Each moment I open the Bible and read God’s word, He points out the specific message that I was intended to hear. God continues to always give me the ability and discernment to be able to handle ALL situations that I find myself confronted with in life.
Mark 16:9 “It was early on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead, and the FIRST person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons.” Out of all of the people He could have appeared to, He chose a woman whom had been controlled by demons and judged harshly by the public. God very often chooses to reveal Himself above and beyond to those who seem to have additional difficulties, and humanly impossible burdens to bear. I love how He gains the glory while strengthening the individual in the process.
Jeremiah 31:19 “I turned away from God, but then I was sorry. I kicked myself for my stupidity! I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days.”
I am daily blessed and thankful that God spared me multiple times from tragedies in my own life when I chose to RUN away from a deep relationship with Him. He divinely placed people and circumstances in that opened my eyes and heart to “making a U-TURN” on the path I was headed and allowed me to SPRINT back to Him with the realization that my GPS only works if God is the one whose directions I follow. I should never be comfortable or confident in believing that I have all that is needed from God regardless of how strong my faith is.
Jeremiah 31:3-4 “Long ago the Lord said to Israel: ‘I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with tambourines.”
I have never played an actual tambourine and I believe if there were a show called, “SO YOU KNOW YOU CAN’T DANCE” I would be the winner; but having Jesus rebuild me from the inside out on a daily basis definitely instills complete joy and the excitement to want to dance, regardless of whether I humanly can or not! God made a point to express his enduring, never ending love and commitment to His people. He wanted to ensure what He was declaring was what was written. He had spoken and shared his love and words many times, yet He was still understanding and compassionate to those who had not yet heard, FULLY believed, or had completely forgotten the message. This is where sticky notes in bible times would have come in handy! I have many of them around my house in various locations with verses on them as REMINDERS to myself and my family. On my television the note says, Psalm 101:3 “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” On my bathroom mirror I posted Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” A verse I learned at a very young age was, Psalm 119:11 “I keep your word close in my heart, so that I might not sin against you.” Mental notes to self via physical sticky notes have continued to help me redirect my thoughts and my navigating processes! One of the silliest commercials that has STUCK with me is, “I’m stuck on bandaid, cuz bandaid’s stuck on me!” I find myself still singing that tune but inserting my own words, “I’m joyfully stuck on Jesus cuz, Jesus is mercifully stuck on me!”
Heavenly Father, thank you for your loving reminders you present to me day by day of your strength and kindness and commitment towards me. You give so freely of yourself and reach out to me even when I have my arms crossed and head turned away from your gaze. I am blessed to be used by you as a tool to bring you glory in your divine purpose and plan in my life. I pray that I keep my eyes and heart tuned in to your direction and leading and that as I am hiding your words in my heart that I do not misplace them along the way, but rather that I RUN full speed sharing the news with everyone I am put into contact with, just as Mary Magdalene did when you revealed yourself to her. Guide me today Father God to be a specific light to a specific person who has never heard of you or is just needing a reminder of the love you have to pour out on them! I pray this in your name, Amen.
Live2love4Him4ever
~ Erica
Sixty-six books in a year 