Aglow prayer

Imperturbable Aplomb
The following blog was contributed by Martha Stanley.

I’ve been having some disturbing vertigo issues, so finally went to the doctor. Two different physicians said it was most likely a brain tumor from the way it was presenting, but could be a severe inner ear infection. An MRI was ordered.

With those words I had to make a decision. I could A) freak out! or B) press in to the “secret place”, lean into the heartbeat of God, and listen. I chose B. After some time in prayer I felt a peace, so refused to give in to fear. After 2 weeks of waiting, the results came back clear, so on to the ENT I will go.

I was seeking the Lord for His purpose in allowing this to happen. The answer came clearly and quickly. The enemy was rattling his saber trying to get ME rattled. Kudos on the try – didn’t work, dude.

I sensed there was more so asked…and what more, God…? There are many situations in my life that seem overwhelming, have been going on a loooong time, look hopeless, and perhaps on some level I had become weary.
He showed me that the enemy is merely rattling his saber in those situations, too.
God wants me to see the other situations in the same light – don’t be rattled – stand my ground – speak only life – victory WILL COME.

Going through the waiting time for the test results truly brought me up to a higher level of “abiding in the secret place”. He is saying, “Ok, you learned this here. Now apply what you learned HERE, and take the ground over THERE.”

I can now face the other situations from which I had grown weary, with renewed strength, hope, faith, and….wait for it….imperturbable aplomb.

Imperturbable – adj. – unable to be upset or excited; calm:

Aplomb – noun – self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation

When He Saw, His Spirit Revived
The following blog was contributed by Martha Stanley.

Genesis 45:27 says, “But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.”

When Jacob saw, his spirit revived. Jacob suffered years of anguish, torment and grief thinking his beloved son Joseph had been torn apart by wild animals and died a gruesome death. But in reality, Joseph was very much alive, prospering, second in command under the King of Egypt, fulfilling God’s purpose delivering nations from certain destruction. In this case the paths of “known reality” and “true reality” were vastly divergent.

How many times in my life has focusing on “known reality” brought me to a place of complete heartache and despair? The “facts” that were before my eyes and known to my mind screamed of failure, defeat; they shouted that God’s ears were deaf to my cries. As with Jacob, sometimes what I “know”, and what is actually true are as different as the full light of day and the darkest of nights.

Recently, in a study of Psalm 91, I discovered that one of the meanings of the word “abide” in verse one means “to pass the night”. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall ‘abide’ under the shadow of the Almighty.”

What if…what if we could perpetually live from a place where, when a tragedy happened, we would hide ourselves in the secret place of the Most High staying under His wings until turmoil turned into peace; until we heard the heartbeat of God, and our hearts beat As One. Then, yes, then we could live in the place of peace, of joy, of prosperity until the night passed.

Jacob had 11 other children, and multiple grandchildren. Did his grief over Joseph rob him of all the joy that ‘could have been’ with the others? Did his “known reality” of Joseph act as a thief stealing the precious ‘times that could have been’ with the children and grandchildren who were there with him every day?

How many times have I done this? How many times have I allowed the grief of the ‘promise yet to be fulfilled’ to plunder my joy and rob me of the marvelous treasures of this day.

So Lord, as this day unfolds, help me to keep my heart, my mind, and my words not on the path of what I can see and feel, my “known reality”, but help me to live in the place of “true reality”, embracing the certainty that You are at work in ways I ‘cannot see or know’ bringing all things together for my good, and the good of those I love. Today, I set my face like a flint that I will enjoy all of the beautiful gifts God has in store for this day as I wait with confident faith for the fulfillment of the truths I have heard in the secret place.