Yo, God ~~~~Facing instead of flinching

1 Sam 17:41-48 paraphrase: Goliath walks out toward David and shouts at him. David replies, "you come with swords and weapons I come to you in the name of The Lord. He will conquer you today and everyone will know God doesn't need weapons to rescue His people." Then David quickly ran out to meet Goliath. 

As I began my morning exercise my mediation was on the story of David and Goliath. I bet David never had to lift weights, I thought to myself. Instantly putting a damper on my pity party I started to think about what David encountered when he faced his giant. 

 David in this story had a chance to face Goliath or flinch. He could have cowered back with everyone else but he didn't.  He shouted back at Goliath in the name of The Lord, declaring The Lord. Next thing he does is quickly run out to meet Goliath. 

With each pull at my muscles and the dumbbells I ask God for the strength to be like David who faced his giant instead of flinch. 

Sent from my iPhone

Yo, God~~ Follow instead of Stumble

Jesus said to the people, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have light that leads to life." John 8:12 NLB

As I sit down to meditate on God's word and lift up my weights to stretch my arms I think of the weight on my heart. Whether the dumbbells in my hands are hard or not to lift often depends on yesterday's activities or the lack there of. 

Same with the weight on my heart trying to deal with my cancer. Whether its hard or not to lift depends on yesterday's activities of faith and trust in God. I am promised in God's word that if I follow Him as my guiding light I will not stumble thru the darkness. 

Wow, how is that possible when trying to fight my cancer seems so dark? Every corner has a hidden surprise. Every path seems to be full of dark shadows in between some reflection of light. It's like traveling down a road lined with trees casting their shadows on what should be a well lite trail. 

As I stretched out my arms once again with the dumbbells my heart evidently stretched out as well as I thought of something. God's promise in the Scripture for today isn't well lit, pain free, no stumbling, or smooth paths. His promise is in the darkness we will not stumble if we follow Him. 

It is through the darkness we are led if we are willing to follow Him.  If I find myself tripping I am no different than Peter who was tripping over the waves when he took his eyes off of Jesus on the water. 

Its up to us whether we want to be a Peter or not. As for me, in the darkness I will not stumble because I will follow the one true light that can lead me through it. Together Jesus and I will journey thru my cancer. Him in the lead as always lighting the path before me as I follow. 

Copyright 2014 Karen J Gillett at Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing 

Sent from my iPhone