i will rise

I was blessed and encouraged this morning as I listened to John Piper's message that he gave at Passion 07. The essence of the message was about dealing with the guilt, shame, or whatever it is that the enemy (Satan) can use to keep us from continuing to live out the life that God has called us to.

The part of the message that I really appreciated was the end where he took us to Micah 7:8 which says ...

"Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light."

What a great verse! I love it ... we have all failed the Lord in some way at some point in our lives, and there are those times that we feel unworthy to be used by God in some way, .... and so we don't ... we just hide out and don't pursue the life God is calling us to live...

If that's what we do, then the enemy has gotten exactly what he wants ...

But it's not about us, it's about what Jesus has accomplished for us and in us ... it is because of him that even in those times of failure that we can "rise" and live.

Satan would love it if we would just shrink back ... but because of Christ we can say to our enemy: "Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light."

Lord, my confidence is in you. Thank you that even in those times of failure and falling short of what you have desired of my life that I can rise again in Christ to serve you.