If you know me, then you know I struggle with chronic back pain, and as such, I am often awake before others within my household.   So when I was awakened today by the sharp back pain screaming aloud to me (much as an alarm clock screeches as it sounds an alarm), it was not at all surprising that I awoke to the beautiful moon shining through our dining room window.  Amazing light beaming through the window, down the short hallway, and straight into the slits of my slightly opened eyes.
The full moon was a glorious sight and one that I was so thankful to be awake to see.
Yes, thank You, God, for revealing the beauty of Your creation to me.

If you know me, then you know I have a favorite blue, swivel rocker (one that my sister-in-law’s grandpa called the “Cadillac” when we were upstairs at the furniture store “trying on” rockers for size).  So when the beautiful moonlight and the uncomfortable back pain awoke me early this morning, I enjoyed time with moist, warm heat placed upon my back as I rocked to the beat of Christian rock streaming into my ears from the Pandora station.
One amazing song melody that came through the earbuds was Casting Crowns’ “Even When You’re Running.”

We must only—-Accept God and Believe Jesus truly raised from the dead and Confess our sins against God and then Receive God’s Holy Spirit living inside us, to have eternal life.
Yes, thank You, God, that Your salvation was freely paid in full by the death of Jesus (the Son of God) upon the cross.
Yes, thank You, God, for making a way for each one of us to intimately know You.
Yes, thank You, God, for though we were born spiritually dead, we are now made alive again through Christ Jesus and now walk totally free and totally new, only through YOU !!!

If you know me, then you know I am a teacher by trade.  My career has been one filled with 24+ years of high schoolers (and most recently, one filled with older adults returning to college, the “non-traditional students”).
So when Vacation Bible School sign-up time came, I stood at the back of the church with some hesitancy because the highest grade for students to attend VBS was 6th grade (and that’s not even close to high school seniors OR college freshmen age).  Yet, when I signed my name to the form, never did I imagine what joy could be so gained by sharing a week of class time with second grade, eight-year-olds.
Yes, Thank You, God, for the most wonderful week as we discovered and were reminded of the childlike faith necessary to embrace the salvation freely offered by God’s mercy and grace to each of us through Jesus.
And thank You, God, for revealing the way to You through the eyes and questions of these innocent second graders.

May we EACH ONE, (INDIVIDUALLY) accept the TRUTH of WHO Jesus Christ Is,   &
May we EACH ONE (INDIVIDUALLY) see God’s love for us as it sinks into our minds.   &
May we EACH ONE (INDIVIDUALLY), who already believe and call Jesus LORD, be strengthened and more committed to follow God even more today.

In the Bible, the apostle John wrote so clearly in recalling a time when Jesus spoke to a religious leader who came to Jesus under the cover of night, yes, so we could clearly understand how to be saved from our sins, how to become His (God’s).

Then again, in God’s Holy Word, the apostle John reminds us why God revealed His Word to us.

We can choose to believe with childlike faith or not.  The choice is truly ours (INDIVIDUALLY) to make.
We can choose to admit (or not) that apart from God we are dead, enslaved and trapped within our sins.  The choice is truly ours (INDIVIDUALLY) to make.
Even if….

• Even if no one else believes, admits, and calls God LORD, we can.
• Even if no one else ADMITS he is a sinner, totally lost without God’s forgiveness of sins……
• Even if no one else BELIEVES Jesus Christ died upon the cross and raised to new life three days later to walk out of His tomb……
• Even if no one else CONFESSES his sins committed against God and CALLS out to God to save his soul……
• I can!
• You can!
• Anyone Person Alive Can!

And so in closing, within the Holy Scriptures, the apostle Paul was inspired by God to record these words to those living in Ephesus, words that speak (still today) with such clarity to each one of us.