Shoot the arrow, hit Your mark.

Hey guys,

I hope everyone is doing well and that you are ready for Christmas. I can't believe it's only 10 days away. Crazy how time flies by.

I've shared in a previous blog how I am doing a Bible study called Breaking Free by Beth Moore. This Bible study is based mostly out of the book of Isaiah, with the theme verses coming from chapter 61. I learned something today that I want to share.

The first verse of Isaiah 61 says:"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted..." 

I want to pull a few things from the Bible study today. Beth talks a lot about the Hebrew/Greek meaning of words. The word sent in this passage is the Hebrew word shalack meaning "to shoot forth".

Psalm 127:3-4 says:"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children are a reward from him. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are sons born in one's youth."

We know that Jesus is God's Son. His only Son. Beth puts it this way:

"John 3:17 tells us God gave His Son for the salvation of people by sending Him into the world. You see, God only had one arrow in His quiver. The most perfect arrow ever to exist. This arrow was a masterpiece, priceless to Him. Cherished far above all the hosts of heaven. Nothing could compare. His only Son. But as God looked on a lost world-desperate, needy, and in the clutches of the enemy- His heart was overwhelmed. Though we sinned miserably against Him and few sought Him, God could not love us less.

Love reached sacrificially into the quiver and pulled out the solitary arrow. The quiver would now be empty, His cherished arrow in the hands of hateful men. Yes, God loved so loved the world, but God also loved His only begotten Son with inexpressible, divine affection. The divine dilemma: two loves. And one would demand the sacrifice of the other. Only one weapon could defeat the enemy of the soul- God's arrow. He positioned the weapon, pulled back the bow, steadied His grip, aimed straight for the heart. 'And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger.' Luke 2:7"

This totally overwhelmed me. Think on it for a second. Don't you think getting shot with an arrow would hurt? Like, really bad. Here's where my head is at...and my heart. You know that feeling you get before you go to the doctor's office to get a shot? That weird, knot in your stomach fear? I realized today that is where I'm at with God. I am so afraid that Him binding up my broken heart is going to hurt beyond reason. That He is going to hurt me.  Maybe it's because I've been hurt by other people who are close to me. This thought brought fear. Fear=not of God.

Here's what He is showing me:

My Enemy wants me to believe that God will hurt me. If I buy into that lie, then I won't run to Him. The poison of my broken heart will kill me (spiritually).

BUT GOD'S WORD SAYS:

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

The process of His healing very well may cause pain, but He is holding me up. He is holding my hand. He is here. He is Immanuel. He is good.

Maybe this blog is random, it is late as I'm typing, so I apologize if it doesn't make a lot of sense. But this is where my heart is.

"The bow's stretched back and the arrow's ready. But it's up to you to drop your shield." -Beth Moore

Abba, may we drop our shield. Shoot Your arrow, hit Your mark. Even if it hurts. You are here. Glorify Your Name.

I love you guys,

Miranda

I feel like Writing.

Hello Friends!

What's up? I hope you guys are doing well. Today is Saturday, and I've totally been bumming all day long. I tried really hard to work on some school work, and failed miserably. Finally, I decided to just stop and rest today...work on school tomorrow and the rest of the week.

Nevertheless, here I am. It's snowing outside (which makes me so excited!), I have a mug of coffee right next to my laptop, and worship music is playing in my headphones.

So much has gone on the past few weeks in this journey with Jesus, it's been absolutely blowing my mind. I'm doing a Bible study called Breaking Free by Beth Moore, and it's breaking me...He's breaking me. And, you know, it hurts to look into yourself and see just how sinful you are, and to see things that must be broken. But, He shows so gently and so lovingly. To think, He wants our all to be in Him, just how it's supposed to be.

I was talking to one of my RAs the other day (By the way, I solemnly believe that I live on the best hall at LU...), and she was sharing with me what happens when someone is refining gold.

The Refiner takes the gold, and puts it in the fire to burn out all of the impurities. Now, it's important that the Refiner doesn't leave the gold, because it may get too hot, and then it would be worthless. So, when the Refiner thinks that the gold is getting to hot, he will take it off the fire for a while, then he will put it back on. Until eventually, the gold is fully refined and free of all impurities. You know how the Refiner knows the gold is finally refined? He can look at the gold, and see Himself in it.

Oh, Praise God that He doesn't leave, or stop, until Jesus is gloriously revealed in us. And how amazing is it to think that even though we are constantly running after other "gods", He yearningly, lovingly responds with great patience. He continues to pursue, showing us all He is, how much He desires us...and He begins the refining process, that we could be like His Son.

We are in the Christmas season right now...particularly the season of Advent. A time of waiting on the promised Messiah, a time of great hope and anticipation. I urge you (and myself), to spend time with Him in this season of waiting. Let Him in the deepest parts of your heart. Be refined. There is freedom to be found, and walked in.

Be encouraged, Child of God, YOU are His, and He isn't letting go. May He alone be revealed in our lives.

Freedom.

I went home this weekend. In fact, I'm sitting at home while typing this blog. It's been nice. I spend the weekend with my aunt. And things are like they used to be between us. Which is really good. Shows how God can reconcile relationships. :)

Last night, I was listening to a sermon preached by Matt Chandler. If you don't know who he is, you should totally check him out. More importantly, if you don't know Who his God is....you should check Him out. :)

The sermon was on Colossians 1:15-16
"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him."

Wow. Crazy, right? Our King Jesus is over all things...whether they can be seen or not, He created all things...for His glory. This means that the pursuit of our King should be Primary, not secondary. Think on this for a second. Let's say I am addicted to alcohol (which I'm not, but this is a good example) and I desperately want to be free of that addiction. Now, that's something very good to desire, right? Freedom from something that brings physical destruction on myself, as well as hurts those around me. But what if being free from alcohol was my primary pursuit, what if all I focused on was being free from that addiction? Chances are I would keep falling into it, because that would be all that is on my mind. Being free. This illustration can go for many things. Freedom from anger, pornograpgy, drugs, pride, gluttony, laziness, and the list continues on. Wanting to be free is a very good desire, but when that freedom becomes our primary focus we remain in  bondage.

But, when Jesus becomes our Primary pursuit, things change. And we don't have to focus so hard in being free. Because when you pursue Freedom itself, the chains fall to the ground...

This really struck me hard because I have so many things that I want to be free from. And I realized last night that sometimes I pursue that freedom more than I pursue my King. Really, this brings incredible liberation. To know that I do not have to free myself, but only pursue the Lover of my soul. And He certainly doesn't hide.

May I encourage you to pursue the One Who is Freedom. Let that pursuit be Primary. He alone is worthy. May we lay down our idols (no matter how "good" they may be) and run after Him with all we are.

Jesus loves you, and so do I.

-Miranda

I really feel like I should have something profound to say...

You know the feeling you have when you start a new journal? And if you don't write a new journal, maybe the feeling you have at the start of the new year? I know that when I start a new journal, when I'm sitting there looking at the first blank page, I want to write something profound. Something no one else has written before. And at the beginning of the year, I have such big goals..I wanna change the world!

Thinking about this makes me giggle. This is my first blog entry. This blog came about because Jesus has been teaching me so much, and I want to share. Because He is so spectacularly good. And He gives good gifts to His children.

I wish I could say something super profound. And maybe you feel the same way. Maybe you want something more than to just sound profound on a blog, or a journal. Maybe you want to know that you are loved. That you aren't alone. Maybe you are just trying to make it through. Maybe you feel like you have to do something exceptionally profound to feel this way. That you have to perform. Ultimately, that's how we feel before God, right? That we have to do and say all the right things for Him to love us. That we have to be profound for Him, and do things that we hope make Him happy. Even is you have been following Jesus for a long time, you can still get caught up in this.

Here's the good news:

We don't have to be good enough, or profound for God. He was good enough for us, and did Something very, very profound to bring us into His kingdom. He gave up His Son, and because Jesus bled and died for us....we get to know Him. And when God looks at us, He sees us as spotless and pure because of the blood of the Lamb. So good. So mind-blowing.

So, I don't have anything profound to say, in fact, I  couldn't be profound if I wanted to be. But my God, now, that's a different story. He is profound. He is Everything. And He is good.

Praise Him!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Ephesians 1:3-10