Accountability

With the creation of several other blogs, this one has clearly fallen to the wayside, but I've been inspired to start using it as a means of spiritual accountability. Why, after 32 years of life, I still fall short in the area of daily alone time with the Lord, I just do not know. Well, that's not entirely true. I do know. It's a product of my choices which often are not based on what is top priority but just top desire. So I hope to start making a daily record of what I feel God is saying to me through the reading of His word and time spent in prayer. Just knowing that I've put this in writing and that it's out and about in cyberspace where hopefully a few of you will read it will help in keeping me accountable. And so I begin....
This morning I began an Advent devotional which I have already found to be a powerful reminder of the true Reason for this Christmas season. The author, Jeffrey DeVries (the title is Unto Us a Child... if you're interested), shares his meditation on the question "What child is this?", the essential question leading into this Advent season. I could relate to his struggle to ask such a "hard" question as this, a question that must be answered not just with our head but with our whole being. And sometimes we don't like to ask those types of questions because we know it will require an answer that costs us. The question "What child is this?" leads us to the answer: our Savior. The God of heaven who chose to come to earth as one of us, wrapped up in a broken, fallible body. And why? Because of his GRACE. Recognizing and accepting that our God has made this sacrifice for us certainly requires something in return: our surrender. Surrendering our ways, desires, wishes, and will. Surrendering them once and for all. Killing them. Stone cold dead, in DeVries' words. Basking in the Lord's grace means that when I know the answer to "what child is this?", "I am called to do more than know the answer. I am called to live it." That is no easy task in a world so fallen as ours.
In preparation for the devotional, I read the suggested passage of Isaiah 40. I love this portion in the Bible for so many reasons! For one thing, many of the passages are set to music in Handel's Messiah, which is my absolute favorite selection of music this time of year. Secondly, there is so much encouragement from the Lord in these verses: particularly is verses 28 - 31 (for those of us raised in the faith, the well-known passage about soaring on wings like eagles). I was reminded again that my way is not hidden from the Lord. He sees me and knows my needs. He is a God of everlasting strength and is able to renew mine as I hope in Him. I was also encouraged by verses 17 and 23. In this time of political turmoil and disappointment wrought by our world leaders, it is a blessing to know that there is one more powerful than the president, one in better control than any dictator, king, or general. One who sees, knows, and directs all. Our Savior God. "Before him all nations are as nothing...He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing." I know He can also use these rulers for His purposes but the point is just that....HIS purposes. Not those of fallen man.
And to end today, I give you verses 10 and 11 which paints a dual picture of the God we serve, emphasizing both His power and His loving mercy:
"See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."
As a mom I am particularly blessed today by that last part, knowing that He gently leads me as I strive to gently lead my young.