Grand Sweep Daily
Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; 2 O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. 3 If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. 5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I put my hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. 7 O
Good morning!
It had been a long time since our immediate family gathered together to share a meal together and spend time loving on each other. I wonder why we take these precious moments for granted? Rachel was well enough to make the trip from Arnold to St. Charles. David barbecued for all of us. It was the first time our grandchildren were all together at the parsonage since baby Andrew was born. Our son-in-law Dave became the official photographer for the evening. With a tripod and digital camera in place, Dave took lots of pictures of our growing family. Little
I was amazed at how everyone seemed to get along so well. Sometimes when we gather with our families, we begin to grumble and bicker over trivial things that, in the scheme of life, is simply not important. Our unhappy attitudes may affect how we communicate with each other. Last night was such a blessing to me. It was much more important for us to lay our differences aside and love on each other. I confess I have raised three very opinionated, passionate adults. They come by it naturally. For all of us to gather around a table and not ruffle a few feathers, is a major miracle.
How long has it been since you’ve shared an intimate and loving moment with the Lord? Can you recall the last time you sat in His holy presence and simply praised Him for His goodness and mercy? What a gift we have to be adopted into the body of Christ. God keeps no record of our wrongdoing, as we repent and thank Him for His amazing forgiveness and grace. So totally undeserved, we are able to love because He first loved us. So often, I draw up a laundry list of all the things I worry and fret about. I pray for the injustices of our world and for the souls of those who are lost. Sometimes, I’m so distressed after prayer time, that it sets the tone for my soul in the hours to come. How long has it been since you’ve come into His holy presence, just to praise and glorify His name? To tell Jesus just how much you love Him, and to ask nothing in return, except to gaze at His face.
Our busy lives and hectic schedules keep us from experiencing the best part of relationships. It steals away precious moments spent in love and gratitude to the One who saves us day by day. I need to take a closer look at how I prioritize my time. What happened in our home last night was a miracle in the making. What happens when we enter into Christ’s holy presence is also one amazing miracle. What a gift we have to celebrate life with the life giver. What a gift we share when we gather together as the family of God, for no other agenda other than to love and be loved by Him.
May you find some miracle moments in your life today as you spend time with the Lord who loves you more than you will ever know. And my prayer for you is that you will make time to spend some precious moments with the people God has placed in your life, simply loving on each other, and thanking God for the gift of family.
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
Faith UMC -
Pray for: time! It is the one thing we can never get back, and we waste an awful lot of it on trivial stuff. Make time today to praise your Lord and Savior. And if it’s been awhile since you’ve seen your family, invite them over for dinner. You will be glad you did.
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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