Monday, December 08, 2008, 8:49 p.m. - The Lord has been teaching me so much lately, even though it has been difficult. He has been showing me sin in my life that I did not know was there and he has been teaching me to make it right with him and with people as soon as he speaks to me about it.
We went to the Olive Garden for lunch today and I had this sense when I walked in the door that I was hearing the Lord reminding me that I was to be grateful no matter what. And, the first thing I did was complain… well, not the first thing. We ordered our tea and I ordered mine without lemon and she brought it with lemon. Usually I just take it out, but this time for some reason I made a deal out of it, not a big deal, but enough for it to be wrong. Immediately the Lord spoke to my heart and told me I needed to say I was sorry for complaining. We were waiting for our son to arrive, so he was not there when this happened. It was after he arrived that she came back to our table. I called her by name and I apologized to her for complaining about the tea. She said that was alright.
Well, then we ordered and I ordered salad and I asked her for extra black olives and tomatoes, but when the salad arrived, it did not come with the extra black olives and tomatoes I had requested. But, I had learned not to complain, so I sat there and just smiled and thanked the Lord. He has been doing this a lot with me lately, and it has been tough, but I know that if I want to be holy, then I have to allow the refiner’s fire to purify my heart. The Lord has also pointed out to me lies that I’ve told and gossip and being frustrated in my tone of voice with people and pride in my heart. He’s been showing me that I have a lot of tension in my body and I need to rest in him more and more. The big thing for me has been when the Lord convicts me of specific sin to obey him as soon as the Holy Spirit prompts me and to not let it pass.
This evening the Lord told me he wanted to talk with me, so I listened. And, he told me that he wanted me to make this public. I asked him if he wanted scripture with it and he said Psalm 29. I asked if he wanted any songs with this, and he said he’d let me know. Just now he said, “No songs, just write what you wrote and the scripture.”
Psalm 29: Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD strikes
with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
11 The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.