My husband Chris and I are fresh back from our vacation to Washington DC and Virginia to visit with family. It was a much needed time away from the day to day grind of responsibilities at work and home. It was lovely to spend time with family and meet those whom I’ve only talked to on the phone or seen pictures of and prayed for. I was honored to see historic sites that I’ve only read about in history books or seen in news stories.
While on vacation, I did take my Bible and read scripture and my devotional, but goodness I missed so much my closer walk with the Lord. It was not the same as sitting in the chair in the quiet of the morn and reading the scripture with my ear inclined to hear Him speak to me. Due to our travel days, we missed going to church on Sunday which left me feeling an emptiness in my soul.
I truly missed my prayer time built into my daily life, where I come before the Lord. My prayers were not as focuses and purposeful. I must say, there were some spiritual battles going on and the enemy had the upper hand as I was weak and ineffective in my daily walk.
So today, as I opened my Bible, I was able to focus as I read God’s word. A couple of things stood out to me as I read my devotional from John 20"11-13: “11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
The commentator pondered that Mary Magdalene’s life was transformed after she was delivered from demons and experienced the joy of being with Jesus.
I wondered, when I lack joy is that an indication that I am not walking closely with You?
The second reading was about the father who comes to Jesus and is desperate for Jesus to deliver his son from demon possession.
21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”
And he said, “From childhood. 22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” - Mark 9:21-24
As I read the words of the father I asked, when I’m desperate but struggling in my faith, do I turn to Jesus and cry out, “I believe, help me with my unbelief?”
Oh Lord, I missed You greatly. If for no other reason than the fact that daily life keeps me close to You, I’m grateful to be back. Jesus draw me close and never let me go.
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