When I awake, I am still with You

In my line of work (alright, it's not really work per se... it just sounds so very impressive when stated like this *wink*), I get to meet some pretty amazing people who end up becoming lifelong friends.

And I met this great lady who has not only become a dear friend but also my pram-pushing workout buddy. (Hooah!)

No, we don't just wear gym clothing cos it's cool. We do actually push those prams and work up a sweat! 

And if you were wondering, she has two little boys, so it is also not empty prams that we are pushing around... that would just be plain weird, right?!

Anyways, she happens to be an image consultant (no, really, we workout for exercise, not to wear uber cool gym clothes...).

And she is very very good at what she does. She recently assisted Janie Erasmus, who walked away with the Miss Deaf South Africa 2015 title. 

https://www.facebook.com/NadiaPotgieterImageConsultant

But more than being an image consultant, she is a lady with a kind heart.

Together with her husband, they are a gifted couple with a deep desire to follow Christ. They have recently preached up a storm at HIGHWAY CHURCH.

Nadia with her youngest son.

Here's Nadia's musings... (as I promised in my previous post)

When I awake, I am still with You

I was reading the well-known and loved Psalm 139 in a season of busyness, of adjusting, of growing and challenges, of feeling far from God then near in moments and then far again… And these words that I read in this Psalm was so encouraging but I couldn’t help standing still on the last part of verse 18.

Reading from verse 17: “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.”

Even though it was in the middle of the day and I’ve been awake for several hours (keeping in mind we have little ones in the house), it felt as though I was awaken from my “here and now” and an overwhelming peace flooded my soul that I was still with Him! He was still there! No amount of quiet times, good deeds, Bible Plans or serving could assure me of this.

It is so easy to experience His closeness on a Sunday morning, being surrounded with fellow believers who encourage and spur us on and having amazing times of corporate worship… He is near to us then, we can almost tangibly experience His presence. But comes Monday and I am alone in the office or busy with my children or running errands or meeting deadlines or surfing the internet I often don’t experience His presence as I would on a Sunday.

So, has He left me? Am I less holy because I am not at church? Am I too busy to see and hear Him?

We are in desperate need of the Gospel every day! Jesus Christ the Holy One, the Righteous Blameless One coming down to earth and dying for my sins! Bearing the curse I was meant to carry but could not and meeting the demands that I was meant to meet but could not. Bearing the wrath of God. He was raised on the 3^rd day by the same Power that is now at work in me… He reigns triumphantly over all His enemies and over all circumstances and situations! He tore the veil so that I am with Him and can get to know Him, every day, not just on a Sunday.

We all face different seasons in life, we go through outrageous joys and deep pains and very often fall in the trap of staring in the face of our circumstances and situations instead of staring right in the eyes of the Unchanging One, the all satisfying One!

But friends, as David says in this Psalm… “I am still with you.” He does not say “When I awake, I return to You”… No, I AM WITH YOU. He never left me. I am still with Him as if my communion was never broken. How faithful is He!! How freeing is it to know that no performance (good or poor) from my side can bring me to Him or take me from Him.

Looking at verse 17 and 18 again – “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.” God’s thoughts are altogether innumerable. The task of counting God’s thoughts towards us would be a never ending one.

Nadia and Marius with their two sons, Liam and Ivan-Juan.

Charles Spurgeon says; “God thinks upon us infinitely: there is a limit to the act of creation, but not to the might of divine love.”

His thoughts of love are so many that I actually never get away from them, they surround me at all hours. God is ever with me and I am ever with Him. He has never forgotten you, child of God.

May we be awaken to not stand still and look at life the same way this world does… Where we forget. But may we be assured that we are ever with Him! The One who has overcome!

As the Hillsong song: Take Heart

All our troubles and all our tears – God our hope – He has overcome

All our failure and all our fear – God our love – He has overcome

All our heartache and all our pain – God our healer – He has overcome

All our burdens and all our shame – God our freedom – He has overcome

John 16:33 (MSG) “ I’ve told you all this (that Jesus came from the Father and entered this world and will go back to the Father) so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart (become confident or courageous during a difficult situation)! I’ve conquered / overcome the world.”

• When you wake up tomorrow morning, you are still with Him because of His constancy
• When you wake up (open your eyes to Him again and looking away from your situation), you are still with Him because of His finished work on the cross
• But also, if you have been sleeping (dead in your sin) and are awaken today and found not with Him… Because of His great love and lavished grace you can run to Him and be found with Him for eternity.

He will never leave us nor forsake us… His thoughts toward us are more than the grains of sand, His love cannot be measured or contained.

Because of His unfailing, faithful love and the finished work of the cross, the same power now at work in you… When you awake (now and after falling asleep when your time on earth is done), you are still with Him!

(p.s. thanks for the previous post's milk tart recipe, Nadia)