decisions

Friday, February 21, 2014 (8:01 a.m.)

Most Holy, Loving God and Father,

I love You. I thank You. And I ask You to guide our time here together this day. I get distracted. I start to wonder. Then I wander. Pull me back to where in Your Word You would have me.

(10:53 a.m.)

Twenty-three different sections in The Message deal with 'decisions'.

Twenty-three sections that enlightened, enraptured and/or pierced my already wandering state. Father, I've got nothing of worth to offer You this day. Your Word says it all. It warns. It encourages. It reminds. And I nod. Agree. Then fear. Fear because I don't want to say, “Yes” to You when I know that I am not prepared to follow through.

I know Your Word to be Truth. I have experienced it again and again as such. Yet I balk. I start to get on board with Your direction then find myself backing out. Father, You know my heart. My will. My wanderings. Right me to YOUR will. Empower me to make the decisions that will point to You as all glorious.

You alone are our One God (Deuteronomy 6:4). You are our hope (Psalm 46:1). And as such I WILL accept Paul's prayer “for you Gentiles that God who gives you hope will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in Him. I pray that God will help you overflow with hope in Him though the Holy Spirit's power within you” (Romans 15:13 The Living Bible).

Who will help me? YOU will! Who's power is in me? The Holy Spirit's. What is my task? Believe! Believe in Who? Jesus, according to verse 12, “And the prophet Isaiah [see Isaiah 11] said, 'There shall be an Heir in the house of Jesse, and He will be King over the Gentiles; they will pin their hopes on Him alone'.”

All this to bring me back around to singing what I started hours ago. ♫I have decided to follow Jesus... no turning back, no turning back♫ It doesn't seem like such a difficult decision to make. Kind of a no-brainer. But I have to be honest with You Father, I'm afraid of disappointing You.

Even here You bless me with another verse. This one in Jesus' own words. “When He came back to his disciples, He found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, 'Can't you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don't wander into temptation without even knowing you're in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire'.” (Matthew 26:40-41)

And right in the midst of once again feeling hopeful, a confrontation I didn't expect to have takes me back to yesterday's unfinished prayer about things which are unexpected.

So here Father, I am leaving. Leaving to get busy. Leaving to take action. Leaving, yet staying connected to You ASKING that You would go above, beneath, before, behind, beside and within me in ALL my interactions this day. I am seemingly in a state of creating disasters where there doesn't need to be any.

Cover me Father, from all attacks that may present themselves. I love You. I need You. I want You. And I thank You. For Your mercy and Your grace. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(574 words ~ 12:25 p.m.)