Trust, Israel, Joseph and Racing Camels.

My daily reading from Ephesians was interrupted Sunday and Monday by Scripture that directly affected my situation. I "stumbled" on these as I studied my one year reading Bible.

Sunday:

Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB*-emphasis mine): Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

I need to trust God with everything and throw my human logic out the window. I need to focus on God for everything, not just the big stuff (His will for the rest of my days). Trusting Him with the little things/ways will lead to the correct path as I will move deeper in my walk with Him. We have a tendency to think that God isn't concerned with "little" stuff, but He is. He wants us to go to him with our problems. The little things add up to the big path we take.

Monday:

Genesis 37:13 (HCSB*-emphasis mine): Israel said to Joseph, "Your brothers, you know, are pasturing the flocks at Schechem. Get ready. I'm sending you to them."

"I'm ready," Joseph replied.

What I love about this is that Joseph was ready before his father told him to go. He didn't say he needed to change clothes, or pack, or eat first, or race camels, or mend his tent. He replied, "I'm ready." He was prepared for the journey and he was obedient. He didn't say: "They don't like me too much, Dad, why don't you send one of the slaves?" When they weren't at Schechem, he went on to Dothan. He could have turned back and said, "Sorry, Dad, they weren't where you told me so I came home. I'm off to race my camel!" Or he could have just hung out in Schechem for awhile and waited on them to come to him. He was obedient in going to the people, not just the place.

This is important to me, because if I do feel led to a specific place, I will have to go to the people, and not just wait around for them to approach me. One on one interaction is difficult for me as my natural tendency is to be an introvert (until a topic comes up that I'm passionate about, and then I won't shut up for a long time). It is also important because he was ready and willing to go; no excuses.

(I could go deeper on each of these, but I've got to be ready and that involves laundry, packing, cleaning and returning phone calls.)

*Passages quoted from the Everyday with Jesus Bible; Holman Bible Publishers.

A Lunch Hour Dilemma: Phillipians

I keep finding myself debating what I should be doing and the debate is this: Is this God's will or Is this my will (aka settling for less than the best way or screwing up again)?

This internal debate got all stirred up (again) after a brief sermon by Dr. York on his non linear outline of the book of Phillipians, in which these four steps are repeated throughout the book (I'll be studying this in depth later tonight). They are (with apologies for any incorrectness; I forgot my notebook so my notes are few):
1. To understand that God has a purpose for your (my) life; the will of God isn't revealed in the circumstances but in the way I handle/respond to those circumstances.
2. God chooses the means to accomplish that purpose (His) in your (my) life.
3. You must respond correctly to the means God chooses to accomplish his purpose in your (my) life. This is where I have a choice, and affect the outcome.
4. Results are reaped based on my response. If you (I) don't respond correctly; you (I) don't get the blessing from God's treasure house (whether this is converts, good relationships, spouse, etc.).

Number three is what has me all freaked out, because I feel like so much time is being wasted. I'm also prone to boredom, so that affects things, too. I know I shouldn't be all anxious about it (Phillipians 1:6), but if you've hit rock bottom once, you have no desire to be back in that place again. Maybe I'm getting too comfortable, and wanting to stay put when I'm not meant to. Learning to be content in every situation doesn't necessarily mean that you are meant to stay in that situation.

I don't know. My lunch break is over and I'm still no closer to an answer than I was before....
....to be continued later, I guess.