God saw the light, that it was GOOD--Day 89

On days 1 and 2 of this blog, I spoke of coincidence and serendipity. As I said, serendipity is so much more fun to say and interesting to think about, but I think what just happened at work today would be more of a small, God-inspired coincidence.

I've really been impressed by Pastor Don and Pastor Todd's sermons on the "Fruit of the Spirit." I've been listening to them and writing some of them down at work and at home. After getting things going in the lab, I hit the pause button on Todd's sermon on patience, and walked out of the lab. As soon as I did, the lights were turned on. The maintenance guy here, Dave, had been changing all the large lights 20 feet in the air all around the outside of the lab. They started to flicker and I thought to myself "God said, "Let there be light," and there was light." That sort of put a smile on my face and I continued walking. I walked back in the lab soon after, sat down and pressed the play button. Within three sentences, Todd says "God said, "Let there be light," and there was light."

I hit the pause button again.

What was that?? I'd say it freaked me out, but I think a better explanation is that I'm unexpectedly moved by little things like that.

So why did that happen?

Some people would say there isn't a reason. It was just a coincidence. I believe there's a reason for everything. Sometimes I'll try to think of reason something happened and I'll come up blank. I just leave it to faith. In this case, it probably has to do with the Bible in some way. I was talking to Jim yesterday and he recommended reading Genesis since I had not read the whole book of Genesis in quite some time if ever. I had been reading other books in the bible recommended to me by others. Given the placement of this verse in that book, I suppose I should start at the beginning.

This, in turn, might be God telling me something else. I recently called Fran and volunteered to help at Awana's. I'm a little nervous about the whole thing because I'm not really sure what I'm getting into and I'm not very well versed in the Bible. This might have been God's way of saying "If you want to get well versed in the Bible, start reading! Do you expect me to do that for you, too? Start reading, and start at the beginning this time."

That isn't to say I haven't been reading the bible. Before I started listening to and writing down the sermons, I was reading Romans as part of "60 days with Paul" It was insightful and I was typing verses of the bible that really spoke to me. I intended to write my thoughts on each, but that will have to wait for now. I'll come back to these though:

Romans 5:2-5 We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.

Romans 6:11 Count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do.

Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Romans 8:31-39 If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

" For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 9:14-16 Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses,

I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I willhave compassion on whom I have compassion."

It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.

Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

I had read something that inspired me to read this book a few days ago. I read something an older woman had written on her blog. It said:

the peace that surpasses understanding entered my heart and I found what was missing in my life, a personal relationship with my Savior.

I recognized the first part of what she said (It's from Philippians 4:7), and accompanied with the last part, what she felt and wrote perfectly explains what happened to me almost four months ago. For one thing, I had been thinking it happened because I can be a selfish person, and on April 20th, I was being anything but selfish. I was praying for others. That night, I found what was missing in my life: a personal relationship with my Savior.

I'll be going camping tomorrow. The kids caught some fish today and it sounds like they're having a lot of fun. They want to stay till Monday. I realllllllly want to go to church on Sunday to listen to the missionaries. If the kids want to stay, though, I'll stay. I'll definitely be making it the next week as Pastor Don concludes the fruit of the spirit sermons and for the prayer vigil.