Seat Beside You
Father, in my mind’s eye this morning I see You awaiting my arrival. You pat the seat beside You and beckon me to come. I am welcome. I am cherished. Even with the entirety of the world calling for Your attention I know that You have taken the time to be just with me. I am loved!
I can’t help but think of our interaction earlier this morning. After a routine trip down the hall, I snuggled back under the warmth of the covers ready to fall back to sleep. But my mind would have none of that. I thought about a situation at work…had a few random thoughts of this and that and struggled with something from church as well. My mind was restless. I was very much at ease physically but definitely not mentally.
Many times over the past several months during these middle of the night excursions my mind has gone directly to You, Lord…and it bothered me that it had been doing so less lately. So I prayed about it, and of course there You were! I had lost sight of You but You had never stopped thinking of me… Focusing on You brought peace to my heart and mind. Isaiah 26:3 is prudent and the King James Version is what sticks in my head “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth thee.”
My thoughts are fixed on You, I trust You and You alone can keep me in perfect peace. Thank You, Lord, for being with me. Thank You for loving me and for interacting with me. I love You, too…
Feb 15th, Mon, 6:24
Ember on the Hearth
As I’ve already seen one pastor comment, Father, in the midst of the cold (-1°F) we should come to You to warm our souls. I am so grateful that though this world may be a cold, cold place (not temperature wise but how people treat people) that we can come to You for a warm embrace of love and acceptance. Thank You for providing a way for our sins to be forgiven so that we can have a true and deep relationship with You!
Hebrews 2:1 (<<click here)
“…we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.”
Over the millennia many, many souls have blazed brightly for You, Lord. Their lives have served as beacons drawing others to You. They were fervent believers whose every aspect of life was guided by Your hand. And the world was forever charged!
But what is disconcerting is what inevitably happens as the torch is passed from generation to generation; the flame that once burned bright begins to diminish. The Gospel flame has never gone out (nor will it ever do so!) but it must be rekindled afresh in every generation.
If I pull an ember from my wood burning stove and lay it on the hearth it will continue to glow a bit but in a relatively short period of time it will grow cold. On its own, all by itself if cannot maintain its heat. But if I take place the ember back in the stove amongst the coals it will once again begin to glow.
You, Lord, are our only source for the eternal Gospel flame. Your presence in our lives is what keeps the Church aflame, if we “drift away” from You, there will be dire consequences.
First of all, Lord, I pray that I will stay close to You. My heart’s desire is to seek out Your will for my life each and every day. Help me to not grow cold. Help me to burn bright as I interact with You. Help my warmth and light draw others to You. May others be set ablaze because they have been touched by Your fire coursing through me!
Secondly, Lord, I pray for those “embers” who are sitting on the hearth. They may be cooling down or they may be stone cold. May they be reminded of the necessity of ongoing contact with You. May their souls be discontent until they are once again in Your presence. Help them to see that it is of utmost importance to maintain a relationship with You. Help them to make it a top priority in their lives. Draw them to You, Lord.
Lastly, I would pray for those who have never known the warmth of Your love – not because it has not been extended – but because they have not known what it was. Draw them to You as well. Use me; use others who are burning with a love and passion for You to touch them for You.
Help us to keep the fire burning and to pass the torch!
Feb 14th, Sun, 6:22 am
Persevere
Father, I know these times together are absolutely imperative to my spiritual “fitness,” but I have struggled the last couple of days. I get up and come to where we meet, yet once here my mind wanders and its difficult getting started. I continue to push through but that element of joy seems to be missing. I do realize that it’s important to persevere and that some days aren’t as enjoyable as others. Too, this is much more a reflection on me and my mental state and absolutely not a reflection on You.
I guess I’m thinking that if I get it out there and I am honest about it (which You want me to be) that You will help me to deal with it. I realize that on occasion You test me, and it helps me get my bearings. It enables me to find out where I am and what I should do next.
What I’m doing is right, it is beneficial – in fact it is critical! Our relationship is of utmost importance because if literally impacts every aspect of my life. I don’t want our time together to grow old or to become routine. By no means am I losing interest! I really don’t think that I have ever been closer to You and more aligned with Your will than I am right now! And my greatest desire is to only grow deeper in my relationship with You. I don’t want to grow cold. I don’t want to be ineffective. I want to be used by You in every aspect of my life – at home, at work and in my ministry.
Thank You for never giving up on me. Thank You for Your Love! Draw me closer to Your heart and will – strengthen me to do the things I need to do – to say the things I need to say. Help me to continue to shore up my defenses. You have helped me so much and I surely could not have done it alone. All praise goes to You! Bless my time with You, Jesus. Make me what I need to be! Amen!
Feb 13th, Sat, 6:54 am
Angles in Their Place
Thank You, Father, for enabling me to get as much as I got done yesterday. It was a struggle not being able to concentrate and then feeling nauseous. I only got stuff done with Your help.
Hebrews 1:5-14 (<<click here)
Lord, I am grateful for Your provision and a portion of what You have provided is Your holy angels to help us along our way. They work alongside us to accomplish Your will. They are a great asset but Your Word clearly states that we are top dog of Your creation. We are the recipients of salvation because of Your awesome sacrifice – only because of You can we stand in Your presence. And You, Lord, stand above us all. You are God!
And that is how it should be but we, the created, like to think of ourselves too highly and put emphasis where it doesn’t belong. We lift up and worship creation in lieu of the Creator. The recipients of this letter of Hebrews did just that and the author very succinctly shows them, from scripture, the error of their ways.
Even in our culture we have a tendency to place a little too much emphasis on angels. They are powerful and beautiful creatures. But our fixation borders on worship and that is a line not meant to be crossed. They are created beings made to serve and worship You. You also use them to minister to us. Help us to keep things balance as You intended. You are sovereign. You are Lord. Praise Your holy name!
Feb 12th, Fri, 5:18 am
You Sat Down
Father, please guide and direct me this day. This is my day each week to get things done. Help me to focus so that I may complete my sermon, the bulletins and get through a majority of the PowerPoint for worship. And I would ask that it would not just be checking off a list of “to do’s” but that we would have fellowship and that Your track would be clearly visible in all that I do. Amen.
Hebrews 1:1-4 (<<click here)
Towards the end of verse 3, Lord, is a statement that has profound ramifications – You “sat down.” Two simple words but what they mean – wow! That You “sat down” means that the work was complete.* Your goal in coming to earth was to be the final sacrifice for sin and once You did that Your work was done, You sat down!
Once and for all my sin has been taken care – every sin of my past, every sin I will ever commit…taken care of! And this applies to every man, woman and child who has ever or who will ever walk the face of this earth. I committed the crime but You, Lord, paid the penalty…and the price was Your life. You died but You weren’t down for the count. No…You rose from the dead, wrapped things up and “sat down.” It…was…complete.
And now all we must do is accept Your gift of forgiveness. We cannot fix it. We cannot work for it. It…is…a…gift! We cannot just take it either – no shoplifting salvation is not an option. No hidden motives – no masks. Just me…before You… and it will be done.
Feb 11th, Thurs, 6:27 am
*New Living Translation Life Application Study Bible