4:44

Tuesday, October 22, 2013 (6:12 a.m.)

Most Blessed Father God,

Thank You. 4:44 was again an early time to wake up. Thank You for extra time to rest afterward. Thank You for any significance 4:44 might have on me today. Is there a Bible verse You want me to see?

Right now I'm reading and considering 2 Kings 4:44. Am I again jumping to conclusions? I'm learning that I am not very good at presuming. Instead I am here asking You to guide and direct me.

Yesterday we worked hard around here. Progress was made in many areas. And again I heard myself think my most often used phrased, “We might need this someday.”

Father, YOU know what You'd have me do with my seeming inability of getting rid of things. Holding one man's trash in my very hands had me wondering if it couldn't be used for something. I placed the brand new metal scraps in the recycling bin instead of the trash can with the hopes that that was a better use.

Thank You for making me aware that holding on to too much stuff is a definite problem for me. “I might need it someday” is my first response to most everything around here. Books. Paperwork. Memory makers. Somehow I think if I keep what we have I won't have to spend money on it in the future.

I am NOT being a good steward in this. Father I know this. Waking up at 4:44 with a fresh outlook came the song ♫God is Able, My God is Able♫ Looking up lyrics right now I came to Don Moen's site and again am singing ♫Give Thanks♫ and ♫God Will Make a Way♫

Father, these songs are both on cassette's I love. Who even has cassettes anymore? This is EXACTLY why I am here with You this morning. We have too much stuff! I'm the one who holds onto it more than anyone else. I am asking You for freedom from the hold (is it actually a LIE?) “We might use this someday” has on me.

Father, I love You. Looking up 4:44 says it can have to do with angels surrounding us. I don't have any idea how I feel about that. I guess confused would sum it up best. It's another aspect of life with You that I don't understand. So rather than go off in another direction, I will come back around to 2 Kings.

Your prophet Elisha told a man who had brought him a sack of fresh corn and twenty individual loaves of barley bread to use it to feed the young prophets (v. 42). “'What?' his servant exclaimed. 'Feed a hundred people with only this?' But Elisha repeated, 'Give it to the people so they can eat, for the Lord says: Everyone will eat, and there will even be some left over!'” (43).

As intriguing as all that sounds, it's verse 44 that hits it out of the park for me. “And when they gave it to the people, there was plenty for all and some left over, just as the Lord had promised.”

Father, I want to trust You like that. I want to use all this stuff to benefit others and trust You to take care of our needs in the process. Work in me that I will truly open my hands Father. To You. To others. To freedom. To life.

I love You Blessed Father. Use me well this day I pray. Thank You for Your love and Your presence. Do in and with and for and through me all that I am unable and/or unwilling to do myself. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(616 words ~ 7:32 a.m.)