He really does!

On the way to work the other day, I was listening to the radio and they were talking about an interview in 2013 of Maya Angelou done by Oprah Winfrey.  At one point Maya was talking about a time when she was reading to her mentor (the name of both the mentor and book escape me right now), but she recalled one line that she read:

“God loves me.”

He had her read it again

“God loves me”

and again:

“God loves me”

She then, like only she could, poetically and from the soul, said, “He does, the one who created the rivers and the trees, loves ME!”

The host allowed for a few moments of silence and then tried to put into words how inspired he felt by that exchange.  I didn’t listen, but instead turned off the radio and started to ponder that very statement.  Audibly I said it…God loves me….God loves me… and then I drove in silence for the next 15 or 20 minutes contemplating that statement.  With tears filling my eyes from the shear amazement of His love, I said it again…God LOVES ME!!!

Find some time today to say it out loud over and over again and then consider that statement.  Please don’t just say it and then pass over it.  Say it, mean it, know it.  God does love me and God does love you……what an amazing gift…

Oh Lord why me? Why now? Why today?

Have you ever asked this question whether it’s first thing in the morning when you’re dreading the day ahead of you or maybe as you’re going through something like this at work?  Rarely do I have this feeling, but today I woke up wanting to pull the covers over my head and hide.  As a guy, you won’t find many who will admit to this feeling but it does happen.  That feeling that something was going to absolutely fall apart and you’ll be left holding the shards of your day.

I have to imagine Judas of Iscariot must have felt that way the morning before his infamous kiss of betrayal.  Imagine waking up knowing that history is written. You’ve been given the task to not only turn your back on a man you’ve followed, believed in, spoken His words, but now you must identify him – knowing  that He will face torture and certain death.   In the end, Judas cannot face his actions and his remedy is far from ideal.

What I faced the other day cannot compare to the decisions facing him, and the outcome of my choices during the day will certainly not have the same effect on a friend, family member, or co-worker yet that does not change my thoughts.  It does not minimize my fear from what I might face.  Judas followed through with his plan, truly God’s plan.  He however, could not face the decisions that he made.  There is nothing we cannot face in our daily lives with a little help.  Some days it comes readily and others we must extend our hand up and or out and ask.

So today and every day before you pull the covers down, or up over your head start your day with this:

Lord, I don’t know what today holds for me but today I need Your help.  I reach out my hand for Yours to guide me and lead me along the path You’ve set for me to follow..  Amen