Some time ago, I was visiting with a counselor friend, and she said, “I read these verses this morning in my quiet time, and the Lord told me I needed to read them to you.” The passage was Joel 2:25–27.
“I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust — my great army that I sent against you. You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. You will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. My people will never again be put to shame. You will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the Lord your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.”
At the time, I was going through the hardest struggle of my life, but to be honest, the seven years preceding that had been hard as well. Things had just finally come to a breaking point of bad, and my life seemed to be in a pile of rubble. When my counselor read these verses to me, my first response was, “How?” How in the world can the Lord ever make anything of this mess that is my life? My second response was one of anger, “Oh, He BETTER repay me for all this pain!” I know it sounds terrible, but that was my feeling at the time.
After thinking through these verses a bit, I finally came to a point of saying, “Yes, Lord. Make it so.” And I waited. And waited. And Stewart and I kept saying to each other, “I just think the Lord is going to do something amazing in our family.” Even after the pandemic began this year, we said the same thing. We just believed God was up to something big.
“I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust — my great army that I sent against you. You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. You will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. My people will never again be put to shame. You will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the Lord your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.”
At the time, I was going through the hardest struggle of my life, but to be honest, the seven years preceding that had been hard as well. Things had just finally come to a breaking point of bad, and my life seemed to be in a pile of rubble. When my counselor read these verses to me, my first response was, “How?” How in the world can the Lord ever make anything of this mess that is my life? My second response was one of anger, “Oh, He BETTER repay me for all this pain!” I know it sounds terrible, but that was my feeling at the time.
After thinking through these verses a bit, I finally came to a point of saying, “Yes, Lord. Make it so.” And I waited. And waited. And Stewart and I kept saying to each other, “I just think the Lord is going to do something amazing in our family.” Even after the pandemic began this year, we said the same thing. We just believed God was up to something big.
In the next few days, our family will move into our dream home. And when I say “dream home,” I mean it. Every single thing about this house is exactly what we wanted and needed for our family. God has been all in this process - from the purchase of this home to our previous home selling in less than 30 hours after being listed. It has been nothing short of miraculous to watch.
All throughout this time, I have said to the Lord, “You did it. You repaid us!” It’s not that He had to. I got to the point of healing that I didn’t need to be repaid. He had repaid me over and over again because of His great mercy and love. He had repaid me through His precious Word that has been a balm to my soul. He had repaid me every time He allowed me to stand and speak His Word. He has repaid me every time I have led people to His throne in worship. He has repaid me with moments with my husband and my boys. More than that, He paid my debt of sin through Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. I did not need to be repaid. His promise had been kept. His word had been fulfilled. But yet He has dealt wondrously with us. Now I can do nothing but praise Him. A dream that I never thought would come true has come to fruition right before my eyes – in the midst of a global crisis, no less!
Be assured that this house will be used for His glory. It will not be wasted. I will never take this amazing gift He has given us for granted. Thank you to all of you who have prayed us through this journey, and thank you in advance to all of you who will be helping us move. You have all been a huge blessing! We praise the name of the Lord our God from whom all blessings flow!
If you are awaiting the Lord to restore the years that have been stolen, please know that He will. And when He does, you will look back and know that He is present in your life, He is the Lord your God, and there is no other. You will never again be put to shame! Praise His Name!
All throughout this time, I have said to the Lord, “You did it. You repaid us!” It’s not that He had to. I got to the point of healing that I didn’t need to be repaid. He had repaid me over and over again because of His great mercy and love. He had repaid me through His precious Word that has been a balm to my soul. He had repaid me every time He allowed me to stand and speak His Word. He has repaid me every time I have led people to His throne in worship. He has repaid me with moments with my husband and my boys. More than that, He paid my debt of sin through Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. I did not need to be repaid. His promise had been kept. His word had been fulfilled. But yet He has dealt wondrously with us. Now I can do nothing but praise Him. A dream that I never thought would come true has come to fruition right before my eyes – in the midst of a global crisis, no less!
Be assured that this house will be used for His glory. It will not be wasted. I will never take this amazing gift He has given us for granted. Thank you to all of you who have prayed us through this journey, and thank you in advance to all of you who will be helping us move. You have all been a huge blessing! We praise the name of the Lord our God from whom all blessings flow!
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