My Strength

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped;

my heart exults,

and with my song I give thanks to Him.

Psalm 28:7

 

As I reflect on a devotional I read this morning, and on one particular prayer I have written in my journal over the past several months, I realize that God has spoken to me and let me know clearly and succinctly that he has answered my prayer. He has, in fact, answered it all along; I just haven’t listened or obeyed. He reminded me of what having faith and trust in Him is really all about.

Christians talk and sometimes joke about “God’s timing.” We seem surprised when our prayers are answered at “just the right time.” Yet we fail to understand that God has been working all along to set things in place; we just haven’t stopped long enough and looked around to see it. We have to be paying attention to hear God’s voice, to see His work. We must pray continually and reach out to Him in order for us to notice that He is working constantly in our lives.

Moses, Esther, Hannah, Samuel, David, Nehemiah, Daniel; Simeon, Anna, Peter, Paul, and of course Jesus: all examples of people who never stopped praying. Not just once a day, but throughout the day, and throughout their lives.

My prayer has been for the energy to work on the task He has given me in this season of my life. I am often tired, and sleep overtakes me during the day. In my journal today, “Jesus Calling,” by Sarah Young¹, I read the following: “Instead of assessing your energy level, and wondering about what’s on the road ahead, concentrate on staying in touch with Me. My Power flows freely into you through our open communication.”

I will continue to pray each morning, but as I feel tired during the day, I will stop, and talk to God, and ask Him to provide me with His strength, ask the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom, and ask Jesus to intercede so that I may continue in His work.  Perhaps I’ll even just ask Him to take a walk with me, or sit with me and watch the birds in the yard. Who knows?

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2

¹Thomas Nelson Publisher, ©2004, p. 32

My Guide

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you, God, and bless you for being a force and presence in my life. You are a miracle to me, Lord. You are my Portion, my Glorious Inheritance and the Only One I desire or will ever need. You smile upon me in so many ways, Lord, and I am so very thankful. I can feel You placing in my heart day by day a love for You that surpasses all others, Lord. You are my Hope, my Faith, my Love, my Heart. You are my Friend, my Father, my Husband. You are my Family. I adore You, and I put no one before You.

You take my worries and turn them into lessons and blessings. You take my sins and convict me and forgive me. You take my heart and enlarge it. You give me peace and love and joy and patience and promises and faithfulness beyond measure. You provide food and shelter and plans and wealth in the form of a fullness of heart that cannot be explained or fully understood. You commit to a treasure in Heaven even beyond what You provide on Earth. I am in awe of the extent of Your generosity.

Lord, when I am still and quiet enough to hear Your voice, Your encouragement and wisdom reassure me. Your gentle hand reaches down to guide me, and Your face seeks mine as I seek yours.

Your warmth and loving advice is always available, just as it was for Tamar and for Rahab and later, for Priscilla. Lord, I confess and repent that I have not always taken Your advice, and know that You forgive me and see my heart.

I thank You for continuing to love me through my foolishness, for continuing to help me place one foot in front of the other back to Your path from my own, helping me every day to hear Your voice over the din of deceivers, and holding my hand while You lift me around or over the stumbling blocks, increasing exponentially my trust in You.

All I ask, Father God, is that You continue to place in my heart a growing love for You like no other, a desire to embody the fruit of the Spirit in thought, word and action, and a yearning to glorify You in everything I do and say.

Thank you for directing my path today, Lord, and allowing me to serve You.

Your loving daughter, 

Susan