looking up…
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121: 1-4 (NIV)
Sitting in the car with the engine on, I hesitated to enter the store. What was I doing? I felt the urge to go inside and simply be a responsible adult by buying some groceries. I wanted to sit in the car and just cry. I also felt the urge to cry out to God for help. Would He help me? Would He be there for me? What if He rejected me? What if He ignored me? There was a battle happening in my mind. I felt like I was going crazy.
And then, in a moment of desperation, I confessed to God all I had been hiding from Him. I confessed my self-destructive actions. I confessed I didn’t trust Him. I confessed I hadn’t been searching for Him with my heart, my mind and my emotions. The tears came just like they did when I woke up that morning, but this time they were tears of gratitude and relief, instead of regret and guilt. These tears were cleansing me instead of condemning me. These tears were freedom instead of bondage.
I quickly drove home to my family and embraced them in a way I never thought possible. God met me at my deepest place of need and started a tremendous work in my life that night. I’m not sure I understand it all, but I realized something that night: I am loved, and I am His.
How about you?
APPLICATION: Ask God to confirm His love for you. Ask God to show you anything that is standing between you and Him. As He shows you things, connect with a trusted friend to come up with a plan to overcome it.
PRAYER: Father, I praise You for Your goodness and kindness to me. Thank You for rescuing me from death and giving me everlasting life in You, through You and with You. Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?