I will uphold you...

What I read this morning: 

"fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will [uphold] you with my righteous right hand." 

Isaiah 41:10

I've read this verse a million times, but I've taken its meaning for granted. God blessed me with it this morning by showing me His comfort, and showing me that He is a good God who will provide. One thing I'm learning is that Jesus is the only constant in the midst of chaos and uncertainty in life. He says that He WILL uphold me with His righteous hand, and it's so sweet... I am so blessed that He chooses little, undeserving me.

The word "uphold" means these things, according to dictionary.com

1.  to support or defend, against opposition or challenge
2.  to keep up or keep from sinking
3.  to lift upward; raise
4.  to take care of

This gives me a greater perspective and picture of God's love... that He is for me, (Romans 8:31) and I can confidently run into His arms knowing that He won't ever forsake me.  Such a concept I so often need to be reminded of.


[ ³¹What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ...For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.]  Romans 8:31-39

Comfort

Wow... so it's been a while since I've posted. I knew I wouldn't be the best at this whole blog thing.

So, I can't take a whole lot of time right now updating this because I'm in Panama City Beach. Me and about 5 other staff were here on a spring break trip with about 75 college students...we were here this week for a conference this week to grow in our relationship with God and to be equipped to share our faith, and got to also put it into action. [more pictures to come later!!]
I actually learned a ton on this trip... the teaching was amazing. It's been awesome, but it's the tail end of the trip and I really need to pack. (I wish everything would just jump into my suitcase...)

But, before I forget, just a couple of my thoughts...

I feel like an over-arching theme of my entire year so far has been on learning how to be content with where Jesus has placed me. The post-college era is a weird one. I'm not surrounded by my closest friends anymore. If I want to talk to them, I have to make an effort in advance to skype them or have a phone date (what would we do without technology?) It's all new and different than what I've been used to in the past. For those of you that know me well, you'll know that quality time is my top love language :) So being away from people that I love is a step of faith for me. And although I love my job and what I get to do, it is hard sometimes balancing this new stage of life, and what my heart sometimes longs for.

I think what I'm trying to get at is that I haven't been called to a life of comfort, and so I shouldn't be looking to be comfortable. Jesus came to this earth, and nothing about His life was a picture of being comfortable.
He came to save and take our sins... easier said than done. I mean, He is God. So, when I think about this it completely blows my mind that He even gave up that right to come down... to an earth of sin and walk here with men so that we might live. And then the death He suffered, just so I might live...

This is the first time in my life where I have really have been challenged to know and cling to just Jesus... not anyone else, not anything. Just Him.
I'm learning for the first time that Jesus is my rock, and although my circumstances have changed, and life looks different now, He doesn't change. And the minute I start to think that I might be a little bit uncomfortable, I need to look to Jesus and think about the things He yielded and gave up - for me.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [Isaiah 53:4-6]