I KNOW
I stand before you, a changed man. The life I once lived, I live no more; I am a man changed. Once, I thought I knew, so much more, I thought, than what was merely true. Once, I fancied myself to be wise in worldly ways, imagined I was clever, capable of carving out my own way in an unfriendly world. Once, I believed that I knew all that was needed to be a great success in the world I had set out to conquer. My wisdom was revealed to be merely worldly ignorance, a house built on sand built of sticks and straw, and being built on sand, it could not stand but swiftly collapsed during the first strong winds. I was left seated like Job, in the rubble of my life, shaken to the core, having lost faith in myself as champion, as shepherd of my soul; and more. I could not summon the strength to press on. Left, seated; defeated, and alone. I testify today to undergoing a radical reformation at the Lord's hand, one challenging all my assumptions about who I was, or what I had really accomplished within my empty life. I was compelled to see how little I had achieved by my own hand. I was disquieted deeply by those whom I had caused sadness, and brought distress and pain. I could see that most of what I considered my successes had been claimed at the expense of so many others. And then I WAS changed, transformed, with numbing and deliberate speed, into a new person, one distinct from my former self, yet, one aware of all my failings and false narratives, but also, aware that a new opportunity had come to me to recover wasted years and days, to restart my life all over, again. My life IS changed! It IS new! All doubts about my purpose in life have been erased, my purpose is aligned with the will of God, the will of Him who is able, of Him who enables me to labor in His fields, to accomplish that which, in my other life, I could not even see. I have been inhabited by the Holy Spirit since my surrender to His transforming power, since I accepted and embraced His yoke upon my shoulders. All is right. All is well. This is the way I know I should go. And now that I know, it is with Him I go! Amen.
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Surprise, Sorpresa, Wundern, Quelle Surprise. (English, Spanish and Italian,
German, French) Whatever the language, the word, Surprise, carries a special meaning, it is a special word with the power to change anything, to change everything to create a new circumstance to create a new paradigm to give voice and life to a real change that is at once startling and at the same time wonderfully welcome. Surprise. Can you see the hand of God? Can you hear a prayer being answered? Do you recognize a need being met? Is it your need that is being attended to? For whom is the Surprise intended? Is it for you? Is it for one for whom you pray? Surprise! It may be for all of these. It may be totally unexpected. Does it affect you deeply? Then think hard upon it until you see the hand if God within it, until you receive the surprise into yourself. When God is recognized for the gift He gives to you, or to one you pray for, or know, or care about; then be thankful. Be joyful in the thanks you give. Tell others of the gift which you receive, gifts which God has shared with you, Then, testify. Tell the story, how God is good, and you know, all over again, from this surprise, how good a God He is. Then, go... Glorify God, Grace others, Grow disciples! And when you do this, you will see. He lives! Surprise! Amen. A poem by Jon Elvrum, 1/7/2020 |
AuthorJon Elvrum Archives
May 2020
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