As I am applying lotion to my face, I am reminded to pray that my heart would be soft towards the Lord. I want my heart to be ready to receive whatever the Lord has for me........today.
I ask the Lord to help me keep my heart and my ears open to hear His voice. I ask Him to keep my heart soft and full of compassion for my fellow men. I want this day to be filled with His love, peace, and grace; for myself, and for others. A soft heat is crucial to a gracious life.
Also, I want to have a heart that is open to God's instructions; to His rebukes, and to His whispered words of love...for me. I want to have a heart that is obedient to God's plan for my life.......today.
Isaiah 30:21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.
For quite a few years now, I have been practicing praying about.......everything! And I mean.......everything. As a pastor's wife, I get asked to do many things; I call them, 'Works of Love.' I'm very blessed to be invited to baby showers and birthday parties, to bridal showers and to weddings. But, if I'm not careful, my heart can begin to be 'hardened' with a busy life, and with a calendar filled with too many activities. My personality is such, that I will say, "Yes" to everything that is asked of me; teaching Sunday School, helping out at a church event, coffee/counsel dates, parties, and even babysitting. I get so busy serving God, that I find myself not worshipping God! And one aspect of worship is: obedience. I learned long ago, that IF I have not asked God first; anything that I may say "Yes" to do (or "No" to do), this very 'work of love,' can become sin for me! How can a 'work of love,' such as serving in the Sunday School, be sinful for me? Because if God didn't ask me to do it, then I should not be doing it! If He didn't say, "Yes", then I should be saying, "No!" I belong to Jesus! He bought me with His blood. Therefore, He is the One to instruct me, not the world or my friends or my calendar. He gets to lead and guide me, and He gets to decide what my day looks like. God is the One who decides if I am to teach Sunday School, or go to a baby shower, or give of my finances, etc. There will be times when a spur-of-the-moment decision must be made, and hopefully I will help out; but any commitment must be prayed about first.
I ask the Lord to keep my heart soft to hear His prompting to pray about........everything! I want my day to be filled with serving the Lord in such a way that what I do brings glory to Him. I want any 'work of love' to last into eternity. I want God to be pleased with my worship of Him, and I want my service to others be something that causes them to see Jesus.
Proverbs 3:5–7 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
(This is the third post of a series titled, Incorruptible Beauty. Please ask permission before you copy or use any portion of this series. Thank you)
