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“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

(2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV)

Lord, am I content with these seemingly bad things?  I want the power of Christ to rest upon me, but I confess that I don’t want to really need Your power.  I want it to be overflow, not my “if I don’t have this I will truly go under” power and grace.

Oh, Lord, how shortsighted and sinful I am!  Because of what You have done for me — because You took on my sin and paid the death penalty I should have received — I can be content with–

weaknesses — a physical body that has been bruised and broken by illness and injury

insults — being misunderstood; being “left out;” having my motives and actions judged

hardships — learning once again to “live life” in a new way; prioritizing; letting go; doing without

persecutions — God, give me grace and strength to face them squarely

calamities — God, give me peace in the midst of the many storms

When I am weak, Your strength can shine through.  Lord, I want to become “faceless” — I truly want people to glorify and honor You because they have been in contact with me.

“But He [God] said, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV)

Father, thank you for your power.  Thank you for not leaving me to myself, but constantly extending your grace to me.  Sometimes life is overwhelming, but I don’t have to live it on my own.  Your grace is always there, your power is always enough.

You are enough.  Please keep me needy enough to never forget that.

Deuteronomy 30:19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (NLT)

Moses is concluding his final address to his people that he has led for forty years through a wilderness.  They have seen God perform mighty miracles; they have experienced rescue; they have experienced disaster and death when they refused to obey God.  I can hear Moses’ passion — almost begging them to do the right thing after he is gone.  It’s for their own good; it’s for your life!

God, You have given me your Word.  My life.  You reveal Your will to me and admonish me to choose life.  Don’t choose my own way; it will lead to disaster.  But You say, even when I choose my own way, that there is a way to return and once again embrace life.

Lord, I just can’t wrap my mind around the depth of  Your mercy!  I want to choose life.  I want to choose You.

In “Today in the Word” the focus for the month of April is on the book of Mark.  Here are some questions I was challenged to ask myself:

What do I do each day to point people to Christ?

Is there anything about me that will block their way?

How can I lessen the attention on myself, and direct their attention to Christ?

I plan to ask these questions often over the next several days. . .

“I will be glad and rejoice in Your unfailing love, for You have seen my troubles, and You care about the anguish of my soul.”  Psalm 31:7 (NLT)

God, You see everything, and You care.  Your love is always there.  Even when my heart is weighed down, even when I can’t see through to “the end,” I can count on Your unfailing love.

I have made the decision to be glad and rejoice in Your unfailing love.  You know about my troubles and anguish — I don’t need to concentrate on them — I can concentrate on Your unfailing love and care for me.  You are so wonderful!