Embrace the Within no. 42

“Public worship will not excuse us from secret worship.”

-Matthew Henry

I woke up today with a song in my mind. I don’t mean a figurative song in my heart and a joy for living. I wake up and gain those through the routine of getting moving and prayer. I mean that I literally awoke with a song to YHWH going in my mind. A song about the greatness of Christ and His love for me.

Of course I said a prayer and went back to sleep because this song was waking me up at 1 am and that is far too early for me to be waking and starting my day. BUT wouldn’t you know it, hours later when I woke again the same song was still literally playing through my mind. What a thing to be thankful about when waking in the morning.

The song didn’t go away. And the song never has to go away because that song might not be ever present in the front of my mind BUT that song is still there in my soul. It hasn’t left my nephesh just because I can’t literally hear it playing. I have the assurance that the song continues t o play throughout the day.

And there is nothing I did to make the song appear. I didn’t have any control over where and when it appeared. Thoughts are slippery and float around. I only get to decide if those thoughts are important enough to keep my attention. I get to decide what thoughts take hold and root into my mind. BUT I don’t get to decide what thoughts appear. I only get to control how long they stay and what power they hold over my mind.

And I am thankful for that song this morning. I am thankful that I got the chance to add one more thing to my routine this morning. Not that I deserved a song in my mind. Not that I was asking for a song in my mind. BUT that I got the joy of a song in my mind.

And I think being thankful for what I receive is a lot better than treating YHWH like a magic genie. I trust whatever He gives because I need everything He gives. And that plan is the only path that is getting me anywhere worth going.

Peace to your home. Bless your being. The reign of YHWH is now. Be a blessing to YHWH and others.

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #MyNepheshMyChoice #ChristsLifeMatters #EmbracetheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH #GodKnows

Embrace the Within no. 41

“What or whom we worship determines our behavior.”

• John Murray

God loves me even when I don’t love myself. That is kind of a difficult thing for folks outside of God’s grace to understand. Once we get back under YHWH’s wraparound presence, we tend to understand that reality a lot better. I like to think back and always wonder at how much worse things could have been. How many bullets have I dodged due to the grace of God?

I was having this conversation this weekend that things could always have been worse. No matter what troubles and trials and obstacles came around the possibility for even worse was there. I could have never found my way back to the Christ movement. I could still be out wandering believing that my thoughts, my actions, my truth, my way were going to be enough to save me. BUT there is nothing I can do. No path of philosophy can I learn. No number of books I can read. No amount of noble and virtuous deeds I can perform. There is nothing I can do, no power I have, that can make things right. God provided the path to draw near. And I have to walk that Path if I am going to repair the relationship.

We support what we love. And we can see many folks celebrating diversion. It’s football season. It’s easy to tell. Folks getting excited about the activity of others and celebrating that activity as accomplishment. True accomplishment is setting your mind, your heart, and your soul on its one true intention. The one thing that will make you happy. The one thing that supplies true happiness.

Your team will let you down. Your friends will let you down. Your relatives will let you down. Even you will let yourself down. I do that all the time. BUT God never lets me down. God never changes. His presence and his Truth are immutable. His Grace never fails. His plan is perfect. And even when I get mad at myself for failing, He is still there to offer grace.

Are you happy? The wraparound presence of YHWH can bring you happiness. What are you supporting? Spending time with God daily brings peace and love to every part of our life .What do you love? God loves you even when you don’t love yourself.

Peace to your home. Bless your being. The reign of YHWH is now. Be a blessing to YHWH and others.

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #MyNepheshMyChoice #ChristsLifeMatters #EmbracetheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH #GodKnows