Keepin' On, Keepin' On

Live Today

that was the title of my devotion this morning.

It amazes me how God knows right where I am, 

just what I need and how to catch my attention.

The last couple of weeks I have been so focused on making sure

I exercise every day and for the most part making healthy food choices

that I forgot about keeping my daily appointments

with the Lord...now how could I do that?

I love the Lord, I enjoy my quiet time in the morning

yet I became so focused on "must ride the bike"

that my morning quiet time seemed to escape me.

And I know me, if I don't have my quiet time in the morning

It. Just. Doesn't. Happen.

So yesterday afternoon, while riding the bike I had a little chat with myself.

I can ride the bike anytime during the day or in the evening

but my time with the Lord

needs to be in the quiet of the morning.

So this morning, after waking with a headache,

taking some Ibuprofen and going back to sleep for about an hour

I pulled myself out of bed,

got myself dressed and headed to the rocker in the living room.

And there He met me!  Just like always.

Jesus says "I AM WHO I AM"

not "I Was" or "I Will Be"

But I AM!

He is here right now, today,

alive in the present.

It's not yesterday or tomorrow BUT

Right Here, Right Now.

We need to live right here, right now,

not yesterday in the past, not always looking at tomorrow,

as tomorrow may never come.

Jesus promises to be right here, right now, with me, with you.

It's not the burdens of today that get so heavy and overwhelming,

it's carrying the burdens of yesterday and adding in what we worry/fear/unknowns

about tomorrow that weigh us down.

That is when our burdens become overwhelming

and so heavy that we crumble.

Remember to LIVE Right NOW

in TODAY.

In the passage of Jeremiah 24:4-7

we are told that though we may wander away from God

HE is always ready and waiting for us with Open Arms.

And in Isaiah 41:8-13

we are reassured over and over

Jesus does not want us to be afraid, does not want us to fear anything,

but to rest and live in Him.

He is our comforter, guidance counselor and friend.

It is Satan who wants us to fear, to keep us paralyzed,

keep us stuck in mud.

Here is a little chart I found.

I needed this this morning to remind me

that God wants only good for me,

it is the Devil himself who wants to cause troubles.

I think back to when our son, Jamie, was in Iraq.

How so often I would wake crying, unable to move

because I knew that something horrible was going to happen to Jamie

that day.  I remember, calling out to God and to others 

"I can't do this anymore."

Well I was right, I couldn't do it...

but God could keep Jamie safe

and He Did!!!

All that worry and fear was for naught.

I am so thankful the Lord kept Jamie safe,

along with all the men in his unit, and returned them all safely 

to their families.  

I remember many times Pastor Charles asking me

"What if the worst thing happened?"

And getting down to the nitty gritty and thinking

if the worse of the worse happened

(Jamie being killed)

Jamie would be in Heaven with Jesus

and God would comfort me/us in every way we need in that moment.

I knew that I had some fears niggling at my thoughts

the past few days

and this morning God met me right here,

right now, right where I am.

He reminded me what the Devil is up to

AND that Jesus came to give me life abundantly.

And in John 16:33

Thank you Jesus for the reassurance

of your love and peace

each and every day!!

Today I am also thankful for the encouragement of friends.

For an unexpected email

or someone dropping by (even in their pajamas :) 

just to say hello and see how we are doing.

God is Good!!!