"at odds"

Wednesday, September 11, 2013 (8:44 a.m.)

Blessed Father,

It sure doesn't take much around here to put us at odds with one another.

“At odds”. An interesting phrase. One even mentioned in a few translations of Your Holy Word. “In conflict”.

Today's date reads 9/11/13. A rather interesting date to be “at odds”.

Father. Thank You that I get to come before You even [or is that especially?] when I am feeling “at odds”. And right there, a different description comes to mind. “Out of sorts”.

(10:00 a.m.)

How excited I am to find even these descriptions in Your Word.

Thursday, September 12, 2013 (6:15 a.m.)

Ah yes, Most Holy God,

Thank You that Your Word even addresses being out of sorts. The helpfulness for that yesterday was inviting people in to pray on our behalf. Cues had been misread. Surprised looks and uneven tones were interpreted as surly.

Thank You Father that in realizing we were out of sorts, we both admitted to doing things that were out of character for who You have us becoming. We confessed jumping to wrong conclusions, taking offenses, building walls, shutting down AND out!

Father, thank You that You have SUCH a better plan for us. A plan that includes love and joy. Peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23a). Thank You that in Your perfect wisdom You knew we could never follow Your command to love others as ourselves (Mark 12:31) on our own.

Not only did You give us a complete list of what Your love truly is [as well as all it is not] (1Corinthians 13:4-7) You sent us the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) to teach us all things. Bless You Father. Praise You. Thank You.

You intervened on our behalf yesterday. You stopped our insanity in its tracks. Thank You!

It is to You I turn this day. Asking that You would bless me with the energy, direction and commitment to getting done whatever it is You have for me to do this day. I love You and I long to serve You well. Empower and enable me to do precisely that. I love You Father. Thank You. Amen.

(361 words ~ 7:10 a.m.)