He is before all things...

Our Daily Bread
It took a while to understand the concept of "He is before all things".  Hmmmm.  Here is what I think it means.

Jesus was before all things were created and is the power behind the way all things work.  Hmmmmm.  Does that make sense?  The devotional gave a great example of the solar system kit that the author installed for his son.  The planet Jupiter fell to the ground after a short time.  Isn't it amazing that all stars and planets and moons continue their paths in space?  Isn't it amazing?

I find it even more amazing that the God who keeps the stars in place, who tells the moon where to hide in the daytime, who tells the ocean to only come so far ashore (from My Redeemer Lives) has an interest in my life. God wants a relationship with me.  Wow!  He wants the same thing with you, too!

Lord, help me keep the planets, moons and stars in my life moving along the paths they need to move. I love you!

Simply Saturday
I am writing this entry at 5:00 pm or so on Saturday.  I usually write my entries in the morning, but I got up early and got out the door today so I could eat breakfast at Cracker Barrel before my Emmaus team meeting.  I had a great breakfast.  We had a great meeting!  I am so thankful to be involved with this team.

I had some great conversations with friends and family this afternoon.  It was nice relaxing and talking with them.

I think something amazing is happening in my life.  I am learning to relax with people that are close to me.  My close friends would argue that point somewhat because I always seem to be relaxed and comfortable in my own skin around them.  I laugh and joke and cajole and talk serious depending on the situation.  There have been some folks in my life that I have not been able to do that with until recently?  What changed?

My theory is that God is answering the prayer I learned about over the summer -- "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, please make me whole."  This is a composite of two different prayers and concepts that God brought into my life the past four years.  What does this prayer mean?

I learned about discernment a few months ago.  I mean, I STARTED learning about discernment a few months ago.  Whenever I am not sure what to pray for myself or for others, I pray "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, please make me whole" or "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, please make whole."  What power?  We know that God wants us all to be whole or Jesus wouldn't have made so many people whole during his ministry!  What does "make me whole" mean?  It means different things for different people.  Asking God to make someone whole is asking God to do whatever is needed for that person (or for yourself).  I learned about these concepts from the book "Stretch out your hand", which is available on Amazon.com.  Being whole does not necessarily mean that a sick person will be made well.  It may mean that God will use the situation in ways we could not imagine.  One example in the book is where a woman reconciled with a family member who was estranged for many, many years.  The woman died in peace.  Her organs were used to save the lives and sight of several people, helping make them whole.  She would have been overjoyed to have given so much to so many!

So when you are not sure what to pray, pray for wholeness, whatever that means at the time.  For me, God is healing my heart and mind from the hurt and pain and insecurity and selfishness and many other things from my no-ordinary-life.  He is healing my heart so I can truly love someone from the deepest part of me.  I have no idea who that person is.  I have no idea when I will meet him or if I have already met him.  As a song says, "I don't know, I don't know, but there is one thing I know... Your love is better than life".

Let the healing begin in you.  Stretch out your hand to wholeness.  God will answer though maybe not in the way you want or expect.

Hang in there, my friends!  I will be upbeat and steady.  That is what I do...