Saturday, November 14, 2009

mountain refuge

God knew I couldn't take the rain anymore. That's why our youth leadership summit in Leavenworth came at a perfect time. After driving for 5 hours, we eventually ended up in the Christmas-themed Bavarian wonderland. There's snow. It makes me so happy.

We've been focusing on 2Chronicles 29 this week, a chapter of the Bible that resonates with my reformer heart. Our directors have been passionately challenging everyone on our team to "clean out the temples" of our lives, of our team, of our community. There's been some sweet times of confession, of repentance, of embracing forgiveness. The battle is not close to being complete, but we are confidently on the side of Christ.

This afternoon, I had the opportunity to share my heart for serving our high schoolers. They're our future. They're a very big deal. God desires each high school student to have the opportunity to hear about His salvation, about His faithfulness. He weeps for them. He died for them.

The least that I can do is inspire others to love. Not just high school students, but everybody. But.. that means I have to love, too. Like, as an example.

And of course, the benefits always outweigh the cost. The stories of how God is moving, how God has moved, how God is victorious. They're epic novels. What a blessed refuge in these mountains.

On top of all of this, I read Proverbs 14 today, per our Proverb-a-day challenge. Wisdom sure is sweet stuff! The verse that grabbed my heart, though:

"In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have refuge." Proverbs 14:26 NASB

While retreats are great and I ALWAYS love spending time in the mountain, it's comforting to know that there is always refuge in the LORD. If I fear Him, I can be confident in His plan at the same time. He is refuge, our hope. He is faithful.

And just for good measure...

"But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works." Psalms 73:28

This is the God I like talking about. This is the God I desire to please.

1 comment:

  1. Pom PomNovember 15, 2009 at 6:02 AM

    Yes, like a huge golf umbrella, He is your refuge. I'm so sorry that rain is getting you down, LR! LOVE you!

    ReplyDelete

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Ephesians 5

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:

“Awake, O sleeper!

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you!”

Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

hey guys