And always.

 Wednesday, December 21, 2022 (4:54, :55, :56 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

I love You. I need, trust and want You to guide me this day. And always.

Psalm 103:6-18; 113; 119:105

1 Peter 3:13-18

Use Your Word to speak with me this morning, I ask (Matthew 7:7). I want to think, and say, and be and do all You have for me Dearest God.

(6:00 a.m.)

Looking. Reading. Searching. Finding. Father God, how I thank You for reminders of Your mercy and grace. Your love and forgiveness. Your calls to “Rejoice!” I want to live this day in You. With You. By You. Through You. And for You.

This particular Advent Season has been different than any other I have experienced. As it is nearing its culmination to the celebration of Jesus’ birth I confess to feeling numb. Resistant. Distracted.

Father, I ask You to take me by Your hand. Leading me to the things You deem worthy. I truly want to receive and in turn fully share the hope, peace, joy and love this Season has to offer.

I look to You to take away the fear I have unwittingly been harboring. Pretending it doesn’t exist isn’t helping anyone. Least of all, me.

Thank You Lord that I get to come to You. Saddened and scared. Acting as if all is as it should be. And just like that [SNAP!] a smile. And a song! Thank You Father. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Holy Spirit.

Over an hour spent rambling and searching and here You’ve been. All along. Just waiting for me to confess my need for You.

♪I say “I’m fine, yeah, I’m fine, oh, I’m fine, hey, I’m fine” But I’m not. I’m broken And when it’s out of control I say it’s under control But it’s not and You know it I don’t know why it’s so hard to admit it When being honest is the only way to fix it♪ Oh! Isn’t that the Truth?

♪There’s no failure, no fall There’s no sin You don’t already know So let the Truth Be Told♪ Yes please Lord. Let YOUR Truth be told! I love, need, trust and want to know You as the Absolute Truth that You are.

Reading Bill Bright’s writing entitled “A Priceless Inheritance” (1 Peter 1:4) I see again Your Truth. With fresh eyes and heart, I am reminded of satan’s desire to keep us in the dark.

The father of lies (John 8:44) “will do anything to prevent us from fully experiencing the blessings we inherit as God’s dearly loved children. He will try to convince us that the treasure is worthless. Or he will sow seeds of insecurity and guilt so we feel undeserving. But we must not believe his lies!”

Blessed God, thank You! Praise You! You provide us every single piece of armor (Ephesians 6:11-17) we need to fight “against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (v. 12).

Use me this day exactly as You know is best. Glorifying and enjoying You. Today. And always. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(540 words ~ 7:12 a.m.)