Showing Up!

The invitation to adoration means greeting our heavenly Father by name, meeting his smile with a smile, receiving him as the loved one he truly is, and responding to his kindness with kindness, his presence with presence, and his love with our own. What joy we can bring to the Father’s heart! 

From the book  how to pray:  a simple guide for normal people by Pete Grieg pg 66

As I read that it just struck me as so profound. 

That is all we have to do, show up.

He is there.

 The Lord is my shepherd;  I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures;  He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul;  He leads me in the paths of righteousness. For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,  I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;  You anoint my head with oil;  My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me  All the days of my life;  And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.  Psalm 23

We have to show up!  Individually, we matter to Him. Each day making time for Him...in our minds, hearts, lives.

We may think "eh if I don't get to church who is going to miss me." 

But you are missed.

📖 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 

26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.  Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.   1 Corinthians 12:12-14,26-27

HE misses YOU!

The body misses YOU!

The FAMILY misses you!

Trying to grasp the fact that God anticipates time with us, that He misses our presence is astounding to me!

📖 Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
    therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
    Blessed are all who wait for him!  Isaiah 30:18

The term "carve out time" seems more accurate than "penciling it in". Carving gives the impression of difficulty; it isn't easy, it is work.  BUT it is a lasting, more permanent commitment. 

🙏🏼Lord, Creator of the universe, Maker of my soul, forgive me when I let busyness get in the way of my time with You. I commit to carving out time in each day to be in Your presence with my heart, mind, soul and body. ♥️