revel

Thursday, May 17, 2012 (6:04 a.m.)

Most Amazing Loving Father God,

You love me. How amazing is that! I revel in the thought. Revel. Celebrate. Enjoy. Delight in. Love. Like. Adore. Be pleased by. Take pleasure in. Appreciate. Relish. Lap up. Savor. Get a kick out of. Yes. I REVEL in the thought that You love me.

Again I find myself in the book of Nehemiah. Reading of rebuilding. The need of physical and emotional safety. The importance of boundaries. Aren’t these the very things You and I were talking about yesterday?

In looking at the overview of this particular book, I read of Your people being encouraged to “rebuild their lives, their culture, and proper worship of God.” These people had a spiritual heritage that needed rebuilding.

Glancing down the list under RECOVERY THEMES, I find more of the thoughts You struck in my heart and mind yesterday. The Importance of Boundaries. The Importance of Confrontation. The Danger of Discouragement. The Power of Confession and Worship.

You have continued Your work in us around here. I have no doubt that You will keep it up. For this I am most grateful Blessed Father. I look to You and find hope. It’s when I look elsewhere that I become discouraged.

Father, thank You! Thank You that one word (revel) can lead me to all these truths. Turning to Nehemiah 9:25, “Your people captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in Your great goodness.”

That is precisely what I ask Perfect Father, that we would revel in Your great goodness! Chapter 8, verse 10 reminds, “the joy of the Lord is your strength”. Far too often I run ahead wanting to make changes in my own strength and understanding. Here I am reminded AGAIN that it is all in Your good and perfect timing. The changes that need to come are preceded by repentance and confession.

It’s through reveling in Your ability to bring us out of the bondage of our pasts that we get to experience the joy You give us. The very joy that leads to the strength we need to face and ‘deal with our destructive habits, defects of character, the wrongs we have done, the consequences that we now live with, and the hurt we have caused others.’

Most dear and blessed Father God, I DO revel in the fact that I am loved by You. I am NOT in this life alone. You DO have a plan for me and it IS for good and not for evil. It IS to give me a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). And I am grateful.

Guide me through the grief and destruction of my own making. Take me where You would have me go. Use me to Your greatest intent that I will truly revel in all that You are and all that You do.

I love You Father. And I am so incredibly grateful. Thank You. Amen.

(523 words ~ 7:44 a.m.)