Nautilus Journeys

I fancy I am on a journey into the heart of a cosmic chambered nautilus of believing God.  From one room to the next I feel as if surely I have found the center, surely I have learned my lessons this time; but I keep traveling through more and yet another, hoping by grace I have been made complete, only to realize a fresh, most unexpected turn.  At times it grows so very dark and then I find for fear I have closed my eyes and wander, and have but to open them and realize that the veiled opalescent light shining through my walled-in place is the shining of the Spirit-- is in fact a more sure reality than what I see when my eyes are closed to the promises, to the Word of God to me.

I was quite convicted at a point in an article written by Andree Seu in World: “Whenever we speak out words of unbelief, putting ourselves in agreement with the devil, we hand Him our authority and put ourselves under his.”  Ouch!  And she writes in her blog this morning about Philippians 4:13 (I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me):

"Have I ever told you about the time I was whining on the phone to a friend and he listened a while and then said, “Andrée, you got a Bible handy?” “Sure,” I said. “Turn to Philippians 4:13,” he said. “You got some Wite-Out?” “Yes,” I said, a little uncomfortable. “Well, why don’t you white it out then; you’re not using it anyway.”

"Ouch. That incident was my first eye-opener that the Word of God must be actually practiced and not just constantly quoted. Jesus said, “Take care then how you hear” (Luke 8:18), meaning that it is a very serious business to keep hearing Scripture and never living it in a daily walk…

"The very speaking out the Word of God in a public manner invites God to manifest Himself powerfully into our situation. Your declaration of His Word is an entry point for God to be wonderful… This isn’t manipulation; it’s aligning yourself with His will…The Word of God includes its application. The words “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” long to be activated and fly off the page into your reality when you claim them for yourself and your situation…”

Add that to what I read yesterday in Mary Winslow’s Heaven Opened about belief, and our words of belief  to one another:

"How very soon we shall realize what we are now called to believe; and in proportion to our belief will be our joy and comfort.  God be praised for what we do know—but oh, let us encourage each other, while on the road to glory, to follow on to know more and more of the power of Christ’s resurrection, who is watching over us with an ever-watchful eye.  Oh, to know that He loves us, that His love never changes, that He is causing all things to work together for our best interests, and in due time will come and receive us unto Himself, and that when we see Him we shall be like Him! 

"Unbelief, cruel unbelief, destroys more than half our comforts while on our short passage to glory.  A little while and we shall be put into possession of our glorious inheritance, and all our poor, short-lived trials, crosses, and disappointments are so many rich blessings in disguise to prepare us for it…then let us take fresh courage and look up…"

I think I see another doorway up ahead...

Entrance to Fingal's Cave, Staffa Island; Mendelssohn wrote his Hebrides Overture after visiting here.