Christ... the All in All

I want you to picture with me a small cozy bedroom, the walls are pastel pink, there are two beds in the room and on each one there is a parent with a child leaning against them.  The mother is reading the story of David and Goliath, her voice changes with each emotion and her energy and excitement of the true story leaps off the page.

It is family devotion time in 1996 at my house.  I was four years old and loved these evenings.  My sister and I would pick out a devotional story each night and my Mom would read them to us, then my Dad would ask us questions about what we had learned.  But at the end of this evening I remember being the one who chose David and Goliath as the devotional.
I love that story, the little guy being brave and empowered by God to defeat the most wicked foe at that time.  God knew everything that was going to happen, but David had to take that step of faith.

As the evening came to a close we all knelt on the floor and began to pray one by one, it was my evening to start the prayer circle and so as I knelt there my mouth began to move and my heart began to open up as I asked the Lord into my life.  No one had to lead me into this prayer, my heart was ready and prepared at four years of age.  It has been 14 years to this day that the Lord ushered me into His family.  I've never known the actual date of my salvation until the other day when I was going through some old photo albums and saw the date listed among the pictures.

Now the date is not too important, but I wanted to do something special anyway.:)  So this morning I packed up my devotional book, grabbed my prayer journal and headed out to spend my morning with God.  Since we live on a mountain I followed the stream up into the hills behind our house and settled down in a quiet spot.  Everything in creation was so serene, I felt so at peace and so excited to have God and me time- I can't believe I waited until today to actually spend this special time with Him!!  I have resolved that this trip is not going to be taken only once a year.:)

Jesus is so merciful and compassionate!!! His understanding and presence is so comforting, I always have the assurance that He is there, He is always watching out for me and seeking to bring me even closer to Himself!

The song I will be singing on Easter Sunday completes my thoughts on how great my Father's love is for me:

"Before the fall of man, God had a perfect plan.

To fellowship with us was His desire.

But Adam disobeyed,to sin became a slave.  

Now a perfect sacrifice would be required.

An offering must be made,

The sin debt must be paid, so God and man can reconciled be.

So Jesus said "I'll go", because He loved me so;

He shed His blood and paid sin's penalty!

He gave Himself to pay a debt I could not pay,

When I was lost He gave Himself to be my way.

Though I deserved to be upon the cross that day,

In love He took my place, and gave Himself.

No greater love is known, no greater love is shown,

Then when one lays his life down for a friend.

But Jesus died for me, when I was His enemy.

A love like this I cannot comprehend!

He gave Himself to pay a debt I could not pay,

When I was lost He gave Himself to be my way.

Though I deserved to be upon the cross that day,

In love He took my place, and gave Himself.

My nails were in His hands!

My crown of thorns He wore!

My stripes were on His back!

My heavy cross He bore!

And when God turned His back, He turned it on my sin.

Jesus won a victory that I could never win!

He gave Himself, to pay a debt I could not pay.

When I was lost, He gave Himself to be my way.

Though I deserved to be upon the cross that day,

In love He took my place, and gave Himself

He gave Himself....

By: The WILDS

God bless you! Have a good evening!!