pleasant

Monday, November 5, 2012 (6:56 a.m.)

Holy Father God,

THANK YOU! I felt grumpy. Detached. Irritated. Annoyed. And I got up, walked in place, did some [a LOT of] dishes and now I'm smiling. Pleased. Pleasant.

Pleasant. I never would have guessed it. I tried thinking myself to a better mood. I even tried praying myself there. It wasn't until I got up and got moving that any degree of pleasantness began. Thank You God.

Thank You that even now, as I bring this word to YOUR Word I find myself right back reading about Moses, Caleb, Joshua and the Promised Land. In Numbers 13:17-20 Moses sends the spies off to find out about the soil, the forests, the produce, the people and if the land is pleasant or harsh.

But it's Deuteronomy 6 where my attention again falls and my heart and soul and strength (v.5) seem to both relax and soar at the same time. A title for the chapter is A Call to Love God. Here Moses speaks to Your people of the importance of obeying Your commands and becoming “a great nation in a glorious land 'flowing with milk and honey'” (v.3).

“Do what is right; do what is good in God's sight so you'll live a good life and be able to march in and take this pleasant land that God so solemnly promised through your ancestors” (v.18). The reminder for me at the bottom of The Life Recovery Bible relieves some of the pressure of my trying to live up to Your “plan for successful and healthy living”.

“It is clear that He desires our best. This should encourage us as we seek to follow His program, as difficult as it may be. And we can know for certain that when God's instructions become too difficult for us, He is right there to help us along.”

What a wonderfully pleasant way to start the day! Thank You Father. I love You. Let me serve You well. Amen.

(334 words ~ 7:51 a.m.)