Christ said it to jairus' daughter when He raised her from the dead. i like to think of Him saying the same to me in times when i'm fearful or tired.
when life feels too overwhelming and i need that extra urging from my Savior to "get up."
a few weeks ago my parents had me over for dinner along with some of the guys who i'll be working with in zambia. (for those of you who are not aware, i'm moving to zambia for a year on september 23rd!)
we talked a little about the ministry there and what i should expect. then they asked what kinds of things tend to irritate me on a regular basis. you know... my pet peeves. not that i don't have any, because i certainly do, but being put on the spot i couldn't think of anything. thankfully my dear sweet mother came to the rescue and informed them that i don't like it when people do things that i see as "stupid"
NOTE: she's probably not thrilled that i'm telling the world this... then again, i'm not thrilled that it's true.
you see, i have this tendency to get really impatient with people when they use (what in my mind is) absolutely no sense and then i get frustrated... and sometimes even (dare i say it?) mad! but i know this about myself and am trying to learn how to respond better when things don't go exactly how i think they should.
so that night i was a little (actually a lot) troubled. i couldn't sleep because i kept thinking "i'm going to be angry all the time... at everyone!" and "those poor kids are going to be afraid of me because i'll be really mean!" and "everyone's going to hate me and i'm going to hate everyone back!"
dramatic much?
the next morning i was in much need of truth (and sleep!) so i opened my Bible to daniel 10, where daniel tells about one of his visions. in this particular vision an angel is speaking to him and he is so terrified he is unable to speak or move (boy could i relate!). this is what happens:
while he was speaking to me, I looked down at the ground, unable to say a word. then the one who looked like a man touched my lips, and i opened my mouth and began to speak. i said to the one standing in front of me,
"i am terrified by the vision i have seen, my lord, and i am very weak. how can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord? my strength is gone, and i can hardly breathe."
then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and i felt my strength returning.
"don't be afraid," he said, "for you are deeply loved by God. Be at peace; take heart and be strong!"
when he spoke these words i suddenly felt stronger..."
man i love it when God does that! He didn't have to, you know. He could have let me stew over my own insufficiency... but instead He chose to reassure His child that she is "deeply loved" and encourage her to "take heart and be strong!"
so watch out zambia... this girl is getting up. she is taking heart and being strong... and all to the credit of the deep and powerful love of her God.
