I'LL MEET YOU IN THE MORNING

There is an old hymn, beloved of my mother, entitled "I'LL MEET YOU IN THE MORNING".  This song sings of a sweet reunion with loved ones who have passed on to Heaven.

Yet I love to think of it in context of how God longs to meet with me every morning.  He is waiting for me as soon as my eyes open, eager to talk with me and share His love with me. 

In Bob Sorge's book, THE SECRETS OF THE SECRET PLACE, he writes of meeting with God in that secret place :

"One of the best kept secrets of our faith is the blessedness and joy of cultivating a secret life with God. Imagine the sheer delight of it even now.  You're tucked away in  a quiet nook, the door is shut; you're curled up in a comfortable position; the living word of God is laid open before you; Jesus Himself stands at your side; the Holy Spirit is gently washing your heart; your love is awakened as you meditate upon the gracious words of His mouth; your spirit is ignited and your mind is renewed; you talk to Him and He talks to you in the language of intimate friendship."

Oh and how sweet is that meeting when we take the time to do it.  It is my favorite time of the day. 

How it must sadden the heart of the Father when his children do not make time to talk to Him.  I know how much I delight in talking to MY children!  Hearing their voice on the phone is always a joy to me.  Spending time with them is precious.  If it is so with me, is it not so also with our Heavenly Father?  Absolutely!!  He yearns for us to spend time with Him.  He waits on us to show up.  Yet day after day many of His children refuse to take the time.  They give Him a cursory nod at the dinner table with a rehearsed blessing or only run to Him when they are in trouble.  But oh the blessings you are missing if you are not meeting with Him daily.

One of my favorite old hymns is IN THE GARDEN....

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.
And, He walks with me
And He talks with me
And tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share
As we tarry there
None other will
Ever know.

That song is special to me because I love meeting with Him in my garden.

In JESUS CALLING today, I read,

"Open your hand and your heart to receive this day as a precious gift from Me.  I begin each day with a sunrise, announcing My radiant Presence.  By the time you rise from your bed, I have already prepared the way before you.  I eagerly await that first conscious thought.  I rejoice when you glance My way."

As I sat in the quiet solitude of my garden this morning, His presence was so real.  He tells me in Zephaniah 3: 17 that He "rejoices over me with singing,"  Can you fathom that?  The God of the universe rejoices over ME with singing?!!!  I can.  He did it this morning.  He sent the birds to sing sweet melodies as I sat in His presence.  Not only that, but as the gentle breeze blew He reminded me that His Holy Spirit breathes on me moment by moment of every day.  His love washes over me.  As I looked around at the beauty of His creation, the intricate design of His handiwork, I am also reminded of who He is, the Master Designer, Creator, Holy God.  What a privilege to bow in His presence and worship Him in the beauty of His holiness....right in the middle of His garden.

When was the last time you got alone with the Father and talked with Him? 
When was the last time you sat at His feet and listened?

If you are not in the habit of doing so,

May I suggest to you that you begin today?

He is waiting for you and eagerly wants to talk with you.

Come just as you are for that is just how He loves you...just as you are.

If it seems awkward and you don't know what to do

Just start with 5 or 10 minutes.

JESUS CALLING is a great devotional to help you get started

It is short, sharing the Father's heart with a few

scriptures to get you started.

Whether in the garden, on the back porch, in a quiet nook, or

your favorite chair...just get alone with Him today.

You will be so glad you did!!



A GIFT FOR ALL SEASONS

Life is precious. Most of us cling to life and do all we can to prolong it. A friend's mother is recuperating from serious surgery as a result of a malignant tumor. We have prayed her through the surgery and will continue to pray that God will prolong her life. A woman in our women's ministry had her son and his family for Thanksgiving. He returned to Atlanta ill and ended up fighting for his life as he has battled pericarditis and a serious staph infection. But...he WANTS to live. If given the chance, most of us will fight for our lives.

One young woman that was a neighbor of our daughter-in-love's family gave birth to a baby the day before our granddaughter was born. She was 32. Two nights ago, she died suddenly of a blood clot. No warning. Gone in a heartbeat. No time to cling to life, yet if she had been given the chance, I'm sure she would have fought.

We fight for life because it is all we know. For those of us who are believers, we KNOW that one day we will spend eternity with Jesus Christ in Heaven. And that is a priceless gift. But for now, that is intangible to us so it is hard for us to fathom. Yet the older I get, the more I yearn for it. I've heard older people talk of how they too long for Heaven because you get to a certain age when you know more people who are there, than are HERE! Thankfully, I'm not there, YET!

But I want us just for a moment to think about and to contemplate what a gift HEAVEN is. What usually makes me yearn for Heaven is trouble here. I look forward to the day when we will have no more heartache and no more tears. No more pain and no more dying. But Jesus told us that in THIS life we would have tribulation...it is inevitable, a result of the sin curse we live under. Yet we yearn to be trouble free.

JESUS CALLING by Sarah Young says:

Instead of yearning for a problem free life, rejoice that trouble can highlight your awareness of My Presence. In the darkness of adversity, you are able to see more clearly the radiance of My Face. Accept the value of problems in this life, considering them pure joy. Remember that you have an eternity of trouble free living awaiting you in Heaven.

What a gift!!!!! HEAVEN.............."An eternity of trouble free living"!

JESUS CALLING

Several weeks ago while at a retreat with dear friends, one of them shared a little book with us entitled "JESUS CALLING". It is written by Sarah Young and all of us fell in love with it! I think most of us came home and bought our own copy.

It is written as if Jesus is writing to you, speaking personally to you. The daily devotionals are very short...can be read in less than a minute. But to pick it up each day, and listen to what HE has to say is amazing! I can't encourage you enough to find and purchase this book. It has been a tremendous blessing to all of us, and I know it will be to you as well. Be sure to read the preface of how Sarah came to write this book. You will appreciate it all the more if you do.

Here is today's just to whet your appetite:

Don't be so hard on yourself. I can bring good even out of your mistakes. Your finite mind tends to look backward, longing to undo decisions you have come to regret. This is a waste of time and energy, leading only to frustration. Instead of floundering in the past, release your mistakes to Me. Look to Me in trust, anticipating that My infinite creativity can weave both good choices and bad into a lovely design.

Because you are human, you will continue to make mistakes. Thinking that you should live an error-free life is symptomatic of pride. Your failures can be a source of blessing, humbling you and giving you empathy for other people in their weaknesses. Best of all, failure highlights your dependence on Me. I am able to bring beauty out of the morass of your mistakes. Trust me, and watch to see what I will do. Romans 8:28; Micah 7:7