I love visiting my friends at the assisted living home. They are such an encouragement to me. Without a doubt I know God gave me them for this time of life. They are a gift! I was thinking on the way home yesterday about how I feel like He put me there to minister yet yesterday they ministered to me. Thank the Lord for the way He uses people to encourage and love on me during these 'tough' days. When I feel like I can't go on, He puts someone in my path that gives me words of encouragement. Sometimes I feel like I do not have anything left in me to give yet He encourages me by putting someone before me that I need to love on with His love. He knows I need to keep my focus on Him instead of our situation. He knows I need to love with His love because the more I do, the more He is able to fill me with His love. He knows I need to be able to laugh with others. He knows I need to see Him in others actions and hear Him through their words. He knows exactly what I need, sometimes even before I know it myself. Plain and simple. He knows. For that, I am grateful. I am grateful for the way He loves me, the way He goes before me, and the way He never leaves me. These last few days have been very emotional. I'm so grateful God cleanses my hurts with my tears. I'm also grateful for friends who will take a few moments to listen to me as I fall apart. Yesterday hearing the words, 'Sheila you can't stay strong all the time' were exactly what I needed to hear. As a believer with a deep faith, I struggle with that. But then the Lord reminds me that He Himself wept. He wept with Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus died (John 11). Those tears were not because Lazarus was dead. Jesus knew he would bring him back to life. He cried because He had compassion for the woman who were hurting. When Jesus cried over Jerusalem in Luke 19, it was for a different reason. He cried because He hurt over the future of the people. This morning the Lord drew me to Hebrews 5:7-10 to ponder upon.
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
God heard Jesus' prayers because of His reverent submission. Jesus was obedient to God through His death and resurrection. The result was Jesus is the Savior of the world. What can He do through me? What can He do through my reverent submission and walk of obedience? Whose lives can be changed through my life with Him? I am not nor will ever be Jesus but that is not who God has called me to be. He has called me to be His daughter who loves Him greatly and is willing to walk in obedience to His will. He has called me to love with His love in a manner that no one else can because He gives me specific ways to love people. He has called me to spread the Gospel so people will come into relationship with Him. He has called me to live a life sold out to Him so people will have the desire in their heart for the same. He has called me to be strong in my faith yet at the same time realize I am a human with God-created emotions. He has called me to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in His empowerment every day of my life. Plain and simple. He has called me. Woo hoo!
Dear Jesus,
Today is a new day and for that I am thankful! I am thankful for the way You put people before me yesterday that loved on me with Your love! I am thankful for the way You gave me physical strength when mine was gone! I am thankful for emotional strength that came after the tears fell! I am thankful for the spiritual strength You gave me when I felt attacked by the enemy yesterday! I am thankful for Your love that was showered over me yesterday! Lord, go before us today and give us exactly what we need to not just get through the day but to glorify You in the process. Cleanse us so You can fill us to overflowing with more of You. I pray for Doc to feel Your empowerment in his physical body as he goes throughout the day. I pray You will give me what I need to be more intentional in loving with Your love. Holy, holy, holy...is the Lord God Almighty...who was and is and is to come... I praise You Father! Thank You for being My Holy! Amen.
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