More This Than That

FISH interview...
In the original post about the interview tomorrow (Thursday) on The FISH in Nashville I forgot to specify the time as being 7:00-8:00am CST / 8:00-9:00am EST.

And here's the link again if you'd like to hear it live online... click here and then once you're on their home page, click on the green "listen live" button located at the top left corner.

More this than that...
Not sure why, but I was thinking about this yesterday... it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

It occurred to me that God's work in our lives, at least in my experience, is more marathon than sprint, more polishing cloth than belt sander, more chisel than hatchet, more non-abrasive cleanser than super-scrubber, more finish carpentry than rough framing, more meandering stream than roaring rapids, more gentle breeze than violent gale, more light drizzle than torrential downpour, more sip than gulp, more savor than gorge, more slow cooker than microwave, more relaxed than stressed, more smart bomb than grenade, more local than general anesthetic, more father's heart than drill sargeant, more whisper than shout, more calculated than impulsive, more here than there, more now than then, more big picture than microcosm, more spirit than law, more free than bound, more warm and personal than cold and distant, more unpredictable than expected, more faithful than flaky, more steadfast than hit-or-miss, more exciting than blasé, more painful than cushy, more stretch than static, more be than do, more tender than gruff...

When I look back over the past 20 years, I am so thankful that He is as patient and persistent and loving and kind as He is. He is up to something right now, even if I am not aware of that fact, and it seems to me that that is the beauty and sheer genius of His ways. We can look back and reflect on our journey and see things now that we would have NEVER thought possible one year ago or 5 or 10 or 20 or a lifetime. And it's all because He's at work.

Grateful that He is up to something in our lives... and that because of His kind heart and good ways we aren't left to fend for ourselves in doing the work out our own salvation with fear and trembling part. (Philippians 2:12b)

Grateful too that this is all part of His will and good pleasure, that those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.