Last week in Los Angeles I found an old hardcover biography of William Borden, first written in 1926, called "Borden of Yale '09". I was sharing it with Mary Ann the other evening and was drawn to the back cover. It has a line which reads, " 'tis the set of the sail, and not the gale that determines the way we go."
I found that really speaking to my heart. With the proper set of the sail you can even sail almost straight in to a strong wind. What that means to me is that God can be moving in a direction—strongly moving, in fact—and if my "sail" is not set to catch that wind I can move in a totally different direction. I can struggle and work and force my own direction and way, or I can set my "sail" to catch His wind and go in the direction it is blowing.
God has been talking to me a lot about surrender lately. About letting go, and just letting Him. Letting Him work His work through me. Letting Him carry my burdens. Letting Him take care of me. Simply laying down on the altar, a living sacrifice, saying, "Here I am, my precious Lord." I don't want to sail against His wind. I want to catch His wind and go with it—to travel with the Father's full force behind me and propelling me. To run with His wind and let it carry me. To quite striving, and start enjoying the joy and the peace that I know total surrender will bring, and yet which I find myself fighting against so much.
HOW???
ReplyDeleteAmy: I think the answer lies in a working through of many of my most recent posts (the lawn mowing story, the typesetting story, the theme of surrender). I am going to take this to the Lord and see what He might give you and I about some nuts and bolts specifics. I can tell you that the Ian Thomas teachings "Pearl" has turned me on to have opened my eyes tremendously (especially his 5-part Elijah teaching). I just re-read John 14-17 this morning and I feel like some truths about abiding and co-existing (Christ in us, us in Christ) are just starting to jell and the veil be lifted. I will not leave your question unanswered, though, of all people I know, you are probably one of the closest to the proper set of the sail as I know that your heart is truly to do His will.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Did my "Daniel" clarification in the follow up post answer your question about what I meant by what I'd told him?
Thank you Pastor Erick! You have re-instilled a principle that God has been speaking into my heart and life. He wants me to trust, to follow His lead,trusting that ALL will work out; though I may or may not see it; ALL WILL work out.
ReplyDelete~ Kierstyn
Thank you, Kierstyn. I appreciate the encouragement, knowing God has used me to encourage you. You are an amazing young lady. We wish you lived closer, and that more youth would follow your lead into an adulthood after God's heart. You, by wanting to have Him first in your life, are already "setting your sail" in the right place---trying to catch His wind, and not go your own way. God bless you. Please give your family our love.
ReplyDeleteThank you Pastor Erick for your kind words!
ReplyDeleteI am who I am today because of a great God,my parents,and other amazing, godly people in my life, like you and your wonderful family! Everyone here sends their love as well.
~ Kierstyn