Week in Review: April 23-29

Hello all! I should be back in Michigan soon! I'm excited to see everyone!

I find it sort of ironic that at Sunday school last week, one of John Piper's practical tips for the fight for joy in God was to take care of biological needs-- sleep, diet, and exercise. For on Monday this week, I went to bed at 8:30 p.m., then I got up at 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday in order to finish a paper for science. Before that, I just had the biggest problem deciding whether I would take care of my body and get a proper amount of rest or just trust that God might give me lots of grace, so that I might not misrepresent Him in any way more than I already do, due to my lack of sleep. As it turns out, He did give me lots of grace, and He sustained me until 8 p.m., when I went to bed.

One thing that stuck out to me from one of my devotionals on Monday morning was that one cannot really know what God's will is, if one does not regularly spend time with Him. The devotional is written as if God is speaking directly to you, and it says, "In order to know My will, you must spend time with Me-- enjoying my presence. This is not an onerous task but a delightful privilege." This makes much sense. If one does not quiet himself and separate himself from the world's distractions, then how can he listen to God's voice? If one does not know God and His Word, then how can he know God's will?

Another thing that is awesome to think and reflect on is the fact that Jesus is the "perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Thus, it is not up to us to sanctify ourselves. Rather, it is up to God. He will shape us and mold us into the people whom He wants us to be. We just have to be willing to let Him do His work! I just love the images of the potter and the clay and the metal being refined by fire.

On Wednesday this week, I had a rough draft due in my English class. I should have planned my time more wisely, but I did not. It was evident that I would not be able to get it done on time. I was thinking to myself, "Oh, man, I really want to get the full amount of peer review points." Yet, I felt God saying to me, "Don't you dare spend time working on your paper instead of spending time with me." So I spent time with my heavenly Father instead, and let me tell you, it was the best decision ever! I felt incredibly blessed, experiencing such great intimacy with my Father. I also felt peace about the rest of the day when, before, I had been really stressed out. There are so many times when I do not want my quiet time with the Lord to end. I bet I could spend all day in His glorious presence! (Oh wait, I will-- one day. And that one day will actually be all of eternity! What a great thought to rejoice in!)

Blessings this week: classical music (particularly "Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel"), chewy peanut butter cookies, the sun (warmth) on my face and arms, the right amount of wind blowing, thunder.

Words I learned this week: monolith, hydrophobia, coda.

Quotes: (all taken from The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer)

"The truth is that while God dwells in His world He is separated from it by a gulf forever impassible. However closely He may be identified with the work of His hands they are and must eternally be other than He, and He is and must be antecedent to and independent of them. He is transcendent above all His works even while He is immanent within them."

"In the beginning God, the uncaused Cause of matter, mind and law."

"Jacob had never been for one small division of a moment outside the circle of that all-pervading Presence. But he knew it not. That was his trouble, and it is ours. Men do not know that God is here. What a difference it would make if they knew."