Each New Day

April 4, 2005
The last big life lesson God told me to ask Him was this: 
"Teach me about unconditional love." 
Now that it has been initially answered (as described in the last volume of the journal) I've been enjoying a season of rest, for it was a challenging, draining lesson.

But now, God is introducing what new thing He wants to teach me, and it is this:  what is the difference between being loved and being approved? 

Help me, Lord!  "Help Thou my unbelief!" because now I know how difficult Your lessons can be in the learning, though they are certainly worth it.  Help me to sit patiently when the molding grows uncomfortable.  Help me to trust in Your abiding control through all the circumstances of life.  Help me to walk in grace wherever You may take me.  Stay close and do not let me look to other sources for my comfort but to Thee, my salvation!  In Jesus name...Amen!

In this prophetic-study I'm making, I find today's verse exactly fits the prayer I just made.  Psalm 60:3-5 says, "You have shown your people hard things; you have made us drink the wine of confusion.  You have given a banner to those who fear you, that it may be displayed because of the truth.  That your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand and hear me."

Back in the days when I wrote the last volume and started this one,  I see how much I valued a very organized and thematic progression in my devotional and prayer life.  I found order and control soothing--particularly when other parts of life proved unruly.  As memory serves me now, I believe this order and structure will soon fade in the reading--or at least will go on hiatus--to be replaced by something wilder and more passionate that blew into my prayer life not far past these entries.  My walk with God took a sharp turn, much like abandoning a stroll in the formal gardens near the house to take a hike up the mountain. 

I'm getting excited about walking again this path not too far ahead!