My thoughts of the day...

My father is with me always.  As I write this He is right beside me.  This is not just a theoretical statement.  This is real.  And isn't that just so beautiful?!  My Jesus is closer to me than anyone.  Today, I was in the nursery during church.  And as I held and tried to comfort distressed infants, I prayed that God might reveal to them that truth.  That this infants would sense the presence of their creator and rest in the arms of Jesus.  One boy in particular that I was trying to calm had cystic fibrosis.  At times, he would become really upset and seemingly inconsolable   As I held him and rocked him I spoke to him the truths that Jesus was with him and that he would always be.  Some might tell me that babies are too young to understand.  And they may be right.  But I know in my heart that Jesus created each of these precious little children.  That eternity is written in their hearts.  And that Jesus is the true father of each of them.  Why wouldn't you reassure them of their father's presence and speak into their ears His name?  The boy with cystic fibrosis finally calmed down and fell asleep in my arms.  I prayed that God would protect this boy and preserve him.  That he might grow up walking with his father; that he might be used for great things in the Kingdom.  And if it would bring Glory to father, to heal him.  At the end of the service, I brought the boy out to His mom.  She had this shocked look on her face when she saw him asleep in my arms.  Apparently he doesn't fall asleep easily and never falls asleep when people are around... she has never been able to rock him to sleep.  I'm confident that Jesus was comforting him :)

Following Jesus is really a freeing act.  Everything in your life, no longer has a hold on you.  Why doesn't it.... because it no longer has any impact on the decisions that we make.  We no longer are being torn between a billion different people or things telling us what to do.  We no longer have to worry about pleasing people.  We answer to one and to one alone.  And His name is Jesus.  The one that is always with us.

Often I find myself in a struggle, trying to figure out what to do...  I will go back and forth thinking, "Well this person expects me to be here, and that person would really be disappointed if I didn't go there, and what would would people think if I did this instead of this or if I didn't go to that... and so on."  What bondage is this?!  Thanks be to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has set us free from all these things.  Each morning I can speak with Jesus, all throughout the day I can consult him and ask him where he wants me to go.  What He wants me to be doing with the time that he has given me.  If he is calling me to do something... That is what I can wholeheartedly do in peace, joy and satisfaction.  Will people be disappointed, maybe... but I no longer live to serve men.  I serve Christ.

I no longer have to spend time debating what to do like I used to... I can just listen to Jesus and follow him.  If I set my mind and heart on listening only to Jesus... I won't get conflicting advice.  How freeing!

People on my heart today to pray for... Rich, Fadela, Kelsey, Eli, Jill, and Sara.  Father, may each of them come to know Jesus in a sweet way today.  May the truth that you have instilled in me today be instilled in them as well.  May they all know Jesus.  My Lord, Savior, Friend, Creator. My Jesus.