"Seize the moment!" That is the thought that came to me as I awoke this morning.
Seize the moment, LORD? "Yes, every situation is an opportunity to seize it for Me. Seize it to know me better, to lean on Me harder, to walk with Me closer and to represent me before others," He seemed to say.
Usually I fall asleep praying and that was the case last night. My last conscious thought was focused on a very dear, long-time friend, who had called me last night. He has been out of work for a year and a half.
As I chewed on "seizing the moment," I felt Papa saying that this was for my friend too. So, dearest Ron, receive it!
We have such a privilege! We have access, intimate access to the Living God!!
I am involved in a few groups and if you ask anyone who is involved in them they would tell you that I have one drum I love to beat. It is that to live and victoriously we must know God and continue to get to know Him more fully and deeply.
Who is He?? He is the Creator; He is Majestic and Mighty; He is Holy and Righteous; He is Beautiful and Loving; He is All-Wise and All-Knowing, AND He is In Control!!
He is worthy of all praise, honor and glory!! One day every knee will bow without hesitation and every tongue will confess that He alone is Lord!!
There is no way to wrap our brains around who He is. On a good day I get a glimpse of Him and am undone and that is just the train of His robe that fills the temple!!
After we get a picture of who our God is we need to then learn what this Almight One has to say about us and what He promises us!
He is especially fond of us, as Brennan Manning's uncle told him. He delights over us with singing according to Zephaniah!! He sees us a clean and whole through the Blood of His Son!! He loves to hang out with us and loves when we take time to just be with Him.
As we get to know Him we can't help but love Him. Today's reading in Manning's "Reflections
for Ragamuffins" reminded me that out of love comes trust, not the other way around. One of the blessings of this love-relationship is that we can rest in Him, we can trust Him because we know His character. We are safe in Him. Proverbs eighteen, verse ten tells us, "The Name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe." Let's rest there.
Scripture speaks of serving our precious LORD. There are times in our lives when the form of serving we have been involved with has been set aside for a while.
That is where I am right now. Much of which I was involved has been put on hold. Sigh.
This past week I had to call the drug/alcohol rehab where I volunteer and tell them I needed to take a hiatus. My heart is there with the residents.
My niece is don't doing well, neither is her mother, my sister. My heart is there with them.
Our roles in a ministry to the poor and disadvantaged that Ray and I were involved in were set aside from the start of this adventure. My heart misses all of it.
Papa had a word for me this morning. Prayer is service in His Kingdom. Actually it is serving on the front lines!
I knew that, but I had gotten use to the faces; I love the faces and the hearts they represent!
I told Papa that I wanted to renew my commitment to my place on the front lines. After all it is where He would have me be right now and I know in my heart there is no better or more effective place to be!
One battle that we have to wage is with the rehab center and insurance company that want to send Ray home in less than two weeks.
I am not a fast thinker, neither is our son, Matthew. We need to ruminate for a few days before responding to issues, etc. Well, we have finished chewing our cud and have concluded that we are not ready for Ray to come home because He is not ready. We spoke with my honey and he agrees.
We have a call in to the social worker at Glendale and will discuss this with her. Ray is not like most of their patients who are recovering from surgery. He is recovery from multiple injuries with the brain injuries being the most serious.
Should he come home, his therapy will be reduced to a few times a week versus twice a day. Not acceptable!! He is still falling. What would I do? I cannot lift him alone. He cannot do stairs, etc.
So it is time to hit the mats, as they say!! Everyone to the front lines!! It's time to pray!!