Be Near

Lord, be near. May your Spirit infiltrate my heart and mind. I pray for peace that passes understanding and hope of You. My heart cries to you and I know you hear me. Thank you for your Son and that truth that He knows our pain and He walks with us. Be near. Amen.

Jesus Knows

I have no words today. In these moments, I have to let my soul speak. I send up continual prayers knowing that Jesus knows and he will intercede on my behalf.

Worry About Yourself

How do you decide where to stand on moral/social issues? Do you study research? Do you lean on your personal experience? Do you believe what your parents believe? Do you search the Bible and try to find something similar to apply? So what is the right side to be on? How can we know the best stance to take?  This is the exact reason it is imperative that we have a close relationship with the Creator of it all. We have to let Jesus speak into our hearts and give us peace about our stance. We have to respect each other in our stances and trust each other into the care of the Father rather than condemn and judge. It is not our job to convince others to take our side or even listen to our side. And it is definitely not our job to judge others on their stances. It is our job to spend time with God and listen to the Spirit at work in our own hearts.  Worry about your heart and get right with God.  Encourage others to do the same.

Not Perfect and Painless

Today I was reminded about the importance of the struggle. There is so much to be gained in struggle and yet we want to get rid of it.  We want to cure illnesses and eradicate diseases. We want to protect loved ones from pain and stop tears from falling.  However, this is completely opposite of the way Jesus lived.  His life was filled with struggle and pain. I'm guessing his mother shed many, many tears.  He did cure some sickness, but he could have eradicated any and all illnesses, yet he didn't.  This tells me, along with my personal experiences, that we gain something from the pain.  We gain a grace that is not getable in a struggle-free life. Jesus came to redeem us, not to make life perfect and painless. Embrace the struggle and see what God does in, around and through you.

Needing To Rest

It's been a crazy week already.  Today, I am needing to rest in the arms of Jesus and ponder Psalm 62:1-2 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Fussing Is Good

Days like today require a quiet reflection of self.  It's a quick look at where I am, where I'm going, and where God is in the mix. I'm fussing with something right now, trying to figure out what God is up to.  I'm not getting anywhere, but the fussing that I'm doing feels good.  It is a positive stretching of my faith and a continuous reflection of God's faithfulness.  I'm always looking ahead, always putting forth my best, and attempting to keep a God perspective on the journey.

A New Altar

How do you decide what has significance and what doesn't?  How do you decide when happenings are something to pay attention to or to ignore? Basically, when do you see God at work? I find myself taking credit for things or attributing happenings to myself, whether good or bad. They seem to be a direct result of something I did or said...or so I think. How egotistical, whether the outcome is something is something I was or wasn't hoping for. I've found that my life is generally not about me. There is a much larger Kingdom I serve than my own and that Kingdom has a much bigger purpose than just me in my little kingdom.  I try to stay on my "throne" and keep everything going the way I want it to go and when that doesn't happen, I take the blame.  When things go my way, I take the credit too.  I'm trying to dethrone myself.  I'm trying to break down the altar I have built to myself and build an altar in my heart to God. I wish it weren't so easy to get caught up in my own little kingdom.  I wish I wasn't so, "Yes, I can!" all of the time.  I need the Spirit to transform my heart and to build a new altar, one that puts Jesus on the throne.