Jesus Calling, February 18th

(For the last month or so I've been going through the yearly devotional "Jesus Calling". It is a very introspective, personal and reflective book. The author shares things she feels God has personally said to her, for her. She also includes scripture. My pattern has been to read the devotion, highlight portions, look at the scripture, and then journal on what spoke to me). For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT) "I AM WITH YOU. These four words are like a safety net, protecting you from falling into despair. . . The promise of My Presence limits how far down you can go." So often I (we) are in the 'pit of despair' when we call on God. What a great thought that he is our 'safety net' and protects (prevents) us from falling into despair in the first place. We don't have to get to that point. IF we find ourselves there, maybe we bypassed the 'safety net'. Something to think about. "Sometimes you may feel as if you are in a free fall . . . Yet as soon as you remember that I am with you, your perspective changes radically." This can be SO true. I am so good at letting circumstances, emotions, people affect me negatively to the point where I feel completely 'out of control'--like free falling. BUT, when I stop (or God puts a reminder in my path) my perspective DOES change radically. The feeling of falling just stops. So . . . how do we get that perspective? By remembering these words, "I am continually with you; you hold my right hand." How do we remember this in the midst of the fall? Make a choice to 'walk' with Him daily--talk to him, read His Word. Make Him a part of all you do. Psalm 73:23-26 (ESV) I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel,and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail,but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.