May 4
Encouragement for Today
“Turn Your Eyes”
Luann Prater, Proverbs 31 Speaker Team Member
Key Verse:
Acts 3:19, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (NIV)
Devotion:
They call them round-abouts and our community is installing them at every turn. Research has shown that a round-about decreases fatal crashes, harmful emissions and are much more cost effective to install and maintain than a 4-way stop or stop light. But I live in the South and change is not quickly embraced. Those of us who grew up stopping and starting seem to have a tough time adjusting to merely yielding and continuing.
Every morning I drive through two of these intersections at the most congested time and every morning the same thing happens. I approach with a steady stream of traffic who plows on around the circle as if they were the only ones on the road. As I round the first turn, I see long lines backed up behind the car who can’t quite figure out when his turn is going to come. He sits in a hypnotic stare as the cars continue to pass him by, while the lineup behind him grows anxious and weary. Sympathetically, I slow a bit and motion for this timid driver to pull out in front of me. It never fails, while I’m waving him on, his eyes are glazed over and looking the other way. My window of opportunity to help him is quickly fading and then I am forced to pass on by to avoid a pile-up behind me.
We often approach life in the same manner. Our circumstances seem to almost paralyze us as we sit frozen by life. Have you come to an abrupt stop in your life? Are you bucking at the thought of yielding? Our God longs to wipe away the anxiety and pour his refreshing spirit over us if we will only turn our eyes upon Him. We struggle when our Heavenly Father has given us a way out. Every day he is waiting for us to turn from our fixation with the world, our cares and troubles and simply seek His face. He is waving us on. He whispers, “Finish the race I have laid out for you, continue on. See, I have made a way. Come on, you can do it!”
My Prayer for Today:
Father, we know you are there. Your Word promises that you will never leave us or forsake us. I pray for my eyes to turn to you and see the way that you have laid out before me. In Jesus’Name, Amen.
Application Steps:
Read Hebrews 13:5-8 and 13:20-21
Spend 15 minutes in prayer today asking God to direct your steps and help you to see clearly the things He has laid out before you.
Reflection Points:
What is paralyzing you today?
How is God trying to get your attention?
Why are you holding on to the old and refusing to change?
Make a turn today. Commit and write down this date as your turning point.
Power verses:
1 Peter 1:14, “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” (NIV)
Jude verse 21, “Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” (NIV)
1 Thessalonians 5:16, “Be joyful always; pray continually.” (NIV)
Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Additional Resources:
Coming Out of the Dark, by Mary Southerland
http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/resources/outofdark.html
Get Over It and On With It, by Michelle
http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/resources/getoverit.html
Becoming a Woman Who Listens to God, by Sharon Jaynes
Originally published Wednesday, 04 May 2005.
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