“I can’t stop smiling!” God’s Spirit has used my recent near death illness (That may be a little over dramatic, you would have to check with my care-givers to get the real scoop.) Nevertheless, God changed my entire PERSPECTIVE to WOO me into SURRENDERING to Him, to filling me AGAIN with His INCREDIBLE and UNEXPLAINABLE JOY!
Trite quotations, even familiar scriptures (that we read on social media) can sometimes fly through our minds with no impact because the circumstances if our “soul soil” wasn’t ready to receive, process, and change us.
On May 25th, 2018 approximately 11:10 a.m., my husband’s doctors words echoed in the little hospital conference room, “I am sorry. We could not start your husband’s heart to beat again.”
God automatically released these verbal words from my soul soil at that moment…”God is a good God!”
At that instance, there was NO happiness, but it came from the depths of my soul, placed there supernaturally by my mighty God, my creator, my Savior, my Eternal King as a Present to me.
Nothing in my own ability, or strength, or goodness could have mustered up that quiet fulfilling confidence deep in my soul except the Present of His Prescence! And as God continues to be faithful to me, I realize that NOTHING removes His presence.
On December 3, 2021, I posted a devotional entitled, Our Present is His Presence. (Part 1) I talked about the busyness of Christmas, the loneliness without my husband, the stress that we put on ourselves that robs us of joy.
I want to use these same powerful Bible Verses today to remind us that…
You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. ~ Acts 2:28
You will show me the path of life; in Your presence I fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. ~ Psalm 16:11
Little, did I know that 21 days later, Christmas Eve morning, angel armies would be fighting for me to live. When I did become aware of that fact early that morning…all of a sudden, my perception changed. There was this unexplainable realization, that I had to surrender (recklessly abandon) my very being into HIS keeping.
And that’s why, I find myself trying to wipe the smile off my face, in the middle of the night, even now! Only God knows how our breaths on this earth with end. BUT, IF we KNOW the”Present Giver”, our breaths here will only continue into eternity with HIM!
My new WORD for 2022 is SURRENDER! Why? Because He changed my perception in an instant! There is NO greater reason for life! He reveled that He alone is worthy of our entire worship and devotion!
Love you all so much!
Arlene
