Let me face what you will send with the strength you will supply: When you make my endeavors prosper, let me take notice, that your word may prosper in my heart: When you call me to go through dark valley, please don't let me be convinced that I know a way around: Let me not refuse any opportunity of service which may offer itself today, nor fall prey to any temptation that may lie in wait for me: Please, don't let the sins of yesterday be repeated in my life today, or the life of today set an evil example to the life of tomorrow. (A prayer from A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie)

             I would not like to admit to you how many times I have gotten to the end of a morning, or afternoon and realized that I have made so many decision alone, without a though of asking God's direction in my life. Have you experienced the same kind of wake-up call in your life as well? The portion of prayer in italics is a reminder to us of the union that God wants to have with us in prayer. It is the lesson of King David's life and the cautionary tale of King Solomon's. No decision is too small for God's wisdom and direction to be sought.

             What happens to us when we do not seek God's direction? The prayer above reminds us that we lose out on God's offered strength, we become unfocused on God's direction in our lives, we seek our pleasure over God's instruction, we begin to see life as a choice of convenience over a decision to serve our Lord and as a result, can fall victim to temptations, day in and day out, we begin to live outside of God's will for our lives, eventually experiencing spiritual death instead of life.

             In The Story this week we are reading the chapter entitled, God's Messengers. In this chapter we see that the power the prophets Elijah, Elisha, Amos and Hosea had was not due to their wits, leadership skills or their job title. The power of their message, the vibrancy of their faith, the health of God's people and the legacy of their prophetic ministry came only as each prophet answered God's call faithfully, in their lives, in the small and the large things. As a result God took ordinary people and led then to do greater things than they could have ever expected.

             Is your faith listless? Are you filled with fear? Do you keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again? Do your days pass without a thought (or only a few thoughts) as to what God would have you do in this day he alone has given you? Then you are trying to run the show all by yourself! Program your cell phones to remind you to pray during the day or perhaps keep a copy of this prayer in your wallet. Point being: let us make a place for God in our lives, praying first and foremost that we might, "Face what God will send with the strength that God alone can supply! Then, watch and wait! Like Elijah found out, God will come and you will be made new! Blessings, Rev. Ellen

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