"Consider Him..."

It's been a long time since I posted what God was teaching me in my quiet times... it used to be my primary post material, but recently I've taken to only posting after I've stopped laughing when something outrageous happens to me.  I want to catch that stuff to remember later, for sure - but I want to catch the little ways God encourages my soul too.  Those are the things that affect my heart later.

Today is day 21 is our countdown to Stephan finishing grad school.  Neither of us can believe we're so close!  I say "we" at Stephan's insistance.  He says this is something we're doing together - and he's right...at least, if my weariness of it all is any indicator...

This morning I woke up wanting nothing more than to have his attention.  And, this was the one day of the semester he just couldn't give it.  The largest segment of his final paper is due, well, in 2 hours - before midnight tonight.  It's been a hard push this week, and an even harder push today.  There wasn't any leeway to be spending time with me...

I've been reading through the book of Isaiah, but today, having those "I just can't do this anymore..." thoughts, I flipped to Hebrews 12 and read one short but powerful verse:

"Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted."  -Heb 12:3

Weary and fainthearted... yep, that about summed it up.  And the author of Hebrews was just as faithful as Paul or Peter before him to point me back to the one solution to every problem I'll ever face: the gospel.

Jesus endured much more than I'll ever have to...and this verse says that he did it so that I might not grow weary or fainthearted.  When I think of him - and who is 'him'? My savior, my mediator, my way to the Father - who endured the wrath of God that I deserved for my sin, it's much easier to press on in joy and persevere through tough times.  Why?  Because since Jesus endured what he did, I now have access to the father to ask for help when I need it, and the holy spirit living in me to give me power to endure myself, just like Christ did.

So, today, I've considered him, my savior, who endured such hostility and scorn from sinners like me, to take my punishment so that I'll never have to, and remembered that becaues he did it I have stregnth for today and bright hope for tomorrow - and this buoys me up as I endure for this life, until my final rest comes in heaven

(...or, my temporary rest comes in Italy.  21 DAYS!!!)