So, today it was necessary to go on a walk. I'm dealing with some fairly heavy burdens and mind boggling circumstances as of late. It's nothing I won't get through eventually, and am confident will be just another part of the trail I'm walking. I'm so thankful I'm not walking alone and this is what struck me on this beautiful trail at our local park. But there IS pain. At times it is excruciating. This pain is not immune to any of us on earth. There's just a lot that happens to us in life that we can never be fully prepared for. We ponder life's circumstances sometimes and wonder what we would do if faced with the pain of others instead of our own personal pain and circumstances. We can never know that. Each one should listen and learn from the other.
I was fortunate to find a FOUR leaf CLOVER while sitting on a high, grassy knoll at the end of the trail I was on. At the tip of one of the leaves was a heart shape jutting out!! I thought, how cool! Isn't that like God? Always letting us know he loves us and it's not LUCK that plucks us out of our circumstances and our eyes on Him. It's Him and His forever LOVE. As I sat and poured out my troubles to God for what seemed like the hundredth time that week, I felt a new presence around my shoulders. I felt I could get through the next moment. Moment by moment.....taking His hand. As MY shoulders heaved with unending gut sobs over past failures and good intentions gone wrong, I felt God whisper and send the shoulders of His angels saying............"And I have placed you right where I want you. I gave these to you. You are exactly what they need."
Unfortunately, I wasn't to bring my rare treasure home. It quickly fell out of my grasp when I noticed a shiny, black, thin and stretched out appearance from the corner of my eye - slithering along on it's belly moving underneath a wrought iron fence which protected a little monument. I thought, how like the devil that is! Coming along and trying to move our attention off HIS steadfast love and peace and placing it on him! Too often we let go of God's love and security for a cheap counter-fit substitute of many things. Our eyes aren't typically opened until it's too late, but when they are, we see that shiny black thing/person/ circumstance/ issue/ idol for what it is and we run for our lives! And we must be on guard for all of the schemes of the devil trying to creep in where he's not wanted, breaking down our wrought iron fences. We are the defenders of the family!! Be strong mamas!! Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!! And take every thought captive and obedient to Christ!! I start with me. I focus on the heart at the tip of my four leaf clover and where it leads. For it always leads me to HIS heart. Which is gentle and humble in heart. And leads me straight to His arms of Grace. And there are NO safer arms to be held in.
2 Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Is. 40:11
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.
