21-Mar-15

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10How many times I have felt that cold finger of fear draw a battle line down my spine.  How can I not feel fearful at times?  A creepy noise, a threatening voice or weather that seems to be lifting fear bumps.  Then I read that God is with us, right now, this moment.  The first part of the verse from I John 4:18 says, “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.”God’s promise to strengthen us and help us seems far away, when I first think about His love in every-day terms.  But His promise is a a love-booster, a faith-booster.  Just how much do I trust God, how much do I love Him, really?  Can I love Him so much that fear never enters my heart because there is no room for loving God and stuff in my fear?The next word that holds my attention is confidence.  Do I have confidence in God?  Or do I doubt God, how strong is my faith?  Is God a personage I talk about in the 3rd person or is He, my personal I AM?  Can I see Him at work daily?  Can I know his Presence?  No matter how my mind wraps around these verses, it comes back to this question.  How much do I allow myself to Love God and His One and Only Son?  With arms and heart flung out wide to Him?  I want to be ‘running to his Arms!”  Catching every bit of his essence. Or do I allow doubt to enter in?  It is my choice.Wait patiently for the LORD.  His Timing in my heart and life is everything.  I suddenly see a mind-picture of the Stalactites and the Stalagmites growing in Carlsbad Caverns when I was a child. The towers of stone grew one drop at a time.  Some reached down from the ceiling, kissing the ground, and some reaching up to the ceiling.  I wonder at the beauty the towers of stone have become, one drop of water at a time.And with one drop of love at a time, I learn to be brave and courageous in His Presence.  I wait patiently for the Lord to make me His, to lead me along His paths, to show me His Grace, to heal, to forgive and to ever love me as His own.  I have a lifetime to learn, a blip of time to the God who set time apart for me to be on this earth to serve Him.Yet I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness while I am here in the land of living.  Wait patiently for the LORD.  Be brave and courageous.  Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14