The Weekly Encourager - February 8, 2011 - Saga of Settlement and Spirit

"In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1Thessalonians 5:18

After nine years, we are rid of our rental property.  If you've read previous posts, you know that the last few months in particular were quite challenging for me, with two lawsuits and the eviction of our difficult tenant, combined with emotional ramifications which laid me low.  I recently researched the tenant's business and found that we were not the only ones to be cheated and mistreated.  No comfort there, just affirmation.

Here's how God worked: we listed the property in early October, and despite the fact that nothing was selling in that zip code due to the economy, the Lord led buyers to our little townhouse.  The young couple made an offer on Thanksgiving Day.  The offer was quite low, but when we learned that the husband was being called to serve as a youth pastor at a local church, we saw it as an opportunity to bless them.  Dave and I both had the same thought:  who knows but that all these years of headaches may have been "for such a time as this" to provide a home base for this young minister?  We might be providing a setting for someone's salvation!

You might have thought that things would move smoothly after that decision, but they didn't.  "Lord, how long?"  I'm sure God had reasons to test my perseverance and patience, but He didn't inform me!  So many matters came up to delay the sale, that I was genuinely surprised that it actually happened by the deadline of December 31.  For example, at the home inspection several problems surfaced, including a carbon monoxide leak which could only be resolved by our installing a brand new heating system, which naturally was not covered by our home warranty.  There were some weird requirements from the Homeowners Association that had to be met in record time.  After all was resolved at the property, the Settlement was delayed at least five times, the last of which was due to the fact that the buyers' lender was in Virginia Beach, which got snowed in!  What was the likelihood of that? 

The reason I'm relating so many details is to show how God was faithful to answer the prayers of His people.  (A big thank you to all who prayed.)   I was weary, but I slogged on, the Spirit as my constant companion.  How much I hoped that the sale would happen before Christmas, the only present I really wanted!  But I had to accept the things I couldn't change.  There was a spiritual breakthrough a couple days before Christmas.  In an amazing way, the Lord enabled me to set the anxiety aside.  By God's grace, I was able to rest in God and just enjoy the Christmas weekend with family and friends.  "Be still and know that I am God"  has never been easy for me, so any time it happens, it's a supernatural event.

On December 28, in between Christmas and New Year's, we finally went to Settlement after much ado.  With my defenses down and low on sleep, I caught a bad cold and bashed my foot on the day of Settlement, but I limped, coughed and sneezed my way there anyway.  Having had multiple ankle and foot problems in the past, I was able to thank God that I could even walk!  By that point in the saga I was not saying, "Lord, enough already!" but "Lord, help me take the next step."  I think some part of me was resigned to going lower still, as long as I could be in the company of Jesus by His Spirit.  So many times the Lord shows me how weak I am, so that He can show how strong He is.  He has to bring me to the point of quiet exhaustion, resignation and lowliness, so that I will rest "as a weaned child" upon His chest.

Now the Spirit reminds me that our salvation was bought with a price.  Jesus descended, being made low, when He chose to put on flesh, but that wasn't low enough.  He had to go lower still.  He was wrongly accused by enemies, deserted and disowned by friends, tried and sentenced in an unjust court, dragged through the streets, stripped and cruelly whipped by soldiers, mocked and scorned by the crowds.  But to fulfill God's purpose, He had to go even lower, to die a death painful beyond our imagining for crimes he didn't commit. 

There was a sale of property on that cross, and the check for the profit was made out to us. How I need to remember that my small sagas are absolutely nothing compared to the pain Jesus felt as He took step after step on the way to the cross.  His saga of Settlement was humble surrender in the things He could not change, for they were brought about by the God whose holiness and love could not change.  I need the faith of Jesus.  How did He do it?  He knew that God was on the throne while He was on the cross!   It's settled: His deed of ownership is recorded in the Book of Life.  His blood was the signature.  His profit is the salvation of His beloved to the glory of God! 

Praise the triune God for He is good!  He is full of mercy and justice!  He is all wisdom and all power combined with all goodness, so we can trust Him and thank Him always.  We are loved, more than we can comprehend.  He is on the throne, bringing all things together for our good.

God is faithful,
j

Copyright 2011 Janet A. Marney