A couple weekends ago I drove west for about five hours to be with friends for the most difficult time in their life. For the majority of the trip, black clouds swirled to my right with various attempts at forming tornados. To my left, sunshine and gorgeous skies reigned. I managed to stay between the two with only an occasional shower and/or downpour. It wasn’t lost on me that the weather was the perfect example of life.
I was headed into a family’s personal storm where the tornado had touched down and ripped away part of their hearts. There are others in my life who are currently in the good weather phase. I feel I’m straddling those two realities because there are more better days than bad, as I continue to understand what it means to do life as a widow.
If you’re like me, you feel the dark clouds over our nation with tornados touching down here and there. While I believe the actual level of hatred and division is being hyped by the media’s slant and agenda, nonetheless, their strategic plan to spread hatred and fear reveals the intent of men and money that is beyond our control or influence. Let’s not forget whose fingerprints are left on anything that steals, kills, and destroys.
Hold this close to your heart: no matter what it looks like and no matter what it feels like, God is still in control, and He has a deep, wild, crazy, protective love for you. I know just what we need, a little time to sit at God’s table and receive from Him what He offers in the presence of enemies and evil agendas.
There is a sacredness about a table where we sit together and, even more so, when we sit at God’s table. It’s a place where we draw close together to impart wisdom, share about ourselves, and connect with others. Additionally, we find protection, provision, and the very presence of God at His table.
I have this vision that God’s table is elegantly simple, yet what He shares about Himself in this intimate setting is complex and deep. This simplicity that runs extremely deep leaves us full, satisfied, and at peace.
I want to pray over us today. Join me in giving thanks for access to Him in such an intimate communion and for the fact that He is the One who feeds every aspect of who we are. He meets our needs, heals our pain, answers our endless questions, and, the most beautiful thing of all, He gives us His presence in every situation or phase in our lives.
As you read each little paragraph in this prayer, feel free to rephrase/reword and tailor it to your personal weather condition of life and intimate relationship with God. Spending time in this prayer, talking to God about it, and listening to His responses is a beautiful place to spend time. Don’t be afraid to be transparent and genuine. He’ll meet you where you are and give you His peaceful space to be accepted, loved, and renewed.
Father, thank You for choosing me to sit at Your table. Thank You for coming for me, calling me Your much beloved daughter. Thank You that I would be so filled up with who I am to You that when evil comes it finds nowhere to rest on me.
Thank You for inviting me to sit with You and discover Your heart for me in both my pain and my joy. I love that You call me in to spend time with You at your table. As I draw close to Your table, the noise of the world dims.
The beauty of Your presence and Your love for me is captivating, and I am overwhelmed with Your love for me. The beauty of who You are is utterly magnificent.
I sense Your wild, fragrant, colorful, adventurous spirit for me. Your Word is opened and I immediately know that it will satisfy my soul with revelation, wisdom, truth, knowledge, discernment, understanding. Your living water continually fills me and quenches my dry and weary soul.
Your invitation to join You is ongoing, and You passionately pursue my heart to join You at any time of the day or night. You are here every day, all day with an endless supply of whatever I need from the Love of God.
Your affection is kind and gentle. Your devotion solid as a rock. No matter my age You respond to me with the tenderness toward a young daughter. Your word says You do not remember me according to my sins but according to Your great love for me.
Thank You for being the daddy who is deeply devoted to me, Your beloved. Thank You for the extravagance with which You pursue me. I am deeply grateful for Your patience with me. I rely on Your grace and mercy for each day I open my eyes to witness.
I notice the breathtaking view. You are high and lifted up. There is no rival to You and You have no equal. No one dares tread on Your ground, but You invite me to walk freely and openly with You. To enjoy all that is Yours. In Your presence I experience the beauty of relationship as it was meant to be.
Not a hair on my head will be disturbed without Your knowledge. You never show up empty handed so, no matter the circumstance, You already have a plan of redeeming anything that is less than who You are.
Thank You, Father, that there is nothing that can set its hand against You. You have dominion over heaven and earth. Things known and known, seen and unseen answer to You. You are not hurried or fearful. Everything is exactly on time according to Your Kingdom calendar.
Thank You for loving me with an everlasting love that transcends this life and stretches into eternity. Thank You for first loving me. Give me the beauty of Your presence in every breath of every day. I need YOU; I choose You, and I love You.
Amen
NOW LIVE LOVED and THRIVE!
Self-Reflection
These questions are in no way a substitute for healthcare professionals or any level of professional counseling. I’m an advocate for taking care of oneself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. These questions reflect my heart, NOT my profession.
This questionnaire is an opportunity to journal your thoughts and feelings. It can serve as a launching pad on which to evaluate your heart condition as you understand it. My hope is that you will take the truths you discover about yourself and hold them up to the Light to evaluate them against who God says you are.
- What is/are your prayer(s)?
- How do you need God to show up in your life?
- What is your biggest fear in the area you’re asking God to show up in?
- With regard to your fear, can you trust God with the outcome?
- What habits do you have or could you create that will draw you close to God’s heart?
- What do you think God wants to show you about who He is in your area of request?
- Are you talking to God or at God?
- What are you doing to cultivate an intimate relationship with God where you know His heart for you?
- If God has not answered, why do you think that is?
- Do you believe God is good? Do you believe He sees you and cares for you? Why or why not?
Talk to God about your answers. Give Him praise, ask Him questions and then listen for His gentle response.
Take Action
Use God’s word to take control over the traumas in your life. Whenever you feel terrorized by your thoughts take them captive by replacing them with the truth of God’s promises in His word.
Here is a scripture for you to print, cut and carry with you and/or post in places where you will see it often. Ground yourself in God’s truths not Satan’s attacks. Encourage your heart and mind every time you are reminded of His great love for YOU!
Here is what God’s Word says about His unfailing, relentless, unending love for you:
“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19
Translation: Because God’s extravagant riches exceed anything we have reference to, there is no need to worry or have anxiety over what we need. Draw close to God, worship and praise Him. Request from Him what you need and wait confidently in His love for you.
