Reminders & Memories

 

** reflections from my devotion today **

Have you ever really thought about what the word "amen" means?  I always thought it was and ending to something, sort of like "good-bye."  This morning I found out it means "so be it."  And it made me think of my prayers  and how I end them, of sitting in a worship service listening to a sermon and saying or hearing others say "amen" and thinking it was a way to be in agreement with what was being said.  This morning what I realized is that when I say "amen" at the end of a prayer I am asking God to make it so.  This reminds me of my word for the year for 2012 and again this year "intentional" or "deliberate" ~ 

be specific, purposeful, planner, and thoughtful ~ wanting things to be right.

There is only one way into God's blessings ~ renounce sin and call on God to keep you from it (sin).

Proverbs 25:

2 ~  It is the glory of God to conceal a matter but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.  

Don't be a snoop, it does not lead to positive things.

 

 

16 ~ Have you found honey?  Eat only as much as you need lest you be filled with it & vomit. 

Do things in moderation; too much of a good thing is bad for you. 

 

21 & 22 ~ If your enemy is hungry give him bread to eat.  And if he is thirsty give him water to drink.  For so you will heap coals of fire on his head and the Lord will reward you.

As soon as I read this I heard the Lord challenging me on what/how I have been thinking about two people in my life and how angry I get about their behavior, their past actions and how they do/do not interact with me.  Wow!!  How much clearer does God have to be then in the scripture above - my anger and frustration whether visible or internal is wrong and not at all characteristic of how the Lord wants me to behave.  One of the things I prayed was for the Lord to take my thoughts captive when the angry, frustrating thoughts come to mind and to pray for these two people.  And to remember it is not my place to judge but the Lord's.  It is my place to pray for them, for God to lead them the way he wants them to go.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

I immediately thought of a very difficult day I was having while our son, Jamie, was in Iraq.  There were many days I was paralyzed in fear, staying in bed, crying with worry that something would happen to him feeling like I could not go on.  And I did what I so often did during that time, I called Pastor Charles, asking him to pray for me and for Jamie.  And he did.  And then he said "I want you to do something."  I asked him what that was ~ he said I want you to call Jack (his wife had passed away about six months before) and tell him you want to come and clean his home.  Just do it.

And those who know me know I did just that, because I was told to :)

I went and cleaned Jack's home, making it sparkle and shine.  All the while being watched by Orca, Jack's dog.  I am sure she was wondering what was I doing in her home and where was her dad.  Orca made me nervous ~ she was big and had a large bark.  And by the time I was finished, about four hours later ~ the house looked great and I felt so much better.  

I was reminded this morning that I need to not focus on myself 

BUT focus on others needs, assisting where I can.  

And I needed that this morning as I have been letting myself feel anxious about things 

I have no control over and feeling frustrated 

because certain things have not been done the way I think they should have been. 

Thank you Lord for your word this morning to keep my focus on You

and You alone!