Rejoicing comes in the Morning

Rejoicing comes in the Morning
 
Psalm 30:5 - For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
 
Weeping is a sad time. When the heart is broken, when people fail you, when you feel like there's no help. When everything seems to be closing in on you. When people you look up to, are looking down on you. When you see your loved ones hurt, when you see your loved ones cry. When you want to hold them tight and set everything right for them, but are forced to helplessly stand by. When you have questions, doubts, tears and try to put up a brave front for the sake of those you love. When you are angry and upset. When you have that numb feeling in your heart, and in your head, and that lump in your throat and in your chest. When your eyes fill up every few seconds and tears roll down silently. When you're on the phone with you loved one, tears rolling down your cheeks but your voice as brave as 'nothing could be wrong'. When you are breaking on the inside but acting strong for those who are receiving strength from you. When you fear, are vulnerable. When you want to talk, yet want to be silent. When you want someone near you, yet want to be alone. Weeping is a sad time.
 
The good news is - Weeping is not forever. It only lasts a night. Night is a short time. Eventually the night has to go and Morning comes. Along with the Morning comes 'Rejoicing'. Rejoicing - When you have come out of the storm victorious. When you have struggled and prevailed. The good news is that Weeping lasts only for a night. Rejoicing will definitely eventually come.
 
What must one do, during the time of Weeping?
 
What does one do in the Night?
 
One goes to sleep in the night. There is very little one can do in the night. Night is a time when all doors are closed. When there is darkness all around you. When there is no one around. When it is dark and cold and dreary. The best thing for one to do during this time is to go to sleep. Have a good sleep and a good rest, so that when morning comes, you are fresh and ready to enjoy it. Weeping time is your Night time. All your doors are closed, most people have deserted you, it is dark and cold and dreary. You are confused and tired. Its darkness all around. At such a time, just go and take rest. Have your sleep. Don't do anything. Don't make any decisions, Don't go and justify yourself to anyone. Don't fight or argue during this time. Don't even talk about things to anybody (except God ofcourse). Don't even think about the problem. Dream your beautiful dreams and relax. As much as possible just be quiet and have your rest. As the word of God says - Be Still and know that I AM GOD.
 
Just be still and take rest. Eventually the Night shall pass and the morning shall come, when the doors shall be opened, there will be people around you, there will be light and everything will be clear. If you have taken your rest during the Weeping Night, you will find your Rejoicing Morning very beautiful and full of happiness and delight.
Sometimes we don't sleep (be still) during our Weeping time. No matter how much you fight, argue, cry and scream yourself hoarse, the night will remain a night and the doors will still remain closed and the darkness will still be there, till the morning comes, and by the time the morning comes, since you haven't had your rest, you are left with a headache and feel irritated and moody and cannot enjoy the beauty, the happiness and the delight of the Morning and its Rejoicing.
 
Weeping is a sad time. It is the Night time in one's life. Just Be Quiet during this time. Be absolutely still. Take your rest. Be still and wait for the Morning. Eventually the Morning will come. God keeps his promises. He will bring the Morning which shall be full of all happiness and blessings and joy and delight.
 
 
God bless you all richly.

CROSSING OVER - 5th June 2009

CROSSING OVER

5th June 2009

I studied and grew up in a very good Christian school, where we received constant spiritual inputs. The day started with prayer and ended with prayer, besides which we had scripture classes every day for 45 minutes where we were taught from the Bible and memorized chapters and books from the Bible. And then there were morning assemblies, class prayers, prayer cells, all night prayers ….. I was surrounded by teachings of God and it was a wonderful way to have grown up in a place like that with the kind of spiritual input that has really blessed my life. And after my schooling was done, the college I studied in was again a lot similar, but maybe a step ahead of my school. I was surrounded by people who loved God and spoke about God and had a great relationship with Him. I learnt a lot from both these places. And even during vacations when I went home, my parents and the missionaries around mostly spoke about God and mission fields and God’s providence and God’s guidance and so on and so forth. The kind of spiritual foundation that has been built in my life is mainly because of the people who mentored and taught me in these places.
I had to move to Bangalore after college, for my job. I was new to this place and even the few people I knew here weren’t very close friends of mine. I was on my own for the first time in my life. I did go to a church but since I didn’t know anyone there, I wasn’t involved in the church or its care cells for at least the first year that I was in Bangalore. This was one year where I really struggled spiritually. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that I felt spiritually dry. I was on a look out for someone who would mentor me, counsel me and teach me. I wanted a spiritual mentor. All my life, this far, I was surrounded by spiritual mentors. And here, I was struggling without one.
One day a friend of mine from college, gave me a call and when he was enquiring about my spiritual life, I shared about my need for a mentor here in Bangalore. And he said something beautiful, which slowly did turn around my way of thinking (after having grown in places of spiritual bounty). He said – ‘After having received so much input, by so many people, in your life, are you still looking for a mentor? Don’t you think with all that you have learnt, it’s time for you to be a mentor? Stop looking around for a mentor and be a mentor yourself’. This did make a lot of sense. Eventually I did find some amazing people in my church like my pastor and my care cell leader who were mentor throughout my life in Bangalore and even now. But by then, I had learnt that mentors were to help me grow but at the same time, I had learnt that lack of a mentor should not mean spiritual dryness.
I was reading from Matthew 8, yesterday morning, and was reading this part where Jesus heals Peter’s mother in law. Verse 15 says that - He touched her hand and the fever left her; and she got up and began waiting on Him.
The lady was sick with fever and had people waiting on her and helping her and doing things for her. She was in a place where she could only receive and not give. Jesus walks into her life and TOUCHES her. She got up and began waiting on Him. This lady, who needed waiting on, is now waiting on others. What made the difference? The touch of Jesus. She needed people to wait on her. But once Jesus touched her, she begins to wait on others. The touch of Jesus made such a big change to her life.
I was so excited after God spoke to me through this verse. The touch of Jesus turns the mentored into a mentor, a student into a teacher, the one who needs encouraging into the one who encourages.
On one side are people who need mentors, who need love, who need people to understand them, who need people to spend time with them, talk to them, who need counsel, who need support, encouragement….. On the other side are people who do the mentoring, who give love, who listen to people and understand, who spend time with others and listen to others, who give counsel, give support, give encouragement…. Once I receive the TOUCH OF GOD in my life, I cross over to the other side, to the side that does the giving. Amen!!
Now whenever I feel like I need someone to talk to, I try and make sure I’m there for someone who needs someone to listen. When I feel I need someone who understands, I try and make myself available for someone who needs to be understood. When I feel I need encouragement, I encourage someone. When I feel I need love, I show love. Joyce Meyer in a book of hers says, you don’t need to love someone, to show them love. Showing love is an action, where you listen to someone, smile at them, try and get them what they need. To do this, you don’t have to wait till you love them. God knows and will reward your actions by removing all those hard feelings and bitterness.
The word of God says everyone have their own problems. Before one receives God’s touch, one only think of one’s problem and needs help. After one receives God’s touch, one pushes one’s problem to God, and thinks of others’ problems and gives help.
Now, Jesus’ touch is available for one and all. It was made freely available for all at the cross. Now it is up to us to decide, if we have received that touch or not.

Matthew 8:14, 15 - And when Jesus went into Peter's house, He saw his mother-in-law lying ill with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her; and she got up and began waiting on Him.
Mark 10: 45 - For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Isaiah 35: 3 - Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;
Luke 6: 38 - Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there is hatred let me bring your love;

Where there is injury your pardon, Lord;

And where there's doubt true faith in you.

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there's despair in life let me bring hope;

Where there is darkness, only light;

And where there's sadness, ever joy.

Make me a channel of your peace.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

In giving to all men that we receive;

And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

The Still, Small Voice - Joyce Meyer

The Still, Small Voice Joyce Meyer

February 3 Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth!  —Psalm 46:10 While most horses are guided and led by a strap fastened to the bit in their mouth, some horses keep one ear turned to their master's voice for guidance; this is called a reining ear. Elijah needed to hear from God, and fortunately he had a reining ear toward God. He had just defeated 450 false prophets in a duel of power. Now Queen Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah within the day. Elijah ran for his life, hid in a cave, and prayed to God to die before Jezebel found him. Then the Lord sent His word to Elijah, asking, "What are you doing here?" Elijah recounted the events and the threats. So the Lord demonstrated His presence to Elijah once again, telling him to stand on the mountain before Him. A strong wind tore through the mountains, and broke rocks into pieces, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was a terrible earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, a fire broke out; but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there came "a still, small voice." Then the Lord told Elijah to leave his hiding place and go anoint the next kings to serve over Syria and Israel and the prophet who was to take his place (See 1 Kings 16-19). And Elijah obeyed the still, small voice of the Lord. Elijah's story helps us understand how to hear God when we need direction. God didn't reassure Elijah with a showy, flashy manifestation of power, although He had already proven that He was capable of doing so. God spoke to His prophet through a still, small voice. And this is one way the Lord still speaks to us today. God chooses to communicate directly to His children through a whisper deep within their spirits.    From the book New Day, New You: 365 Devotions for Enjoying Everyday Life by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2007 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Warm Regards,

Annie Livingston
Process Engineer
VWR Lab Products Private Ltd
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