Laced With Grace

I’m the youngest child in a family of eight.  Consequently, when I was growing up there were always people around that I could count on to be there for me when I needed them.  However, inevitably as happens in life there were times when they let me down in spite of their well meaning intentions.  To be fair I’ve done the same also.

But it just goes to prove that no matter how good our intentions are we disappoint others.  We are human, we make mistakes and we unknowingly cause pain.  Sometimes it’s not easy to let go of the pain that others cause us even when it wasn’t deliberate.  We often want to hold on to it and allow the hurt to grow instead of letting it go.  We refuse to allow God to heal the wounds left on our heart or rid us of the disappointments we experience because of our expectations of others.

However in times like these we need to remind ourselves that the people we place our trust in are flesh and blood just like we are.  They make mistakes.  They say and do the wrong thing.  Only God alone is perfect.  In the words of the psalmist in God alone my hopes comes from…

⁵ My soul is quiet and waits for God alone. My hope comes from Him. ⁶ He alone is my rock and the One Who saves me. He is my strong place. I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:5-6 (NLV)

Does that mean we shouldn’t depend on our family, our friends, the people around us…? No it doesn’t. The world would be a lonely and depressing place if we had no one we feel we could count on.  It simply means that ultimately God is the only one in our lives who never fails.

One million one, one million two, one million three…

As I counted I surveyed the area around me. The beautiful sandy beach stretched on for miles and miles. Then I looked at the little pile of sand in front of me, it could barely fill a sandwich bag.

It was at this point in the face of my insurmountable task that I finally threw my hands in the air and shouted “I give up!!!”

I knew then as I knew when I began that my mission was impossible, not Tom Cruise impossible but really impossible. There were not hours enough in the day or days enough in my remaining time on earth to count the grains of sand on this one beach in the Bahamas so the world…? I think not.

Did this really happen? Not a chance. I don’t have patience enough to count one hundred grains of sand. However the picture of doing so came to mind when I read the following verses from Psalm.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me,[a] O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!
Psalm 139:17-18 (NLT)

How precious is that scripture to me right now. I’m sure I’ve read it hundreds of time over the years since I absolutely love the Psalms. However this last time it lingered. I thought about it through the day. In fact at this moment I’m at work and I’m meditating on these verses. My students are writing in their journals and I’m drafting this post in mine.

God thinks this much about me, about you, about us. From before the foundation of the earth to this very moment our heavenly father has had us on his mind.  If I can be absolutely sure about one thing it is this, his thoughts about us are always for our benefit.

Today I feel totally warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about God thinking about me… How are you doing today?

Be blessed,
Bernadine

The greatest gift we can give to others is our prayers.
-unknown

Would you like me to pray for you? 

I’ve asked this question many times at the end of conversations with family, friends or others whose paths God has allowed to cross with my own.  It usually comes after I’ve listened to something the person is going through that seems to have them feeling overwhelmed.

Growing up my mother always encouraged me to take my problems to God in prayer.  She was always excited about prayer and talked to God about everything that concerned her.  Her example in prayer showed me that there was no problem too small for God to take time to listen to or too big for him to handle. So, I grew up knowing God could be trusted with whatever was going on in my life.

Consequently, prayer is the very first thing I offer to someone who seems to have reached the end of their rope.  If they allow it at that very moment I bow my head and pray.

 Would you pray for me? 

This question has passed my lips more times than I can count. I wish that I could say I’m always strong as a Christian but I can’t.  At times I’m overwhelmed.  During those times as much as I love my Lord I can’t seem to find the right words to say to him.  In those times I have no problems saying to those I trust, would you pray for me?  The old hymn by James Vaughn puts this perfectly into words;

I need the prayers of those I love
While traveling on life’s rugged way,
That I may true and faithful be,
And live for Jesus every day.

Jesus teaches us the importance of prayer by his example.  He talked to his father often.  He also prayed for his disciples and for all believers.  He wants us to do the same.  So I offer my prayer to those who need it and I humbly ask for, and gladly accept the gift of prayer when it’s offered to me. I’m strengthened by the prayers of my family and friends.  It’s good to know that when I can’t pray for myself I can count on others to pray for me. And I hope that those I pray for feel the same.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16 NLT (emphasis mine)

Is there something I can agree with you in prayer on today?

Shared previously at Hidden in My Heart