missing

Tuesday, December 16, 2014 (5:25 a.m.)

Snarl, Grumble, Stiffen, Growl...

No. Not the description of an unruly animal. Well, maybe...

Father, it's me. Standing in the need of prayer!

Holy God, I'm missing. Yes. Yes. Oh, yes. I'm missing. I'm missing out. I'm missing joy. I'm missing peace. And love. And all the remaining fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). There is instead sadness. Frustration. And deeply rooted bitterness.

I keep being tempted to say I don't even know which way to turn, but that is a lie. A lie straight from satan. I know exactly where to turn! To You. Your Son. His manger bed. His Cross. Those never go missing. Well except in the physical aspect of this world.

And then the cycle of distress starts again. Things go wrong in this world. All the time. Thank You that Jesus did come to set us right. Thank You that we get to again take this time of year to be reminded of His obedience to You. Obedience that I don't hold a candle to.

So there's this long list compiling in my mind. Not that of who's been naughty or nice. No mine is again of all that I see as wrong. You know me better than this. You know the people, places and things on which You would have me focus.

Your Word has so much to say about so many things.

I stop to pick up a tissue. Take a deep breath. Bow my head. Wipe my eyes. Exhale. Loudly. I've been doing that a lot. So much. Because it seems as though nothing changes. So much around me appears to go from bad to worse. But that's not true.

You are the One thing that never changes. You are always True. When it comes to things to trust and believe in, it's You. All You. Only You.

I'm missing. You're not! Your Word is chock-full of Truth. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Gentleness. Faithfulness. And self-control. All things I am missing right now. All things You are willing to provide. Freely.

Father, thank You. Thank You for taking the tiniest mustard seed of faith (Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6) and reminding me once again that “Nothing would be impossible.” Even this current hiccup in our journey through marital bliss. Do for each of us all that we are either unwilling or unable to do on our own.

Change us. Right where we are. Our minds. Our hearts. Provide for us all we are missing. You being most important of all.

Thank You Father. Thank You for Your blessings and answers even before we ask for them. Thank You for sending Your Son so we can have this privilege. Thank You that You are always present. Never missing.

Use me. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(466 words ~ 7:30 a.m.)