Just a few “A-ha!” moments from Tuesday night Bible study, worth reflecting on again:

Backing up a bit to last week, I ran into my dear friend, Sylvia, and she said last week’s lesson spoke volumes to her in a major point. She said simply that we interpret “resting in Him” as waiting for God to do something, instead of truly waiting on God. Now, that alone was worth popping over to the blog this morning, wasn’t it! Take a minute on that one and see if you don’t find yourself in that trap as well. Resting in God doesn’t mean waiting on Him to do what we want, or, for that matter, anything at all. Resting in God is waiting on Him, and knowing no matter what, all is well. Since I missed last lesson, I thought you might like this jewel. Thanks, Sylvia.

Last night’s lesson was a deep and thought-provoking one especially, as we started the sixth chapter of Esther. Again, I qualify what I write here as not necessarily what she said, but paraphrased so that I won’t violate any copyright on that which Beth is teaching. What struck me most was how God uses paradoxes to point to His purpose. He shifts events in ironic ways and it truly is the story of our salvation. Christ died that we might live. Christ Jesus sought each of us out to reverse our destiny: not simply our ultimate destiny of death, but our everyday destiny of relationship and purpose in Him. He often uses the things we hate about ourselves the most to fulfill that calling and destiny in Him. In other words, He redeems that which appears as loss and gives us purpose and meaning to be used in His Kingdom.

I realize each of these sentences could be a book, so take some time with them. There are big and mighty truths hidden in the paradoxes of life. I could give you plenty of my own examples, but I imagine you have a bag full of your own—how God redeems even the years the locusts have eaten and gives them back to us in the form of beauty and purpose. “He gives beauty for ashes, strength for fear, gladness for mourning, peace for despair.”