God's Gentle Prodding

God has a way of making inroads into our lives. He loves us enough to do that without us even asking. Sometimes he loves us enough to make his way into our lives even when we ask him not to. His ways our not our ways, that's for sure. This morning I was doing my devotions and the journal I'm working in said, "Now, take some time and ask the Lord if there is any unrevealed sin in your life." The first thing I thought was, "Okay, time for a shower." But dutifully, I bowed my head, afraid of what the Lord might say - kind of hoping he wouldn't say anything - and asked the Lord to reveal any sin in my life to which I may be ignorant. My sin? Wouldn't you like to know?!? The funny thing is, I did sit there and listen for a little bit but I don't really think I truly bowed my heart to his and truly wanted him to reveal something to me that, once removed from my life, would draw me closer to him.

This morning, as I was sitting at my desk reading the Southern Spirit, I came across an article by Captain Jim McGee that's entitled "I am against sin...just not my own." How very appropriate and how very timely. "That's me," I wanted to shout as I read along. I am the same way. McGee reminds his readers of Pauls words in Romans 7:18 - 19, "For I have desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing." Why is it that I don't even want to bow my head to find out what it is the Lord wants to remove from my life? I'm afraid of the change it will cause in my life - or God forbid the steps He will require me to take to correct that sin.

Lord, sometimes my life in you seems so difficult - so hard to achieve and yet you wait patiently for me to come to you. There are times when I so easily lay down my entire life at your feet and say, use me as you will and yet there are other times when I just don't want to even walk into your presence out of fear. Lord, help me to accept your abundant grace that I will never understand but will always need. Then, help me to want holiness, not a substitute or a quick fix job but a continual desire to become holy as your are.

Thank you for your gentle prodding and your loving carresses. Teach me something new about you today.

Amen