idioms

Wednesday, August 3, 2016 (6:31 a.m.)

Holy God,

Forgive me I pray. I am not been behaving kindly. Love, joy, peace and patience are not my current go-to choices. No. I am presently nursing a grudge and planning my defense against my own severely childish doings.

♫I Surrender All♫ was the hymn I woke up considering. I found it immediately. Under the topical index, “COMMITMENT AND CONSECRATION”. Ouch! Yet another reminder of just how “off” my behavior is.

Is that enough to make me “pull in my horns” as my mom used to say? Nope. Not yet. I still have other “bones to pick” and “axes to grind”.

I confess to not representing You well at all this morning. My tail end is definitely showing. And not in a good way.

I absolutely know that I have choices here. And I admit to not making You honoring ones. Change me I pray O Lord.

Oh... You're good!

Such a giant smile! Such a huge “Gotcha!” as my dear daddy would say!

The referenced verse for ♫I Surrender All♫ is Romans 6:13. Reading simply, “Offer yourselves to God.” didn't have near the effect as digging more deeply into the surrounding verses and commentaries.

The Life Recovery Bible's comment for 6:12-14, “As we recover from our addiction or compulsive behaviors, we may become very discouraged because the old desires still tempt us.” Uh. Hello!

Thank You God that You alone are good! (Mark 10:18) Thank You that nothing [not even my own horrendously bad behavior] can separate us from Your love (Romans 8:31-39). Thank You that You continue speaking to us (Romans 1:19-21; Psalm 19:1-4).

Here I am, called to a New Live Lived by Faith; (Romans) 6:11-14 Illustrated Bible Handbook. Reading, “And we are to not let sin rule but rather offer yourselves to God to do his will (12-13).” And I say again, “Yes. Yes! Profoundly yes.”

Continuing, I read, “The way to freedom is thus clear. We are to hear God's promise of freedom, believe it, and act on it.”

Oh God please. Have Your way in my heart. In my choices. In my actions. Words. Thoughts. Deeds!

Oh, and the promises just keep coming. This again from The Life Recovery Bible comment mentioned above. “Though we cannot overcome our sinful nature alone, we can ask God to help us. As God helps us clear the destructive patterns from our life, we can replace them with healthy patterns and desires. As we are transformed with God's help, we will overcome the powerful temptations in our life.”

You know? Temptations like nursing a grudge. Grinding an ax. Picking at bones. Here I humbly, reverently and respectfully ask You to work hardily in removing my most glaring defects of character. And the extremely subtle ones as well.

With all that said, I do sincerely thank You for the work You've already done in me. Singing wholeheartedly ♫All to Jesus I surrender... Fill me with Thy love and power... All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all♫

Forgive me my transgressions. Bless me and keep me in Your loving peace (Numbers 6:24-26). I love You Father. Thank You for loving me. Empower me to share Your love well with others. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(546 words ~ 8:38 a.m.)