O’God my rock and my redeemer
there is no one like you…No one who understands me as you do. You know that my
desire is to please you. Yet I am unable to do so without the guidance of the Ruach HaKodesh...the Holy
Spirit. Remind me, therefore, O’Lord to walk close to you. For I am as a young
child who at times wanders from away you—the only one who knows what is
best for me. But where can I go and what can I do without your guidance? What
can I accomplish that has merit in your sight or value for eternity unless I
stay close to you?
As a young child, I needed to
venture out to explore my world so I could eventually become a separate and
distinct person. However, my relationship with you is the antithesis of this. In order to present
myself to you a sacrifice that is worthy and pleasing, I have learned to seek
you first and keep you close to me throughout my day. My hunger to become a
worthy disciple of yours has allowed me to break though my own desire to be an
island unto myself. I admit that I need your presence in my life moment by
moment in a way I never needed anyone else.
Although I am aware that I have
the freedom to choose to spend time with you early in the quite hours of the
morning, or not, each day I have to chose whether I want to be a living sacrifice
for you or to sacrifice my life upon the altar of some other god who is not God
at all. Thank you, Ha Shem (the
name, which means God Almighty) for calling me to spend time with you this
morning. I know that by putting you first in all that I do I will not waste
this day storing up treasure that does not last and creating a life that has no
significance but is full of wasted potential.
Absolutely beautiful! I think you have captured the essence of the choice we face each morning and the importance of keeping Him at the forefront rather than sacrifice our lives on the altar of idols. The beginning of this spelled out my heart's prayer so wonderfully! Thank you for using your gifts to bless others thereby glorifying our Adonai!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nicole! As you might have guessed, I was experiencing a dry season. Though I was doing all the right things, my faith walk was more about getting through each day, instead of beginning each day by gifting it to Messiah. Looking back, I realized that I was treating God as a petulant child would. Then I remembered Psalm 22:1 says, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" which are the last words Messiah spoke. I realized I had not fully understood the greatest blessing I was ever given!
ReplyDeleteFrom my personal self-inflicted crucible, I turned once more to God, and re-turned as His child. In this act of re-turning as we Messianic Jews say, "Making SHUVAH!" this devotional came to be!
Posting it here allowed me to share my journey. I'm pleased that many have stopped to read it, and blessed that it touched your heart, my friend.