Today is one of those days.
Waking this morning, I felt keenly aware of my fickle heart. My soul was pained with the knowledge of this "spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" battle that rages within! Is it the "small sins" of selfishness, judgment, pride that I am convicted by today? Or the "larger sins" of gluttony, vanity, and greed that pain me this morning. (you know I am being facetious when talking large and small in relation to sin, right? smile.)
All I know is that I woke with a sense of my wandering heart. This awareness is a good thing, a sweet thing, I believe. I didn't come to the Lord this morning in shame... just in awareness.
What can I bring you, Lord? my heart asked.
I found His answer to me in the first sentence of Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions: "From me is thy fruit found" (Hosea 14:8)
The natural fruit of Stephanie is a mixed bag... some clean, some rotten. The fruit from God is perfect and beautiful... always.
What can I bring to the Lord? He answers this question in Hosea chapter 14...
Return to me and bring with you your words, He says.
Come to me and offer the fruit of your lips, He commands.
My words. My lips.
Now, that I can do!
He offers us a pathway "back" to Him that is always open... our hearts turned toward Him and our mouths showing forth this turning.
What can I bring to you this morning, Lord?
Bring to me your words, Stephanie!
Say to Me, forgive me! Say to me, Receive me Father!
Say to Me 'there is none like you' and speak Truth out about who I am!
And in return, what does our awesome Father in heaven give us?
He will water me. He will feed me. He will make me fruitful.
He will answer and care for me. (Hosea 14:8)
What a gracious God I love and serve!! Today I praise His grace, His compassion, His unfailing love, and His forgiving heart!