John 1:4-5

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood it.
- John 1:4-5

 Christ has life for all of us.  That life shines out, so that all that seek him can find him.  He loves you.

John 1:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

- John 1:1-3

We see Christ with God and is God shining in the void as creation began.  From him, all through the process of creation and through the time that followed he left a trail for each of us, so that we can know him and learn to be a reflection of him.

Anxious Feelings

I'm feeling anxious, wondering if my time is meaningless.  Like most people, I want my life to have meaning, but what is it that gives life meaning?  How do I find purpose as I live?  What plans has God designed for me?  How do I live up to his standards?  Is that even possible?

Lord, Father, have mercy on me.  There is no way I can be worthy of your love, but I know that you love me anyway.  Thank you for your love.  Please help me to show your love to the rest of the world even when I'm not feeling it.  Help me to be a reflection of you and to live with your purpose for my life even when I don't know what that purpose it.  Thank you for your guidance.  I love you.  In all things may your will be done.  Amen.

Made to Love

 

Stormy Unicorn

 

Desire for Reconciliation

Based on the Message: Solo (An Uncommon Devotional) - Day 1.

• Genesis 3:1-10 - How does this passage speak to your situation today?
• The woman saw the tree looked good and "realized what she would get out of it."  Do I do that - look at something and not stop to think about the moral ramifications of the action - only about what I would get out of it?  It didn't stop there either, the woman didn't just eat the fruit herself, but gave some to her husband to eat, and then when their eyes were opened, they didn't fess up to the sin, but tried to hide it.
• In my desire to find a husband and have a family I find myself looking for places to hang out and not caring about the atmosphere or if it would be pleasing to God for me to be there or not.  Am I ignoring sin in favor of getting what I want?
• What will happen when I get what I want?  Will it really be what I want?  Will I be ashamed and try to hide from God?

• God, I don't believe it is intrinsically wrong to go to bars or clubs, but in the garden it wasn't wrong for the man and woman to eat fruit from the trees, only from the one tree God had forbidden.  I want a husband.  I want a family.  But I don't want to be ashamed of the actions I take to get those.  I want to make you proud.  Please help guide my steps and my actions so that I don't fall into the sinful trap laid out before me.  Help me wisely choose the places I go to find a husband.  I know I have to get out of the house to meet people, but help me know where out of the house is the right people that will give me strength to follow you.  I have a rebellious heart and a willful spirit, but I don't want to displease you.  I know you have my best interest at heart.  You love me more than I could ever hope to love anyone else.  Give me wisdom to discern your will and strength to follow your ways.

• Knowing that you and everyone else on earth have rebelled against God, what do you feel?  In what ways does this knowledge affect the way you live your life?
• It's hard not to be rebellious.  I know I want to be comfortable and loved and not told how to live my life.  If I feel that way I'm sure at least, some others feel the same.  How could I help others with my same attitude know that they are loved and that God's ways is the best way without inciting those rebellious thoughts and emotions by making them feel that I am trying to control their lives?  If I was trying to reach myself, how would I do it?
• First I would have to be willing to hear out the person trying to reach me, so prayer would be the first step - praying that I was receptive to hearing the message.  
• Second, the message would have to be presented in a reasonable, non-threatening, non-confrontational way.  It would need to be logically presented as another option of a way to live.
• Third, once it is established as a logical faith and a reasonable option, then it can be shown that it is actually a better way that it is possible to follow.  It doesn't matter how much better the life style is if I don't believe I can do it. 
• Somehow throughout all of this, if you can keep from making me feel judged, but instead loved and wanted.

• If God knows everything, why did he call out to Adam asking, "Where are you?"
• I think God was giving Adam the chance to fess up and not just confess, but to know he could have.  God was allowing Adam the choice to admit to his sin or to deny it.

• When are you most tempted to hide? 
• Shame or fear of failure is what makes me want to hide the most.  I don't want to do it wrong so quite often I do nothing.  I pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist, because that is easier.  But what is right?

Prayer

Lord,
Help me to pray.
Give me strength to turn back to you.
Teach me surrender to your will.
Guide my feet back to your path. 
I've been crawling on my hands and knees,
And I need your hand to lift me up.
I need you to fill the void in my core.
I need you.

Amen.