November 14, 2016

Then Jesus said, “Come unto me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

I think that most of us enjoy receiving invitations to participate in celebrations, understanding that we have been intentionally included. I remember the days on which the invitations to our children’s weddings were dropped into the mail…and our anticipation of each guest receiving and opening the invitation to ‘come and to celebrate’.  Recently, my good friend shared with me her eagerness as the invitations to her son’s wedding were mailed…and then, received by the people dearest to them and to their family.  Yes, an invitation is wonderful!

This fall, as we have studied Part One of the Gospel of Matthew, we experienced Jesus through the eyes of a man whose life was dramatically transformed by the One he called Jesus. Jesus, the One who poured His life and His teaching into the multitudes of crowds who followed Him…Jesus, who extended a personal invitation to them to come to Him, the Sovereign King and Authority over Heaven and Earth. He invited people who were hungry, thirsty, discouraged, and defeated; He invited those who carried heavy loads and those who faced giant problems and circumstances in their lives…And, Jesus promised to give them rest…His rest.

And we are no different; we have a desperate need for a Strength-Giver, for a Life-Giver, for a Savior who delights in spending time with His children, who lifts the heavy burdens from our shoulders, who stands as the LORD of HOSTS to fight and to defeat the GIANTS in our lives. We need the One who is willing and who is able to transform our lives. Jesus invites you and He invites me to…“Come unto me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Thirty Days of Prayer…Finding Strength in the LORD, is designed to provide you with a record of your time spent with your LORD, your personal journey with God.  As you record your praise and your gratitude, your mess-ups and mistakes, your worries, your pain, your troubles, your burdens, the giants in your lives, your prayers for yourself, and for your loved ones…you will find yourself being still before Him…listening…reading His Word…waiting on Him…and growing in relationship with the ONE who delights in time spent with you.  Celebrate as you record His attention and His answers…

Your Father always shows up and He is always on time…I encourage you to make an appointment with your Father…I invite you to participate in these Thirty Days of Prayer…Finding Strength in the LORD. And I pray for you as you trust Him with your life…and as you experience His victory over the giants in your life!

Praying for you as you Find Strength in your LORD,