I did not open a single present on Christmas, yet I feel like I was given more than I could ever imagine or ask for. God richly blessed me with a sweet family in Christ to celebrate with and answered so many prayers that day.
My birthday today began with the reminder again that the best gifts are the ones from God, and are often not tangible. I was scheduled to work, and at 5:55am my work called and said I could have the day off!!!!! Yay!! Time is an awesome gift from God, a sweet opportunity to rest and reflect on the past year and the year to come.
So 5 minutes later I was dressed and driving with Brittany to morning prayer, another of my favorite things that work usually prohibits me from doing. We meditated on thanking God for His righteousness. How great it is to worship a God who is always right, who does and says nothing out of mean or selfish motives. He is Lord over everything. We pored over Psalm 95 and I saw something beautiful: a call to worship and give thanks with song, a reminder of the greatness of creation, a call to bow and kneel to a God who shepherds us, and a reminder to not harden our hearts when we hear His voice. A call to not test God, but instead to remember what He has done, how He has been faithful in the past.
In the beautiful, living words of God, I was overcome with joy. This week I had to give up something I wanted because God had spoken and He is Lord. I was tempted to ignore His voice and “test” Him, but I acted in obedience even though part of me was pulling in the other direction. I remember the fruit of obedience in this area, I remember how He has so faithfully protected and provided for me in the past, and I’m thankful that His Spirit is stronger than my flesh and my rebellion against His voice.
The Holy Spirit is the best birthday gift ever. Sitting on my living room floor when I got home, I got to play guitar and sing praises to Jesus, for His death on the cross, for reconciliation and redemption, for God’s strength triumphing over everything in me that opposes Him. I am overflowing with joy.
My birthday wish and prayer is that this year will be a year of joy. That it will be overwhelmingly more than any other year yet, that my joy will overflow in seeing God in His Word, in ministry, and in answers to prayer. I’m excited to commit to praying for people specifically in order to see God work and answer and reveal Himself.
I worship You
I give thanks to You
My life is not my own
You are the source of my joy
