Mary Moments

"...thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart."  Jeremiah 15:16

Since dusting off the small, leather-bound devotional book in January, it has become a treasured part of my daily time with the Lord this year.  Given to me by a retired missionary who I affectionately called "Uncle Harry", I was 14 years old when I first committed to reading God's Word every day.  Having packed this book away long ago, finding it and reading it again all these years later has been a delight.

This devotional book was printed in 1966 and originally given to Uncle Harry's "darling wife Maude on her 83rd birthday" in May of 1972, according to the hand-written inscription.  I received it four years later after her calling home to Heaven.  Each day has a morning and evening reading that is filled with God's Word alone.  No additional side notes or applications.  The Holy Spirit is Commentator, Communicator and Interpreter. It is written entirely from the King James Version and even the old English has brought back sweet memories of childhood Bible readings and memorization.

What has thrilled my heart is finding comments, reflections and prayers in the margin that I wrote as a young girl when I first read this book.  It's so touching to see the penmanship of my younger days.  Expressions of wonder and awe.  Comments of confusion.  I smiled as I found a short prayer for Barry Manilow's salvation, no doubt coming from a heart once infatuated with teenage love.  Many pages crinkled with words blurred and blotted from tears.  Prayers offered.

Friends, God's Word speaks through every stage of life.  Each morning it's my time with Him that gets me out of bed early, anticipating what He will say to me that day.  Sometimes it's a Word of conviction. Often it's an answer to a specific prayer. Many times it's a new revelation. At other moments He speaks through a quiet whisper revealing more of His nature to me or sharing a divine secret.  Other days, like this morning, He speaks so much I can hardly keep up and the clock dictates the end of our set-aside time together, not a true sense of completion. (I'll share today's teachings through future blog posts, Lord willing.)

Is He ever silent? Yes, there are days when my journal only contains the date with a sentence or two, but those mornings are special still.  God and I enjoy the comfortable quiet that isn't awkward between best friends.  A sweet knowing that we are just there...together.  Our relationship is such that He knows He can trust me with His silence.  We share a history.  Over 40 years. A lot of memories.  A lot of blessed Mary moments, sitting at the Master's feet.

Thank You Lord for Your Word.  I'd love to hear what He spoke to your heart today.  That assumes you've spent time in His Word, and you've listened.  My heart would be so encouraged to know you've given Him time today.  It's really the only reason I write.  Lord, use these often faulty words to draw someone's heart closer to You.