Life Keeps Getting Better Each Day!
Favorite Scriptures Day #14
Today, Stephanie and I have been married 47 years. that is nearly THREE TIMES as long together as we have been a part. I know people say this all the time, but I believe it with all my heart.
I LOVE HER MORE TODAY than ever before!
But today is different than yesterday and yesterday was different than the day before. As a matter of fact, 47 years, 564 months, 2,444 weeks, and 17,155 days and there is not a boring, duplicate day in any of them. Each day has been new. Each day has been adventurous, and I am thankful for all of them.
"The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him." (Lamentations 3:23, NLT)
That has been true about God working in our marriage for 17,155 days. God has been faithful to Stephanie and I. He has brought newness, love, joy, and mercy to our lives each day. Life with Stephanie has been filled with God's watchful hand, his guiding light, and protective shield. OUR HOPE IS COMPLETELY IN HIM!
I was thinking about all of that as I was approaching my NEXT FAVORITE SCRIPTURE.
Matthew 6:9-13, is one of the most memorable scriptures of all time.
Pray like this:
"Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins. as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don;t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one." (Matthew 6:9-13, NLT)
I love typing that out of the New Living Translation because it seems like a NEW SCRIPTURE instead of the version I have memorized from my childhood.
Let me ask a little bit of a controversial question this morning! Can you get TOO familiar with SCRIPTURE?
I think the real answer is NO. HOWEVER, I do believe there are very familiar scriptures that we just glance over while we are studying God's word and we have become so familiar with it that it has lost it's power with us. That is DEFINITELY NOT A PROBLEM with GOD'S WORD. It is a problem with us and with our heart.
Marriage COULD get mundane, boring, and so ROUTINE that it loses its value. But, that only happens if we let it. It is a choice whether we value our marriage more now than ever just like it is a choice if we read the LORD'S PRAYER with fresh eyes each time we read it.
I love the words of this passage. It speaks to my heart helping me to focus on My FATHER in heaven. It reminds me it is all about him and his kingdom, not about me. It is a reminder that I have a role in his kingdom here on earth and I need to take that role with seriousness and accept it with JOY. But, as I am trying to do his will on earth, I mess up and need HIS forgiveness. Yet, I also need to offer forgiveness to others. Jesus told us we need to forgive others or we will not be forgiven. I also know, through this scripture that I have nothing except through the power of my HEAVENLY FATHER. I receive the food I eat, the clothing I have, only through his perfect grace and mercy. AND even with those gifts I still have a tendency to fall away, seeking my own path. I need to Lord's help to fight the temptation to lead MY OWN LIFE instead of the one he designed for me. I CAN'T DO LIFE WITHOUT THE LORD.
That is how I read the Lord's Prayer today.
Just like I look at my marriage as a new chapter each day, I also look at God's word, fresh, new, and full of life each time I open this precious book. It never gets old. It never gets boring. It is how I sustain my life! Thank You Lord. Thank you for YOUR WORD. Thank you for the GIFT of my lovely wife. I am beyond words knowing I deserve nothing and you gave it all!
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