Delights in Mercy...

Thinking of the time when I was a teenager, I was walking down a sidewalk at night & I fell over a post that was lying across my path. There was lights in the parking lot where I was, but the sidewalk was pitch black, because shadows made it so dark. I can remember thinking someone hit me from behind… it was like I was knocked to the ground out of nowhere! As I picked myself up & got to my feet… I don’t remember if I was crying, but I probably was because I cry over almost everything! J I do remember thinking what in the world happened to me… I didn’t see that coming at all! My jeans were torn, & my leg was bleeding, & of course my pride was hurt, but overall I was okay!

I know for myself I have had the same experience in my spiritual life as well. I would be walking along the path, minding my own business… light is around me, but I chose to step off the lighted path into the shadows. God is still with me, but I am not listening to His call to get back on His lighted path… I am trusting in my own direction! And He let me go… He even let me fall… but He was there to pick me up & comfort my wounds when I was ready to turn back to Him! That doesn’t mean I didn’t have scars or consequences from my choice to get off track… it just means like the best parent you could ask for, He was there for me!

And you know, after that little spill I took on the sidewalk, it made me way more cautious of walking without light on the path… both in the physical & the spiritual!

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalms 119:105

As I was thinking about this these verses in Micah came to my mind… “Don’t laugh at me, my enemies. Although I’ve fallen, I will get up. Although I sit in the dark, the Lord is my light.  I have sinned against the Lord. So I will endure His fury until he takes up my cause and wins my case. He will bring me into the light, and I will see His victory.” Micah 7:8-9  And in verse 18 it says… “Who is a God like you? You forgive sin and overlook the rebellion of Your faithful people. You will not be angry forever, because You delight in mercy.”

He delights in mercy! I am so thankful I serve & am loved by a merciful God! Aren’t you?

Rejoicing in Truth!

Carin

Anchored...

The weather is finally getting nicer… summer just might be around the corner! All kinds of new activities that we have not enjoyed over this long, I mean LONG winter! Camping, biking, fishing, cookouts, swimming, maybe even some boating. I am not an outdoorsy, camping person, so no camping for me & the lake has to get pretty warm before you will find me swimming in it, but those other things… count me in!

So I was thinking about when you go fishing on a boat you have to anchor the boat to stay in one place. That led me to think about what we anchor ourselves to keeping us firm & steady. I really had to go back to where my anchor lies or doesn’t lie… it isn’t in money or family or things… it is not even in my husband, although Luke does help to keep me anchored. Getting into God’s Word & asking Him to show me exactly what He wants me to see… going deeper into His Word is a great place to get anchored! It is not about being deep… it is about having His Word go deeper into our souls!

“Only be strong and very courageous, faithfully doing everything in the teachings… Don’t turn away from them. Then you will succeed wherever you go.  Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed. I have commanded you, ‘Be strong and courageous! Don’t tremble or be terrified, because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’” Joshua 1:7-9

I must confess, I have been having a little “drifting” problem lately at times. There just seems to be so many things going on in my life right now, & it makes it easy to lose track of where I need to be anchored! I am so thankful Father is patient with His daughter as I learn these hard lessons. He will let me “drift” some, but it makes me a very unhappy person, then I have to do a heart check… it is when I realize I am drifting on my own that I lean into Him! He is such a good Father!

When we lose focus of who God is to us, what He has shown us, how He made each of us with the gifts He has to do what He has called us to do,.. that is when we will all start to drift. Once again He reminded me to go back to what He has promised me… reevaluate my motives… take my hands from in front of my blinded eyes & clasp them in prayer to Him… asking for strength, for wisdom, for opportunities to serve Him… all in thankfulness! As long as we keep our heart anchored to God in constant devotion, we will not drift! He will not let us drift… for He is our Rock!

“The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Savior, my God, my Rock in whom I take refuge, my Shield, and the strength of my salvation, my Stronghold.” Psalms 18:2

Rejoicing in Truth!

Carin