Gods answers aren’t all on Google

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know”

Jeremiah 33:3

My husband and I were listening to a CD this morning. I was a bit out of sorts (late night, post-choir-rehearsal dinner outing makes for a cranky me on Thursday mornings) and I just didn’t feel like doing our normal devotional, so we put in a SEEDS CD and just sang along.

For those of you unfamiliar with SEEDS they are a group that does scripture songs. The lyrics are all direct from the NIV. No paraphrasing. And they always include the actual scripture “address” in the song. So along with memorizing the passage, you are also memorizing where in the Bible to find it. My friend Missy turned me onto them and I am so grateful. Its always been WAY easier for me to memorize songs than just straight words, so this is a perfect format for me. It’s also great for kids.

Anyway, we had one of the CDs in the car this morning and my husband wisely decided that I was just not in the mood for in-depth Bible study, so he turned on the CD. The first song on the CD was Jeremiah 33:3.

Now I don’t know about you, but if I need to know something these days I tend to do one of two things. I either call my mom, or I “Google” it. Google-ing is actually becoming a verb. So if I have a problem I do an internet search. Google, wikipedia, WedMD whatever.

Now here comes this great song:

Call to me and I will answer you

Call to me and I will answer you

And tell you great and unsearchable things

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know!

Call to me.

um…….Hubby and I both looked at each other….and he said. “Unsearchable? is that in the Bible? really?”

***sounds of flipping pages******

me: “Yup honey, it sure is.”

pause

“Well……. how apropos” (yes, he really did use that word at 7 a.m.)

For any who are interested the same word shows up differently in different translations as follows:

• NIV: unsearchable
• KJV & NASB: mighty
• NLT: remarkable secrets
• RSV & ESV: hidden
• ASV: difficult

We have both been having a lot of questions recently that are simply, literally

UNSEARCHABLE

You can’t ask Google for help when the question is “Why is my unmarried co-worker being blessed with a baby while I remain barren”

But this verse, Jeremiah 33:3 speaks directly to my hubby and to me. God promises to tell me Great and UNSEARCHABLE things I do not know.

Wow. Thank you LORD. The answers will come. They may not come today, but you have promised to tell me. Thank you.

does God mind if I type to him?

If asked to visualize someone having a “quiet time” or “devotions” with God I have a pretty clear picture in my head of what that is supposed to look like.

It happens late in the middle of a peaceful morning.  The lady having the quiet time has finished the dishes and there is a load of laundry running quietly.  The roast for tonight’s dinner is in the oven on a very slow bake and the kitchen is clean.  A cat is curled up somewhere close by. A steaming mug of something nice is sitting at her elbow.  She is wisely and peacefully reading her well worn Bible.  Her hair is pulled up in a loose pony tail.  The slight droop of the pony tail (as it has loosened through housework) simply ends up looking elegant.

And she is writting out her refelections (profound reflections that will be cherished by future generations) LONGHAND IN A JOURNAL.

Or better yet, she is wrapped in a comfy robe, a blanket over her feet.  Her children are still peacefully alseep and the smell of coffee is wafting through the air as her hubby is brewing a pot before leaving for work.  He quietly leaves a kiss on top of her head as he heads for the shower.  She pets the cat and turns back to her well worn Bible, picks up her pen and writes down a profound insight LONGHAND, IN HER JOURNAL.

 

In real life my “quiet time” doesn’t even begin to measure up to those images.

I do have a cat, but that’s the only resemblance.  My hair is too short to go up in an elegant pony tail,  I don’t have children yet and I don’t stay home during the day.  I work.  I do a lot of my Bible reading on-line.  Not exactly a “well worn family Bible” image eh?  But the biggest problem with these fantasies is that 

I DO NOT HAVE A LONGHAND JOURNAL. 

Now before all my blog freinds get together to buy me a journal let me share this:  The reason I do not have a journal is mostly becasue I detest writting things out long hand.  I do love to type however.

First thing when I get in to work I sit down at my desk and go through my morning routine.  This involves checking my email to make sure there is “nothing on fire” that I have to deal with right away, then checking the blogs and then settling in to meditate on my verse for the week.  read it over. chew on it mentally, maybe write it out longhand a time or two (yes, unless it is set to music, longhand writting is how I MEMORIZE scripture.  maybe gives a clue to why I hate longhand as a journal keeping method) and then I write my thoughts, feelings and prayers on a word document on my computer. 

Do you think that bothers God?  that I write to Him on a computer?  For the record I do have a regular bible study every morning with my husband and we both go to a bi-weekly bible study as well, so this is just my personal quiet time we are talking about here.  I know it would be way better if I could clear a space in my home life to have a quiet time, but honestly I get more time to myself mentally at work than I do at home. 

Is that weird?

memorization

okay.  So, on the recommendation of a friend in Texas,  I started reading this book last night (Breaking Free) and one of the first things in it is the statement  “here are the verses you should memorize while you are going through this book”

wow.

I went to Christian school through 10th grade so this is not a total shock to me, but it’s been a while since someone said  “memorize this scripture”

It’s something I’ve been needing to do.  I know this.

That’s not the problem.

The problem is that I’m just NOT good at this sort of thing.  I can memorize a SONG at the drop of a hat. But just memorizing words with no tune is soooo hard for me.

So does anybody know where I can get Isaiah 61 set to music?

The spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengance of our God
to comfort all who mourn

and provide for those who grieve in Zion
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes
the oil of gladness instead of mourning
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness
a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.

 

 Forgive any errors.  I typed it in myself instead of “copy & paste” as a way to start learning it.