Monday, April 18, 2011

Feeling, Faith, and Fact

Dear Friends and Family,

Trust you're all well. We're still thanking God for His protection from the 62 tornadoes that sat down in our stateon Sat.  At the same time we're grieving and praying for other Tar Heels that have lost precious loved ones.

It's been a busy week. Jon and I planted a few squash and tomato plants. Margaret and two of the girls came inon Friday and Amy's crew was here as well. Girls fixed us an awesome supper. Grandkids played in the yard.

It has been a glorious week as I've buried myself in the story of the cross.  So rich...every word has lived afresh and anew.  "I may never know, why He should love me so........"

Erica was saved in a chapel service this week. When JB heard that one could be a child of God, his response was, "Hey, why no one tell me dat?"  He called Nanny and told her about his new amazing revelation. I asked him if he wanted to pray. He responded with, "Nanny, I need to go to church to be saved." When Nanny assured him that he could be  saved anywhere, his words were, "But, Nanny, I only six." Once again, Nanny assured him that he could be saved at "only six." He wanted Nanny to pray with him, By the end of his simple prayer, he was bawling.  He put down the phone and cried and danced around the room, hollering, "I'm a child of God!!!" He wanted to call everyone and tell them. He couldn't wait to get to prayer meeting that night.

So...after such a special week, you can imagine my feeling by Palm Sunday morning. After reveling in the music of BBN all week with it's songs of the cross, I awoke Sunday morning feeling totally emotionless.  I know that 3 days of pain had drained me completely. My physical had demanded everything and seemingly left me with nothing.  Hey, this is Palm Sunday!  I've looked forward to it all week!!!

So glad that our salvation doesn't depend on emotion. It's so much more than that!!!
  
Three men were walking on a wall,
Feeling, Faith, and Fact,
Feeling got an awful fall, and faith was taken back,
So close was faith to feeling, he stumbled and fell too, 
But fact remained and pulled faith back,
and faith brought feeling too.

Nothing has changed. My commitment to Christ is the same.  The cross still stands. The tomb's still empty!!  I started to testify in church, because I didn't "feel "like it.  It's okay to testify when the emotions are high.  But I wanted to testify that when the feelings are gone and one feels "dead" that God hasn't changed!!!

In Jesus high priestly prayer right before His arrest, he stated that He had given His disciples His Word!!! It is enough!!!  Christ the incarnate, Christ the Word.

While on Sunday, I didn't feel any emotion, I did feel a deep bedrock assurance that "my anchor holds!" Praise His name. Did I mention that this morning, sitting on my deck, reading His Word, contemplating Calvary....that feeling came sweeping in?

I love emotions, but one can't live on the mountain.  It's in the valley where we grow and are strengthened in Christ.  It's hard when we don't feel Him. But that's when there is only "one set of footprints in the sand." He carries us.

I pray that each of us will worship Him this week!!  In music, in His Word, in His Presence..........

The Passion Week..........

My Savior, My Lord, My Lamb, My Redeemer, My Soon Coming King........

I worship You!!!!!!!!!
Linda