WATCHWORD:
Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. John 14:6
The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Therefore, I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name. 2 Samuel 22:47, 50.
Meditation:
Just As I Am
I may have shared this story before, but, it makes a point: Many years ago, two of my friends and I were on a road trip to Florida to spend time on the beaches and enjoy the fact that we had just graduated from high school. Someplace in Georgia, after sleeping in our car, we made our way to a cafe for breakfast. As we left the cafe, we heard music from a little church, across the highway, up on a hill. From the cars in the parking lot, and the music, we knew the service had begun.
One of my friends said, ‘Just for fun, let’s go to church!’ We climbed the hill, opened the door and were immediately greeted by an usher who smiled and lead us to a pew in the middle of the praising and welcoming congregation. As we were settling in, we realized we were distinctly in the minority. Over the next two hours we were lovingly included in a wondrous worship service, of loud amens, beautiful hymns, on-going mid-sermon commentaries with hallelujahs from the congregation, and praying that sounded like an ongoing, joyful conversation with God.
Sometimes we stumble into God’s blessings, unaware and often unprepared. He puts us where he wants us, then draws us up to new heights where we would never have gone on our own; and the blessings become indelible.
How about you? Have you ever walked into God’s blessings, ill prepared for what he has in store for you? Maybe you think you’re not dressed appropriately, maybe you planned to be somewhere else, doing something else, and your mind was someplace else. But there you were; dirty, sinful, wretched human being, displaying no reason that God would even look at you, let alone bless you…Yet, He does and we leave changed into the child He wants us to be.
I doubt whether my friends ever forgot that worship service. I came away different, blessed by an experience I would draw upon all my life. When I think about that time, I believe those hours spent worshiping the Lord, placed in my mind the reality that God is love. More than that, God loves all of us, no distinction, no reservations. He loves us, just as you are, without one plea, in the knowledge that He died for you and me, and now He bids us Come, Come. Oh Lamb of God, we come. Amen.
Bulletin Board:
Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me
And that the bide’st me come to thee, O Lamb of God I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God I come, I come.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come to You as we are, acting like we are pure, children of God, yet You see through the façade to the depth of our hearts. We are poor actors on the stage that you have given to us. Help us Lord to know the flaws in our performance in the lives You have given us. Help us to rest completely within your will, following your commands, each moment of our lives. It’s with grateful hearts, Lord, that we offer these prayers in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior. Amen.
