The Sea of Forgetfulness

Good morning, my friend!  Good morning, Father!  

“He has sent me to provide for all those who grieve in Zion, to give them crowns instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of tears of grief, and clothes of praise instead of a spirit of weakness. They will be called Oaks of Righteousness, the Plantings of the LORD, so that he might display his glory.”- Isaiah 61:3 (GW)

Lord, I lift my friend to You.  Here in the wee hours of the morning, we seek You.  They have been through a difficult season.  They feel weary and discouraged.  Bless their eyes to see the countless tiny miracles that You sprinkle throughout their day.  Help them to relish the unexpected joys and kindnesses mixed with opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  Help them to not focus so intently on their responsibilities that they overlook their purpose, or to be so dedicated to a task that they resent or ignore the interruptions that so often hold the seed of miracles.  

Give them Your heart to love selflessly, live generously and forgive quickly.  Satisfy them in Your presence, wiping away tears (Rev 7:17) and regret.  When they are disappointed with themselves, remind them that You have cast their every mistake into Your sea of forgetfulness (Mic 7:19).  Bind up their broken heart (Ps 147:3).  Touch their broken body.  Love them with the selfless love of a perfect Father.  

Lord, sometimes it is difficult to even conceive of getting out of bed when the days before have been so challenging.  Retrieve their God-breathed dreams from the trash heap.  Breathe courage into their heart and inspiration into their soul.  Fan the flames of their faith, hope and giftings (2 Tim 1:6).  Fortify their self control and prepare their tongue with words of wisdom to encourage and bless.  Assure them that You are not finished with them, and that their best days are yet ahead (1 Cor 2:9).  Put Your song in their heart, and bless Your beloved child with victory in their surrender, honor for humility and beauty for ashes.  In Jesus Name ❤️


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unshakeable Hope

Image
  UNSHAKEABLE HOPE By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” - Psalms ‭139:23  ‬NIV As the times we are in are heating up, our eyes search for HOPE and comfort.  We look longingly over our shoulder at the “Good Old Days”—simpler times, old relationships and habits—people and things that, in the past, brought momentary relief.  But, more often than not, we find that the fleeting well of comfort found there has since dried up. ‬ We have not been abandoned to fend for ourselves, however. God, Himself, will be our refuge!‬ When everything else is shaking, we have been given a glorious hope.  God is immovable, and when we put our trust in Him, so are we!  ‬ “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.” – Psalm 125:1-2 NIV Beloved, let’s not until the worl...
Read more

Kissing Boo-Boos

Image
  KISSING BOO-BOOS By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly Oh, the miracle of a kiss on a boo-boo!  I remember being little and getting a cut on my finger.  I’d raise that chubby finger and go running to my mom.  She always knew what to do.  She would gently clean it, put on a bandaid and give it a kiss.  We weren’t done until my hurt had been kissed.  There was magic in that application of compassion and love.  It made the pain go away. We have all seen that toddler with a boo-boo.  They run to their mom or dad to clean it, put on a bandaid and give it a kiss.  If the wound isn’t treated, the tiny nick can continue to hurt and bleed. Each time it is touched or bumped they are reminded of the pain.  And an untreated wound can become infected and grow. There are people all around us with unkissed boo-boos today.  They are hurt, afraid or sad.  They go through life fearful of being hurt again, and looking for someone they can t...
Read more

The Secret of The Birds

Image
 THE SECRET OF THE BIRDS By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Praise the Lord from the earth, Sea monsters and all deep sea creatures; Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and winged birds.” - Psalm 148:7, 10.   Morning has broken and the choir of birds outside my window is singing their hearts out.  Birds may not be considered to be intelligent, yet their response to God in hardship could teach us a few things.  We humans grumble to God about so much, but the birds praise their creator in severe heat and bitter cold.  They may have nests and the shade of trees, but they don’t have the many comforts we enjoy, yet they praise Him.  They know a secret:  God is enthroned upon our praises.  When our hearts are full of worship, He takes His rightful place and brings with Him joy and peace. Let’s take a lesson from the birds.  Their trust in their maker to provide for their needs, even in the face of harsh seasons, calls out to our faith.  It ...
Read more