Timely Reminders, Part One

Sometimes I sit here and think, I have nothing new to say.  I feel like maybe this won't be the blessing I want it to be because there is repetition in topic or study instead of something that feels new and fresh.  But then as I was out jogging today, I realized that I needed reminders all the time about my spiritual walk.  Many times I need encouragement in the same areas I did a year ago because sometimes I get off track and other times while I stay the course, I don't see the progress I think I should.  And then I realized (yes, big revelation coming here), that I can't possibly be the only person who experiences this.  LOL.  Yup, I said it was a big revelation!   So this leads me to share a couple of very timely reminders that I received this week from the Lord.  Wonderful God visits that I desperately needed.   I will share these in two separate entries. 

The first came on Sunday, but really the lead in started on Saturday.  I had an extremely busy week, culminating in almost non stop activity on Saturday from about 7am til about 10pm.  I had cleaning to do at the kitten/cat adoption center that morning to help get ready for a big adoption day, and afterward was tasked with getting my niece out of the house so her Mom could set up for her surprise 30th birthday party.  My niece and I had a wonderful few hours together, but I was already tired from the morning and still had the whole party thing to do afterward.  Even fun stuff was hard to keep my eyes open for.  LOL.   So going into Saturday night, I was thinking to myself, that maybe I would just skip church Sunday morning and get some much needed rest.  Yup, what's one of the first things to go when we get to busy and to tired...."God time" gets cut short. 

Well, I pushed myself out of the house, tired and thinking that I had no "easy" days coming up...no time for rest, blah blah blah....Can you see the pity party coming on here!?!  And it did.  I drove to church not in the most joyful frame of mind, more the "woe is me" state of mind.   But the Lord wasn't letting me get away with this pity stuff....nope He had plans and I am so glad I made it to church that day.

Firstly, in Bible study we talked about how busy Jesus was.  Always helping people, always about the work of His Father.  He put God first in prayer time and service.   I've had to think about this for the last few days.  I now realize that in many of the things I was doing I had pushed God out of the center and replaced Him with duty, pride, people pleasing and self satisfaction.  I may have been helping but my motivations needed a lot of work.  Ouch. 

But as God always does, He brings the healing balm after He brings correction.  So next up the Lord brought His loving arms around me and reminded me how I'm supposed to make it though each day.  His answer was so very specific in it's wording there could be no doubt that He was speaking exactly the words I needed to hear in that moment.  On the way into church that morning as I was dawdling in the land of pity, I was telling the Lord how I felt like I was being overwhelmed by waves and felt like I was buried underwater.  So imagine my joy when the first song for worship that morning was "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong Worship.  God is so amazingly amazing! 

I can only say thank You a thousand times for Your loving care Lord, Your timely reminders.  I am so glad You never tire of reminding us of Your love, never tire of leading us in Your ways.  You never say we are not worth the trouble, nor do You ever give up on us.   What a wonderful Savior You are Jesus.  Help us to keep our eyes above the waves and on You at all times.  In you beautiful name, amen.

Listen.  Believe.  Rest.