So, as I lay in bed early this morning, dreading getting up out of these warm, cozy blankets, I just spoke to God. It went something like this: "Lord, thanks for waking me up. Thanks for this day. Help me to rejoice in it. Give me the strength to get up and exercise. Give me the ability to trust You in the things I need to trust You for today. Help me to accomplish the purpose that You created me for TODAY. Lord, there are some things in my mind this morning I really need to get rid of....fears, frustrations, lies from the enemy, and so on. Help me to believe I am who You say I am, and nothing less -or more. Help me to believe You. Lord, do you ever get tired of me asking You to help me believe? Thanks for being so patient....." There were a few other things I said as I lay in the stillness of the morning hours. Some prayers for dear friends and family. I knew He was hearing. I just didn't know He would speak back so specifically, so quickly. I got up, brushed my teeth, got dressed, and ready to meet my friend. I had a few minutes to spare, so I opened up my devotional book for a quick Word before my walk. I opened up to November 1, and read...
"'Why are you troubled?' He asked them. 'And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet.'" Luke 24:38-39
This particular devotion book is by Beth Moore, and she writes, "Christ's willingness to continue drawing us to belief totally astounds me. At no time after appearing to His disciples in resurrected form did He say, ' You bunch of idiots! I'm sick of trying to talk you into believing Me!' When the sight of Him wasn't enough, Jesus said, 'Look at My hands and feet.' We ourselves have often seen His hands by way of His constant provision and glorious intervention. We have seen His feet as He's gone before us. Surely, we too, have beheld the hands and feet of Christ with the eyes of faith. May we look again today- and believe." (Believing God Day by Day)
Sweetest words spoken on a Monday morning! I thought of how He is so faithful inHis love and mercy in my life, but the sweetest joy was just in meeting Him. I'm in the beginnings of a study on the book Crazy Love. Francis Chan speaks about the fact that it isn't the ritual of a quiet time that should motivate our time with God, but the very motivation of just meeting Him. He says, "When we love God, we naturally run to Him-frequently and zealously. Jesus didn't command that we have a regular time with Him each day. Rather, He tells us to 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' He called this 'the first and greatest commandment.' The results are intimate prayer and study of His Word. Our motivation changes from guilt to love. This is how God longs for us to respond to His extravagant, unending love: not with a cursory 'quiet time' plagued by guilt, but with true love expressed through our lives. Like my little girl running out to the driveway to hug me each night because she loves me."
God is showing me what this looks like because of His faithful love. I love because He loved me first. (1 John 4:19) He meets you and me right where we are EVERY time! And His love is demonstrated in so many ways. I thought of 1 Corinthians 13.... "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
Every time a whisper of the enemy comes, He makes sure His voice is louder. Where the need is great, His grace is greater. His faithful love overwhelms me! There's no better place than in His will and His loving arms. HE is truly the best start to a Monday morning.
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