You shall be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. (Isa 29:6)
I'm doing something a little different today. I have to be in to work at 7am, so as you are reading this, it was started about 3 weeks ago. Inspired by the storm that almost pre-empted a Monday post, the rolling thunder had begun again, following the bright flashes of lightening! Yes, I was disconnected from the power source, and I also trusted that God would permit me to write this and store it before I lost power again! However, it became increasingly more difficult to type with a small beagle trembling in my lap! My first impulse was to push her off and tell her that I cannot write with her sitting on the keyboard. Then I looked into those adorable brown eyes peering at me as if to say "but I'm scared, won't you hold me?" I relocated to the couch, where she sat under my left arm while I made every effort to type and comfort her.
In the time it took to type that above paragraph, I realized that we, too, sometimes become scared and need to be held. He never pushes us away, or finds something more important than us. He cares for us, provides for us, hears our pleas in the dead of night. He has also entrusted the care of "beasts of the earth" to us. Who am I to push away a frightened pup who loves me unconditionally and depends on me for everything? The difference between our pets and us is very simple. When the storm ends, she will still come to me and still need and want to be in my lap just as much as she did during the storm. When our storms end, do we continue to go to the Lord and tell him how much we love him, or do we become complacent? Do we only make time to read the Bible or pray when we are hurting? Do we sit at his feet and thank him for all we have all the time, or only when he answers a prayer to our liking?
I am working on becoming a more "godly" woman. The characteristics that encompass one such individual can be found in several simple verses scattered throughout the Bible. It's not an easy task, but I feel it's well worth it! The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was my "Jersey Attitude" ~ mission accomplished (for the most part). Once we change our attitude towards prayer and praise, everything else seems to fall into place. I'm not here to be the life of the party, nor am I here to be the door mat. I am here, in this time and place, because the Lord wants me here. I am provided with everything I need because he promised it. Who am I to tell him to wait! I refuse to exhibit attitudes and behaviors that are not pleasing to him. Once upon a time, yes, I will tell you that "party animal" doesn't even come close; and I could most definitely teach some of those Staten Island girls a thing or two about drinking and carousing!
It doesn't matter what road you took to get to where you are now. What matters is that you give yourself completely to the Father! Give him your love and your praises because you want to, not because someone told you if you didn't you'd burn in hell. Find a place for him in your heart and you will never be alone. He loves you; he's forgiven you! Love him back; forgive yourself and walk with him into the future he has in store for you!
