The breathing was purposeful and deliberate. It wasn't that I was afraid of flying or that I had found myself becoming uneasy because of the anxiety I felt to get to my destination, it was simply that I was exhausted and needed to settle myself before jetting off into the open sky. You have your own pre-flight rituals too, don't you?
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
I always pray and this time as I closed my eyes to pray my thoughts journeyed to a blog I had read a few months prior. Check it out here, it is by Sharon Gramling. You can read it first then come back to my blog and finish up if you like.
As I considered the Angels who God would dispatch in response to my prayer for journeying mercies, I found myself marveling at the fact that God in His infinite power would command His Angels concerning even me! But that wasn't the most intriguing part for me! More significant was the fact that not only would He but that He actually could!
It is one thing to have a desire to do something, to be there for someone but does our strength allow, do our circumstances allow, can we really do what we desire or what we have promised, is what we have set out to do truly feasible?
Well thank God, our Father in heaven is not like man! He is not constrained by the limitations of the human existence!
As we soared into the sky I found that my thoughts had turned to God.
Here are a few of my reflections on God
God is Almighty. What have you been worried about? Can you not see that God is bigger than any struggle you might have? I am working with God to get to the place where I am fully convinced of God's power, so I don't allow stressful situations or moments of anxiety to derail my faith and confidence in the God who created the heavens and the earth. SMH -sn I shake my head a lot, I know-
Why do we act as though our problems, desires etc are bigger than God and God's reach? When we understand that with one word, the wave of His hand, the knitting of His brow...with the use of whatever God chooses that issue has to disappear, if that is His desire. So if He allows challenges must He not have something special in store since that very thing that we allow to cause us many tears and sleepless nights is subject to the Almighty God!?
God is Listening. Whether that frightens you or not, we should be mindful that God hears us, even the idle; non-productive words and thoughts that we have. How 'awe full' is it to know that though millions of us go to Him in prayer He still attends to our individual prayers. Just because you have not received the answer you want does not mean God has not heard you. I always remind myself that I only see in part but God truly sees the entire picture and that motivates me to press on and to trust in Him because I truly believe that He will work things out for my good. I don't deserve to have God's help but thank God He is helping me! Listen. God is listening. Pour out your heart's emotions and longings...don't keep them bottled up inside. Then align your thoughts and words with God. What does God say about your situation? Go to the Bible, it is your direct access to the word of God and the word of God concerning your life.
God Cares for Me. Many times we are quick to seek God for His compassion when we have made a mistake or messed up. The God who comforts us in our low times is the God who is caring for us allowing for our good times. We often times get caught up in making promises about what we will do and who we will become if God swoops in like the superheroes we have come to love and helps us out of a jam. We think His compassion is only for tough times but His care and concern for us is what positions us for good days and for good things happening in our lives. I thank God that His compassion teaches me to be compassionate. That I am being changed into the likeness of God each day is encouraging and all this because of His love at work in and around me!God is Divine. Yes God is acquainted with our suffering. There is nothing that we face that God cannot understand. We often use our human limitations as an excuse to sin and to fall short, to feel justified in our moment of pleasure and selfish ambition but God in His divinity cannot accept our shortcomings.
If we consider someone who is mute, he does not remain silent because he is able to speak but won't. He remains silent because though he might desire to speak he is unable. Well God is holy because that is who He is and because of His nature He is unable to accept anything that is not holy. It isn't that He is being hard on us or that He does not understand us it is that He does not have the capacity to accept unrighteousness or unholiness because He has determined a standard that He expects us to abide by so that we can become more like the God He is. I am glad that He could have been ruthless, striking us down at the very moment of our sins but He every second chooses to be compassionate and forgiving.
God is Holy. God requires us to be holy as He is holy and to see sin and righteousness through His eyes and not our own. As He reveals our shortcomings thank God He does not condemn us as folks would or as the devil does, but that He instead convicts us of our sin and offers us cleansing and restoration to right standing with Him.
That God could forgive me though I do not deserve it and despite having the option to just discard me, He determined since the beginning of time that He would love me and make me better, that He would teach me to be the best self that He has called me to be, each time I make Him happy my Spirit rejoices and I know that my heart's desire is to please my God!
God Empowers us. I suppose I am learning a lot in this area. God resides in us. He has promised that we would do greater work than His Son Jesus. God has given us a Teacher and a power Source who is not just outside of us but who is within us. The more we yield to the Holy Spirit in our lives the stronger He performs in and through us and the more empowered we become for the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:3-4) and for lives of boldness.
Who is God to you? Feel free to share your thoughts with me.
Until next time,
EJ
Onward & Live IN Purpose
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