By: Gabriela Yareliz
[For those of you who like my personal posts, you are in for a treat. (I guess that depends on if you actually really like them.)Here is today in a nutshell, and thank you for reading. I know I am not the president or anything, so, I appreciate you taking time to read my thoughts.]
Today was an incredible Sabbath. Nothing extraordinary happened, but yet at the same time I think something extraordinary DID happen. I think when God takes the time to speak to us, it is extraordinary– not because He isn’t a God who speaks to us, but because He, being God and infinitely greater, takes the time to communicate with us small beings.
Through the overwhelmed times, and times of trial, God has comforted me.
I won’t lie. There is plenty in this world to get you down, but still you cling to God on your knees in tears hoping for comfort and peace.
I found a slip of paper with ribbon tied to it, and it said:
2 Timothy 1:7 King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
He reminded me to not be afraid. Lately, I have been so stressed, and I forget that it is God who is in control and not me. It is not up to me. If it was, the stress would be legitimate, but really, it is God. The same God who parted the Red Sea, the same God who fought battles for nations and the same God who conquered death. If it is in His hands, then there’s nothing to worry about.
He knows our hearts.
Then, I came across the verse that was handed to me when I first arrived to New York City.
Joshua 1:9
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Today, during the sermon, the man preaching said, “When God does something for you, He does it well.”
At the end of the service we sang my favorite hymn on a whim because it was fitting–(coincidence? I think not). A man randomly walked up to me and told me two miraculous stories and told me he felt like sharing with me to let me know that miracles happen. Then, he opened a leather folder he had, and on the yellow legal notepad paper was my favorite Bible verse.
By the end of the random conversation, I smiled because I realized it was not so random at all. God was making sure that I wasn’t missing His signal. He heard me, and He was speaking back.
Why am I sharing all of this? I have realized and often shared, that sometimes we end up where we least expected and this means we are living by faith. If we weren’t living by faith we would have chosen to stay in our comfort-zone.
Moreover, something special happens when we decide to branch out and walk into an unknown tunnel that goes in a direction unknown. We are in darkness. Somehow, however, there is light piercing darkness in the tunnel, and we know we are in safe hands because we are in His hands. Don’t get me wrong, because we are humans the journey can still be filled with uncertainty and fear. Yet God has not given us the spirit of fear–instead, He has given us power.
He tells us He will never leave us or forsake us. We will never walk alone.
When we seek Him, He promises He will find us. As Moses, Abraham, Jacob and others, if we seek Him and speak with Him, we will find Him. If we ask Him to speak to us, He will, even if it means through a burning bush, a sea being split open, or a song at the right time and place.
When we pray we must be watchful and see How God speaks to us through His word, music, other people and through things that are no coincidence at all, which shows how much he knows and loves us.
Inspiration of the day:
Hymn: Day by Day
Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,“
This the pledge to me He made.
Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till with Christ the Lord I stand.
Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/713#ixzz2MRXmWdCV
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!“
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/19#ixzz2MRYsg3Ug
The following song means so much to me. The day I was baptized, I was given a card with these lyrics and the song. It is a song I am convicted of in my heart. He will walk with us.
Walk with you
When you walk down the road
Heavy burden, heavy load
I will rise and I will walk with you
When you walk through the night
And you feel like you wanna just give up, give up, give up on the fight
I will come and I will walk with you
Walk with you
Until the sun don’t even shine
Walk with you
I’ll be there all the time
I tell you I’ll walk with you
See you through
When you walk from this place
And you gotta go to meet Him face to face
Take my hand and I will walk with you
Oh, oh walk with you
Till the clouds fade away
I tell you I ‘ll walk with you
Each and every day
Oh yes I’ll walk with you
Oh, oh oh when nobody cares
I’ll be right there by your side
If all your hope is lost
I’m the one that’s gonna help you see the light
Just look into my eyes
Please know you’re not alone
I’m here, I’m here by your side
Walk with you
Walk with you
Walk with you
I’ll be there all the time, I’m gonna walk with you
Walk with you
I’ll be there until the clouds just fade away
Walk with you
I’ll be there every day, every day, every day, every day
Walk with you
I’ll be with you all the while
Walk with you
Be right there through the longest mile
Walk with you
I will walk with you yes I will, yes I will, yes I will, I will
Walk with you
I will walk with you
I tell you I’ll be there and I will
Walk with you
Believe me I’ll be there and I’ll walk with you, yes I will
—————-
No matter what you are going through, know God is there. Even when it is dark and you feel no one there, He is there, always near you, willing to help you when you call.
He wants to speak to us day by day. He wants us to seek Him as we walk by faith. His plan for us is unfolding every hour, day by day.
We may not know what lies ahead. Apparently, God has a wilder imagination than we do. Believe the impossible, and expect the unexpected.
Know the battle is not yours. He will fight for you. Know you are not alone. He will hold you. Know that even when He seems silent, He will speak to you.
Ask Him to speak to your heart, and He will. The whole way through, He will walk with you.
GABRIELA YARELIZ 