Saturday, June 02, 2007

A step of faith

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Ezra 7, 8; Psalm 91, 92

Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV)

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Good morning!

Are you good at following a hunch? I have a friend who celebrates the gift of “following a hunch” every time a new baby is born into her family. She had seven children, which led to a whole bunch of grandchildren! Now her grandchildren are having kids! Every single time a new baby is born into her family, this woman can accurately guess the gender long before the ultrasound results are tallied. This has to be a true gift. Not so with me. According to my dysfunctional sixth sense, I was sure my Rachel was going to be a boy, and Benjamin and David were supposed to be girls. Don’t ask me to tell you what I think may happen tomorrow, because my ability to see the nose in front of my own face is not very good.

There are holy moments in life when the Lord calls each of us to take a step out in faith. We may not be sure of what the future holds; yet, we know who holds the future, so we begin to step toward the One who calls us. Sometimes, our vision may be limited. We have lots of faith, and yet, we’re not sure of where we are going. Two years ago, I began to sense the Lord’s presence in my life in a new way. I was compelled by the Holy Spirit to return to college and study God’s Word at the collegiate level. My children thought I was absolutely crazy. They asked me why I would spend all this time and money after working so hard to help pay for their education. The only answer I could give them was, “God told me to go, and I need to do what He asks.” What is He asking me to do? The only thing I know for sure is that He is calling me to study His Word so that I can tell other people about Him. I have faith in the One who is able to see what I cannot see with my own eyes. Do I know what I will do when I receive my diploma? I will do whatever He asks, when He asks. Beyond that, your hunch is as good as mine.

I have a granddaughter and two great nieces who will soon be walking. When I call their name and reach my hands toward them, they begin to take steps toward me. They love Granny Deb! The very best part of seeing a child take their first steps is the hug you get at the end of the walk! We squeeze the stuffing out of them, clapping our hands together and laughing hysterically! We tell our babies just how proud we are! They did it! They let go and took a step. We catch them because we know what it feels like to be held after we take our first steps in faith.

Have you ever been held by the Lord after you’ve said “yes” to Him? This evening, we have a number of United Methodists who have promised to serve the Lord with their lives. They have gone to school, studied hard, passed class after class, and received ministry degrees from seminaries all over the country. Tonight, hey will stand before the Lord and the community of faith. Those pastors and teachers who have helped them take their first steps in ministry will hold them at the altar of commitment. Each one will make their covenant with the Lord, and receive the laying on of hands and passing of the mantle. We pray for every heart who has stepped forward in faith. We are not always sure of where we will go, but following Jesus Christ is the best decision we will ever make. He promises to catch us as we take our very first steps toward Him. He will pick us up and dust us off when we fall down. He dries our tears, calms our fears, and leads us into life everlasting. He is our sure refuge, our strength and fortress. Are you ready to take a step of faith today? Jesus is waiting for you to come to Him. In Christ, you can be sure of everything you hope for, and be certain, even when the future is hard to see.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com


Pray for: Courage to follow your gut and give your life to Jesus today! You know you want to. When will you follow that hunch and give it up for Him? You can be certain that following Christ is the best choice you will ever make!

________________________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Friday, June 01, 2007

Level Ground

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Ezra 4, 5, 6

Zechariah 4:6-7 (NIV)6 So he [the angel] said to me, “This is the Word of the Lord to Zerubabbel: ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord God Almighty. 7 “What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubabbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

Hosea 1:7 (NIV)7 Yet I will show love to the house of Judah; and I will save them – not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses or horsemen, but by the Lord their God.

Good morning!

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite story books was "The Little Engine That Could". I would sit in the rocking chair with my mother, fascinated by the colorful art work of the choo choo train winding its way along the steep and rocky mountain pass, while Mother read the words, “I think I can, I think I can.” That little train had to make a choice right then and there. Would he choose to climb the mountain or slide backwards into the valley? Would he fail trying, or would he not try at all? The determination of that little steam engine made me want to clap my hands every time my hero got to the top! It is always good to clap our hands together when we reach a milestone moment in our life.

Level ground is something we all long for in life. Milestone moments become pure joy as we stand on dry ground, feeling the wind whip across our face. We made it through! We’ve reached the top! I will never ever forget the day we spent driving up a steep rocky mountain pass in our family’s station wagon. When we reached the top, we could see for miles and miles around us, as we gazed at the beautiful valleys below. Coming down that mountain was a break-burning adventure. We said our prayers and hoped the car would make it to the bottom safely. Thank goodness for full service filling stations. Our poor Spaulding mobile needed some fresh oil, a new set of tires, and break pads after that little trip. It was worth it all; the view from the top was spectacular.

The Israelites were doing everything within their power to erect the temple of God. It was definitely an uphill climb. They had received their freedom and the tools needed to rebuild a holy place of worship; yet, they were fighting fatigue and depression. The people needed someone to encourage them to continue moving forward. The power to complete the job would not come from their own strength or sheer determination. No, the success would come when the people placed total reliance upon the Spirit of the Lord. He alone would carve out level ground where the capstone would one day be placed.

It is good to catch a vision and purpose for your life’s work. It is awesome when we pursue our purpose with passion. We must never forget to hand our hopes and dreams to the Lord, who is the author and finisher of our faith. He can take the desires He has planted in our hearts and bring them to fruition, when we recognize that it is only by Him that we can reach others with the Gospel message.

This morning, my prayer is that we will all fall on our knees, asking the Lord of life to carve out level ground where He can place the capstone for the future ministries of our churches. If we will place our faith in Him, He will make a way for us to reach the world for Jesus Christ.
Like the little engine that could, I think I can, I think I can, I know I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me.


Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: level ground! It is not by our own steam that we can reach the mountain top. We need the Holy Spirit power to create level ground for the capstone. Jesus is the foundation of our faith. Let us lift Him high in worship and praise today!

________________________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding All rights reserved Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Temple reconstruction begins today

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Ezra 1, 2, 3

Ezra 1:1-4 (NIV)
1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and put it in writing:

2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: the Lord, the God of Heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build a temple for Him at Jerusalem at Judah.

3 Anyone of His people among you – may His God be with Him, and let Him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.

4 And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide Him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.”


Good morning!

Temple reconstruction is hard, hard work. Whenever we try to tackle a job that seems impossible to the human eye, it is always good to have a leader at the helm with a vision that is larger than life. Thank God for King Cyrus of Persia. After seventy years in captivity, the Israelites from Judah were given their freedom to return home. The King had a vision and a plan to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem. This would be no easy feat. Cyrus knew that the power of God supersedes any human effort or plan of action. When the Lord of life moves your heart to step out in faith and tackle what seems to be an insurmountable task, there is absolutely nothing that will be impossible for you to achieve through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in your life.

King Cyrus was not a Jew and yet, God gave Him a vision and the resources to help make the temple reconstruction become a reality. He freed the remnant, gave them His personal protection, and returned their temple articles taken by Nebuchadnezzar. Sometimes, when we least expect it, God can choose to use anyone He wants to bring people into relationship with Him. He might even choose you! If the Lord of life called you today to step out in faith for Him, would you go?

The Israelites had become arrogant and complacent in their love for the Lord. God allowed them to endure a season of captivity; a time of reflection to experience what it is like to live life apart from His master plan and protective umbrella of grace. Have you ever been in a place of separation from God? We sometimes become so self-assured that we begin to pull the reigns back from our Lord. We choose to do things the way that we would want to do them, rather than taking time to listen and obey God’s plan and purpose for our life. We move out of alignment, and find ourselves in wandering around in a wilderness.

This morning, there will be many from our United Methodist Churches across Missouri who will come together in a place of community. We will join our hands and hearts to worship, praise and fellowship in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a place where we set our separate ministries aside and renew our covenant to walk together faithfully as the body of Christ. Our purpose is sure. We are here to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord, to reach out to all the nations and make disciples for Jesus Christ. We are rebuilding the temple of the redeemed. It is our covenant, our joy and privilege to serve Him with our lives. We bring our unique gifting and offer them upon His altar today. When I think about what we are doing, there are moments when the task seems way out of our reach. The good news is that we have a Bishop with a vision! He tells us that if we hold hands and boost each other up, we can reach every person for the Lord. It won’t be easy, but it is possible when we humble our hearts and place our lives in the open arms of Jesus Christ.

If you believe that God has called you to step out in faith for Him, do not let your inability to see the big picture keep you from taking that first step. Are you ready to get out of the boat? Find a leader with a true vision and follow Him. There is no greater leader than my Jesus. He willingly came to earth to show us how much He loves us all. He set the bar on loving sinful people, while freeing us from the sin that separates us from Him. It is His blood that covers you and me, and with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can take the resurrection message to every nation. We can reach the world for Jesus!

It’s time to begin temple reconstruction. Today is the day. We have a leader with a vision. We have our Lord who saves, redeems and equips us each one of us to answer His call. We have each other to hold onto. What are we waiting for? It’s time to go!

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com


Pray for: a willing heart to serve the Lord every day, in every way. He calls each of us to spread the Gospel, the Good News of salvation, so that every heart may hear and know the Lord who saves us all by grace. Won’t you take my hand today and walk with me? We have the best leader in the world to look to. He is right here with us today, and He will be with us always, even to the end of the age.
________________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

A Miracle in the Making

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 35, 36; Psalm 90

2 Chronicles 35:20-21 (NIV)
20 After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. 21 But Neco sent messengers to him saying, “What quarrel is there between you and me, O king of Judah? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or He will destroy you.”

Psalm 90:17 (NIV)
17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.


Good morning!

Does the Lord ever surprise you when He fills someone you least expect with the power of His Holy Spirit? Sometimes we tend to forget that God can choose to use any one of us to help spread the Gospel message, even a pagan king! Pharaoh Neco was ruler of Egypt, a pagan nation. Neco had a bone to pick with the Babylonian people. He and his troops were on the way to join forces with the Assyrians in an attempt to overthrow this perverse nation. To get to the Assyrian troops, Neco had to march his army through Judah, where King Josiah tried to stop him. Josiah could not accept the notion that the Lord God Almighty would walk with a pagan nation, and refused to listen with His spirit to the words of Pharaoh Neco. Josiah, faithful servant and lover of the Lord, lost his life because he could not see what God was doing right in front of his nose. Sometimes, the message of the Lord is delivered through the voices of the ones we least expect. Have you ever missed a message from God Almighty because you were too focused on the messenger?

Amazing things happen when people meet the Lord through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. When we open our hearts to Him, we can see how the Lord can work amazing miracles through another person’s life. God never ceases to amaze me. I can see Him when I least expect it. It can be easy to misinterpret the sincerity or clarity of another person’s call from the Lord, when we close our minds to the endless possibility that God can use them for kingdom work. We must be careful to not become so closed minded that we miss His miracle in the making.

I’ve seen a lot of miracles in the last month of my life. Extraordinary milestone moments, all falling into place, a revealing of His plan for my future; why He has given me so many blessings, I cannot say for sure. Three weeks ago, I watched in awe as my youngest son said his marriage vows. He was just a baby yesterday, and now he is a married man. Three days after his wedding, my husband and I walked along the beaches of the Pacific Ocean, a sight I had never seen before. I marveled at the creative work of Almighty God. Seeing the Pacific Ocean for the very first time reminds me of the enormous capacity of God’s amazing love for all of His people, everywhere. On Memorial Day Monday, Jeff and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. We sat together and watched the war movies on television, honoring the service and sacrifice of our men and women who fight for the freedoms we experience each day. We have had thirty really good years in the safety and shelter of our nation. What blessings we have received! And just when I think life cannot get any sweeter, last night, I experienced the miracle of childbirth, as I watched my daughter bring forth her new son, our fifth grandchild, into the world. As I held this amazing, incredible life in my arms, I wondered what God would do through him. Baby Andrew was wide awake, and as he looked at his Granny Deb for the very first time, and I could see the twinkle of the sweet Holy Spirit shining all over his face.

Yes, you and I are miracles in the making. Do not be surprised when the Lord God Almighty taps you on the shoulder and chooses to use you for kingdom work. Be open to the potential that God plants in each of us to spread the Gospel message around the world. We are uniquely created for life in Him. Through every season of change - marriage, birth, death and resurrection, God calls us, equips us, and uses us, if we will only let Him. Will you let Him use you today?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com


Pray for: a miracle in the making! You are His, and He is calling out your name. Just when you least expect it, God can take your life and transform it. Are you ready to step out in faith for Him? I’ll be watching for the miracle to spring forth in you.
________________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Childlike faith

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 33, 34; Psalm 89

2 Chronicles 34:1-3 (NIV)

1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king; and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images.

Psalm 89:14-15 (NIV)

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.

Good morning!

The faith of a little child is a precious gift from the Lord. Jesus recognized the value of childlike faith when he said to his disciples, “Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” [Matthew 19:14 NIV]. When the disciples were arguing about who would be greatest in God’s kingdom to come, Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 18:3 NIV].

Why, then, do we find it surprising to read about eight year old Josiah reigning as king of Judah? Could you have led a country in the ways of righteousness and justice when you were eight years old? Josiah’s faith in the Lord was larger than life. He chose to seek God’s face and was open to His instruction every day. It was his sole desire to live within the umbrella of God’s holy presence, and that childlike faith afforded young Josiah the strength to lead a nation back into alignment with God’s holy law. The secret to Josiah’s success was in his willingness to allow the Lord to reveal sin for what it truly is, then rise up to abolish the practice of idolatry by his people. He even took it one step further, by identifying and attacking the root cause for the sinful behavior of his people. Josiah was known for his uncanny ability to turn back to the Lord with all of his heart, mind, soul, and strength. He chose to obey all of the laws handed down through Moses, not just some of them. Josiah relied on God’s wisdom and leading and applied what He learned to every aspect of his life. He refused to compromise or re-write the law to fit his personal preferences. Josiah identified idolatry as anything that places self before God. I wonder what would happen if we could experience the childlike faith of Josiah - would we continue to water down God’s holy Word so that it neatly fits into the daily choices we make…

There is a way for each of us to experience the love, faithfulness, righteousness and justice of our Lord each day. If we are willing to submit our lives and obey His Word, the Lord will give each of us the childlike faith of Josiah. Are you willing to seek His holy presence this morning? Will you be open to what He says to your heart? Take a moment today to examine what it means to have childlike faith. When you seek Him, He finds you. Jesus can take your broken and humble heart and mend it with His amazing, healing touch. What will it take for you to trust Him completely today?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: the childlike faith of young Josiah, King of Judah. If you ask Jesus to help you, He will give you the desire to love Him faithfully every day with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength. You will experience true joy in His holy presence. There is no love greater or more fulfilling than the love Jesus Christ offers to you today.

________________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Monday, May 28, 2007

A reflection of God's grace

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 29, 30, 31, 32

I Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.


Good morning!

I shouldn’t have looked in the mirror this morning. Oh my gosh! Where has the time gone? Thirty years ago today I stood in front of a floor-length mirror, looking at my reflection and wondering what the future might hold. There I was, in my white wedding gown and veil, making a decision that would bless me for the rest of my days. I was getting married to the man of my dreams! I flipped through the pages of our wedding album this morning. That picture in the mirror snapped thirty years ago by our wedding photographer reminds me of a little girl playing dress up in her mother’s white wedding gown. I was just a baby! He looked like a little boy, with lots of hair! It is more than obvious to me that God has been gracious to us through the years. He has blessed our family in incredible ways. Marriage is a unique experience. It is one precious moment in time, encompassing an entire lifetime of all our hopes, dreams, and the days of our future spent together as one. It is the beginning of a new generation, the forming of a new family. I couldn’t see my babies’ faces in the mirror that day, but I knew in my heart there would be babies. We had three of them. Now our babies are having babies. I look at my grandchildren with wonder and amazement. They are extensions of our life; someday they too, will look at their reflection in the mirror and wonder where the time has gone.

Jeff and I recently took a trip to California. It was a wonderful week; one that I will never, ever forget. The hotel where we stayed was a suite, set up for business trips. It was awesome. I was able to plug my laptop in and work without disturbing Jeff early in the morning. Between the living area and the bedroom, there was a small hallway with a bathroom dividing the two rooms. Floor length mirrors ran along the hallway. Can I tell you how that mirror scared me every single morning? I would open the door to the bathroom and immediately see my reflection in the dark. I jumped every time I opened that door. Have you ever scared yourself silly when you suddenly see your full-length reflection in the mirror of life?

God knew who I would be when He fashioned me in the palm of His hand. Long before my parents saw my face, He sculpted my form out of nothing. He shaped my heart, hoping it would be a heart that He could use someday to love His people. He let me go and watched me as I grew and changed through the years. He has a plan for my life. How He hopes I will choose to follow Him home.

Isn’t it simply amazing that as I grow and mature, I realize there is only one thing I need in my life. I need the Lord Jesus Christ. Through every season of life, we prepare ourselves to return to the one who gave us life to begin with. I may not look like I did thirty years ago. I know I don’t look like I did forty-eight years ago, when I was small enough to be cradled in my mother’s arms. How I pray that my heart continues to grow daily into the mirrored reflection of my Jesus.

I wonder if one sweet day, I will become a true reflection of the Lord I love. When my husband looks at me this morning, will He see Jesus living in my heart? Will he know me as the bride of his youth, and be blessed by the woman I have become? God’s love holds us together, even in seasons of change. I may not look or act the way I did thirty years ago, and that is a true blessing! While I could stand a few less wrinkles and little less body fat; and possibly an attitude adjustment here or there, I’m grateful to be growing in faith and love with the husband of my youth, and the Lord of my life.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com


Pray for: His love to be your one and only source for daily living. As you look in the mirrored reflection of your life today, can you see the light of Jesus Christ shining through you?

________________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

God speaks, especially when we are tired!

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 27, 28; Psalms 88

Psalm 88:1-2, 9-10 (NIV)

1 O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you.

2May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.

9 I call to you, O Lord, every day; I spread my hands to you.

10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do those who are dead rise up and praise you?

Good morning!

Or at least I think it is. Three of our grandchildren had a “pajamas” party at Granny Deb and Pa’s house last night. We didn’t get much sleep. Yesterday, we spent part of the day at the park with our great niece Samantha, as she celebrated her first birthday. Being one is so much fun! Sam had her very own cake to eat. Have you ever given a little child a whole cake with rich, sugary icing to consume? I imagine Samantha and her parents did not sleep much last night either.

Whenever our grandchildren spend the night, they love to read stories before turning in. I read some of their favorite books last night. Jett is learning to read in school. He read to all of us, and then I read the books all three children had selected. Emily sat on my lap while Joshua and Jett leaned against my shoulders. They had a hard time winding down after the busy day in the park. Granny Deb was not the only one who was tired.

Sunday mornings are early rising days in our home. Jeff is up and at the church well before daybreak. He spends time in prayer and preparation before leading worship. I rise up to sit in His holy presence. A few quiet moments spent with the Lord give me the strength I need to meet whatever the day’s challenges may bring. Some mornings are easier to rise up than others. Today, our grandchildren decided they wanted to get up at 4am too, but their goal was to run and play, much to Granny Deb’s dismay. Today’s quiet moments disappeared in the pitter patter of tiny feet as I listened to the delighted squeals of three rambunctious children playing in the early morning light.

The Psalmist must have been exhausted when he cried out to the Lord early in the morning. He wondered if God was really listening. Day after day, he poured out his prayers of praise and petition. He cried out for help. Where are you? Can you hear me calling? When will you answer? When will your voice wake up the dead? Will you comfort your exhausted, tired servants, who need to feel you especially near today?

The Father heard the Psalmist’s plea that day; just like He hears each one of us. Some mornings are easier than others. When Jesus Christ came to us in the flesh, His message was clear – We hear you! We know you! We love you even though you’ve fallen away. Many of you are sick; some of you are dying in your sin. I have come to help you. Will you take my hand today?

Even when we are dead tired, God speaks. When life is hard and struggles are hard to overcome, He is here, and we do not walk alone. Take a few minutes this morning, open the scripture and allow the Lord of everlasting life to speak to your heart today. You may find it difficult to squeeze out a few quiet moments. Don’t give up! Come join me in the sanctuary. I’ll see you at Faith Church (with three grandchildren in tow.)

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: the assurance to know that God is with you, even when you are tired and discouraged. When we stop to listen, God speaks. Can you hear Him calling your name?

________________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.