PAUSE: I need Jesus! - Encouragement Café - September 22, 2014

PAUSE: I need Jesus!

Café Menu for Monday, September 22, 2014

Today’s Special is: Invite Jesus to spend the day with you

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Angela Moran

Main Ingredient:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

Entrée:

I used to love New Year’s Resolutions. I liked planning and setting benchmarks that would serve to motivate me to keep going to meet my goals. Lots of times, I even made charts to show my progress.

But really, can I be honest for a moment? I never kept one.  

I tried, but I always failed. That’s why I decided a few years ago, the only resolution I would make is No Resolutions. I’m happy to say, I’m doing great!

Now, I do still like to set goals for myself. However, even as I start to strategize my new plan for eating healthier, exercising more, or keeping a consistent quiet time, I can feel the acid reflux rise in my throat and the lies begin to swirl in my head.

Ha! Here she goes again. This will be good.

So, sometimes, I quit before I even start.  But other times, I give it a go.  

I start eating healthier and then there’s that special dinner out and the dessert just looks so good. Or my back goes out and I miss a week of exercising and starting up again is just so difficult. Or that 5:30 am alarm that goes off for quiet time, turns into 6:06 am with 4 snoozes – and leaves just enough time to grab a cup of coffee, feed the cat, let the dogs outside, switch the laundry (from yesterday), and before I know it, the kids are awake I haven’t even cracked open my journal or Bible, let alone taken the time to pray.

I can see the future failures of the day playing out like a movie in fast forward. My day feels ruined and it hasn’t even started yet.

It’s in that moment that I realize that I need to just call a time out and invite Jesus into my day. This is when that wonderful moment happens (because that’s all the time I have) to realize that Jesus’ love is so great, and His compassion never fails. He’s not mad or disappointed with how the day started. In fact, He has been there all morning, just patiently waiting His turn to let me know something.

He loves me and would love to spend the day with me together, side by side.  So I pause – take that deep breath and say – thank you Lord for your mercies. Let’s conquer this day, together.

Take Out:

Does your day sometimes feel ruined before it even begins?

Do you need to pause, and invite Jesus to be with you today?

Take a deep breath. Take your eyes off of your day and put them on Jesus. Look Him in the eyes. See His compassion. Receive His mercies.

Embrace the day, with Jesus.

Dessert:

Thank You Jesus for Your amazing love!  Your compassion never fails us and You meet us right where we are. Thank You for Your patience and Your mercies to us each and every day. Bless each one of us as embrace the women You have called us to be! Amen!

© 2014 by Angela Moran. All rights reserved.

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