Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Stepping Stones: Glorious Reunions

Transformational Tip
When I was a young father, my job required that I travel abroad. At times, I would have to be away for up to a whole week…away from my little girls. I recall the separation from my four young daughters as being almost unbearable. I also remember the “catch-my-breath” moments when I would see their beautiful little faces looking out the window as I pulled up the driveway returning home from those seemingly endless business trips. Each reunion was glorious...melting my heart with love, joy, and excitement. They didn’t forget me, they loved me, and they were wanting more of me.

I’m thinking, each time we turn toward God in prayer, after a time away from Him, that He feels the way I felt when reuniting with my children after time away from them. Glorious reunions. But the difference is… we are the one leaving our Father. He is always there, pursuing us with joyous anticipation and hopeful expectation of that glorious reunion.

In this world, finding and getting something so awesome usually takes a lot of work, effort, time, and/or resources. But this glorious reunion is so easy to be part of…God sent His son, Jesus, to open the door to this glorious reunion. We just need to claim it through faith in Christ as our Savior, and continue it through confession, prayer, and putting on the His armor for Godly living.

Today, examine your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what diverts you from reuniting with God on a more regular basis throughout the day. Reading Stepping Stones daily is a great start, but we need to have many glorious reunions everyday. our goal is to have one day that is a continuous glorious reunion with Hom all day long. Click here to share with the Stepping Stones community your thoughts on how you feel when you are apart from those you love.

Prayer
Dear Father God, please teach me how to pray. I desire a rich prayer conversation with You, I need it to know and hear You better…to love You more deeply. I confess, I get caught up in pitiful reunions with such trivial pursuits instead of pursuing you and having the most glorious reunions with You. Help me understand why You are the answer to all my needs instead of those fakes Satan fools me with. I pray in the name of the one You sent to unite me to You, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children said - AMEN!

The Truth
Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18
And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
Luke 15:16-23

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