by nature...

In a recent book I am reading by Max Lucado, "He Did This Just For You", Max makes a crushing point on the nature of our beings...
"According to the Bible, we are "by nature children of wrath" (Eph. 2:3). Is is not that we can't do good. We do. It's just that we cant keep from doing bad"..."There is none righteous, not even one...All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10,23).

As I think about this truth and then my life I cannot help but be forever grateful for the grace and mercy of Jesus. For His perfect life as an example for us that we so often, really let's be honest, all the time fail at. Sure, we can be good people and do good things, but we can't keep from doing wrong at the same time, more of the time.

Last night, I was talking to a friend of mine and sharing different things going on in my life that I have been learning or that I am unsure of. It became so much of the unaware that I am learning this, stage that I became overwhelmed with what was on my 'plate". Being a good friend, she spoke truth into my life and encouraged me to work through it with much prayer and study. I got home and finished reading Ecclesiastes where I had been learning that everything happens at a certain time, at the right time, and at the time that God has ordained it to happen. I was wondering where to read next, and for some unknown reason I started in Lamentations. The book of Lamentations is composed of 5 poems, which are each an expression of grief and sorrow over the fall of Jerusalem. Not really understanding why I was reading this, I dove in and was trying to understand where the writer was coming from...putting myself in his position, you can say. So from studying this sorrow and different aspects of grief, I was feeling even more "down" then previously until I came upon this verse... "Arise, cry out into the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord!" Lamentations 2:19

Man, what a clear word from the Lord...Erin, would you just tell me what is on your mind...what your thoughts and worries are...difficulties, fears, unknowns...


I know I don't really have much to say in this post and it is not very specific, but I think I just want this to be an encouragement to you (whoever you are), to pour out your everything to the Lord...the best part, Psalm 121:3-4 "He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."