Isn’t life interesting? Oh I know people, specifically and in general, are very interesting creatures. But I think when we think of ourselves, interesting is probably not the word we would use. Yet, I do find my life interesting.
Not so interesting because of who I am. No so interesting because of what I do? Not so interesting because of where I live, or why I live there. No so interesting because I have traveled to places that are interesting, because I’ve not traveled broadly at all. But interesting because of what the Lord does in me and through me.
Who knew that at my age, (Presently 83) my Lord Jesus, would teach and require an entirely different approach to teaching and writing and almost everything I do? Let’s just take teaching His Word. I have taught the Bible to others since I was 15 when I first began to teach Sunday School in my Dad’s congregation. There was no one else to do it in our little congregation, so he put me there. Well, I began to do more than just read the Word every day, (a chapter a day in the New Testament every day as per Dad’s instructions since I was 9), but now learn a little more in order to teach the younger ones.
Later still, as a young mother I began doing some teaching beyond my Sunday School class – now teaching the young women in whatever congregation I was a part of as a married woman with a small child, there were changes to the way and the method and the expressions the Lord led me in. And on and on it has gone.
Yet, the biggest change required to the many and diverse methods, in-depth studies required in Institute teaching, on the radio, and TV – over and above all these changes and growths the Lord made as I grew in Him, He yet requires something so totally beyond me now that I am often overcome with wonder as He begins to open His Word over and over again in revelations I have never before seen or known.
Now the call changes once again. The Holy Spirit speaks, “Iris, no notes. I am their teacher as well as yours, so as you study (where I lead you to study – not where you might want to study) you listen and think with Me and study Me as well as with Me.” I know I am so totally and utterly unable to do as asked, so I simply lean into the Spirit and choose to do as He said and stand before people with only Him in my being and His Word in my hand and heart. “Open your mouth and I will fill it” echos in the caverns of my being as I begin to speak as He speaks and teach as He leads and open venues of “knowing” unknown before.
Such is the wonder of my life. Its so beyond anything I have ever known before, but I am finding more and more people who have been this way before me, except now they are way beyond somewhere while I learn and follow steps that will take me to where He is in them and beyond.
Mannaword 