verb usually refers to a strong love that is rooted in some kind of natural bond, often from a superior one to an inferior.”  Now for my favorite part of the definition: ‘Small babies evoke this feeling.’” 

We talked about Raining Hope being rooted in love.  So then in Day 3, I read this, “We are to be rooted and established in love (Ephesians 3:17).  Whose love? His love.  ... A plant or tree is as strong as its roots are deep.  The deeper you and I are rooted in the unfailing love of God, the less we sway when the winds of life blow harshly.  When I am going through a difficult time, this truth becomes my anchor.”  

But then I read this, 
“God deeply desires for us to have the power to grasp the colossal love of Christ. (v18).  The word for grasp is katalambano meaning ‘to lay hold of, seize, with eagerness, SUDDENNESS ... with the idea of eager and strenuous exertion.’  God longs for us to eagerly lay hold of the depth, length, breadth, and height of Christ’s love.  

Ephesians 3:17-18
“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”

The power to grasp the love of Christ comes to us through the Holy Spirit in us.  The more authority we give the Spirit, the more we grab hold of the colossal love of Christ. Look back on the definition and note the synonym, SUDDENNESS.  I love this part of the definition because I’ve had times when I seemed SUDDENLY to grab hold of the enormity of Christ’s love for a moment.  

Keith and I usually walk together in the evening, but he wasn’t home one night when I was experiencing a very deep hurt.  All I felt like doing was sobbing, but I decided to throw on the headphones, play some good worship music, and walk out on the neighborhood golf course all by myself.  The night was pitch black, and no one appeared to be on the course but me.  The more the music rang through my soul, the more the tears of my wounds turned to tears of worship. Finally, I stopped walking, lifted both my hands in praise, and worshiped Him.  Flashes of distant lightening began to burst in the sky like fireworks on the fourth of July.  The more I sang, the more the Spirit of God seemed to dance through the flashes of lightening.  I haven’t had many experiences like this one, but I will believe all my life that God allowed me a SUDDEN, flashing grasp of His amazing love.”  - Beth Moore 

I could not fully express what happened in my heart when I witnessed the flashes of lightening that night on our porch in Uganda   Then I came home to this Beth Moore study.  It confirmed this whole 19th trip.  The kids had already adopted the phrase, “SUDDENLY” in January 2015.  They knew that SUDDENLY they had a house.  We would continue to watch God SUDDENLY provide all we need.    God minister deeply to my soul with these words as I had to do my own debriefing in Kentucky!  Turns out...God gave me all I needed to process through what He had done.  

We are experiencing a SUDDEN, FLASHING GRASP OF HIS AMAZING LOVE!  

The attached update explains all you need in terms of what is needed to help us finish well.  

I had waited to send you this last part of my 19th journey.  It fits now.  I stand in awe of Him and I hope you do too.  God has reminded me of this story of His amazing love for us.

I quoted R.C. Sproul before I left for this trip in April,  “Hope is not taking a deep breath and hoping things are going to turn out all right.  It is assurance that God is going to do what he says he will do.”   

OUR CHILDREN AT RAINING HOPE KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING THAT GOD WAS GOING TO DO WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO!

Let’s have the faith of a child and trust that He will do what He says He will do. 

SUDDENLY...
mama eydie kisakye 

No comments:

Post a Comment