I’ve got a cold. My husband used to sleep like the dead but now wakes up if I so much as clear my throat. I didn’t want to wake him, so I went downstairs, got on the couch, all the while coughing and hacking, with disgusting, vile junk coming out of my body. It was 5:30 am and the moon was so bright, coming through the living room window that I was contemplating closing the shades. And then, I just felt a peace and began to thank God for his love. I thanked Him for always being there for me and loving me.
I decided to read a little before I tried to go back to sleep. Every night, I read my bible and then something else before I eventually drift off to sleep. Right now, I’m reading Something Wonderful, by Judith McNaught. It’s a historical romance, one of my favorite genres. Don’t judge.
Anyway, I took some NyQuil last night and I got sleepy reading my bible and drifted off before I could finish the chapter or even start on my fluffy book. If you want to know the truth I might have done this because I watched television too long. First, it was an episode of 48 Hours and then The Office. I love true crime and comedies. Sometimes I wonder about myself.
So, when I opened up my iPad at 5:30, instead of my fluffy book, there was my bible, right where I drifted off. I think God saved it for when I was awake so I wouldn’t miss it.
Now, I usually just read the New Testament but I had decided that I was going to read through the Old Testament too, finally. I’ve tried to do it over the years but I’ve always given up by the time I got midway through Exodus. The descriptions of the curtains, colors, types of wood and such of the tabernacle was just too much. I felt bad but not bad enough to keep reading. Well, here I am again and, believe it or not, I’ve made it to the book of Numbers. What?!
So, having said all that, here is what I read that made me smile and warm all over. God was talking to Moses and telling him to tell Aaron, as the priest, to tell the people of Israel the following…
The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Wow! I sure don’t deserve it, but I’ll take it and be thankful for it.
I love to go where everybody knows my name. Church, not the bar. Ha-ha! But sometimes I look to the things of this world to give me happiness, joy, and peace. They do. They do give me joy like buying a new outfit or going on vacation. But have you ever noticed how it doesn’t last? You’re thinking, what’s next?
I’m ashamed to say that when life is going my way and everything is hunky dory, I don’t have as much time for God. Tomorrow I’ll pray more. Tomorrow I’ll spend more time with God. Tomorrow I’ll read an extra chapter but right now I’m going to watch a few more TikTok videos. Yesterday I watched the most hilarious video of these two ladies on church television singing, “The Devil’s in the phone booth calling 9-1-1.” That’s just gold.
Well, God is always there when you come back. He’s there when you need him and he’s there when you think you don’t need him. His son died for you and his spirit abides in you. The relationship you have with him is what gives you peace and joy and it’s always there, waiting on you, even when you’ve turned your back on him. Yesterday is forgotten and today is full of promise.
Thank you, God. Thank you for loving me when I don’t deserve it. Thank you for sending your son to pay for my sins when he didn’t deserve it. Thank you for your spirit that is within me, always.
Karen G. Bruce 