Are you Looking?

By  Helen Knueven

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.

I wonder why God would want to hide something; only for a king to discover it. By the way, in the book of Revelations, it says that God has made believers kings and priests unto Him.

Have you ever felt a strong calling on your life and then wonder why things seem to take so long? Why so many obstacles have blocked you? Ever wonder if you really heard right?

Have you ever had a strong desire to achieve a goal, worked hard at it, only to still see it out of your grasp?

I kept asking myself: Why would God hide something that He wants me to discover it? Is it possible that He wants to reward our passionate pursuit? Does He enjoy our quest and delight in our finding the treasure?
Come to think of it, why do coal miners have to go deep into the earth to find coal?
America’s deepest coal miners are about 2,220 deep, while gold and copper mines in America go down 9,000 feet. http://www.livescience.com/11169-chile-collapse-facts-amazing-survival-story.html
In South Africa, hard rock gold miners go down into the earth 12,800 ft. underground. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_mining_(hard_rock)
I would rather have a diamond ring than a coal ring, how about you? Coal is precious, but diamonds are even better. I am not a diamond expert – but I could get an A in a diamond appreciation class. I have heard that the diamonds from South Africa are even better.

My dad was a coal miner and one thing a good coal miner has to have is a good deal of courage. I only pray that I will keep that kind of courage in my heart.

Following our calling and the zigzag trail it often takes us requires a great deal of courage. The better the treasure, the deeper we have to go.

Sometimes when it seems we are so close to where we should be, roadblocks of all kinds seem to come out of nowhere. The inner voice confirms that we are on the right track; while our mind tells us we are wrong and probably crazy.

And only God knows how close we are to our goal – how many more feet down we must go before we find the treasure. It could be really close! Or we could have a long way to go. Is it worth it? I believe it is.

Miners’ lights are pretty intense. But I’m sure that the light on the helmets of salvation are brighter than the sun.

Don’t leave things to chance; because chances are you’ll stop short if you do. Remember it is our honor to search things out. You just might find yourself at the Cross again, this time to enter in the fellowship of His sufferings and the power of His resurrection.

Psalm 105: 3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.

A Pocketful of Change

Today's post is by our latest blog adventurer Rolie Grady.  Welcome!

“Just give me fifteen minutes each week,” implored Sally, the housecleaner.  “We can organize your drawers and closets in no time!”  She watched Jane, her elderly client, for a response.  Jane, physically fragile, was recovering from yet another accident.

 

My heart hurt as I listened to the story.  This was not a whimsical suggestion.  Sally knew Jane’s independence would disappear if she refused to simplify her lifestyle. 

Several years ago, the Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder.  “Get your house in order,” He said.  I knew what He meant.  My house was filled with unfinished projects relegated to a  rainy day status. 

“Yes, Lord,” I dutifully replied.  “Just as soon as I tackle this “To Do” list.”  That wasn’t good enough.  He kept insisting until I finally took that first step.  It began with a half hour in the basement.  My goal:  Clear one shelf.

“Aren’t you the ambitious one!” taunted the devil.  He had a point.  But I dug in…15 minutes here, a half hour there over the next two years.  Clearing a path one grocery sack at a time.

Eventually, I noticed a change.  Cleaning went much quicker, and my family could actually find what they needed.  I was able to fill my days with LIFE instead of guilt-driven “To Do” items.  Little did I know that God had a bigger plan for this lesson.

In 2006, Mike and I purchased our first house.  My hands shook as I signed the papers.  We walked in wonder through empty spaces that would soon be filled with our earthly possessions.

Then panic struck.  Would there be enough room for everything?  Suddenly my two years of training kicked into high gear.  A list of more items to throw or give away came to mind.  Yes, we could make this work!

Moving day came and went smoothly.  After that, adrenaline kept me going until the last box was unpacked.  It was time for a good cup of coffee as deep satisfaction settled over me.

 

 I felt another gentle tap on my shoulder. “See what obedience will do, “whispered the Spirit.  “There is a place for everything and everything is in it’s place.”

 

Yes, I sighed.  Who could imagine all this beauty?  God knew I couldn’t handle a complete overhaul in one sitting.  It was too much to think about.  But He converted those daily offerings into something magnificent….a pocketful of change at a time.

Narola (Rolie) Grady has been in the Quad Cities area since 1993.  She lives in Davenport with her husband, Mike, and their son, Sean.  Rolie has attended several of the QC Writing Conferences, and appreciates the hard work it takes to excel in this craft.  Aside from writing occasional articles, Rolie loves to worship by playing piano.  She has also been a speaker for various groups for the last 10 years.