tall order

 Monday, August 21, 2023 (5:55 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You. Praise You. You saved me from myself yesterday.

Hurt feelings didn’t stand a chance against Your Truth. And prayer. Thank You that Your “Word is alive and working” (Hebrews 4:12 Easy-to-Read Version).

Yes Father! “It IS sharper than the sharpest sword and cuts all the way into us. It cuts deep to the place where the soul and the spirit are joined.” It does Dad. Thank You!

“God’s Word cuts to the center of our joints and our bones. It judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts.” Thank You Lord that Your Truth does not change. It guides and directs us. Even Especially when we don’t want to be led.

Holy God, I confess to wanting MY will and my way yesterday. I wanted to be

(8:21 a.m.)

How funny is that? Up and out right in the middle of a thought!

“I wanted to be... RIGHT!” Far more than I wanted to be kind. Or loving. Wow! Thank You God.

Thank You for our being able to bring all of our faults straight to You. Thank You that no matter the degree of our failings, You will forgive us. Thank You Lord.

Thank You for putting people into our lives to show us Your way.

Oh Your goodness Lord! Your great and glorious goodness!

I keep trying

(9:16 a.m.)

Mm, yes Lord. I DO keep trying!

An inquiring phone call concerning our most recent weather event. Tropical Storm Hilary. Directly relating to my hurt feelings from yesterday. AND the songs that keep trying to present themselves this morning.

It’s truly been a battle Lord. Of wills. And won’ts!

(9:32 a.m.)

Here I thank You again for reminding us to bring it ALL to You. Our attitudes. Our wants. Our feelings. Thank You that You are indeed such a ♪Good Good Father♪

Your Truth reminds us to “Be angry and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26a). How tall is THAT order?!

Not only that, we are to “not go to bed angry” (v. 26b). Thank You Father. You truly DO know best!

Knowing, believing and trusting Your commands are all well and good. It’s the following them that often has me feeling as though I am tilting at windmills.

Very much like the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Rome. “”I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead I do what I hate” (Romans 4:15).

That’s me in the nutshell right there Dear Lord. My opinion wasn’t heeded yesterday and my own hurt feelings got in the way of what You call me to do. Forgive!

Instead, I plotted. Toyed with smug, self satisfaction. Stopping short of actually asking You for a “symbolic victory.”

(10:48 a.m.)

Here I am. Back again. Confessing to You how desperately I wanted to be “right.” Thank You again for reminding me it’s Your desire for us to be loving. Kind. Forgiving. Leaning not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

You would not have us spin our minds in momentary “gotcha”s. You would have us stand firmly, staying our minds on Your Truth and promises. Thank You God.

Now back to those songs that I keep trying to sing to You. First being the one with which I awoke. ♪Crazy Love♪ Yes Father. ♪It happens all the time This crazy love of mine Wraps around my heart Refusing to unwind♪

Yes. Yes. Yes! Thank You that Your love wraps around my heart. Refusing to let me unwind myself back into the grudge holding, vindictive woman I used to be. You have better plans (Jeremiah 29:11) for me than I could ever create for myself.

Now. The other two songs have to do with me telling ♪You what I want What I really, really want♪ To do that, You’ve been teaching me to determine what it is that I desire. As well as how I feel about certain circumstances.

(11:59 a.m.)

Back again. Still singing. The other song about wanting. ♪Oh won’t You Show Me the Way I want You to show me the way… Oh won’t You show me the way I want You day after day♪

Oh yes, Blessed God! I absolutely want You. Leading. Guiding. Directing me. In Your way!

Continue Your work in, with, by, through and for us that we will come to living each day Your way. Not our own. Thank You Lord. Praise You. Amen.

(765 words ~ 12:21 p.m.)