Flawless

Not too many things are flawless. My grade in statistical regression was far from flawless. The fact that this posting is just appearing, despite my Sunday/Monday deadline is truly not flawless.

In fact, it is hard to find flawless things in this world. We make mistakes. We give empty promises. We lose our cool. Even material things...For example, one of the ways that diamonds are rated is on their level of flawlessness. There are reports of our water being tainted with pharmaceutical drug traces. There are special soaps to wash the pesticides off of our fruits and veggies.

Now really think of anything flawless. Think about it. Name three things. Too hard? Name one thing. Okay, I've got mine...

The words of the Lord.

Really. I spent this weekend with my best friend and while I was doing my best pretending like I would stay awake with her while she finished her sermon, I thumbed through the Psalms and I stopped at Psalms 12. Verse 6 puts it this way...

...the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.

Another version uses "the words and promises of the Lord..."

They are flawless.

That means all that the Lord has spoken to you and over you is flawless.
Not a mistake.
Doesn't need a retraction.

Flawless.

My prayer...

Lord, encourage my heart to believe the truth of your promises over my life. Give me the strength to hold on to Your promises and words and the wisdom and courage to let go of the words that aren't from You. I will rest in knowing that Your words are flawless. I trust You as You lead and guide me in Your paths of righteousness.

He helps us

Recently I read a devotional in which the author recentered his focus on God with a reminder prayer to God something to the effect of,

"I only am because of Your help."

I was struck by the humility, truth, and the simplicity of this prayer. We are - only because of the help of God. When we are tempted to do wrong, when we get tired of doing right, when we get weary in just being. Remind God and yourself, "I only am because of Your help."

And because He is faithful to us (Deut.7:9), and because He won't give us an unbearable burden (Matthew 11:30), and because He cares (1Peter 5:7), and because He knows that we are dust (Psalm 103:14), and because He came that we could have abundant life (John 10:10), and because He is loving (Eph 2:4), and because He is kind (Psalm 117:2), and because He is good (Psalm 118:1), and because we are written on the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:16), and because He desires us (thanks Lauren M. for this reminder), and because we are His (Psalm 100:3)....

He helps us.

I don't know how to explain it or if it is worth trying to figure it out...but when we extend our faith to Him, He meets us. And He helps us.

In the midst of us being tired, in the midst of us losing sight of the vision, in the midst of feeling broken, in the midst of us being angry, or even a slight bit confused...

He helps us.

My prayer....

Lord God, empower us even more by Your Holy Spirit. Strengthen us to press for the mark of the high calling which is in Christ. We need you. We cannot make it with out You. Every ounce of our being needs You. Our life, our souls and our hearts cry out for more of You. Meet us.

In Jesus' name. Amen.