August 2002 Archives

I'm so tired and have such a headache that I have to go to sleep as soon as I can. But I can't go to bed until I express to someone how utterly awesome today was!

The day started @ 5:00am (which I can now confirm that there actually is a 5:00am). where I planned an extra thirty minutes so I could get some stuff done before I started today's adventure. After showering and doing some preliminary grooming, I decided it was time to put my my contacts in. I normally wash my contacts case to keep it nice and clean, and I realized that the case was actually clean.

"Odd," I thought.

Then I realized I had just washed my contacts down the drain. Aaargh!

I was immediately very unhappy, slamming my fist down on the sink. It took me a second to realize that one of my contacts was sittng on the edge of the watermark in the sink, as it hadn't washed down. After discovering it was for my right eye (my left is worse), I reminded myself, "Rob, God's plan hasn't changed at all, and he's working everything together for your good and His glory. Why be angry?" The reminder of God's word instantly gave me a peace.

Twenty minutes later, after discovering how to release the little trap under the sink, I pulled out the stopper to see the left contact clinging to the side of it. "Thank You, LORD!" I exclaimed. Of course, this made me late, but that's okay.

My head is hurting too much to finish, and since no one reads this site anyway, I'll go to bed and finish this tomorrow, and no one will notice. Heh.

Studied about the trinity today. Some really good stuff, but the most important thing I read today was from Future Grace, chapter 21: "Faith in Future Grace vs. Bitterness."

Two quotes I particularly loved today:

Saving faith is not merely believing that you are forgiven. Saving faith means tasting this forgiveness as part of the way God is and experiencing it (and Him!) as precious and magnificent. Saving faith looks at the horror of sin, and then looks at the holiness of God, and apprehends spiritually that God's forgiveness is unspeakably glorious. Faith in God's forgiveness does not merely mean that I am off the hook. It means savoring the truth that a forgiving God is the most precious reality in the universe. That's why I used the word "cherish." Saving faith cherishes being forgiven by God, and from there rises to cherishing the God who forgives - and all that He is for us in Jesus. I have been forced to go deeper into what true faith is. It is being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus. It looks back not merely to discover that it is off the hook, but to see and savor the kind of God who offers us a future of endless reconciled tomorrows in fellowship with Him. (pp. 269-270)

I love that, I really do. "To see and savor the kind of God who offers us a future of endless reconciled tomorrows in fellowship with Him." Oh, to go into more detail, but I really must get to bed. :o(

I had a blast playing Myth II with my good friend Brian Browder today, so a big "hello" goes out to my comrade-in-arms. :o)

Piper writes such beautiful poetry. Among other favorites, here's one I read today that is short but so sweet:

His goodness shines with brightest rays
When we delight in all His ways.
His glory overflows its rim
When we are satisfied in Him.
His radiance will fill the earth
When people revel in His worth.
The beaty of God's holy fire
Burns brightest in the heart's desire.

(from A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Prayer and Fasting)

I'll quote once more from something that convicted me today of how easily I blame sinful behavior on something else:

"[During fasting], if pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear – if they are within us, they will surface during fasting. At first, we will rationalize that our anger is due to our hunger. And then, we know that we are angry because the spirit of anger is within us" (p. 19).

How insincerely we often sing the song "Refiner's Fire" without meditating upon what we are really asking! When the pleasure and comfort that food brings is taken away from us, our sinful tendencies soon surface, like the impurities brought to the surface during the refining process of purifying gold and silver. We then see what we are really made of. How often do we say, "I just can't wait for lunch" when we're in the middle of some strenuous situation, but when we voluntarily give up that comfort for a period of time, we are forced to look elsewhere to replace the comfort lost, or, respond naturally, which is usually irratation, anger, strife, pride, fruits of the flesh. It is during that time where we must focus upon the good promises of God.

Food for thought, and yes, I meant to say that. :o)