not our own

O. Chambers said something a few days ago so simple and yet profound that I've found it permeating my way of thinking.

We love when people affirm us, encourage us, inspire us, assure us, don't we. I'm not sure that Chambers has ever done that for me.  But what he DOES do is speak the truth, and I need that more.

"You are not your own," he reminds me with 1 Corinthians 6:19.   "You are not your own. The secret is truly being able to say, I am His, not my own, and He is accomplishing His work and His purpose through Me."

When I got frustrated with the third grader moaning and groaning through math, He has reminded me that I am not my own.  My patience, my grace, my help is not what she needs.  She needs HIS.  Lily needs God accomplishing His work and purpose through me...not the best I can do with my cup of coffee and a deep breath.

When I got a bit complainy myself Monday night, what felt like a ridiculous amount on my plate, and no one noticing or considering, He reminded me I am not my own.  It's not about me. He is here, and it is for Him, because of Him, with Him, for His glory if I turn it into praise.

And as temptation to worry over this storm threatens in, He reminds me again...I am not my own. Haiti and my family are not my own.  Is not the calmer of the storm literally IN. MY. BOAT?  Will I run to Him, shaking Him crying and hysterical, not understanding at all Who. He. Is?  Or will I keep my eyes glued on God-at-Rest, trusting Him, being able to say, "I am His, not my own, and He is accomplishing HIs work and His purpose through me.  IN the storm."

The Bible doesn't command us not to worry because we are to be fools...though it will look foolish to the wisdom of the world.  He commands us not to worry because we KNOW, intimately, the God of the Storm.  And He is in our boat.  At He is at peace.  And if we are His children, if we KNOW Him, His perfect love casts out fear.  Worry shows our striving.  Trust shows HIS.

And I will not wait until AFTER He works to say in awe, "Dude, who IS this guy, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"  I know Him, now, and I am not my own to be afraid, to have no faith.

We are not praying and asking for prayers because there's just nothing else to do.

We're asking for prayer because it is what there it to be done in the coming of the storm.

Pray for our brothers and sisters in Haiti, pray that the storm continues to push North to die, pray for Micheline, still in the Dominican, terribly ill and so far from home, pray for Woudisland and little Miloura, doing a bit better.  Pray for our friend Nikki, due to deliver here any day, and Claudin and Josie, in the same boat! Pray for Tilou, heading way out today to receive 50 boxes of water-tight, no cooking necessary food shipments for our students to use and distribute in their communities if need be.  Pray for our staff and students as we continue on today in His Word in all our classes.

Even our faith we need not strengthen on our own, but can follow in the examples of Mark 9:24, Luke 17:5 and ask HIM to increase our faith.

Let us follow Jesus' example of resting in the middle of the storm, not because it is a joke, but because we have full confidence in our Father, maker of the wind and waves.

For we are not our own.  Let us be entirely His.