Romans 8:15-16 “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption.  When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”

I love my quiet time.  Despite the tiredness in my mind and body the blessings of the Word of God lift me up.  I was focused on Genesis 1:27 which says God created us.  Then this little passage came to me.  From the very beginning of time God has loved each one of us.  He lovingly took time to form our fingers and toes, to shape our arms and legs just so.  Even more importantly, He set our spirit into the depths of our being and breathed his Spirit of Life into us.  There is a part of God in each one of us because He is our creator, our Father.  Look at the children in your life.  Oh, how human they can be but there is a beauty in them beyond words; they are precious and treasured. I cannot imagine my life without my kids.  They are a part of me and I am a part of them.  As we live together, we pour ourselves into each other and we will always be entwined.   This is how it is with God.  We are so precious to him.  We are his children.  I encourage you to look for God in each of his children you see today and remember that we are all precious to Him.

Lord,

Forgive me for closing my eyes to the beauty you have set in each one of us.  Guide my steps today so I do not get ensnared in the traps of human failings but allow me to walk in grace, embracing your children in love.  Amen.

Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Light has not yet begun to peek over the horizon.  Soon there will be a gentle glow as daylight begins and darkness fades in the morning.  Can we bring a glow of light in this world of darkness?  How can we bring forth the daylight of Christ?  When we infuse our daily tasks, our morning routine, whatever we do with the love of God we shine his light into the world.  When we seek to serve the Lord with our thoughts and our actions we shine the light of God in our day.  This passage talks about setting your light up on a hill for all to see.  Jesus reminds us that no one lights a lamp and then hides it so no one can see the light.  We turn on the lights in our homes so that we can see better and bring a sense of warmth.  When I take time to sense the light of Christ in my heart, I see more clearly and there is a sense of warmth coming from Him in the midst of whatever I am doing.  He calls us to share this light; to let it shine for others so we might bring glory to God.    I end with this ...”This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine...”

Lord,

Disperse any darkness that lurks and let your light fill my heart and soul.  As I move forward in this day, help me to share your light so that darkness will flee from others as well.  I ask this in the name of my savior Jesus.  Amen.

Psalm 57:7-8 “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast.  I will sing and make melody.  Awake, O harp and lyre!  I will awake the dawn.”

Music is a language.  It does not use words to communicate its message but with notes strung together in a melody or harmony a message is shared with everyone who hears it.  Music can bring a message of love, strive or healing.  It can share a message of hope or despair; brokenness or wholeness.  When I struggle to find peace in my heart I know I can sing to the Lord and peace will come.  The songs in church are so beautiful to me because they put prayers and praises to music that resonates within my soul so deeply.  Music takes the message out of my head and moves it into my soul.  Whether you sing songs in your heart or with you voice, lift a song to the Lord!  Find songs on the radio or on a CD that draw you into the presence of the Lord.  Listen to the music of nature as it awakens and moves to the rhythm of the day.  Join me in songs of adoration and praise to the God of gods, the Lord of lords.  He is steadfast and merciful so I lift songs to awake the dawn and my soul will sing throughout the day.

Lord,

May the music in my heart and voice bring you glory and honor.  Help the thoughts and meditations of my heart be music to your ears.  Open my ears to hear the music of others so we may join together in one voice singing praises to you and your Holy name.  Amen.

1 John 3:23 “And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.”

I woke up with a start this morning.  I am an hour later than usual.  I thought I set my alarm, I checked it before I went to bed but somehow I was wrong.  It was hard to quiet my mind and soul to sit in the presence of the Lord and listen this morning.  When I was led to this passage my first thought was that we have already been there.  This message is written throughout the books of the New Testament.  I know I have written about this before.  Then it struck me.  If this message is written over and over again in the bible, it bears repeating.  People are forgetful.  We hear the messages and try to live according to the word but before we even blink we start to slide back our human ways.  I need to let go of the hands on the clock and hold the hand of my savior, Jesus Christ.  I need to release control of my day and allow the grace and love of Christ to be my guide for today.  I thank the Lord for that extra sleep and the blessing of still giving me quiet time.  I thank the Lord for my husband who let me sleep in out of kindness and consideration.  I thank the Lord for my kids who are still sleeping as I write this, by the grace of God.  Now I go forward in my day and do my best, with the guidance of the Spirit, to love as He commanded us to love.

Lord,

Thank you for all you do and all you give.  We are blessed; help us live as a blessed people so we honor you.  Amen.

Amos 7:14-15 “Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”

I am quietly thanking the Lord this morning that He has never called me to be a prophet and I hope and pray that He will not.  God uses unlikely characters to bring his message to the people.  He calls Samuel as a small boy, raises a small shepherd boy to destroy and giant and become King.  He makes Ruth a queen and brings salvation to the world through a small town carpenter and his betrothed.  The list of unlikely continues through his disciples and apostles and even on to today.  I still wonder at the call I follow to send his word to others, why me?  He uses the most unlikely of characters.  Amos was a faithful servant of the Lord as well.  He hears the word of the Lord as he is sitting watching his flocks of sheep and he obeys.  Are we listening to hear the words of God to us?  Will we hear and obey?

Lord,

We are, by nature, a willful people.  So often we go through our days thinking we have it all under control and all is going according to plan.  We forget to seek your plan and we forget whose plan is true.  Encourage us to lift our prayers to you, O God.  Open our hearts and our ears to hear and follow your word for us.  Amen.

Psalm 51:12 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.”

I just want to say that when I read this Psalm, I thought I should memorize the whole thing.  The heading in my bible right above the first verse says “Prayer for Cleansing and Pardon”.  Who of us could not use a beautifully written confession?  David wrote this after he had been confronted by Nathan about the sin he committed with Bathsheba.  I lift a quick prayer that none of us reading this are in the throes of that particular sin, but sin is sin and we all fall short of the glory of God.  There is not one of us reading this or even any that aren't that could not use a prayer for cleansing and pardon.   It was easy for me to find sins of pride and selfishness, sins of thoughtlessness and hardheartedness.  I encourage you to open your bible to this chapter, or if you don’t have one handy, you can look it up on the internet (thank you God!).  Find a quiet space and ask the Lord to show you what needs cleaning.  He is faithful and merciful.  He will show you and then in your petition for forgiveness He will forgive!  This is the joy of our salvation!

Lord,

Bend my will to yours.  Sustain in me a willing spirit that will call on you and receive your everlasting love and forgiveness. Give my voice courage to sing out your praises to all the earth.  Joy is mine, thanks to you!  Amen.

John 5:16 “Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the Sabbath.”

The Sabbath has been a day of rest since God created the world.  In Genesis the bible tells us that He blessed the seventh day and hallowed it and Jesus healed a man on the blessed Sabbath day.  If the Jewish leaders had believed Jesus was from God they would not have questioned his behavior but why are they questioning what Jesus is doing anyway?  Are they trying to keep the peace or are they trying to maintain control over their people?  Are they pointing out an infraction of the law or are they getting puffed up in their own rule following?  Rules are a good thing and they serve purpose but rule keepers can cross a line pretty quickly when they follow the rules simply for the sake of the rule.  Do we drive the speed limit because it is the rule or because it is a safe speed to drive?  God gave us the Sabbath as a day of hallowed rest.  In today’s society I suspect we would be persecuted for observing the Sabbath rather than what Jesus was experiencing here.  Take time in the next day to find some rest in the Lord.  Start with a tiny Sabbath hour and see what blessings you receive for it.

Lord,

You call us to rest in you, to rest in honor of you and we never stop running.  We go from dawn to well beyond dusk every day and wonder why we feel so worn down sometimes.  Help us take time to rest in your presence and to thank you for the rest you so lovingly provide to us.  Amen.