Psalm 27
David says for only one thing he will ask the Lord – to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life. He goes on to say why he wants this one request:
1) to behold the beauty of the Lord; and
2) to meditate in His temple.
No wonder he was a man after Your own heart. I’m guessing there would be many reasons to want to dwell in the house of the Lord. Safety. Abundance. Favored position. David needed safety and he had gotten used to abundance and favor as King. But he desired to behold Your beauty. To gaze upon You. Today, Father, in the middle of all the house cleaning and preparation for tonight I want to behold Your beauty.
Don’t let me trivialize even one day with mundane, temporary responsibilities and miss Your beauty. If I focus only on making this house look good, I’ve focused on immediate gratification of my pride and reputation. I will have traded 24 hours of Your Glory for an empty hollow box.
How do I move from concern and concentration on my own reputation to Yours? You must increase – I must decrease.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005 ~ Kristen Sauder
We miss you Kristen, yet your wisdom that you left behind will live forever in our lives. Our God is an Awesome God!
<3
Thanks for this post. Have you, or would you consider posting a journal entry from Kristen on fb on a daily or even weekly basis?? Her insight and wisdom are timeless….thanks so much and may you all feel God’s presence in a very special and real way this Mother’s Day. Our prayers are with you as you remember a loving and Godly mother that you were so blessed to have, even though for “too short” of a time… <3
What an amazing way to honor God and Kristen on this Mother’s Day. Thank you for your selflessness, even in your grief. She is so proud of each of you. May God continue to show you favor as you dwell with Him.
For the last several weeks I have been co leading a bible study with 8 other ladies using the study God Seeker. We have all been blessed by this study and only hope we can be half the God Seeker example of Kristen! We are so thankful for her example and this study! It has changed my life forever for the good of seeking Christ more in my life here until I see Jesus face to face, Amen!
Kurt and kids: All week I’ve been listening to Mother’s Day commercials on radio, roses for sale at roadside, etc. I have no idea how difficult today is. But I am storming the gates of heaven for you all, trusting God is weaving this all together for good somehow, some way. Kristen BELIEVED & trusted that He would do it! I can do no less than she did. “I lift my eyes up; my help comes from the Lord.” (Psalm 121)
Thank you to the Sauder family for sharing a very personal and loving legacy of Gods love and grace through your Moms video in Church this
morning. May God continue to Bless You All
Praises to our Father in heaven and His beautiful daughter Kristen! I could not wait to wake up this morning and go to the Lord. I knew the house would be still and I knew I was going to be able to see a sweet sweet moment of Kristen with the Lord in her tent of meeting. She modeled journaling for me–imagine that:-) WOW! Thank you Kristen for showing me another way to commune with God —my journal looks nothing like yours sister but I know what you would say to me , “It’s ALL good!!!! It’s your time with the Lord Marcie, your God stories and the excellent things He has done.” I Thank that beautiful lady everyday for always modeling for me what it looks like to go “further still” with the Lord. I look so forward to hearing from her heart over the next 10 weeks, I can’t even tell you how much that means—-thank you Sauder family. What a legacy she left! Thank you Jesus. Note after note filled with gratitude, wisdom, thanksgiving, concerns, forgiveness. An authentic picture of a Christ follower. A woman after God’s heart!!!! Thank you Sauder family for sharing her with all of us so well! We continue to trust His plan of order just as Kristen said so clearly. He is good!
Oh how I love reading these precious words inspired and written in Kristen’s tent. She continues to teach me how to pray, seek the Lord, and submit my life and heart to his authority. I am blessed, challenged, and asking the Lord to open my own eyes and heart to what He has to say and teach me as I meditate on this journal entry and that passage. Thank you so much for sharing…so, so much. I look forward to this journey of grace led by Jesus through sweet Kristen. So many tears of missing her….I praise the Lord with my whole heart for her life, her heart, and her mission that she so faithfully lived out…which overflowed onto me. You know I love you all so much, and I’m battling in prayer against anything the enemy might be throwing at your hearts or minds in the most painful of times. I am partnering with the Spirit in prayer for your comfort, strength, peace, and healing. Praying you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus! Love you Sauders! Looking forward the the next time I get to hug you!!