“My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.
All of the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Psalm 139:15-16 NIV
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.
All of the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Psalm 139:15-16 NIV
This morning I am remembering how precious I am to my creator. Psalm 139 reminds me that even before I was born, even while my unformed body was being formed God had a plan for my life. Even before my body was formed my soul was there. My body simply became the shell for my precious soul. From the day I was conceived my soul began its eternal journey. This was the first day of my life, even before I was born. The truth is that my outer shell will die and return to dust, but my eternal soul will live on forever.
God’s message to me this morning is Paula, be careful! Take care of the precious cargo that lives inside of you. Nurture and protect your soul because it is everlasting. The choice you make regarding your soul is the most important choice you will ever make. That choice is more important than your career choice, and it is more important than choosing a spouse. It is more important than how much money you have or if you should continue your education. What you do with your soul is the most important choice you will ever make. What I do to nourish my soul is also important.
There are two choices regarding your soul. You will either choose to accept Jesus Christ or you will reject him. Acceptance will lead to eternal joy and rejection will lead to eternal punishment.
I’m going to assume that if you have continued to read my blogs that you are investigating Jesus Christ and Christianity, or that you are already a believer. Either way you have major responsibility. If you are not a believer your first responsibility is to choose to discover the wonderful plan that God has ordained for your soul before you were born. If you are a believer, your responsibility is to nourish your soul.
The garden of prayer is that place deep within your shell of a body where you will connect and communicate with God. Prayer is how you enter that garden and it is where your soul is nourished and cared for. Just as we care for a beautiful garden we must care for our soul. Meeting God in the garden is our part; his part is to care for the garden.
I have had amazing things transpire when I have been in the garden of prayer. This is an opportunity that you will never experience unless you are a believer who is seeking to know God more. God has promised us that if we will seek him we will find him. First of all we will find him as our personal Savior. In addition, we will find him and all of the gifts that he carries with him.
In the garden of prayer God has given me many sweet gifts. When I am discouraged God has given me the gifts of assurance and hope. God has also poured out his amazing gifts of grace and love when I have felt unloved and unlovable. Through prayer God has dried my tears and given me his gift of joy in times of great sadness. God has taken my disappointments and filled me with the gift of his peace even when I have experienced seeing my dreams fall apart. Many times God has taken my fear and replaced it with the gift of trust. In my prayer time God has called me to obedience and given me the power to obey. During prayer God has taken my anger and filled me with his mercy and compassion. When I have sought God in the garden of prayer I have found him. God has taken my broken heart and beautifully healed it and has used the brokenness to shape my character. In the garden of prayer God restores my soul! Every day when I pray God gives to me the exact gift that I need for that precise moment and situation.
Tonight when I close my eyes in sleep I will rest well knowing that tomorrow when I wake up, I can run straight to the garden, where Jesus is waiting for me. As I run to my prayer time I will be like a child on Christmas morning, wild with anticipation to unwrap the marvelous gift God has chosen for me today. One thing is certain, it will be exactly what I need. I don’t want to disappoint Him by not showing up!
God’s message to me this morning is Paula, be careful! Take care of the precious cargo that lives inside of you. Nurture and protect your soul because it is everlasting. The choice you make regarding your soul is the most important choice you will ever make. That choice is more important than your career choice, and it is more important than choosing a spouse. It is more important than how much money you have or if you should continue your education. What you do with your soul is the most important choice you will ever make. What I do to nourish my soul is also important.
There are two choices regarding your soul. You will either choose to accept Jesus Christ or you will reject him. Acceptance will lead to eternal joy and rejection will lead to eternal punishment.
I’m going to assume that if you have continued to read my blogs that you are investigating Jesus Christ and Christianity, or that you are already a believer. Either way you have major responsibility. If you are not a believer your first responsibility is to choose to discover the wonderful plan that God has ordained for your soul before you were born. If you are a believer, your responsibility is to nourish your soul.
The garden of prayer is that place deep within your shell of a body where you will connect and communicate with God. Prayer is how you enter that garden and it is where your soul is nourished and cared for. Just as we care for a beautiful garden we must care for our soul. Meeting God in the garden is our part; his part is to care for the garden.
I have had amazing things transpire when I have been in the garden of prayer. This is an opportunity that you will never experience unless you are a believer who is seeking to know God more. God has promised us that if we will seek him we will find him. First of all we will find him as our personal Savior. In addition, we will find him and all of the gifts that he carries with him.
In the garden of prayer God has given me many sweet gifts. When I am discouraged God has given me the gifts of assurance and hope. God has also poured out his amazing gifts of grace and love when I have felt unloved and unlovable. Through prayer God has dried my tears and given me his gift of joy in times of great sadness. God has taken my disappointments and filled me with the gift of his peace even when I have experienced seeing my dreams fall apart. Many times God has taken my fear and replaced it with the gift of trust. In my prayer time God has called me to obedience and given me the power to obey. During prayer God has taken my anger and filled me with his mercy and compassion. When I have sought God in the garden of prayer I have found him. God has taken my broken heart and beautifully healed it and has used the brokenness to shape my character. In the garden of prayer God restores my soul! Every day when I pray God gives to me the exact gift that I need for that precise moment and situation.
Tonight when I close my eyes in sleep I will rest well knowing that tomorrow when I wake up, I can run straight to the garden, where Jesus is waiting for me. As I run to my prayer time I will be like a child on Christmas morning, wild with anticipation to unwrap the marvelous gift God has chosen for me today. One thing is certain, it will be exactly what I need. I don’t want to disappoint Him by not showing up!
Questions:
Are you taking care of and nurturing your heart?
What keeps you from taking care of your inner spirit?
Why is the garden of prayer necessary?
In the past, when you have been in prayer what gifts has God given you?
Prayer:
Dear God,
I am amazed that you have had a plan for my life even before one single earthly day began. Forgive my near sightedness! Why do I have so much trouble seeing the big picture? Your eternal plan for my soul is amazing. God, today I realize that my soul is a precious cargo inside of me. Help me to be responsible for what you are showing me this day regarding my eternal soul.
In Your Son’s Name I pray. Amen.
