...then by all means...take pictures of them! It's one of those times in life where I am going about my business...doing what I need to do each day...moving things from today's list to tomorrow's because I didn't get to it... We're going to games and to school and to work. I'm going to the grocery store and to the bank and the book store. I'm meeting friends for coffee and feeding chickens and doing laundry. And all the while...I feel distant. Removed. On auto-pilot. And I can't seem to shake it. So...this morning I opened up my prayer journal and wrote. And wrote. And wrote. Until finally I decided to just sit and be quiet. I figured I do enough talking...maybe it's time to listen. So I closed my journal...put down my pen...leaned back in my comfy chair...and got quiet. And then clear as a bell I hear in my heart...read Zephaniah 3:17. 17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing." Do you write in your bible? I do. I write all over it. I write in pen. I write in pencil. I use highlighters. I write prayers and notes and people's names and dates. So this morning, as I turned to Zephaniah 3:17 in my bible I was reminded that God has brought me here before. On several occasions, according to the dates I have scribbled in the margins! I even have a note that I memorized it in 2007. But...I had since forgotten it. Leave it to God to bring it back to me at just the right time. I needed to know that He will save me. I needed to know that he delights in me. (There's that word, "delight" again...man, he loves us so much!) I needed to now that He will quiet me...and not like "Shush up! Be quiet!"...but more like a soothing, "Shhh...it's OK. I'm right here. You're going to be OK." And then as if all of that isn't enough, he's going to rejoice over me with singing? Really? Wow. And even after I've been such a pill this week? Yes. Even after I've been such a pill this week. And if I'm honest, I'm still being a bit of a pill! But I'm working on it. I'm thinking on it. I'm figuring things out and giving them to God. I'm doing the best that I can. And that's all He asks.
10 comments:
I love it when you share your conversations with God! I, too, mark in my Bible. I am in inner turmoil lately because my Bible (which I've had since Middle school!) is coming apart at the binding. I keep taping the pages together with packing tape because I can't bear to replace it - it contains all my scribbles and notes. I like to add verses and topics to my index as I come across passages that speak to me.
Thanks for the reminder to stop and listen. Our church is doing a Bible study on how to pray right now and so I needed this reminder- to not just pray, but to be quiet and listen. Thank you.
Yes, I write in my Bible! But not nearly as much as you do, apparently. :-)
Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing. It's a beautiful thing to see how God is holding you up. Such encouragement for me. I'm praying for you.
I write in my Bible, too. It's easy to see my favorites. I also make notes in the concordance in the back when I find verses that I want to add under certain topics/words for later reference.
awesome. love when you share stories like this
and, sure send the chili recipe my way : ) thanks.
What a great gift you have! Your ability to share the word with others in such wonderful ways.
And yes, I write in my Bible. I think I've told you that before though.
This is wonderful and speaks to exactly what I have been struggling with this week. Thanks so much.
lovely post. i need to open my bible in the morning instead of going online!
Hmmm... sounds like your week was a bit like mine. We started swim team for the first time this week (we've never done team sports before). It's a bit complicated since the drive is 30 in. each way. This is my first night home because my husband graciously agreed to be "on duty tonight". Yesterday I noticed I was a bit stressed (and cranky). I was surprised how much it rubbed off on the others in the family. I think I'll need to take a deep breath and memorize Zephaniah 3:17!
The visual of God singing over me - wow! Like how a mom soothes a sick child. I like that thought...I'm going to go mark this passage right now...
And are those lemons from your place? Ooooohhhhh...
I write notes, highlight, underline, and also write "AP" for answered prayer and the date next to scriptures that answer me like this one spoke to you.
I'll be reading Zephaniah this evening. I'm not sure I have read this book.
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