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A GENTLE SPIRIT Jeanne Stewart, Oklahoma |
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Our
Heart Focus Another Sunday morning slowly wakes as
the first light of the sunrise penetrates the horizon between earth and foliage.
Even before her eyes can focus, the sleeping child’s nose is awakened by the
smell of fresh brewing coffee and eggs frying. She turns on the bed away from
the window as the sun streams in and inscribes a path of light across the
covers. Thoughts take attention as she remembers the children are to sing in
the worship service that morning at church. As one of the youngest of the
singers, her eyelids open wide and at the same time excitement absorbs her
heart with anticipation of singing unto the Lord. Having surrendered her
heart to Christ months before, all she wants now is to know more about this
Son of God who takes interest in a child’s prayer. Singing has become one of
her favorite pursuits now that she has found Someone who listens and takes pleasure
in her heartfelt songs. Almighty God watches with keen awareness of this child’s
destiny and smiles in the midst of heaven’s enthusiastic angelic host. Centuries earlier, another break of day
begins as the final stars disappear from night’s darkness. The day is set in
motion on top of a hillside near Bethlehem, as the youngest son shepherds the
sheep of his father. Preparing a meager meal for his own strength, the young
man begins another lonely day of caring for and protecting the family flock. With
a heart totally surrendered and intimately acquainted with the God who
created the stars, this young man passes long hours with a hand held harp,
writing and singing songs about the magnitude of Jehovah’s greatness. Worship was one of his favorite pastimes and Almighty God
smiled down upon this young man with an intense interest in his fate. Let Us Consider … What does a shepherd turned king have in
common with a present day Gentile child? What connection could possibly bring
these two generations together? Could it be they both express worship toward
the all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of the universe with such intensity of
a heart focused and yearning with desire to please Him and submit to His
will? This focus then becomes a total yielding of self-will to the will of
the Father and His purpose for human life. Sin is what keeps us
from worship … We were created to worship our Creator --
God. Sound too hard? It is! For within our unregenerate flesh of cravings and
wants, it is always easier to worship anything other than God and move
naturally toward -- self. The difficulty arises when we try to resist the
flow of consequences from our actions. Anything worth all that resistance is
going to be hard and challenged by discipline. Discipline is tough, it
requires focus of character. Our freedom from sin is bought with a high price; the price is
death to self. Jesus surrendered and overcame death for all the benefits of
life in eternity -- for us, God’s creation. The cost of overcoming earthly
wants brings heaven’s splendor, not in the things we possess but in areas we
have surrendered to Him, our heart’s desire. We are rich in Christ as we
become His expression to honor His Father. God always knows our
heart’s desires … The Lord God examines our hearts and
knows everything about us. He knows when we sit down or when we stand up. He
knows our thoughts even when we are far away traveling or when we are resting
at home, for He knows everything we do. God knows what we are going to say
even before we say it. Our Father God goes before us and He always follows
us. He places His hand of blessing on our heads. If we ride the wings of the morning or dwell by the farthest
oceans, even there His Hand will guide us and His Strength will support us. Such
familiarity is so wonderful, too immense to understand. We never escape from
His Spirit. We never get away from His Presence. Even in darkness we cannot
hide from our Lord God for it shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are
the same to Jehovah the great I Am. Each day of our lives is recorded in His
Book. Every moment has already been laid out before a single day passes. How
precious are His thoughts about us, so valued they cannot be numbered. We
cannot even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand. Each morning when we wake up, God is
still with us. He has never left. Before we even rise from our beds, it is we
who make the choice for our day’s center of attention. Will we choose to
focus our day growing in the grace of God that changes our hearts to desire
Him more in our lives, or will we just get out of bed and do the best we can
to make it through another day within our own strength and self-will? It is in relationship
… Where is your depth of focus concerning eternity and your life?
Have the difficulties of no time and demands of everyday living affected your
desire to know the strength of how fearfully and wonderfully made you are?
Have you truly opened your heart and spirit to accept His Way of salvation
and eternal life through Jesus the Son of God? We must take the time for our
relationship with our Lord fresh and new every morning, growing in His grace
of faith and hope, not as something
we do but as someone we are. Only
His strength and power can change us. We cannot change ourselves; we can only
change as we learn of His ways through a relationship of learning those ways
and desiring to change into His likeness. God fixes His eyes of compassion and love
upon the unrighteousness of self-will. His forgiving grace and mercy is
always available when we call out to Him in our time of weakness. God does
not look down from heaven and choose only some to obtain His grace. He freely
extends it to all who will call out upon His name, believe and receive it. The difficulties of life have a way of clarifying what is
truly important. It takes time to develop spiritual ability, excellence, and
character, to acquire God’s power and not our own. Our training goes above
life’s difficulty to accomplish God’s will in us with His infinite awareness
of our destiny. May we be complete in His ways. May our heart’s focus become totally His as we trade our
unrighteousness for His righteousness and a clean heart. Ending Prayer ~ What a special
privilege it is to become Your child. I can think of no higher reason to be
grateful. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious
thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the
path of everlasting life. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May
Your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. For the glory of Your
name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of Your faithfulness, bring me out of
myself into that place and relationship with You alone. In Your unfailing
love I am Your servant who delights with singing and worship unto You. Amen Reading to Encourage Spiritual Growth: Jeremiah
10:23-24 Psalm
51 Romans
chapter 5 Proverbs
28:13 Psalm
chapter 139 John
16:33 Philippians
4:7 |
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