Prayer

Yesterday I ordered a new book for SAMBS (Saturday A.M. Bible Study) for the summer. Having had this workbook in my library since 2007, after flipping through it I ordered more copies from Amazon so that I/we could finally work through it. Often we study the Bible itself in the fall, winter and spring, and a more topical book during the summer.  Prayer is an often repeated topic - has anyone ever actually scaled the heights of prayer's potential?  With all my good intentions, and smatterings of success, my prayer practice continues to be an area of needed growth...

Separately, this morning's reading is from Acts 4. The new church gathered to hear of Peter and John's bold healing and preaching and their resulting overnight arrest by the Jewish leaders.  The verse that popped out for me was verse 31:

"And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."  Acts 4:13 ESV

Now THAT's a prayer meeting!

When's the last time God shook you up after your prayer time?

Our new study describes ..."calling upon the name of the Lord as an adventure - the ultimate adventure in following God."

Do you have any God adventures planned for the summer?  Please leave a comment! 💗

New every morning

In Door County for ten days. Ten. Days. A generous friend allowed our family to use their home last week end, and for my husband and I this next week end. So I stayed for the week between. A couple of the kids stayed through Monday, and a friend visited Tuesday overnight to Wednesday, which makes today the first (and only) full day alone. Solitude. Today’s plan is quiet time with God and Baxter. Read, listen, write, nap, walk, knit, repeat.  That’s the plan.

My first read is Lamentations 3:19-26. Meditating on it. Chewing. Listening.

 Jeremiah remembers his own painful story, and reminds God of it too.  It’s so comforting to have a Friend who knows my complete and total backstory: all the details that have brought me to who I am today. (the good, the bad and the ugly) Jeremiah acknowledges that his soul is heavy, BUT THEN... he preaches to himself.  I love this!  Jeremiah reminds himself who God is, and immediately recognizes his reason for hope. Our reason for hope. He writes out the attributes of God which speak to his downcast soul.  Such an example!

In my Bible I use an orange gel highlighter to mark “promises to plead.” (my term) When my soul is “...bowed down within me,...” I can flip though to an orange-streaked passage and “recall to my mind...and have hope.”

THAT my friend is our reason for being... to know Him better, and to share the hope. “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.”  

Verse 23 speaks of “every morning.” The dailyness of it reminds me of the manna provided to the Israelites in Exodus 16. God provided nourishment day by day, and required a daily harvest. In Lamentations Jeremiah again shows how God’s mercy is a daily sustenance. In John 6:35 Jesus refers to Himself as “the bread of life”- the One who satiates hunger and thirst. Again, bread or food is a daily need. Perhaps the manna was a reminder of our daily dependence on Him... we can’t store enough to sustain us for tomorrow.

“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.  Great is Your faithfulness.” (Note the change from ‘His’ to ‘Your’...Jeremiah is taken from reciting about God to personal acknowledgement and prayer...)

He is our sustenance.  Have you fed upon His Word today?

Don’t waste His wounds.

Each morning I receive an email from Kenboa.org from which I take the photo verse for my digital journal.  My journal is on my iPad with an app called Goodnotes.  (❤️ digital journaling!). The daily email is mostly a series of Bible verses:  jump off places for my morning conversation with God.  Chewing points.  Today the photo verse is  
  What hit me is that my peace and my healing were paid for with a high, painful price...Jesus’ punishment.  Am I wasting them, falling back into worry and stress because I forget about my healing Savior?  What a waste of His sacrifice.  I remember hearing that elephants that have been chained to a pole for years, going in circles, continue to go in circles even after their chains are cut off. That’s a powerful image.  I need to stop behaving as if I’m still chained to sinful thoughts and behavior. I’m free! He has cut my chains. 

Lord, help me to rely on that truth moment by moment and not waste your beautiful gift.  🎁❤️🙏🏻