As I journal this morning, Lord, I do so with a plethora of emotions. Gratefulness and complete awe for your undeserved grace—truly, we do not deserve Your mercy or Your grace, and yet You give it relentlessly. Thank You for your merciful grace day by day, and oh God, keep transforming me from the inside out. Only You, can make the darkness LIGHT. In You there are no shifting shadows. In You we live and move and find our being – we find who we really are, the WHO You created and intended us to be from before we were formed in our mother’s womb…only in You. May this be the moment-by-moment reality I walk in from this day forward.
This morning in prayer, a verse about
making rugged ways smooth came to mind, and here is that passage, along with my
personal thoughts.
Prepare the
way for the LORD in the wilderness
In this wilderness, prepare your
heart for the Lord and all He wants to do in and through you. IN the
wilderness. Don’t wait for a more opportune time. Don’t wait until you ‘feel’ better.
Today, make room in your heart for Jesus.
Make a
straight highway for our God in the desert.
In these desert times, plow a
straight path – straight. Bulldoze every obstacle right off this path and
don’t deviate from it. Temptations will try to lure you away to some road that
branches off, but don’t take the bait! Make this pathway fit for the King of
kings…yes even, and especially, in this desert.
I am reminded of a song—Jesus, Just
the Mention of Your Name. In it there is a phrase: “Flowers grow, the desert
blooms again.” Lord, help me carve a pathway for You, only You, and help me to
see, in my mind’s eye, before it happens, flowers blooming in the desert - IN the desert.
A shift takes place, one where my
diligence is not the focus—now it is the work You do on my behalf when my heart’s
desire is to walk with You. . .
Every valley
shall be lifted up
In the valleys, You lift me up, Lord.
You carry me. You are my burden-bearer. Oh God, support and sustain me as only
You can do. Keep my eyes fixed on You and my heart tuned to Your promise that
this valley will be lifted up. There is no ‘low’ too low for You, and You
delight in raising Your children up.
Every
mountain and hill made low
When mountains and hills weary me,
where oxygen seems non-existent, You reduce those mountains and hills to
gracious pastures where I can rest. Cause my heart to be humble in Your
presence so I do not go back to climbing those mountains You never intended me to climb in
the first place. Help me lie down in Your green pastures, lead me beside those
quiet waters, restore my soul.
The uneven
ground will become smooth
When the road beneath my feet causes
my ankles to twist, as I look to You, my Savior and my God, smooth out the
unevenness so I can move, steadfastly, only in Your paths of righteousness. You,
Lord, are the one who raises me up when I feel so broken.
The
rugged land will become a plain
Lord, it feels like rugged terrain
sometimes, like now. But You, O God, level the playing field when I turn to
You. In Your presence is fullness of joy and life forever more. Ah, I rest in
Your fertile valley, Lord, and I graze on the mana of Your goodness and mercy.
And the
glory of the LORD will be revealed
Lord, it is Your honor and glory and
abundance, the riches of Your grace and mercy, the honor and dignity and
reverence for You that is revealed as I keep my eyes fixed on You, the author and
perfector of this race I am running. Keep my eyes FIXED on You. Open the eyes of my
heart to see as Your glory is revealed.
And all
humanity together will see it
Let my life be a living testimony of
Your goodness, Your grace, Your mercy. Lord, I don’t deserve any of this, but
You made a way by sending Jesus to save me from myself and from the enemy and
from this world's treasureless traps. One day, every single thing will be made new. For now, I long for my
life to be a living, breathing testimony of all You’ve done for me and in me.
My flesh wants all the glory. My heart desires only Yours.
And this passage ends with the
following…
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken
The mouth of the One True and Only
God declares and commands all of this will come to pass as I keep bulldozing
that highway for my King – the King of kings. Oh, Jesus, be the center of all I
think, pray for, and do—one day at a time. In Your name. Amen. Amen.
smcs / 10-20-2026
