My heart and mind are definitely with our grandson, Henry, today and this week. On Monday he had his second of the 3 major heart surgeries to basically 're-route' his circulatory system due to his congenital heart condition at birth. God's got His hand on this little guy and his Mommy and Daddy, and we are trusting Him completely for His healing touch.
One of my very favorite Scriptures is Lamentations 3:22-23 which from THE VOICE translation says this: "How enduring is God's loyal love; the Eternal has inexhaustible compassion. Here they are, every morning, new! Your faithfulness, God, is as broad as the day." I love that phrase...inexhaustible compassion...Wow, do I need that!
You may recognize the more familiar phrase..."His mercies are new every morning...Great is His faithfulness!"
Today, I find myself yet again, at the threshold of a new chapter...seems like they come faster and faster the older I get. As I was praying this morning and crying out to the Lord, I was prompted to start by remembering just how blessed I am, which then led to gratitude, and then to the recognition of my absolute need for and dependence on the Lord for everything. Then I realized that this 'cycle' is what should permeate my days and my thinking.
1) BLESSING - Focusing intentionally on how the Lord has provided, protected and directed my life, and for all of the wonderful relationships, experiences, and opportunities He has afforded me.
2) GRATITUDE - Intentionally expressing my thanks to the Lord for all of the above, and recognizing that everything is from Him!
3) DEPENDENCE - Recognizing again, that apart from Him (Christ in me) I can do NOTHING (John 15), and that I need to live in 100% dependence and recognition of my need for His mercy, grace, presence and empowerment every day and moment by moment.
And then...as I experience Him at work in my life in fresh ways, it leads back to the recognition of the Blessings that He provides and grants me and the cycle repeats, again and again!
May this simple thought encourage you as it has me, today, to keep my eyes on Him and celebrate His mercy and faithfulness!