know me by His scars.

Yesterday was heavy. I have to be intentionally vague for at least another three-ish months, apologies up front.

It felt almost like a defeat, though I know it wasn’t – the Victor does not know defeat or failure, only purposeful movements, planned strategizing on the chess board of life, as the One who created it.

So I can rest in Him, rejoice in Him, thank Him, even when the road gets rocky and things don’t go how I’d like. He knows how this all will end, where all the threads will be woven and how and why, the completed picture. My story has been written; it’s been decided, it’s been settled. I follow Him. Period.

And He is who He is. He doesn’t change. He keeps His promises. He turns things that seem cruel and brutal into something so free and beautiful.

A verse that stood out to me yesterday morning, as I was preparing for my day (that did not go how I personally expected) was Proverbs 23:23: “Buy the truth and do not sell it – wisdom, instruction and insight as well.”

We have to choose truth, wisdom, instruction, insight – they are tangible things. And we’re told to BUY them. That implies that it’s a choice that will cost us something.

There’s always a price for truth. For justice. For freedom. We have bargained for a cross here on this narrow road – why do we expect that it should be a painless and carefree journey? Crosses are just that – crosses. The crux, the crossroads of pain and the beauty that He will paint it with in time. But getting past those crossroads DOES take time. Patience. Endurance. And that vastly contradicts the very fleshly idea that above all love wants us to be happy.

Because above happy, He desires for us to be holy. Set apart, ‘hale’ – whole, full, fulfilled. He loves us wholly, and because of this love, we can trust Him. Completely. He loves us, and as a product of that love, He will do whatever is necessary to bring us to that place of holiness.

This great love drives Him to discipline us as His children, to do these deep works in our lives to bring us to where we are set apart and dependent on the only One we need, the One who is always what is best for us. Truly fulfilled.

Entirely sold out and surrendered to His will, yielding to the Divine plan, whatever will bring His glory and more people to the knowledge of His name. Whatever the cost – because He is the One who paid the ultimate price for us. We must follow.

Even if that seems painful at the time, and isn’t the resolution we erroneously see as the best solution. Because He sees the whole picture. We don’t.

But I know He doesn’t lead us forward just to frustrate us or turn us back. We can and must trust Him.

He is keeping watch. He knows. He collects ALL of our tears – the ones we can justify to ourselves, the selfish ones we can’t, and even the ones we can’t let fall. He is El Roi, the God who sees – how foolish of us to suppose anything escapes His notice.

So let’s meditate on some truths:

• He thinks good thoughts toward us, not evil ones. (Jeremiah 29:11, 1 Corinthians 13:5)
• He won’t break the reed that’s bent low to the ground, so I must not be broken. (Isaiah 42:3)
• He won’t smother the wick that’s smoldering down, so I must not be smothered. (Isaiah 42:3)
• He withholds no good thing, so then this must not be good. (Psalm 84:11)
• He won’t give me stones when I ask for bread, so then these must not be stones. (Matthew 7:9-11)
• He is faithful, so He WILL bring forth justice. (Isaiah 42:3)

No matter what my perception is, what my lying emotions say.

Betsie Ten Boom used to say, “There are no ‘ifs’ in God’s kingdom.” And there aren’t. The will of the LORD will prosper. What He purposes will come to be. (Isaiah 53:10)

He has said it, so He will do it. Period.

He knows what He’s doing, even when we don’t.

Huge doors turn on small hinges, and we’ll never know what those hinges are until they’re moving. Meet each small opportunity with the same enthusiasm and trust that He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. (Romans 8:28)

“But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” – Hebrews 10:39 (NIV)

He is faithful. He’s been faithful before and He will be again. Stand firm, don’t shrink back. Choose to trust and obey; there really is no other way.

Let’s look to the Kingdom, to the Light, and press onward. Today’s a new day and tomorrow will be yet another.

The best is STILL yet to come!

Emily