"trust and obey"

Sunday, July 6, 2014 (8:11 a.m.)

Blessed Father,

I am here. Not working up to my potential. What does that look like to You?

Really? Am I supposed to continue the reading in Joshua that I began yesterday? Joshua. A brilliant military leader. And a strong, stable spiritual influence.

What would that be like? To truly know and follow Your commands. To fully esteem and revere You. To live each moment in the sheer knowledge that Your promises are attained by our obedience to Your lead.

I confess to You Father, my mind gets twisted. I think I know what You want from us. I start out all gung-ho, believing I'm doing as You wish. I become excited, work hard and ultimately fizzle under doubt and disappointment.

You know Your best for us. What a blessing it is to believe this! Father, thank You for accepting us with all our faults and foibles. Thank You for continuing to be our strength and perfection, especially in our times of neediness.

I keep making mistakes. I misplace my hope. Misuse my energy. And even here You remind me of Your greater Truth. I read of Joshua's faithful obedience to You and remember another song. Joshua trusted and obeyed You.

You led and provided for Your people and still they lacked faith and courage. Joshua trusted and obeyed. Thank You for his example.

Thank You that I get to read of others who “had high hopes for a promising life – before those hopes were dashed” (The Life Recovery Bible Serenity Prayer Devotional Joshua 1:1-9). Thank You for the knowledge that “through the crazy and chaotic circumstances of growing up” others “learned to settle for a life that was far less than what we had once hoped for.”

It is in this knowledge that I am not alone in my thinking and feeling that I glean hope from Your promises. You promised Joshua that You would be with him. You would not give up on on him. You would not leave him.

And what was he to do? “Trust and obey”. Moses had given him Your laws. He was not to turn away from them.

You told him to “ponder and meditate on it [this Book of The Revelation] day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take” (Joshua 1:7-9).

Father, You know me. And still You love me. Use me as only You can this day. Make me into all You would have me be. Empower and embolden me to truly trust and obey You.

Encourage me “that regardless of our own past failures and those of our family, we can start again. We can find our way out of the chaos of the wilderness into the Promised Land of productive and healthy living” (devotional mentioned above).

I love You Father. I trust You. Teach me to obey You. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(516 words ~ 9:20 a.m.)