Well, really, it was 12:14 am when this happened, but it was technically the day after the Thursday I described yesterday.
While Eric and I were on our dinner date, we talked a bit about prayer. I confessed that I had not been taking it seriously and that I was also not reading the Bible with any kind of regularity.
One of the most blessed things that I have learned about God from His Word is that He is not sitting on a cloud in the sky, His eyes burning a glare on the surface of the earth as He sits in wait for one of us to screw up so He can fling a lightening bolt our way. He is love. He said so. He’s not biding His time with us until He destroys us, He has a plan and it’s always a good one.
Because I knew this, I was able to feel no guilt about my confession to Eric, but rather a good resolve to get back in the Word – something that inevitably leads me back to prayer. Once all were settled for the night, I laid in the dark and grabbed my cell phone to check out Biblegateway.com, because, “I don’t want to turn the lights on and wake a sleeping spouse” is no excuse for our high tech generation.
I found myself reading Deuteronomy 6. I memorized parts of this chapter in my youth and sang many songs with these words, but they hit me all new after my failure of a Thursday.
“Love the LORD your God with all your strength.”
For the first time in many readings of that verse, I heard something new. ”Love the LORD your God with all YOUR strength.” Not your neighbor’s strength or your super spiritual friend’s strength. Your strength And even if your strength is so puny that you are still in pajama pants at 5:30pm, love the LORD your God with all of that strength. He makes all things new. I love that about Him.
“Love the LORD your God with all your strength.” That’s what He told me on the day after Thursday.
What a wonderful reminder and gift! I love how the word is living an active, how after reading a passage or verse dozens of times, The Spirit speaks some thing new and beautiful into our hearts. Thanks for sharing. Oh, and give all the family a hug for me.
Gives balanced meaning to the morning words from Jack Harbaugh, “Attack this day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. At the end of the day after its ups and downs and a another morning comes, you attack THIS day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.” God does make all things new on our journey day by day and with each one’s ability. Thanks, Amy!
I so needed this today! Thank you!