Stephen Anthony Ray

Dear Child

I am so hopelessly in love with you. The very thought of my leaving you behind brings tears to my eyes. So, follow me, for I cannot force your hand on this. Walk outside and look up; see all that I created for you. Get on a mountain and look out over the land, and as far as one horizon stretches to the other is the measure of my provision and faithfulness to you. Just open your eyes to the beauty of this world and you will clearly recognize the reality of not only my existence, but also my power and love. And I will be here for you as long as you allow me to. I love you with all that I am, and I will never cease to draw you to myself, for that is what a Father does.

Dad

Faith begins with a intellectual assertion to something’s validity. Thus, all worship, trust, love, and faithfulness that extends from that initial assertion is based on a choice; and therefore is, itself, a choice. Worship is a choice, as is trust, love and faithfulness. However, they are all choices that we must allow to permeate every single facet of our being until they move from being obligations to become passionate desires. No one here contends that Christianity is easy. It is certainly hard work. Anything worth living for is generally hard work to maintain. How much more something worth dying for? But, humanity has to move from constantly throwing the ball into God’s court and heaping constant demands on him left and right. Rather than beginning with God, we must realize the truth that, because of what God has already done, the demand really begins with us. Christianity is not as concerned with what God has done as it is our response to what he has done. The ball is most certainly in our court.

Father above, my heart is overwhelmed. For my desire is to love you, but the more I try, the more I fail. So I hurt. And, you hurt. Save me from this storm. Hold me in your arms. Pour your love. Your mercy endures forever. Pour your love in my heart.

SRay

I can pray for strength. But until I take the risk, nothing has been accomplished. I can ask for guidance, but until I make a move, nothing can happen. I can seek freedom, but until I rid my life of those stumbling blocks, nothing will change. I can pray. I can ask. I can seek. But until I open the door for God to work, nothing will come about. When we “give God control”, it means that we allow him to be the voice that guides us, not the remote control. All of the choice still remains in our hands.

O Father, that I could look past my desires into what NEEDS to be done…and then, do it. Open my eyes that I may see clearly what Satan has made so fuzzy. Indeed, Father, open my eyes so that I may see the Truth.

Happiness isn’t found in the acquisition of possessions. Fulfillment isn’t found in the pleasures of the body. Peace isn’t discovered by finding the “right” person. The Truth about satisfaction is that we all seek something that will complete us; something that will resolve and supercede all of our confusion and mistakes and move us closer to something better. And, of course! That makes perfect sense, for we were created by God and to be completed by God. Unfortunately, we tend to seek things which, in reality, are nothing more than a sad reflection of how God wants us to trust him. Things that are shallow and disappointing; things that miss the mark by far! In order to seriously find the road to peace and satisfaction, we must begin with God, the orchestrator of all, including ourselves. When we have a problem with a product and it needs to be repaired, what do we do? We send it to the manufacturer. Are we so different? In this case, no. God is our creator and sustainer, and a loving one at that. It would wise for us seek him for all of our needs. And certainly in him we would find ourselves fully complete.