So I have a few things on my mind this morning as we take this permission to pause
I came to my prayer chair this morning after quite a few days actually of not making it to my chair
I have shared here before that prayer can happen anywhere and everywhere but it is a good thing to have a place where you feel your mind your heart your body settle into the presence of God automatically without a lot of work
I have had my prayer chair for about 35 years in fact my daughter has claimed it to be hers in my will
it’s been recovered a few times over the years
when I say but when I sit down in my prayer chair with my coffee beside me
my pens my journal my various devotionals my various study books whatever I’m studying at the moment the lamp that sits beside me
I open the curtains that are beside the prayer chair y to the bay window that looks out over our beautiful property to see the weather if the sun streams in between the trees or it’s cold and ovrecast like it has been for the past many weeks
Today the sun is popping up and I can actually see daffodil blooms breaking through the ground
As life would have it--today as I came to my prayer chair with prayers already on my lips and praise in my heart for something that is set to occur this weekend that has been fervently prayed out and has much hope involved
I went to put my coffee down on the little table beside my prayer chair and the entire cup of hot steaming hot coffee tipped over and poured all over everything
it poured on my Bible
it poured on my journal
it poured on the blanket basket sitting next to the table
it poured down the table and down the walls
it poured over the electric cords that were tucked behind the little table
it was quite literally a hot mess
To my surprise--I actually giggled out loud
all I could think of is how hard the enemy has been working in this particular circumstance going on in our lives and how he is so so close to defeat I could almost picture him right there in that spot next to my prayer chair next to my study materials next to the faith that was walking into the room with and just throwing a little temper tantrum
which consisted of dumping hot coffee all over my space
but instead of discouragement, instead of anger instead of crying I was filled with a sudden joy
I knew instantly JOY that is the word for us to puase over today
and the scripture that I want to share is found in James chapter 1:2
consider it PURE joy my sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance it goes on to say that perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking any thing if any of you lacks wisdom she should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to her but when she ask she must believe and not help because she who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind that woman should not think she will receive anything from the Lord she is double minded and unstable in all she does
For whatever reason that verse spilled into my mind as I wiped up coffee—
PURE JOY—
NOT happy, don’t get me wrong—but The Holy Spirited prompted me with PURE Joy--
in fact the next thing that happened that came to my mind is the song I hope you know it the song by Hillsong and I guess by many other Christian artist but it says
I believe in God the father
I believe in Christ the son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
my God is three and one
I believe in the resurrection that we will rise again
I believe in the name of Jesus
those things just popped into my mind right in the middle of that hot mess
later in those words from scripture in James it says
when she asked she must believe and not doubt because she doubts it’s like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind that woman should not think she will receive anything from the word because she has double minded unstable and all she does
Let’s don’t get confused about what James means when he says “double minded”
It is not DOUBLE MINDED to be unsure
to ask God questions
to ask God for clarity for direction for understanding
it simply says in verse six we must believe and not doubt that God WILL IN FACT ANSWER—HE WILL LEAD!
There is a difference
it is OK for you to ask her ask God questions and to seek
clarity
understanding
direction
PURE JOY comes from knowing that right in the middle of the hot mess--God hears, sees, cares and is working—when we ask for wisdom He will either clarify what we need to know or He will do it for us!!
In our moment of pause this week, where we feel confused or we need wisdom, or if you are in the middle of a HOT MESS--lets do our part to look for the PURE JOY, ask God for wisdom and JOYFULLY DECLARE OUR FAITH
we believe in God the father
we believe in Christ the son
we believe in the Holy Spirit
we believe God is three in one
we believe in the resurrection
we believe we will rise again
we believe in the name of Jesus
amen