Daily Meditations for Lent 2006

Mar 2 - Thursday

Psalm 1:1-4,6

Do you want to know God's presence and power in your Life? Then follow the psalmist's advice and plant yourself by the river of his grace. How do you picture this river? Does it trickle down a mountain like a small stream? Or does it rush forth, fresh and teeming with life? Nothing holds this river back as it springs from the very heart of God.
God wants us to be like a tree planted right next to this river. Instinctively, the tree's roots go as deep as necessary to receive water. Similarly, God invites us to become firmly rooted in him by letting him influence every dimension of our lives: our work, our family, our finances, even our leisure time. He promises that as we root ourselves in him, he will not hold back a single drop from us.

Isn't it funny that we often come to God with a small tin cup, asking for a drink, when all the time there is a powerful waterfall right in our midst? We should never underestimate how much God wants to do in us. He loves us all with an everlasting love, and he will always remain faithful to us.

God longs to strengthen us to choose his ways and follow him. Every time we obey his word, ask for his help, our turn to him in worship, we open ourselves to his water of life. God is not calling us just to try hard to be good -- although there are plenty of times when we must exert all our effort to remain faithful. The miracle of the gospel is that in addition to our hard work, God wants to work in us. Remaining in his presence allows his river to erode our old ways of thinking and living. It allows him to point out areas where we are not choosing him, and help us to make the necessary changes.

Every day, we face numerous choices: Will we obey God, or will we go our own way? And every day, God offers us his grace to empower us beyond our human limitations. Let's stay rooted by his river. It means nothing less than life for us!

"Jesus, I want to be immersed in your river today. I want the water of your love, your grace, and your power to flow in me. I choose you because you are life."

posted by Thomas Cagurangan @ 1:00 PM