Reflections 12/1/2020: God, how I love the way You have blessed Sarah Young with such deep insight and powerful words in her devotional book, “Jesus Calling.” Today’s words totally captured the “secret” of how I have survived and even thrived through this last year’s hand-to-hand combat with cancer. “The practice of being still in My Presence is almost a lost art, yet it is this very stillness that enables you to experience My eternal Love. You need the certainty of My loving Presence in order to weather the storms of life. During times of severe testing, even the best theology can fail you if it isn’t accompanied by experiential knowledge of Me.”

WOWZERS! “Experiential knowledge of You!” Years of intentional study of Your Word have packed the bookcase of my brain with great theological truths. I love going there to sort through the hard issues of life for clarity and direction. BUT it is the “curl up and cuddle” in the warmth of Your love that gives me the ability to face life’s storms with infused courage! Feeling Your heart beat in my closely pressed ear.

Perhaps that is why Paul’s most passionate prayer for followers of Jesus was, ”that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being ROOTED and GROUNDED IN LOVE, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the WIDTH and LENGTH and HEIGHT and DEPTH and to KNOW the LOVE OF CHRIST which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.” (Eph.‬ ‭3:17-19‬) Experiential knowledge of You. Couple that with good theology and I am galvanized to face anything!