WATCHWORD:
I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power. Philippians 4:13
O God, my God! How I search for you! How I thirst for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. How I long to find you! Psalm 63:1
Meditation:
My Story. Your Story?
(Inspired by Jesus Calling, June 29)
3:45 a.m. I am awake and have been for ten minutes, or more. I glance at the clock and think, Oh, Lordy, and try to get back to sleep, without success. I’m not thinking clearly and I have this foggy sense of loneliness, with a shade of mild depression. I sit on the side of the bed trying to clear my mind. I calculate my bedtime…almost six hours, not bad. It is then that it occurs to me to thank the Lord. My prayers of gratitude, too often, are after-thoughts.
While the coffee is making, I sit in my chair by the window, and at 4:02 a.m., right on schedule, the light in my front window comes on, announcing the day. I turn to the Bible passage for the day, but first…The Weather Channel, and especially Air Quality – not too good, smoke from our friends up north. (I have my priorities – forgive me, Lord.)
I return to the Bible, a passage from Jeremiah. Actually, it’s God telling me He is in control of everything and His love for me is unchanging and unfailing. I think about that and what a privilege it is to be His child. I marvel at this feeling of newness that comes over me, no longer lonely and joy has replaced depression. I’m excited for the day. A new me, each morning. Thank you, Jesus.
I take that newness, that inspiration to my writing and it informs a message from God I’m working on. It is an old story, about a person changed by Jesus, who learns the power of love and value of being a neighbor. Neighbor — Jesus’ word meaning loving others. Why, that is our story, too.
I have an almost physical feeling of confidence that I will face nothing alone, for Jesus is right here. The real question this morning is, whether you/I and Jesus, together, can handle anything that occurs through this day. The realization that you/I and Jesus together gives you the confidence to cheerfully face the day and all it contains; no question, no doubt.. The answer is: Yes, we can! The meaning of Philippians 4:13 is in clear, vivid, technicolor detail there before us.
Do we fully understand this is the creator-God we are relating to? He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Alpha and Omega that has called us into a right relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus. What a powerful thought to know that He is for us. That storm that is messing with our minds at times, remember who is in charge of that storm — and your life and mine. We are there in the Palm of His hands, and “He’s got the whole world in his hands, He’s got you and me and the whole wide world in his hands. Your story, my story. Given by God. So be it.
Please Note:
There will be a special Watchword on Tuesday, July 4 — Cost of Discipleship and God Bless America.
Psalm 5:3 Thought for Your Day: Each morning I will look to you in heaven and lay my requests before you, praying earnestly.
Prayer for this Day:
Heavenly Father, forbearing God, Let me rejoice in the Lord always! Again, I ask this from you: Let me rejoice always! Let me be gentle, open to reason, slow to make negative judgments. Let this forbearing spirit be apparent to everyone. I know the Lord Jesus is near, so I have no reason to be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let me present my requests to you. I believe in you, Father, a God who transcends all human understanding. I believe that the peace which comes from you, which transcends all understanding, will keep my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. In the name of the ever-near Jesus. Amen. (From Heartlight Devotional.)
