Valerie is a 42-year-old, single, Reformed Christian lady who lives in Baltimore. She doesn't remember a time
before she knew and loved Jesus, but she does remember accepting John Calvin into her heart in March of 2000.
Valerie is a member of Christ Reformed Evangelical Church in Annapolis.
Though her career aspiration is to be a housewife, Valerie has not yet found anyone suitable who wishes to hire
her for employment in that field (or, more properly, anyone suitable has not found her), so in the meantime she
earns her daily bread working in communications -- editing, writing, print design and website management.
If thou couldst empty all thyself of self, Like to a shell dishabited, Then might He find thee on the Ocean shelf, And say -- "This is not dead," -- And fill thee with Himself instead.
But thou art all replete with very thou, And hast such shrewd activity, That, when He comes, He says -- "This is enow Unto itself -- 'Twere better let it be: It is so small and full, there is no room for Me."
What does my sin say about my goals, my hopes, my aspirations, my expectations, my purposes? It fairly screams, I will be in control. I will be God. I will bend all the world to my will. "All replete with very thou," indeed.
Of course, all things will bend to me, in a way: "all things must be subservient to my salvation." And of course, I will rule someday. But not by my own will...only as I am in Christ who rules all things, completely submitted to Him. And not by anger or self-serving or insistence on my own pleasure, but by love and sacrifice and endurance with joy.
Lord Jesus, I can't empty myself of self. I don't have the strength. I can't get the leverage. Here...You do it. You rip the flesh out of its shell and fill it with Thyself, instead. Don't just let me be; make room for Thee.
Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 4:51 AM
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