The Lord is never far from any of us. When we seek Him, and cling to Him with our whole heart, we always find Him near to us and in us (Acts 17:27). He keeps His promises to us, is patient with us, deeply cares about the whole world, and desires that we all repent of our wayward life and totally surrender to Him (2 Peter 3:9).
God created Paradise in which He desired for us all to abide. A luxurious garden in which Adam and Eve each lived in their immortal body. Yet, the couple decided to heed the lies of the devil, and to live life their own way. This decision lost everything that God wanted for them, and they reaped the destruction from what they sowed in their rebellion against God.
Even so, God’s glory rises on us with each new morning, and His light illuminates His paths, which He intends for us to follow (2 Peter 3:9; Isaiah 60:1). We do not adhere to a simple to-do list or
rote commands, but we live a fluid life guided by His Spirit.
Following the Lord is not out of some vague sense of duty, or with an exhausting list of do’s and don’ts. We enjoy a deep union of love with the Trinity of God abiding within us. He energizes us and blesses us as we obey His will (John 14:23-24); and we find His blessings inundating every part of every single day of our life.
Our union with God gives us an abundance of peace and joy regardless of our circumstances. He is within us no matter where we are: a jail cell, a labor camp, our workplace, an uncomfortable social event, our comfy home, our fellowship with the Saints, etc. He never, ever leaves or forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5).
We live our life in and through Him, we do not make a move without Him, and He is our entire reason for living (Acts 17:28; Colossians 3:3-4). Our unity with God allows us to relinquish control of our life over to Him, as we trust Him with our thoughts, emotions and choices.
Our passion for living increases, because our focus is serving Him; and our fear of dying decreases, because through death, He is calling us home to Himself (Psalm 116:15). Christ-centered reasons for living and dying replace our self-centered, humanistic reasons for our pursuits. We rejoice in His constant blessings in our life.
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for redeeming our spirit, renewing our soul (Psalm 23:4), healing our body, and providing for all of our needs (Philippians 4:19). You protect us from violence and deceit, and we are precious in Your sight. Thank You for taking pity on the poor and needy, and for saving the lives of those of us who are oppressed on every side by negative people and circumstances (Psalm 72:13-14).
You draw near to our soul, protect us, and ransom us from our enemies (Psalm 69:18). To You we ascribe all the glory and honor and respect that is due to Your name (Philippians 4:20). Thank You that Your mercy toward us is new every single morning, and that Your faithfulness is so great. You are our portion, and with You in us, we have need of nothing (Lamentations 3:22-24).
Thought for the Day:
God loves us enough to place boundaries around our life in order to protect us from the schemes of the devil, the corruption of life in this world, and the destruction of the desires of our flesh; this place of safety allows us to experience His glory, which He planned for us before He knit us together in our mother’s womb.
- Job 1:10; Psalm 91, 139
