Confessions of a Peace Lover...

I love reading what my friends are writing. Yet every once in a while I find they've written about ME! Hey guys, that was not in the job description! I'm a wife, mom, sister, daughter, friend, employee, and ministry partner - not an example for you to write about!

But perhaps it is in our job description when we look in God's word about the example we are to set. "Be careful how you live, not as fools, but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days; don't act thoughtlessly but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do." (Ephesians 5:15) No, it doesn't say "because your actions will be written up in devotional form by your friends" but the warning to be careful is there because others are watching, whether we realize it or not!

My friend Becki was watching and listening one day recently as my radio pals and I interviewed Jocelyn Hamsher about her newly published Bible Study "Meet Me At The Well" for the Circle of Friends radio program. You can read about that day in Becki's February 5th devotional entitled "God Is". Becky writes about how Joc turned the tables on us and asked each one of us the question "How did you see God as a child?"

When Jocelyn spoke those words a visual immediately popped into my mind. It was God's hand, His finger was pointing at me, and I was in trouble. Yes, the God of my childhood was all about catching me doing wrong - again. He was the God of judgment.

I'm thankful Joc didn't stop there; she proceeded to ask the next question, "How do you see God today?" And you want to know something really neat? The God I know today doesn't point and shake His finger at me accusingly. Instead He turns His hand palm up and beckons me with that same finger. "Come" He says. He is the God of all grace.

Sometimes He wants me to come because He needs to teach me, to show me how can I do things differently, His way. His hand of correction is still there, it is just tempered, in my heart, by His mercy, His grace, His great love for His child - me!

Sometimes He wants me to come simply because He knows I am so weary I cannot go on. He wants to give me rest.

Sometimes He wants to point me toward another one of His children. He asks me to be His arms, His hands, His feet.

Whatever it is He wants for me, in me, from me, He wants it for my good, and for His glory.

My friend Lisa recently recorded a song simply named "Come" (Clay Heathcock (c) 2002 Feet of Clay) It is on a companion CD to Meet Me At The Well, the book that Virelle Kidder has written, as well as the companion Bible Study we were interviewing Jocelyn about.

The lyrics are:

"Come - All who are thirsty come

Come - All who are thirsty come

Come - All who are thirsty come

Come where waters flow - come

Come - All who are weary come

Come - All who are weary come

Come - All who are weary come

Come that you may rest - come

Come and know unfailing love

Come and find shelter and shade

The Lord is my strength and my song

Come and bow down

Come - All who are lonely come

Come - All who are lonely come

Come - All who are lonely come

Come into His arms - come

Come and know unfailing love

Come and find shelter and shade

The Lord is my strength and my song

Come and bow down

Come and bow down"

That's it, He simply beckons us to come. He does the rest, and gives us His rest in the process.

Living Water, for all of us who are thirsty, lonely; His word promises rest for our souls, unfailing love, shelter, shade, strength, a song. He delights in us! And He is FOR us!

What a good God we serve!

Until next time,

Beth