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Thursday, February 4, 2010 (6:39 a.m.)

Mm. Most Holy God,

Here I am again. Wanting to be with You. Desiring to be like You. Longing to know You better. Mm. Yes Lord. I want to know You better!

All these many years Lord, I’ve tried. In my own strength and power. Through my own understanding. I have tried repeatedly to ‘get it right’.

Thank You that that is NOT what You have for me. Thank You that Your way is so much better than any that we could ever possibly dream up for ourselves.

Thank You that You never left us alone in our own sinfulness. You have always had a plan for us. You knew us even before You formed us in our mother’s wombs (Jeremiah 1:5). You made all the delicate, inner parts of our bodies and knit them together (Psalm 139:13).

Beloved Lord God, I no longer want to keep taking these gifts for granted! I sit here, wrapped in the comfort of Your Word. I read. I hope. I long. I turn. I choke up. I cry out. All internally. Looking. Longing. Grasping.

Oh most dear and precious Lord. For so long I have tried doing all that I thought You wanted of me. Yet again I’m reading Peter’s second letter to ‘all believer’s everywhere’. Chapter 1, verses two and three. “Do you want more and more of God’s kindness and peace? Then learn to know Him better. For as you know Him better, He will give you, through His great power, everything you need for living a truly good life.”

I’ve seen You doing exactly that around here Lord. Situations, misunderstandings, miscommunications that normally would have derailed us for great lengths are being gently discussed in the language of Your love.

Appropriate questions are being asked. Automatic assumptions are being ratified or corrected. It’s as if You have truly taken up residency here Lord. Thank You!

Thank You that we ARE to be on our guard, alert (1Thessalonians 5:6). Thank You that You did not leave us alone to our own devices. Before Your ultimate sacrifice on our behalves You promised (John 14:16-18) “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, who will never leave You. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads in all truth. The world at large cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you do, because He lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans – I will come to you.”

Lord, thank You. Thank You that Your promises are not empty! Thank You that Your promises are to be trusted. Depended upon. Tried. Tested. Believed. Utilized.

Thank You Lord that You are good. And we are made in Your image. Thank You that it was because of Your best for the believers in Thessalonica that Paul wrote his letter to them. Encouraging them to continue trusting him. Reassuring them that You would return.

Oh most holy God, because of his faith and their faith and our faith we get to not worry about when all this is going to happen (1Thessalonians 5:1). Instead we get to continue living as children of the light who do not belong to darkness and night (v 5). “But let us who live in the light keep sober, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the happy hope of salvation” (8).

Lord, Paul goes to the end of the letter warning and encouraging his readers ‘of a day when You will hold all people accountable for their attitudes and actions.’ He urges all of us to ‘end our procrastinating and act immediately to accept Your blessed forgiveness and power to help us change.’ He discourages any quarreling among ourselves and sums it all up with this collection of good advice, “Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to everyone else. Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from every kind of evil.” (14-22)

And then he goes on with blessings of peace and grace. Oh Dearest Lord how I thank You for a love such as this. Guide and direct my heart and soul and mind and strength that I would truly live a life worthy of such gifts as these. Build upon the foundation of faith that You Yourself poured out for me. Adding goodness (virtue), knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love in the exact increments that You know are needed.

I love You so much Dearest Lord. Help me love You better! Thank You. Amen.

(856 words ~ 8:05 a.m.)