Pondering

 I was up early, for me, this morning.  I have a busy day ahead.  Lots of schedules to juggle and coordinate.  My thoughts have been on asking the Lord to help me to take one thing at a time and to Trust Him to make a smooth way through it all.  Isaiah 26:3 - "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."  

 I have been praying for a friend's adoption of a daughter from Bulgaria.  God has been doing amazing things.  It is hard to find out about how children live - abandoned, barely cared for.  Praying for many things, especially what our response should be.  I read this morning about street children in Brazil.  It is wrenching.  How it must break God's heart.  Again, what must my response be?

 It is easy to get focused on mundane things, or a busy day, like I have today, but what I need to focus on is "What does God have for me in this day?"  What lessons does He want to teach me?  What blessings does He want me to be aware of?  How can I respond in love in challenging situations?

 God wants us to grow in character more than he wants us to be comfortable.  I tend to grow and then like to stay there...not to continue to be stretched and challenged.  He wants to keep moving us onward and upward.  Philippians 4:13 - "I press toward the goal for the prize, of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  I want to have the same desire as Paul did, pressing on in Christ Jesus.

 I desire to see this in my children as well.  The onward growth of walking with the Lord.  I want to shield them from apathy - I want their 'doing' for the Lord to be a natural out pouring from their relationship with Him, and not instead of having a relationship with Him.

He is good.  He wants His best for us.  Instead of us asking Him to bless our efforts, we need to make sure we are doing what He wants us to do, through Him.

I am thankful that He loves me, that His mercies are new every morning. 

What are you pondering these days?