Today is a gift

Every morning I take my coffee on to the balcony and look out on the ocean. This week, God's been speaking to me about the day. Looking at the sun poking soaking the sky and the waves kissing the beach, I'm reminded - Today is a gift. 

Yesterday is gone now, nothing can be done about it. The concerns of yesterday are gone. We are given the gift of a new day, to start fresh, do it again, make it better. Every morning when you open your eyes you are blessed. God has given you another day. God has given the world another day. We take it for granted that the sun will rise every morning and another day will come, but we shouldn't. Every day the sun rises because God told it to. 

' And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good and he separated the light from the Darkness. God called the light 'Day' and the darkness He called 'Night'. And there was evening and there was morning - the first day. ' - Genesis 1:3-5 (NIV)

You see, nothing happens unless God speaks it. Unless God tells the sun to rise, it wont happen. So take today as a gift, a precious gift from God. He has given you life today, and life to live to the full. So what will you do with your gift today?

A prayer;

'Praise be to God, the maker of the Sun, the conductor of life. Nothing happens without Your sweet word. Lord thank you for blessing me with a new day. A new day to honour You, to bless others and enjoy Your creation. Help me to forget yesterday and make the most of today. Today may I have my eyes on Your throne and delight in the gift of life that you have so lovingly given to me. Amen.'

Tweaking

Have you seen the movie 'You've got mail'? It's got to be one of my favourite movies of all time. It's the kind of movie that I can switch on when it's raining or when I'm feeling poorly and it instantly makes me feel better. I can probably recite the whole movie to you... but I wont.

The basic plot is that of a couple that met online, but turn out to know each other in real life without knowing. Tom Hanks - who plays Joe Fox is the owner of a multi-million dollar Book store, and Meg Ryan - Kathleen Kelly is the owner of a small children's book store. Fox ends up putting Kelly's store out of business, but manage to kindle a friendship, after Fox discovers she is the woman whom he fell in love with online, while she remains clueless.

There's a part of the movie where Joe Fox sends a message online, explaining that he could not meet Kathleen right away, as he was in the middle of a project the needs 'tweaking'. Mean while in real life, Joe and Kathleen's romance is gently blossoming. 

I think this is a way we can look at Jesus. We know Jesus, we can talk to him, we can walk with him.... but we are yet to really REALLY meet him. To look upon His face and be in His presence in heaven. I don't know about you, but sometime I find myself asking 'What are you waiting for?!' "Can't you come back now!' 'I want to be with you now!' Have you ever felt that way? Have you asked those questions? I have on many occasions.

Jesus is waiting. We are His project and like in the movie .... this project needs 'tweaking'. We need tweaking. Jesus is waiting for us to be in our prime, and He knows the perfect time. He knows when we will truly be ready to see his arrival. And it mean time, he is tweaking us. Working in the hearts of believers and non-believers alike. I love that scripture of the potters wheel, we are like the clay in the Master's hand, we're shaped and reshaped, refined by fire. He's 'tweaking' us! 

Another line from the movie is a comment made to Kathleen regarding to man she met online; 'Timing is everything. He waiting until you were primed. Until you knew there was no other man you could over love'.  Again, I see something of Jesus' timing in this observation. Jesus is spending time with us in prayer and walking with us, yet we still put things before him. We all have things that we priorities, that we idolise. And these things are all getting in the way of us truly being one with God. 

'Do not make idols or set up and image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.' - Leviticus 26:1 

Jesus is simply loving us, letting us get to know Him, waiting for us to fully realise that He is the only man we can truly love. That He comes before anything in this world. 

So when we find ourselves questioning Jesus, asking these questions about Him coming. I think we should first pray that He would reveil to us the things He wants to refine. Those idol and things in our hearts that stop us truly loving Him, singly and wholeheartedly.

Father God, forgive me when I question You. When I doubt Your timing.

Lord, You created the Heavens and the Earth, every breath I take is from You, every day is designed by You. I am a part of YOUR plan, not the other way around. Teach me to be attentive to Your voice and guide me to be more like Your Son Jesus Christ. Those things that I get wrong, those part of my life that aren't honouring You, bring them to my attention and refine me. Help me become who you designed me to be, so that when You come again, I can stand before You as the person you created me to be. A person with an undivided heart for You.

Amen.

Evening devotions

'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' Acts 1:8 (NIV)

A prayer 

Praise be to God whom over came death. All glory to God whom could not be held buy the grave! Thanks be to Him for the heavenly gift of the Holy Spirit given to all whom profess your name. Thanks be solely to God. I profess success, health and security over my life as I am chosen and favoured by the creator of the Universe. Equip me to run for You, may I rely on You for all things. 

Fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I may be encouraged, and declare Your name to the ends of the earth. Send me oh Lord. May Your mission be mine, may my eyes open to Your purpose and my heart be open to those You love. 

Amen.