Lord, Do You Need My Help?

This week, in the study of The Patriarchs, time has been spent with Rebekah...time I needed, time that has resulted in my being less enamored with her!  I just so love the romance of Isaac and Rebekah.  They pause...see each other for the first time...love sparks...they run to decrease the distance between...and they live happily ever after.  Or not.  No. Yes.

Then, she gets pregnant.  With twins.  What a happy time.  Or not.  No.  Yes?

The younger grabs the heel of the younger.  Rebekah is told, "The older shall serve the younger."

As it just so happens, she prefers the younger.

Wait.

She is the mother to both...the older AND the younger.  Times have not changed that much!  A mom loves her babies.  How could she not? 

My enamoredness declines!

As I continued to ponder on this lesson...and later discussed with my husband...sometimes NOT knowing is just for the best.  Certainly so, in my case, for I know myself.  I would just be too tempted to help out.  Just a little.  Here. And there. Or a lot!

Thank you, Jesus, for saving me from myself! 

As I meander over my past, I can now say...isn't hindsight truly 20/20?!...my ways may not be His Ways, but His Ways I always want to my ways.  Every day I seek this more.

Amen!

Pouring Into

This year, I have been reading a devotion a day from Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest, a collection of his scriptures/topics his wife put together after he passed.  Isn’t it just amazing how God can have you in a book in such a timely fashion?

Consider this scripture:  

If I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. - Philippians 2:17

God immediately placed a few areas of my life right there:

1. Our Women’s Conf at church. What a powerful way to approach the conference!  Not want is in the event for me, but how can God use me to pour into others that they may receive such a blessing!  Lord, even now, please begin to prepare the hearts of the women who need to attend this event.  
2. My sister...who is again in the hospital with issues that stem from the surgery she had on Sept. 11. What a journey. What a rollercoaster. Dips and turns. Just never quite anticipating what will happen next. Trying to keep the right attitude when decisions are not made as I would have made them. Learning how to pour into others...even when I don’t want to. Especially when I don’t want do. Lord, help me here to be to my sister and the other three you are using to guide this journey. We need a Shepherd in a mighty way to keep us together, United.  
3. My students...as I get to know them more. They each have baggage and backgrounds that just melt your soul right down to compassion. So many of them needed pouring into. Lord, place those in my path who need the most pouring into. Then, help me love them as you love them!  I know...the ones who need the pouring...may be the one who challenge that very pouring the most! 

How is God speaking to you about this scripture?  Over whom do you need to pour into?  

What I know?  We just can’t outpour God!  We pour...He fills us up again. 

As the song goes, Lord, feed me ‘til I want no more. Fill my cup. Fill it up and make me whole. 

Amen.