“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:16 (ESV)
I have been a witness to some extraordinary moves of God in my lifetime but, as said, they were extraordinary.
Like many I live, bound up in life’s issues day-to-day, coping with the curve balls that speed my way.
I have not been saved from life’s shortcomings, as I might be tempted to believe I deserve, so I just keep moving on.
With the arrogance and curiosity of being willful I stopped looking to Jesus and looked over the edge of the Narrow path where safety lies. Out of nowhere arose inner-conflict, a disparity between what I know to be true and what were my expectations for God’s will. As I teetered on the edge I looked, and it seemed to be a long way down. Like a party balloon that has hung too long, neglected on a wall, the life in me became limp. I had been distracted by life, from seeing my Savior’s love.
For me this has physical consequences, the signs of a stress shutdown in progress! Before my mind went into total hibernation I knew I could do only one thing to redirect my steps back to higher ground.
By prayer and a very little faith, I reached out once more to Jesus, my Rock leaving the presumptions for His will for me behind. Gradually, the preoccupation about life’s un-satisfactoriness diminished because I knew in my heart that His steadfast Love had brooded over me all the time. Inside I imagined He smiled reproachfully, as I stepped back from the edge of the abyss and once more focused in faith on His love.
It took a further day for my body to function normally and to live in that faith.
So let our eyes be centered on Jesus, and keep watch, because life is difficult enough!
PRAYER:
LORD enable us to see Your priorities for our lives more clearly looking forward and direct us in the way we should go. May we be vessels of faith, light and hope, not broken pots, because we go in the Name of Jesus.LORD, we lift up to You those who are not able to make this necessary step of faith yesterday, or today. Enable them to break through their situations and find that You have loved them all along. May You soften their hearts so that they might receive the warmth of Your Love, and find that they are no longer alone, in the Name of Jesus, amen.
by Rod Marshall
used by permission
Further Reading.
How Do You Cope with Change? – by Fab Batsakis
He Can Heal the Hurt – Devotional by Max Lucado
Living with Shadows – Devotional by Allan Mitchell
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