And today it began with .... merciful!

And today it began with ....... merciful!

The last attribute of God I had written in my journal was "God is merciful" (Daniel 9:9).  The word for mercy is often the same Hebrew word as for compassion.   I thought about that for a moment, took a sip of coffee and the Lord led me to Romans 12.   (He knew what I needed today without me even saying a word).

Romans 12:1 - "I urge you, in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship."

Worship.  Mercy. Compassion. Worship.  Offer.  Please God.  Mercy. Worship.

Tim and I have recently made a decision of sorts.  I say it that way because the decision was clearly made by the Lord.  Tim and I have made a decision to lay down our reasoning and just simply obey.  Do you try to reason with God when you know what the right thing to do is?  Can be tough when it hits close to home!

Romans 12:2 - "Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, perfect and pleasing will."

That verse led me to a verse I learned as a child.
Lamentations 3:22-23 - "Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions/mercies never fail.  They are new every morning."

Transformed. Renewed mind.  God's will.  God's perfect and pleasing will.

I wrote my thoughts to the Lord with a renewed confirmation that we are doing the right thing.  Even wrote out the reasons that it took us a while to obey.  But, our Precious Lord didn't leave it there.  He gave me one more confirmation.

I picked up my favorite "Utmost for His His Highest" and found the following for this date.  Only God could orchestrate things like this.

"He comes where He commands us to leave.  If you stayed home when God told you to go because you were so concerned about your own people there, then you would actually rob them of the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself."  (See Matthew 11:1)

My word for today ..."Just obey the Lord.  Just because we're called to move on doesn't mean the Lord won't continue to be there to continue his work.  And for us that means new work in God's perfect and pleasing will."  Bottom line - It's all good!

Thank you Lord for starting with one short line in my journal and speaking so clearly!  I love you Lord!