Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 NIV.
Life is full, busy and at times complex. My heart today is simply to express my heartfelt gratefulness to the Lord for His Story in my life. I remember hearing about salvation as a young girl. Watching and listening to my father pick up his guitar and sing an amazing hymn, “In the Garden” with such sincerity and passion, that it made me want to know this Savior as well. I don’t know if I ever told him how much that impacted my life. There was something about his relationship with the Lord that was genuine. When I was nine years old, after hearing the salvation message at our local Methodist church one Sunday, I asked Jesus into my heart.
I remember playing by myself and talking with the Lord. One phrase from the song, is, “he walks with me and he talks with me”. I took that literally! I poured out my complaints, my joys, my longings to Him. The peace and presence of God was so real to me. It seemed to me that one of my other companions as a child, was loneliness. Having someone to share life with was so wonderful.
Growing up we were encouraged to have “quiet” time….a time to read the Bible and pray. My father, once again, modeled this for us. My mother, who taught us many things, did not seem to have the same connection with the Lord. She attended church, sang in the choir, but until she was in her 70’s did not comprehend what it meant to have a “friend in Jesus”. What a joy it was to come home and see an open Bible by her chair. Church was something we did. As we entered junior high and high school, youth group became a strong part of our life. There is something stabilizing to a young person when they can join together with other like-minded youth.
I can’t say I was consistent in prayer or Bible reading during this season, but somehow His wonderful love kept bringing me back to Him and His ways. Up until I was 19, my walk with God was pretty much about me. As a sophomore at the University of Washington I encountered believers who were filled with the Holy Spirit. God asked me this question, “up until now you have had me as Savior, will you now let me be Lord?” That day changed my life. All the scriptures dealing with “if you love me, keep my commandments” became much clearer. I said, yes.
Throughout the remaining years, I discovered I still need Him as Savior, more than ever. My shortcomings are real. The need for repentance and forgiveness is real as well. I am humbled by the cost He paid for my sin, especially when I don’t deserve it.
Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. I’ve begun to see how the Word of Life (Jesus) and the written word, the Bible, are one. The Word definitely has been exposing my innermost thoughts and desires…some in a convicting way, and some are actually quite inspiring.
Jesus is my teacher. He gave me some parenting lessons. (Every time I folded cloth diapers for two, He said: Remember, each of those represents time spent with your children. Don’t waste it! He is my Comforter. He helped me through the first days of Darryl’s passing and still helps when grief days appear. (Yes, they still happen!). He is my Strength and Guide. This week we have been helping my sister get her home wheelchair ready. I’ve felt not only His strength for helping with the physical stuff, but wisdom on how much to do and when. He is my Provider. I marvel how He provides for me, in both big and little ways. He is my Helper. He helps me balance my thinking, gives insight and wisdom where my thoughts are inadequate.
The good news is He is this for all His children. This Easter season, I have been reflecting on what it means to really embrace the fact we have a Savior. I am humbled by His goodness. I am also overwhelmed by His generosity. We are adopted into His family and receive the privilege of calling Him, Abba Father. What aspects of Him are you thankful for?
Father, thank you for really being our all in all. For spending the costly price for our salvation, even when we didn’t deserve it. You are so worthy to be praised, all I can say is thank you. Please forgive us when we treat you so poorly and with less honor than you deserve.. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Faith Encounters 