In the words of Virginia Woolf…”A woman must have money and and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.”

And now it makes sense–why I haven’t published the next great American novel!  I have no money AND I share a room with Harry.  Well, I’ll just have to figure out another way, I guess, because I don’t think either of those are going to change any time soon!

Amos 3:6.  “When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it?”

What do you think this actually means?  Should it strike fear in our hearts?  Could it possibly be comforting?  Well, this may sound weird and I am not at all suggesting that this is not a difficult idea to get your brain around.  God causes disaster?  Huh?  But, if the alternative is serving a God who does not have control, I think it is comforting that even disaster is not without purpose.  Even disaster is not random.  Since Amos is a prophecy to an idolatrous nation, I guess it is supposed to be something of a warning to us–even today.  Any disaster–natural or man-made–should give me the opportunity to reflect on my relationship with God.  Am I repentant of my sin?  Am I pursuing God in my daily life?  What is my responsibility in it all?  And it should drive me into the Word to a deeper understanding of who God is.  Because it is only through that understanding that I can know any peace.

What do you think?

Hosea 1:7

“I will save them–not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horseman, but by the Lord their God.”

Hosea 2:19-20

“I will betroth you to me forever;

I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,

in love and compassion.

I will betroth you in faithfulness,

and you will acknowledge the Lord.”

Studying Hosea in Sunday School is reminding me of these things:

• To acknowledge and embrace all of who God is.
• All of his attributes are always true–wrath, compassion, judgement, mercy, all of them–even though it blows my mind a little bit.
• God is always going to expose our sin AND keep His covenant.
• He is glorified through the cycle of conviction, discipline, repentance and redemption that I find so often in my life and in the book of Hosea.

I found this quote in a book I just finished reading, When Sinners Say “I Do”, by Dave Harvey.  Great book, by the way.  It suggests that the quality of your marriage is dependent on what you believe about God. So, I’m just reading along in chapter 8 out of 10 total chapters and I come across this:

Cornelius Plantinga said, “Human sin is stubborn, but not as stubborn as the grace of God and not half so persistent, not half so ready to suffer to win its way.”

I think this is so beautiful!  I’m not even sure what to say in response to it.  I just read it over and over again and am amazed by the concept of the grace of God being “stubborn.”  But I look back at my own life, and what do I see?  Persistent stubbornness throughout every season.

When I go weeks without spending quality time in the Word, how do I eventually come back to it?  When I can’t see His work in my life because I’m so focused on myself and the perceived injustice to me, how do I eventually find my way back to acknowledging God?  When I am empty and don’t even know what to pray, how do I eventually run to the Truth?  God’s sweet, persistent nudging.   Because He loves me, He doesn’t leave me to my sin forever.  He cares for me so much that He won’t stop until He has stripped away the things that keep me from being the person He will have me to be.

This quote reminds me of a time in my life when I didn’t have the clarity of mind or the bravery to make the changes that needed to be made.  Although it may not have been obvious to those around me, I was living sinfully in my heart, pursuing my own pleasure at whatever cost.  My prayers were seemingly sincere and wholly selfish.  This season brought some of the most intense pain I’ve ever felt, as God removed someone from my life–never to return.  God’s grace was all that was left in this dark place.  It was during this time that I experienced needing the Word in a desperate way–just to wake up in the morning–for the first time in my life.  What mercy it was!

In the end, my faith was stronger, my love for God greater, my understanding of His faithfulness clearer, my awareness of my need for Him heightened.  Why?  Because I was a “good” Christian?  Because I hadn’t done anything really bad?  Because I prayed “enough”?  No.    Because God pursued me stubbornly and persistently.  So, I would have to agree with Mr. Plantinga.  Indeed, praise God that He is so much greater than our sin!

Any thoughts on this quote?  Let me know what you think.