THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus
Monday, May 15, 2023

Lord, from the tiny protons and neutrons in the atom to the largest star in the galaxies, You spoke, and creation happened. Your glory is evident in everything You wondrously created.

The Gospel of John begins explaining how You created everything. You give life, You give meaning, You give purpose to everything You created. For Christ followers, nothing is happenstance. And, yes, You created the fallen angel, Lucifer, the devil Satan, who has haunted humanity since Eve and the ugly apple incident in the Garden of Eden. Was Your purpose for allowing us to experience evil be so that we would experience Your goodness? Live in Your grace? In our sinful state, how else would we know of Your love, mercy, and forgiveness to redeem mankind?

Lord, to stay close to You in all circumstances, I need to recognize You are working on my behalf in all things. I see You in the blessings that flow our way, the abundance of joys and happiness of life with family and friends and being at peace with You. Our Rock. Our help in time of trouble.

But Lord, for my faith to be complete, I must believe—help me believe!—that in the hard times, in unexpected sickness, when the doctor says he doesn’t like the results of the biopsy, when my heart is broken beyond remedy as I lay to rest the most dearest in life to me, help me recognize You in all things. When nothing makes sense, increase my faith to know You have a higher purpose for allowing my suffering. When I have questions with no answers, You do, and in Your timing, You will reveal Your purpose. Help me know when all I have is trust, You are holding me.

Jesus, good or bad, I’m looking for You purposefully working for me in all things. Amen.