Lead Me in a Smooth Path...(Updated and Recycled for a Lenten Devotional)

This post was originally written in 2013, and then shared again in 2017...I can't believe how time flies! Some of you may have already commented on this twice! But, if you are like me, every time I read the Bible or some scriptural devotionals, I learn something new.  I thought perhaps this would be a good post for my current series of devotions for Lent...some thoughts to ponder and inspire our hearts as we approach the Easter season.  

Original Post 1/20/2013:

"Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies..." 
Psalm 27:11

This is NOT a smooth path...

Have you ever felt like the pathway of your life looks like this?  Whichever way you turn, there are obstacles strewn in the way; twisted, tangled masses of thorny vines, scrubby underbrush, rotting, termite ridden logs barring your passage to greener pastures and higher ground.

No matter how hard you try to cut through the briers and brambles of discord, disappointment, fear, sorrow, and enemy ambushes,  you find yourself constantly having to negotiate detours and conduct reconnaissance missions to survey the camp of the enemy and work your way back to a "smooth path".


That is when we find ourselves crying out with the Psalmist David:

"Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

When You said, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to You, 'Your face, Lord, I will seek.'

Do not hide Your face from me;

Do not turn Your servant away in anger;

You have been my help;

do not leave me nor forsake me, 

O God of my salvation."

Psalm 27:7-9

Oftentimes there are warning signs as we begin our journey, which we choose to ignore thinking that we know a better route to take.  

We allow ourselves to get off the beaten path in search of alluring treasures, or we get sidetracked by the trappings of the world, which turn out to be dried up and useless promises, spreading fungi that trap our souls and eat away at our spiritual health, leaving us empty and barren.  

"Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;

Psalm 16:4

When we find ourselves at a dead end, wondering how we can get back home,  it is not too late to seek the Lord. When we seek His face, He will give us counsel.  He will guide us safely home.

"You will show me the path of life; In Your PRESENCE is fullness of joy;  At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."  Psalm 16:11

The Psalmist then concludes with these thoughts:

"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see 

the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart;  

Wait, I say, on the Lord!"

Psalm 27:13-14

"The Smooth Path"

Dear Friend,

Where do you find yourself today?  Are you lost somewhere on the crooked, twisted path of anger, frustration, sorrow, defeat, anxiety and fear?  Do you find yourself longing to find that "smooth path" again...the Way to peace and comfort and joy?  It's not too late to turn around.  Stop, right where you are and call upon His name. Wait upon the Lord...

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; 

They shall mount up with wings like eagles, 

They shall run and not be weary, 

They shall walk and not faint."  

Isaiah 40:31

Jesus beckons to us today:

"Come to Me, 

all you who labor and are heavy laden, 

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, 

for I am gentle and lowly in heart, 

and you will find rest for our souls.

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

Come back to the smooth path.  There you will find rest for your soul.

Watching For God's Presence In Our Midst

What a surprise to see this male Wood Duck  paddling around right in front of our house yesterday!

Normally the Wood Duck couple stays on the opposite side of the pond, pretty much out of my good viewing distance.  But yesterday this fellow stayed up close, nibbling on the fresh grasses and vegetation around the edge of the pond all by himself for a long time.

The fact that there was no sign of his mate nearby makes me wonder if they are nesting at this time.

Isn't he the most beautiful duck you've ever seen?  I know I think he's absolutely gorgeous!

I had to watch him from a distance, actually from inside the house, because I knew if I dared to open that door he would fly away.

So I patiently stood by the glass door and watched and enjoyed this special treat!

I love how God sends us special little gifts to bless our day, don't you?

The key is, we have to be watching and aware of the gift when it happens.

Because if we don't pay attention to the special "Presence" of God in our lives, that moment may slip away from us and we will miss out on the beauty and the glory of what He was wanting to share with us in that moment.

Here are a few Bible verses that lead us into the Presence of the Lord:

"You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Psalm 16:11

"And He said, My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Exodus 33:14

"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

Jeremiah 29:13

"Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they shall see God."

Matthew 5:8

"When You said, 'Seek My face,',

my heart said to You, 'Your face, Lord, I will seek."

Psalm 27:8

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  

If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,

I will come in to him and dine with him,

and he with Me."

Revelation 3:20

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Psalm 23:6

This Adventure Called "Life"

First of all, I want to thank all of my friends here who have been praying for me since my last post and during my recent surgery.  I am here to say that your prayers have been answered, and yes, God certainly did have His angels watching over me throughout this whole "adventure".  I like the sound of the word "adventure" better than "ordeal", don't you? If we can view our events in life more as an "adventure" rather than as an "ordeal" to be endured, we can look for all the ways that God has been with us and blessed us throughout the "adventure".  And that is what I want to share with you today. During my hospital stay, God demonstrated His Presence with me over and over again. But here are a few examples that really blessed me.

During the night following surgery, I woke up and noticed this picture on the wall of my room.

The sunrise seemed to just glow, beckoning me to look deeper. If you notice the two people standing on the shore, you will probably just think of them as a couple of lovers standing on the shore enjoying the sunrise together. But when I looked at this picture I saw Jesus standing there beside me, reassuring me that He was indeed with me through all of life's journeys, and especially right now, so I was able to settle down and rest peacefully knowing He was there with me.

When I awoke the next morning, I looked out the window next to my bed, and this was what I saw:

 Do you see the cross in this picture?  Here again was the Lord's message to me..."I am with you always"....

That evening our pastor came by for a visit, and he remarked about the beautiful picture of the butterfly on the wall above my head.  I had not been able to see it as it was above and behind me, and it was actually the next day before I could get a view of it to take its picture while they had me sitting up in a chair for a while.  Here again was a gift from God, a picture of "new life" as the butterfly escapes his cocoon and develops into this beautiful creature and flies off into his new adventure....
This reminds me of our hope in Christ Jesus found here:

2 Corinthians 5:17

 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Going back in time for a few minutes, here are a few picture my hubby took as I was being prepped for surgery:

When we entered the pre-op area, we both noticed this lovely purple and lavender outfit laid out for me to wear to the grand event:

We also noticed the table with the many items and labels and things that would begin this journey:

Here I am all dressed up in my lovely new outfit, ready for the "ball"...

 I think this picture is showing that I am wrapped up in those lovely warm blankets that come directly out of a warming unit and cover you with the most lovely feeling of warmth and comfort you can imagine just prior to surgery...

In this photo the anesthesiology team is preparing for my epidural (nerve block). I did not know I was going to have this procedure until I got there, and once it was explained to me I agreed it sounded wonderful and was all too happy to comply. This epidural stayed in until a couple of days after surgery, giving me the ability to control my pain relief as needed...and it was a wonderful advantage.  I woke up less groggy and much more comfortable than what I've experienced in previous surgeries.

 Thankfully there are no pictures of me in recovery.  I don't think I looked quite this chipper.
This picture was taken as I was waiting for the doctor to come and release me for discharge...ready to go home!

Thankfully, I am now writing to you once again from the safe and comfortable confines of my home. And just as Judy Garland (Dorothy) repeated over and over again in the "Wizard of Oz", "There's no place like home...There's no place like home..." I totally agree.  Although I must admit I had not thought about some things that I would experience when I got home, like my inability to get up and down into low chairs, our bed and other important places.  When you've had any kind of abdominal surgery, which I have, you discover just how hard those tummy muscles work in moving you up and down and all around.  Last night when trying to get into bed it was quite an interesting  and painful "work out"...and I totally now understand why the mechanics of a hospital bed are so important and necessary.

It also became apparent to me how important those support grab bars in bathrooms and showers are. I believe that all homes should be equipped with them regardless of whether or not you think you will ever need them. Trust me, you will need them at some point in your life. 

For now, I am once again relying on "My Father's Cane" to assist me as I get up and down in difficult places. (Please click on that link above for a very special story about this cane).

So now my job is to continue this journey of recovery and healing, one step at a time.  I am so thankful for my sweet hubby, who is nearly worn out with all of my "demands"....Here he is after filling the bird feeder for me so I can watch my birdies come and go.

We have also been blessed by dear folks from our church who have brought by meals for us, even this past week while I was in the hospital they made sure my hubby and son living here at home did not go hungry, which was very thoughtful and kind of them. Yes, they are capable of feeding themselves, but it was the fact that it showed that people care and are willing to help out in time of need. I am so very thankful for how God provides even more than we think we need. He knows how to bless us.

So, thank you, again, dear friends, for your prayers, messages of healing and encouragement...and for just being there. You are a great joy and blessing to me.

In thinking about Dorothy and "The Wizard of Oz" quote, "There's no place like home..." I was reminded of this little ruby slipper pin that I have,

And I thought about the "Adventure" of our lives again, and this journey we are on toward "home"....

We are all on our way "home" to our eternal home with Jesus...and I love that He comes alongside and walks with us, reminds us of His great sacrifice for us, and gives us glimpses of the new life we will one day be enjoying with Him forever.   Yes, Dorothy was right, "There's no place like home...", and our home is heaven...but until Jesus calls me "home", I want to serve Him any way I can right here at this temporary "home" in this "adventure" called life!  How about you?  I hope you are on this journey with me. If not, why not ask Jesus to lead you home with Him today? 

A "Jesus Calling" Experience...

Today started out with an unusual experience.  My usual routine when I first get to work in the morning after my forty five minute ride through the forest and the city is to head straight to the ladies' room before I do anything else. (enough said!)  To reach the restroom in the church office where I work I must walk through the very well equipped library. This often leads to detours either going or coming, as I peruse whatever new or different books are facing me on the shelves, vying for my attention. Lately I've noticed a little book tucked neatly on the shelf just beside the restroom door and each time I pass it I think to myself, "I need to check out that little book...it seems to be calling me..."   The name of the book is, you guessed it, Jesus Calling,  by Sarah Young.
 I've heard a lot about this little devotional book, and have noticed that several of my Facebook friends often quote it in their posts for the day.  So I've been meaning to check it out for some time now, and always on my way in to the restroom I think of it as I see it there...but on the way out from the restroom I have always forgotten about it by the time I walk back through the library to my office to start my day.  Chalk it up to short term memory...or perhaps overloaded mind getting ready to face the work on my desk.

Today started out just that way. Except this time I made a point of telling myself (on the way into the restroom) to be sure and pick it up on the way out...and guess what I did?  I walked right past is again! I really did! I know, I can't believe that I did that myself!  Well, Jesus apparently wasn't going to take my ignoring Him that easily today.  As I started up my computer and opened up my work emails the very first email I looked at was from a dear lady who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and has just had surgery and is getting ready to undergo radiation treatments.  She is having to give up teaching her line dance classes that she holds at our church each week, and has been in a lot of personal turmoil throughout this whole process.  I have been communicating back and forth with her and assuring her of my thoughts and prayers as she endures this ordeal and basically trying to encourage her as best I can.  In her response to me this morning she asked me if I had a copy of the devotional book...you guessed it again...Jesus Calling by Sarah Young?  I was flabberghasted at her question and suddenly remembered that I had forgotten again to pick up that little book this morning as it "called out to me" from the bookshelf in the library!  I told her that I was just this morning planning to check that out from our church library and I thanked her for reminding me!  I said that I was going to march right back in there immediately and check it out before something else came along to distract me!  And so I did.

When I came back to my desk and looked at her next email response, she said, "You really need to have your own copy, and I am going to bring you one the next time I come back to the church."  I thanked her and was so blessed by her thoughtfulness for me when she is the one going through the trial right now...it truly amazed me.

Well, I had to wait until I came home tonight to start reading this little book that I checked out...and as I started to look it over more closely, I noticed the subtitle on the front cover under the title of "Jesus Calling"..."Enjoying Peace in His Presence."  Remember I was just talking about my  One Word for 2013: Presence (click on title for post)...and  again here: "Fill My Cup Lord", plus several in other places throughout the past year as I practiced “presence”

Seeking god’s

Presence

In the ordinary

And

Extraordinary

Places of my life

In 2013

As I started reading the introduction I further discovered that Sarah Young's "life changing verse has been "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).  (see page XIII, Introduction Jesus Calling).  Wasn't I just telling you all about that verse last week? (Click Here for THAT Post) .  The more I read into this little book, the more I knew that Jesus truly was calling me to come and seek His Presence within these pages.

And so here I am...sitting in my recliner, reading several different pages throughout the year, particularly some special dates, not wanting to read the whole book since I will soon have my own personal copy to treasure...and yet, I find that Jesus is calling to me from within these pages...I believe He is summoning me into His Presence yet again...and I am in awe.

Is Jesus calling YOU into His Presence today?  You don't have to read a special devotional book to enter into His Presence, but it helps.  I find that I am in His Presence in so many places every day...I only have to be aware of His calling me...and listening for His voice. Today was a pretty clear indication that He wanted my attention...what do YOU think?

The reading for today says:

"Leave outcomes up to Me. Follow Me wherever I lead, without worrying about how it will all turn out. Think of your life as an adventure, with Me (God) as your Guide and Companion. Live in the now, concentrating on staying in step with Me. When our path leads to a cliff, be willing to climb it with My help. When we come to a resting place, take time to be refreshed in My Presence. Enjoy the rhythm of life lived close to Me. You already know the ultimate destination of your journey: your entrance into heaven. So keep your focus on the path just before you, leaving outcomes up to Me." 

 Scripture readings: Psalm 27:13-14; Exodus 15:13 ~  Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, page 338

Pretty good stuff, huh?  Yeah...I'm glad I finally listened to "Jesus Calling"...

UPDATE: For the sequel to this little story, go to : "Opening Another Advent Window".  Be blessed, my friends!

Angels' Hands Bearing Me Up?

Foreword:  I am not normally a fearful person. But if I have one "fear", it is fear of falling...especially ever since I had major back surgery about six years ago and have 4 screws holding my spine in place...perhaps that is why this little incident this past week has made such an impact on me. Read on...

"For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.  In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone."  Psalm 91:11-12

I experienced this first hand this past week...well, almost!  The angels weren't quite quick enough to keep me from "dashing my foot against a stone", that is, the crack in the concrete sidewalk at my place of employment...which happens to be a church...No, they were a little late on keeping me from stubbing my big toe against the pavement. Perhaps they had more lofty assignments at that particular moment...I know there have to be more important issues going on around me than my particular act of clumsiness.  And it is quite a flight down from the top of the church "Spire" (where the angels probably stand all day long watching for the wayward and the clumsy)  to the place where I was taking my false step...BUT, I have to say that, although my guardian angel may have been a bit slow on the "bearing me up" part to keep me from dashing my foot against the stone (pavement), he or she got there just in time to keep me from smashing my body all to pieces as I "gracefully" (according to one eye-witness) plummeted my body face first, splat!, right onto the very hard surface of that ancient walkway. 

After I collected my senses, (once I was pronounced able to go ahead and sit up by our Associate Pastor, who also happens to be a registered nurse, but only after he made sure all the toes and fingers and other appendages were able to wiggle and had complete feeling) I shakily regained my composure and began to assess my situation.  There did not not appear to be anything broken.  My right cheekbone and my right hand were somewhat bruised and scratched.  My knees had minor scrapes, and my right shoulder had a small abrasion and bruise...and that was basically the extent of my injuries.  As the shock of my embarrassment and humiliation wore off, I realized something very wonderful.

"For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.  In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash  your foot against a stone..."  Psalm 91:11-12   

 God's angels were dispatched immediately to bear me up...They may not have kept me from tripping...but I know there had to be an angel sandwiched between me and that pavement!.  

My apologies to that heavenly being...I know...I need to go on a diet! I also need to learn to pick up my feet! I'm so sorry that you were most likely squished flatter than a pancake! But you were there! You cushioned my fall! You covered my face with your wings...you lifted me up so that I was not broken.  You protected my fragile spine that already has 4 screws in it from a previous major surgery...so that no new injury came to my body.  

My glasses, although they flew off and across the concrete...do not have a scratch on them!  The rings on my right hand, even though they did cause me to have a couple of small lacerations (miniscule) on my fingers, the rings were not even damaged...something I find quite remarkable and precious...one set of rings was my dear mother's wedding rings that I have worn since both my parents left this earth for heaven, and the other was a sweet gift from my husband...a gift that I treasure.

Do I believe in guardian angels? Believe me, this is not the first time God has dispatched His heavenly messengers to intercede on my behalf! I could name numerous times that I have been rescued from danger, protected from harm...and those are just the times I know about!  I can only imagine how many times I could have been in serious danger and I was not even aware of it.  I believe God has sent angels to bring messages of hope and encouragement during times of distress and uncertainty.  He has probably sent us "angels unaware"...strangers that we have "unwittingly entertained" in our own home (see Hebrews 13:2)...

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels..."

Yes, I do believe in angels...you only have to read the many references in the Bible about angels to know that they exist.  

That is why I have not ceased to praise the Lord ever since I recovered from this little mishap this past week. This was such a minor accident...and yet it could have been so much worse. Only God, in His mercy, could have kept me from being seriously injured. I mean, I am not a young person anymore. My body is fragile and my bones are getting brittle.  And yet, I have had more energy and strength in the past couple of days since this incident than I remember having in a very long time. I have felt infused with a new sense of "God is with me"...aka, "THE PRESENCE OF GOD"..."EMMANUEL".   

Don't get me wrong... I have been stiff and sore...I have a few bumps and bruises...but I have so much joy because I know I was spared from something so much worse.  

How about you?  Do you/have you ever recognized the supernatural work of God in your life?  Can you think of a time that He may have dispatched angels on your behalf..."to bear you up...lest you dash your foot against a stone?"  What about those "angels unaware"...strangers God may have sent to you either for you to minister to, or so that they could minister to you? Have you thought about that? It may cause you to look at the stranger sent to your home or place of work a little differently from now on.

Makes us stop and think, doesn't it? Just remember...the angels are God's ambassadors. They are not to be worshipped themselves...but they should cause us to pause and take a moment to give praise to the One from Whom they were sent. That's why I am writing this today.  I just want to say, Thank you, dear Lord! Amen!

This little dove sat outside my window today. He reminds me of the song
"He sent down His love...on the wings of a dove."
May not be an angel...but it reminds of me of God's never ending love.

While the Super Bowl is on....Something to Give Peace

I know no one will read this blog. I am writing it while the Super Bowl is playing. Everyone is watching the Super Bowl -- or at least the commercials. I just saw a couple of crazy ones.  The GoDaddy commercial was pretty gross. The Doritos ad was funny, if you like goats. Don't worry, I'm not going to comment on all of them. I'm really not into watching all this stuff.  The Coke ad wasn't too bad...better than the Pepsi ad. Ok, I'll stop. Oh, I loved the Doritos "fashionista dad" commercial...

Meanwhile, I just saw something on facebook that I really really liked.  Thought I would share it with you here:

It says, in case you can't read all of it:

"Pause, friend, and read before you enter here.

This vine-clad wall encloses holy ground.

Herein a mellowed garden dreams away the years,

Steeped in serene sweet light and muted sound.

Herein tranquility and peace abide,

For God walks here at cool of evening-tide.

Pause, friend, and strip from out your heart

All vanity, all bitterness, all hate;

Quench, for this hour, the fever of your fears,

Then, treading softly, pass within this gate,

There, where the ancient trees wait, hushed and dim,

May you find God, and walk awhile with Him."

Pearl Hiatt, Brookgreen Gardens, SC

What is it about this that has caught my eye? What touched my heart so?

This is just the kind of garden I would love to have right here in my yard. 

I love the line that says, 

"Herein tranquility and peace abide, For God walks here at cool of      even-tide."

Ahhh, to have God walk here at even-tide...yes, dear friend, come, "quench, for this hour, the fever of your fears..."

This is exactly what I've been trying to say in so many ways...I want our home and surrounding grounds, woods, forest...all to be just this kind of place...a place where 

"tranquility and peace abide..." "There, where the ancient trees wait, hushed and dim, May you find God, and walk awhile with Him."

"Pause, friend, and strip from out your heart

All vanity, all bitterness, all hate;"

Yes, I know I've been on this subject for awhile now.  Perhaps because I need it so much...and I have a feeling that YOU do too. This world tends to grate on our nerves, creating so much tension and stress.  We need this peaceful garden to rest awhile from the cares of this life.  We need to steal away from the noise and rush of the life outside the garden gate, and enter into the cool shade of His rest.

This reminds me of a precious old hymn...I'm sure you will recognize it. Sing along with me:

"I come to the garden alone,

While the dew is still on the roses;

And the voice I hear,

Falling on my ear, 

The Son of God discloses.

Chorus:

And He walks with me,

and He talks with me,

and He tells me I am His own,

And the Joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

"He speaks, and the sound of His voice

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing;

And the melody that He gave to me

Within my heart is ringing.

(Chorus)

I'd stay in the garden with Him

Tho' the night around me be falling;

But He bids me go,

thro' the voice of woe,

His voice to me is calling.

Chorus:

And He walks with me,

and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own,

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known."

"In the Garden" by C. Austin Miles, 1868-1946

I hope this has been a refreshing pause in the midst of the chaos and turmoil of your day...I know it has calmed my spirit and quieted my heart. I am at peace.

(Regardless of who wins the Superbowl)

Thank you for joining me in the garden tonight ~ at "even-tide". Won't you come again?

I felt God's PRESENCE here, how about you?

Other recent posts you might enjoy during your walk through the garden tonight:

"Clapping, Dancing, Rejoicing Trees",  "Lead Me in A Smooth Path"

Watching in the Ordinary things...

Today I had my antennae up, watching for evidence of God's presence in the ordinary places of my day. 

It started out as I drove to work, listening to my favorite radio station (The JoyFM, 88.1, Ocala).
One of the first songs played was "Jesus in Disguise" by Brandon Heath.  Kind of describes exactly what I'm talking about..."Jesus in Disguise"...things that happen in our day to day lives that we can't exactly explain...

• a song on the radio that speaks to your heart with words of encouragement and hope when you were feeling a little lost or despondent...
• a phone call or card from a friend who seemed to know exactly what words to say at the right time.
• a devotional reading/scripture passage that expresses a message that seems to be sent to your heart directly from God
• a friendly face, a kind word, a good deed...unexpected places and faces
• answered prayers when you thought God wasn't listening
• a beautiful sunrise, sunset, rainbow
• a pat on the back from someone whom you thought didn't really care or notice what you do
• an opportunity to encourage someone else who needed a friend...a pep talk...some comfort...and God gave you the right words to say that were never rehearsed.
• a bird on the wing...or on your windowsill, singing a melody so sweet you know it had to have been taught by the Great Songwriter Himself.  

These are just a few of the ways that we can experience God's presence in our daily lives. I am watching for "messengers" everywhere I go. You may want to do the same. You may be surprised what you will discover.

"Open my eyes wide as I can, blind as I am..." ("Jesus in Disguise...Jehovah passing by") by Brandon Heath.


Questions to ask yourself:

• When was the last time I experienced a "Jesus in Disguise" moment in my life?
• How did I recognize that it was a "God Moment"?...Or didn't I notice that until now?
• Do I actually expect to see "Jehovah passing by" in the common, ordinary routine of my life?
• How can I become more aware of His PRESENCE in my life?

I'd love for you to share your "Jesus in Disguise" moments with us here.  Keep your eyes and ears open...you may be surprised what you will see.

One Word for 2013

There is yet another challenge for the new year...to select one word to be a signpost or goal for my life in 2013.  Last year the word I chose (or did God choose?) was "Hope". (Click this link for "Hope" from 2012)  No sooner had I chosen (again, Who chose?) that word "Hope", beautiful things began to happen in our lives.  (See "Promises Fulfilled" for more on this story).   I am not trying to say that just because I happened to select a certain word for the year that God magically started doing things to answer my pleas and prayers...but then again, I am saying that He did do marvelous things in our lives and did answer many prayers and fulfilled many of our hopes and dreams in ways we never anticipated. Was it because I publically announced to the world that I was going to "hope in the Lord"...and He responded?  No, not exactly.  Perhaps it was more the fact that as I focused on my hope in the Lord in so many areas of life that I began to see that He was there all the time...working on my behalf behind the scenes...guiding and directing my life in ways that I had perhaps overlooked previously...and now my eyes were being opened to His presence more clearly.

A few weeks ago I was thinking about this new challenge of  "One Word" for 2013, (See "Easing Into Christmas"), and I thought perhaps the word I should choose would be "Emmanuel", meaning "God With Us".  I still love the word, or name, "Emmanuel", specifically because of its meaning, and the fact that it is the name for Jesus.  However, I don't think I am supposed to select a "name" for my "one word".  So, as I am sitting here contemplating this weighty subject, I believe the word has just been given to me...and it is...(oh, wait! Am I supposed to wait and tell you this on January 1st?....perhaps I should stop now and finish this later...)


Ok, maybe I'd better tell you now before I forget it myself!  The word that the Lord has just this minute impressed upon my heart for 2013 is .... 

Presence

   Why this word?  Well, perhaps it started with  the chorus of the song we sang in our Christmas cantata:

"Lord, I want Your presence for Christmas,
I want Your presence for Christmas,
I long to feel Your Spirit speaking peace to my heart.
Of all the gifts I may receive,
there's only one I really need,
and it's Your presence,
Your presence for Christmas."

 

 

and I couldn't get this message out of my mind...it's not just for Christmas that I want to feel the "Lord's presence speaking peace to my heart"...it's for ALWAYS, starting now in 2013.  I want to not only feel  His presence, but to know  He is present in every aspect of my life. Not only in the good times and happy times, but in the difficult places and sad times as well. Every year has both kinds of times...good and difficult, happy and sad...so I'm not speaking something into my life that sets me up for difficulty...that's just life. But when I walk through my life this year...I want to acknowledge the fact that God is with me...with us...with you, no matter what.

 

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.  For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;..."

Isaiah 43:2-3

 

 So, in 2013 I am going to explore God's presence in every aspect of my life.  I will be watching for Him in places that I might ordinarily overlook.  Perhaps you will want to do this as well...in your life. Watch for God to appear...wait for Him to "show up" before you act...Let Him be in control...let Him be your guiding Light...

"You will show me the path of life;

In Your PRESENCE is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Psalm 16:11

 

 

 

Here's a good way to start the year right:

 

 

"Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He Who has made us,

and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

 

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

and into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

and His truth endures to all generations.

 

Psalm 100: 1-5

 

 

 

Perhaps we can compare notes throughout the year and list the places and ways we experience God's PRESENCE in our lives. Are you up to the challenge? Let's go!

 

I may be a couple days early, but I want to wish you a very

Happy New Year, filled with the PRESENCE of the Lord.

Amen.