Unwritten Chapter

There are several thoughts running circles through my mind this morning. Questions. Statements. Revelations. The devotion and passage for today made me pause:  Do I long for success or will I be content with faithfulness? Part of my prayers frequently include requests for relief of financial burdens that seem to distract and undermine things that we are trying to accomplish. Last night I heard something simple:

You keep saying you don’t want money for personal gain, for things of this world. If that is true, why do you have a wishlist on Amazon?

Why? Hmmm. Because everyone has a wishlist? It’s ok to dream? It’s just filled with things that would be cool to have?

Or perhaps, I’m still trapped in the world of “I want.”

Jeremiah’s call alluded to in the ODB reference above provides some compelling words for us to consider. Our chapter is unwritten from our perspective, the page is blank. We can look to the left and see words that define us, troubles that tripped us, woes that made us cries and joys beyond words. To the right we see nothing but a blank page. We can’t write our history in advance.

The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

Jeremiah 1:11-12

The featured image on this post is that of an almond tree blossoming. A branch with flowers that just days before was nothing but a bare stick among sticks, nothing impressive. Winter is tough in many places, long days that bring cold and bitterness. Spring amazes us every year. The blossoming trees remind us that winter’s work was required. We had to let our desires die to God’s better plan.

Will I fill my wishlist again? No I will not. What God has provided is more than enough for me. Thank you Lord for the abundance you have provided for our family. May we be better stewards today than yesterday. May our faith be stronger as Winter turns to Spring.