A Change of Rhythm

With a new baby brings a change in the rhythm of things, to say the least! Still not one complaint or anything I would change. But finding time to stay connected to God, my husband and myself has proved to be a challenge with our new "little boss"! I watch the news now more than ever, so there have been many things that have outraged me that I've been thinking and writing about. (By the way, if gas prices were "record breaking" yesterday, doesn't that mean they are "record breaking" today too. But without fail it is said everyday!) But I just don't feel that those outrages should take this post. These days time alone is precious. Instead I wanted to share some of the scriptures that have stopped me in my tracks in the last few weeks!

James 1:6-8 (TNIV)
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; 8 they are double-minded and unstable in all they do.
God wants us to be decisive. I struggle with that sometime - often I cheat and let time make a decision for me. But God wants us to make up our minds and not fear failures or mistakes.

Hebrews 10:10 and 14 (NLT)
10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
In Christ we are complete right now - in Him we are whole. Jesus did everything we will ever need. There's nothing left to add or change. There is no sacrifice left for us to bring Him - He did it all. We can't add to what He has already done - not holding on to the past, not forgiving ourselves, not hanging on to our mistakes. Jesus has done all we need and we just have to grasp on to the truth that in Him we are complete!

Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
Being made holy seems to be a ongoing theme for me. God's love must come first - it is through His love that we have the power and security that enables us to be holy and fulfill our God given purpose.

Galatians 5:22
The fruit of the spirit Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control; those things are resources from God. I rethink things now, to say "I have no patience" is to say "God really doesn't have enough power to give that to me." But these are God's resources that give us the power, that isn't naturally within us, to live differently.

Genesis 1:27 (TNIV)
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Imagine the possibilities when we put into practice being made in His image? How would you look at yourself differently? How would you look at others differently? I am stuck here in this verse - considering how different my life should be just because of that verse. So I'm doing lots of writing and study on that theme...I'll get back to you on that.