Take That, Flu Bug!

Yesterday afternoon the flu hit me. Quite rapidly in fact. But praise God, He is healing me quickly. My fever was gone this morning, and other than being slightly achy and tired, I feel much better. 

Last night I felt Him asking me to focus on Him instead of zoning out. He gave clarity to my feverish brain, so I was able to listen to worship music, pray, and read more of "Discerning the Voice of God" by Priscilla Shirer. The chapter I read challenged me to do whatever God asks of me for the next 24 hours. Sounds like He has plans for this extra time I have at home (I can't go to work until I've had at least 48 fever-free hours).

"You can obey without hesitation because God is kind, He is good, and He loves you," says Priscilla Shirer. 

My time with Him yesterday and this morning has been GOOD. I'd like to share my journal entry with you:

I read Ephesians 1 this morning, both in English and in French. Reading the Bible in French forces me to slow down and really think about the words I'm reading. 

For example, verse 14 says, "This [the Holy Spirit] is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory" or "lequel est un gage de notre héritage, pour la rédemption de ceux que Dieu s’est acquis, à la louange de sa gloire."

Literally, un gage is something given to assure payment of a debt. Figuratively, it means "de toute sorte de garantie, d'assurance, de preuve, de témoignage," or "all sorts of guarantee, assurance (certainty, confidence, insurance), proof, and witness."It's our unshakable promise from God for our future, our redemption. It's for those who "Dieu s'est acquis," those whom God has acquired, purchased, bought. 

This part I love - it's to the louange (praise) of His glory. Louange means to speak something by which we "relève" God's merit. Relève = to put something back in the place it should be, its natural position. When I speak praise to God, I'm putting Him back in the place He should be in my life, acknowledging His true, exalted position in our universe.

This led me into worship, singing and looking in awestruck wonder at a book that combines two of my favorite things, "The Heavens Proclaim His Glory." It has pictures taken by the Hubble telescope of God's awesomeness, as well as quotes and scriptures about Him. The Sombrero Galaxy, in particular, has stirred my heart. God created that, and over 100 billion other galaxies as well. He's huge and creative and powerful. Yet he also is active in every tiny cell in my body, healing me.