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Listen while you read: "Spirit Of God Descend"1 (Lyrics) |
Romans 12:1b – Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship. (NIV 2011)
One day a few months ago, I was mulling over the details of my difficult health situation. That's when I cast it all before God and was startled by His question: "Will you give Me your diseases?" I consented, willingly; and with that, I freely offered my body to God as a living sacrifice, to manage as He chose. I was to be God's project, and all health-related issues were His problem, not mine.
What a relief! Since then, God has sustained me with diverse expressions of love, including the following quotation from Oswald Chambers that caught my attention: "If you give God the right to yourself, He will always make a holy experiment out of you." He didn't mean an experiment with an uncertain outcome, but one conducted to prove a truth.
Okay then. So … my situation is not problematic, but a holy experiment in God's hands — with my consent.
At first, I squirmed at the idea of being an experiment. I remembered my past baking experiments affectionately called burnt offerings by family members. I remembered a fellow chemistry student's experiment. Her carelessness produced faulty results: the curtains caught fire. Our instructor sternly condemned her irresponsibility. I call that an un-holy experiment.
However, because God's ways are holy, they are never tainted with carelessness, selfish motives, or negligence. His experiments with our lives don't flop. They produce His desired results: mature faith, endurance, and glory to His name. That's what I want, too!
I now realize why it's called an experiment: it's a process of trials and tests, repeated as needed to melt down all resistance to His love. Applied through time and life experiences, we discover truth for ourselves; we prove God's faithful love. Our faith grows stronger. We discover that God is a well-skilled scientist Who won't apply more heat than needed.
What about you? Have you had a disastrous experience? Perhaps, it's a disastrous employment situation, a family estrangement, a failed renovation project, or a church hurt. Maybe, you assume that it's nothing much; yet the hurt has penetrated you deeply, and it's derailing you. Maybe, you're now seeing how a theological belief has gone off the rails, disabling your spiritual life, your church, or society.
Regardless, if you keep on viewing it as a disaster, you'll focus on the wreckage, and you won't benefit yourself or anyone. But if you willingly accept it as a holy experiment, you'll focus on what God is doing in your life. You'll have blessings to enjoy and to share.
Prayer: "Spirit of God, descend upon my heart; Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move. Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art … My heart an altar and Thy love the flame." Amen. (George Croly)
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Saturday, May 18, 2024 – In North Africa — Living in North Africa we get so used to hearing the call to prayer it becomes like background noise and sometimes I don't hear it anymore. I am challenged by the fact that some Muslims are so committed to pray that they go to the mosque 5 times a day. Would you consider, with me, setting your alarm to go off at 3:00 every day and pray for these three things: 5 families to come to know Christ, 3 people for us to read scripture with,1 new church plant.
Housing: "Update May 16, 2024: Please continue to pray for T and her son A to find a different apartment...." 
Thank-you Diane.
Thanks for the inspiring words, Diane.
Your words spoke to my heart and spirit this morning. Thank you!
Diane,
Thanks for the great reflection.
(CA)
Good morning, Diane,
There are indeed trials and tests, we are experiencing that at the moment. Thank you for your good words this morning.
Blessings on your Sunday.
Greetings Diane and many thanks for this touching and very mindful devotional. May the Lord’s hand be upon you and safely guide you through your present circumstance. The Lord’s love and care abounds in all ways. Many blessings as you go forward each day.
Good morning, Diane,
I am lost a little by your devotional today. I must have a muddled brain. I think you were worried about your health, and you gave the problem to God. However I am lost about the “experiment” part.
Maybe when I ponder this further, I will understand more of how you are viewing this.
I appreciate how faithful you are with your sharing and sure there is something important for me to understand in this message. Blessings.
Thanks Diane, timely for me. Since God healed my left leg and I can walk, daily with more strength and stability (which is why I walked Falls) and excited about my new found vigor, didn’t think twice about climbing the berm, which I had done many times, that it might pose a problem. However, nearing the top, I slipped and down I went, tumbling all the way to the bottom, landing on my shoulder with a crunch and excruciating pain. Laying on the grass I reached for my phone only to discover I didn’t have it! It was half an hour before a kind-hearted soul drove me to the hospital and took the dog home. No bones broken but torn ligaments. Dear me! It will be months before that is healed. So, I have lots of time to spend with the Lord! Well, the Lord is merciful, even with our mis-steps and willfulness. He is patient and we have much to learn. Bless you for sharing the insights that the Lord is giving you!
Another powerful reflection!! Thank you, Diane!!
Thank you, Diane. What a great way to look at life with Christ!
God is our Father and our friend with whom we can share in prayer — blessings and problems.
Dear Diane,
I’m very sorry to hear that you are having health challenges. I am grateful that the Lord is showing you His love in the midst of this and teaching you things to share with us. Thank you very much. I appreciated hearing about the holy experiment.
Hi Diane,
Thanks for helping me to look at the “holy experiment” in a different light from my literal view. Sometimes it takes reading it more than once and pondering.
Also I forward the devotionals to a few friends with my thoughts. One of my friends who has just conquered cancer after two tough years, responded to me with “This message reminded me of myself, when I was suffering, I gave God my pain and try not to think of it. I’m a true testament that He walked with me throughout my ordeal and I’m blessed to say God and my family and friends were with me every step of the way, so when we offer ourselves to God, it’s a very big decision, but when we pray He will guide us and show us what to do while He’s working behind the scenes according to His will to make this work in His favour, I’ll always be grateful that now I’m fortunate to forget, as I put the past behind me.” It helped me to see that the experiment is God working behind the scenes to get the right results and prove His love.
Sometimes for a very black and white person, I need some help in my understanding. Your devotionals help me to look at situations from different perspectives that I would not think of myself.
Thanks.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us. Blessings.