within

Sunday, July 3, 2011 (8:21 a.m.)

Good Morning Lord,

I love You. I want to try something different this morning. Instead of me talking to You and telling You things, I wondered if instead You would speak to me and tell me things? I want to learn to hear Your voice above or within all other distractions.

And again, You don’t fail me. I ask. You answer. And I am amazed. Heartened. Eager. Excited. Pleased. Thrilled. Happy. Delighted. Pre-tearful.

According to The Message, before his death Moses’ blessing concerning the tribe of Benjamin (Deuteronomy 33:12) was “God’s beloved; God’s permanent residence. Encircled by God all day long, within whom God is at home.” Ah yes Lord. Live within me all the days of my life. Be my life’s blood. Let Your peace encompass and surround me that I know beyond every shadow of every doubt that You alone are good!

I read the comments surrounding this verse in The Life Recovery Bible and I smile as I almost laugh out loud. “After a generation of consistent failure, Moses found it necessary to go back to the basics.” Amen! “God is the Rock, our foundation for a stable life. His work in our life is perfect. We need to recognize His ability to help and then allow Him to do His mighty work on our behalf.” Yes Lord. Please!

“As we go about the rebuilding process, we need to be assured of God’s protection and guidance. These verses from Moses’ song (32:11-13) should offer just the certainty we need. God will protect us as we seek recovery and guide us toward a life filled with joy and freedom.” Blessed Lord, I trust You. I believe You to be working mightily within me and I am so very grateful.

Moses continued his prophetic blessing (33:29) saying, “What blessings are yours, O Israel! Who else has been saved by the Lord? He is your shield and your helper! He is your excellent sword! Your enemies shall bow low before you, And you shall trample on their backs!” You ARE my shield and my helper!

I spent time with extended family yesterday listening and learning more about the generations that came before. I heard of the struggles. Mistakes. Sadnesses. Hurts. And also, the kindnesses. Successes. Joys. Hope.

Father God, YOU are our hope. The final comment of this particular book regards the verse quoted above. “Here is another promise of God’s saving help. He provides defense for his people from their enemies and fights on their behalf. He assures them of victory. When our life is in disarray, it is comforting to know that God has genuine concern for our welfare. And as we seek recovery, we can be sure that God is on our side.”

You continue Your work in me Dearest Lord. You keep showing me that just because there was a skewed familial way of doing things for generations, not only does it not make it right, but in and through You it can all be changed. For the better. For Your best!

Keep working Lord. Within us. Around us. Bringing us into being the people who will truly make You proud. I look forward to one day hearing You declare of me, “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).

And even in turning here there’s so much more to dispel a generally accepted, faulty measuring system! A devotional about perfectionism. It begins abruptly. “Perfectionism can paralyze us. Perhaps we have been shamed for not being exactly what others wanted us to be. Now the shadow of their unrealistic expectations is cast over how we see ourself, creating unrealistic expectations for our progress.” Hello!

Thank You Lord that You knew this would happen in some of our lives and You provided example after example of TRUTH in its place!

The concluding paragraph of this section affirms, “When we measure ourself by the expectations of others or by our own need to be perfect, we may not even try to succeed. All God asks is that we try to do something with our abilities and resources. When we allow ourself the option of just making modest progress, we will find the courage to progress in our recovery. Even the least improvement is better than being doomed to complete failure by our perfectionism.”

Lord God, You are BIGGER than the most powerfully errant example of what we are truly here to become. YOURS! In every sense of the word. That is what I long to be Lord. Yours! Simple, truly, totally Yours. Continue Your work within me toward that end. Thank You Lord. I love You. Amen.

(775 words ~ 9:30 a.m.)