1 Timothy 1:14-15 “and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the foremost.”

Yesterday I was telling my sister that I was jealous of the apostle Paul.  The fact that he had three solid years to step away from the world and spend all day every day steeped in the word and study of our Lord.  Today when I read this passage in his letter to Timothy I changed my mind.  Even after all his time seeking  and receiving the God of love and light, he still sees himself as the foremost sinner.  The burden of knowing we have sinned and caused pain and destruction in our own world can be heavy.  I get weighed down and overloaded carrying the heavy load of the souls I have wounded, including my own.  Verse 14 bears repeating though. “The grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”  I am filled with a peace that cannot be described when I sit bathed in the love and grace of our Lord.  Only He can bring the healing we all need and redeem our sin and brokenness to bring us back to wholeness.  Take time today to sit in the healing presence of God.  Let us turn our eyes to the Lord.

Lord,

We suffer and we cause suffering.  We do not understand yet we do not seek to understand.  In the midst of us sinners, you walk and pour out your grace and love to all.  Help us turn to you and receive this healing, overflowing grace and mercy.  There is no one; nothing that can give life as you do.  Give us courage to embrace the love and life you offer.  Amen.

John 5:39-40 “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf.  Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”

So many of us talk the talk but do we walk the walk?  I could not stop thinking about this all through my quiet time.  How often do I go to church, listen to the scriptures and sermon, sing the hymns and then go out and do my own will despite it all? Does my daily path truly follow in the footsteps of Christ?  Throughout scripture God calls us to abide in Him, trust in Him, and walk with Him.  He sent his Son to make that walk accessible to all, to you and to me.  I seem to walk through life with blinders on, caught in the vision of my own little world.  God changes hearts and lives and yet I turn my back on him and choose my own way over and over.  I am like a child that likes to take the hardest and most unreasonable path to get somewhere; I call it the path of most resistance.  I know I am not alone in this struggle; I have seen and heard it from others. When will we truly step out in faith?  When will we stop listening to the voice of “reason” and listen to the voice of God?  He gave us his Word and his Spirit.  He sent his Son, what more can He give?  Amazingly, grace abounds.  Let us humble our hearts and accept His grace; come to Him so that we may have true life.

Lord,

Forgive us for choosing death and destruction so many times.  We refuse to hear you because we do not like what you say.  We forget that you are the Shepherd.  You guide and protect us; you bring us life, if only we would follow.  Open our ears and our hearts to hear you and know you so we may have true life in you.  Amen.

Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”

Hearts can be hardened like stone and we have all heard the term” heart of ice” to describe an uncaring or selfish person.  As I sat pondering this verse these are the things that came to me.  We are called to pour out our hearts before him but how can we do that if our heart is like ice or stone?  Ice can be warmed and melted with heat from the sun.  Stone can also be liquefied by a much higher heat from the center of the earth.  Melting ice or liquefying stone takes time; it is a process.  Then if they are allowed to get cold, they will harden once again.  Let the warmth of God’s love heat and melt your heart of ice, let the deep warmth of God’s love liquefy your heart of stone.  He is our refuge and trusting in him, we can become like a glass of clear refreshing water; his living water flowing in our hearts.  We can become like lava, liquid rock on fire with the love of our Lord God.  Soften your heart and allow God to cleanse and purify you.  When we put our trust in Him He is our refuge.  Whenever we need to come back into his loving arms for renewal, for forgiveness, for protection from the storms, He is there.  Come into His presence, trusting in Him.  Pour out your hearts as I pour out mine knowing we will be changed and blessed because of it.

Lord,

Strengthen my trust in you.  Sometimes I come in trepidation and fear; you are an awesome God.  Your word tells us over and over about your love for us.  Soften my heart, remove the fear and damage, and melt me completely so you can transform me.  Liquefy my heart for you Lord.  Amen.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him.  For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing”

What do you think the aroma of Christ smells like?  As I read these verses I thought about some of my favorite aromas.  I love the smell of brownies or bread baking in the oven and a savory meat and tomato sauce simmering on the stove.  As I thought about flowers I could not think of any I love the aroma of.  My six year old woke up and brought a tiny perfume bottle from her Grandma for me to smell and asked me what my favorite flower smell is.  Ironic?  I love the smell of vanilla (kind of cheating, I know).  I like lilacs, lavender and roses in moderation, not too potent, please.  I love the smell of evergreen trees warmed by the sun.  There are so many aromas to consider... but what does Love smell like?  An aroma can fill a room and bring good feelings with it.  Maybe this is what Paul is talking about.  We need to allow the love of Christ to fill the space around us; to permeate the air we breathe.  Then the people we are around cannot help but to breathe in the sweet aroma of Christ.

Lord,

Your blessings never end and I thank you for that.  Thank you for the joy of aroma and the gift of smell. I pray that your love will flow from me, like an enticing aroma, filling the space surrounding me so that all will be filled with the love of Christ.  Let your love change the world, one breath at a time.  Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 “So we do not lose heart.  Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.  For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure”

I know I say this a lot but it is true and it is revealed to me over and over:  God is so gracious!  I came to him this morning with a cloud of despair hanging over me.  I don’t even really know why it was there except just to drag me down.  Like Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh stories, the rain cloud just followed me around yesterday and was still there this morning.  When I prayed I was led to this passage in 2 Corinthians.  It amazes me, though it shouldn’t, that God speaks and gives me exactly what I need.  I as work through this struggle of accepting my humanness and moving beyond it into my spiritual life, this verse gives me food for the soul.  I am reminded once again that I am, in fact, human.  The blessing is that I am not only this human shell.  This shell; this human that my soul resides in will not live forever.  The struggles I experience because of it are simply a tool to strengthen my soul and to draw me closer to the Divine.  He made me and I am wonderful.  I am not perfect and I will continue to fail.  I seek to embrace these failings so that I may learn to embrace the way God made me and move into a new depth of grace and glory.

Lord,

We seek and you come.  Thank you for the afflictions that strengthen us and for giving us what we need.  You renew our souls and encourage us to keep going.  The prize of living in Glory will come, and we are blest to receive tastes of it in the here and now.  Thank you Father.  Amen.

Matthew 4:29-30 “He said, ‘Come.’  So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.  But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord save me!’”

Stepping out in faith feels so risky.  Can you imagine being Peter in this story?  The disciples were already afraid, thinking Jesus was a ghost on the water.  When Peter challenged the ghost to prove he was Jesus this is what took place.  Jesus called to him and Peter, in faith, stepped out of the boat.  As long as his fear did not overtake him he was doing great.  The minute he lost focus on Jesus and his trust in him, he started sinking.  Of course Jesus was right there to rescue him the moment he needed it.  How true is this story in our lives?  First, we find the courage to listen and step out in faith only to find ourselves questioning what we are doing and allowing fear to overcome our faith.  We have a faithful God who never leaves our side and when we falter, when we begin to sink, we simply call out and he is there to rescue us too.  In verse 31 Jesus asks Peter ‘why did you doubt?’  Ah, the human nature in us strikes again.  Let Jesus wipe the doubt away, strengthen our faith and give us the courage to step out with him again.

Lord,

You speak and I question.  You guide and I do not follow.  Forgive my trepidation and disobedience.  Give my heart the courage needed to trust in you always.  You will not leave me or let me down, let this knowledge seep into every part of my being so that I step out in faith without hesitation.  Keep my eyes focused on you in all things so I do not sink, but walk by your side.  Amen.

Mark 10:16 “And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.”

When I read this verse I am filled with joy and anticipation.  There is something special about being held in the arms of love and having a hand laid on you in blessing.  In my church, there are occasions where we lay hands on one of our own.  During a prayer service, the pastor or another leader might lightly place a hand on your head or on your shoulder and say a prayer.  Touch is something our society is not very good at.  We stand farther apart from each other than other societies and are very good at giving each other plenty of space.  Touch brings intimacy and closeness.  It can make us feel vulnerable.  The joy and anticipation I feel when I think about this verse is because I can be vulnerable in the arms of Jesus without fear.  He will never harm or hurt me in any way.  When he takes me up in his arms I know I will only receive love and grace.  I will receive blessings and tenderness.  Have you sat in the quiet, calm arms of Jesus lately?  I highly recommend it!  Find a quiet place today and sit for a few minutes.  Let the Lord take you in His arms, lay His hands on you and bless you today.

Lord,

Thank you for your love and your blessing.  Thank you for the knowledge deep within me that I can be vulnerable in your presence without any fear.  Thank you for your healing touch and the grace that flows through me in that time of intimacy.  Give me the courage and spirit to bring that healing touch to others so they may experience the depth of your love and grace as well.  Amen.