Yes, yes, I know that you're revolted. Believe you me, I am too. Actually, I can't even think about it. This is actually worse than the chigger embedded in my toe when I got back. However, this will have passed (literally and figuratively! ...ew, sorry...) within the next few days. What a relief! How did I manage to pick up so many undesirables in just one month, careful as I was? Possibly because I thought I was impervious to worms and brushed my teeth with unboiled water...on multiple occasions. But, hey, what are the chances that THAT was the reason?
One thing I came away with from this ordeal was the knowledge that, while the whole situation was gut-wrenchingly disgusting (haha! a pun!), these things always sound worse than they are. We humans are hardy and can deal with things better than we think we can.
So enough about worms and bugs. I won't attempt an awkward and cheesy transition into the next topic from this unpleasant one, but rather jump right in.
Here are a couple of verses that have struck home for me this week:
"Even before they call, I will answer;
while they are still speaking, I will hear."
- Isaiah 65:24
"Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few."
- Ecclesiastes 5:2
Now, I'm chatty. I like to talk. I like to try to influence what people think of me while I talk. (Getting vulnerable here, oooh!) So I try this on God. I tell Him what I'm learning and throw some Christian-sounding stuff in there (like, "redemption", "You placed [x] on my heart", "blessings", etc.) and figure that should be satisfactory, that maybe I've made Him like me a little more because I'm super-spiritual. I talk so much that I don't listen. (Similar to the "be still and know that I am God" topic.)
What a joke. Just looking at these verses makes it clear that He knows exactly what I'm going to say and exactly how I'm going to prettify it when I phrase it for Him. Takes the wind outta my sails, right?
In a nutshell: I can't deceive God. He sees me as I am, and I have to be humble enough to accept that there's no way that I can impress Him. Danggggg.
"Though the Lord is exalted,
He takes note of the humble;
but He knows the haughty from a distance."
- Psalm 137:7
Humility is my new prayer.
It's pretty awesome that He's still crazy about you and me, even if you (like me) spend more time orating towards the opened heavens than about the relationship you're building with the King. Insane!
But that's a post for another day, I think. Goodnight, moon. Goodnight, friends!
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