In our early morning prayer group we were asked this question to think about and share with one another. It occurred to me that this is a wonderful way to start a conversation with God. Remember when You…

As we each shared our personal experiences I was struck by how individual each encounter with God is. If you have never given this any thought and are not sure how to begin, my advice would be to ask God to show you. Father God, show me when You have helped me, when You have encouraged me, when You have relentlessly sought me. Help me see when You have opened my heart to the possibility of You in my life.

As I prayed this morning He helped me to see that He knows everything I bring to Him in prayer. He is already at work. He never stops working. We can’t always see His hand working but by giving Him our burdens and worries, our inadequacies…our burdens are lifted as we trust Him and His timing. He knows this life is hard.

I thought, too, in prayer this morning, how Jesus knew the Father’s love for Him throughout His life with us on this earth; and it was that sure love that He sought in prayer to strengthen Him so He could effectively work with us. When He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark 15:34, was He not echoing what we cry out in times of despair and confusion? The Father never left Him. He never leaves us. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Luke 23:46. Into Your hands.

As I was thinking about the limitless love of our Creator God for us, I read Joshua 6. God is going to deliver the city of Jericho into their hands. In the commentary below: The city of Jericho, built thousands of years before Joshua was born, was one of the oldest cities in the world. In some places it had fortified walls up to 25 feet high and 20 feet thick. Soldiers standing guard on top of the walls could see for miles. Jericho was a symbol of military power and strength – the Canaanites considered it invincible. And yet, now, Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. v. 1.

And what does God tell them to do? Build battering rams? Bring in huge catapults? Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.” v. 2. God tells them to march around the city for 7 days with priests blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant, and with the fighting men before and after the ark. Just one time around the city for 6 days. Can you imagine what the inhabitants of Jericho thought? On the 7th day the same process, but then, at Joshua’s command, they give a huge shout and watch the walls fall. Only Rahab and her family are spared because they trusted in God.

Neither the Israelites nor the inhabitants of Jericho could see God’s hand at work but work He did. We can’t always see God’s hand at work in our lives and in our hearts but work He does. He is relentless love for our good. Ask. He’s here. He would love to engage in discussion with you. As you open your heart to Him, His love will strengthen you with His peace and you will begin to realize you are in His hands, you have always been in His hands of love and always will be.