Monday, 18 August 2008

• Currently Reading Santa Biblia/Holy Bible, NVI/NVI, Nueva Version Internacional/New International Version By Vida Publishers see related

  Hm...where do I start? I had a xanga years ago, but haven't accessed it for quite some time...I don't even know if it still exists. My brother (reecebiddle) has been talking about Revelife for quite awhile and trying to convince me to get one, so finally I am giving in. I'll try this again - I loved having a xanga, but just got out of the habit of writing. Maybe this time I can stick with it.

  I guess that this comes at an opportune time as I am starting a new chapter in my life.

  Numbers 30:2 says, "When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said." A couple of years ago, I made a vow: to court Christ for a year's time, forsaking all other romantic relationships with guys and focusing instead on falling in love with my Lord and Savior. It was truly something that I wanted to do and something that I felt the Lord had put on my heart. I had been dating one guy for a little over a year and a half, and he had in that time become my best friend - but I felt the Lord asking that I give up that relationship with him, in order to focus primarily on a much more important and eternal relationship. And so I ended that relationship...but in loneliness and weakness, I allowed another relationship to enter my life - one that was much less focused on Christ and sharpening one another (Prov. 27:17), and much more focused on selfish cravings. I wasted close to a year and a half in that relationship - thus leaving my vow unfulfilled. When I finally did come back to Christ, He reunited me with my previous friend, from whom I had been estranged because of my disobedience. That was about 9 months ago, and the Lord has brought about amazing transformation and growth in both of our lives since that time. He has not only brought us closer to Him than we ever had been before, but also closer to each other in a much more honest and brotherly relationship. Although we had renewed our romantic relationship, we still were very much brother and sister - brought together because of our love for Christ as well as thepast failures from which He had rescued us both.

  And while I was content and immeasurably thankful for what He had given to both of us, sometimes I still would feel a nagging reminder that I had not completed the vow that I had made to Him. In the past months, that feeling has grown more and more as I seek Christ's will in my life. Not only was the conviction growing in my heart, but also in my friend's, as he felt the Lord asking him to make a sacrifice. And so yesterday, as we revealed what the Lord had been doing in each of our hearts, we realized that we must make this sacrifice, no matter the cost (2 Sam. 24:24). I will be courting Christ for a year, and he too will be pursuing his relationship with the Father more fervently and with more devotion than ever before.

  This was not an easy decision on either of our parts. Although we will keep our friendship, we will not (obviously) be able to be in such close proximity, or as comfortable and familiar as we would like. Any friendship that is allowed must have strict boundaries that cannot be crossed - in our actions, words, and the amount of time we spend together. It will not be easy, but I wholeheartedly believe that the Lord will bless us for the commitments we have made to put Him above all else - even above our most treasured relationship.

  I pray that during this time, the Lord would draw each of us closer to Him - that He would strengthen us both and be our Best Friend, even our great Lover - that He would help both of us to fall in love with Him like never before. And if He should choose to bring us together again after this period of time, then I know that we will rejoice - but if He should choose not to reunite us, I pray that He would enable us to truly rejoice in Him nonetheless.

  Until next time, God Bless,

  Ronae

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