Did you hear the news?

The sun is shining here today. A cool breeze blows a homemade yellow swing in the neighbor's yard. I can see it from where I sit and type. For such a bright day, I feel like I have been getting a lot of bad news lately.

Funny how we see what the wind blows, but not the wind itself. Ever thought about what we see as bad news might be someone else's blessing. Or have you ever be blessed by somone else's bad news? How does that work?

I remember when the only way I would be able to go to college was to get a scholarship. I agreed to sit on a Waiting List (disappointed that I wasn't first choice) for this scholarship and a few weeks later, a girl declined it (I don't know why), and it was awarded to me. Free tuition for four years. What if I had not agreed to be "waitlisted."

Fast forward from July 1992 to February 2011.

Last week, I needed to find out when Liberty University would be holding its graduation ceremony because I am almost done with my coursework. PRAISE YE THE LORD! HALLELUJAH! Wonder why I haven't been getting any information about this? I am just a few units from completion. It wasn't good news.

Learning that even though I made a self-established deadline of May to complete everything, the university must have everything completed by March 15. Ouch! The good news is that I will get my diploma as soon as I finish. The bad news is that I will not get to participate in the graduation ceremony in the spring like I had hoped. The gentleman's voice turned soft over the phone, "Now, April this isn't something you want to rush just to get it done."

Rush?! Are you kidding me?! I have been working on this since September of 2007! That doesn't sound like rushing to me! How about to you, blogger friends?!!!! But, I replied (a little deflated), "Yes, sir, I know. I don't want to miss anything that the Lord might have for me." He clucked, "Ahhh! That is the right attitude." We hung up and I just sat there. I am sure people got worse news than that last week. But, it was a personal disappointment for me. Shhh! Don't tell but I was totally bummed! TOTALLY!

So yesterday, as I drug myself to put in the 24th out of 48 lectures (in just THIS series) in the CD player, to listen to the 2nd of 8 lectures equalling over 8 hours of lecture (in just THIS unit)on the Doctrine of Salvation (again, NOT anywhere near rushing), I was at it again. And, I guess I should confess that the only I did that was because a dear friend held my feet to the fire (also known as e-mailed and asked, "How are your studies going?"). That is when I heard new sweet peace from God's Word.

Listen to this good and bad news as my professor explained the meaning of salvation:
The bad news is someone needs to be saved. There are sick, accused, and drowning people out there.
The Good News is that there is someone ABLE and WILLING to save them.
That is the short of it.

It would never be Good News unless Jesus Christ were both WILLING and ABLE. Why even be able, if you are not willing? I thought. How frustrating is it to be willing, but not able? I felt. The Good News is that Jesus was ABLE to accomplish God's Will and WILLING did for the ones that today still need it the most.

So, I know many of you KNOW that. But, I applied it to my own bad news. Dean Harold Wilmington said this and I stopped in my "tracks" (Track 12), "Perhaps the greatest ability after all is availability."

What kind of mindset is that to always be available to our Heavenly Father? Never rushing? Never behind? Not sulking in disappointments? Just available. Readily available. Consistently available. Willing available.

If you are feeling defeated today, I can relate...see above story. But, more importantly that relating, I have renewed revelation: GOD IS ABLE. I can type that even though I don't know if you are sick, accused, drowning, or lost. Whatever work you need Him to do, He is ABLE. But, don't forget it is HIS LOVE for YOU and HIS own OBEDIENCE to the Father that makes Him WILLING!

Have you ever heard this verse in Jude about Jesus's ability? "And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in His bright presence, fresh and celebrating" (v. 24).

The bad news is I am not able. That frustrates me.
But the good news is but He is. That encourages me.

How about you? Do you feel that you have been knocked off your feet? Are you not celebrating? Not fresh, but more like worn plum out?! Go before Him, He waits to lift you tall into the bright warm presence of the Father and celebrate YOU right where you are. Make yourself available for Him to move.