With what shall I come to the Lord.....

Good morning, my friends.

I have been away for a couple of weeks, helping with family things.  It has been an exciting, but very tiring time, as my precious daughter in law has run for Judge and, by His Grace, has won her race!  So it has all been good.  But I am happy to be back to my friends, to share more about The Keeper of My Heart.

Lately I have begun to follow the path of worry.  Now I know it's a path that leads to nowhere, it's a useless endeavor, and it accomplishes nothing...NO THING!  So how do I end up here, and why do I not stop my thoughts as they conjure up a host of scenarios that all begin with, "What if?"  Who lives in the Land of "What If"?  Fear lives there; hopelessness lives there; and unbelief definitely lives there.

Did you know that the term, "Fear not," is in the Bible 365 times?  A coincidence perhaps?  I don't think so!  The Lord tells us to trust Him, to trust what He says, and to rest in Him as He works all things together for our good.  I think much of my fear, and perhaps yours as well, is related to my sense of how far short I fall in my expectations of myself.  "If I had only eaten better, exercised more, saved more money, been kinder, been less judgmental, done things differently with my kids (those nagging thoughts that remind me of the time I had yelled at one of them, and to find out that they don't even remember it, as I apologize for ...whatever I did that time!), and on and on...the list is endless.

Do you ever feel that way? I surely do.  But do you know what our Father says?  "Fear not, I am with you, even till the end of the age.  I go before you and make the rough places smooth.  I have loved you with an everlasting love.  You are mine.  I cause all things to work together for your good."  What wonderful words of comfort, reassurance and love.  And so today, as I arose early in the morning to seek His direction, and wrestled with and brought my fears and concerns before Him, He did what He always does, when I let Him.  He reminded me of the truth of His Word.  And He reminded me again that He is God, and I am not, as He softly spoke to my heart, saying, "Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you."  And He has.  And now I rest in Him, with peace and hope and joy.  Thank you Lord.  Amen.