better prepared

Thursday, March 12, 2015 (5:30 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Good morning. I love You. Thank You. Thank You that You love us. Thank You that You care. Thank You for providing me all the courage I needed yesterday to right a wrong.

(5:55 a.m.)

Now with tear-filled eyes I look to You realizing what an opportunity I missed. Caught up in the adrenaline of witnessing one person taking another's mail, my concern was more about the theft taking place than I was about the thieves themselves. Forgive me Father. I truly put the emphasis on things, above people.

Following Your lead to Ephesians 4:19 this morning I confess to being humbled by my shortsightedness yesterday. With my focus having been solely on my own safety and the retrieval of the cards and letters, I now see how completely unprepared I was to share You in the midst of that chaos. Forgive me Father.

Forgive me for not being better prepared. That is my prayer to You this morning. I am asking You to make me more alert. Far more aware to Truth. My hindsight is once again 20/20. I coulda, woulda, shoulda...

What I have today is another chance. Rather than beat myself up [and thank You very much that no one else did that to me!] for a lost opportunity, I pray instead for these lost souls.

These young people, much like the ones the apostle Paul wrote about in his letter to the Ephesians, who “are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against Him. They don't care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed” (Ephesians 4:17b-19).

The remainder of the chapter tells of 'putting away falsehood' and 'telling your neighbor the truth' (v.25). It lists getting rid of anger (26, 27) and no longer stealing (28a). “Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need” (28b).

I can't go back and do yesterday over. Instead I ask again that I be better prepared for the next opportunity to share Your love. Bless and keep those who do not yet know You. Turn them to You Blessed Father. Soften their hearts. Cause their blind eyes to see.

Use me this day for Your good and to Your glory. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(420 words ~ 6:52 a.m.)