I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts,
and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. Psalm 119:14-16 NKJV
As I was praying this morning, asking God to clarify some things for me, I began to feel an overwhelming sense of peace. Why? Because I know He knows me better than I know myself and He will guide me. See, I have tried to “guide myself” and find my own purpose in different ways over the last few years. More health issues than I would like to count have changed what John and I can and can’t do. Have you had that challenge, too? It’s tough, isn’t it, to navigate life’s changes?
I am definitely not the worst off of people around me. John and I simply have had life changes that demand we change course a bit. It is just that adjustment of so many things we used to do has leaves us wondering, “What are our lives supposed to look like now? What other direction should we go in, to be useful to the Lord?”
When praying for my concerns, the term “organic” came to mind, as I want to get at who I am, who God means for me to be. To me, organic means, made by God, natural, not artificial. So guess who I am! I am organic if I am made of all that’s from God. I can add things to my look, my life, my goals, my plans, but organically, I am just plain ‘ol God’s child. And that’s enough! The more organic, the healthier, right? If I want to be authentically God’s, I must not try to add to my self, but rather have Him add to me, all that is good and healthy for me, all that is of Him.
God’s Word, love, the Holy Spirit, Jesus and prayer are all things that make up who He wants you and me to be. Those are the things that will determine who we are. It is up to us to pursue them. I have found it to be true that whenever we come to a place where we are not sure what we need to do, or who He wants us to be, that He says, “Follow me first and all the rest will become clear in my time.” Isn’t it great that we can leave our burdens with Him and even without immediate answers, we can trust He will guide us? When we want His will, He will always guide us. He likes doing that, guiding His children:)
As humans, we try to add things to our life to make it better. We want to be useful, have purpose, use our talents in big ways. (Preaching to myself here!) But…since God gave us gifts, it is up to HIM to show us how to use these things that are a natural part of us. All my thinking and planning to become something better is actually a barrier to me finding out what HE wants. Less is more when it comes to what we should plan or add on our own. It is what God can add that we need to pursue, like our lives depend on it, which they do!
At times, I have underestimated the importance of prayer in my life. I am learning that I am nothing without that lifeline. It connects me, like an umbilical cord, to nourishment from the One who made me. Oh that I would never struggle again with a decision! That will never happen, because we are meant to depend on God. Organically fed by His truth and praying for more every day, we will become what He meant us to be.
I love this question that Jesus asked. Simon Peter answered it perfectly,
But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:15-16 NKJV
We can answer that for ourselves! Who do say our Lord is? Does He control all of our life? Do we worship, obey and trust Him for who He is? When we do that, He will guide us! That’s good news!
Today is a great day for dwelling in the presence of the One who made us, the One who saved us and the One who abides with and guides us. He is just perfectly great, isn’t He?
With love from the Father to you,
Christina
Glory in the Morning 