Day 19

You know how whenever you have one plan, and God intervenes? Yeah, that was fellowship last night. Our Student Minister had the Word prepared and the Holy Spirit intervened and we just had a great night of prayer.

Yesterday was my second day of school, and I think the M, W, F days are going to be a lot easier. One of the classes I'm taking is "Introduction to Computers: Web Programming." Now, for those of you who know me, you know that I am NOT technology savvy (this blog is about advanced as I can go). But one thing I realized in class yesterday was that you have write a code for a website, and it's complicated. Every detail has to be perfect. There are major differences between what you see and what you don't see. There are very precise languages of computers that if you get one thing wrong, the entire project won't work out.

Well, that is how we are in our lives. God writes us a perfect code. But, by our modification, we become imperfect. We decide to "bold" a title instead of "italicize" it like God had originally planned. Whenever we decide to take matters into our hands, the website isn't near as perfect as it originally was. It's tainted, it's broken, and it needs to be rewritten and refreshed.

Let me tell you, I have tried to rewrite my codes for a long time. I have thought that my way was better than God's way. But like I said, I know NOTHING about technology, but God does. So why am I trying to intervene when he is the ultimate PhD? I'm not really sure. But I'm glad I have figured that out because I would rather not complicate my life by trying to "fix" things God had initially put in my code.

This really does go along with my reading for today. I just really need to include the parable Jesus taught because it is so good!

Matthew 13:3-8
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. ⁴ As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. ⁵ Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. ⁷ Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. ⁸ Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
Matthew 13:18-23
 ¹⁸ “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: ¹⁹ The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. ²⁰ The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. ²¹ But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. ²² The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. ²³ The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Most of our whole lives, we will be the seeds in shallow and rocky. We will live most of our lives really excited about God on Sundays and Wednesdays, but, when things get rough, when the sun beats down on our lives and things get too hot, we die. We need to be taken care of and replanted.

I really am tired of withering away after every rough patch I go through. You know that saying, "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen"? Well, I'm gonna be a plant that is firmly rooted in God's Word and ways, so I'm gonna take that heat, and there ain't nothin' the enemy can do about it! 

I'm going to close with part of the Psalm for today:
" ³ You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night.
      You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong.
      I am determined not to sin in what I say.
 ⁴ I have followed your commands,
      which keep me from following cruel and evil people.
 ⁵ My steps have stayed on your path;
      I have not wavered from following you. "
Psalm 17:3-5

Let's stay on the path, let's be firmly rooted, let's live our faith today!

God bless,
Lauren