Perfection.

Today I was thinking, as I often do, about the things that I want out of life, what I want from God, the things that I think would make my life perfect.

God has been teaching me a thing or two about my ideas of perfection. One thing He is teaching me is that my ideas of perfection are not constant, they are subject to change. God's plans are so definite. I can sometimes get frustrated with God for not having all the things that I want right now, but an instant later I have changed my plan or my picture goes from being perfect to being scary and too set in stone.

In my Bible study a few days ago I read about God's tasks for us versus his calling over our lives. I found such encouragement in her words about what it means to follow God daily:

"In our human need for security and sameness, we tend to want one job assignment from God that we can do for the rest of our lives. He's far more creative than that!"

I think it would be scarier for me to find my perfect plan and stick to it, than to live life step by step, day by day with the Lord. God doesn't do things the way we would do them because he thinks bigger and he sees such a broader picture. (Isaiah 55:8-9) He also does everything out of love.

Another thing God challenged me to think about is why perfection to me is attached to so many titles: wife, mother, insert job title here... :) I've been thinking, Does having my hands full make me more me?

Here is what I read yesterday:
" Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?"
Jeremiah 22: 15-16

God wants us to live surrendered to him, not bound to our perfect plans. I don't believe that wanting those things is wrong, but I think I tend to feel the most weary when I live life waiting on things or titles rather than waiting on God. And do you want to know what the most perfect part of this lesson is? The result of God teaching me this has been him bringing me into a really satisfied place. And that feels like perfection.

Freedom.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

Isaiah 43:18-19

For the past few weeks I've been going through a Beth Moore study called "Jesus the One and Only" at my church and it worked out just perfectly that I am in Isaiah for my regular reading. It has been so amazing reading about God's promise and then seeing so clearly the fulfillment of that promise through Jesus.

This week God has been showing me something that I tend to take for granted; the blessing of living under his new covenant! In Isaiah God tells us that he is bringing this new covenant for two reasons; to bring glory to his name, and because of his great love for us! I don't think God's love for me has ever been so evident, so perfectly clear, as in this book of the Bible. Needless to say I think it is my favorite.

I think one reason why it's my favorite so far is because throughout the Old Testament I've read about God's promise to Israel and his love for them. I've been reading about this chosen people and I think I felt a little bit like an outsider. In Isaiah God extends his promise to all people! You can't even imagine the joy that sprang up in me when I read:

"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

Isaiah 49:6

But that isn't all. God didn't just remind me how amazing it is to be included, he also reminded me how exciting it is to be free! Yesterday in my study I read about when Jesus talked about John, he said "I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." (Luke 7:28) Jesus was saying that those of us who are blessed enough to live on this side of Calvary are even greater than the voice in the desert calling "prepare the way for the Lord!" John didn't get to live in the freedom of the new covenant. That's how amazing it is to live as a testimony to God's promise. To be free!

I wish I could put words to my joy, my gratitude to God for his goodness. There are loads of verses I wish I could share but you'll just have to read for yourself and I'm sure he'll show you how much he loves you! I am going to share a song though, not only because I have been slightly obsessed with Kim Walker lately, but because this song brings me so much joy! (As most of her songs do). I can't help but celebrate when she sings "We are a chosen generation, a generation that's free!" Something about it, I just can't hold it in... I must dance! :)