Psalm 139:15-16 “My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.  In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.”

I have always doubted that God actually has a book that he logs things down in and I am still sure he does not have pen and paper in hand.  As I pondered these verses I could see God as a scientist.  He created water by combining hydrogen and oxygen; he created plants that generate oxygen and people that generate carbon dioxide; plants and people work together for survival.  The complexity of the science grows from there and never ends.  Scientists keep logs about what they do, how it worked and what didn’t work.  If God has a book, I see it more like a book of memories rather than experiments.  The Supreme God of all does not forget his creations; He does not forget anything.  He formed each and every one of us from frame to soul and placed us in this time and space together for a purpose.  Maybe He is less a scientist and more the Divine Artist and we are his works of art...

Lord,

There is nothing seen or unseen that you did not create.  Thank you for the beauty that surrounds us, creations that please all of our senses.  Help us see ourselves as part of that beauty and move in the rhythm you created us to.  Guide each of us, your works of art, in the dance of life.  Amen.

Mark 7:37 “They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’”

My children suffer from something I call selective hearing.  It is something I have seen in other children as well; quite the phenomenon.  I can be speaking to my kids with them looking at me and even answering me but somehow they did not hear what I said.  How is this possible?  I know as I sit here and write I am pointing to my children with one finger and three more are pointing right back at me.  How often does God speak to me, I respond and yet it is clear that I did not hear or chose not to listen? I might as well be deaf and mute!  There are times Jesus is quoted as saying “let those with ears hear”.  I want to be one with ears to hear.   I do not want to miss what Jesus is saying to me or to us as a people.  Just as what I say to my kids is usually of some importance, what Jesus is saying to us is of vital importance.  He is teaching us how to live in the kingdom of God; are we hearing?  As a new day begins, I pray for ears that hear and a tongue that speaks for he has done all things well!

Lord,

Thank you for your healing touch.  Forgive our deaf ears and mute tongue.  You speak and we are not sure we hear or we choose not to hear.  Open our ears to hear your message clearly and without doubt.  Open our tongues to share and speak your message to others as well.  Help us speak and praise you for all you have done so well.  Amen.

Isaiah 54:10 “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”

I read these promises from the Lord and they bring a wave of light and love that cannot be expressed in words.  The promises are always there but sometimes I read them and they do not leap off of the page.  Today they did.  Israel and I continue to vex the Lord throughout our days and sometimes He gets angry.  Even in his righteous anger, his steadfast love and mercy flow and he turns to us in love.  This passage in Isaiah is filled with love and compassion from the Lord to his people.  I cannot help but sing praises as I receive his grace pouring over me like a gentle warm rain, washing away the dirt of yesterday, today and tomorrow.  This awesome Creator of the Universe and beyond, this God of all things is our shepherd; our Father.  He is our Redeemer and our friend; our comforter and our guide.  He provides everything we need and everything our hearts truly desire; He is God of peace and compassion, God of healing and everlasting love.  Hallelujah and hallelujah again!

Lord,

I call on your name this morning to bring healing and peace to those who suffer.  I praise you for the healing you have already sent and the protection we never even see.  Guide us through this day in hope and praise for you.  Amen.

Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

I am berating myself a bit this morning.  The alarm went off as usual but I just couldn’t wake up.  My head cold is getting much better but it got the best of me this morning.  I woke up an hour late and just couldn’t get myself into quiet mode as I looked at the clock and knew I needed to start getting the kids up and around for school.  Sigh...  I tried to rush through and grab a verse from the Lord quickly but nothing was clicking.  Now that my little boy is dropped off at preschool and my daughter is getting herself ready for the day I finally have a few moments of quiet time.  It was tempting to just forego it today but I knew I missed it yesterday morning because we did a “campout” at my Dad’s house.  I need my quiet time, we all do and I will not break this discipline I have grown in.  This verse reminds me why this is so important to me.  My daily quiet time allows me to center around God, to sit in His presence and listen for His message to me.  When I take time to do this, I feel better equipped to have God at work in me, enabling me to will and work for His good pleasure.

Lord,

Forgive me for missing our special time together and thank you for the rest to heal my body.  Thank you for these encouraging words to guide our hearts and actions today and each day, knowing you work in us to glorify your kingdom and your purposes.  We are yours; you are ours.  Amen.

Deuteronomy 5:7 “you shall have no other gods before me.”

What is your number one priority?  What is the first thing you think of when you wake up and the last thing you think of when you lay down?  What things do you look forward to doing or seeing or hearing more than anything?  I love ringing handbells; making music.  I love writing and reading and I love (apparently) being on the computer checking in on my social network. Oh, and I love my sleep!  But when all is said and done, I love my Lord above all.  Do my actions and words reflect that?  Do I place other things before God?  I believe we all do this on occasion.  Our hearts get distracted with our own desires and wishes, we let go of the truth that God is God and that we are not.  We begin seeking fulfillment in other things like money, entertainment or in other people.  When we take our eyes off of the Lord our God and focus on something or someone else for our fulfillment we have placed another god before Him.  When we begin to serve those things or people instead of the one true God, we have become idolaters.  Join me in the search for things that have taken the place of the Lord our God.  He will reveal those things to us so that we can release them and repent unto the Lord.  In his infinite grace, when we turn back to Him, he forgives and continues to love.

Lord,

Please show me what I need to confess to you so that I can acknowledge those and release them.  You are the one true God.   Guide me to keep you as my God always.  Amen.

2 Corinthians 3:16-17 “but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Picture this with me:  We are being led down a path with a veil over our faces so we cannot see.  Our hands are bound and our feet are shackled so we cannot go where we are not led.  We move in darkness and fear.  Something we hear causes our hearts to stop.  We pause and listen again.  Someone is calling us; someone is calling our name!  How can this be?  We continue down the path in darkness not trusting our own ears or hearts.  Then we hear it again.  The voice is clearly speaking to us.  Risking nothing (for we are being led to death) we turn to the voice and the veil is lifted.  In that moment we see nothing but pure Love and Light.  As we are filled with the presence of our salvation He removes the bindings from our hands and feet.  He releases us from the captors that were leading us in darkness and fear and in Him we are truly free!  As we rejoice in our freedom from bondage let us keep our eyes focused on the Savior who freed us, let us keep listening to the voice of the Spirit who calls us and leads us in Love and Light.  Let us dance and sing in joy to the Lord who sets us free!

Lord,

I lift my voice, my hands and my heart in adoration and thanksgiving for the freedom you bring to all; to me.  Guide my steps going forward so that I grow into the being of light and love you are creating me to be.  I live in freedom!  Amen.

Psalm 13:5-6 “But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.  I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”

Blessings from the Lord never cease.  Since the beginning of time; since the moment He created us He longs for us to call his name and embrace Him as Lord.  When I have strayed from the path in the past, I heard voices clearly telling me there is no hope.  The enemies of the heart are harder to battle since we cannot see them but they are just as real as anything we see with our eyes.  In the heat of battle the Spirit fights with us and for us.  When we grow weak, the Spirit is strong for us.  We may falter but we will not be forsaken.  Trust in the steadfast love of the Lord.  If you are feeling lost or forgotten, shake off the lies that are telling you that and shout to the Lord.  If you recognize that you have been saved and redeemed by the Lord, let your heart rejoice in the salvation of the Lord.  As you reflect back on your days, look for the bounty of the Lord pouring out over you and then join me in singing to the Lord because He has dealt bountifully with you and with me!

Lord,

Thank you again for all you have given.  I cannot begin to say thank you enough times or in enough ways for the bounty and love you pour into my life.  Help my heart sing in praise and thanksgiving, help my life be a thank offering to you and a testament to your steadfast love.  I ask all of these things in the name of Jesus, our Savior and friend.  Amen.