#17 Blessings All Around

Sunday, August 23rd was a lovely day at OV Beach! - a little cloudy, but cooler than it has been. And it has been HOT and HUMID this August - especially crazy after a very mild July.

Anyway, this day was filled with people who were blessed and encouraged and let me know about it. One fella had been shot in December 08 and is paralyzed and in a wheel chair. He just wanted to let me know how great it was to hear God's Word on the boardwalk.

Another sweet woman wasn't able to make it to church that day because she was helping a friend in need. She was blessed by the mighty Word of God when she came to the beach!

And then I was blessed with a kiss and a hug from a Special teenage boy who sang about Jesus inbetween my reading. He startled me with his genuine affection and moved me to tears as I realized the real purity of God's love for me . . . and all of us. It's difficult to describe accurately what it's like to encounter Jesus in other people - my limited words don't do Him justice. They don't capture the emotion and the fantastic joy! I can only keep saying how;

lucky

and blessed

and fortunate

and honored

I am to encounter Him at all! As I continue to fight the addictions in my life, I am often stunned at how gracious and good the Lord and Redeemer of my soul is to me. When I say that I am undeserving, I want you to understand that I am tragically undeserving of God's grace and favor. I stand as a pathetic and wretched and horrific sinner before my Creator - having made a monumental mess of my life! I deserve only to be cast out from His holy presence. He is the King of Kings and I am the lowest among sinners! Why, Why, Why would He be willing to lay down His magnificent life for ME!?! Who am I?!

I cannot fathom the love - the unbelievable love He has for me. I only know that it's true. His Word declares it and I believe it - with all my heart! Only, Only, Only, by accepting Jesus' outstretched hand and daily washing myself in the shed blood of the slain Lamb have I got even a hint of a chance to live in a way that honors Him - to fulfill the promise that He sees in me. And, with that as my goal, I must keep Him in front of me CONSTANTLY! All through the day and night! Words, songs, in all that I do I've got to keep Him in my sights - lest I stray even one step from the path He is blazing! I've wasted so many years by indulging in everything meaningless. No more! No more deviation from the path that leads to Life! Now, I have only one purpose - to advance the Kingdom of Truth - to bring honor and glory to the only wise King - to help everyone He puts in my path. Amen.