It happened again - God's Surprise was in the waking up. Not that I woke up but that it happened at 4:45 this morning! Yep - wide awake with no intention of going back to sleep despite my desperate pleas. So I gave up and immediately thought of Samuel being called by God in the middle of the night. Then my mind flipped to Solomon being called in the middle of the night. I just said, "Ok God. Your servant is listening." I've been listening all day.....
As I was getting ready for the day, I was thinking about something and I thought, "That isn't lost on me." I've noticed myself saying that a lot lately. I guess counting your blessings makes you realize how many you have. When you realize you don't deserve any of them, you don't take them for granted!
I would say that God pretty clearly answered a couple of prayers that I've been praying lately. This week I've been praying II Corinthians 1:3-4 which says: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. Insert sigh here! In an exhausting, weary world, comfort is something we all need. In a state of troubled spirit, compassion is an ache. I'm so thankful that I have a Father who grants compassion and comfort of heart! Not only does He offer it but He equips us with it. Talk about a task set before us....He covered me today!
Those prayers came in handy during recess/lunch today when a student decided to throw all kinds of things around the room. I'm not talking pencils and spit wads either. I'm talking a lunch card, a yard stick covered in clothes pins, and almost a chair. God's comfort and compassion talked the chair back on the ground instead of it being hurled into the chalkboard. Thank you, Father, for that one!
Through it all, God is weaving a thread of mercy for me. Honestly, I've always struggled with understanding mercy. I can define it for you perfectly but truly getting it? Not until probably Sunday. Grace I understand a little bit better. Mercy? Not so much. It wasn't until I was praying the scripture above that I hit my knees and was humbled by His compassion and mercy. I am SO thankful that God withholds judgements that I too quickly make or hold on to. I am floored that He would look into my human heart and not be disgusted by it. I am infinitely thankful that God is my judge and I am not. What a mess I would be in! His mercies are truly new every morning!
Now, I'm about to give in to the comfort of my bed in eager anticipation of tomorrow's mercies. 4:45 just hit me......
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