As I look ahead at my upcoming trip, my mind reels through the to-dos, the what-ifs, the why not's, the how come's and what will's. I find myself consistently thinking and processing in a seemingly never ending cycle of what lies ahead of me in this next phase of my life. Typical Emily, to be quite frank, always wondering and questioning, day in and day out. As I ask of God for guarantees to be made and questions to be answered about what is to come, I forget about the fact that one person already has come and has taken all of my life into His hands. All those unanswered problems, all those doubts, all those fears- everything He's already got under His control. This person of many names, El Shaddai, El Roi, and Jehovah to name a few, is my savior, my best friend, my Abba, my daddy and my Jesus. I often forget to find comfort in His promises, His answers, and His assurance for my life because He guarantees me a future far better than anything I could ever anticipate. He promises me a forever life, an eternal life with Him. I have nothing to doubt, nothing to question, or to even worry about as I prepare myself to go to Mexico; my Father has it all taken care of.
So, as the weeks count down, and as the trip draws near...
I will be still.
I will find solace in His promise.
I will dwell in Jesus' boundless, endearing and never ending love.
I will rest by being content in Him.
Hasta Luego,
Emily
En mi tiempo con Dios....
Reflecting on my past devotional this week, I found a passage in The Message that beautifully illustrates this importance of giving our entire attention to what God is doing now, and how He is working in the present. Contentment can be so hard to achieve in a world so bound by materialism, greed, desires and lusts. Yet, by focusing on the simplicity of God's gift to us through the death of His son, and resting in that beautiful sacrifice, we can be content. I can be content. God gave His son to love every part of me, and whose love fills every crevice of my being. Like this passage declares, I, too, want to steep my life in God-reality, God-initiative and God-provisions, both now at home and in Mexico. I want to remember how God provides, just as he provided the world with His son Jesus to die for me and for you, and I want to rest in the beauty of this promise. I want to be content in Him.
Reflecting on my past devotional this week, I found a passage in The Message that beautifully illustrates this importance of giving our entire attention to what God is doing now, and how He is working in the present. Contentment can be so hard to achieve in a world so bound by materialism, greed, desires and lusts. Yet, by focusing on the simplicity of God's gift to us through the death of His son, and resting in that beautiful sacrifice, we can be content. I can be content. God gave His son to love every part of me, and whose love fills every crevice of my being. Like this passage declares, I, too, want to steep my life in God-reality, God-initiative and God-provisions, both now at home and in Mexico. I want to remember how God provides, just as he provided the world with His son Jesus to die for me and for you, and I want to rest in the beauty of this promise. I want to be content in Him.
"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers- most of which are never even seen- don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied withgetting, so you can respond to God's giving.
People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." - Matthew 6:30-34, The Message
