“Sweetness,” a rose my husband gave me with a message of faithfulness.

Life in Christ – Finish a Task

Before Leo and I sold everything and moved our family to San Diego, Jesus told me that I would write my book in California. It’s a project I’ve worked on for many years – thirteen, in fact! But I’ve been faithful to His calling, through thick and thin, times of struggles and anguish, and times where the Holy Spirit has flourished my words and moved the writing along speedily. It’s been a journey of ups and downs, hills and valleys, sorry and grief. But great excitement and joy when I see the project and this book taking shape for the Lord’s glory and my relief. 

I say relief because it hasn’t been easy. Nothing we do by faith is smooth sailing. Faith in Jesus and sticking to His plan and desire for our lives have fierce opposition. It has often taken me ages to finish a section in the book – weeks of prayer and fighting, waring in the Spirit. And I think to myself, “Why can’t you just write this! Why don’t you just put it down plainly on paper?” But you see, it is a battle. 

It is what Paul asked for in Ephesians 6:19 – “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.” In Colossians 4:4, Paul asks for prayer to speak the message plainly – “Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” This book is about the great things Jesus did for me, miraculously teaching me His gospel when no one around could or with the ability to cast out the many demons inside my body. It is a much-needed book that clearly explains the way of salvation, and like for the Israelites, God performed many signs and wonders so they would believe and know He was the LORD. Miracles to tell the next generation so that they would believe in the Living God and Salvation, knowing God and what pleases Him.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord’” (Exodus 10  :1-2 NIV).

We are not to seek miracles. Miracles will just happen and with the purpose of belief. Only an evil generation, Jesus said, would seek miracles because they have forgotten why God performs them (Matthew 12:38-40/Matthew 16:4).

So, back to the roses. Recently, Leo bought me a beautiful variety called “Sweetness.” I put them in the kitchen next to the sink, and as I looked at them, I thought about how the Lord Jesus always gives me a message through the various names of the roses Leo buys. “Sweetness,” I thought. “It is a sweet victory – that I have almost finished this book!” Receiving these roses was like another encouragement from the Lord Jesus that the end is near! It was like a kiss, cheering me on to the finish line.

I think of our Lord Jesus and how He is a sweet-smelling fragrance pleasing the Father and doing His will – “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). We are that pleasing aroma of Christ when we are obedient and suffer for Jesus, doing His will above our own. Or, as the Bible states, lose our life to find it, spreading the aroma of His knowledge everywhere. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). And my book is certainly going to do this! 

So, Jesus brings me flowers named “Sweetness” so that I dig deep into His power and strength with confidence to finish. And I can’t’ wait! I can’t wait to hand this book out to others. What a powerful story He’s given me to tell. Pray that I will finish with boldness and clarity that those who read it will run from their sin and the devil’s snares and into the glorious arms of our King Jesus and Lord. Amen.

And I pray for you too, dear reader, whoever you might be, that you are encouraged to believe what the Lord Jesus is pressing on your heart to do. And that you will not shrink back but boldly proclaim the gospel and the way of Salvation. Amen!

OH, THE SWEETNESS TO FINISH A TASK THE LORD JESUS HAS GIVEN!