this day

i sit listening intently as my small group leader passionately shares how she has been groomed...prepared....anointed... for ministry. she is reading that verse... the verse that Jesus, upon returning from the wilderness, read in the temple that day:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised......This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears...And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. Luke 4:17-21

she is declaring that it is this verse that the Lord used to speak to her when the time had come to reveal His purpose for her life.

i hear her saying that, as she read the verse before Him that day, He began to draw her back to the memories of when she, herself, was poor and brokenhearted...a captive who was bruised and blind...the days she had nothing to give and then, when she finally did and wanted to, no one wanted it...how it broke her heart and she and her husband wondered what they had done....were doing...wrong...arduous mountain climbing days.

 

i am thinking how, like Jesus, she had been led into the wilderness and sorely tested there...had learned to trust, to walk by faith in desert places. and having brought her through it, He had now called her to stand before others..before me... prepared, confident, knowing and known by Him....a trustworthy witness and faithful servant anointed to deliver truth to parched souls yearning to hear the Good News...that God alone is our provider, our protector, our promoter.

and i realize that He has brought her to "this day."

i sit frozen...mesmerized, for the first part of her story is my own story.  she has lived my life.  i find myself estimating the years between us. she in her sixties; i in my fifties.  for a moment I forget that  there is no magical equation that converts earthly years into spiritual years...but wishing it so,

i still count, blinking back scalding, desert tears...

aching for my own "this day" to arrive.

photo credit:  blackred

Comments

[Cindy]

Thanks for putting her story---the one you shared with me last fall---into writing. In these past days, and even today, I have shared with others that He is my PROVIDER, PROTECTOR, and PROMOTER. Thank you for being an instument of TRUTH. I love you. Cindy

[debi]

Cindy,
Those words have meant so much to me these past months too. I hope you are feeling well and continuing to recuperate. I love you....
Debi

[gayla stahler]

I love your ability to be so transparent!! That is truly a God given gift and he uses you in ways you may never realize until that day . . . love u, gayla

[debi]

Gayla....
So much of my learning to be transparent came from having honest, friends like you.
love u too :)
Debi

[Stacey]

Thank you so much for sharing. It seems many of us are in a waiting period.

[debi]

Stacey...
'tis true :)

[Debra]

I think most of us have a waiting time, even the Apostle Paul had a couple years when God got him off alone before his ministry began., But you know? I see it more like a learning and testing time. It's during those years when God draws us close to Himself, teaches us, and asks us to do things just unto Him, noticed only by Him, so that when *later* comes we won't get yanked around by doing things so that other people will appreciate us. So that we won't live off of the high of ministry (being told God used us or that we're special, etc.), but rather, so we will live only to please God and hand those compliments right back over to Him. Not just with our words, but with our whole hearts. Barely even noticing those compliments and the attention, but rather, rejoicing so much that God used us to help bring others into a close relationship with Him.

And too? Always we can help people. Today, tomorrow, anytime. We don't have to wait for any big calling to come about for that, and well, isn't that what it's all about anyway? Helping people? And that is something you are already doing, Debi, right here in your blog.

I blogged yesterday about finding our gifts and callings... It might go along with your post a bit. In fact, I can think of a couple things which fit right in. :) Blessings, Debra

[debi]

Debra...
I so hear you and agree! Thanks so much for your insight; I always appreciate your thoughts :) I'm off to read your post from yesterday...

Nothing without Him,
Debi

[Amanda]

Oh Debi... I have SO many thoughts on this... so much to say... but I think I will leave it at this.

You *already* have a ministry.

You are already shouting God's Word from the rooftops. Or quietly whispering them in a strangers ear through your photos, words, and art.

You are an inspiration.

Be blessed-
Amanda

[elizabeth]

You are expressing my sentiments exactly. This holy dissatisfaction...this desire to walk into the fullness of what God has called you to be and to do. The desire to FLY... is how I expressed it in my blog a short time ago.
Much love to you my new blog friend,
Elizabeth