Lamentations 2:22 - 23
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.

I am so very thankful for these verses in Scripture. His steadfast love never ceases; His mercies never come to an end ... they are new every morning; great is His faithfulness!

To me these verses mean I begin anew this morning, I don't wait for later or tomorrow, for a new week or new year ... they are new today.
Do we realize, as a people who have been called unto God by God Himself, how awesomely good He is to us? His mercies mean I can begin anew in my prayer and devotional time .. and I did that this morning. Rather than use the words I've thought I was supposed to use, I simply talked to Him as I would to a cherished friend. I quieted myself to listen for anything He might imprint on my heart. What came to me was "be consistent". I take that to mean that I'm to continue doing what I did earlier today ... make time to be alone with the One who redeemed me by His blood. Make time to worship Him with my words and my life. Be attentive to the promptings of His precious Holy Spirit. Be aware that this world isn't my home, I'm here as a pilgrim and an ambassador of the King of Kings. My time is in His hands and He can take it at any time He chooses. Therefore, I must be consistent in my walk ... my thoughts ... my prayers ... my all.

If the Lord wills, I shall begin doing the weeding I talked about last night. I'm not involved in anything overtly sinful, I'm just involved in so much good stuff that I've allowed it to overshadow the Best. More than once in the book of Revelation, the Lord tells different churches that "He knows their works ..." and then, in all but one instance, He adds, "but this I have against you..."

Supposing our Father came to our home today and talked face to face with us ... what would He have to say about our works and would there be a "but" that finished His sentence?

I am not advocating a works salvation. We are saved by Grace (a free undeserved gift from God), through faith in Jesus Christ alone and His completed work on the cross at Calvary and resurrection from the dead. We are saved unto good works that God has prepared for us to do for His purposes. (Ephesians 2)

After reading that, I realize that there are times in my life that I must lay down what "I" want to do and pick up and do what the Lord has for me. I must be alert to His promptings and be quickly willing to obey Him. It must be His will, not mine, that rules my life.

We are on a journey that will lead children of God to their eternal, heavenly Home. I need to walk as close as I can to the One who leads and be always ready to heed His voice and do as He says. I must spend time with Him so that when I do reach heaven, it won't seem a strange place to me, but one I've been walking toward for a long, long time.

Will you walk with me? Will you be willing to lay aside any weight that hinders, regardless of how cherished it is to you? Will you help me to stay on course and keep my focus where it should be? Will you allow me to help you as we head towards Home?

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. I Thess. 5:24