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a pearl

Monday, March 1, 2010

God is so gracious. This past weekend I went on a retreat, and God spoke to me about many things in a very personal way. In one sense, this made the weekend difficult. I have come home, wrestling with some things, seeking the heart of God and what He wants for me and for others. In other, ways, of course, the words that the Lord gave to me were a sweet balm for my soul. He is always so kind.

One of the speakers at the retreat shared two stories that were very personal to her. She called them "pearls". And though she was hesitant to share them because of their personal nature, she really felt that the Lord had asked her to do just that. Friends, I was so blessed by these stories. They were from the very heart of God.

Often, I am hesitant to share the things that the Lord is telling me because of their intimate nature. But today, I believe the Lord wants me to share one story from the retreat. He wants me to share it because He wants you to know how insanely much He loves you, how much a heart that is towards Him truly touches His heart, and how much it means to Him when we love Him in the midst of difficulties. Here is my "pearl":

On Friday evening, when we arrived at the retreat, I was feeling in a bit of a slump. I have had a cold that has been hanging on for almost two weeks now, I was tired and I was totally preoccupied by thoughts of the 147 million orphans of the world, and the 20,000 children who would die that day for lack of food and water. I was not really in the mood to socialize!

We spent a little time in worship and then listened to a speaker. My mind was totally not there. But then we started to worship again. I moved to the back of the room, so that I could have a little space and also so that I could stay awake. The song that we were singing was truly beautiful and I felt God bringing me to a place of worship. After a little while, I glanced to my right. There was a woman standing a little ways away, worshipping. She looked beautiful...I mean absolutely radiant. And then I felt the heart of God for this woman. "I just love her so much. Isn't she radiant?" He said. It seemed as If our Lord was choking back tears. He was just so in love with this woman.

I looked around me. There were many other women worshipping. They were beautiful, as well, but none of them even came close to the radiance that this woman exuded. "What is it about this woman, Lord? Why is she so radiant?"

He didn't answer me. Instead He told me to go and tell her how much He loved her.

Okay....I guess that I could do that. I mean, who wouldn't like to hear about God's love for them? So, after a few minutes I walked over to this woman and said. "You know, when you were worshipping, you looked absolutely radiant. The Lord wants you to know how much He loves you."

That's it. I hardly even looked her in the eyes. I just delivered my message and walked away. I thought that it was over...but I was wrong.

The next evening, we were getting ready for worship again. The woman whom I had talked with the night before, walked up to the front to share a testimony and to encourage us in our worship. She talked for awhile about some of the things that God had been showing her over the past few years due to illnesses in her family, and then she shared something very personal. Her one year old son had cancer. He had a 50% chance of making it through the year. But, through this incredible trial, the Lord was showing her what it meant to worship...to worship Him because He is worthy no matter our circumstances, no matter what might happen to her son. He is worthy.

Friends, I was in tears. This woman had endured so much pain and still wanted to worship our precious Lord. No wonder He was so taken with her. No wonder He wanted her to know of His deep affection and care for her. No wonder He had to choke back tears when he spoke of His love for her. She truly was a jewel in the crown of our beautiful Jesus.

After the woman got down from the stage, I went over and hugged her. Through tears, I tried to explain more of what the Father had conveyed to me about His love for her. "I didn't know last night why he wanted me to tell you this."

"I knew," she said, with a face still radiant with His love. "I knew."

My friends, do you know that He loves you in the same way? He loves you with a love that is uncontainable. He loves you in such a way that He has to choke back tears when He speaks of you. And when you worship Him in the midst of trials, His heart is completely ravished by you. Dear ones, His heart is completely for you. He will move heaven and earth so that you will know His love. You are radiant to Him.

8 comments:

Jean said...

What an incredible post, what an incredible experience! Just reading it - I had to choke back the tears.

Absolutely beautiful post! Oh, so heart warming to know how much the Lord love me! Thank you Sarah!

Naomi said...

That is so beautiful Sarah!! I am so glad that you were faithful to tell her!

Waitingfaithfully said...

Thank you Sarah for sharing from your own heart, and for sharing the Lord's heart with us. Oh how He loves us so. I often find myself believing the lie that He loves "so and so" that much because she does . . . whatever it may be. Or "so and so" this much because of this or that. Do I not know by now that it has nothing to do with what we do? He wants our hearts, and He wants them turned towards Him, trusting Him and Him alone. Worshiping Him with everything within us. Everything.

Honestly, I struggle with all of that daily . . . (I think I need to write my own post).

The Lord had me turn around to the woman behind me in church two weeks ago and tell her how much He loves her. I had never seen her before, I haven't seen her again . . . but, I hope her heart was touched by His words.

My heart is touched by yours, Sarah. I do know that the Lord is trying to get His point across to me. I AM radiant to Him. Today I will choose to believe this . . . and tomorrow I will do the same.

I'm off to pass this post along to someone who I know the Lord wants to speak to . . . just has He has spoken to those of us who have already read your "pearl".

Thank you Sarah.

I love you ~

Tina

The Spicer Family said...

Wow, Sarah! Your post is beautiful but even more beautiful is our Savior!! I hope you don't mind that I shared it on facebook...

Jill

nikimac said...

Sarah....that post gave me chills. That was just beautiful!

Jennifer O'Cain said...

Amazing, wonderful story. Thanks for reminding me what is so easy to forget, the Love of our Lord.

Gwen said...

Beautiful post... thank you for reminding me of our Savior's love for EACH of us!!!

The Byrd's Nest said...

Oh...I needed this today...I needed to read about His miracles...this is the second blog I have been to tonight where He has shown me His miracles!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so thankful you were listening...you said you were sort of out of it but you really WERE listening to Him....just amazing...Sarah...just amazing. Big hugs

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