grace

Thursday, August 20, 2009 (8:14 a.m.)

Faithful Father, Glorious God,

What a way to start the day. Being sung, “So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good night” at sunrise by our son as his parents stood arm in arm waving him on his return trip to the south. What a blessed way to start the day, dear Lord!

Thank You. Thank You for every evidence of You on this visit with him this year. Each of us growing more into the people You would have us be. Messes, clutter, misunderstandings, occasional harsh tones, frustrations balanced out by tender moments of sheer acceptance and determinations to just let some things go. Wow! Thank You God.

Another blessing, huge in its impact on me already this day, was a randomly misplaced book sticking out on a shelf. Upon further investigation was a second book pushed further back behind it. Having no idea where either book belonged, I opened to yesterday’s date and read very briefly this quote from The Message Bible (2Thessalonians 1:2). “Our God gives you everything you need, makes you everything you’re to be.”

Really God? You’ll do that for me? For each of us? How often have I said that I could truly do things so much better if I would just get out of Your way? Too many times I run off ahead completely willy-nilly (without direction or planning; haphazardly) and wonder why I end up so frustrated and confused.

Lord, I love You so much. Thank You for continuously bringing me back to reminders of Your grace, as the above verse reads in other translations (NIV), “Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” and (NLT) “May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.”

May I live this day in Your grace and peace dear Lord, glorifying and enjoying You in every moment of it. I love You. I need You. I thank You. Amen.

(329 words ~ 10:06 a.m.)