Back to Normal –

We have used the words or phrase “Getting Back to Normal” over the last couple of years. I have even said it and preached it that we must “get back to normal or what the new normal looks like”.  As I have thought about these words, I am not sure we know what normal is!

This morning as I entered into a time of devotion, getting myself positioned so I could escape to the presence of God, I have already established what normal is in these morning times. Positioning myself in my favorite chair, with a cup of coffee, opening the Bible, turning on the music and then sighing and praying – “God speak to me”.

As I readied myself this morning and read the morning’s scripture from Jeremiah 29”4-6 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters.” I thought is this the normal God is expecting of me.

Thinking deeper, this was God’s way of saying to me this morning – “Come out of captivity of what ever has been directing and ruling your life into what I have planned for you. Receive the blessings that I have in store for you. Focus on what is important.” I prayed, “what is important Lord ?” Just as I expected, God always shows up with the answer. This morning it came in the form of my random music play list. I asked Alexa ( don’t judge me – God can do good through all things) “Play instrumental Christian music”. Here is where the answer came in the form of the first two random hymns that were played: “To God Be the Glory” and “Abide with Me” .

Thank you, Lord, for speaking to me and describing what the new normal should be. To Give God all the Glory, and if what isn’t happening is God Glory worthy, then it is not worthy. Secondly the call to abide with God must become normal, it really shouldn’t be a new normal, but is something that I should have been practicing all the time. Abiding with God !

Confession time as these thoughts swirled around in my heart, I’m sure not by accident, but by the leading and moving of God’s Holy Spirit, the tears began to stream down my cheeks as I prayed and confessed for not allowing God to remove me from the captivity that I have allowed to be created around me, to allow God to move and bring to the place that God desires us all to be. It will take work it will take faith, but it is what we must do one step at a time, move to the normal God’s is preparing for us.

Praying “ Even though I walk through the darkest valley, sometimes at my own choosing, sometimes because I have allowed someone or something to get me there, I will trust in you, I will abide in you, knowing that you my Lord, desire to abide in me. To God be the Glory – Amen.