trecking on unfamiliar land

Summer is in its full.....and my blog has been empty for weeks! I felt urged today to share a portion of a devotional I started a few weeks ago. I have a special place in my heart for introductions in books. This one in particular is relevant to much of my prayer life the past couple of months....

On Holy Ground - Charles Stanley

Introduction:

“Before you start on a long trip, you usually check to make sure you have everything you need. Nobody wants to be caught unprepared. The good news is that the Lord has already supplied you with everything needed for you spiritual journey (II Peter 1:3)

                You are provisioned to the maximum, with nothing left out or forgotten. And just like a traveler, you appreciate your full suitcase the most when you have the greatest need. The times in which you come to the end of your ability are the very times you realize the abundance of His provision. These special moments can be defined in many ways. In the Scriptures, when men and women experienced a meeting with God, they often respond with awe, brokenness, and repentance. Moses slipped off his sandals. Isaiah cried, ‘Woe is me, for I am undone’ (Isaiah 6:5). All of these fellow travelers, however, inevitably came to the understanding that, at that special moment in time, exposed and in the presence of God, they were standing On Holy Ground. May this be your experience too.

                Don’t try to lug along your own resources for this spiritual journey. Stop striving. Let the Word of God work effectively in you. Trust God and enjoy your trip.”

January’s Theme:

Trusting God

Hebrews 11:8

                “Abraham’s roots were firmly entrenched in the city of Ur. It was a civilized culture. His business was thriving. His family lived there. Yet God spoke to him at age seventy-five to leave all that was familiar and travel to an unknown territory. God promised to bless Abraham if he started down the road by faith.

                Like Abraham, we enter this year unsure of the paths we will walk, but we can make our journey in faith and confidence that God will be with us each step of the way. He has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit to guide us: ‘That you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before’ (Josh. 3:4).

                Perhaps God has been speaking to you about leaving familiar territory, making new steps of faith, or moving on to a new job, a different ministry, new relationships, new geographical location, or a new spiritual commitment. If so, pack your bags. Our journey of faith is beginning.”