Beloved, our dusty road was graded today. What we needed is a load of gravel delivered, however, all we received is road grader grading the road. My husband asked the driver if he would share that the road needs some gravel. The funny thing about the road is that now if it rains we will have a muddy mess. Mud and gravel are no fun if you fall or get stuck.
Sometimes we get stuck on the road we are traveling. Is it circumstances tripping us? Or did we cause the situation by something we did or didn’t do!
Remember two weekends ago when I went on retreat? At the retreat, I instructed on prayer and we made a prayer journal. Many times I attempt to be faithful in daily writing my prayers, however, since the retreat I have made a commitment and daily from the scriptures I’ve been reading and writing God’s word and my prayers faithfully.
My written prayers have been sparking my conversations at work and my writing here. As I shared, I have added to my journal my worries, praise, prayers and promises. It is a roadway, a map from my heart to God’s heart. I start with praise, admission of my sins, my requests, thanksgiving, listening, New Testament, Old Testament, and Proverbs. When I am reading scripture, I wait expectantly for the Lord and a verse becomes meaningful, those are the verses I write out. Additionally, I write out my worries, praise, prayers, and promises.
Sweet friend, this is my attempt to set the Lord before me,
I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8
On our dusty road today, with the road grader, we had to move around him. But in our verse, when we set the Lord before us, we are not moved.
Our word today is attempt which is defined as make an effort to achieve or complete (something, typically a difficult task or action). The word attempt is in the Bible one time in Acts 27: 30. The reason I am choosing this word is that so many times, I have attempted to be faithful at a daily time with the Lord and now I am making a dusty rock solid road commitment.
Read with me the verses in Acts describing our word attempt in the Bible with the Apostle Paul’s experience. Later in this chapter, the centurion wants to save Paul’s life.
Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30 In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”
Thoughts
Sweet friend, we can attempt to have a walk with God, or we can have a walk with God. Daily, the commitment to meet Him can be thwarted or one can persevere. Becky Tirabassi has written her prayers and read her Bible daily for forty years now. She says the best way to stay on track is one day in advance to make an appointment with God. She uses a one-year Bible, Change Your Life Daily Bible. It contains the Bible each day in sections Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. One can order her Bible at Becky Tirabassi or at https://www.changeyourlifedaily.com
Recently, I started reading a book by Mary Demuth, 90-Day Challenge. A challenge to read your Bible in 90 days. I am going to attempt to do this.
Our road saying today is, “The beautiful thing about walking an unexpected path is whether we put ourselves there or circumstances out of our control put us there God is still there.’ This was on a meme from a source called I Didn’t Sign Up For This by Sara Evans. My friend Nancy posted it on Instagram.
So part of my Bible reading today was in Exodus, God led the Israelites out of Egypt not the most direct path, because He was afraid they would turn around and go back. After they left, Pharaoh and his warriors realized what they had done and so they pursued the Israelites in their chariots. The Israelites had nowhere to go and the Red Sea was before them and the angry Egyptians behind them.
Of course, they were angry with Moses and expressed their frustrations. So, God provides a solution. He uses Moses and Moses parts the Red Sea and the Israelites walk through the Red Sea on a dry path. Now that is a muddy road. Then God lured the Egyptians into the Red Sea and the rest is history.
A God-wink occured for me because I read Psalm 78 about this part of Israel history before I knew I would be reading all about the Red Sea.
Additionally, in my journey this week, I led an online Bible study and we are studying Wendy Blight’s book, Rest For Your Soul, and she teaches how she personalizes scripture. One of my sweet girls said she took it a step further and personalized the experience, so she thanked God for parting the Red Sea in her situation. Do you see how God tied my time together today?
Beloved, how has God parted the Red Sea for you? What circumstances has you standing at the side of the road scratching your head? Perhaps you are overwhelmed, maybe you just lost your job. Maybe your child has been failing in school or maybe you are just tired and weary from your journey on the dusty road. Will you acknowledge that God is there with you and has been there all along?
God is parting the Red Sea when you are…..
- struggling with pain,
- lonely,
- have an unfaithful husband,
Don’t just attempt to give God your struggles, do it. He is listening, and He loves you with an everlasting love. He is ever before you and will not be moved.
Prayer
Father God, I praise You for Your Word and Your love. I am so thankful that You love us with an everlasting love. I have seen you part the Red Sea in healing so many people, for meeting our needs. I am thankful that You are all-knowing, all-powerful, and always kind. I love you, Lord. Lord, I lift up Nancy, Michelle, Crissy, Judy, and Shannon who are struggling with pain. I pray for my friend Karen who needs cataracts removed, thank you for the healing of her ankle. Lord, I pray for Lori and Michelle who are struggling with cancer. Lord I pray for Kimberly and her lungs. Lord, for Kath would you help her son keep his job and help her on her weight loss journey. Lord, would you bless Rachelle and her family. For myself, Lord would you remove the floater. Lord, the needs are many but I asked that each person would know how much you love them and that you still part the Red Sea so we can walk through on dry land. May we always set the Lord before us as we walk on our dusty road. In Jesus’s name. Amen
