"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
Chosen. God's special possession.
Yes, let's declare His praises!!
God, the almighty creator of the universe has chosen us and called us by name. Oh how He loves us.
I'm praying that you accept His great love and that it pours over you today. May your day be blessed beyond measure as you soak in the reality of how special you are to Him.
Where is your hope today? Are you willing to yield to the LORD and allow Him to show you the way to His best for you? He has a plan for you. A plan to prosper you and not to harm you. (Jeremiah 29:11) That plan involves a depth of relationship with Him. Do you know Him? Really know Him? Are you seeking that knowledge of Him through His Word? Are you allowing His Word to fill your heart and mind? His Word is Truth. Let's get to know God, learn from Him, allow Him to show us His way. God is our Savior...ponder that...the One who saves us. The One in whom our hope lies. Let's purposely HOPE in Him all day long...today and forever.
I think that we all need to be reminded that God is God...that hope will rise...and that He is faithful to a thousand generations. Enjoy a few moments in worship with Keith and Kristyn Getty. Allow those words to become your proclamation today.
"I will remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you...." Acts 1:8 (NIV)
Jesus calls us to be His witnesses. We don't have to muster up the power to do it. It's ours. Power...like dynamite. May we receive that power and act upon His calling on our lives.
"For in Him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28 (NIV)
I've been MOVED.
It came via Facebook and a "share." My dear friend, Edie Melson, "shared" a blog post by Jodie Bailey (from Jan. 4, called "Oh the Irony"). I loved the post. It made me laugh. It brought conviction. It inspired me. At first I just commented on the FB post. Then when Edie made a followup comment suggesting that we all chime in with our word for the year, I got those wheels in my brain to turning. I asked God to reveal a word to me. It came quite quickly! (Don't you love it when God just is so happy that you asked Him to show you something that He responds immediately with the answer?!?!)
My word is MOVE.
It's perfect for several reasons.
Spiritually, I long to MOVE forward in prayer, in study of His Word, and in obedience. I love the key verse above. I want to live and move and have my being in HIM! I want Him to be the source of my thoughts, my words, my actions, all that I do.
I'm currently reading the life story of Oswald Chambers, Abandoned To God, by David McCasland. I've always loved his devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest, and to get to know the man behind those writings has made me love his words even more. Oswald Chambers' life epitomized that verse. His life was all about Jesus.
I want to MOVE into action regarding whatever He prompts me to do. Whether it's to pray for someone, or to act on someone's behalf. To be bold in MOVING forward with whatever He calls me to do...write, speak...whatever. To have faith. To believe in His incomparably great power...that overrides my weakness.
Physically, I need to MOVE. Mostly I'm talking about getting this old body into motion...out of the recliner, out from under my computer, and into action. The really cool thing is that in the revelation of my word, from God and then in stepping forward in boldness to put it out in cyberspace, I actually MOVED into my sneakers and took a brisk (timewise and weatherwise) walk in my neighborhood!!! It felt good...well mostly good...and mostly after it was over. I plan to MOVE more. Who knows, maybe I'll try a little Yoga too.
So what's your word for the year?? MOVE along and let me know what you come up with!!
Lord, thank You for loving us. Thank You for being personal with us. Thank You for hearing us when we pray. Thank You for responding. Father, creator, we want You to dwell in us. We want our very being to be in You!! And we let our praises ring for all are about to do!
"As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)
Do you ever feel like God repeatedly puts a Scripture before you, making sure He drives home the message?He seems to do that in my life. He knows me better than anyone else, and I suppose He realizes that if I only hear it once it might just flow into the oblivion of my sundry thoughts...and get lost there in the abyss.
I think it appropriate and perhaps a little ironic that He would have me ponder the attributes of Mary and Martha at a time when I'm facing a new year and considering all that I would like for Him to "make new" in my life. My thoughts have centered around new eating habits and exercise. (And yes, I do wish He would just do a little miracle and get me back to my normal size without any sacrifice or work. Just sayin'.) But I think He calls me to a higher ground.
Without any dissertation on the comparison of Mary and Martha...they both loved Jesus dearly and served Him wholeheartedly, I just have to say that I'm praying for God to give me more of both...and of course way more than that, to give me more of Him. It is my prayer to spend quality time sitting at His feet first. And then to prepare my heart, my home and my habits in order to serve Him more fully.
So what about you? What is He impressing on your heart as you head into 2012? Don't you just love that He is a God who can make all things new??
Abba Father, thank You for Your unfailing love for us. Thank You for creating us according to Your plan, with strengths and weaknesses so that You could show Your own power and might. Thank You for the year that You have brought us through. Please lead us into the one ahead empowering us to be obedient and follow You wholeheartedly. We pray that everything we do may be done as unto You. We love You.
