"Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day." Psalm 25:4-5Show me Your ways. Hmmm. I ask God to show me His ways, but to often than not I think my ways are best, or at least quicker. Oh, Lord teach me Your paths. I ask Him to teach me, but I am willing to listen, to learn? Lead me in Your truth. Here is another one. God speaks in truth and I ask Him to lead me in the same, but some how the truth and my flesh are at war. Do I really want to hear the truth and when I do, do I really believe it? You are the God of my Salvation. I know I have life because of God. He has saved me from the world. This world is not my home. I have another destination and only He can take me there. So, why am I still searching? Do I really think I will find anything better than the God who chose to save my life? I wait on You all the day. Now, here is my biggest trouble. I do not want to wait on anything! I want my prayers answered now. I want my promises given today. So what happens? I get tired of waiting and go off on my own path. Straying away. Getting lost. And forever trying to find my way back. God never left me. He is always at my side. He is wanting to do the leading, but I am forever going around Him and taking the route in my own hands.
I want to learn so very much. I want to take His word and let it lead me everyday. His word gives encouragement, strength, wisdom, compassion, leadership, grace, mercy, kindness, discernment and much much more. In His word there is everything I need to learn to walk this journey. We can take off on a hike and what do we do first? We make sure our pack is filled with the necessities for the trek. We have our first aid kit just in case we get injured. We have our compass just in case we get lost. We have a blanket just in case it gets cold. We pack along food just in case we get hungry along the way. We have water for our thirst. We make sure we have the right boots on for the walk. We even wear sun glasses to protect our eyes. We think of everything we need for the day's adventure out, but when it comes to life are we that prepared? Are we thinking about that drive to work? Even before we hop out of bed are we prepared to meet our children in the kitchen for hurried breakfast? Are we prepared to meet up with those friends for lunch? What about when our husband comes through the door at night? Are we prepared to greet him with a smile and love? Or do we just wing it? Do we wake up groggy and sleepy eyed? Tired from no sleep with a weight already on our back? Are we thinking of our to-do list with a heart ready to trudge forward or do we look at it and say, "Ugh! What a day it will be?"
I don't really think we prepare for that trip to Walmart, to the drug store, to the restaurant, and all the places that take our feet throughout the day. Even going into the post office. I can choose to go in for my mail and hurry home, or I can think of it as a mission. I can think, "The Lord has called me right here, right now, for a purpose." That purpose might be just to give a smile and a hello. But just think if we prepared first. If we prayed first. Then could we tell our Post Master, "I am thinking of you today. Praying you have a wonderful day"?
Instead of sitting in that traffic as the road rage takes over and those words spill out of our mouths and unkind gestures find their way to be exposed, just think of what our ride would be if we prepared ourselves for the journey? Praying for safety. Praying for a calm ride and for those around us? We know our struggles. Why not wake and expose them to the Lord and ask His grace upon us? Ask Him for strength and life? Yes, life! Not just another day going through the motions, but life abundant. Life with a purpose in everything for everything.
Too many times I can wake and read God's word and think, "Okay, started out reading, got that out of the way, now let's continue on." Ever been there? You know, those mornings where everything is rushed and you are already weary before your feet hit the floor. Why not just take time for Jesus to wash us in His love and start our day out meeting our Savior? If our time is rushed with Him, then maybe we just need to let something else go so we can have our time with Him.
We face so much each day. Some we know and some are unexpected. We can not only pray for those things we know we are facing, but pray for the unexpected. Pray for everything about our day and throughout the day keep communication open with Christ. Why not talk to Him all day long? Sure, we can set aside a time where all is quiet and we can ponder upon His word, but He wants to hear from us more than once a day.
You know all those little texts we send? All those emails that go through? Those phone calls throughout the day? Why not keep our line open with Christ, continuing a conversation with Him throughout the day? Can you imagine the day we would have? It wouldn't matter if something came up out of no where. We would be filled with His Spirit and His presence. Too many times I am just off and running and then, it's when something happens that open that line to Christ, calling Him. Why wait?
We can prepare our day by putting the armor of God on. Not only for our protection, but for those around us. Every meeting, every glance, every communication can have new meaning. Let's put a purpose and plan to everything. There are no coincidences. God places people in our path for a distinct purpose.
Before we grab for that armor, let's get our heart ready. Let's fix our eyes on Jesus and set our hearts on the right path by placing the beatitudes alive in our heart.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23
Once we have our heart prepared, may we then take care of even more. Can you really prepare enough? I don't think I have ever heard anyone say, "Boy, I was so over prepared for that meeting." God knows our struggles. He knows the trials coming. He knows exactly what we need when we need it. Remember, He knows our future and sees what's up ahead where our vision is absent.
Ephesians 6:11-20 "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."
We don't have fear today, tomorrow and the unknown. We can be prepared. We can stand firm in the foundation that Christ Jesus has set before us. We can each moment and fully know that Jesus is leading the way. Wherever the path is going, we can be prepared for the journey if we just take the time to pack all our heart needs and keep our compass pointed heavenward!
