No Stumbling Around in the Darkness

February 15, 2013 | My Jottings

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
Psalm 18:28  NIV

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:4-5  ESV

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12  NIV

Jesus once again addressed them: “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.”
John 8:12   The Message

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I’ve reached the 3ooos in my gratitude journal and I can’t ever imagine not keeping one for the rest of my life. It has grown to be a help, a delight, a refocuser, a praise inspirer, a hope builder, and a regular part of most mornings.

I write down tiny things and huge things; they are all gifts from God to me. I have thanked Him for Millie’s silky ear poking up from the nest of pillows she’s sunk herself into, for the slight taste of honey in my tea, for the coppery color of Mrs. Nisky’s eyelashes, for a funny text from a loved one afar, for the absence of icicles on our roof, for a card or letter in the mail from a beloved friend, for my children all living nearby.

I have thanked Him for being the glue of our 31 year marriage, the light and hope for our family, for salvation, for new mercies every morning, for His Word and how it speaks and transforms, for how the sun rises after a dark night, for the love and faithfulness of my Savior Jesus. I have thanked Him again and again for being the kind of Father who just keeps on working with me, and with my family. And most of you probably already know this, but He’s the kind of Father who will keep on working with you too.

If you’re reading this and that seems a little too far-fetched for you to believe, might you just quietly whisper, “Jesus, if you’re real, and if you love me and want to work with me, will you let me know somehow?”
He will do it.

For all He has done, for all He is doing, for all He will do, I thank Him today.