He is faithful!

My wonderful community of girls that I study God's word with every week had just finished praying when rain began to pour down outside. I stepped onto the front porch to find out how fast I would have to run to my car when my friend pointed out a rainbow. My first thought was how pretty it was and how long it had been since I had seen one. But as I ran to my car in the rain, staring at the rainbow all the while, I felt God speak to my heart the way he has been doing so often lately. He said "I am faithful." Just as with the first time I felt the revelation of my own sin, or the meaning of certain passages of scripture, this simple statement resounded within my heart. How is it that I have seen rainbows all my life and known that they were a symbol of God's faithfulness, but never really grasped the meaning? I felt the signifigance of this tonight because we had just finished praying for each other's deepest needs, and this was God saying "I will answer your prayers because I am faithful." What a blessing!

I love how every day my life becomes more about Jesus and less about myself, but as I receive each new astounding revelation I am more floored by my own sinfulness. My heart is excited because of Truth one moment, but in the next moment my heart breaks because of what this Truth reveals of who I am. What a journey life can be! I feel a calling of hope, not just on my life, but on all of ours lives. No matter what is happening, whether we be discouraged or excited, whether we feel loved or alone, God is calling us to hold fast to his Word and step into battle each day. His faithfulness never changes though our attitudes and feelings change moment by moment. He is faithful in all things and through all situations.

Just as a side note, I have the honor of performing (with the Baylor Symphony, Baylor Combined Choirs, and Schola Cantorum Choir of Ft. Worth) one of the most evokative Symphonies in existence. Mahler's resurrection symphony speaks clearly of our faith in Jesus bringing us into new life. He says it much better in the text of the 5th movement, so I'll let you read it yourself.

O red rosebud!Man lies in deepest need!
Man lies in deepest pain!Oh how I would rather be in heaven.
There, I came upon a broad path;
There, came a little angel and wanted to send me away.
Ah no! I would not let myself be sent away!
I am from God and will return to God!
The loving God will give me a little light,
Which will light me into that eternal blissful life!
Rise again, yes, rise again,
Will you My dust,
After a brief rest!Immortal life! Immortal life
Will He who called you, give you.

To bloom again were you created!
The Lord of the harvest goes
And gathers in, like sheaves,
Us together, who die.

O believe, my heart, O believe:
Nothing to you is lost!
Yours is, yes yours, is what you desired
Yours, what you have loved
What you have fought for!

O believe,
You were not born for nothing!
Have not for nothing, lived, suffered!

What was created
Must perish,
What perished, rise again!
Cease from trembling!
Prepare yourself to live!

O Pain, You piercer of all things,
From you, I have been wrested!
O Death, You masterer of all things,
Now, are you conquered!

With wings which I have won me,
In love’s fierce striving,
I shall soar upwards
To the light which no eye has penetrated!
Its wing that I won is expanded,and I fly up.
Die shall I in order to live.
Rise again, yes, rise again,
Will you, my heart, in an instant!
That for which you suffered,
To God will it lead you!