Today was the first day of my fall Bible study. Actually last night was. Well . . . it’s like this. I am attending the Wednesday night Daniel Bible Study (Beth Moore’s), but leading the Thursday morning Daniel Bible Study. What can I say? I need everything I can get. Daniel is not an easy book to understand. An added blessing is that my sweet husband wants to study Daniel along with me this fall. What more could a woman want?
This morning, all chaos broke out the minute I stepped into the room and turned on the lights. The room was not ready due to a mix up, but janitorial staff scurried to do whatever was needed. There was trash on the floor and the floor needed vacuuming, and also the tables and chairs had not been arranged. All of this usually takes some time and I had maybe 30 minutes. I had not planned on doing any of this type work and all the blood was in my brain, not in my ability to bend over. I was stunned, but I shouldn’t have been. For one thing, I had not slept well last night, so I was physically tired. Picking up trash and vacuuming were not on my list of desired tasks for the morning. Since this is the first group I’ve led at our semi-new church, I wasn’t sure what was required of me. I’m standing there thinking perhaps I should pick up the trash and vacuum? The person who had previously made the plans for our class told me all was taken care of for the room. Dumb me. I know to double check every detail that is remotely important. I’ve just been so laid back about the class and this fall, thinking all would fall in place. I found out later that the rain storm last night caused that clean put together room all ready for our Bible Study to be used for a group at the last minute.
A dear sweet lady came into the room at that very moment and informed me that she had come there only to pray over me, which she did. I sure am glad she ONLY came to pray. What an important ministry! She offered to stay and help with the registration, which I welcomed, since the lady who was assisting me with that task was held up in another meeting.
As I was busy arranging my notes, announcements, agenda, etc. on the podium, there was a commotion at the registration table. It seems one person had sort of fallen into the room and into the praying lady’s arms. God knows exactly what is needed at any given minute. Later I found out that she – the praying lady had actually already met the new lady a few weeks ago. Then another lady volunteered to be a friend and sit with the new lady who was sobbing and shaking at this point. God just sort of dropped this new lady in our midst today.
This has happened often in the past as I’ve been in different Bible studies through the years. God just drops someone out of no where with a tremendous life need into the group’s midst. It’s as if God wants to give us a live example of someone to love, pray for, and minister to extra special. And, of course, it is always so inspiring and encouraging to watch God work in such a dramatic way. This whole episode caused an immediate bond in our group. The other ladies all rushed to the new lady, and prayed. Almost like all the air was sucked into that one spot in the room. It was sort of like what happens when a magnet is dropped into the midst of metal objects. You know. An immediate zap. Boom.
Now we all come to this place with many needs, deep needs. Don’t get me wrong. Most often we all end up sharing them too. But to be able to watch God heal another life in such a dramatic way is something no one else could orchestrate but God.
The Daniel Bible Study is going to be an exciting one. I heard new information on the DVD today that I never heard last night. To sum up today’s lesson: Babylon is representative of the flesh, and of this worldly culture, of self will. Babylon teaches us that life is ‘all about me’. We know that life is ‘not about me’, but rather ‘all about God’. Everything this world teaches us is to gratify our fleshly desires. God teaches us to deny our fleshly desires. We need to wean ourselves off of anything that takes us away from our relationship with God or our ministry for Him. We need to get the Babylon out of our homes and lives. Oh my, that would be quite a list. There’s a lot of work to be done.
I honestly don’t know where I would be if I had not be involved with in depth Bible studies for 35 years. I always look forward to a new study with the opportunity to learn along with and from the lives of a new group of women.
We had a great group of women this morning. God showed up. All fell into place. God is at work in our midst. I sure am glad that He is in charge. I’m also glad that I didn’t spend any precious time fretting or having a panic attack over anything. Trusting Him really is the only way to live. Cleaving to Him and His Word really does work. Amen.
“Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” II Timothy 3:16-17, The Message Bible
This morning, all chaos broke out the minute I stepped into the room and turned on the lights. The room was not ready due to a mix up, but janitorial staff scurried to do whatever was needed. There was trash on the floor and the floor needed vacuuming, and also the tables and chairs had not been arranged. All of this usually takes some time and I had maybe 30 minutes. I had not planned on doing any of this type work and all the blood was in my brain, not in my ability to bend over. I was stunned, but I shouldn’t have been. For one thing, I had not slept well last night, so I was physically tired. Picking up trash and vacuuming were not on my list of desired tasks for the morning. Since this is the first group I’ve led at our semi-new church, I wasn’t sure what was required of me. I’m standing there thinking perhaps I should pick up the trash and vacuum? The person who had previously made the plans for our class told me all was taken care of for the room. Dumb me. I know to double check every detail that is remotely important. I’ve just been so laid back about the class and this fall, thinking all would fall in place. I found out later that the rain storm last night caused that clean put together room all ready for our Bible Study to be used for a group at the last minute.
A dear sweet lady came into the room at that very moment and informed me that she had come there only to pray over me, which she did. I sure am glad she ONLY came to pray. What an important ministry! She offered to stay and help with the registration, which I welcomed, since the lady who was assisting me with that task was held up in another meeting.
As I was busy arranging my notes, announcements, agenda, etc. on the podium, there was a commotion at the registration table. It seems one person had sort of fallen into the room and into the praying lady’s arms. God knows exactly what is needed at any given minute. Later I found out that she – the praying lady had actually already met the new lady a few weeks ago. Then another lady volunteered to be a friend and sit with the new lady who was sobbing and shaking at this point. God just sort of dropped this new lady in our midst today.
This has happened often in the past as I’ve been in different Bible studies through the years. God just drops someone out of no where with a tremendous life need into the group’s midst. It’s as if God wants to give us a live example of someone to love, pray for, and minister to extra special. And, of course, it is always so inspiring and encouraging to watch God work in such a dramatic way. This whole episode caused an immediate bond in our group. The other ladies all rushed to the new lady, and prayed. Almost like all the air was sucked into that one spot in the room. It was sort of like what happens when a magnet is dropped into the midst of metal objects. You know. An immediate zap. Boom.
Now we all come to this place with many needs, deep needs. Don’t get me wrong. Most often we all end up sharing them too. But to be able to watch God heal another life in such a dramatic way is something no one else could orchestrate but God.
The Daniel Bible Study is going to be an exciting one. I heard new information on the DVD today that I never heard last night. To sum up today’s lesson: Babylon is representative of the flesh, and of this worldly culture, of self will. Babylon teaches us that life is ‘all about me’. We know that life is ‘not about me’, but rather ‘all about God’. Everything this world teaches us is to gratify our fleshly desires. God teaches us to deny our fleshly desires. We need to wean ourselves off of anything that takes us away from our relationship with God or our ministry for Him. We need to get the Babylon out of our homes and lives. Oh my, that would be quite a list. There’s a lot of work to be done.
I honestly don’t know where I would be if I had not be involved with in depth Bible studies for 35 years. I always look forward to a new study with the opportunity to learn along with and from the lives of a new group of women.
We had a great group of women this morning. God showed up. All fell into place. God is at work in our midst. I sure am glad that He is in charge. I’m also glad that I didn’t spend any precious time fretting or having a panic attack over anything. Trusting Him really is the only way to live. Cleaving to Him and His Word really does work. Amen.
“Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” II Timothy 3:16-17, The Message Bible
