Acts 2:24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
This verse caught my eye today. Impossible for death to keep its hold on him. It just creates a picture in my mind of how strong and mighty our God is. I just see Jesus in hell with flames and demons grabbing at his broken and bleeding flesh. How weak he must have been at that point, having been beaten and hung up on a cross for hours, but Jesus is fight back, rising from the grave; overpowering the flames and demons. Yet, my Jesus is so strong, after his death, it was impossible for hell to win. It is impossible for anything to win when it is against God's will.
This makes me stop and think. What am I doing today that is against God's will? What am I doing that is in God's will? Do I stop and ask enough? Do I pray for his guidance enough? Sadly, I know the answer to these last two questions is no. I am so weak in the prayer dept. I resolve every year to do better at praying more than just the 'heat of the moment' prayers where it is a dire need or even just a quick "Thank you, Jesus" type of prayer. I don't purpose enough in my prayers to seek God's guidance, to find his will and mostly to stop and listen to what his answer is. Because, just as this verse shows, it is impossible to keep God dead. God is very much alive and I need to purpose every day that he live in me and in my every action. I know one thing I need to surrender to him is my temper. I have been quite sleep deprived lately and my middle child can trigger my temper like nothing I have ever seen before. Heck, I didn't even know I had a temper until she came along (for the most part that is). I have to give this to him and hold on tight to His loving responses to be able to make it through a confrontation with her without losing it. Frankly, I haven't been holding on very tightly lately and I need to give this up and turn to him. Help me, Lord. I can't do that one alone.
Father, God, I pray that you will light a spark in my heart for prayer. The desire to do it is there, but I am lacking the discipline. Help me find a trigger that will remind me to earnestly seek your will each and every day. Help me see anything in my life right now that is not in your will and help me be willing to give it up. Help me stop and think of you when I want to lose my temper with Miss Firecracker. Give me a loving response instead of my temper. Make me an example to my children, that they might see my prayer life and learn to live a life of prayer. I am not perfect and I have a long way to go, a lot to learn, but I know that you have to power to get me where you want me to be. You are working in me and around me every day. Keep working, Lord. Shape me. Mold me. Use me.
Post title is lyrics from Robert Lowry's "Up From the Grave He Arose".
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