Has your life ever been so full that special moments with God seem too few and far between? My life is full and many times I have felt this way. Here is how God has been graciously encouraging me.
I can really relate to what Paul talks about in I Corinthians 7:34 & 35 when he said that we would be distracted or have divided interests as a result of marriage (and parenting)! Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade this part of my life for anything! These have been some of my happiest years, but after being single for 32 years and having had plenty of undistracted time with the Lord, these last five years of marriage and being a mom of three small children has proven to be lacking in structured, consistent time with God.
Through these very busy five years though, He has reminded me of His grace and that, most important to Him, is my heart. He knows my longing for those consistent times of clarity and focus to concentrate more on Him. I know those times WILL come again and I am experiencing glimpses of it already as my children grow and become less dependant (and as my energy level increases!)
Tonight was one of those precious times as I had put the kids to bed and settled down in our recliner with my bible and good worship music on in the background. Benjamin was gone at our church small group and I was home with the kids who are recovering from a two and a half week bout of various sickness’ (we have been feeling a bit ‘cooped up”!).
I recently decided to start reading from the beginning in Genesis again and slowly but surely, I am almost to the end of the book. I was amazed once again as I read tonight about the story of Joseph and how God turned his troubled life into good not only for himself, but eventually for his family, the country of Egypt and the surrounding countries at that time.
God in his sovereignty knew exactly what He was doing with Joseph’s life (and everyone elses) from the beginning of time. He was also preserving His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through Joseph’s life and prosperity. And Joseph kept giving the credit to God.
I was just thinking how good God is and how faithful and true to His word He is. He will accomplish that what He has promised to the nation of Isael and to us, His church, today. He has a plan for us as believers and the body of Christ and it is because of Christ that we are able to be part of this plan.
I am just feeling very thankful for His grace and love for me personally tonight…..that He could love me this much. I was listening to a song by Michael W. Smith that always moves me. Here are the words:
COME SEE
Come see
Come see with spirit eyes
Come see
The door is open
Come near
Come weary and ashamed
Come near
His arms are open
His arms are open
Come live
Come live in freedom here
Come live
The chains are broken
Come rest
Come take his gift of grace
Come rest
The word is spoken
The word is spoken
Come see
Come see with spirit eyes
Come see
The door is open
Come home
Come lay your burdens down
Come home
His arms are open
His arms are open
His arms are open
The chains are broken
The chains are broken
His arms are open
His arms are open
Yeah!
Oh!
His arms are open
Yeah yeah yeah
The world is broken
His arms are open
Oh yeah
That speaks to me! An invitation to the world and to us….the weary and ashamed….come see with Spirit eyes….come near….come LIVE IN FREEDOM, the chains are broken….come rest and TAKE His gift of grace, the word is spoken…..come home….come lay your burdens down because His arms are OPEN!
Great truths! Truths that we take for granted sometimes or forget about in our moment by moment days because we get distracted. How much He loves us! I hope that you are encouraged too!
~Missy