To Know Him More - Girlfriends in God - February 5, 2015
February 5, 2015
To Know Him More
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better (Ephesians 1:17, NIV).
Friend to Friend
It was Christmas Eve, and I had one final errand to run. One of the gifts I ordered for our grandson had not arrived. I ordered it several weeks earlier, and patted myself on the back for the great deal I had gotten. In all the delightful Christmas chaos, I had forgotten all about it until Christmas Eve when I made the final inspection of my Christmas list and stash of gifts.
The Customer Service manager at the department store where I ordered the gift had no idea where the gift was or what had happened to it, but offered to trace it. I laughed at the thought. I cancelled the order and decided to take matters into my own hands. I would simply go to the store and buy another gift for our grandson. Admittedly, Justus was only two years old at the time and would not really know the difference, but his Mimi would.
Did I have time to go to the mall? No!
Did I want to go to the mall? Absolutely not!
A root canal sounded more appealing.
I still had cooking and baking to do, a few last minute gifts to wrap, a Christmas Eve service to attend, and … well, you get the idea.
Ho! Ho! Ho! Help!
I quickly dressed, grabbed my purse, and raced out of the bedroom. My husband looked up in surprise and said, “Where are you going? I thought you had a lot to do this afternoon!”
Couldn’t he tell I was in a hurry and did not have time to answer questions?
I simply did not have time to explain the situation. It would take a sixty whole seconds I could not spare. I know. When I get in my “Superwoman Mode” I am ridiculous. As I raced down the stairs, anger and frustration flooded my heart and mind … and I fell.
I fell spiritually when I said, “I do not have time to explain the situation to you. I just have to run an errand. Okay?”
And I fell physically when I stumbled, missed the bottom three stairs, and landed on the floor at the bottom of the stairs.
My sweet husband was immediately standing over me with a look of concern on his face. “Are you hurt?” he asked, practically carrying me to the couch. A quick exam revealed a few scrapes and bruises … and a severely sprained ankle.
Did that stop me from going to the toy store? Oh, no. Not this Superwoman.
I mentally donned my Superwoman cape, swallowed a couple of aspirin, and limped my way to the store and back, the cherished Christmas gift in hand. I then wrapped the gift, crammed my sprained ankle into a boot, and hobbled to the Christmas Eve service at church.
Still and quiet for the first time all day, the worship music carried me back to that night when Christ was born. Oh, what a night it must have been! As I finally and truly celebrated the birth of my King, the Holy Spirit whispered, “Be still and know that I am God.” I bowed my heart and head in repentance and worship.
Every day … not just December 25 … should find us still and quiet before the manger as we celebrate the birth, life, death and resurrection of our coming Lord and King, Jesus Christ.
We need to learn how to seek Him and pray continually about everything ... every day!
We need to focus on how we can serve instead of being so concerned about being served.
We need to keep our gaze on Him and our glance on the circumstances.
Our heart desire should center on becoming more like Him.
My one resolution for 2015 is a simple one. I want to know Him more. I want others to wonder why I am so joyful when there doesn’t seem to be one logical reason why I should be. I want to trust God as never before and choose to step out in faith with no visible safety net below. I want to pray with shameless audacity, knowing God absolutely loves it when I do! Join me in a new faith adventure of knowing God.
Let’s Pray
Father, please forgive me for allowing anything or anyone to occupy first place in my life. I am tired of rushing through each day in an effort to prove my worth by what I do. I want to live each day for You, an audience of One. Use me, Lord, and help me learn how to see the needs of those around me. Give me a holy discontent with the status quo. I surrender my heart and life to You. I want to know You more.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
In your journal, write a prayer of commitment to know and serve Jesus more this year. What would that look like in your life? Record that description in your journal. Recruit an accountability partner who will periodically ask you how you are doing in this new faith adventure.
More from the Girlfriends
One of the most powerful ways we can know God more is through prayer. We have over-complicated prayer! In its purest form, it is talking with and listening to God. Most of us have the talking part down. The listening part – not so much! Chairtime, written by Mary’s husband Dan, is a simple story of a simple man learning a life changing truth. God wants to speak to us. He will - if we get in the chair. Check it out! And be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.
Seeking God?
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Girlfriends in God
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