In my
previous Tea Time for Your Soul, I told how my word for 2015 was miracle and
about the miracle that stood out among the rest was my marriage on the last day
of the year. Many wrote back and
suggested that Joy might be my word
for 2016! I am sure the joy I experience
in the overflow of God’s generous miracles is evident.
The word
our Sweet Father granted to me for this year is prayer! It is a joy to
pray. Psalm 16:11 says: You make known to me the path of life; you
will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at
your right hand. There is much joy
in the presence of the Lord and there is much extravagance also.
I’m writing
this week’s Tea Time from the balcony of my honeymoon on an island paradise
viewing a cloud covered volcano against the background of a brilliant blue sky
and the foreground of lush flowered trees.
I’m asking myself: What kind of
God makes a world like this? He is
beyond extravagant and even wild in His expression of love for us humans.
It was
important to my husband and me to share the Lord’s Supper (communion,
Eucharist) as our first act of worship as husband and wife during our
wedding. I prepared the common cup and
Paul told me not to put too much in because I had asked him to drink all that
was left after me. Since the cup
represents the blood of Christ we didn’t want to leave any. I didn’t think I put too much in. I drank a lot, but for him to finish it all,
he had to lean his head way back and everyone laughed. He wasn’t trying to be funny and he
definitely wasn’t mocking Jesus. Later
when I was praying and thanking God for the beautiful service in which my new
son-in-law presided (it was his first wedding), I remembered that moment and
hoped no one was offended. In my heart I
sense Jesus smiling and enjoying that invitation to our marriage and made
Himself known with us in a wild, fun, extravagant way! Now I’m the first to desire reverence and
devotion as we obey Jesus’ instructions that we eat the bread and drink the cup
in remembrance of Him. Yet this
experience felt blessed as well.
There are
literally days that I cannot take in the wildly loving nature of God. The closer I get to God the more I grow in
awe of His goodness to me and all of His creation. Why do we find it so hard to take in the
detailed messages sent each day from heaven?
The air I breathe is a gift from God.
The sun, moon, stars set in place by the very God who loves me so
personally, testifies to God’s extravagant love. Why do I allow these daily experiences become
ordinary demands? Why am I totally blown
away when God brings about dreams that He Himself placed in my heart to
fruition? Perhaps it is because I grow
numb to the extraordinary, wild, extravagant love of God while focusing on the
ways sin has drawn my attention to the drudgery of each day.
It’s easy
to bear witness to God’s extravagant, wild love in an island paradise. However, those who live there seem to live
with my problem as well. It takes the
spiritual discipline of awareness to fully take in the love God pours into us
through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5) each day.
I want to
enter into ordinary days, waking in my ordinary home with the same anticipation
of noticing God’s extravagant love for me.
It’s God’s love that makes any place I am a paradise.
Copyright © 2016 Deborah R Newman
teatimeforyoursoul.com All Rights
Reserved.
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