She Set on His Lap

Don't you love it when you open God's word and it is as though He hand-picked the word of the day for you? As though He picked you up, sat you on His lap to read to you.  You know what I mean, when you are simply doing your daily reading and God gives you words for what is truly going on in your life.  It is as if He says, "pay attention this is what I need you to know before you move ahead" or "lest you forget allow Me to remind you."

We are about to embark on 40 days of prayer and fasting.  A time when we all search for what we should give up as we fast before The Lord.  For me it is no different, I begin to wonder should I do the Daniel Fast, give up my beloved Coke Cola, or perhaps I should just give up dinners.  Ok you get the picture...

So this morning in my study of "Intimacy with God",  I turn to Psalm 51.  There is was, my reminder of a true fast.  This Psalm was written by David at a time of repentance after his affair with Bathsheda.  In the beginning verses he repents then in verse 16 and 17 he reminds himself (and me, us) that what The Lord truly wants from us is a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart.

In other words, no matter what we fast what He truly desires is that we do so with great sorrow of our sin and sinful nature. His desire is that our heart is tender and pliable to His word and His will for our lives.

Abba Father, please give me a clean heart.  May it be tender and pliable as you shake, shape and sent me forward!

Psalm 51:16-17
New King James Version (NKJV)
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

The Voice

She couldn’t decide which voice was louder, the one coming from the lady speaking to her or the one in her own mind. 

 If only she could close her eyes, perhaps the one in her mind would be silenced. 

The hurt and wounded hearts sound much alike although told by different women.  The questions echoed time and again are the same.  Why did God allow this to happen in my life?  Why can’t I just get it right one time? What am I to do now? 

The voice in her mind says you too have lived this life.  Flesh cries out why.  All reasoning gone!  Be silence voices, there is only one voice she wishes to hear.  The true voice of reasoning, which is beyond our ability to make a wrong become right, comes to remind her of the truth.  She is no longer the person that Satan now wants to taunt her mind with.  And the lady across from her is about to go on a journey that only God can orchestrate.  It is then that the healing words flow through her mind.  Just as God has healed her so He will again heal another, and so many more.

His words are so sweet, so gentle, so inviting.  The voice of the turtledove beckoning us to come away to freedom.  He beckons us to come away to wholeness. Listen to sound of God beckoning not only these ladies but you also. . .

 “My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away. For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.”

             Song of Solomon 2:10-12 ESV

You'll find more encouraging devotions over at Spiritual Sunday

And She Prayed

And she prayed, Father surely I have fallen too far from your grace.  My world seems to be spinning out of control.  Once I believed that all things were possible.  Now I find myself wondering if my very existence is possible.  The hurt and pain, bought on not only by others but also of my own choices, seem too much to bear.  Crying out to you, my words seem to hit a brick wall simply echoing back at me.

Are you there?  Do you still care?  Will you rescue me yet again?  And Father if I fail you again tomorrow, oh Lord I do not think I can stand the gap between us.   The pit seems to become deeper with each passing moment.

And the Father whispers, my child I will always allow my grace to cover you.  Remember my grace is sufficient for you.  Your world only seems to be out of control.  If you will allow me to help, give me control then will I right the wrongs and set all things in order. 

Your very existence is of my choosing.  I have placed you on the planet earth for all to see my glory working in and through you.  Do not be afraid, trust me.  Why do my people hurt one another?  Perhaps the others also did not trust me enough and chose to reach out in their flesh instead of by my Spirit.  Still, my child, remember I am the Healer, trust me. 

Your words, your cries have not crashed into a wall for I do indeed hear each cry one of my children makes.  I am indeed here and my love for you cannot be measured.  So you may grasp a ray of understanding, let me tell you of my love.  I love you so much that I sent my Son to die on the cross for you.  My love is not based on performance.  Nothing can separate you from my love.

My child I have not moved nor changed.  I am the same today, yesterday and forever.  You may come to me at any time and I will be right here for you.  Your prayers will quickly fill the gap you now feel if only you will call upon on me.  Trust me, I can and will heal the broken.  It is what I do!


Spiritual Sundays a great place to read other Christian devotions

 

In Awe

"You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.” Deuteronomy 13:4 NAS

When we think of fear often we picture a state of panic and uncertainty but this is not the fear Moses speaks of here in Deuteronomy. He speaks of standing in awe of the Almighty God. He speaks of being revere before the Almighty God knowing that God alone is to be worshipped. He speaks of being revere knowing that Almighty God is the one and only true God. In knowing these truths of God, how could one NOT desire to keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him and cling (hold fast) to Him?

Jesus tells us that we are to abide in Him (cling to Him) so that we might bear much fruit. (John 15)

Almighty God today we choose to fear you, follow your commandants, listen to your voice and obey. We thank You that You have provided the True Vine for us. As He clings to You so we cling to Jesus. We pray that we may bear much fruit bringing glory to our Almighty God.
Fear=revere, stand in awe of
Cling=hold fast to

Lj 02262013

A Lot Like My Father

"You look a lot like your Father."  What strange words to hear as I was praying.  Still without a doubt these words echoed in my heart.  Even stranger I knew these words were not referring to my earthly father.  With both my mind and heart racing, I whispered "how could this be? Me, no way! I make so many mistakes as I try to love and serve you God, my Father."  Then I am reminded I am indeed His little girl....  

Do you remember trying to imitate your parents?  Without losing respect here, I must say I was not one who would want to look nor act like her earthly father. Still there are many generational traits that perhaps are obvious to my family, certainly more so before my coming to know Jesus as Savior. 

 

So how does one look like God, our Heavenly Father?  Paul, in 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT) says it like this "So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord--who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image."

As in 1 John 3:2 (GWT) I will say loud and clear, what I am to be isn't completely clear yet but I am thankful this morning that the Holy Spirit reminded me that I am to look like my Father!

"Dear friends, now we are God's children. What we will be isn't completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is." 1 John 3:2

Calm

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!" Mark 4:37-41 NKJ

His name is Jesus.  Even today this Man is longing to calm the wind and sea for us.  Will we allow Him to do so?

What Shall I Tell Them?

Lord, what shall I tell them when they are lost and cannot even seem to make a step in the right direction?

Tell them “I Am the Way.”

Lord, what shall I tell them when they are daily faced with liars full of deceit?

Tell them “I Am the Truth.”

Lord, what shall I tell them when they feel only despair in their lives?

Tell them I will give them hope and new life for “I Am Life.” Oh, and tell those in the darkest of places to look up for “I Am Light”, they only need to call upon me.

Join others at Spiritual Sundays