All things are new

See Jesus do a new thing.

This was in my Joseph Prince devotion this morning (yes, again, more Joseph).  It was uncanny because the Meditations devotion that I had just read discussed a similar truth, i.e., how when Jesus returns, the God of the Universe will make ALL THINGS NEW:

Revelation 21:5

Living Bible 

5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true:

Jesus is making all things new. I believe even now He is making all things new.

And then my Christine Caine devotion took the newness to a deeper level in terms of renewing our minds:

Romans 12:2

J.B. Phillips New Testament

We have seen God’s mercy and wisdom: how shall we respond?

12 1-2 With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold (renew) your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.

I'm ever starting over again.  Wanting things to be new.  Day to day.  Week to week.  And yet, much of the same pattern of behavior, same thoughts, same actions, same ole same ole stare me in the face. However, He is making things new, despite how it appears.  I'm not quite what I was yesterday, last week, last year and definitely not 10 years ago.  If there is a lack of diligence in activating change, well, I'm no longer gonna beat myself up about that.  I'm resting.  And in my rest there is diligence and peace and guidance.  He puts out His hand for me to take it and to follow, similar to how much I used to love when Joel would walk in front of me and put his hand out from behind so that I would take it. And then I would follow as he led, in perfect peace, harmony, and to be honest, in a sort of quiet ecstasy.  There was something so nice, sensual and powerful in that very little act.  If a mere man can do that - and I was just following him through a book store or in the parking lot to our vehicle, how much more gratifying and safe and peaceful and perfect the leadership of the Lord as He guides me to where He needs me to be, when I need to be there.  How awesome is His ability to transform and renew me by the renewing and re-molding of my mind.  How awesome.  I'm resting.  No more striving.  Resting.  Resting and Believing.

If there is any work to do, it is this:

John 6:28-29

Amplified Bible

28 They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]

29 Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].

Cleave to...Trust...Rely on...Have Faith in JESUS!

Sounds so easy, but it really is quite difficult. I've yet to successfully do it.  Nonetheless, I am making it my mission to do so now.  NOW.  Even if the Lord has a job for me - even this most excellent job with Galvan Foundation (which I am believing to be mine) - I can rest in that role, i.e., cleaving to, trusting, relying on, and believing in Jesus to do the job through me - with JOY and not DREAD (as I did with the technical work at IBM).  But I'm resting - resting - resting and I will rest without reproach, but rejoicing.  

It's so interesting how this has come about, but I'm now seeing the beauty of my season out of work. How awesome it truly is and how refreshing to my soul. It was difficult achieving that last year. So much was going on.  The Lord has blessed me with 2014.  In this new year, truly NEW things are popping up all around me.  Blessings abound.  Even today, I was concerned about where to park in my new favorite place in NJ, downtown Somerville, and the Lord led me to park in a spot that has a broken meter!  I was planning to run out every hour in the freezing cold to throw a couple of quarters in the meter but that is now not necessary.  So, I rest here in "The Dragonfly" coffee shop, on one of their cute couches, blogging, meditating, fellow-shipping through the written word with my God.  

Continue to refresh me Lord in this way so that I can be refreshing to Jonathan, my parents, my family as a whole, my friends - to all that I come near.  Refresh me through and through - renewing me by this refreshing so that the Glory and Wonder of You seeps through my very being and splashes those around me.  Let there be an inexplicable light about me.  Let the places where I sit and wonder into and out of be lit with your power as it pours out of me.  And increase the brightness and wonder of that light each day going forth. Renew me in my mind, in my spirit and my body.  Renew me Lord.  Renew my dreams and aspirations and set me free from anything old and damaging.  Renew me for motherhood and wifehood and daughterhood and sisterhood.  Renew me Lord.