Marvel...

Greetings, Dear Friends!

And to those visiting, I say welcome!

Susie Larson here...

I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Most of you know this already, but for our new visitors, I want you to know that each month I giveaway a gift card to someone who posts on my blog. This month someone will win a $25.00 gift card to Starbucks! So leave a post, share a story, and maybe you'll win a treat for you and your friends.

Now on to my topic.

Today...this week in fact, I ask you to pause and do a little marveling. Ponder right now, who God is and what He has done for you. Read this great excerpt from my 'Believer's Commentary':

"The converted person boasts in the Lord - not in his own character or achievements. When we understand the gospel of grace we realize that we did all the sinning and He did all the saving. So our boast must be in Him alone." (p.596)

We did all the sinning. He did all the saving. He is good to us every single day. Even when we don't notice it.

What does it mean to marvel?

To marvel means to: be amazed, be surprised, be astonished, be awed, stand in awe, wonder, stare, gape, be dumbfounded, be flabbergasted. 

Let's look at scene right out of the Word of God:

Jacob left Beersheba and went to Haran. He came to a certain place and camped for the night since the sun had set. He took one of the stones there, set it under his head and lay down to sleep.  And he dreamed: A stairway was set on the ground and it reached all the way to the sky; angels of God were going up and going down on it. Then God was right before him, saying, "I am God, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. I'm giving the ground on which you are sleeping to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will be as the dust of the Earth; they'll stretch from west to east and from north to south. All the families of the Earth will bless themselves in you and your descendants. Yes. I'll stay with you, I'll protect you wherever you go, and I'll bring you back to this very ground. I'll stick with you until I've done everything I promised you."

Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, "God is in this place - truly. And I didn't even know it!" He was terrified. He whispered in awe, "Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God's House. This is the Gate of Heaven." (Genesis 28:10-17 NLT).

It's so easy get sucked into the rat race of life and completely miss the idea that there are angels all around us; encamping around those who fear the Lord; serving and assisting us; going with us on our journey through life. 

We are not alone. Not even a little bit. Far greater are those who are for us than those who are against us. May the eyes of our hearts open up this holiday season; may we be more keenly aware of God's divine presence all around us. May we understand on a deeper level the resources and assistance to which we have access. Imagine. God, there for you, pulling for you. The Son, interceding for you day and night! The Holy Spirit nudging you, correcting you, convicting you, assuring you - all for your benefit. The angels, assisting you, cheering for you, protecting you. You are someone important!

Yesterday I had a number of heavy things weighing on my heart, when all of the sudden Selah's Christmas song, "Joy!" came on the radio. Instantly my perspective lifted and my heart swelled with joy. I hopped out of my sink (oh, um, that's where I sit to do my makeup), and I started dancing around my bedroom. I was doing a happy dance. The Marvel Dance. 

Try it today. Put on a great song. Look up. Make yourself smile (I don't know why, but this does something for the soul), and do the Marvel dance.

In quieter moments, marvel with your heart's perspective. Be amazed; be astonished; wonder and stare at the story of the Christ-child and be in awe that He would hand Himself over in such a vulnerable way. For you.

Regardless of the state of things around you - marvel today because you are surrounded by a host of heavenly angels cheering you on; hear the noise in Heaven; they're all talking at the same time! But there's harmony because they all want the same thing for you: To live in the light of God's presence, and to walk out the divine, world-changing call on your life. Marvel at that thought of it.

Smile today. Keep Smiling. Dance today. Keep Dancing. Marvel today. Keep Marveling. 

Until next week~

PS - If you haven't signed up for my quarterly E-zine yet, you might want to. My next issue comes out on January 15th and I have a stack of fun books to give away! Here's the link:

Susie's Ezine...

Comments

[Sonja]

WOO-HOO I am the first comment of the week. What a topic - marvel. I have to say that some days it is easier to marvel than others. Not because the Lord fails me but because I fail to see Him. There are days where my kids misbehave, my husband doesn't show up for supper, someone gets left at practice, there are only drops left in the milk container, the teacher calls AGAIN... It is easy to get caught up in the way things are directy in front of my face than what's in my heart.

Do you remember my friend "Flat-Penne" Oh! we were so disappointed that the real one couldn't come to Camp. Once we drew her out we could share the joy, share he fun, and laugh through our disappointment of her lack of physical presence. We took pictures and we can all look back and see how the Lord worked that weekend - maybe we should all make a little Flat-Jesus (no disrespct) to stick in our pockets each day to dance with us and share the joy only He is able to bring. Sometimes those things left unseen are easier to forget during certain times.

When I remember my children are healthly and love the Lord (not the teacher), I can go buy more milk, I have a husband who can come home for dinner and best of all - I AM HEAVEN BOUND because of what the Lord has done - what is there NOT to marvel about? ;0)

[Aimee]

Marvel, huh? I've never really thought about this word before...thanks for the fun insight to its meaning. I definitely marvel at the ways of the Lord. And yesterday as I danced with my 2 year old son to Christmas music, I must say we were both smiling. It's those wonderful small things that do a heart good. Have a great day!

[Linda D.]

Susie,I marvel at how God has Loved me inspite of myself, and want to wish you the very best of Christmas Love, and also to all your other members, and readers who write in. Have a Very Merry Christmas with Love, and a Happy New Year.

Blessings,

Linda D.

[Kathy S]

The sink thing is difficult for me to imagine. I have a little pedistil sink...that said :), thanks for encouraging us to look through the spiritual (reality) window. To fix our eyes on the unseen. To do a little dance. It reminds me of the song from when the kids were little...if you want joy you must sing for it, if you want joy you must dance for it, shout for it....... Merry Christmas! Kathy

[anna J]

You remind me of my current read: The Shack, which I am surprised at how much I'm enjoying . . .thanks to a great family, i too got to dance over the holidays, out of simple pleasure in life's gifts--God is such a gracious, good God!

[Betty Langelett]

Hi Susie, It is a number of years since I visited your website (and ordered your CDs one of which I was just listening to again when I thought I would check your site to see if your schedule was listed. I was totally blown away by the way the site has simply exploded in an amazing way. I am emailing your blog site to all the ladies on our women's ministry team so they can be blessed, refreshed and challenged by all the articles. I will be reading through the archives of previously posted ones. Thank you!!

[Susie Larson]

Sonja,

Your post made me smile! What a blessing you are!And you are right, we all have plenty of hardships that could weigh us down if we let them. But when we turn our eyes upward and begin to count the blessings we enjoy right here, and right now, perspective comes, and peace comes with it.Bless you!

[Susie Larson]

Aimee,

Dancing with a two year old sounds like a blast! Good for you for making the time to do the marvel-happy-dance!Blessings,Susie

[Susie Larson]

Dear Linda,

I'm with you. I think about that all of the time..."While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."He loves us on our good days and on our bad days. Marvelous love.

[Susie Larson]

Dear Kathy,

Ha. You're right, sitting in the sink isn't exactly a normal thing, but it's so comfortable and easy to get up close to the mirror without hurting your back. :) But I suppose that'd be tough with a pedestal sink. May God richly bless you this 2009!

[Susie Larson]

Anna J,

It sounds like you had a restful, playful holiday season. Those are the best kind!Be blessed in 2009!

[Susie Larson]

Dear Betty,

So nice to hear from you! I've thought about you on numerous occasions!

Thanks for passing along this blog to your gals. May the Lord richly bless this upcoming year on your behalf!Peace, friend.