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Feasting on God’s Word
by George Mueller
…The point is this: I saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not, how much I might serve the Lord, how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished. For I might seek to set the truth before the unconverted, I might seek to benefit myself as it becomes a child of God in this world; and yet, not being happy in the Lord, and not being nourished and strengthened in my inner man day by day, all this might not be attended to in a right spirit.
…Now I saw that the most important thing I had to do was to give myself to the reading of the Word of God and to meditation on it, that thus my heart might be comforted, encouraged, warned, reproved, instructed; and that thus, whilst meditating, my heart might be brought into experimental, communion with the Lord…
The first thing I did, after having asked in a few words the Lord’s blessing upon his precious Word, was to begin to meditate on the Word of God; searching, as it were, into every verse, to get blessing out of it; not for the sake of public ministry of the Word; not for the sake of preaching on what I had meditated upon; but for the sake of obtaining food for my own soul. The result I have found to be almost invariably this, that after a very few minutes my soul has been led to confession, or to thanksgiving, or to intercession, or to supplication; so that thought I did not, as it were give myself to prayer, but to meditation, yet it turned almost immediately more or less into prayer. When thus I have been for awhile making confession, or intercession, or supplication, or have given thanks, I go on to the next words or verse, turning all, as I go on, into prayer for myself or others, as the Word may lead to it; but still continually keeping before me, that food for my own soul is the object of my meditation. The result of this is, that there is always a good deal of confession , thanksgiving, supplication, or intercession mingled with my meditation, and that my inner man almost invariably is even sensibly nourished and strengthened and that by breakfast time, with rare exceptions, I am in a peaceful if not happy state of heart. Thus also the Lord is pleased to communicate unto me that which, very soon after, I have found to become food for other believers, though it was not for the sake of the public ministry of the Word that I gave myself to meditation, but for the profit of my own inner man.
The difference between my former practice and my present one is this. Formerly, when I rose, I began to pray as soon as possible, and generally spent all my time till breakfast in prayer, or almost all the time. At all events I almost invariable began with prayer…But what was the result? I often spent a quarter of an hour, or half an hour, or even an hour on my knees, before being conscious to myself of having derived comfort, encouragement, humbling of soul, etc.; and often after having suffered much from wandering of mind for the first ten minutes, or a quarter of an hour, or even half an hour, I only then began really to pray.
I scarcely ever suffer now in this way. For my heart being nourished by the truth, being brought into experimental fellowship with God, I speak to my Father, and to my Friend (vile though I am, and unworthy of it) about the things that He has brought before me in his precious Word.
…
As the outward man is not fit for work for any length of time, except we take food, and as this is one of the first things we do in the morning, so it should be with the inner man. We should take food for that, as everyone must allow. What is the food for the inner man: not prayer, but the Word of God, so that it not only passes through our minds, just as water runs through a pipe, but considering what we read, pondering over it, and applying it to our hearts…
"Here’s to dreams we won’t surrender,
Lovers lost, and ones remembered
to the bending and the breaking,
the mending and the making"
- MG**
So my God is officially amazing!! (I know...can't believe it took me this long to say that...my human eyes are blind...but oh so opened now!) Just when I am preparing to go through a time of trials after my God blessed me, He switches up my cycle a bit, and I have been blessed again!
I went home this past weekend. I know, surprise surprise, the week before I have spring break. (The most common question award goes to, "Oh, you are on spring break? For how long?"..."Spring break isn't until next week, I'm just up for the musical.") I was stoked about it for 2 weeks before this past stinking weekend would get here. At 2 PM I departed from my Jackson home after a call to my mother dearest. Headed up to Okemos (just east of Lansing) to meet Kathleen. Got a bit nervous as I neared my exit, as I was going to have to drive into Okemos and find her apartment based on some directions I printed out. (Yeah, um, I'm VERY directionally challenged!) I made it to her complex and called her to find out where to park. In a short time we were all packed up in her mom's "cute" yellow bug (I wouldn't suggest it for the the comfort of your passengers, even if you just have one. But it did have this "cute" handy little spot for a vase for flowers right by the steering wheel. Ha ha!) and on hour 2 1/2 hour drive to the north woods.
Kathleen surprised me. I haven't really sat down and talked to her ever I don't think, but this car ride didn't have a silent moment I don't think. Even after my throat was dry and scratchy, she was just fine carrying the conversation. We talked about anything and everything under the sun. She proved herself a great and amazing Christian example and (she might kill me if she ever sees this) "mentor"-type conversationalist. Her perspective on things was so different than I had found from anyone else. Plus, she has the best music in the "Grey's Anatomy" genre!!
We got to the school and I found myself hit with this overwhelming feeling of homesickness as soon as I saw my mom. I didn't want to stay and eat and watch the musical. I just wanted to pack my parents into the van and drive home to spend time just in the house together. Instead I settled for a hug from both (I did TRY not to hang on them, but I so wanted to) and a sloppy joe sandwich (which was amazing!!). I talked with Kathleen and mommy until my dad finished his meeting. I was told people wanted to see me, so I snuck upstairs to the dressing room where I surprised people as they wandered upstairs to get dressed in their costumes.
Besides my mommy, my friend Katie met me at the door to the school!! I can NOT tell you how much I miss that girl! Unfortunately, because of musical schedule and such, the only time I spent with her was at the school and at church on Sunday. =`(
After all the happy greetings and excited meetings and even a little running for my dad just for old times sake, I sat to watch the musical that I was once again hyped about. The Overture started and I couldn't seem to get comfortable; I wasn't supposed to be to sitting and watching, these were my fellow actors, not my friends to watch in a play, I was supposed to be up there with them. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't shake that feeling the whole night, I was just sort of out of it. I didn't have the time to dwell on it though. Logan, my favorite little guy who adores me, started the musical boldly and bravely. I'm not sure I would have been able to do that at his age. Acting opposite David (also one of my favorite guys) I was beyond surprised! My shy timid David was singing was such confidence and in his beautiful voice, showing the personality I knew was in there. Person after person that night surprised me. About in the middle I was in tears, missing my time with these amazing singers, actors, and friends. They did so amazing! By far the BEST musical I've seen in quite a LONG time!!
For the rest of the weekend I bummed around, visited with peoples, and did homework. It was such an amazing weekend (I just didn't get all the homework done that I should have. *big smile).
I really didn't want to leave on Sunday, but I did; missing supper at home and here. So I went digging in my change jar and found $1.30 and decided it was time for a taco bell run. I found Hannah. She has quickly become one of my dearest friends in the last 2 weeks. She's in Callie's dorm and a freshman. The conversation that ensued there at taco bell over my warm gooey delicious cheesy double beef burrito was amazing. What was supposed to be a 10 minute conversation turned into an hour conversation.
I'm writing all this, in such detail, so when I face trials of many kind, like I know I will, I can look back and see God's blessings and look for His faithfulness. I know He will be faithful!
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**Note** Some lines written by Matt Gagle. Yet another blessing from God and quickly becoming one of my best friends!