Life!

I snuggled in my bed this morning enjoying the warmth under the blankets and the silence in the house.

This wouldn't last for long.

I read a Psalm. I loved it. It spoke about what a blessing God's laws are.

This isn't the mindset of our world, is it? A lot of people don't think "directions and rules from God... YES!" But it's true. As my relationship with God has deepened over the years I have really grown to love His commands. I can feel in my heart that following God's directions is the way to the full life that we all seek. We can look to The One who sees so much more than we ever will. He will show us the way to a life full of joy and blessing and love. The biblical kind. The heavenly kind.

Read with me:

The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.
The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy.
The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
God's reputation is pure, enduring forever.
The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together.

God's Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds.
They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.

There's more: God's Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way? Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work.

(From Psalm 19 The Message and NIV mixed)

Here are a few of 'God's ways' that the Holy Spirit has been highlighting to me lately:

"It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

and regarding training my children:

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11

and checking me on the motives of my heart and my actions:

"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart." Proverbs 21:2

and the golden rule, which has come alive for me:

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you." Matthew 7:12

It's almost like God's commands so often suggest that we do the opposite of what we feel like we want to do. Our earthly selves are so sinful, so stupid. If we believe in what Jesus did for us on the cross and have the Holy Spirit living in us, then we have the ability to 'rise above' these earthly bodies and not do as our flesh wants us to do. It's like the world teaches us that freedom to do what we want is so great. But God gives us ways to be free from ourselves and our naturally sinful desires.

Know what is great? Freedom from self and the ability to do what God wants. I can be selfish, manipulating, prideful creature. Who would like me? Not even myself. God shows us ways to get beyond ourselves. To see the big picture. To put others before ourselves.

Oh my.

I have a long way to go. I'll never be sinless. I'll never fully 'make it' until I reach heaven. For as many times as I feel like I do the right thing I must do the wrong thing ten times over. I'm not preachin' to you. I'm preachin' to myself.

Do you know what it comes down to? It comes down to a ba-zillion little decisions I make all day long. Am I gonna choose the bad response, the okay response, or the best response? Am I gonna say the wrong thing, the okay thing, or the best thing?

I just have to decide. That's all. A ba-zillion little daily decisions.

And so I forge ahead during this journey on Earth because I know that this is the path to life. Real life. A full life. It's not a life without struggles and hurt and pain. But it is a life full of joy despite those things. And that is what I want. I can feel in my heart that God's ways really are better than diamonds. His ways DO lead us to hidden treasure. And I trust Him. I will keep following as best I can, knowing that He still loves me when I fail.

I am so thankful for His ways.

There really is no god like Him. He's so different from what the world has to offer.

Hallelujah and Amen.