Skip to main content

It's about HIM

For someone who has never been very good at math, I sure like formulas!
My sister told me the other day that my brother-in-law wondered why I wasn't an engineer since I value and prize order, organization, straight lines and routines so much. (She informed him that I sincerely lack in the area of mathematical expertise which quickly took engineering off the career table for me in college).
Duty and responsibility are probably some of my loudest personality traits.

This becomes a problem when I let those two parts take over in my spiritual life.
I begin to recite prayers like formulas assuming they will work because of the power of the words, not the power of the Father.
I begin to faithfully read my devotionals to check off my to do list, not because I'm sitting at His feet to listen.
I begin to sing worship songs at church expecting the same revelations, not because I'm seeking His face.

Order, familiarity, formulas, routine ... these are my places of comfort. Yet, they can push the Holy Spirit aside if I let them.

This week He reminded me that my prayers hold no power in and of themselves, but He answers because of HIS great grace and mercy.
My devotionals don't have all the answers, but HE uses the words of others to bring attention to areas He's working in.
The worship songs aren't about evoking feelings--they are about entering HIS presence.

I had slid away from the most important part... HIM.
Without HIM, I am nothing.
Without HIM, there is no lasting change.
Without HIM, there is no power in prayer.
HE holds it all together and only by HIS great love and compassion do I even get to play a part. Nothing is about me or my accomplishments. Everything is about HIM.

"Yet this I call to  mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:21-23)

Yes, Abba Father, great is YOUR faithfulness. 





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Mother's Prayer Journal

Pages filled with anxious thoughts. Self rebukes over faithless walks. Tear stained ink blots. Happily scribbled exclamation dots. Trials recorded and lives unfolded, Over the creased lines of stories told. Pleas for wisdom. Cries for mercy. Answered petitions, And surprised renditions Of stories with newly twisted plots. Desperation. Exasperation. Written daily! Then forgotten lazily... Stories of successful potties. Frustration with consistent naughty. Prayers of hope. Prayers for peace. Memory verses needed as Persistent sources of daily strength. Determined stances. Defeated chances. Joy filled exclamations. Laughed over situations. Healing supplications. Worship then adoration. These are what fill my pages. Stories of my children's lives. Written with a fiery drive By a mother who strives To cover them in prayer. Memories for one day soon. A notebook to be passed on to you. A family recipe better than any heirloom. A mother'...

Are you thinking what I'm thinking you're thinking?!

Have you read the book of Ezekiel? It's an...interesting one to say the least. God asked Ezekiel to do some strange things (like lying on his side for 390 days); but what I found fascinating is that before all this started, He told Ezekiel multiple times not to be afraid of the people or what they would say. (Ezekiel 2) The fact that He said it multiple times must mean that it was a message that He really wanted Ezekiel to remember. He knew that what He was calling Ezekiel to do was not going to be easy and people pleasing was not going to be an option for him. "The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that." (Proverbs 29:25 MSG) While reading Ezekiel 2 I almost felt as if that message was meant for me--as if God was saying to me, "Maria, don't be afraid of them or of their words." How often am I one to be afraid of people--what they think, what they say, what I think they are thinking or saying about me. It's enough fe...

Never alone

Tonight I read Genesis 2 and was really meditating on the truth that God did not ever mean for us to be alone... But first here's a tangent I also thought was interesting in verses 5-6... At the beginning of it all, God did not create the rain. Water rose up from the ground to water everything. It was like the built in sprinkler systems we have now. As I sat here thinking about it, a thought dawned on me....I wonder if that means there were no weather patterns yet. It was a perfect world, one in which the vegetation was watered by the streams that came up from the ground. How much I wish I could have seen this garden of Eden. I'm sure it was quite the place to behold! Now back to what I said earlier about not being alone... While reading verse 18, the realization of the awfulness of feeling lonely really sunk in. I've had my fair share of feeling lonely. We moved around a lot as I was growing up and there is nothing quite like "being the new kid." Everyone else ha...