these last few days

I have been spending a lot of my time with Jesus talking out loud. A lot of the time I'm expressing my frustrations. Sometimes I feel like I'm begging Him to help me out...but I don't need to beg, do I? I haven't been sensing God's love very strongly but I have a strong belief that it surrounds me and so I tell God that I believe it again, and again, and again in hopes that the thinking and speaking will bring about the feeling.

I am loving Deuteronomy. Chapter 7 is about holiness. It's about how God chose the Israelites out of aaaaalllllll the nations in the wold to be His. Verse 6 says, "For you are a holy people who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure." That's me, that's you. We are treasures of the King. Talk about value and worth...
Verses 21&22 say, "No, do not be afraid of those nations, for the Lord your God is among you, and he is a great and awesome God. The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little. You will not clear them away all at once, otherwise the wild animals would multiply too quickly for you." I can relate. There are some "nations" in my heart and life that only the strength of the Lord can conquer. So, patience for the journey and trust that God is ahead of my thoughts and feelings and doings. Hallelujah.

March 20 and 21

Yesterday, my Bible reading began with Isaiah 55--Invitation to the Thirsty. I highlighted verses that meant something to me:

+55:8-9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

I needed this reminder. Just because I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel does not mean I am not in His perfect plan. He is holding me. He sees and knows it all. I must rest in Him and know that He has everything in control. So, verse 12 came perfectly: "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees will clap their hands." How beautiful! We need to let go of our chains and learn to rejoice in His freedom, for He has already won all our battles!!

Today (March 21) I read about True Fasting. I wasn't that interested--Isaish 58 started off by talking about the wrong kind of fasting. But then God shifts it to the proper fasting:

58: 6: "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? ...

(vs. 8) Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your Righteous One will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here I am."

This is what I needed. I'm waiting for my light to burst out but it is only through Him that that will happen. Praise God.