Definition: To
allow a sauce or flavoring
mixture to absorb into something; to steep or soak something in a marinade to
flavor or prepare it for cooking.
I read this word
several days ago in an email I received from a good friend. “Stoked for what the Lord has ahead
for you and even where He has you marinating right now!!” It caught my
eye, made me think of steak….but made me ponder what it means to be marinating
in life, marinating in the presence of my Lord.
I
am currently feeling so blessed right now in life. My current position at my
job is allowing me to work one on one with people who so selflessly desire to
give of themselves. I see horses, yes, horses carry broken, disabled, yet
amazing individuals day after day, lap after lap, giving these riders hope. I
have not only been able to experience the thrill of graduating with my BA and
having a semester finished of my MA already, but I have also got to witness and
rejoice with my sister as she walked across the stage for her high school
diploma. My morning /evening devotions have rocked my world as of late and I
feel so grateful for my earthly family, but also for my Heavenly Father as
well. Nights have been spent on my horse or chatting it up with fellow comrades
over dinner or a cup of jo.
But,
I consider my greatest blessing the overwhelming amount of peace I have right
now in life. I can vividly see God
filling my life and slowly diminishing every earthly want or desire I have. Actually my daily prayer goes along the lines
of, “I pray for patience in times of
desire. Courage for when I am nudged
to jump. Trust in times of waiting.
I
don’t by any means want to sound like my life is perfect, it is the farthest
thing from it; but I do believe in perspective, in learning lessons, in
choosing joy, and in being patient.
I was recently at a Ladies Day retreat out at Gull Lake
Ministries (I highly encourage this retreat to all you ladies who read this).
Sheri Rose Shepherd was the keynote speaker and boy did she
challenge us women. One of the questions that stuck out to me was, “How many
catastrophes have you gone through that actually never happened?” So often we
tend to blow things out of the water when it comes to life and the struggles it
brings. We live in a world that over exaggerates, focuses on negatives, and rarely
is able to see the joy in the midst of hardships. Sheri encouraged us to dance.
D- Dream Everlasting Dreams.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we
ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” Eph. 3:20a
The dream you felt God didn’t give you- would it have drawn you
or anyone else closer to God? God doesn’t pull us out of dark places- to then
keep it to ourselves.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s
purpose that prevails.” Prov. 19:21
We must have the faith of a mustard seed, God will move the
mountain if it is in the way of his will.
A- Accept His grace.
“But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my
power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
about my weaknesses, so that Christ’a power may rest on me.” 2 Chr. 12:9
Sometimes God disables us- to enable us.
N- Never forfeit your identity in Christ.
So often we put faith in others before Christ. We can
believe the Word of God or the word of man- but we can’t muddle them together.
“We are sons and daughters of the King.”
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so
that you might go and bear fruit-fruit that will last- and so that whatever you
ask in my name the Father will give you.” John 15:16
Our worth is what someone else is willing to pay for you-
Jesus died on the cross for us.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have
come that they may have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10
C-Come out of hiding.
This is the state of ‘whatever’. In order to let loose and
dance, you don’t need designer jeans, a great haircut, or any worldly item, all
you need to know is the Designer of your life.
E- Embrace your battles.
You will have
troubles- there is no might. So often
when we are wounded and broken we see God in such a vivid and astounding way.
The giants in life are not too big to hit- but they are too
big to miss. For it is when we head into battle an opportunity to watch the
invisible God become visible arises.
So I have a couple of questions…
First, how are you being marinated?
Second, are you dancing?
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