Peace & Joy

Las Noches de Las Luminarias
 Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix

 Because of God’s tender mercy, 

the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

 and to guide us to the path of peace.

Luke 1:78-79 (NLT)

Jesus came to earth with a very specific purpose.  To shine light into the darkness of our lives, to set us free and put our feet on the path of peace. Our lives sit in great darkness and confusion until the light of Christ shines upon us.  When we allow him to shine his light into our lives, he begins to expose those hidden things that keep us in confusion and fear. With his light upon us, he begins to guide us on a new path and into a place of peace.  He brings us out of darkness into his glorious light.

Peace and joy are the gifts God has for us. Those are not just empty words on a Christmas card, but real and tangible gifts from God.  Peace and joy are so often lacking in our lives. How can we find our way to this path of peace? When the light begins to shine upon us, it reveals a door.  When we enter through that door we find that the path that leads to peace and joy opens before us.  That door is called surrender.  As we turn our will and our lives completely over to the care of God and trust all into his hands we begin our journey on the pathway of peace.  When we stop fighting for our own way and surrender to his good, pleasing and perfect will, we begin to experience his blessings.  Since he knows us so well, God's will is always perfectly suited for us.  It is the most joyous and satisfying thing we can experience.  There is nothing scary about it.  When we begin to veer off that path into our own way, we may experience some temporary satisfaction, but our peace and joy will begin to fade.  That's the time to turn our hearts back again to the path of peace.

Lord, open our hearts.  Guide us to the path of peace.  Help us to surrender all that we are to you so that we might experience your gifts of true peace and joy this Christmas season.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, 

but let God transform you into a new person

 by changing the way you think. 

Then you will learn to know God’s will for you,

 which is good and pleasing and perfect. 

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

cathy-meditationsofmyheart.blogspot.com

Go With the Flow

 

We hiked to the Verde River.

 

 

So where the river flows everything will live.

Ezek 47:9 (NIV)

We are doing some grading work on our property.  Since water always seeks the lowest place, the land has to be carefully sloped so that the water will flow in the right places.  If not controlled properly, it will go where we don’t want it to go, washing out the driveway or pooling around the house.  The test will come this summer when the powerful desert monsoon rains come. 

God’s spirit is like powerful flowing water that cannot be controlled no matter how big our equipment may be.  No matter how we might try to resist, to change its direction or dam it up, it will always break out and continue to flow in its appointed course.

I like to have a schedule.  I often have my day planned, what I want to work on, what I would like to accomplish for the day.   When things don’t seem to happen according to my plan or someone else’s agenda interferes with mine, I become discontent and struggle to divert the flow in my direction.

I am learning it is better to go with the flow.  Our schedule or our agenda may not be what God has planned for our day.  Even things we consider good, things we think God would want us to do, like Bible study or prayer, may get interrupted.  He wants us to be prepared to go with the flow of each day with an attitude of love and joy, praising and thanking him for whatever comes our way. 

The main focus and desire of his spirit is to bring joy, peace and blessing into every low place, every dry place, every place of need.  What a joy to accept each day as it comes ready to bless and give of ourselves to each person God has placed in our path.  God is interested in our plans, but he is most concerned with shedding his love abroad.  His river will continue to flow to the lowest places filling all the empty spots with his love.  As we go with the flow we will be available to provide refreshing living water where ever that river may take us.

 "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 

streams of living water will flow from within him."

John 7:37-38 (NIV)

Wide

There's a wideness in God's mercy like the wideness of the sea.

 How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.

Eph 3:18 (NIV) 

God's love is much wider than we can comprehend.  It reaches everywhere.  Jesus has filled the entire universe with himself.  That encompasses everything in our lives; the good, the bad, and the ugly.  God can use anything and anyone to fulfill his plans and purposes. He is lord of it all. 

So many times we do not understand God's ways.  We tend to have a narrow perspective, often seeing things from a negative point of view.  We think, “God can't possibly use that person. Look how they live,” or “This circumstance seems so devastating.  How could God ever use it?”  The Jews did not recognize Jesus when he came because he did not fit their mold. (John 1:10,11 & Romans 10:3) Sometimes God comes to us in unexpected ways.  If our view is narrow and we think God only works in certain ways, we may miss what he has for us.  Receiving from God always involves surrender of our own ways so that we can open up to his.  It is not easy, but it is the way of growth. 

Every surrender brings more freedom and broadens and expands our reach.  Laying down our lives, surrendering our will to God’s, opens us up to a wider world. When we are stuck in our own ideas and agenda we are limited, but when we surrender our plans and ideas and ask only for God's will we are opened up to many more opportunities and possibilities.  Don’t let the surface scare you.  There could be much more in the depth.

His imagination is infinitely broader and wider than ours.  He can accomplish much more than we might ask or even think. This is the greatness of our God.  So, let’s let go of our puny agenda and open up to all he desires to accomplish in us.

Who ascended higher than all the heavens,

 so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

Eph 4:10 (NLT)

 He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Eph 3:20 (NLT)