SURROUND: Lenten Devotion Day 32

Lenten Devotion Day 32

SURROUND

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people,

from this time on and forevermore. 

Psalm 125:2

Nothing makes for a greater day than to snuggle on the sofa with loving arms wrapped around you...watching the ACC tournament :)  Ok, the basketball is irrelevant (to this post at least - although my team is winning at the moment - Go Heels). What matters is the arms wrapped around me. Tomorrow marks 23 years in which those arms have been wrapped around me. I cannot express the feelings of blessing and thanksgiving that accompany that statement. I sometimes feel guilty that some never find intimate love and yet I have had it so abundantly for so long. I hate to be greedy...but I love to be loved.

When I think of the feeling of abundant love that comes from my husband's arms surrounding me, I can't help but feel awe at the thought that God's love also surrounds me. While my husband must occasionally let me go...God never does. The immense love that I feel from my marriage pales in comparison to the love of God that surrounds me every second of every day.

I pray that your Lenten journey has been one in which you find yourself surrounded by God's love. In the midst of your reflection and repentance I hope you have felt the forgiveness of God enfold you. 

May his arms 

SURROUND 

you

and may you feel abundantly loved.

BLESS: Lenten Devotion Day 20

Lenten Devotion Day 20

BLESS

And the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone.

 I will make a companion who will help him."... Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib and brought her to Adam. "At last!" Adam exclaimed. "She is part of my own flesh and bone! She will be called 'woman,' because she was taken out of a man." This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. 

Genesis 2:18, 22-24

From the first sentences of Genesis we are drawn into intimate relationships.  When God created man it was important that he not be alone. We were not created for isolation and loneliness - we were created for relationships...for intimacy...for love.

Today's Lenten word is BLESS and our challenge is to stop and think about all the many blessings God has poured out upon us. I'm sure we could list hundreds if we thought about it enough but as I contemplated that word this morning I looked down to see my husband's hand reach over and take my own. It is something we don't think much about anymore...but something that I realize is one of the biggest blessings in my life....relationship...intimacy...love.

On March 17, Tim and I will be married for 23 years and the fact that, when we are riding in the car, he still wants to hold my hand fills me with great blessing. I know that God blessed me through this man I share my life with. I know God has blessed Tim through me. I also know that Tim and I both hope that our marriage is a blessing to God. Blessings after all are a two way street...we are blessed so we can be a blessing.

What blessing is on your mind today? 

How are you a blessing to others?

BLESSING