Awakened By His Offer

And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desires in scorched places, and give strength to your bones, and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. Isaiah 58:11 (New American Standard Bible)

Have you ever read a passage of Scripture and longed for it to be real in your own life? Today’s verse is one such example for me. How I long for God’s continual guidance. To know and follow His step by step instructions. I want to be satisfied in the dry places of my soul and to have an internal strength that carries me through difficult times. I yearn to be like a watered garden and spring of water….an unending supply of refreshment. I am crying out for guidance, satisfaction, strength, and refreshment. And the cries are not falling on deaf ears because they are directed toward my heavenly Father.

He has been watching me awaken to the realization that this is exactly what He wants to do for me. Many have been the times He spread a table before me and invited me to dine with Him only to see me approach other tables. Countless have been the times I turned down His offer of intimacy for other friendships. Each time I reached for what I thought would satisfy and fill me I came away empty and dissatisfied. Confusion, bitterness, and anger were often my companions on such a journey. And still He extended the offer of Himself.

This morning, He awakened me at 1:30 to once again invite me to reconnect with Himself. This time there were no distractions or offers that looked even slightly appealing. He has caused my hunger and thirst to surface and He is the One I am turning to get those needs met. He has once again planted seeds of hope in me for a deeper, richer walk with Himself. He offers rest for my weariness, comfort for my pain, forgiveness for my sinful choices, sight for my blindness, and His embrace for my loneliness. It is changing how I am talking to Him and what I am hearing Him say to me. I want to learn how to receive all that He offers me and in order to do that I must be willing to see what my hindrances have been. If the words full, abundant, satisfying, and complete do not describe my Christian life than I have once again closed my heart and withdrawn my hand from Him. He is using each consequence to draw me back into intimacy with Himself. I am not walking. I am running full force into His extravagant offer.

Father, You have watched me flounder and fall many times. Thank you that You continually welcome me home! Amen.