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By Paula Marolewski, March 19, 2010 9:51 am

Today’s entry is an excerpt from the novel Meditations of a Slave. We often cling to the myth that the Christian life will be easy: no bumps, no fusses, no pain. But that – as the narrator below suddenly realizes – is not what Jesus promises: 

The pain grew more and more intense, and then, suddenly, something soothing and cool washed over me; and I froze again, but for a different reason. I, unlike your old master, never ask you to suffer needlessly. My grace always resurrects the suffering to create life. Do you trust me?

The words were a balm, and I paused in some timeless moment away from the pain of my leg to consider them. I only knew the punishment and driving presence of my old master. I wanted to believe that I would live happily now—despite what Paulos had told me.

But what my new Master promised was grace in pain, not painlessness. Grace meant that the suffering would always better me, and usually someone else as well. Grace meant that I’d be able to bear it. Grace meant that he’d be with me through it.

Questions to consider:

• Do you wrestle with the concepts of pain and grace? Where do you struggle most?
• What does it mean to you that God can redeem and resurrect your suffering – whatever the source of that suffering – to create life?

© 2009 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

Like this? Read more at:  Meditations of a Slave

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By Paula Marolewski, January 3, 2010 10:45 am

“Then Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his armor, ‘Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; perhaps the LORD will work for us, for the LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few.” – I Samuel 14:6

Do you ever feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Have you ever spent sleepless nights trying to figure out if you had enough resources to meet the demands of life? Have you ever counted up the problems and realized they outnumbered your solutions?

I have good news for you! The Lord is not restrained – he is not hindered, nothing can prevent him, and no one can stop him – from saving you! Not your personal limitations, not your financial constraints, not your past mistakes, not the size or number of your problems … nothing can restrain the Lord’s saving power.

• As you look toward the coming months, what potential problems might you face?
• What are your personal resources that you can apply toward those problems?
• What more will you need than you are able to give to face those problems?
• Spend time in prayer acknowledging your need and limitations to God, and asking for his saving grace and power to meet the challenges ahead.

Copyright © 2010, Paula J. Marolewski. All rights reserved.

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By Paula Marolewski, September 17, 2009 6:14 pm

Faith. A small word packed with big meaning. Consider how Hebrews 11 defines faith:

• Faith trusts what God has said. (Hebrews 11:3)
• Faith worships God in an acceptable fashion. (Hebrews 11:4)
• Faith walks with God in the normal, daily activities of life. (Hebrews 11:5)
• Faith acts despite the seeming “unreasonableness” of God’s command. (Hebrews 11:7)
• Faith leaves its comfort zone. (Hebrews 11:8)
• Faith is content with what the Lord gives, even though it may not seem “complete”. (Hebrews 11:9-10)
• Faith believes for the impossible. (Hebrews 11:11-12)
• Faith looks to the eternal. (Hebrews 11:13-16)
• Faith recognizes that we are pilgrims and strangers in this land. (Hebrews 11:13)
• Faith seeks for something beyond and greater than ourselves. (Hebrews 11:14)
• Faith does not turn back from discouragement, doubt, or despair. (Hebrews 11:15)
• Faith seeks for the best, the perfect of God. (Hebrews 11:16)
• Faith is willing to give up even what it loves the best: even what seems to be the promise itself. (Hebrews 11:17-18)
• Faith lets God be God; it doesn’t put God in a box. (Hebrews 11:19)
• Faith takes risks. (Hebrews 11:23)
• Faith takes humility over honor. (Hebrews 11:24-26)
• Faith is obedient. (Hebrews 11:30)
• Faith is willing to suffer and die for God. (Hebrews 11:35-40)

It is by grace that we live this life of faith. Make the above truth your own with this prayer:

By grace, through faith, I will trust in what God has said. 

By grace, through faith, I will worship God in an acceptable fashion

By grace, through faith, I will walk with God in the normal, daily activities of life.

By grace, through faith, I will listen to God and act on what I hear, no matter how “unreasonable” or “irrational” his commands are to me.

By grace, through faith, I will leave my comfort zone when called by God to do so.

By grace, through faith, I will be content with what the Lord gives, even though it may not seem “complete”.

By grace, through faith, I will believe for the impossible.

By grace, through faith, I will keep my eyes focused on the eternal.

By grace, through faith, I will remember that I am a pilgrim in this land, and heaven is my real home.

By grace, through faith, I will seek for something beyond and greater than myself.

By grace, through faith, I will not turn back from discouragement, doubt, or despair.

By grace, through faith, I will seek for the best, and not be content with less.

By grace, through faith, I will give up even what I love the best to God if he asks.

By grace, through faith, I will let God be God.

By grace, through faith, I will take godly risks.

By grace, through faith, I will accept humility over honor.

By grace, through faith, I will be obedient.

By grace, through faith, I will suffer and die for God if he calls me to that end.

Amen, and amen.

© 2009 Paula Marolewski

www.SinkYourRoots.com

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