A Shorter Road

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-Your peace-Your knowledge and discernment. Build my trust. I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name...

Verse of the Day: Isaiah 9:6

6 A child is born to us, a son is given to us,

and authority will be on his shoulders.

He will be named

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Memory verse: Psalm 139:23–24 (ESV)

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Today's reading: Zechariah 1-4 Revelation 18

Here We Go

"When are they leaving?", I asked my mother a couple of days after Christmas. In those days, when the aggravating cousins came with their parents from west Texas, they would stay for a week and 'get into everything'.

A few years back, I watched my son drive away to go back to the oil field and wished he could stay for a week. It was a good visit but it was so short.

L.M., a friend, texted me one morning and I got his permission to use part of his text:

"...when the crowd thinned yesterday- lots of kids and grandkids, then it slowly got quieter, and quieter.....then it was only the sound of the tv and occasional lite conversations discussing the day and the accomplishments. But it is the way it is supposed to be, I guess. And there's more journey before us....it's just the road is shorter than yesterday.....and the vehicle has less fuel.

Love you brother,

Merry Christmas

The road is shorter than it was yesterday. I don't have the energy I once had. I am the one who is changing-God does not change. And I have to remember that Jesus got blue and how He dealt with it. He faced the loneliness-He faced the loneliness in His Father's presence and was never alone.

1 Peter 5:6-7 New International Version

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Look up-are you under God's hand or have you walked out from under it and gone off on your own?

This is the most lonely existence known to man. I do it all the time-nothing makes this right but we all do it-then, we must run back to Him where we should be.

Here we go-back to it-back under God's hand-let's go-all of us-he restores our souls and gives us times of refreshing...(Psalm 23; Acts 3:19)

Don't let 'it' get you blue or down; let God lift you up so you can bring Him good pleasure.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Forgive me my bad focus and train my eyes for You and staying under your hand.

Great God of power and restoration.

In the name of Jesus,

Amen