Wednesday, July 02, 2014

Attaining the gold standard

I had a really great start to the 50s. I woke up with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for I felt so blessed by the Father, who has shown me such great love through the years.

All this time He has been part of my life, watching over me, protecting me, loving me through all the stupid mistakes and  bad decisions I have made, and I know He will continue to love me through my future missteps and faithless moments.

So what lies ahead? Only time will tell. At the same time, I do know the way I should walk - it is where Jesus is leading me, up the narrow path. I also know the way I should walk - hand in hand with Jesus, in close, intimate communication, like a woman aglow with love.

This love was confirmed through the day by all the prayers and well wishes of friends and loved ones. I was treated like a queen. My eldest brother even flew back to celebrate this day with me. It was a very special day yesterday.

Knowing all this doesn't mean I sit under the mango tree waiting for the mangoes to drop. It actually means I need to go out and plant more mango trees and other types of edible and good fruit-bearing trees.

The way ahead is a race as Saint Paul said, a marathon, and it requires patience and perseverance, plus I need to pace myself, given my diminishing reserves of energy.

I also have to watch out for complacency and remain humble, and hungry for Christ. It is not easy to maintain the edge for distractions, pride, sloth and all the other deadly sins tend to get in the way. It scares me for I know on my own I will certainly fail. But, of course, there is a way... a gold standard.

What came to me yesterday was Scripture, three separate verses. Two speak of my deepest desire and one tells me how I can attain that desire. The three verses are:

Proverbs 20:15  There is gold, and there are a multitude of jewels. But lips of knowledge are a precious vessel.

Proverbs 25:11  Whoever speaks a word at an opportune time is like apples of gold on beds of silver.

1 Peter 1:7  so that the testing of your faith, which is much more precious than gold tested by fire, may be found in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

First, it is wisdom that is treasured as gold, a wisdom that comes from hanging out with Jesus all the time. To be able to speak the right words, at the right time, so that they are received in the right way.

This is my personal challenge, to grow into that calibre of wisdom, that I can speak words of such value to help others grow. I have an innate desire to help people find truths that are not only relevant but revolutionary to their worlds. It is a desire that drives me with no small urgency.

The other revelation I had was the need for constant purification that surpasses even that of the process of refining gold. And should I pass the test, and grow in faith, I would find new ways to praise, glorify and honour Jesus as I would experience His love even more.

Gold represents not just wisdom but incorruptibility, something of great value, rare, pure, worthy enough to worship God with. The streets of heaven are paved with gold so gold also represents God's glory.

Nothing on this earth is as valuable as this relationship I have with Jesus. It is gold to me. My birthday wish for the future is that I come to value this relationship even more the older I get. Then, I will truly be living in the golden age.

When we walk, hand in hand,
The warmth of your hand sets my skin on fire.
Liquid gold races through my veins,
Purifying my heart, soul and mind
To a diamantine brilliance.
Beauty, your beauty, exudes through my pores,
I am made radiant by your love and passion.
A shower of flowers tumble over my shoulders 
Creating a veil of colour and fragrance,
A perfect balance of abundance and joy.

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