Path of Life
Category: Blessing
Glad Rejoicing
Not Shaken
Pleasant Places
Fear and Shame
The last three weeks I have had to fight fear over a “lump” that I found. This felt similar to what I had 2 ½ years ago. I had visions of surgery and potentially other treatment. As I made diagnostic appointments (and waited about 1 ½ weeks to go to the appointments), I chose this verse. There is worry involved in medical issues. I had to pray my way through allowing God whatever He chose.
Praise the Lord, he allowed me to only have 2 cysts and a non-malignant spot. No surgery or medical treatment needed. I am grateful for God’s kindness in allowing this news.
I have prayed many times in recent years that I am willing and able to endure whatever God asks of me. I was wrestling with that prayer before finding out the prognosis. I appreciate these verses. Seeking God helps deliver us from our fears. I know that I can feel shame as I wrestle with my fears – verse 5 reminds us that we can be radiant and unashamed as we look to God.
The simple reminder is to seek God and I can be delivered. The difficult reality is that I need to keep working hard to give my fears and worries to God and leave them there. I am glad God is patient and kind in providing for my weakness.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for closing this chapter in health issues. Please help me to continue to give all of my fears to You. Please help me to encourage others to do the same.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
Preservation
Complete
This life is incomplete. We face challenges and often don’t feel like we get to where we want to go (wherever that is). Sometimes in our pursuit for identity, we put God in second place (or later). Family, friends, job, and other pursuits are good. We gain much enjoyment from them. However, those things are not done well if God is not in first place. I believe we will receive more blessing from those things as we submit to God’s plan to bring us to completion.
Dear Heavenly Father, we ache with the desire to be complete. Please help us to be patient as we wait for Your timing in bringing the good work to completion. Please help us to submit to Your plan and put You first.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
What
Ephesians 1 is loaded with expressions of God’s generosity. I like verse 18 – as we follow what Ephesians 1 has been talking about we will have our “hearts enlightened”. The “what” is the hope and riches that God promises. I think sometimes we have the wrong kind of hope and the wrong kind of riches in mind. God is more interested in the eternal and we end up getting stuck in the temporal. My desire is to continue studying Scripture to learn about the “whats” in Ephesians 1:18. At least as much as is possible in this life. I expect to learn by leaps and bounds in the next life.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the many blessings I can learn about from Your Word. Please guide me as I learn the “what” You tell us about in this verse. Help me to share this with others.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
It’s NOT About Me
Ephesians 1 tells us of wonderful gifts that God has given to those he has chosen. I think we sometimes become selfish as a result of these gifts. The point of the gifts is to point back to our precious Savior, Jesus Christ.
Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to use the gifts You have given to point others to You. May You be honored because of Your glorious grace.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
Chosen for Adoption
The first blessing we see in Ephesians 1 is that of being chosen for adoption. Looking at the culture in Israel during Bible times adoption is a great honor. The first-born son would inherit everything. God adopts us as first-born sons. I’m not sure how well it translates into the American culture that I know so well. In Bible culture this was a very high honor. I want to allow that concept to warm my heart living in what is often a cold, dark (sin-cursed) world.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me to be an adopted child. Thank You for the beauty of Your love. Please help me to share this with those who know You chose them as well as those who have not learned of this wonderful gift.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
Pleading in Prayer 