food for thought

Staying connected
"Lo I am with you always"

If we as believers realize we are on the road to sanctification, then we must know we are striving for the 100% continual presence of God. We sing about it at church - "He walks with me and He talks with me, along life's narrow way..." but how much of our hearts' praise remains when we walk out those doors and face all the challenges of life? If we only realized what was riding on our remaining in God's presence. Our peace, joy, patience, kindness understanding... What are they worth to us? The moment we let our desires of how things should be take over, we lose step with God. Walk out of church on Sunday and take note of where your thoughts go. A test one must study for, perhaps, maybe x y z that is still on your to do list, or maybe how grateful you are to be done with church so you can eat and go home and take a nap. These things are all a part of life but it is the presence of God or the lack of it which determines the attitude in which we go about our days, be it the sabbath or any other day. Our days are all a gift from God so they are all Holy, every breath we take. Are we thankful or boastful? If you have been given a talent or perhaps the mind of a scholar, do you continually remember who created you and equipped you the way He did? It is more likely we tend to get puffed up in awe that we somehow do these wonderful things on our own. I wonder if we even stop to consider where the desire to hone our talents and gifts come from? We were made for a purpose and that is to walk with God and bring Him glory and praise in all we do. One of the greatest dangers we face is success itself, for we live in this body of flesh which puffs itself up and exalts itself. No one is immune to this, it is the very thorn in our side and it has many names. We have all heard 'seize the day', 'live everyday as if it was your last', but we seldom do. I often wonder if we did would it be for us or for God? The only way to seize the day is to practice the presence of God. If we live this day as if it is our last, do we not want God to be in control? There is no peace other than 100% surrender. I like the bumper sticker that says " no Jesus no peace, Know Jesus Know Peace" To be honest, I can think of many situations where peace would seem irrational and impossible and His humbling words resound "Oh ye of little faith". I do believe we receive what we need when we need it. I also believe, like fearful children, we have many monsters under our beds causing much distress. We need to go to our Father and cuddle up next to Him, there is where our courage lies to make it through the dark night and even more the courage and wisdom it takes to stay humble in our successes. He is the potter, my friend, we are the clay.
Father may Your will for our lives be our very life. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Love to all in Christ Jesus C:)