Unpacking Holy Moments

There are some happy suitcases that you can unpack easily.  When returning from a trip, I usually just dump everything in the laundry room.  The next stop is the bathroom, then ...boom... I'm done.

Next I unload my pictures to digital storage.  Most travels are filled with those fun Kodak moments to help you reminisce the memories.

I also like to write my journeys in a field journal.  It helps me recall the heart milestones.  

I like to reflect on the holy God moments and lessons.

I recently went on a trip to India.  It's been two weeks, and I still have suitcases sitting half-full of stuff that needs to be unpacked, many memories still linger.

My field journal is open to the same page, the outline of those holy hope-captured vignettes.   There are still a lot of memories that are still to be written on my heart, lingering wide open.  

God has some Kodak memories that need His stillness and need some unpacking.  I need to process the things I have seen, I need to share the stories, I need to share my feelings about what I have seen.

I need to unpack my full heart of God moments.  

There are benefits to praying for God to bend the pages of His field journal just a bit, to record and give His revelations from what you have seen on a trip filled with such great holy moments.  

I am dealing with some unflattering, clumsy junk that bring questions about how to care about all that God is showing me.  There is a deep stirring.   

"Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.  Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." 

~ Ps. 82:3-4

Unpacking this verse and many of God's holy moments, may I linger here...

"Father to the fatherless, freedom for the weak

this is God clothed in love and strength."  
"Give me eyes to see when my heart is blind, 
that when I ask you'll give, and when I seek I'll find.
Give me ears to hear, when my way's confused,
let the uncertain road, still lead me back to You."  
~ Meredith Andrews

Polished

Polished Stones

Isaiah 49:2 "He made me into a polished arrow." 

This verse actually made me think about polished stones.  

When I think about how God polishes our faith, I'll admit that I have some rough edges.  

I keep them hidden but know that God is still working on some of the corners of my heart.  

There's a process of bringing beauty from stones.  

First a stone is cleaned and debris is removed.

Next grit sandpaper removes the imperfections and smooths.

The stone is dipped in water and grit sandpaper shapes.

The dip and sandpaper method is used until the designer approves of the result.

Repeat and repeat and repeat.

When done, the stone is polished with a cloth.

God knows how we fit in this life.  He knows our niche, He made it just for us.  

We must trust Him to shape, sand and polish as He sees fit.  

A polished stone has to endure much tumbling before beauty is seen.
It's the refining process that perfects us.  

Trust God to bring His work into completion.