When I clean my stove each day, I give the control knobs a hurried swipe as I clean the stove top. Today, after living here for five years, I decided to take the knobs off and give them a good soapy soaking and cleaning. They were surprisingly clean, but they had a few smudges on each of them.
This reminded me of my former habit of prayer and devotion. Cursory at best, and on the back “burner” of my priorities. My prayers consisted of a litany of requests that followed the formula of “Help me, Lord;” and otherwise, they were restricted to a short paragraph at the end of my daily devotional reading.
I gave God a cursory amount of my attention each day, and I dedicated the rest of my day to chores at home, various vocations, visits to neighbors and church members, service to my community and church, and crafts that consumed my time and energy.
God’s patience with me during these formative years was unlimited, and He watched over me like a mother eagle over her brood (Deuteronomy 32:11). He continually drew me toward His blessings on His path for my life (Ephesians 2:10).
Occasionally, I would beg Him not to remember the sins of my youth that transgressed His principles, and to continue to bless me with His kind mindfulness and watch-care over me (Psalm 25:7, 11). He loves us all even while we are still sinners (Romans 5:8), and He continually draws us toward His blessings on His path for our life (Ephesians 2:10).
As I matured spiritually, I realized the value of Christ in us (Colossians 1:27), and I started to consult Him for His desires for every moment of my life (Proverbs 3:5-6). I burst into tears of joy, sorrow, and worship of our King over His blessings, as well as the trauma of life on this sin cursed earth.
I started to follow His peace in my spirit – even if it made no natural sense, and to reject my human reasoning. Now, I cannot function in my waking hours without the presence of His Spirit guiding me, comforting me, instructing me, and correcting me when I stray from His narrow path of blessings (Psalm 25:8; Matthew 7:13-14).
Prayer:
Father God, our soul – our thoughts, emotions, and choices – flourish under the guidance of Your Spirit (Psalm 25:13). Remind us that one of Your secret ingredients for a fulfilled life is to respect, honor, and know You more and more each moment of every day (Psalm 25:14; Proverbs 9:10-12). As we keep our focus on You, You keep us from the snares of the devil’s plans for us, the world’s vain traps for us, and our flesh’s destructive desires in us (Psalm 25:15).
You resist the proud and rebellious, but it is the humble person that finds and walks in Your ways (James 4:6-8; Psalm 25:9, 12). All Your paths for us are filled with kindness and truth, and they encourage us to keep our covenant of salvation with You and to relish the testimonies of Your good works in our body, soul, and spirit, as well as all around us (Psalm 25:10). Thank You that my union with You strengthens each day, and my spirit began depending on my deepening intimacy with You.
Thoughts for the Day:
When we are lonely or afflicted, surrounded by conflicts and anxiety, and experiencing growing distress in our heart, God brings us out from under them all and reduces them as we walk in His perfect plans for our life. His Spirit sanctifies us from all our sins, and He sees every affliction as we traverse this world, which causes us misery. We can trust in Him to deliver us and to keep us from people who shame and violently hate us as we trust in Him.
- Psalm 25:16-20
